Longtime Valley paper reemerges under new ownership
By Eric Valentine
You may have noticed something different in the news last week: The Weekly Sun wasn’t a part of it. Well, we’re back, under a new name and under new ownership. Some things have changed and will change. Other things haven’t and won’t.
Some Things Change
Let’s start with what you’ll notice first: the new name. The Weekly Sun is now Wood River Weekly. We hope you like it, and we feel it captures the spirit of our paper. We understand the importance of covering the entire Wood River Valley, from north of Sun Valley and Ketchum all the way to Picabo and Carey.
Similarly, we’ve changed our logo to something a little retro and unexpected. It reflects our propensity toward covering the expected in hopefully a unique but approachable way.
And then there’s new owners, longtime Valley residents and veteran Weekly Sun staffers Chris Seldon and Mandi Iverson. Yes, the people who have designed the newspaper for years and have been the managerial backbone of each issue and special edition now own it and run it. Seldon is also a local volunteer firefighter and Iverson a fifth-generation Valley resident. Both have done graphic design for several Valley publications in addition to The Weekly Sun over the years.
Some Things Don’t
We believe in a solid balance between news coverage and lifestyle stories. We wanted to keep it that way, so we’ve made sure to bring news editor Eric Valentine and arts and events editor Dana DuGan along on this journey. Valentine, an award-winning community journalist and marketing copywriter, has been with the paper this past year. He brings a particular voice to the paper we wanted to keep intact.
DuGan, a longtime Valley resident, has had her finger on the pulse of this Valley for decades as an award-winning reporter for multiple publications. She is a valued resource and liaison between the Valley’s thriving art world and the audiences who seek it.
Patty Healey, a 40-year Valley resident, remains our copy editor, kindly reminding us of proper AP style, when to use or not use serial commas, and reviewing every single feature and blurb we publish for not just typos or errors, but whether an element or a note seems missing.
Some Things To Look For
Our paper’s tagline—“Your Voice In The Wood River Valley”—is not empty words. To be your voice means we need to listen, to you, the reader. We don’t write stories for the politicians or the producers. We write them for the residents, visitors, business owners and audiences. So, when an issue is being covered that doesn’t capture something you feel is important, or if an issue you feel is important isn’t being covered, let us know. We can’t run every story requested, but we can promise that no letter to the editor will go unread. Our emails are on page 3 of this paper each week. Use them!
Soon you’ll see that our social media and online presence will expand. Don’t worry, we don’t plan to or want to digitize entirely. We believe in the kinetic and visceral pleasure of picking up a newspaper and reading it over a cup of coffee in your favorite spot. We also believe a user-friendly website and viewer-friendly social media platforms play important roles in keeping a community informed.
For more information about contacting us with questions or concerns, editorial or advertising-wise, please check out page 3 and get in touch. It’s how we will stay in touch with the community we love.
