About

The Courier-Express

The Courier-Express is a Monday-Friday evening daily newspaper printed at 10:45 a.m., delivered by 5 p.m, circulation approximately 10,000. It covers the DuBois area of Clearfield County and most of Jefferson County, plus the southern half of Elk County in depth, reaching up into Johnsonburg and southern McKean and Forest counties.

It is printed in DuBois; offices are in DuBois, Brookville and New Bethlehem. Mailing address is P.O. Box 407, 500 Jeffers Street, DuBois, PA 15801-0407, telephone (814) 371-4200, fax (814) 371-3241, e-mail newspaper@thecourierexpress.com

More info about The Courier-Express

Tri-County Sunday

Tri-County Sunday is printed at 1 a.m., delivered by 7 a.m. Sundays, circulation approximately 16,000. It covers the area of the Courier-Express, plus quite a bit of circulation in Cameron, southern McKean, Clarion and Forest counties.

It is printed in DuBois; offices are in DuBois, Brookville and New Bethlehem. Mailing address is P.O. Box 407, 500 Jeffers Street, DuBois, PA 15801-0407, telephone (814) 371-4200, fax (814) 371-3241, e-mail newspaper@thecourierexpress.com

The Jeffersonian Democrat

The Jeffersonian Democrat is a weekly newspaper, printed on Wednesdays, delivered by 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, circulation approximately 4,000. It is centered on Brookville, and covers most of Jefferson County.

Its principal office is at 301 Main Street, P.O. Box 498, Brookville, PA 15825, telephone (814) 849-5339, fax (814) 849-4333, e-mail jeffdem@windstream.net

The Leader-Vindicator

The Leader-Vindicator is a weekly newspaper, printed on Wednesdays, delivered by 7 p.m. Wednesday or (by mail) by Thursday, circulation approximately 4,000. It is centered on New Bethlehem, and covers southern Clarion County and northern Armstrong County.

Its principal office is at P.O. Box 158, 435 Broad Street, New Bethlehem, PA 16242, telephone (814) 275-3131, fax (814) 275-3531, e-mail leadervindicator@windstream.net

More info about The Leader-Vindicator

The Value Guide

The Value Guide is a weekly, advertising-only "shopper" containing ads and pre-printed advertising, printed on Fridays, delivered by carrier and mail on Saturdays in the core areas of the Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday, circulation approximately 23,000.

Its principal office is in DuBois. Mailing address is P.O. Box 407, 500 Jeffers Street, DuBois, PA 15801-0407, telephone (814) 371-4200, fax (814) 371-3241, e-mail newspaper@thecourierexpress.com

I-80 Maps

I-80 Maps is a series of three editions, each published once a year, specific to DuBois, Brookville/Cook Forest, and Punxsutawney. Distribution varies from 5,000 to 20,000. Maps are oriented toward tourists and visitors, combining a guide to local points of interest with advertising from local businesses.

They are distributed through Chambers of Commerce and at tourist destinations and information points. Principal offices are in DuBois. Mailing address is P.O. Box 407, 500 Jeffers Street, DuBois, PA 15801-0407, telephone (814) 371-4200, fax (814) 371-3241, e-mail ads@thecourierexpress.com

More information

Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday

The history of the Courier-Express begins within a decade of the start of the history of DuBois, where it is located.

In 1872, John DuBois came to the then-village of Rumbargertown to start his lumbering operations and eventually to have the city named after him.

Seven years later, Bion H. Butler founded the Weekly Courier, printed at what is now Brady and Scribner streets. J.A. Johnston took over from Butler and published the weekly newspaper until Oct. 20, 1884.

On that date, E.W. Gray and E.S. Gray bought the newspaper.

One year earlier, in 1883, a competitor appeared.

The Express was organized by Frank McMichael and H.C. Wilson, and appeared in October as a weekly.

Four years later, on Jan. 2, 1888, the weekly newspaper became a daily newspaper, the DuBois Morning Courier, founded by E.W. Gray and Co.. In 1900, it became incorporated as Gray Printing Company. It was located in a small office at the rear of Brady Street and East Long Avenue, until the fire of June 18, 1888 destroyed its office as well as most of downtown DuBois. That same fire destroyed the Pettigrew Building offices of the Express.

At that time, the only source of news outside DuBois was to "clip," actually plagiarize, the news from the large-city daily newspapers and reprint it 12 hours later.

On June 14, 1889, the Morning Courier moved into the Hight Building, where it stayed until 1926, then moving to West Long Avenue and High Streets. A Universal cylinder press was installed, first powered by steam, later by a gas engine and finally by electricity. About 1905, the first Linotype typesetting machine was installed, replacing the practice of setting each letter of each line of type by hand. During the same time, the Express moved into the Knarr Building on Brady Street and, in 1890, was bought by David Reams. Another fire, this one in 1898, left the Express homeless again. It later moved into new quarters in the former Bob's Army and Navy Store building. In 1895, the Express became a daily newspaper with Charles H. Redfern as editor. In 1897, V. King Pifer became editor. In 1904, H.H. Rutter was the editor. In 1906, David C. Whitehill bought the Express, and W.B. Ross became its editor.

Early in the 1900s, the Morning Courier joined the Associated Press "pony" service, which consisted of several western Pennsylvania newspapers being hooked up to a "reader" in Pittsburgh who dictated news in two 15-minute periods to be transcribed by typewriter by editors in the half-dozen cities where the local papers were located.

In 1909, A.E. Hasbrook bought an interest in the Express and changed its name to the Daily Express. In 1914, E.S. Gray sold his interest in the Morning Courier.

In 1921, H.T. Gray entered the business and in 1923, J.S. Gray entered the business at the time of the death of E.W. Gray. On May 16, 1927, the Gray Publishing Company took over the Daily Express. The two newspapers were published as separate newspapers for 17 years, with J.S. Gray editor of the Express, W.B. Ross the editor of the Morning Courier.

A Courier-Express retrospective published in 1957 said the Courier was generally recognized as "dry" (promoting Prohibition) and Republican, while the Express was "wet" (against Prohibition) and Democratic.

The two newspapers became one newspaper during 1944 when World War II shortages of newsprint and workers forced the consolidation.

W.B. Ross retired as editor in 1953, and F.I. Gillung was editor until 1956. George Waylonis became the editor in 1956 and Marvin Bloom became general manager.

In 1957, the newspaper installed a 32-page Hoe press, doubling its previous 16-page printing capacity.

In the 1980s, Jason Gray became publisher.

In 1988, the newspaper was sold to McLean Publishing Co. of Bryn Mawr, Pa. The parent company, Independent Publications Inc., also owns daily newspapers in Nashua, N.H., groups of daily newspapers, weekly newspapers and shoppers in the Tampa-Bradenton-Kissimmee area of Florida and operates a commercial printing business, Evergreen Printing, in Bellmawr, N.J., as well as Independence Communications Inc., a sound and communications business with offices in Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina.

Independent Publications Inc. is owned by William L. McLean III, a third-generation newspaperman, and his family. Andrew Bickford is its president and chief executive officer.

In 1990, McLean Publishing Co. bought the Jeffersonian Democrat and the Brookville American, each one a weekly newspaper published in Brookville, Jefferson County, by the McMurray Printing Co. Kenneth Frizell became publisher. In 1993, the McLean newspapers pooled their resources and founded Tri-County Sunday. In 1994, W. Dock Lias became publisher.

In 1998, McLean Publishing Co. bought The Leader-Vindicator of New Bethlehem.

In 2001, Denny Bonavita, formerly the managing editor of the Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday, became McLean Publishing Co. publisher. Nick Hoffman became the managing editor of the Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday, with Randy Bartley as the editor of the Jeffersonian Democrat and Josh Walzak as the editor of the Leader-Vindicator. Ryan Wells is the general manager of the Leader-Vindicator.

Leader-Vindicator

In the age of multi-national news corporations, very few communities the size of New Bethlehem can still boast of having their own local newspapers.

New Bethlehem residents have actually been able to make that claim for the past 130 years.

The earliest attempt at founding a newspaper in New Bethlehem came in 1873. Victor A. Haines, using a Washington Press, founded the first publication in the community. Little is known about this newspaper aside from a brief mention of it in an 1873 history written by Dr. Hilton Wick.

That first newspaper must not have lasted very long as John Shick came to New Bethlehem from Indiana in 1885 to launch a newspaper in the growing community. He located his office on the second floor of the former Williams' Drug Store, which later became the Reinsel's Drugs building.

After a few years, Shick sold his business to J.C. Rairigh of Brockwayville, now Brockway. Rairigh became the publisher of the New Bethlehem Vindicator by 1888.

Around the turn of the century, Rairigh built a home and business building along Lafayette Street where the Vindicator was published until 1929. The building later became the Mateer Funeral Home and is now a private residence. Rairigh retired from the newspaper business in 1908 and sold the business to Harry A. Reed of Sligo. Having served as publisher of a small mail order magazine in Sligo, "The Stars and Stripes," Reed stayed with the Vindicator for only a short time.

The newspaper was again sold, this time to Walter A. Scott from Burgettstown. He launched a small semi-weekly but soon sold the paper to W. Ed Himes, who returned the paper to its weekly format in 1911.

Himes led the newspaper until Jan. 1, 1929 when he sold the printing and publishing business to L.O. Hepler, the publisher of the New Bethlehem Leader, which was founded in 1892.

The Leader began publication when George L. Miller moved his printing equipment from Big Run to New Bethlehem and took H.S. McDowell as a partner.

Miller eventually bought out his partner and sold the business to S.C. Hepler, father of L.O. Hepler, on Oct. 1, 1902. L.O. Hepler became publisher in 1908.

The Leader's office was located in the basement rooms of what is now the Vince Dougherty Building at the corner of Broad and Wood streets. The office was moved when L.O. Hepler built the current Broad Street location in 1923. The two newspapers were consolidated in 1929 and renamed The Leader-Vindicator.

Hepler continued as publisher until June 1, 1947, when he sold the business to Tom T. Andrews Jr. Andrews purchased the Broad Street lot along with the business and made improvements to the building in 1953. A concrete block, single-story structure was built on to the rear of the offices. Also in 1953, Andrews purchased three weekly newspapers from Ross B. Atchison of Rimersburg -The East Brady Review, Parker

Phoenix and The Rimersburg Record. The three papers were combined into one publication, The Record. That publication was later merged with The Leader-Vindicator. Andrews continued as publisher of The L-V and as co-publisher when James Shaffer became the owner in 1985. Andrews died in 1996.

In 1998, Shaffer sold the local business to McLean Publishing Co., a Philadelphia-based firm which also currently owns Brookville's Jeffersonian Democrat and the Courier-Express and Tri-County Sunday based in DuBois.

History of our Newspapers

The history of the Courier-Express begins within a decade of the start of the history of DuBois, where it is located. In 1872, John DuBois came to the then-village of Rumbargertown to start his lumbering operations and eventually to have the city named after him.

Seven years later, Bion H. Butler founded the Weekly Courier, printed at what is now Brady and Scribner streets. J.A. Johnston took over from Butler and published the weekly newspaper until Oct. 20, 1884.

On that date, E.W. Gray and E.S. Gray bought the newspaper.

One year earlier, in 1883, a competitor appeared.

The Express was organized by Frank McMichael and H.C. Wilson, and appeared in October as a weekly.

Four years later, on Jan. 2, 1888, the weekly newspaper became a daily newspaper, the DuBois Morning Courier, founded by E.W. Gray and Co.. In 1900, it became incorporated as Gray Printing Company. It was located in a small office at the rear of Brady Street and East Long Avenue, until the fire of June 18, 1888 destroyed its office as well as most of downtown DuBois. That same fire destroyed the Pettigrew Building offices of the Express.

At that time, the only source of news outside DuBois was to "clip," actually plagiarize, the news from the large-city daily newspapers and reprint it 12 hours later.

On June 14, 1889, the Morning Courier moved into the Hight Building, where it stayed until 1926, then moving to West Long Avenue and High Streets. A Universal cylinder press was installed, first powered by steam, later by a gas engine and finally by electricity. About 1905, the first Linotype typesetting machine was installed, replacing the practice of setting each letter of each line of type by hand. During the same time, the Express moved into the Knarr Building on Brady Street and, in 1890, was bought by David Reams. Another fire, this one in 1898, left the Express homeless again. It later moved into new quarters in the former Bob's Army and Navy Store building. In 1895, the Express became a daily newspaper with Charles H. Redfern as editor. In 1897, V. King Pifer became editor. In 1904, H.H. Rutter was the editor. In 1906, David C. Whitehill bought the Express, and W.B. Ross became its editor.

Early in the 1900s, the Morning Courier joined the Associated Press "pony" service, which consisted of several western Pennsylvania newspapers being hooked up to a "reader" in Pittsburgh who dictated news in two 15-minute periods to be transcribed by typewriter by editors in the half-dozen cities where the local papers were located.

In 1909, A.E. Hasbrook bought an interest in the Express and changed its name to the Daily Express. In 1914, E.S. Gray sold his interest in the Morning Courier.

In 1921, H.T. Gray entered the business and in 1923, J.S. Gray entered the business at the time of the death of E.W. Gray. On May 16, 1927, the Gray Publishing Company took over the Daily Express. The two newspapers were published as separate newspapers for 17 years, with J.S. Gray editor of the Express, W.B. Ross the editor of the Morning Courier.

A Courier-Express retrospective published in 1957 said the Courier was generally recognized as "dry" (promoting Prohibition) and Republican, while the Express was "wet" (against Prohibition) and Democratic.

The two newspapers became one newspaper during 1944 when World War II shortages of newsprint and workers forced the consolidation.

W.B. Ross retired as editor in 1953, and F.I. Gillung was editor until 1956. George Waylonis became the editor in 1956 and Marvin Bloom became general manager.

In 1957, the newspaper installed a 32-page Hoe press, doubling its previous 16-page printing capacity. In the 1980s, Jason Gray became publisher.

In 1988, the newspaper was sold to McLean Publishing Co. of Bryn Mawr, Pa. The parent company, Independent Publications Inc., also owns daily newspapers in Nashua, N.H., and Florida, as well as Independence Communications Inc., a sound and communications business with offices in Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina.

Independent Publications Inc. is owned by William L. McLean III, a third-generation newspaperman, and his family. Andrew Bickford is its executive vice-president.

In 1990, McLean Publishing Co. bought the Jeffersonian Democrat and the Brookville American, each one a weekly newspaper published in Brookville, Jefferson County, by the McMurray Printing Co. Kenneth Frizell became publisher and Dennis J. Bonavita became editor.

In 1993, the McLean newspapers pooled their resources and founded Tri-County Sunday. In 1995, W. Dock Lias became publisher.

In 1998, McLean Publishing Co. bought The Leader-Vindicator of New Bethlehem.

In 2001, Dennis J. Bonavita became publisher and Nick Hoffman became managing editor.

Advertisements