LITTLE ROCK -- GateHouse Media, which last week closed two newspapers in central Arkansas, will follow that up with three more closings in Hope, Arkadelphia and Prescott.
Sept. 14 will be the last day of operations for the Siftings-Herald in Arkadelphia, the Hope Star and the Nevada County Picayune Times in Prescott, Ashley Wemberley, executive director of the Arkansas Press Association, confirmed Wednesday.
Representatives of GateHouse, based in suburban Rochester, N.Y., didn't return telephone calls for comment.
GateHouse last week closed the North Little Rock Times and the Lonoke County Democrat.
Wemberley said the news was sad for the communities affected but added, "This is one company. We don't think it's a trend. We have many other member-papers dedicated to their readers and communities. We have many more that are successful and thriving."
Wemberley noted that the Arkansas Leader, in Jacksonville, is expanding into North Little Rock following the closing of the Times. "We certainly hope someone else will pop up and serve" communities in southwest Arkansas, she said.
GateHouse also has "daily" newspapers in Conway, Fort Smith, Pine Bluff and Stuttgart, although the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith is the only one publishing seven days a week, and 11 other weeklies in the state.
Local on 09/06/2018