Publisher Randy Stapilus of the Ridenbaugh Press and Chris Carlson of Carlson Chronicle stopped by the Huckleberries Online office this week during a tour of Idaho to promote Chris's latest book, "Eye on the Caribou." In Moscow, Randy was surprised to learn that the Daily News had left its office for a second-store suite in a building owned by the hospital. He offers his views on that and the recent sale of the Idaho Falls newspaper to a Minnesota newspaper group:

"Last week writer Chris Carlson and I were touring around north Idaho, and when we pulled in at Moscow decided to stop in at the local paper.

"We pulled up to the downtown building that for half a century and more had housed the Daily News (or, as I knew it in my Moscow years, the Idahonian). I was a little startled to find it now occupied by an economic development company, but the receptionist there helpfully pointed me to the newspaper’s new digs.

"Those were located in a suite of offices on the second floor of the Moscow federal building. Chris and I inquired about the unusual situation of a newspaper whose landlord was the federal government, but that turned out not to be the case either. The federal building, which still includes the post office and federal courts, had earlier been sold to a foundation of the local hospital. Which presumably could kick them all out if it developed expansion plans in the area, as many hospitals in recent years have been known to do.

"The newspaper, which had off-loaded its press years before and was using only a small part of the space in its old building, understandably wanted more cost-effective offices, and conditions were right at the federal building. But it seems a comedown to see a newspaper in an office building suite, like just another firm of accountants or lawyers." More here.