Valley Herald, Valley News Form Single Paper

Journal News Publishing Co., the parent company of the Spokane Valley News, on Wednesday bought The Valley Herald.

Journal News Publishing plans to merge the two newspapers later this month and produce a weekly paper known as the Spokane Valley News-Herald, publisher Bill Ifft said.

Valley Herald publisher Clark Hager will not be involved in the new venture. A Valley Herald reporter also lost his job as a result of the merger.

Hager could not be reached for comment. In a story published on the front page of Friday’s Valley Herald, Hager wished the new publication well.

Current Spokane Valley News managing editor Mike Huffman will continue in that capacity for the combined publication. The newspaper will have a reporting staff of three, including longtime Valley Herald editor Charlie Plumb.

“The editorial approach we’re going to take is the same as we did with the Valley News - more community news,” Ifft said.

Combined paid circulation is anticipated to be about 5,500. The Spokane Valley News-Herald will operate out of The Valley Herald offices, 8940 E. Sprague.

Journal News Publishing recently purchased the Spokane Valley News from founder Rob Allen, a former city editor of The SpokesmanReview. Journal News Publishing also owns the Cheney Free Press, Medical Lake Register, Davenport Times, Grant County Journal and Grand Coulee Star newspapers.

The Valley Herald, which had contracted with Spokane County to publish county legal advertisements, suffered a financial blow last spring when it lost the contract to the Spokane Valley News. The Spokane Valley News began publishing the legal advertisements July 1.

Ifft said The Valley Herald will bring history and name recognition to the new joint publication.

, DataTimes