Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
| Type | Semi-weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tall Tab |
| Owner | Wick Communications |
| Publisher | J. David McChesney |
| Editor | Jeremiah Bartz |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | 5751 E. Mayflower Ct. Wasilla, AK 99654 United States |
| Circulation | 8,500 (as of 2020)[1] |
| Sister newspapers | Anchorage Press |
| Website | frontiersman |
The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman is a newspaper serving the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of Alaska. It is owned by Wick Communications, publishing every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.
History
[edit]In 1947, The Frontiersman was founded.[2] In 1949, Alvin Jay DeJulio and his wife Billie Jean DeJulio bought the paper. DeJulio previously worked at the Anchorage Daily Times and was one of the co-founders of the Anchorage Daily News. He died in 1959 at age 47 from a brief illness.[3][4] His widow then remarried in May 1960 to Theodore " Ted" O. Schmidtke, who formerly worked at the Anchorage Daily News. Mr. Schmidtke at some point was elected mayor of Palmer, Alaska. The couple divorced in August 1973 and Mrs. Schmidtke moved to Winslow, Washington. Ted Schmidtke drowned in Wasilla Lake in October 1973. He was age 45.[5] Mrs. Schmidtke then put the Frontiersman up for sale.[4]
In Mach 1974, Jerome F. Sheldon bought the paper from her.[6] In 1978, Leighton P. Wood, owner of the Skagit Valley Herald in Washington, purchased the paper from Sheldon.[7] Wood's family also owned Pioneer Newspapers of Seattle.[8] Following the sale, Dave Ward was then installed as publisher and soon faced competition from the newly-founded Valley Sun of Wasilla, Alaska, operated by Jack Sorgenfrei.[9] The two paper's merged production operations in 1979 but maintained separate ownership.[8] Former Wasilla mayor Harold Newcomb launched another rival paper in 1983 called the Valley Press,[10] but it ceased after three years. By then the Valley Sun had been absorbed into the Frontiersman.[11]
Shelly Gill, former editor of Alaska Woman Magazine, became publisher of the Frontiersman in 1983. During her five-year-reign, the Frontiersman won a 1986 National Newspaper Association award for a series on child sexual abuse. In 1987, Gill directed two reporters to eavesdrop at a cafe where a majority of borough assembly members had gathered after their regular meetings and reported on the overheard conversation. The paper then sued the assembly for violating Open meeting laws by discussing government issues in private and later reached a settlement.[12]
In 1993, Wood sold the paper to Michael and Patricia Lindsey, of Wyoming for more than $1 million.[13] In 1996, the couple sold the paper to Wick Communications. At that time the Frontiersman had a circulation of 7,000.[2] In 2006, Wick purchased Anchorage Press Publishing, which published the Anchorage Press.[14] In January 2025, the company announced it was looking to sell the paper.[15]
Notable staff
[edit]Former Alaska governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin worked for the newspaper as a sports reporter.[16] Longtime sports writer Jeremiah Bartz is the managing editor.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ "My Alaska Media 2020 Rate Card by Wick Communications - Issuu". issuu.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ a b Jung, Helen (January 5, 1996). "Valley newspaper sold to Arizona chain". Anchorage Daily News. p. 37.
- ^ "Publisher Succumbs In Palmer". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Associated Press. June 10, 1959. p. 7.
- ^ a b "Printing Goes On At Frontiersman". Anchorage Times. November 1, 1973. p. 4.
- ^ "Former Palmer Mayor, T.O. Schmidtke, Dies". Anchorage Times. October 19, 1973. p. 1.
- ^ "Sheldons Acquire Control of Newspaper In Palmer". Anchorage Times. March 29, 1974. p. 4.
- ^ "New publisher for Palmer". The Peninsula Clarion. Associated Press. June 22, 1978. p. 5.
- ^ a b Huntley, Brian (April 26, 1979). "Valley newspapers to merge operations". Anchorage Daily News. p. 17.
- ^ "Valley Press 'War' Heats Up Between Sun, Frontiersman". Anchorage Times. July 22, 1978. p. 14.
- ^ O'Harra, Doug (December 4, 1983). "Former Wasilla mayor to launch weekly paper". Anchorage Daily News. p. 22.
- ^ Geiger, Chris (March 27, 1986). "Valley Press stops publication, leaves Mat-Su with 1 local paper". Anchorage Daily News. p. 27.
- ^ "Mat-Su Newspaper Publisher to Resign". Daily Sitka Sentinel. Associated Press. January 19, 1988. p. 3.
- ^ "Frontiersman Newspaper Sold". Daily Sitka Sentinel. Associated Press. September 22, 1993. p. 5.
- ^ Richtmyer, Richard (August 3, 2006). "Arizona publisher buys Anchorage press owner". Anchorage Daily News. p. 47.
- ^ Rhode, Scott (April 7, 2025). "Pressing Concerns: Behind the Covers of Periodical Printing". Alaska Business Magazine. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
- ^ "We know Sarah Palin". Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman. August 30, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- ^ Anderson, Dennis. "Publisher's Notebook; Shooting at the Capital Gazette hits home for the Frontiersman". Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman. Retrieved July 10, 2021.