After 150 years, the final edition of The Youngstown Vindicator hits newsstands Aug. 31. There are efforts to keep The Vindicator name under a different publisher and a few outside news organizations plan to expand coverage in the area, but it's still the end of a daily news era in Youngstown.
From Youngstown’s steel boom and bust, to the recent closing of the General Motor’s plant in nearby Lordstown, the "Vindy" has been there to cover it all. Until now.
"The loss here of The Vindicator is pretty devastating," said longtime reporter and columnist David Skolnick. He's been with The Vindicator for 24 years.
"Many people have told me they see the loss of the Vindicator as an even greater loss than the General Motors plant." General Motors stopped production at its Lordstown Assembly plant, where the Chevy Cruze was made, in March.
The Maag-Brown family's decision to shutter the paper came as a shock to many.
There are attempts to fill the void.
The Warren Tribune Chronicle has purchased the paper's name and website and will offer a Mahoning County edition under The Vindicator banner.
Google and publisher McClatchy are launching a digital newsroom to cover Youngstown and Propublica is supporting reporting efforts at the Youngstown Business Journal for one year.
