Frontiersman readies for press facility

WASILLA -- The Frontiersman, a Valley institution for almost 60 years, will soon have the resources it needs to be locally produced as well as locally oriented.

A groundbreaking ceremony that took place Tuesday to celebrate the construction of a new press adjacent to the paper's existing building set the stage for several months of work on the lot. By February of next year, papers will be rolling off the press and into newspaper tubes and newsstands around the Valley.

Kari Sleight, publisher of the Frontiersman, voiced her enthusiasm for the upcoming construction. "We're very proud and very pleased to be able to take part in the growth happening around the Valley," she said. "We've talked about this and planned it for a long time."

Sleight mentioned that the new press would help keep local dollars in the Valley and create more jobs for the area. "The newspaper should be leading the way with economic development," she said.

Sleight attributed the paper's success to the support of readers, advertisers and employees.

Bob Wick from Wick Communications spoke about how proud the parent corporation was of the accomplishments of the local paper. "I appreciate the wonderful work done here by the staff and the community," he said. "Our company believes in this community and what it's doing."

Wick flew in from the company's offices in Arizona to view the site of the new press and attend the groundbreaking.

Wasilla Mayor Dianne Keller also complimented the paper for its commitment to local reporting and adding jobs to her city's economy.

"This new press symbolizes that we're at an exciting time in the Valley," said Jim Colver, deputy mayor for the Mat-Su Borough. Colver predicted five to 10 years of additional heavy growth in the area, and emphasized the importance of keeping up with this growth in the public sector.

"I really appreciate all that you're doing for our community," said Palmer Mayor Jim Cooper, who said that the Frontiersman is the only paper he reads on a regular basis, since it's all he needs to keep up with local happenings.

Alaska Rep. Bev Masek, R-Willow, also spoke to the increased level of growth in the Valley and her support for the new press. "We're moving along really well," she said. "It's a great day to be here."

For the last two decades, the paper has relied upon printing services at the Anchorage Daily News and Anchorage Printing to manage its twice- and then thrice-weekly production. The new press will allow copies to be printed locally.

The new press will have 9,600 square feet of floor space and a glass-walled front area to allow public viewing of the facility's workings from the parking lot. The building is being constructed with an eye to local home and landowners, with a planted buffer area and a berm to reduce generated noise.

The building itself is slated to be completed in December of this year, with the press installation set to start in January.

Contact Daniel Spoth at daniel.spoth@frontiersman.com.