The Clay County News, based out of Sutton, Neb., proudly covers the communities of Clay Center, Deweese, Edgar, Fairfield, Glenvil, Grafton, Harvard, Inland, Ong, Saronville, Sutton, Trumbull and the surrounding areas. The Clay County News has won the Class B Sweepstakes for Nebraska weekly newspapers of similar size in both 2012 and 2013.
Our Current Staff
T.M. (Ted) Gill, Publisher
Tory Duncan, Managing Partner
Ashley D. Swanson, News Editor & Photographer
Karla Fehr, Advertising Sales & Marketing
Glenda Griess, Copy Editing
Melissa Whitefoot, Staff Reporter & Photographer
Rita Brhel, Staff Reporter & Photographer
Pam Schroetlin, Copy Editing & Bookeeping
Clay County News History
No! The Clay County News, as we know it today, was not the first newspaper to be published in the county. However, the Clay County News is the survivor of 20 newspapers that have been published in Clay County since 1875. That makes this paper 135 years young.
We have traced the history of Clay County newspapers back through the files of the Nebraska State Historical microfilm files in Lincoln.
The first newspaper published in Clay County was the Clay County Globe established in 1875 at Sutton and later in 1880 along came the Sutton Register. The Globe was absorbed by the Sutton Register in 1880.
Both the Fairfield Messenger and Fairfield Herald appeared in October of 1895 and the Edgar Index started in October of 1898 but only lasted until April of the following year.
The True Light newspaper of Fairfield opened for business is January of 1899 but folded in February of 1900.
In November of 1899 the Glenville Bee began publication and went out of business in April of 1901.
After the turn of the Century the Fairfield Independent appeared in January of 1908 and lasted nine year going out of business in February of 1917 as World War I was about to involve the United States.
In February of 1915 the Glenvill Globe started and lasted three plus years to September of 1918.
Another newspaper, the Deweese Booster, also appeared in April of 1915 and published until September 0f 1918.
The Fairfield Auxiliary made its debut in July of 1914 and fought the news battle in Clay County until October of 1965.
The Clay County Leader of Clay Center started publication in September of 1963 and ceased operation in December of 1976.
The Clay County News, as we know it today, is actually a descendant of the Sutton Register who absorbed the original Clay County Globe.
The original Sutton News was taken over by the Sutton Register in 1936 and in 1942 was absorbed by the new Sutton News.
In August of 1950 this paper was officially named the Clay County News and in December of 1976 took in the Clay County Leader when it folded.
In 1977 the Clay County News took over the Harvard Courier and in 1978 absorbed the Clay county Sun who had already absorbed the Edgar Sun in 1976.
The above is a very brief and sketch of history of newspaper history in Clay County up until the last quarter plus of a century.
One paper that did not reach the Historical Society records was the Ong Sentinel that was published on January 29, 1892 and was possibly only one issue.
Charles and Maryann Spearman were the Clay County News publishers from January 4, 1979 until May 28, 1981.
Don and Linda Russell were the publishers from May 28, 1981 until February 28 2005 when the paper was sold to Ivy-Rose Publishing Company.
On May 29, 2009 the Clay County News was purchased by T. M. (Ted) Gill and Cherridah M. Gill of Arapahoe who are the present owners of the business.
