Last American Newspaper

Ken Tingley was the editor of The Post-Star in Glens Falls, New York, from 1999 to 2020. He was president of the New York State Associated Press Association in 2010 when it merged with the state broadcasters association. He served twice on the board of directors of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and was a Pulitzer Prize judge in 2008 and 2009. He lives in Queensbury, New York.

“Across America, community newspapers are in deep trouble as more than 35,000 local journalists have lost jobs since 2008. The result is lower civic engagement, less accountability among local leaders, and the critical loss of a catalyst for positive change. Ken Tingley’s book, The Last American Newspaper, is a clarion call for citizens who are rightly concerned about who is going to do the kind of journalism needed in a democracy. Tingley’s account of the talented and dedicated staff of The Post-Star—and the increasing financial, corporate and political challenges faced in his 21 years as editor—is a microcosm of the triumphs and challenges experienced by community newspapers in hometowns across the U.S.A. Tingley’s writing is as clear as his message.”—David Stoeffler, former Post-Star publisher, chief executive officer, Springfield (MO) Daily Citizen

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsForeword: The Last American Newspaper by Gary KebbelPrefaceIntroduction: Mary Joseph1. “My high school is on TV”2. “Get up, get out”3. 9/114. Maury5. Growing Up Gay6. “She has suffered enough…”7. The Photograph8. Street of Dreams9. Monsters After Midnight10. ­­­­­9-1-111. Breaking Their Silence12. “I don’t know where my husband is”13. “Was that Vito?”14. Congressman ­­­­­Kick-Ass15. Not Again…16. Parents Still Don’t Get It17. “You won it, buddy”18. “There are kids in there”19. Profile in Courage20. You Don’t Want to Read This21. Who Will Take Care of Us?22. The Evil Librarian23. Heroin Hits Home24. The Difficult Mr. Lehman25. The Great Email Caper26. The Alzheimer’s Chronicles27. “We’ve got one coming for you, Post-Star”28. The Last YearEpilogueChapter NotesBibliographyIndex