Litchfield Rail Newspaper

After 148 years in business, a decision was made earlier this year by the owners of the Litchfield Independent Review newspaper to cease operations. A new newspaper, the Litchfield Rail, began operating earlier this month.

Brent Schacherer, who arrived in Litchfield in 1999 as editor of the Independent Review, is the regional editor of both the Litchfield Rail and the Hutchinson Station newspapers. He says Vern Madson and Stan Roeser sold the Independent Review to Red Wing Publishing in 1999 and then Red Wing sold it 4 years ago to Media News Group which decided to close it at the end of April.

Schacherer says he got a call from the CEO of Cherry Road Media this spring that they wanted to start up newspapers in Litchfield and Hutchinson. He says with more and more people getting their news on the internet, newspapers all over the nation have been folding, but it’s exciting to have a newspaper back in Litchfield.

Schacherer says he reads a lot of information online, but there’s something special about holding a newspaper and reading the news. He says there will be news available at litchfieldrail.com and there is subscription information there or by calling 320-434-5656.

Schacherer says residents in the area have been receiving free newspapers the first few weeks, but once that period ends, the newspaper will be available at newsstands at convenient stores and other locations like the Independent Review use to be, and for those who subscribe, it will be in their mailboxes on Thursdays.