ANACONDA — The Anaconda Leader has permanently closed, leaving residents without a local newspaper and putting six employees out of work.
Anaconda resident Steve Gonzalez said the closure came as a shock to the community.
WATCH: Anaconda's local newspaper has permanently closed. Six employees are out of work and the community is feeling the loss
"It's a shock to everybody because that's... the local newspaper we had for finding events and learning about your neighbors, kids doing things in school, and it's gone. And so, we're at a loss. We're like dumbfounded," Gonzalez said.
Owner and publisher Van Nietz says the internet and higher production costs are partially to blame for the closure.
"We used a lot of aluminum for our press, and it's tripled, and it's hard to even get newsprint anymore with all the paper mills that have shut down," Nietz said.
When asked how he plans to pay subscribers back, Nietz said employees will be paid first.
"Right now, the money that we have coming in is gonna be going to the employees first," Nietz said.
He says he will have answers for subscribers by the end of the week.
Copy editor Kasey Edge Faur was among the six people who lost their jobs at the paper.
"All of those things that national or state news organizations won't cover are so important and vital, and I think that's why this is such a tragedy," Edge Faur said.
The importance of local journalism was on full display in the summer of August 2025 when rumors spread on social media during a mass shooting and subsequent manhunt in Anaconda. The Leader's staff was on hand to provide the community with trusted, accurate information.
When asked what the role of a community journalist is, editor James S. Rosien reflected on covering that event.
"Well, that's...I'm really glad you asked that question. I wish to God it had never happened. I wish I had never had to cover any of it. I wish that all four of them were still alive and it had never happened," Rosien said.
When authorities apprehended alleged shooter Michael Brown, Rosien was at the scene alongside an MTN journalist to get the news out that the community was safe.
"We're just trying to keep the public informed, which is an important of, not just our job, but our democracy and our way of life in this country," Rosien said.
Both journalists say they are not leaving Anaconda. Rosien recently released a book on the town's history and will host an author reading and book signing on June 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Smelter City Senior Citizens Center at the Metcalf located at 115 E. Pennsylvania Avenue in Anaconda.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
