Carlsbad Current-Argus
Newspaper in Carlsbad, New Mexico
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Carlsbad Current-Argus is a weekly newspaper in Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States. It has been published since 1889. The newspaper is printed in a broadsheet format.
Website home page of the Carlsbad Current-Argus on September 2, 2021 | |
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | El Rito Media, LLC |
| Editor | Jessica Onsurez[1] |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | 620 S. Main St. Carlsbad, NM 88220 United States |
| ISSN | 1522-5763 |
| Website | currentargus |
History
On October 12, 1889, the Eddy Argus was first published in Eddy, New Mexico.[2] It was founded by A.J. Howe.[3] He soon left the paper and died less than two years later.[4] In September 1892, J.M Hawkins assumed control of the Argus.[5] In November 1892, a rival paper called the Eddy Daily Current was founded, with William Henry Mullane as editor.[6]
In 1895, Hawkins retired from the Argus and was succeeded by L.O. Fullen.[7] In March 1902, A.D. Greene and William T. "Bill" Reed bought the Argus. Fullen remained on as editor.[8] In September 1902, Reed bought out Greene.[9] In 1917, Mullane sold the Current to S.L. Perry.[10]
In 1924, C.C. Durden bought the Argus and Reed retired.[11] In 1925, A.W. Anderson bought the Current from Perry.[12] In 1926, the Argus and the Current merged to form the Carlsbad Current-Argus.[13] In 1929, Durden and Anderson sold the paper to D.D. Roderick, owner of the El Paso Times, J. Lindsey Nunn and Paul Walter Jr.[14] The Current-Argus was managed by Nunn-Warren Publishing Co., which also published the Clovis News-Journal and the Roswell Morning Dispatch.[15]
In 1931, a new company led by George H. Hill and Nunn's son Gilmore N. Nunn was formed to operate the three New Mexican papers, along with the Raton Range in Texas.[16] In June 1933, Current founder Mullane died.[17] In June 1933, editor Floyd B. Rigdon and Edwin S. Kerrigan bought the Current-Argus.[18][19] In 1935, the two took over a commercial print shop,[20] and a month later Rigdon bought out Kerrigan.[21] In 1940, Reed, who spent 35 years at the paper, died at age 72.[22] In 1941, Kerrigan died at age 40 from a fall.[23]
In 1966, Scripps League Newspapers purchased the paper from Rigdon.[24] Philip F. Buckner was an investor in Scripps. In 1971, Buckner formed a company called the Buckner News Alliance, and fully acquired the Current-Argus.[25] He soon appointed Ned Cantwell as publisher and began acquiring other publications.[26] Cantwell and David B. Martens of Bellingham, Washington, bought the paper in 1991.[27]
Cantwell and Martens sold the paper to World Newspapers, Inc., owners of the Omaha World-Herald in 1993.[28] MediaNews Group sold its southwest Iowa newspaper chain to World Newspapers in 2000, and in the same transaction acquired the Current-Argus.[29] In 2003, MediaNews and Gannett formed the Texas-New Mexico Partnership, a joint venture that would manage several papers including the Current-Argus.[30][31] MediaNews acquired a majority stake two years later.[32] In 2015, Gannett acquired full ownership of venture.[33] In 2024, Gannett sold the Current-Argus, Alamogordo Daily News and Ruidoso News to El Rito Media, LLC.[34][35] In 2026, the paper converted to a weekly.[36]