The Skagway News is once again on the hunt for a new owner, a few short years after Gretchen Wehmhoff bought the paper in 2020.
“So back in 2019 the owner at the time, Larry Persily, decided to offer it to someone who was from Alaska, who he thought would care about the community,” Wehmhoff said, according to KTOO. “And my friend at the time, Melinda (Munson), and I decided to apply.”
Wehmhoff disclosed how much he paid for the paper back in 2020.
“Twenty dollars,” Wehmhoff said. “He was going to give it to us for free, but we thought we should give him something. You know, you have to give something. So we gave them $20 and that first check bounced.”
While the former owner of the paper let his intentions to sell be known to a number of potential buyers across the country, Persily ultimately was looking to see the paper to someone that he could trust.
“I got talked into it, got new staff, got some equipment, tried to get it closer to break even and then decided I want to give it away,” Persily said. “I don’t want to run it. I just want to see it continue. And no one could afford to buy it. So the idea was, find someone who will run it, own it, love it, live in Skagway — and I’m essentially giving it away. Got about 140 inquiries from around the world, and picked a couple people from Alaska and turned it over to them.”
Persily admitted that it was challenging to run a weekly newspaper, admitting it is
“A lot of work, and no money.”
“They are economically challenging,” Persily added. “How’s that for a euphemism. They take seven days a week, a lot of stress, a lot of sweat, a lot of anguish, and they’re not profitable. Some pay their own way. Some don’t even do that. It’s tough.”
Now, after five years of running the paper, Wehmhoff has decided to sell.
“You know, if I had reporters that were freelance or free, I probably could keep going,” Wehmhoff said. “But unless I can get some freelance writing that doesn’t cost any money, it’s kind of tough. I mean, I can make a choice. I can write or I can layout the paper. Or I could do the business end of the paper. But doing all three, and then not bringing in any income for myself has been hard on me financially, as well as health wise.”
“I think the biggest struggle will be to remember to go to Skagway and listen to Skagway,” she added. “To really, you know, pay attention to what Skagway needs and what Skagway wants. I hope that the idea of still being very inclusive of residents of Skagway is part of it. I think it’s really important that we still look at it that way, that it doesn’t just become an advertiser, but it maintains its beauty of being a small town paper.”
Persily shares the same hopes.
“I hope she can find someone who will live in Skagway, put out a good paper, find a way to pay the bills and really live happily ever after. That was my intent four years ago. Didn’t work out.”
“I don’t regret for a second my decision to get involved with Skagway News,” Wehmhoff said. “Every single time there, it has been one of the most adventurous and exciting and challenging five years. Whether I was sick and I couldn’t do something, or whether it was emotionally draining, I do not regret for a second my decision to become an owner of The Skagway News. It’s been a real pleasure and joy. And I’d do it again.”
