LAFAYETTE, Minnesota — Lee Zion needs to hitch the greater than 7,000 different Individuals to assist the Ukrainian individuals abroad. He’s keen to dig trenches, educate faculty and even carry arms as a soldier.

However first, the proprietor and writer of the Lafayette-Nicollet Ledger needs to provide away his small weekly newspaper in southern Minnesota — free of charge.

Working in a one-person newsroom, Zion does all of it himself. He writes the tales, lays out the paper, works with advertisers and places out a print product each week for about 500 subscribers.

“Common day is I’m going to my desk, work till the work is finished, which might be round midnight,” he mentioned. “Then the method repeats.”

Since 1904, the Lafayette-Nicollet Ledger has served western Nicollet County. The weekly is predicated within the small farming city of Lafayette, simply north of New Ulm and continues to be rooted in neighborhood journalism.

Zion spent the final 4 years overlaying all of it: from metropolis council conferences to highschool sports activities and proms. However, a powerful need to assist Ukraine within the ongoing battle with Russia prompted Zion to

publish an advert

in April, trying to find the fitting particular person to take the reins in proudly owning the Ledger free of charge.

“If this newspaper had been to all of a sudden disappear, the city of Lafayette would endure, the city of Nicollet would endure and the city of Courtland would endure,” he mentioned. “Anybody who comes after me will probably be doing this and I need to be sure that particular person does an excellent job.”

But it’s not a easy job of simply handing over the keys. The perfect candidate, Zion mentioned, must be dedicated to native journalism and the unending work that comes with working a weekly. The newspaper is financially secure. The principle income sources are subscriptions and advertisers with what Zion sees as a possible for development.

“The most important piece of recommendation is the one method to do that job is to decide to native information,” Zion mentioned. “Individuals can discover out what’s taking place within the Ukraine immediately by clicking a button, however they will’t discover out what’s taking place right here. Individuals need to know what’s taking place right here.”

It’s not simple for small neighborhood newspapers to outlive. The Chair of the Division of Rising Media on the College of St. Thomas, Mark Neužil is a former newspaper and wire service reporter. He factors to a 2020 survey that discovered that greater than 2,200 newspapers closed in the US since 2005. Nearly all of these closures had been in communities of lower than 5,000 individuals.

“We’re speaking about newspapers that serve small city America and in some instances, are the one voice in that city and even in that county,” Neužil mentioned. “That’s an necessary loss for both the city or the county.”

Discovering new possession or these keen to take the mantle of offering constant information protection is difficult, Neužil mentioned. But, he believes the Ledger is enticing given it’s worthwhile and that communities are fiercely loyal to their hometown newspaper.

“There’s only a few issues in life as rewarding as placing out a small city newspaper and serving to individuals with their moments, the births, the deaths, the highschool commencement, promenade, sports activities, metropolis council and so forth,” he mentioned. “It’s actually a service to the residents of the neighborhood and whoever places the paper out ought to concentrate on that, and in addition [be] fairly happy with it.”

Since posting the advert, a number of candidates have reached out to Zion expressing curiosity in proudly owning the weekly and holding the custom going. Robert Lawson is a potential candidate from St. Peter. When he stumbled throughout Zion’s advert on-line, he knew he wanted to be taught extra, particularly the free half.

“I believed I misinterpret it. I used to be like ‘woah,’” Lawson mentioned. “So I known as based mostly on the curiosity and alternative as a result of I’m an entrepreneur, so I like newspapers like [Zion] does.”

Lawson visited Zion on the Ledger newsroom on Tuesday. He bought a fast tour of the archives and requested Zion questions concerning the supply at hand over the paper. He additionally wished to be taught extra about what the chance entails. Lawson, who has years of expertise in neighborhood journalism, sees it as difficult, however rewarding work.

“In the event you haven’t finished newspapers, it may appear boring,” Lawson mentioned. “However when you’ve finished them and also you’ve been concerned in it, it turns into this sort of a love affair. There’s something completely different about working in a newspaper.”

Regardless of the lengthy hours working alone, Zion does loves his job and needs others to serve their communities in no matter capability they will. Till the subsequent proprietor comes alongside, Zion continues to place collectively the week’s paper and make his deadlines.

“I need to encourage individuals. ‘Right here’s a man who’s doing this, possibly I ought to do one thing.’” he mentioned. “And no matter it’s, please do it. In order that method, you’ll be able to inform your grandchildren, ‘Sure, I did one thing.’”