The Hancock News
263 Pennsylvania Ave Extended
Hancock, Md 21750
Phone: 301-678-6255
Toll Free: 1-888-678-2522--------- Fax: 301-678-5520
news@hancocknews.us
(UPS) 234-300)
1904 - JAMES S. BUZZERD - 1995
Publisher
The Hancock News, Inc
Editor
Kate Shunney
Reporters
Geoff Fox
Published every Wednesday, except the last week of the year, and entered as 2nd Class Matter at the post office, Hancock, Md 21750
Established 1914
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Hancock Residents: $24.38 a year
Other Maryland Residents: $26.50 a year
Fulton County, PA: $28.00 a year
Other Out of State: $31.00 a year
MEMBER, (MDDC) Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association
National Newspaper Association
HISTORY
The Hancock News Story
The Hancock News is the weekly newspaper for the town of Hancock and the surrounding area of western Maryland, with readers in southern Fulton County, Pa., and Morgan County, W. Va.
The Hancock News was founded in 1914 by George Huber, who later acquired the remains of another weekly, The Hancock Star. In 1947, Susan Bohler bought the newspaper from Huber's estate and ran it for the next 19 years. Bohler had started working with Huber in 1921 and was pretty much a one-woman operation - publisher, editor, writer, typesetter and pressman.
In May 1966, J. Warren Buzzerd purchased The Hancock News from Bohler. The Buzzerd Family owned The Morgan Messenger and
The News, in nearby Berkeley Springs, W. Va. The Messenger was founded by S. S. Buzzerd in November, 1893 and continues to be the
major local news source in Berkeley Springs and Morgan County. The Buzzerd Family acquired The News of Berkeley Springs during the Depression and retired that publication soon after taking over The Hancock News.
J. Warren Buzzerd was editor and publisher of both The Hancock News and The Morgan Messenger until 1999 when John Douglas was named editor of the newspapers. A native of western Maryland, Douglas has been on the staff since 1975.
The face of The Hancock News to readers has always been the staff. Dottie Mosier was in the office when it was located on Main Street, next to McKinley's Food Market. She was followed by Sally Fost, who ran the office and did much of the reporting during the 1970s and early 1980's. Sondra Bishop and Peter Denzer each covered the town news for many years after that, while Sandra Howard ran the office.
Today, Peggy McMahon and Kay Johnson staff the office at 263 Pennsylvania Avenue Extended, Hancock. Geminisse McCarty and Norma Emery ares the local reporters, with contributions from others. Much of the production work is done at The Morgan Messenger in Berkeley Springs.
Under the ownership of the Buzzerd Family, The News has changed from a hand-set paper of four pages to a computer-produced publication that now averages 16 pages. Published on Wednesdays, The News is the smallest newspaper in Maryland and is one of a shrinking number of independently owned papers.
Throughout its history, the mission of The Hancock News has never changed. The News seeks to be a reliable source of local news, a forum for local opinions and a reasonably priced vehicle for advertising and printing work.
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