Local Newspaper Announces Office Closure
PNC to continue to operate with virtual staff
LURAY, Va. — A local newspaper in operation for more than 150 years will permanently close its doors later this month.
The Page News and Courier (PNC) was first established in 1911 when a local publication known as “The Page News” (est.1881) merged with a second local publication “The Page Valley Courier” (est.1867).
The PNC was once part of a group of publications owned by the Byrd family of Virginia. Other Byrd newspapers included The Winchester Star, The Daily News-Record and The Warren Sentinel.
Almost from the time the first issue left the presses, the PNC was popular in and around Page County. Long before social media, television or even landline phones, residents eagerly awaited weekly information about local news, events, obituaries, awards, job ads, sports coverage, historical pieces and more.
The newspaper survived through several wars, The Great Depression, major regional and local events, a national paper shortage (yes), a change in ownership (in 2018), a major move from its historic Broad Street location, and a COVID lockdown (in 2020). Also in 2020, longtime PNC editor Randy Arrington left to start his own publication, Page Valley News.
The PNC encountered a major upheaval in late March, 2023 when the entire staff resigned due to content, layout and circulation changes beyond their control. Three of those employees had worked for the newspaper for more than 30 years. Later, a new staff writer was bumped up to the role of editor and a new salesperson was added.
The only remaining longtime employee, “news hawker” Albert Beck, has sold papers in the middle of town every publication day since the 1980s. The beloved (and grateful) Beck often receives food and other gifts from community members.
In late 2023, the PNC published a yearly ownership statement that reflected a significant reduction in sales and subscriptions as compared to previous years. The trend continued into 2024. Also in 2024, the newspaper announced reduced office hours at their East Main Street location.
On March 5, 2025, an online Daily News Record story indicated that the Page News and Courier would permanently close its doors later in the month. There was no mention of the closure in the March 6 PNC.
The online story, attributed only to “Staff Reports,” stated that while the physical office is closing, the paper plans to continue news coverage and publication.
The story did not mention the fate of Beck (who relies on the physical office to assist with weekly delivery and sales), or the fate of the PNC archive books, which hold thousands of PNC issues otherwise not available online or digitally catalogued.
The entire March 5 PNC announcement may be read HERE.
Full disclosure: The writer of this story is a former employee of the Page News and Courier.
sad
Uggg, so sad 😢