Jasper newspaper ceases publication

Monday marked the final issue of the Jasper newspaper.
The decision to cease publication ends the newspaper’s 131 years of service to the community.
Pipestone Publishing Co. in Pipestone owned the newspaper.
“The Jasper community, to no fault of anyone, has changed,” said publisher John Draper. “It’s very difficult to continue to print, mail and maintain all the resources necessary to continue the paper as we’ve known it.”
The article, headlined “A sad farewell to the Jasper Journal,” also pointed to recent effects of the coronavirus pandemic and recent shelter-in-place orders.
“We have been deeply impacted by the loss of advertising revenue due largely to the various state of Minnesota executive orders requiring businesses to cease operations and events to be canceled,” the article stated.
“In light of these losses, we will be reducing employee work hours and evaluating the best use of resources.”
Pipestone Publishing also publishes the weekly Pipestone County Star newspaper.
Journal subscribers will have their remaining subscription transferred to a Pipestone County Star subscription. Current subscribers to both papers will have the balance added to the County Star subscription.
“Our staff will continue to cover your events, your city government, your civic organizations and your people,” the article also stated.