New publishers join Canada’s oldest community newspaper

Chris Fanning and Karen Valihora are the new publishers of the Picton Gazette, the historic community weekly published since 1830 in Ontario’s Prince Edward County.

The couple acquired the newspaper from the Morrison family earlier this month and intend to expand coverage and reestablish at Main Street office presence in the coming future.

The Gazette was first published as the Hallowell Free Press on Dec. 27, 1830. It was acquired by Earl and Jean Morrison in 1977 and was helmed by Mrs. Morrison, one of the only female newspaper publishers in Canada, upon Mr. Morrison’s untimely death in 1978.

Mrs. Morrison died in 2019 at age 97. Since that time, the newspaper has been managed by the Morrison adult children and a dedicated staff.

The new publishers plan to work with the staff of the paper to expand its coverage of council politics, planning and development, the arts, and local agriculture.