“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have
everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.â€
2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT
TUESDAY
“As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their
good deeds will be remembered forever.â€â€
2 Corinthians 9:9 NLT
WEDNESDAY
“For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In
the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a
great harvest of generosity in you.â€
2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT
THURSDAY
“Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And
when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.â€
2 Corinthians 9:11 NLT
FRIDAY
“So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the
believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.â€
2 Corinthians 9:12 NLT
SATURDAY
“As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of
Christ.â€
2 Corinthians 9:13 NLT
SUNDAY
“And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace
God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!â€
2 Corinthians 9:14-15 NLT
Submitted to the City-County Observer by Karen Seltzer
University of Southern Indiana Softball suffered a pair of losses on day two of The Cottrell Foundation Loyal Blue Classic Saturday. The No. 21 Screaming Eagles fell to No. 16 and tournament host University of North Georgia, 5-0, in its opening game before losing an 11-inning marathon to No. 8 West Chester University, 12-10.
The opening game was a rematch between two teams that squared off against each other in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA II Softball Championship, a game that saw the Eagles knock off the then-No. 1 Nighthawks, 1-0, en route to winning a national championship.
With the same two pitchers in the circle on Saturday, the first three innings looked as if fans would get the opportunity to see another pitcher’s duel as the two teams combined for just one hit and three base runners.
North Georgia (9-1), however, took advantage of a leadoff walk in the last half of the fourth inning as it scored two runs off two hits to break the scoreless tie. The Nighthawks erupted for three runs in the sixth inning to break the game wide open, essentially eliminating any chance of a USI comeback in the process.
Senior Kylie Smith, the two-time Division II Pitcher of the Year, held the Eagles’ hitters to just two hits on the afternoon as she picked up her third win of the year.
The loss went ot senior pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt, who surrendered five runs, four earned, off five hits in six innings of work. Leonhardt (1-2) also was charged with the loss in the nightcap after coming into the game in a relief appearance.
USI (2-2) rallied from a 5-0 deficit to take a 6-5 lead, but West Chester (1-1) loaded the bases with no outs in the top half of the sixth inning. Leonhardt, who came into the circle after the Golden Rams had loaded the bases, could not get the Eagles out of the jam as West Chester scored three times to take an 8-6 advantage.
Sophomore pitcher/first baseman Katie Back, who began the game in the circle for the Eagles, cut USI’s deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI-single; while Leonhardt tied the game in the last half of the seventh with an RBI-single.
Neither team could put up runs in the eighth and ninth innings as the international tie breaker rule came into affect in the 10th inning. West Chester took advantage of the rule, which places a runner on second to begin the inning, as the Rams broke the 8-8 stalemate with a tally.
USI, though, responded in the home half of the 10th frame as junior outfield Alicia Webb hit an RBI-double to score Leonhardt, who was placed on second base to begin the Eagles’ at-bat.
Fatigue set in on Leonhardt in the 11th, however, as she surrendered three runs off a hit and two walks as West Chester grabbed the 12-9 advantage.
Freshman pitcher/infielder Allie Goodin, who was in the circle prior to Leonhardt, had an RBI-double in the last half of the 11th inning to cut into the Rams’ advantage. USI had the tying run on first base later in the inning, but could not push another runner across the plate.
Despite being charged with the loss, Leonhardt had a great day at the plate as she was 4-of-7 with a double and two RBIs. Goodin also had a solid game at the plate, going 3-of-5 with a double and an RBI, while senior outfielder Allison Schubert was 1-of-4 with a double and three RBIs.
Senior shortstop Taylor Ricketts, who had a triple, and freshman third baseman/outfielder Jordan Rager also had RBIs for the Eagles, who finished the game with 13 hits.
USI returns to action Sunday at 9 a.m. (CST) when it takes on West Chester in a rematch. The Eagles return to Evansville, Indiana, to host the Midwest Region Crossover February 21-23 at Deaconess Sports Park.
Day two of the Jaguar Challenge saw the University of Evansville softball team drop a pair of contests, opening the day with a 4-3 loss to Louisiana Tech before a late South Alabama rally led them to a 7-6 win in the evening match-up.
GAME ONE
A 3-run fifth inning by Louisiana Tech was the difference in game one with the Lady Techsters defeating the Aces by a 4-3 final. In the second inning, Louisiana Tech scored the opening run before UE tied it up in the third. Jenna Lis drew a leadoff walk and was pinch run for by Mackenzie McFeron. The sophomore stole second and would cross the plate on a double by Jessica Fehr.
The game remained knotted at 1-1 until the fifth when the Techsters plated three runs with Lin Edwards highlighting the frame with a home run. Trailing by a 4-1 margin, the Aces fought back with a run in the sixth. Alyssa Barela walked with one out and Mea Adams came in to run. Next up was Haley Woolf, who doubled to left to bring Adams in for the second run of the day.
Evansville made one more comeback attempt in the seventh putting runners on second and third to lead off the inning. With one out, Halie Fain attempted to score on a fielder’s choice, but was thrown out at the plate. Barela followed up with a single that scored Kat Mueller before a strikeout ended the game with Louisiana Tech taking the win. Evansville finished with five hits, led by two from Barela. Izzy Vetter made the start. She gave up just two hits, but walked four batters. Of the four runs she allowed, three were earned. Erin Kleffman pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
GAME TWO
South Alabama struck first with a pair of runs in the second inning. The Aces pushed back, scoring six of the next eight runs. Hannah Hood got UE on the board in the top half of the third with an RBI single. Her hit scored Jessica Fehr, who reached on an error earlier in the inning.
Two more runs crossed the plate for UE in the fourth. Lindsay Renneisen and Eryn Gould reached base to lead off the frame before advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Jenna Lis. The big hit came off the bat of Alyssa Barela, whose double to center put two more runs on the board and gave UE its first lead at 3-2.
The lead went right back in the hands of the Jaguars with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, but UE rallied in the sixth. It was Fehr coming through with a 2-RBI double that scored Toni Galas and Eryn Gould. Galas pinch ran for Lis, who singled in the inning while Gould reached via a walk. Up by one, the Aces added an insurance run when Barela registered her third RBI of the game to score Fehr.
Down to their final three outs, the Jaguars rallied in the seventh, scoring two runs with one out to tie the game. UE starter Emily Lockhart got the second out, but with a runner on third, South Alabama infielder Allie Hughen doubled to left to send USA to a 7-6 walk-off win. The Jaguars out-hit UE by an 11-6 margin. Fehr had two of the Aces hits and registered two RBI and scored twice. Barela had three RBI in the game while Gould scored two runs. Lockhart took the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits. She fanned five batters.
Sunday’s finale pits the Aces against USA once again at 12:15 p.m.
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball junior guard Mateo Rivera capped off an upset of  #19 (NABC)/#20 (D2SIDA) University of Missouri-St. Louis with a free throw with 4.2 seconds remaining in a 67-66 victory Saturday afternoon at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 19-5 overall and 11-5 in the GLVC, while UMSL finishes the afternoon 21-5, 12-4 GLVC.
With four conference games remaining in 2019-20, the victory put the Screaming Eagles in a four-way tie for third in the GLVC Standings with the University of Indianapolis, Southwest Baptist University, and Rockhurst University. USI lost its only meeting with SBU and the first meeting with UIndy, which visits for the final game of the regular season February 29. The Eagles won their only meeting with Rockhurst in January.
The first half belonged to the Eagles after the teams traded buckets through the first four minutes of the contest. USI began its first half surge with a 12-3 at 16:47 and had a five-point cushion by 11:29, 16-11, behind junior forward Emmanuel Little and senior guard/forward Kobe Caldwell, who combined for nine of the 12 points during the run.
The Eagles continued to expand the margin, reaching a 12 point lead, 30-18, with 2:23 left before halftime when junior forward Justin Carpenter converted in the paint. USI kept UMSL at bay for the final two minutes of the half and took a 34-23 lead into the intermission.
After USI extend the lead to open the second half to 13 points on a bucket by junior forward Josh Price, UMSL began to chip away at the Eagles lead and erased an 11-point margin with a 11-2 run to take a 44-43 lead with 13:36 to play. The Tritons continued on their rally and extended the lead to as many as 10 points with 4:55 showing on the clock, 62-52.
USI regained its stride behind a nine-point explosion by Little, who sparked a 15-4 run to the final buzzer and tied the game, 66-66, with an old-fashion three-point play with one minute remaining. The Tritons missed a chance to regain the lead with 33 seconds left when Little blocked a shot and freshman guard Chance Coyle grabbed the rebound.
Rivera charged down the floor and made a drive to the bucket with 4.2 second left getting fouled on the way. The junior guard clinched the win on his second free throw, while the Eagles’ defense did not allow the Tritons to get off a shot in the final ticks of the clock.
Overall in the game, USI controlled the glass, 39-26, and shot 46.4 percent from the field (26-56).
Little led three Eagles in double-digits with a game-high 21 points and 16 rebounds for his third-straight double-double and his eighth of the season. The junior guard was a blistering eight-of-11 from the field and five-of-seven from the stripe.
Rivera followed with 15 points and narrowly missed his own double-double with nine boards, while Caldwell rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.
USI has a split week next week, traveling to play the University of Illinois Springfield Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and comes home to host Lewis University Saturday at 3:15 p.m. The Eagles hold a 12-4 all-time series lead over Illinois Springfield after defeating the Prairie Stars twice last season, winning 100-72 at the Physical Activities Center and 93-83 in Springfield, Illinois.
The Prairie Starts watched their record rise to 14-10 overall and 7-9 in the GLVC after an 82-79 victory at Maryville University this afternoon.
The Eagles also hold a 47-27 all-time series lead versus the Flyers of Lewis after winning one of three meetings in 2018-19. Lewis took the two regular season meetings, winning in Romeoville, Illinois, 79-69, and at the Physical Activities Center, 83-73, while USI won in the final seconds of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional semifinals, 62-61. USI also held a 30-11 advantage in games at the old Physical Activities Center.
Lewis is 13-11 overall and 8-8 in the GLVC after defeating Missouri University of Science & Technology,67-63, this afternoon in Romeoville. The Flyers host McKendree University Thursday before coming down to the Screaming Eagles Arena next Saturday.
– University of Southern Indiana Baseball finished its season-opening series by dropping a 14-4 decision to Davenport University Saturday afternoon at the Hoover Met Complex in Hoover, Alabama. The Screaming Eagles move their record to 1-2 overall, while the Panthers go to 2-1 after the first weekend.
After a scoreless three frames, Davenport was the first to cross the plate by scoring five times during the top of the fourth. The Panthers were able to score five times on three hits, chasing the USI sophomore starting right-hander Garrett Welch, who took the loss in his 2020 debut.
The Eagles bounced back in the bottom half of the inning, posting a four-spot to cut the deficit to 5-4. USI senior first baseman Adam North put the Eagles on the scoreboard with an RBI-single to plate senior rightfielder Manny Lopez.
USI got another run back one batter later when senior shortstop Kobe Stephens knocked in junior second baseman Ethan Hunter with an RBI-single to left to make the score 5-2. Sophomore leftfielder Austin Moody drew the Eagles to within one, 5-4, with a two-run single to score North and Stephens and cap off the fourth-inning rally.
The 5-4 score would be as close as the Eagles would come the rest of the game as the Panthers scored three in sixth to regain command before sealing their victory with five in the seventh and one in the ninth in the 14-4 final.
Freshman centerfielder Steven Molinet led the Eagles at the plate with a pair of hits, while Moody had a team-best two RBI. On the mound, the Eagles allowed 14 runs, seven earned, on 11 hits, while five hurlers combined for six strikeouts.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles begin the 2020 home schedule at the USI Baseball Field next week when they host Trevecca Nazarene University for a three-game set. USI and Trevecca have a 2 p.m. single game scheduled for Friday and a 1 p.m. doubleheader slated for Saturday.
USI has a 4-3 all-time series lead over Trevecca after taking splitting a pair games with the Trojans last spring in Nashville, Tennessee. The Eagles took the first game in 16 innings, 3-2, behind 4.2 innings for relief work by senior right-hander Paul Perez and a RBI sacrifice fly by junior outfielder Bryce Krizan in the final frame, but drop a 4-3 decision the next day.
Freshman forward Hannah Haithcock scored a career-high 21 points as University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball held off a second-half rally to earn a 64-54 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Homecoming Saturday afternoon at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Haithcock went 9-of-16 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range, all while grabbing seven rebounds, as the Screaming Eagles ran their winning streak to a season-best five straight games.
The Eagles (16-6, 12-4 GLVC) dominated the contest early, outscoring the Tritons 18-9 in the opening period. USI held the Tritons to just three first-quarter field goals and led by as much as 14 midway through the second quarter before Missouri-St. Louis started mounting a comeback.
Missouri-St. Louis (12-13, 7-9 GLVC) used a 12-2 run to cut the Eagles’ advantage to just four points, but a three-pointer by Haithcock and a buzzer-beating basket by senior guard Ashley Johnson sent the Eagles into the break with a 34-25 halftime advantage.
USI extended its lead to 11 points with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, but a 16-5 Tritons run saw the Eagles’ advantage slip to just one point with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in the contest.
Freshman forward Tara Robbe’s layup 45 seconds later stopped the Tritons’ rally, while a pair of Johnson free throws with just over five minutes to play in the game gave USI a 52-45 cushion.
The Tritons got a three-pointer from Danielle Berry to trim USI’s lead to just two points a minute later, but a layup by junior guard Emma DeHart with just under four minutes on the clock gave USI a 54-50 advantage.
Johnson followed 30 seconds later with an old-fashioned three-point play to extend the Eagles’ cushion to seven points, while a Haithcock basket with just under three-minutes on the clock gave the Eagles a 59-51 lead.
Missouri-St. Louis got another three-pointer from Berry with two minutes remaining to cut the Eagles’ advantage to five, but the Eagles went 5-of-8 from the free throw line in the final two minutes to preserve the win.
In addition to Haithcock, the Eagles got 11 points from Johnson as well as nine points and three steals from freshman guard Addy Blackwell. Senior guard Kiara Moses finished with eight points, eight rebounds and three assists, while sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown had seven points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the Eagles, who out-rebounded the Tritons, 44-41.
McKenzie Lathrom had 12 points to pace the Tritons, who were held to just 29.0 percent (20-69) from the field and 29.2 percent (7-24) from three-point range.
The Eagles return to action Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when they travel to Springfield, Illinois, to take on the University of Illinois Springfield in a GLVC contest. USI is back at Screaming Eagles Arena next Saturday for their annual Play4Kay game as well as the NCAA Division II Showcase game against Lewis University.
He wants there to be no illusion that people can get the things they might want from him – tax cuts, judicial appointments – without also taking the parts that make the stomachs of reasonable people turn – tampering with the courts, executive branch overreach, personal corruption on scales previously unknown in the White House and vindictive abuses of power and authority.
Trump is Trump, and there is no getting around that.
There were a few Republicans, to be sure, who tried to delude themselves into thinking that the man could be tamed into a kind of a la carte president. They could pick the items they like – packing the Supreme Court, shifting tax burdens away from the wealthiest and onto the middle class – and trust the responsibilities of the presidency and subtle signals of disapproval would tame Trump.
Perhaps the most notable of these has been U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Collins famously said after the president emerged, by twisting the Constitution and Senate rules into unrecognizable shapes, from his impeachment ordeal that Trump has learned his lesson.
She since has worked hard to distance herself from that statement – likely because it makes her sound like the most gullible con man’s mark who ever lived or the world’s most muddleheaded moron.
Right after she said it, Trump went on a spree of institutional immolation without parallel in American history.
He claimed the heads of two witnesses who testified against him before the U.S. House of Representatives, Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a decorated veteran. He fired both, publicly, for the sin of telling the truth about what he’d done.
He also, mob-style, fired Vindman’s twin brother, also a veteran. He had nothing to do with the impeachment. His offense was that he shared a bloodline with someone who had shown Donald Trump insufficient subservience.
The president’s message here was pure thug: Cross me and I’ll not only hurt you, but I’ll go after your family if I can.
Not satisfied with just besmirching the reputations and damaging the careers of two men who have worn the nation’s uniform with honor, Trump then turned his attention to the judicial branch.
His longtime ally/errand boy Roger Stone has been convicted of, among other things, lying to investigators and witness tampering. Federal prosecutors wanted to recommend that Stone serve seven to nine years in prison.
The president wanted to take care of his buddy, though, and went on a Twitter storm. He also leaned on the Justice Department to reduce the recommendation.
All four prosecutors involved resigned in protest.
The president’s conduct was so egregious that even his lackey, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, whined publicly that Trump’s tweets were making it difficult for Barr. It would be easier for the attorney general to do the necessary work of covering up the president’s misdeeds, Barr suggested, if Trump didn’t shine a spotlight on them.
As if Trump cares.
If there is one thing about the man that has been consistent throughout his life, it is this. It’s not enough for him to win. For him to be satisfied, everyone else must know that they’ve lost.
He’s a bad loser.
But he’s an even worse winner.
That will not change because he will not change.
This means the choice is clear.
People can be loyal to Donald Trump. They can have, as U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, says, the president’s back.
Or they can be loyal to the Constitution and the rule of law.
But they can’t do both.
President Trump has made that clear.
Crystal clear.
FOOTNOTES: John Krull is director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
This article was posted by the City-County Observer without bias, opinion or editing.
Cellphone Ban, Pregnancy Accommodations Among Issues Facing Statehouse Debate
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IndaianLawyer
Indiana lawmakers returned to the Statehouse this week after deadlines last week on advancing bills for action during the second half of this year’s legislative session.
The Legislature has already approved a plan for spending $291 million in unanticipated state tax revenue on several building projects as the big Republican majorities in the House and Senate unanimously rejected Democratic proposals for directing at least some of that money toward higher school funding.
Bills to combat distracted driving with a ban on the use of handheld cellphones and toughen penalties for stores caught selling smoking or vaping products to anyone younger than 21 appear on their way to becoming law. But a proposal supported by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb that would require more Indiana businesses to provide workplace accommodations for pregnant women is in trouble after facing resistance from some business groups.
The 10-week legislative session is scheduled to end by mid-March.
Here is a look at some of the top issues:
School funding: Holcomb has signed off on directing $291 million toward spending cash on six college campus construction projects, rather than borrowing money. Republicans held firm on that plan despite several thousand educators attending a November rally at the Statehouse during which stagnant teacher pay was a major concern.
Holcomb maintains that nearly all Indiana public school teachers are seeing raises this school year under the 2.5% per-year increase in school funding included in the two-year state budget adopted last April. He says this year’s spending bill will save the state more than $135 million in borrowing costs.
The governor has argued in favor of the Legislature waiting until 2021 when a new budget is written so lawmakers can consider recommendations expected later this year from a teacher pay commission he appointed. Democrats say they believe that is shortsighted and that the state could boost teacher pay immediately as it has some $2 billion in cash reserves.
Student testing: The Indiana House voted unanimously last month to end the mandatory use of student test results in teacher evaluations. That would be a major about-face on the mandate dating from a 2011 Republican-driven education overhaul that school districts incorporate those student exam results in their teacher evaluations, which are used in determining merit pay raises.
Teachers unions have long opposed that mandate, saying the high-stakes tests don’t accurately demonstrate teacher performance. That bill is awaiting action in the state Senate, where majority Republicans “are looking favorably towards it,†said Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray of Martinsville.
Distracted driving: A proposal that would ban motorists from using handheld cellphones cleared the House last month and is pending with the Senate.
That bill, which the governor supports, only permits cellphone use with hands-free or voice-operated technology, except in emergencies. It would broaden the state’s current ban on texting while driving that officials say is unenforceable and doesn’t include actions such as emailing, using apps such as Snapchat or viewing videos.
Twenty-one other states already have similar bans. Supporters compare it to the adoption of seat belt laws and say that while a cellphone ban might be difficult to enforce, it does send a message about what is acceptable.
Pregnancy accommodations: Advocates of requiring workplace accommodations for pregnant women will need to find support in the House in the coming weeks after Republican senators rejected the Holcomb-supported bill.
The proposal would require Indiana businesses with more than 15 employees to allow pregnant women to take longer breaks, transfer to less physical work and take unpaid time off after childbirth. Federal laws already require larger companies to provide pregnancy accommodations, and 27 other states have laws similar to Holcomb’s proposal.
Top Holcomb administration health officials joined several doctors and other health advocates in backing the plan as a way of improving Indiana’s infant mortality rate, which is the country’s seventh-worst, with about 600 infant deaths in 2017. The bill is opposed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Manufacturers Association as possibly exposing more businesses to lawsuits.
Smoking: The House and Senate have approved separate bills on toughening state penalties for stores caught selling smoking or vaping products to anyone younger than 21. The action comes in proposals that include raising Indiana’s minimum age for smoking and vaping from 18 to 21 to conform with a new federal law.
Senators approved tripling possible retailer fines to between $600 and $3,000 based on the number of violations in a six-month period. The House endorsed different retailer penalties, and the chambers need to reach an agreement on a single version before the legislative session ends. Holcomb supports the tougher penalties, which officials say haven’t been increased since 2008.
Coal plants: Consumer and environmental groups are fighting a proposal aimed at making it more difficult for Indiana electric companies to close more coal-fired power plants. The House narrowly approved the bill last week, sending it on to the Senate for consideration.
It would impose additional state reviews on utility companies for the coming year before they could move ahead with shutting down those plants. Supporters maintain they want to slow down any more plant closing decisions before a state energy task force completes a report for legislators that’s due in late 2020, while opponents argue it props up the coal industry and could stifle growth in renewable energy such as wind and solar power.
The proposal comes as at least four large Indiana electric utilities intend to close several coal-burning plants in the coming years.
Redistricting: Republicans refused again to consider changing how Indiana politicians dice up the state for congressional and legislative districts. This comes as that redistricting process will take place in 2021 using data from the once-a-decade U.S. census taking place this year.
Those advocating for a revamp of Indiana’s redistricting procedures have been frustrated for several years by attempts to find support among Republicans, who have held at least two-thirds of the House and Senate seats since redrawing those maps following the 2010 census.
Major Newspaper Chain McClatchy Files For Bankruptcy
SARAH RUIZ-GROSSMAN
Feb 16th 2020Â
Major newspaper chain McClatchy filed for bankruptcy on Thursday, in another sign of the broader decline of local news across the U.S.
In a letter on the company’s website, CEO Craig Forman announced McClatchy was filing for Chapter 11 protection to address the company’s debt and pension obligations, in order for it to “continue our digital transformation.â€
The publisher operates 30 newsrooms in 14 states, including The Sacramento Bee in California, the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram in Texas and the Miami Herald in Florida. It said its local news outlets would “operate as usual throughout this process.â€
“We will maintain the same unwavering commitment to delivering the strong, independent journalism that is essential to our local communities,†Forman wrote.
McClatchy’s financial troubles are a reflection of the struggles of local news to survive in the U.S. in recent years, amid dramatic shifts in the way people consume news.
For McClatchy specifically, which began in 1857 as a small paper in Sacramento, advertising revenue dropped by 80% and daily print circulation by nearly 59% from 2006 to 2018, McClatchy D.C. reported.
If the court approves the company’s bankruptcy plan, ownership would move from longtime family control to a hedge fund, Chatham Asset Management LLC.
The company has been pursuing a “digital transformation†over several years, with about 40% of its subscriber and advertising revenues now coming from online editions, per a news release Thursday. As part of this effort, the company said in November that throughout 2020 its papers would begin to release only digital editions on Saturdays.
In November, the company reported significant signs of financial distress, revealing that its $120 million pension fund payment due in 2020 “greatly exceeds the company’s anticipated cash balances and cash flow.â€
“When local media suffers in the face of industry challenges, communities suffer,†Forman warned in a November press release. “Polarization grows, civic connections fray.â€
FOOTNOTE: This article originally appeared on HuffPost.