Hello – it’s Jasmine! You’ve probably read my column School’d, but I’m starting now on another project as I journey across the country with my travel companion Fiona.

Small town papers have gone out of business all over the country. We are on a mission to interview the survivors.

People’s eyes are no longer drawn to print, advertisers no longer pay, and local papers have had to sink or swim. In the past two decades, the landscape of local news has changed dramatically with the rise of social media. We’re taking a look at the state of local journalism in our country, one little newspaper at a time. We’re interested to know how they’re making it, how they’re fighting the tide, however marginally, and keeping their community reading.

This week, we found ourselves in Sandusky, Ohio, and stopped by the Sandusky Register, a daily paper for the city and surrounding Lake Erie towns.

At first glance, the Register building is an impressive one, and a Google search shows a full printing press inside. But when we walked through the doors, we found the paper’s offices tucked off to the side.

“They sold the building right out from under us,” editor Brandon Addeo told us. The paper is now printed out of town. The building has been divided into apartments and event space alongside the Register.

And yet, according to the editor, the paper is thriving, and learning to adjust to a new media landscape. They are under new ownership, part of a portfolio of around fifty newspapers, but the owners have been hands-off.

“The industry is changing every single year it seems,” Addeo said. “What we take solace in is that while print media is not what it once was, the need for local news is never going to change.”

He said this confidently, as many editors must, in order to justify all the hard work a news operation requires these days. The Register has a rich history. It was founded as the Sandusky Clarion in 1822. A copy sits on display in the office. A century later, in 1929, it acquired its rival, the Sandusky Star-Journal, along with the building. The “SJ” insignia is still visible on the outside – not its only link to our own paper.

Right now, at over 200 years old, readership sits around 10,000 in print and millions of views per month online, so the editor says. Addeo is optimistic and appeared unintimidated by the presence of social media, and proudly waved to his four full-time reporters at work in the back.

Register reporter Andy Ouriel gave us a different perspective. When asked about the recent sale of the paper, and any downsizing that may have occurred, he told us “it was mostly attrition.” The Register is shrinking, but he assured us the newsroom remains committed.

On the afternoon of our visit, two stories were developing. The first involved a high school senior who brought a vape at school and was barred from walking the stage at graduation as a result. A reporter was on her way to interview the student and his family right then.

“He begged the district to let him walk but they wouldn’t budge,” said Addeo.

And then the receptionist interjected – “Someone was killed last night. They were hit by multiple cars.” A developing story, we’ll have to check the next issue to see what happened there.

At this point, we turned our attention to Sandusky’s other point of interest – its “boy with the boot” mascot, just like Ellenville’s! Ouriel took us out to see the replica statue in Washington Park and the 19th century original in Sandusky’s City Hall. This boy with the boot is painted white, but has the very same defiant stance. He’s a Sandusky icon, so well-known that Ouriel dressed up as him for Halloween one year.

The Sandusky Register still has some devoted journalists in the newsroom, despite serious upheavals and challenges. Copies continue to come out every day. This is one example of survival in the new media age, and a successful first interview for your reporters at large.