Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Picayune Sold By Ragsdales

The Nevada County Picayune has been sold to Star Publishing Co, owner of the Hope Star, with the sale effective Thursday, May 31, according to Picayune owners John and Betty Ragsdale.

The Ragsdales have owned the Picayune since December 1981, purchasing the Picayune Publishing Co. from the Wahlquist family.

John Ragsdale has been in the newspaper business since 1956 with his wife, Betty, starting her career in the business in 1970 in Arkadelphia.

They worked together until she was forced to retire in 1998 due to health reasons.

Their children, Ricky of Prescott and Phyllis of Malvern, have also been involved in the business.

Ricky was named publisher of the Gurdon Times and Picayune in 1999; Phyllis teaches school in the Magnet Cove District.

Along with selling the Picayune, Ragsdale is selling The Gurdon Times to Arkadelphia Newspapers, owner of The Daily Siftings Herald. The Hope Star and Siftings Herald are part of the Better Built Media group.

"We have loved living in Prescott," Ragsdale said. "The people of Nevada County have always been pleasant to get along with and some of the fondest memories are the association we've had with the people of the area."

In looking back over the last 19 years, Ragsdale said perhaps some of the most important developments during his tenure as publisher have been the improvement of Prescott's water and sewer system. "We could never get used to the water when we first moved to Prescott," he said, "but thanks to a progressive city that has changed. Many improvements have been done that made the city much more attractive.

"One of the biggest impacts in the county was the consolidation of five former school districts in the country in to the Nevada School District. It took a lot of courage, but in the long run it was best for all the county. The larger school district offered so much more than the smaller ones did."

Ragsdale followed that particular development from its inception by Bill Shirron (then superintendent of the Prescott School District,) and other school leaders in the county who could see the advantages because of new regulations handed down by the state when Bill Clinton was governor. "Many people were afraid of losing their community's identity through the consolidation," he said.

"I believe the people in this area will like the new management of the Hope Star and Daily Siftings-Herald," he said. "This group will have many advantages to offer that we as a family could not, such as color photographs and advertisements. The Better Built group is an asset to this area."

According to George Jinks, publisher of the Hope Star, the new owners plan to "build on the foundation John, Betty and their children have built.

"The Ragsdales are to be commended for their service to Prescott and the surrounding area," Jinks said. "We believe in community journalism and look forward to serving the Prescott area.

Adding the Picayune is a natural mix for us and we believe readers of both papers will benefit from this association," he concluded.