Publisher

About Us The Athens Messenger is a multi-media news organization and commercial printing facility that serves Athens County, Ohio and parts of the surrounding seven counties in southeastern Ohio. Established in 1848, The Athens Messenger became a daily publication in 1904 and is published Tuesday through Sunday with a circulation of about 10,000 daily and 12,000 Sunday and has paid circulation in Athens and parts of the surrounding seven counties. The Athens Messenger launched its electronic edition, www.athensohiotoday.com, in 2003. The Messenger was purchased by Adams Publishing Group in Minneapolis, MN in March 2014 and is the regional production hub for all APG Media of Ohio newspapers – the Circleville Herald, Jackson County Times-Journal, The News Watchman (Waverly), the Perry County Tribune, Vinton County Courier and Logan Daily News. Our news coverage encompasses the entire region and all communities within Athens County, the Ohio University and Hocking College campuses and our sports writers cover recreational sports, Ohio University, the Southern Ohio Copperheads, the Tri-Valley Conference and Southeastern Ohio Athletic League which includes 14 area high schools. The Athens Messenger and its employees are involved in various community events and organizations including the Athens County Fair, Nelsonville Parade of the Hills, Kidfest, Boogie on the Bricks, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, Meigs County Chamber of Commerce, Nelsonville Chamber of Commerce, O’Bleness Memorial Hospital Golf Tournament, Vinton County Chamber of Commerce, Vinton County Fair, Nelsonville Gus Macker Tournament and Ohio University Athletics. A note about our archives Historians and genealogists looking for past issues of the Athens Messenger have several options. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to fulfill look-up requests, but we can hopefully point you in the right direction. For articles and obituaries for the time period 2008 - present, check our website archives. For articles and obituaries that published earlier, you have several options. Ohio University's Alden Library on the Athens campus and the Ohio Historical Society Archives/Library in Columbus both have microfilmed copies of our newspaper. You can use the Historical Society's Online Index to see which years are available in their microfilm room. Don't forget to check the index for publications that were produced in some of the smaller communities too. Many of those weekly papers are available on microfilm at the historical society. The link to the index is http://dbs.ohiohistory.org/newspaper/home.cfm. For searchable digital archives, try www.newspaperarchive.com, www.ancestry.com and www.genealogybank.com. Those third party vendors have electronic editions of the Messenger for certain time periods that are searchable by name and keyword, not just edition date. Monica Nieporte is the publisher of the Athens Messenger and president of APG Media of Ohio. Previously, she was the managing editor of the Athens Messenger and publisher of the Logan Daily News. She graduated from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in 1993 where she remains an adjunct instructor. She is trustee of the Associated Press of Ohio's Board of Trustees and member of the Athens A.M.Rotary Club, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and Nelsonville Chamber of Commerce. Monica Nieporte Publisher/President of APG Media of Ohio mnieporte@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 242 Joe Higgins is the editor of The Athens Messenger. Higgins has been a member of The Messenger staff since 2003, starting as a part-time sports writer and then moving to the news desk in 2008 to take on the court and cops beat. He was named editor in June 2012. Joe Higgins Editor jhiggins@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 224 Pete Dennis is the sales trainer and advertising director for APG Media of Ohio. Dennis previously worked as an advertising and marketing account executive for WBNS TV in Columbus. Pete Dennis Advertising Director pdennis@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 212 Chana Powell is the business manager of The Athens Messenger. She was previously the business manager of The Logan Daily News. Chana Powell Business Manager cpowell@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 220 Glenn Christensen is manager of commercial printing at The Athens Messenger. He started working for The Messenger in the fall of 1981 in the circulation department and has also worked as a sales representative for the commercial printing department. Christensen was named to his current position in 1999. Glenn Christensen Commercial Printing gchristensen@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 201 Dwight “Ike” Weiss of Athens is production manager for ACM Ohio. He has been employed by The Athens Messenger since 1983 and has worked in the mailroom, maintenance, press, pre-press and as assistant production manager. Ike Weiss Production iweiss@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext 248 Kevin Wiseman has been the sports editor of The Athens Messenger since the summer of 2006. Previously he was a part-time sports writer at The Messenger in the winter and spring of 2006. He graduated from Ohio University in 2006 with a degree in communications. At Ohio University, he wrote for The Post for three years. While at The Post, Kevin covered Ohio's football, men's basketball and softball teams. He is a 2002 graduate of Jackson High School. Kevin Wiseman Sports Editor kwiseman@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 281 QUICK REFERENCE The Athens Messenger staff: NEWSROOM Steve Robb (County government) srobb@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 216 Kevin Wiseman (Sports Editor) kwiseman@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 281 Ann Kamody (Editorial Page Editor) akamody@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 238 Kathy Kerr (Community Editor) kkerr@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 228 Cheryl Powers (Webmaster) cpowers@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 222 Joe Higgins (Editor) jhiggins@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 224 Sara Brumfield (Local government and Ohio University reporter) sbrumfield@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 240 Sarah Hawley (Education reporter) shawley@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 232 Susan Tebben (Police, fire and courts reporter) stebben@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 226 Tyler Buchanan (staff journalist) tbuchanan@athensmessenger.com Vinton County news info@vintoncourier.com 740-596-5393 Jason Arkley (Ohio University Sports) jarkley@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 244 John Halley (Photo Editor) jhalley@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 239 Wendy Van Sickle (Presentation Editor) wvansickle@athensmessenger.com 740-592-6612, Ext. 280