HP News hosts coffee

By John Miller, 10/4/23 11:17 AM

PRESCOTT – Five years ago, a new newspaper was started – the HopePrescott News.

The venture was the brainchild of Mark Keith and Wendell Hoover, who talked about things after the Hope Star and Nevada County Picayune closed. The two agreed the area needed a newspaper and set up what became a weekly paper for both Hempstead and Nevada counties. It started with an initial run of 1,000 papers and has grown to 3,300 a week, making it the largest distributed paper in the region.

To recognize the paper’s fifth anniversary, the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce sponsored a community coffee at the Nevada County Library Wednesday morning. Jamie Hillery, chamber director, said she was thankful the News hosted the coffee and for serving the community these past five years.

Hoover, one of the co-owners, said he owns HopePrescott.com and when the papers folded, he and Keith decided to start a paper. They found a printer, someone to do the layout and someone to design the ads. Hoover pointed out the paper is free and makes its money from advertising. The paper is mailed out and also delivered to businesses in communities in both Hempstead and Nevada counties.

Keith said he’s proud of the way the paper’s been received and accepted by the public. “I was surprised how the first issue was snapped up,” he said. “We try to share the news people want and it’s been a pleasure.”