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SCP Publisher Michelich celebrates
50 years
By Don Craven
Illinois Press Association
I can think of no more enjoyable topic for a column in a publication designed to
celebrate the best in Illinois newspapers. One of the best is reaching a milestone.
This summer, two Illinois Press Association members marked 50 years in the
newspaper business.
Joe Michelich, publisher of South County Publications here in Sangamon County,
and Willard Raymond, publisher of Golden Prairie News in neighboring Christian
County, have reached the laudable half-century mark.
Fifty years ago, Joe took over Auburn and Divernon, and now publishes 10
community newspapers throughout Sangamon County, including my hometown
paper, the Pleasant Plains Press.
Willard bought the Prairie State Tribune and Macon News in May of 1959, and added
the Mowequa News four years later. He later combined all three into the Golden
Prairie News in Assumption.
In the newspaper business in Central Illinois, Michelich and Raymond are among
those names that need no further explanation. Jones - Best - Phillips - Galer. There
are more, but the point is, if you have to ask for explanation about those families and
their impact on newspapers in these parts, then, as they say, you are not from
around here.
Joe Michelich
It seems that publishing a weekly newspaper (or 10 of them) is a different process
now then it was 50 years ago, but the commitment to community has not changed at
all. Joe is to be congratulated on this accomplishment, and the Michelich family is
planning a celebration for this event. A party will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26 at
the Auburn Community Building.
Joe tells his own story, in a column he published earlier this month, and he tells it
better than I do. We include a few excerpts:
In 1959, with just two papers, we had three Linotypes and set headlines by hand
picking up one letter at a time and putting them in a “stick.” Talk about ancient. And
the Linotypes were probably the most cantankerous one piece of equipment ever
manufactured. There must have been 200 moving parts. Get this, if something went
bad, we’d call Jess Prentice who worked at the old Springfield Register, and he’d
come down at $5 an hour.
We printed on a two-page press, hand fed. The type was put in a chase, a
rectangular iron frame and locked with “shims.” The press moved in and out, the
chases secured by “dogs.” Now remember, each line was a piece of lead with words
on it and the letters for the heads were singular pieces.
One day, Hub Greenwood, our pressman, forgot to lock the chases securely. You
know the rest. Both pages of the Divernon paper came flying off the end. It took six
people a couple of hours to pick up and reassemble. I only recall that happening that
one time. What a baptism to a new job.
In 1963, we started the Chatham paper and two years later another in Pawnee. About
this time, we bought a new press, one that was roll fed and printed eight pages at a
time, folded them also. Thought we had died and gone to heaven. Of course, it was a
mistake. Offset printing was in its infancy and I wasn’t smart enough to know it would
take over and soon. So, about six–seven years later, with offset now prevalent, that
press went out the back door in pieces, as junk.
You can rest assured that 50 years ago, I could not envision where we are today. In
fact, I was naïve enough to think that in 15-20 years I’d pay off the original note for the
Auburn and Divernon papers and think about doing something else, maybe retire.
One of the reasons we can operate 10 papers is because of the staff I have, many of
whom have been with me for years. It has been that way for the entire ride.
Newspapering is not a 9 to 5 job. If you want to do it right, you cover meetings,
events, games, you name it — and every day of the week at most any time. There
are regularly scheduled events, but also the one-time events, and sometimes the
notice is late. But you do your best to make it.
Don Craven is general counsel and interim executive director of the Illinois Press
Association. He can be reached at dcraven@illinoispress.org.
50 years
By Don Craven
Illinois Press Association
I can think of no more enjoyable topic for a column in a publication designed to
celebrate the best in Illinois newspapers. One of the best is reaching a milestone.
This summer, two Illinois Press Association members marked 50 years in the
newspaper business.
Joe Michelich, publisher of South County Publications here in Sangamon County,
and Willard Raymond, publisher of Golden Prairie News in neighboring Christian
County, have reached the laudable half-century mark.
Fifty years ago, Joe took over Auburn and Divernon, and now publishes 10
community newspapers throughout Sangamon County, including my hometown
paper, the Pleasant Plains Press.
Willard bought the Prairie State Tribune and Macon News in May of 1959, and added
the Mowequa News four years later. He later combined all three into the Golden
Prairie News in Assumption.
In the newspaper business in Central Illinois, Michelich and Raymond are among
those names that need no further explanation. Jones - Best - Phillips - Galer. There
are more, but the point is, if you have to ask for explanation about those families and
their impact on newspapers in these parts, then, as they say, you are not from
around here.
Joe Michelich
It seems that publishing a weekly newspaper (or 10 of them) is a different process
now then it was 50 years ago, but the commitment to community has not changed at
all. Joe is to be congratulated on this accomplishment, and the Michelich family is
planning a celebration for this event. A party will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26 at
the Auburn Community Building.
Joe tells his own story, in a column he published earlier this month, and he tells it
better than I do. We include a few excerpts:
In 1959, with just two papers, we had three Linotypes and set headlines by hand
picking up one letter at a time and putting them in a “stick.” Talk about ancient. And
the Linotypes were probably the most cantankerous one piece of equipment ever
manufactured. There must have been 200 moving parts. Get this, if something went
bad, we’d call Jess Prentice who worked at the old Springfield Register, and he’d
come down at $5 an hour.
We printed on a two-page press, hand fed. The type was put in a chase, a
rectangular iron frame and locked with “shims.” The press moved in and out, the
chases secured by “dogs.” Now remember, each line was a piece of lead with words
on it and the letters for the heads were singular pieces.
One day, Hub Greenwood, our pressman, forgot to lock the chases securely. You
know the rest. Both pages of the Divernon paper came flying off the end. It took six
people a couple of hours to pick up and reassemble. I only recall that happening that
one time. What a baptism to a new job.
In 1963, we started the Chatham paper and two years later another in Pawnee. About
this time, we bought a new press, one that was roll fed and printed eight pages at a
time, folded them also. Thought we had died and gone to heaven. Of course, it was a
mistake. Offset printing was in its infancy and I wasn’t smart enough to know it would
take over and soon. So, about six–seven years later, with offset now prevalent, that
press went out the back door in pieces, as junk.
You can rest assured that 50 years ago, I could not envision where we are today. In
fact, I was naïve enough to think that in 15-20 years I’d pay off the original note for the
Auburn and Divernon papers and think about doing something else, maybe retire.
One of the reasons we can operate 10 papers is because of the staff I have, many of
whom have been with me for years. It has been that way for the entire ride.
Newspapering is not a 9 to 5 job. If you want to do it right, you cover meetings,
events, games, you name it — and every day of the week at most any time. There
are regularly scheduled events, but also the one-time events, and sometimes the
notice is late. But you do your best to make it.
Don Craven is general counsel and interim executive director of the Illinois Press
Association. He can be reached at dcraven@illinoispress.org.
JOE MICHELICH (Courtesy IPA)
