The Carlsbad Current-Argus is a weekly newspaper in Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States. It has been published since 1889. The newspaper is printed in a broadsheet format.
 Website home page of the Carlsbad Current-Argus on September 2, 2021 | |
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | El Rito Media, LLC |
| Editor | Jessica Onsurez[1] |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | 620 S. Main St. Carlsbad, NM 88220 United States |
| ISSN | 1522-5763 |
| Website | currentargus |
History
editOn October 12, 1889, the Eddy Argus was first published in Eddy, New Mexico.[2] It was founded by A.J. Howe.[3] He soon left the paper and died less than two years later.[4] In September 1892, J.M Hawkins assumed control of the Argus.[5] In November 1892, a rival paper called the Eddy Daily Current was founded, with William Henry Mullane as editor.[6]
In 1895, Hawkins retired from the Argus and was succeeded by L.O. Fullen.[7] In March 1902, A.D. Greene and William T. "Bill" Reed bought the Argus. Fullen remained on as editor.[8] In September 1902, Reed bought out Greene.[9] In 1917, Mullane sold the Current to S.L. Perry.[10]
In 1924, C.C. Durden bought the Argus and Reed retired.[11] In 1925, A.W. Anderson bought the Current from Perry.[12] In 1926, the Argus and the Current merged to form the Carlsbad Current-Argus.[13] In 1929, Durden and Anderson sold the paper to D.D. Roderick, owner of the El Paso Times, J. Lindsey Nunn and Paul Walter Jr.[14] The Current-Argus was managed by Nunn-Warren Publishing Co., which also published the Clovis News-Journal and the Roswell Morning Dispatch.[15]
In 1931, a new company led by George H. Hill and Nunn's son Gilmore N. Nunn was formed to operate the three New Mexican papers, along with the Raton Range in Texas.[16] In June 1933, Current founder Mullane died.[17] In June 1933, editor Floyd B. Rigdon and Edwin S. Kerrigan bought the Current-Argus.[18][19] In 1935, the two took over a commercial print shop,[20] and a month later Rigdon bought out Kerrigan.[21] In 1940, Reed, who spent 35 years at the paper, died at age 72.[22] In 1941, Kerrigan died at age 40 from a fall.[23]
In 1966, Scripps League Newspapers purchased the paper from Rigdon.[24] Philip F. Buckner was an investor in Scripps. In 1971, Buckner formed a company called the Buckner News Alliance, and fully acquired the Current-Argus.[25] He soon appointed Ned Cantwell as publisher and began acquiring other publications.[26] Cantwell and David B. Martens of Bellingham, Washington, bought the paper in 1991.[27]
Cantwell and Martens sold the paper to World Newspapers, Inc., owners of the Omaha World-Herald in 1993.[28] MediaNews Group sold its southwest Iowa newspaper chain to World Newspapers in 2000, and in the same transaction acquired the Current-Argus.[29] In 2003, MediaNews and Gannett formed the Texas-New Mexico Partnership, a joint venture that would manage several papers including the Current-Argus.[30][31] MediaNews acquired a majority stake two years later.[32] In 2015, Gannett acquired full ownership of venture.[33] In 2024, Gannett sold the Current-Argus, Alamogordo Daily News and Ruidoso News to El Rito Media, LLC.[34][35] In 2026, the paper converted to a weekly.[36]
References
edit- ↑ "Contact Us", Carlsbad Current-Argus, retrieved 2021-09-02.
- ↑ "Editorial". The Eddy Argus. October 12, 1889. p. 1.
- ↑ "Notice". The Atchison Daily Globe. Atchison, Kansas. October 21, 1889. p. 4.
- ↑ "Death of A.J. Howe". The Eddy Argus. January 2, 1892. p. 3.
- ↑ "Sucess To The Argus". The Santa Fe New Mexican. September 8, 1892. p. 2.
- ↑ "Notice". The Santa Fe New Mexican. November 21, 1892. p. 2.
- ↑ "Notice". The Carlsbad Current. December 5, 1895. p. 2.
- ↑ "Bought the Carlsbad Argus". The Santa Fe New Mexican. March 19, 1902. p. 1.
- ↑ "The Carlsbad Argus Sold". The Albuquerque Tribune. September 16, 1902. p. 1.
- ↑ Mullane, William H.; Mullane, Delia S. (November 17, 1917). "Good Bye". The Evening Current. Carlsbad, New Mexico. p. 2.
- ↑ "Notice". The Carlsbad Argus. March 14, 1924. p. 2.
- ↑ "Here There Everywhere". The Amarillo Globe-Times. Amarillo, Texas. September 7, 1925. p. 2.
- ↑ "Current - Argus To Be Next Week". Carlsbad Argus. November 2, 1926. p. 1.
- ↑ "Times-Herald Owners Buy Carlsbad Paper". El Paso Times. April 27, 1929. p. 3.
- ↑ "Nunn-Warren Company Buys Clovis Paper". Carlsbad Current-Argus. Associated Press. December 31, 1929. p. 1.
- ↑ "Big Newspaper Merger Formed In New Mexico". Albuquerque Journal. Associated Press. July 10, 1931. p. 1.
- ↑ "Obituaries | Wm. H. Mullane". San Angelo Morning Times. San Angelo, Texas. June 21, 1933. p. 2.
- ↑ "Oklahomans Buy Carlsbad Newspaper". Albuquerque Journal. Associated Press. September 30, 1933. p. 7.
- ↑ "New Mexico Daily Sold to State Men". Sooner State Press. Norman, Oklahoma. October 7, 1933. p. 1.
- ↑ "Argus Will Do Printing". Carlsbad Current-Argus. May 21, 1935. p. 1.
- ↑ "Rigdon Buys Out Partner". Carlsbad Current-Argus. June 24, 1935. p. 1.
- ↑ "W.T. (Bill) Reed, Pioneer Of Carlsbad, Dies Saturday Night". Carlsbad Current-Argus. August 5, 1940. p. 1.
- ↑ "Ed Kerrigan Dies In Tulsa On Saturday". Carlsbad Current-Argus. Associated Press. July 27, 1941. p. 1.
- ↑ "Scripps League Buys Paper At Carlsbad". The Odessa American. Odessa, Texas. United Press International. May 17, 1966. p. 8.
- ↑ "'Community' vital in C-A development". Carlsbad Current-Argus. April 1, 1994. p. 3.
- ↑ "Ned Cantwell Is Named Current-Argus Publisher". Carlsbad Current-Argus. May 3, 1971. p. 1.
- ↑ "Carlsbad, N.M., newspaper sold". The Odessa American. Odessa, Texas. Associated Press. April 3, 1991. p. 11.
- ↑ "Nebraska-based chain buys 'Carlsbad Current-Argus'". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Associated Press. October 20, 1993. p. 20.
- ↑ "Area papers sold | World-Herald buys group that includes southest Iowa weeklies". The Daily Nonpareil. Council Bluffs, Iowa. November 2, 2000. p. 1.
- ↑ "Daily News part of new partnership with El Paso Times company". Alamogordo Daily News. March 17, 2003. p. 1.
- ↑ "Current-Argus to get new owner". Carlsbad Current-Argus. March 18, 2003. p. 1.
- ↑ "Daily News gets new (old) managment". Alamogordo Daily News. December 2, 2005. p. 5.
- ↑ "Gannett acquires The Daily Times, sister newspapers". Daily Times. Farmington, New Mexico. June 2, 2015. pp. A1.
- ↑ Nott, Robert (May 7, 2024). "Gannett sells four New Mexico newspapers, three to 'Rio Grande Sun' owners". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- ↑ "El Rito Media acquires Alamogordo Daily News, Carlsbad Current Argus and Ruidoso News". Editor and Publisher. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ↑ "Carlsbad Current-Argus converting to a weekly print newspaper". Carlsbad Current Argus. May 2, 2026. Retrieved May 2, 2026.