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The North Coast Journal, Humboldt County’s most widely circulated weekly newspaper, is purchasing another print weekly, the venerable Ferndale Enterprise, and has plans to expand the 143-year-old publication’s news coverage into Fortuna and the larger Eel River Valley.

Caroline Titus, the Enterprise’s current owner and publisher.

Both the Journal and the Enterprise announced the pending sale online Thursday afternoon, with current Enterprise owner/publisher Caroline Titus saying she’s happy and relieved.

“After putting to bed more than 1,300 consecutive issues, it’s time I take a break,” she said in the jointly published post.

But Titus, who purchased the paper in 1998 and has been operating as a virtual one-person newsroom for many years, won’t be retiring. She plans to remain onboard as a contributing editor and reporter, with Journal News Editor Thadeus Greenson taking over lead editing duties at the Enterprise. 

Reached by phone, Journal Owner and Publisher Melissa Sanderson, who just purchased the Journal in April, said she’s excited and honored to be able to keep the Enterprise going. 

“I’m a born-and-raised Eel River Valley girl, and my grandfather was a dairyman,” Sanderson said. “I want to say I have a little warmer spot for the Enterprise just because of my connection with the Eel River Valley, than I do with the Journal. I’m very excited that [Titus] gave me this opportunity.”

North Coast Journal Owner and Publisher Melissa Sanderson and hen. | Submitted.

Sanderson said the paper will continue to be distributed in print, available for purchase in about a dozen coin-operated boxes around town and supported financially primarily by subscribers. Enterprise stories will not be published online.

The deal will be official on October 1, according to the two papers. The Journal’s parent company, North Coast Journal Inc. also publishes Humboldt Insider and Humboldt Cannabis Magazine.

Sanderson said the Enterprise will still be called the Ferndale Enterprise out the gate, though once she’s legally able she plans to shorten it to simply the Enterprise.

As for reporting in the Enterprise, Sanderson said, “Thad is going to lead the charge on editorial content in terms of news, using Eel River Valley freelancers and our Journal staff.”

Read more at the Journal or the Enterprise blog pages.