The Star-News (Chula Vista, California)

Last updated
The Star-News
Type Weekly newspaper
Format Tabloid
Owner(s)Integrity Newspapers, Inc.
PublisherLinda Rosas Townson
EditorCarlos R. Davalos
Founded1954
LanguageEnglish
Headquarters296 3rd Avenue
Chula Vista, California
United States
Circulation 33,500 Weekly
OCLC number 45819009
Website thestarnews.com

The Star-News is a community newspaper in Southern California, United States. It serves the cities of Chula Vista, Bonita, Eastlake, Otay Ranch and National City. [1] It was founded through the merger of the Chula Vista Star and National City News. [2] The Star-News used to serve the city of Imperial Beach but stopped in 1995. Imperial Beach Eagle & Times would later serve Imperial Beach.

History

In 1882, the National City News was founded. [3] On February 21, 1919, the first edition of the Chula Vista Star was published by Herbert W. Crooks and his wife Leafy R. Crooks. [4] [5] In 1921, C.G. Rowan and Richard L. Cornelius to over the News from the Peoples National Bank and the Arts and Crafts Press of San Diego. Rowan sold out due to poor heath after six months to Forest M. Raymond. In 1926, George and Anna G. Allen acquired the News. [6]

Mr. Crooks died in 1927, [7] and Mrs. Crooks sold the Star three years later to Lawrence L. Thompson, of Santa Ana. [8] [9] In 1936, the Allens sold the News to Joseph A. Vurgason, publisher of The National City Reporter. [10] In 1938, Rudolph B. Reinbach and his wife Jennevieve Reinbach, of Three Oaks, Michigan, bought the Star from Thompson. [11] The couple sold it six years later to Walter Ray Coyle, of Rosemead. [12]

In 1950, Vurgason sold the News to Lawrence "Larry" A. Freeman. [13] In 1954, the News and Star merged to form The Star-News, with Freeman and Coyle becoming joint-owners of The Bay Cities Publishing Company. [14] Freeman sold out in 1958 [15] and Coyle operated the paper until his death in 1961. [16] A few months later two couples bought the Star-News, Lowell A. and Alice Blankfort and Rowland K. and Patricia Rebele. [17] Mr. Blankfort previously published the Pacifica Tribune and Mr. Rebele previously published the Coalinga Record. [18]

In 1977, Lowell Blankfort and Rowland Rebele bought the Paradise Post, [19] and sold it in 2003 to MediaNews Group. [20] Lowell Blankfort died in 2015. [21] Rowland Rebele died in 2023 from COVID-19. [22]

References

  1. "The Star-News (Chula Vista, Calif.) 1989-Current". The Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 2025-02-16. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
  2. "About Us". The Star-News. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
  3. "San Diego Items". The Los Angeles Times. September 9, 1882. p. 4.
  4. "New Paper Out". The San Diego Sun. February 24, 1919. p. 7.
  5. "Editorial | A happy birthday!". Chula Vista Star-News. February 23, 1969. p. 19.
  6. "News Is Sold to Local Residents | Mr. And Mrs. Allen To Take Charge Of Paper August First". National City Star-News. July 30, 1926. p. 1.
  7. "Chula Vista Star Editor Hangs Last "30" On Hook". National City Star-News. December 23, 1927. p. 1.
  8. "Leafy R. Crooks Sells Star to Lawrence L. Thompson". The Chula Vista Star. May 9, 1930. p. 1.
  9. "Chula Vista Star Sold To Santan Anan | L. Thompson Buys Newspaper from Mrs. Crooks". The San Diego Sun. May 12, 1930. p. 13.
  10. "Vurgason Is New Owner Of Pioneer Paper". National City Star-News. July 3, 1936. p. 1.
  11. "Thompson Sells Chula Vista Star To Reinbach. Michigan Publisher; Exchange Effective Immediately". The Chula Vista Star. December 9, 1938. p. 1.
  12. "W.R. Coyle New Owner C.V. Star". The Chula Vista Star. August 18, 1944. p. 1.
  13. "National City News Is Sold To Delano Man". The Chula Vista Star. March 30, 1950. p. 9.
  14. "Separate Corporations Being Formed To Meet South Bay Area Needs". National City Star-News. July 16, 1954. p. 1.
  15. "Company Buys Entire Interest of Freeman". The Star-News National City and Chula Vista. May 18, 1958. p. 1.
  16. "Publisher W. Ray Coyle Taken By Death | Community Mourns Close of 41-Year Newspaper Career". Chula Vista Star-News. March 5, 1961. p. 1.
  17. "New Owners Take Over Today | Star-News Purchased By Veteran California Publishers". Chula Vista Star-News. June 1, 1961. p. 1.
  18. "For beautification leadership | City applauds citizens' contribution to CV". Chula Vista Star-News. October 12, 1975. p. 2.
  19. "Paradise Post Plans No Change". Enterprise-Record. Chico, California. May 15, 1978. p. 2.
  20. Urseny, Laura (February 1, 2003). "Paradise Post, E-R now have same owners". Enterprise-Record. Chico, California. p. 1.
  21. Huard, Christine (2015-04-02). "Lowell Blankfort, 88, was Star-News editor". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
  22. Baine, Wallace (2023-11-30). "Boundless passion: Community pillar Rowland Rebele passes away". Lookout Santa Cruz. Retrieved 2025-10-26.