The Humboldt Independent to Print Final Edition After 27 Years of Serving Southern Humboldt

After 27 years of covering politics, environmental news, the marijuana industry, the arts and more, the Humboldt Independent, a family-owned newspaper based in Garberville, will be printing its final edition today.

The closure of this beloved small, free paper mirrors a national trend, as the U.S. has lost more than 2,500 newspapers since 2005 (roughly a quarter of all newspapers) and is on track to lose a third by next year, according to 2022 study by a report from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. As local newspapers close, many communities are left without reliable sources of news, contributing to the rise of “news deserts” where residents have little to no access to critical local information​ (Northwestern Now). The decline of local journalism has been linked to lower voter engagement, increased corruption, and greater political polarization​.

The Independent was founded in September of 1997 to fill the gap left by the closure of the Redwood Record in 1995. Rip Kirby, a former South Fork High School teacher and his family took over with his son, Joe Kirby, becoming the editor over a decade ago. Joe* has been leading the small team of journalists since. 

The Independent has been struggling to pay its bills due to economic challenges. In an interview with Lauren Schmitt of KMUD News, Kirby explained, “The legalization of marijuana has damaged the local economy. It took a few years for it to really soak in, but a lot of businesses have struggled because…the economy is not good. You throw in COVID 19, the coronavirus, on top of that, that doesn’t help anything. A lot of businesses, you know, there’s a lot of businesses that have…shut down and there are a lot of empty storefronts around Redway and Garberville. And it’s just kind of a sign of the overall economy, which has kind of trickled down to us as a newspaper.

In Schmitt’s story, Kirby notes that many people are turning to social media and other internet sources for their news, leading to decreased circulation. A membership roster or donations could help, but Kirby acknowledges the challenges of reviving interest in print journalism. Still he suggests that if members of the community are interested in supporting the Independent, they can reach out via email or phone.

“Well, we won’t turn away any donation,” he said. “You know, we’re willing to work with people to try to figure out something.”

Kirby went on to thank the community for their support. “[I]t’s been 25 plus years, and we’ve had a pretty good ride. Sure would like to thank everybody that’s ever picked up an Independent or supported us or said, “Hey, nice article.” Much obliged… We very much appreciate the community we’re in and thankful for all the support over the years. Like I said, it’s been a pretty good ride.”

The Humboldt Independent provided much needed news to Southern Humboldt and its loss will be felt by many.

*Note: Joe Kirby and this reporter were classmates and dated once.

Earlier: A Look Back 25 Years (!) to When the Independent Began