Mail-Journal Honored With Senate Resolution
A resolution by the Indiana State Senate was delivered to Ron Baumgartner, publisher of The Papers Inc., by State Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen) on Monday. Senate Resolution 110 congratulates The Mail-Journal, the flagship of The Papers Inc., on its 50th anniversary.
Mishler sponsored the resolution in honor of the publication’s celebration. The resolution notes the publication celebrated a significant milestone serving the Wawasee area community and that the first issue was printed on Feb. 15, 1962. “It served to merge The Syracuse-Wawasee Journal and The Milford Mail by Arch and Della Baumgartner. To this day, The Mail-Journal remains the flagship publication for The Papers Inc., publications which cover a total of 14 states.”
The document further notes The Milford Mail’s first edition was Dec. 17, 1888, with Arch Baumgartner purchasing the publication in 1939. The Syracuse-Wawasee Journal was started in 1907 and sold to the Baumgartners in 1961, consolidating the two publications into The Mail-Journal in 1962.
“The local newspaper seeks to serve and maintain a relationship with local readers. It highlights local stars and community celebrations. The Mail-Journal family strives to offer strong, local, readable prepublication that reflect the community it serves.”
The final notation in the resolution states Ron Baumgartner, publisher, is the son of founders, Arch and Della, and was a senior in high school when the paper was purchased. “After years of watching his parents operate the business, he inherited the publication and the love for serving the local community through providing news. His hard work and dedication to the field of printed communications has kept the Baumgartner legacy alive and 50 years of progress and growth in publishing is an impressive feat: therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: That the Indiana Senate congratulates The Mail-Journal on 50 years of publishing.”
The resolution is signed by Mishler, State Sen. David C. Long, president pro tempre; State Senator Vi Smpson, minority leader; and Jennifer L. Mertz, secretary of the Senate.