Wawa's weekly newspaper has printed its final edition, after nearly six decades.
A frontpage letter from owner Ken Warwick in yesterday's edition of the Algoma News Review confirms that it is the final, noting the paper had been published about 58.5 years, since 1964 - he bought the business in 2014, and notes in his letter that he "hoped it would have a ten year run before, ultimately, the economics of the newspaper business would have deteriorated", adding his "estimation proved to be about right" as it is still "modestly profitable" but "the time commitment it requires to produce...each week is not really something that makes sense any longer" - especially amid staffing challenges, particularly for writers but also kids to deliver the paper - and Warwick says he's decided to "invest [his] time on other ventures" with his wife, though they thank subscribers and readers for their patronage, carriers who've been instrumental in delivering the paper, and employees and retail partners who worked hard to get it into people's hands.
The Algoma News is marking the final edition with a special bonus, including old edition as a centrefold.
The paper's other frontpage article is an announcement that ANP Office Supply has purchased Hughes Supply Co., which was started by Sheila and Walter Hughes in Iron Bridge 25 years ago - its inventory's being integrated into ANP's at its secondary warehouse in Bruce Mines, bolstering ANP's position as one of the largest office and industrial suppliers in Northern Ontario - and ANP says this will "greatly expand their presence towards Sudbury".
ANP also touts big plans in Wawa: a new store and warehouse, which it says will put the company in "a position to grow to the western part of Ontario, as well".