Newspapers began springing up in Cleburne County (then Benton County) as soon as the county seat was established in Edwardsville in 1867. The first newspaper published was the Cleburne Clarion with Bowden Embry as its editor. The Clarion went out of circulation when Embry was elected to the state Senate. Several more weeklies were published in Edwardsville and, later, in Fruithurst. Most of the print endeavors folded within a few years.The present-day Cleburne News traces its roots to two weekly newspapers that began in Edwardsville, The Standard and The Cleburne County News. The Standard was published by J.W. Yarbrough and The News by C.F. Dodson. A.A. Hurst served as editor of the Standard.
Cleburne's county seat was moved to Heflin in 1906. Both weeklies moved their offices to Heflin and consolidated. They became The Cleburne News. Early editors of the News included B.B. Bridges, L.D. Farer and Alf M. Turner.
"We use the slogan 'Serving Cleburne County since 1906' and claim the transition of the Standard and County News into one newspaper as our beginnings," said Editor Wayne Ruple. "It's exciting to realize how important The Cleburne News has been historically to our county. Our paper began as Cleburne County headed into a new era with a new county seat."
The Cleburne News presently uses the courthouse as part of its front page flag. The elegant courthouse was built in 1906 and has recently been restored to its original appearance.
According to a county history written by Clarence A. Mathews in 1935, The Cleburne News is praised as one of the best weeklies with a circulation over 1,500 in the state.
Owners of The Cleburne News have included W.A. Porter, Ed Dodson, Steve Noble, Jack Dodson, Fred Eiland, Jack Wood and Henry Jackson.
In 1995, Consolidated Publishing Co. bought The Cleburne News, bringing color photos and an updated style to the weekly. Randy Grider served as the first editor under Consolidated with Ed Fowler as publisher. Later Kim Sloan was named editor and Mickey Cook was named publisher. Currently, Wayne Ruple is editor of the News, Stacey Camp is advertising sales, and Misty Pointer is classified and legal advertising and Mickey Cook is general manager.
Consolidated Publishing Co. is a local news group that also publishes The Anniston Star, Daily Home and Jacksonville News.
