EDITOR’S NOTE: The Tri-County Reporter announced after this story went to print that the newspaper had been purchased by the owner of the Parker County Beef Company and would not be shutting down after all; instead it would be returning as two separate papers: The Azle News and the Springtown Epigraph, as it had been publishing several years ago.

Community newspapers: a source of information and the community record-keeper. You’re reading one right now.

Each page, squared and numbered, contains not just the happenings around town — it holds the sad reality of an obituary, the accomplishments of student-athletes and the raw emotion of those who’s stories that need to be heard.

After decades of operation, the “Tri-County Reporter,” formerly the “Azle News,” distributed its last paper Thursday following its shutdown by Hyde Media Group, leaving the community without a local news source.

“It’s been devastating, to say the least,” Tri-County advertising manager Lora Paschal said. “I’ve seen firsthand how community news is vital to our community. Even if it’s not heavy-hitting or immediate news, we’re preserving history.”

The closure was announced in mid-February amid financial troubles at the paper. Even many larger publications have suffered decreased print subscriptions, as physical papers are becoming less common and community reporters are more susceptible to lay-offs and sudden closures.

“I don’t deal well with [losing my job],” Lora said. “I’m a single mom, so that aspect of it is very difficult, trying not to go back to that because I do have options. I do have things that I could do just to get by.”

For years, Tri-County staff have been involved in the community of Azle, such as the Optimist Club, Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce. Lora said she believes that is where she started feeling the impact of the paper.

“I love being in the community, being out and cultivating relationships for our newspaper,” she said. “So coming here, it just felt like this is where I was supposed to be.”

At the Feb. 18 city council meeting, the board moved to change Azle’s newspaper of record from Tri-County to the Commercial Recorder, a paper for public notices — not a source of news and opinion.

“[Other newspapers] are not going to get the daily life, the stories of the people that are here and the things that people really care about in their day-to-day,” reporter Zach Freeman said. “They won’t be here on the ground at city council meetings, at school board meetings, at the local schools. They might get something with mass appeal that piques everybody’s interest, but they’re not going to get anything in between.”

Tri-County does more than just write stories and take photos. The newspaper helps fund the Follow the Flag parade, run the Best of Azle awards and create the annual graduation edition. This year, in partnership with Azle ISD, four upperclassmen students had the opportunity to work at the Tri-County as a part of the Practicum internship program.

“I get to connect with the community in a way that I’ve never been able to before,” senior and Tri-County intern Cerberus Ellis said. “I love graphic design, too, and [Tri-County] taught me that I can combine it [with community involvement].”

Azle has had a community paper in circulation since about 1887, and throughout the years — despite name and ownership changes — such papers continued preserving the history of the town.

“My grandmother would get it, and I would read it when I was over at her house,” chemistry teacher Shayna Reasoner said. “Then I started getting it when I became a teacher so I could get the little articles of all the things my students were up to. I’d also look at the classifieds for free kittens, but not actually go get them.”

Even with the stop in publication, there is still hope for the paper. Tri-County management has been in talks with potential sponsors to help continue coverage of the Azle community. Growing up in Azle, Zach said he believes the paper has given him a chance to uphold the legacy of his hometown and hopes there is a way to keep the Tri-County afloat.

“I’ve been able to build upon and rekindle a whole lot of relationships and discover new connections with people who I’ve known or had some sort of connection with throughout my life,” Zach said. “It makes me proud, I’m from here, and [through Tri-County] I’ve gotten to contribute to showcasing the things that help make Azle a great place to live and a community full of wonderful people.”