Clovis Independent
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Owner | The McClatchy Company |
| Founder(s) | May Case Spurgeon S. Case |
| Editor | Patti J. Lippert |
| Founded | 1919 |
Ceased publication | 2008 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Clovis, California |
| Country | United States |
| ISSN | 1068-5944 |
| OCLC number | 528728711 |
| Website | clovisindependent |
The Clovis Independent was an American newspaper founded in 1919 that ceased its publication in 2008, under its last editor, Patti J. Lippert.[1] It served Clovis, California and Fresno County. The end of the paper was part of a larger cost-cutting effort by The McClatchy Company, which resulted in layoffs across many McClatchy papers, including the Fresno Bee and Sacramento Bee.[2][3]
History
In 1919, the Clovis Independent was established by Spurgeon S. Case and May Case.[4][5] Mrs. Case had built a reputation as a reporter in Purcell, Oklahoma at the Register.[5]
In 1930, an explosion and resulting fire destroyed the Independent's building and printing machinery.[6] In 1937, the Cases sold the paper to Myron A. Hinkley.[7][8] May Case continued to work for the paper until her death.[9]
In 1942, Hinkley purchased the Clovis Tribune from Fred H. Weigel and absorbed it into his paper.[10][11] In 1949, Independent founder S.S. Case died.[12] In July 1959, Hinkley sold the paper to Anthony Turano.[13]
The City of Clovis designated October 8, 1959, as May Case Day.[14] At that time, she also received a citation from the U.S. Treasury Department for purchasing the first U.S. Treasury bonds after they were made available to the public and for inspiring others to also buy these bonds.[15] In 1964, she was named "Newspaper Girl of the Year" at the California Press Women's annual meeting.[16] In 1967, May Case died at the age of 93. At that time she was known as the "oldest working newspaperwoman in the United States."[9]
In 1968, Russ Mazzei, owner of the Clovis Free Press, purchased the Independent and merged the two papers under the Independent name.[17] In 1975, Mazzei founded the Clovis Hall of Fame.[18] In 1977, former owner Hinkley died.[19] In 1978, Mazzei was sued for libel by Fresno County District Attorney William A. Smith and Clovis Police Captain Gino Pishione. In turn, he sued them for allegedly violating his civil rights and claimed the two planned to launch a rival paper.[20] In 1983, Mazzei lost in court and a jury awarded Pishione $33,000 in damages.[21]
In 1979, McClatchy acquired the Independent.[22][23] In 1996, the paper's publisher, Earl Wright Jr., arranged for the football team of the town of Clovis, California to play the football team from the town of Clovis, New Mexico.[24] The paper published its last issue on June 27, 2008.[25] In response, Marine Kenny Melchor and his wife Donna founded a new paper called the Clovis Roundup. It ceased in February 2026 after the owner suffered from health issues. In April 2026, Terry Wild founded The Clovis Times, a spiritual successor to both the Independent and the Roundup.[26]
Awards
The newspaper placed second in in-depth reporting category in the California Newspaper Publishers Association's annual Better Newspapers Contest in 1987.[27] It won first place for sports coverage and first-place sports story in 2005.[28]
References
- ^ Lippert, Patti (June 27, 2008). "Thanks for the memories". The Clovis Independent. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- ^ "'Fresno Bee' Reveals Its Share of McClatchy Cuts". Editor & Publisher. June 17, 2008. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ Strupp, Joe (June 17, 2008). "UPDATE: McClatchy Cutbacks Deeper at Some Papers". Editor & Publisher. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ "New Paper Starts". The Selma Enterprise. May 1, 1919. p. 8.
- ^ a b Rehart, Catherine Morison (1996). The Valley's Legends & Legacies. Quill Driver Books. ISBN 9781884995125.
- ^ "Clovis Independent Destroyed by Blaze". The San Francisco Examiner. October 6, 1930. p. 17.
- ^ "Notice". The Ripon Record. June 4, 1937. p. 2.
- ^ Bos, Peg (2018-09-18). "Let's Talk Clovis: The Clovis Independent; May 7, 1953". Clovis Roundup. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ a b "Obituary | May Case". Daily News. New York City, New York. United Press International. September 23, 1967. p. 400. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Newspapers Of Clovis Are Consolidated". The Fresno Bee. February 16, 1942. p. 11.
- ^ "Branching Out". The Ripon Record. February 20, 1942. p. 4.
- ^ "Spurgeon S. Case, Early Day Publisher, Succumbs In Clovis". The Fresno Bee. February 7, 1949. p. 17.
- ^ "Clovis Newspaper Sold By Owners". Eureka Humboldt Standard. United Press International. July 28, 1959. p. 23. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Newswoman Honored In Clovis". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Associated Press. October 8, 1959. p. 18.
- ^ Shepard, Bernard A. (November 23, 1959). "May Case is Oldest U.S. Active Newspaperwoman". The Crowley Post-Signal. Crowley, Louisiana. p. 13. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Newspaper Girl of The Year". Austin Daily Herald. Austin, Minnesota. May 22, 1964. p. 1 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
- ^ "Sale of Clovis Independent is Disclosed". The Fresno Bee. October 7, 1968. p. 17. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bos, Peg (January 13, 2016). ""Let's Talk Clovis" 1975 Clovis Citizens' Hall of Fame". Clovis Roundup. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ "Former Clovis Publisher Myron Hinkley Dies At 87". The Fresno Bee. April 9, 1977. p. 19.
- ^ "News In Brief | The State". The Los Angeles Times. May 10, 1978. p. 2. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Policeman wins libel award". Santa Maria Times. United Press International. January 13, 1983. p. 3. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "McClatchy buys Clovis Paper". The Fresno Bee. October 3, 1979. p. 21.
- ^ Pederson, Jay P. (2016). "The McClatchy Company." International Directory of Company Histories. Farmington Hills, MI: St. James Press.
- ^ "Towns share name, love of prep football - Newspapers.com". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. October 4, 1996. p. 24. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspaper.com.
- ^ Lippert, Patti J. (June 27, 2008). "Thanks for the memories | The Clovis Independent proudly captures your way of life for 103 years". The Fresno Bee. pp. KA1.
- ^ Mora, James (April 7, 2026). "The Clovis Times sets to be the new newspaper in Clovis". KMPH. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ^ "Leader honored by CNPA". Oakdale Leader. February 18, 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 2018-10-24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bee wins awards in eight categories". The Fresno Bee. July 16, 2006. pp. B1.