{{short description|Weekly newspaper in Soledad, California, U.S.}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = Soledad Bee | image = | caption = | type = Weekly newspaper | founded = 1909 | language = English | ceased_publication = | owners = New SV Media | founder = Chester G. Kinnear | publisher = Jeanie Johnson | editor = Ryan Cronk | circulation = 1,050 | headquarters = 522-B Broadway <br/> King City, CA 93930 | oclc = 33341989 | ISSN = | website = {{URL|soledadbee.com}} }}

The '''''Soledad Bee''''' is a weekly newspaper serving the town of Soledad, California and central Monterey County. The paper is owned by New SV Media, a subsidiary of Weeklys.

== History == In October 1909, the ''Soledad Bee'' was established by Chester G. Kinnear.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 20, 1909 |title=Soledad to Have and Paper |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24620590/soledad_to_have_bank_and_paper/ |work=Santa Cruz Evening News |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He sold the paper in January 1909 to Emelio P. Giacomazzi.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 27, 1911 |title=Soledad Bee Changes Hands. |work=Gonzales Tribune |pages=3}}</ref> Kinnear stayed on to train the new owner and a month later was sued for libel for placing an advertisement mocking Maxwell Browne, who was a candidate for district attorney at the time.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 2, 1911 |title=Here's A Funny Libel Suit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10355312/funny_libel_suit_by_maxwell_browne/ |work=Santa Cruz Evening News |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In October 1916, E.P. Giacomazzi sold the ''Bee'' to his brother, Constantino "Con" Joseph Giacomazzi.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 16, 1916 |title=Giacomazzi Buys The Soledad Bee |work=The Californian |location=Salinas, California |pages=7}}</ref> Starting in 1917, the paper's owner served in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. He was part of the 91st Division and fought on the front-lines for four months in France and Belgium.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=August 11, 1949 |title=Con Giacomazzi, Soledad Civic Leader, Stricken |work=Gonzales Tribune |pages=1}}</ref> While away, the ''Bee'' was managed by P.H. Smith. C.J. Giacomazzi was honorably discharged and returned to the paper in May 1919.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 17, 1919 |title=Editor Returns To Soledad |work=The San Benito Advance |location=Hollister, California |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WdE7AQAAIAAJ&dq=%22soledad+bee%22+%22giacomazzi%22&pg=PA269 |title=The Pacific Printer: The Leading Trade Journal in the West for the Printing and Allied Interests |date=1919 |pages=265 |language=en}}</ref> He ran the paper until selling it to Ben F. Jacobson in 1947,<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 30, 1947 |title=Soledad |work=The Californian |location=Salinas, California |pages=5}}</ref> and died a year later.<ref name=":1" />

In 1967, Harry Casey, owner of the ''Greenfield News'' and ''King City Rustler'', acquired the ''Soledad Bee'' from Jacobson.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 2, 1967 |title=Caseys Purchase Soledad Bee |work=The Californian |location=Salinas, California |pages=2}}</ref> In 1981, Casey got into a dispute with Soledad police chief Dan Jiminez after his office adopted a practice of not releasing police blotter or police reports to the press. Instead, Jiminez's office began releasing "media reports" on cases it selects and after Casey complained, Jiminez threatened to start his own newspaper. In response, the California Newspaper Publishers Association reached out to lawmakers about changing the law.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 25, 1981 |title=Police - press war brewing |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24731084/policepress_war_in_soledad/ |work=The Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |pages=86 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=United Press International}}</ref>

In 1995, News Media Corporation purchased the ''Bee'' and its associated weekly papers from Casey.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 1, 1995 |title=King City paper sold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19566029/santa_cruz_sentinel_santa_cruz_ca01/ |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |page=16 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> After 23 years of ownership, the company in 2019 sold the ''Bee,'' along with the ''King City Rustler, Greenfield News'' and ''Gonzales Tribune,'' to New SV Media group, which owned the ''Gilroy Dispatch'', ''Morgan Hill Times'' and ''Hollister Free Lanc''e.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lyon |first=Mike |date=2019-07-03 |title=California publisher buys South County newspapers |url=https://soledadbee.com/california-publisher-buys-south-county-newspapers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929090538/https://soledadbee.com/california-publisher-buys-south-county-newspapers/ |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=Soledad Bee |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References == <references />

{{Metro Newspapers}}

== External links == * [https://soledadbee.com/ ''Soledad Bee'' website] * [https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95062714/ Chronicling America entry]

Category:Weekly newspapers published in California Category:Newspapers established in 1909 Category:1909 establishments in California Category:Mass media in Monterey County, California