# Yuma Sun > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Yuma_Sun > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Yuma_Sun.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuma_Sun > Source revision: 1350943646 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Newspaper in Yuma, Arizona}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = Yuma Sun | logo = Yuma Sun Logo.png | logo_size = 200px | image = | image_size = | caption = Offices of Yuma Sun | type = [Daily newspaper](/source/Daily_newspaper) | format = | owners = [R.I.S.N. Operations, Inc.](/source/RISN_Operations) | founder = [Mulford Winsor](/source/Mulford_Winsor) | publisher = Lisa Reilly | president = | editor = Mara Knaub | chief_editor = | associate_editor = | managing_editor = | general_manager = | news_editor = Rogelio Olivas | campus_editor = | campus_chief = | metro_editor = | metro_chief = | opinion_editor = | photo_editor = | staff_writers = | founded = 1896 | political_position = | language = English | ceased_publication = | relaunched = | headquarters = [Yuma, Arizona](/source/Yuma%2C_Arizona) | circulation = 8,413 | circulation_date = 2022 | circulation_ref = {{Cite web |title=2022 ANA Directory by ANA News - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/ananewsflash/docs/2022_directory_issuu |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=issuu.com |language=en |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413042818/https://issuu.com/ananewsflash/docs/2022_directory_issuu |url-status=dead }} | sister_newspapers = | ISSN = 1538-0955 | oclc = 47732086 | RNI = | website = [http://www.yumasun.com yumasun.com] | free = }} thumb|Offices of the Yuma Sun. The '''''Yuma Sun''''' is a [newspaper](/source/newspaper) in [Yuma, Arizona](/source/Yuma%2C_Arizona), United States. == History == Though not founded until 1896, the ''Yuma Sun'' can trace its history back to the ''Arizona Sentinel'', the first newspaper in what is now the [Yuma area](/source/Yuma_metropolitan_area%2C_Arizona).{{cite web |url=http://www.yumasun.com/site/about.html |title=About Us: History of the Yuma Sun |publisher=RISN Operations Inc. |website=Yuma Sun |access-date=June 13, 2018}} === ''The Arizona Sentinel'' === On September 30, 1871, the ''Arizona Free Press'' was first published in Arizona City by David A. Gordon.{{Cite news |date=October 7, 1871 |title="The Arizona Free Press" |work=Arizona Weekly Citizen |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=2}} In March 1872, C. L. Minor bought the paper and renamed it to the ''Arizona Sentinel''.{{Cite news |date=March 30, 1872 |title=What is Said About the Sentinel |work=The Arizona Sentinel |location=Yuma, Arizona |pages=2}} In October 1873, Judge William J. Berry purchased the paper and by then the town was named Yuma.{{Cite news |date=October 18, 1873 |title=Valedictory. |work=The Arizona Sentinel |location=Yuma, Arizona |pages=2}} He sold it three years later to a group of local business men.{{Cite news |date=December 16, 1876 |title=General Change in Arizona Journalism. |work=Arizona Weekly Citizen |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=2}} Reporter [John W. Dorrington](/source/John_W._Dorrington) acquired full ownership in 1881 and then worked as editor and publisher.{{Cite web |title=The Arizona Sentinel |url=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/20840 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Arizona Memory Project}} In 1911, Dorrington sold the ''Sentinel'' to the ''Yuma Examiner'' and the combined paper was named the ''Arizona Sentinel and Yuma Weekly Examiner.'' William Harold Shorey was named editor.{{Cite news |date=July 3, 1911 |title=Notice |work=Tucson Citizen |pages=3}}{{Cite news |date=July 8, 1911 |title=Col. Dorrington Retires |work=The Parker Post |pages=2}} In 1915, the paper merged with the ''Yuma Southwest'' to become the ''Arizona Sentinel Yuma Southwest''. A little over a year later, the paper switched its masthead back to the ''Arizona Sentinel.'' In 1918 it was again renamed the ''Yuma Examiner and Arizona Sentinel''. In 1924, the paper merged again with ''Yuma Valley News'' and became the ''Examiner Sentinel News''. In 1925, the name was shortened to the ''Yuma Examiner''. In 1927, Roy Dennis bought the paper from Shorey. He then split the ''Sentinel'' off from the ''Examiner'' and expanded it from a weekly into a daily.{{Cite news |date=November 8, 1927 |title=Yuma Sentinel Is Now Daily Paper |work=Arizona Daily Star |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=2 |agency=Associated Press}} On October 1, 1930, William A. Lee bought the ''Sentinel'' from Roy Dennis and James Forrest. On April 7, 1931, Lee fatally shot himself with a gun. It was soon discovered his real name was Hutton Bellah and he was married to two different women at the same time. Bellah was previously publisher of the ''[Altus Times-Democrat](/source/Altus_Times-Democrat)'' and was reported missing.{{Cite news |date=April 8, 1931 |title=Suicide Shows Arizona Editor Led Two Lives |work=Arizona Daily Star |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=1 |agency=Associated Press}} Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Bellah legally disputed ownership of the paper,{{Cite news |date=April 17, 1931 |title=Bellah's Will Filed By Wife |work=Arizona Daily Star |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=4 |agency=Associated Press}} which soon fell into the receivership of Mrs. Elanor McCoy. She sold it in April 1932 to Clyde E. Ely.{{Cite news |date=April 6, 1932 |title=Yuma Sentinel Is Purchased By Ely |work=Arizona Daily Star |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=1 |agency=Associated Press}} He sold out a year later to Cliff Carter and Jack Gale.{{Cite news |date=June 5, 1933 |title=Personals |work=The Santa Fe New Mexican |pages=2}} In May 1934, a fire damaged the paper's office.{{Cite news |date=May 4, 1934 |title=Fire Damages Yuma Sentinel |work=The Arizona Republic |location=Phoenix, Arizona |pages=13 |agency=Associated Press}} === ''The Yuma Morning Sun'' === The ''Yuma Morning Sun'' was first published on April 10, 1896. The ''Sun'' was founded by [Mulford Winsor](/source/Mulford_Winsor), the son of a newspaper editor. This rendition of the paper would be printed off and on for a period of nine years. Then, on November 15, 1905, the paper was renamed ''The Morning Sun'', becoming a daily newspaper. In 1909, J.H. Westover bought the paper.{{Cite news |date=April 22, 1909 |title=Notice |work=The Arizona Sentinel |pages=3}} In 1916, the paper was met with disaster, when a flood caused the collapse of the ''Morning Sun'''s offices, destroying all of the files of paper for the previous 20 years. The disaster was a total loss for the paper. However, the paper received financial backing and shortly resumed publication. In 1928, Westover sold the ''Sun'' to Edwin S. Worthington.{{Cite news |date=January 4, 1928 |title=Yuma Morning Sun Has New Owner |work=Imperial Valley Press |location=El Centro, California |pages=4}} Three years later Worthington, who was also a part-owner of the ''[Beloit Daily News](/source/Beloit_Daily_News)'', suffered a severe concussion in a automobile crash, but his injuries were non-critical and he recovered.{{Cite news |date=July 18, 1931 |title=Beloit News Partner Hurt In Auto Wreck {{!}} E.S. Worthington, 32, Suffered Fractured Skull and Other Injuries |work=The Stoughton Courier |location=Stoughton, Wisconsin |pages=1 |agency=Associated Press}}{{Cite news |date=July 20, 1931 |title=Yuma Publisher Much Improved |work=Redlands Daily Facts |pages=4 |agency=United Press}} === Post-Merger === In 1935, during the [Great Depression](/source/Great_Depression_in_the_United_States), F.F. McNaughton, of Illinois, and R.E. "Doc" Osborn of Indiana, bought the Y''uma Evening Sentinel'' and the ''Yuma Morning Sun'' and merged the two under the ''Sun'' masthead.{{Cite news |date=November 27, 1935 |title=Yuma Papers Consolidated |work=Porterville Recorder |pages=2 |agency=United Press}} The ''Sun'' was owned by Worthington and the ''Sentinel'' was owned by Gale.{{Cite news |date=November 27, 1935 |title=Publisher Buys Yuma Papers |work=Imperial Valley Press |location=El Centro, California |pages=3}} At that time McNaughton also owned the ''[Pekin Daily Times.](/source/Pekin_Daily_Times)''{{Cite web |last=Drake |first=Art |title=The Man behind the name |url=https://www.pekintimes.com/article/20110129/NEWS/301299988 |access-date=2019-03-13 |work=Pekin Daily Times}} Later Osborn's son [Jones Osborn](/source/Jones_Osborn) later became editor and publisher of the ''Sun''.{{Cite web |title=Jones Osborn Obituary (1921 - 2014) - Yuma, AZ - Yuma Sun |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/yumasun/name/jones-osborn-obituary?id=18282779 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Legacy.com}} In 1953, McNaughton's son-in-law Donald N. Soldwedel joined the business. Under his leadership, the family purchased several other newspapers and launched a commercial printing operation. In 1978, a holding company called [Western News & Info](/source/Western_News_%26_Info) was established and Soldwedel was named president. The Soldwedel family owned all the stock.{{Cite web |title=Donald N. Soldwedel – WNI Board Chairman 1924-2008 |url=https://www.westernnews.com/company-profile/donald-n-soldwedel-wni-board-chairman-1924-2008/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251218080938/https://www.westernnews.com/company-profile/donald-n-soldwedel-wni-board-chairman-1924-2008/ |archive-date=2025-12-18 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Western News&Info, Inc. |language=en-US}} In 1984, [Cox Enterprises](/source/Cox_Enterprises) purchased a half-interest in the ''Sun'' from the Soldwedels.{{Cite news |date=February 3, 1984 |title=Yuma company sells printing-firm interests |work=The Arizona Republic |location=Phoenix, Arizona |pages=6 |agency=Associated Press}} The company acquired the remaining 50% stake later that year.{{cite news |date=May 4, 1984 |title=Cox Buys Rest of Sun Publishing |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y7tLAAAAIBAJ&pg=4805,737210 |access-date=June 14, 2018 |work=The Courier |location=Prescott, Arizona |pages=3 |via=Google News Archive}} In 1996, Cox sold its six Arizona daily papers to [Thomson Newspapers](/source/Thomson_Newspapers),{{Cite news |last=Mahood |first=Casey |date=August 21, 1996 |title=Thomson to buy six Arizona newspapers {{!}} Total circulation more than 100,000 |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto, Ontario |pages=16}} who in 2000 sold them to [Freedom Communications](/source/Freedom_Communications).{{cite news |date=June 27, 2000 |title=Freedom Buys Thomson's Newspapers In State |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KlALAAAAIBAJ&pg=6815,6629771 |access-date=June 14, 2018 |work=Kingman Daily Miner |via=Google News Archive |agency=Associated Press}} In 2013, Freedom sold the ''Yuma Sun'' and the ''[Porterville Recorder](/source/Porterville_Recorder)'' to [Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers](/source/RISN_Operations).{{cite news |date=April 30, 2013 |title=Yuma Sun Under New Ownership |url=http://www.yumasun.com/articles/yuma-87169-newspapers-rhode.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630182611/http://www.yumasun.com/articles/yuma-87169-newspapers-rhode.html |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |access-date=June 14, 2018 |work=Yuma Sun}} ==References== {{Reflist|refs=}} ==External links== {{Portal|Arizona|Journalism}} * {{official website|http://www.yumasun.com/}} * {{Newseum front page|AZ_YS}} {{Yuma, Arizona}} {{RISN}} Category:Newspapers published in Arizona Category:Daily newspapers published in the United States Category:Yuma, Arizona Category:Mass media in Yuma County, Arizona Category:RISN Operations Category:Freedom Communications Category:Newspapers established in 1896 Category:1896 establishments in Arizona Territory Category:Defunct daily newspapers --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yuma Sun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuma_Sun) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuma_Sun?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.