The Current Newspapers

{{short description|Four weekly community newspapers in Washington, D.C., United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Current Newspapers | image = NW Current 06.13.18 Caps Cover Pic.png | image_size = | type = Weekly newspaper | format = Tabloid | founded = 1967 | ceased_publication = 2019 | owners = Davis Kennedy | editor = Kate Michael<ref name="current">{{cite web |title=The Current |url=https://currentnewspapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Cur_012319_Web.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125020513/https://currentnewspapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Cur_012319_Web.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |accessdate=24 January 2019}}</ref> | publisher = David Ferrara<ref name="current" /> | website = {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20031225050808/http://www.currentnewspapers.com/ currentnewspapers.com]}} | circulation = 48,200 Weekly | headquarters = 5185 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 102, <br />Washington, D.C.,<br />United States | free = http://209.160.1.24/archive.php }} '''''The Current Newspapers''''' consisted of four print and online weekly community newspapers in Washington, D.C., with editions targeted to affluent communities in Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and Northwest DC.

The publications group provided readers with the latest news from the District of Columbia government, local government including Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC), citizens organizations, and other community news, sports, events, and entertainment for areas served since 1967.

The company previously owned a newspaper on Capitol Hill – ''Voice of the Hill'' – but ceased publication on May 5, 2010, citing declines in advertising revenue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dcist.com/story/10/05/05/voice-of-the-hill-shutting-down/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425184538/https://dcist.com/story/10/05/05/voice-of-the-hill-shutting-down/|url-status=live|archive-date=April 25, 2019|title=Voice of the Hill to Close Down|last=Mathis|first=Sommer|date=May 5, 2010|work=dcist|publisher=WAMU 88.5}}</ref> This announcement came around 9 months after the death of the paper's co-founder, Bruce Robey, who was found dead due to an apparent heart attack in September, 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dcist.com/story/09/09/21/bruce-robey-voice-of-the-hill-found/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425184538/https://dcist.com/story/09/09/21/bruce-robey-voice-of-the-hill-found/|url-status=live|archive-date=April 25, 2019|title=Bruce Robey, Voice of the Hill Founder, Dies at 65|last=Mathis|first=Sommer|date=September 21, 2009|work=dcist|publisher=WAMU 88.5}}</ref> The company ceased all publications on May 10, 2019.<ref name=closing>{{Cite news|url=https://dcist.com/story/19/05/13/after-52-years-the-current-newspapers-are-shutting-down/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514040845/https://dcist.com/story/19/05/13/after-52-years-the-current-newspapers-are-shutting-down/|url-status=live|archive-date=May 14, 2019|title=After 52 Years, The Current Newspapers Are Shutting Down|last=Delgadillo|first=Natalie|date=May 13, 2019|work=dcist|publisher=WAMU 88.5}}</ref>

== History ==

=== ''Northwest Current'' === The first issue of the ''Northwest Current'' was released on October 20, 1977,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn98067632/|title=About The Northwest current.|website=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers|publisher=Library of Congress}}</ref> succeeding the ''Potomac Current'', which ran biweekly from 1968–1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn98062557/|title=About Potomac current.|website=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers|publisher=Library of Congress}}</ref>

=== ''Georgetown Current'' === The ''Georgetown Current'' began publication in 1991, and covers news concerning the communities of Burleith, Foxhall, Georgetown, Glover Park, and the lower Palisades.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn98062555/|title=About The Georgetown current|website=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers|publisher=Library of Congress}}</ref>

=== Financial issues and closure === On September 8, 2017, one of ''The Current''{{'s}} former printers, Gannett Company, filed a lawsuit against ''The Current'' through the DC Superior Court for $180,000 worth of unpaid printing bills.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eaccess.dccourts.gov/eaccess/search.page.5.1?x=ctVdmcbNcIWyOgLtV-qB7sdKdQ7RT6Q2RmI5M*V81HnzYOcDubTXK5RSy3xN6NJdvqZlwo6-hWeswjB7BoFoNg|title=2017 CA 006213 C GANNETT COMPANY, INC Vs. THE CURRENT NEWSPAPERS, INC. DCJ|website=DC Superior Court Online Case Search|via="CourtView Justice Solutions Inc."}}</ref>

In early January 2018, ''The Current'' filed for bankruptcy, having owed its creditors more than $1.25 million, with the free newspaper not having the money to pay its workers, distributors, or printers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://wamu.org/story/18/01/05/d-c-s-current-newspapers-files-bankruptcy/|title=D.C.'s Current Newspapers Files For Bankruptcy|last=Fenston|first=Jacob|work=WAMU 88.5: American University Radio}}</ref> ''The Current'' filed a petition for Chapter 11 protection on January 3 through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia, in which it reported less than $50,000 in assets and over $1.2 million in liabilities.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2018/01/05/current-newspapers-files-for-chapter-11.html|title=Current Newspapers files for Chapter 11|last=Gilgore|first=Sara|date=January 5, 2018|work=Washington Business Journal}}</ref> Many of these liabilities come from former printers such as the previously mentioned Gannett Company, to which it owed over $180,000, Bartash Printing Inc for $105,000,<ref name=":1" /> APG of Chesapeake for $60,000, and former writers and photographers who are owed around $26,000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://washingtonian.com/2018/01/05/current-newspapers-files-bankruptcy/|title=Current Newspapers Files for Bankruptcy|last=Freed|first=Benjamin|date=January 5, 2018|work=Washingtonian}}</ref>

On May 10, 2019, The Current Newspapers' editorial director, Kate Michael, emailed employees that ''The Current'' would stop publishing immediately.<ref name= closing/> The email said, "I'm sorry for the abrupt shock of this message. It is a difficult one for me send. I wish I had more specific information to share with you, but I was just told this afternoon that due to a Bankruptcy filing change from the former Publisher, The Current will cease editorial operations. I am not sure if we will be able to resume in the future under any circumstances, but will be in touch with you should that be possible."<ref name= closing/>

== Coverage ==

=== Sections ===

==== ANC News====

"ANC" stands for Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, and each version of ''The Current'' covered its own neighborhood's news in this section.

==== District Digest ==== This section covered D.C. news that would be relevant to readers of all four versions of ''The Current'', providing more broad, city-wide news in contrast to the community news provided by the ANC News section.

==== School Dispatch ==== In this section, students at local (usually independent) schools submitted their own articles that were featured in the paper. (Many of these schools are part of AISGW)

==== Marketplace ==== ''The Current'' almost always covered local real estate, with special reports on unique and lavish houses on the market appearing weekly. Additionally, the local newspaper reviewed cars and discussed up and coming shops and restaurants gaining a buzz in the community.

==== Sports ==== Most, but not all, issues of ''The Current'' covered local sports, including news on recently traded players, local athletes signing to professional or collegiate teams, the scores of local high school sports games, and other local-infused sports news.

==== Events ==== Each issue of ''The Current'' typically ended with a list of events occurring throughout the city in the coming week, providing readers with possible activities to participate in around town.

==== Miscellaneous ==== In addition to the aforementioned sections, ''The Current'' published Letters to the Editor, Police Reports, Staff Editorials, and a section called "Pet of the Week", which covered rescue animals that are up for adoption.

=== Notable stories === One of ''The Current''{{'s}} most notable stories was its coverage of World War I-era chemicals buried in Spring Valley: a neighborhood bordering American University in Northwest DC. Unbeknownst to the affluent neighborhood's residents, the area was used as a testing ground for munitions and lethal chemicals in 1918, and the chemical residue seemed to be the causes of the unexplainable illnesses residents were suffering some 80 years later.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Jaffe|first=Harry|date=March 2013|title=The Toxic Waste Pit Next Door|url=https://washingtonian.com/2013/02/28/the-toxic-waste-pit-next-door/|journal=The Washingtonian}}</ref> While the chemicals appeared to be the obvious cause of the illness to the residents, the multiple surveys conducted on the neighborhood found inconclusive results.

It was amidst this debate in 2004 that ''Northwest Current'' staff writer Charles Bermpohl conducted his 345-house survey of the neighborhood, where he 160 cases of potentially lethal, chronic, and rare diseases.<ref name=":0" /> The survey came as part of a special edition of ''The Current'' published November 10, 2004, and was completely devoted to Spring Valley's risk from World War I poisons. One section from this issue was titled, "A Bush autoimmune link to area?" and discussed how former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara both suffered from Grave's Disease and lived a few blocks from Spring Valley, where they could have been exposed to the toxic soil. This story went on to win a National Newspaper Association award for environmental reporting, making it one of ''The Current''{{'s}} most notable stories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lists.h-net.org/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-dc&month=1003&week=b&msg=aC5q0clu88eNN1TlClZXNA&user=&pw=|title=OBIT: Charles Bermpohl -- Current Reporter|last=Gould|first=Jessica|date=March 14, 2010|website=H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online|publisher=Michigan State University Department of History}}</ref>

== Awards == {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Article !Author !Award !Organization !Notes |- |2004 |"A Bush autoimmune link to area?" |Charles Bermpohl |Environmental Reporting Award |National Newspaper Association |<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/14/AR2010031402669.html|title=Charlie Bermpohl dies; reported on WWI munitions site in Washington|last=Sullivan|first=Patricia|date=March 15, 2010|website=The Washington Post}}</ref> |}

== References == <references />

== External links == * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20031225050808/http://www.currentnewspapers.com/ The Current Newspapers]}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Current Newspapers}} Category:1967 establishments in Washington, D.C. Category:Defunct newspapers published in Washington, D.C. Category:Newspapers disestablished in 2019 Category:Newspapers established in 1967 Category:2019 disestablishments in Washington, D.C.