NewsBeat

May 2023 NewsBeat 4 By JUDY PATRICK A s a boy growing up, Fred Stab- bert III would spend his Saturday mornings with his dad at the offices of the Sullivan County Demo- crat, his family's news- paper. Printing was a big part of the operation then, and Fred had fun hand-setting type and creating fake pages. In the years that fol- lowed, he worked sum- mers at the paper and, after graduating from St. Bonaventure with a journalism degree, he returned home to the Democrat to work for the summer until he found a spot at a big- ger paper. "That was in 1983. I like to say it's been a long summer," Stabbert, who became publisher in 1994, said with good humor. The Sullivan County Democrat cov- ers the communities of this expansive county in the foothills of the Catskills. Home to legendary Catskill resorts such as Grossinger's and the Concord, Sul- livan County has worked to reinvent itself a new kind of tourist destination since their closings in the 1970s and 1980s. There's great hiking, fishing and biking here as well as arts venues, antique shops and historic sites. With New York City within easy driv- ing distance, the region has also seen an influx of city residents looking for a bit of country living. Downtowns have sprung back to life, Stabbert said, with new stores, restaurants, breweries and distilleries. Civil War veteran John F. Anderson founded the Sullivan County Democrat in 1891 as a competitor to the very con- servative/Republican Callicoon Echo. The newspaper wasn't his only con- tribution to town. Anderson was also instrumental in creating the local fire company and water system and donat- ed a bell for the belfry of the Methodist church. "He was a real mover and shak- er," Stabbert said. Stabbert family ownership dates back to 1927 when Fred W. Stabbert Sr., who joined the Democrat as a print- er's apprentice, bought the paper from William Heidt of Ithaca, who at the time owned a string of newspapers in west- ern New York. That was the start of the family newspaper legacy which, over the years, has seen the significant involvement of four generations of Stabberts. The senior Stabbert, was publisher until his death in 1963 and was followed by his son Fred Stabbert Jr. and now his son Fred Stabbert III. But other Stabberts have lent a hand as well. "My mother and my grand- mother both wrote columns," Stab- bert said, adding that his sister and daughter also have columns. His grand- mother's columns, originally printed as "While The Kettle Boils," are reprinted to this day. "She told my grandfather she would write it under one condition: Sullivan County Democrat Editor Derek Kirk, le , and Sports Editor Anthony Morgano attended this year's NYPA Convention in Albany. The duo learned much about the newspaper industry as well as brought home five NYPA Better Newspaper Contest awards for the Democrat. The Democrat has been honored with 27 National and NYPA Press Awards during the past five years. Fred Stabbert Sr. , shown here at his desk, bought the paper in 1927.. Fred Stabbert III Generations of Stabberts have kept news tradition alive at Sullivan County Democrat

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