Prosser Record-Bulletin
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = Prosser Record-Bulletin
| type = Weekly newspaper
| founder = Nellie M. Eldredge
J. M. Parker
| foundation = 1893
| language = English
| publishing_city = Prosser, Washington
| circulation = 2,809
| circulation_date = 2022
| sister newspapers = Grandview Herald
| oclc = 16991498
| website = {{URL|theprosserrecordbulletin.com}}
}}
The Prosser Record-Bulletin is a newspaper serving Prosser, Washington and the surrounding area (including Benton City, Washington and Whitstran, Washington).{{cite book |last1=Bagwell |first1=Steve |title=New Editions: The Northwest's newspapers as they were, are, and will be |last2=Stapilus |first2=Randy |publisher=Ridenbaugh Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-945648-10-9 |location=Carlton, Oregon |page=253 |oclc=861618089}}{{webarchive|title="About the Prosser Record-Bulletin · Prosser, Washington · recordbulletin.com"|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426045657/http://recordbulletin.com/about/index.php|date=April 26, 2009}}
History
The first newspaper published in Benton County, Washington was the Prosser Falls American.{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1950 |title=History Of Prosser Can Be Seen By Its Newspapers; City Had Three |work=Tri-City Herald |pages=16}} It was established in October 1893 by Mrs. Nellie M. Eldredge and J. M. Parker, formerly of the Orting Oracle.{{Cite news |date=November 15, 1893 |title=State And Vicinity News |work=Spokane Chronicle |pages=4}}{{Cite news |date=October 5, 1893 |title=Gathered About Home |work=The Yakima Herald |pages=3}} They published their first issue in January 1894.{{Cite news |date=December 21, 1893 |title=Gathered About Home |work=The Yakima Herald |pages=3}} That October, Captain Fred R. Reed succeeded Eldredge as editor and manager.{{Cite news |date=October 3, 1894 |title=Northwestern News. |work=The News Tribune |pages=2}} By May 1985, the editor was W. H. James.{{Cite news |date=May 9, 1895 |title=Notice |work=The Yakima Herald |pages=2}} That October, James surrendered his lease to F. W Roach, who was employed by the Yakima Herald. James was noted for making the American a financial success.{{Cite news |date=October 17, 1895 |title=A Reporter's Note Book {{!}} Entertaining Bits of Information Which Were Found Within. |work=The Yakima Herald |pages=3}} The paper soon encountered hard times, moved its plant to Yakima and fell into the hands of mortgagees Seymour, Barto & Co. Roach transferred his lease to D. D. Calkins and W. B. Noble in November 1896. Around that time the plant came under the ownership of Mr. Cameron of the Pasco News who moved it to Trail Creek country.{{Cite news |date=November 12, 1896 |title=Snap Shots At Yakima |work=The Yakima Herald |pages=3}}
On December 29, 1893, A. W. Maxwell established The Record in Prosser. He sold out after a year to August and Brownlow. Around 1900 George E. Boomer took over as owner. On June 26, 1902, H. G. Guild established the Prosser Falls Bulletin. The paper was later acquired by A. E. Verity, after which the name was changed to the Prosser Bulletin. The Republican was established in 1906 and merged with the Bulletin to form the Republican Bulletin in 1907.{{Cite news |date=June 24, 1920 |title=Prosser Papers Being Merged {{!}} Independent Record and Republican Bulletin to Be United Soon. |work=The Spokesman-Review |pages=8}} In 1910, the paper was leased to and later purchased by W. R. Sproull.
In November 1909, The Benton Independent was founded by H. A. Wells and L. L. Lynn. The venture was not too successful. On May 13, 1913, the Independent was consolidated into the Record under Carl B. Michener, who recently bought the paper from G. A Haynes. The name was then changed to the Independent Record and C. E. Rusk was made editor.{{Cite news |date=May 9, 1913 |title=Little Stories Of The Week |work=Courier-Herald |pages=5 |publication-place=Kennewick, Washington}} The paper was sold in 1915 by the sheriff for $4,300 to satisfy mortgage held by the Prosser State Bank.{{Cite news |date=September 16, 1915 |title=Prosser Newspaper Sold By Sheriff {{!}} Independent-Record Plant Placed Under Hammer to Satisfy Bank Mortgage |work=The Courier-Herald |location=Kennewick, Washington |pages=8}} It ceased a year later and its printing plant was purchased by Sproull, owner of the Republican Bulletin.{{Cite news |date=April 7, 1916 |title=Buys Prosser Newspaper. |work=The Spokesman-Review |pages=6}} In June 1920, the Independent Record and the Republican Bulletin merged to form the Prosser Record-Bulletin.
In 1928, Robert E. Gay bought the Record Bulletin. He died in 1949 and the paper was passed down to his son, Rich Gay. In 1970, Gay purchased the Grandview Herald. He then sold both his papers in 1986 to John L. Fournier Jr.{{Cite news |last=Metcalf |first=Gale |date=October 4, 1986 |title=Sale of Prosser Record-Bulletin ends longtime family ownership |work=Tri-City Herald |pages=9}} He died in 2012.{{Cite web |date=2012-10-01 |title=John Fournier |url=https://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/obituaries/john-fournier/ |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=South Whidbey Record |language=en-US}} His daughter Danielle Fournier then took over as publisher.{{Cite web |date=2012-10-15 |title=Valley publisher Fournier dies, 75 |url=https://issuu.com/wnpafiles/docs/twn101112lores/5 |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=The Washington Newspaper |publisher=Washington Newspaper Publishers Association |page=5 |language=en}}