The Chronicle, a hyperlocal print newspaper covering the cities of Springfield, Cottage Grove, Creswell, and Pleasant Hill since 1909, is shutting down. The newspaper’s executive editor, Erin Tierney-Heggenstaller, announced the news in a column published Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Financial Struggles

The decision to shut down was made due to a lack of subscriptions and advertising, as the paper struggled to repay pandemic-era debt. The newspaper took a Small Business Administration loan in 2020, but the federal government discontinued the repayment relief program in March 2025, making it difficult for the newspaper to service its debt.

The newspaper shuttered its brick-and-mortar newsroom and switched to a model where employees worked out of libraries, coffee shops, and bookstores. However, the paper’s savings from the closure were instantly wiped out by changes to the loan repayment program.

Rising costs from newsprint tariffs have also compounded the squeeze, and the deliberate dismantling of the U.S. Postal Service has threatened the paper’s delivery pipeline. Tierney-Heggenstaller said that constant financial stress has taken an inescapable toll on staff, many of whom work on a hometown discount because they believe in The Chronicle’s mission.

The Chronicle currently employs two reporters and features work from eight contributors and four photographers. The newspaper took home 14 awards at the 2025 Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association conference.

Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.