In its March 20, 2025 issue, The Star News of Medford celebrated its 150th anniversary with a multiple-page story containing a lengthy newspaper history as well as current staff and historical photos.
The first newspaper in Taylor County, the Taylor County News, was published a few months after the Wisconsin Legislature created Taylor County. The first issue was published on March 31, 1875 by brothers J.A. and F.E. Ogden. The Ogden brothers published the newspaper for about 10 months.
“From the beginning,” the historical article reads, “the paper had a strong editorial voice with John Ogden passionate about the need for a public cemetery in the community.”
The Taylor County News received competition in March 1876, when G.L. Loope started the Taylor County Star. The paper passed to E.R. Prink a month later. On Dec. 1, 1877, Singleton B. Hubbell purchased both newspapers and combined them as the Taylor County Star and News in partnership with E.B. Morley.
After eight months, Morley departed and Edgar T. Wheelock joined the newspaper. Beginning in September 1879, until 1895, Wheelock took sole possession and operated the newspaper. A feature attraction of the newspaper was the battle between Wheelock and Joseph Brucker, the editor of Der Waldbotte, Medford’s German newspaper. After Wheelock’s departure, Peter Danielson was hired to operate the Star and News.
Two other German language newspapers were founded in Medford during those years — the Deutsche Zeitung which lasted from 1887-91, and Der Her Vatter, which operated from 1903-04.
Also in 1887, The Medford Sentinel appeared, followed two years later by the Medford Republican. The two papers combined in 1901 and consolidated with the Star and News shortly thereafter.
J.H. Waggoner and J.E. Harris operated the Star and News from November 1901-September 1902. Waggoner and W.S. Withers operated it from September 1902-October 1904.
Withers than ran it until June 1907, when Arthur J. Latton took over. In 1919, William Conrad and family arrived in Medford and purchased a half-interest in the newspaper from Latton. In April 1923, Conrad purchased Latton’s remaining interest to begin a long career as publisher.
Im 1921, the Taylor County Leader began publishing, but was absorbed by the Star and News in 1929. The Northern Independent and the Weekly Record — two other Medford newspapers — began publishing briefly. By the 1930s, the Star News and the Rib Lake Herald were the only newspapers in the county.
In 1932, Conrad was elected president of the Wisconsin Press Association (now the WNA). In the same year, the Star News was elected to a place on the All-American Weekly News Eleven by John Casey, a weekly newspaper authority from the University of Oklahoma. The paper’s staff grew to 14 by 1939 and it continued to win awards for journalistic excellence.
Although he joined the staff in 1926, Bert Amacher managed the Star News from 1946-75. Frank Hirsch became editor in 1951. Conrad was killed in an automobile accident on March 8, 1951 near Abbotsford. The surviving four sons and daughters formed Star News Partnership. Later the same year a new press was installed and the single copy price for the newspaper was 10 cents.
In February 1959, The Star News moved out of its Main Street building and into its current location on Wisconsin Avenue. The newspaper was sold to a group of stockholders in 1964 and was incorporated with Amacher as president and publisher; Corliss Jensen and Bob Klinner of Medford, Frank Nikolay of Abbotsford and Don Johnson of Neillsville as the other shareholders.
By September 1973, when the Rib Lake Herald closed its doors, the Star News was the only newspaper in Taylor County. Bob Anderson was hired in 1975 to manage the newspaper. Later the same year, Tom Anderson took over as editor when Hirsch retired. Tom Anderson left in 1980 and was succeeded by Mitch Potter.
In early 1983, the Star News changed its format from broadsheet to tabloid.
In April 1984, Potter left the staff and was replaced by Scott Schultz. The same year, Don Woerpel became editor in June. J.A. and Carol O’Leary bought The Star News and the Star News Shopper in August 1986, with Bob Anderson continuing in his role as manager. At the time, the O’Learys owned the Tribune-Phonograph of Abbotsford-Colby, and the Record-Review of Edgar, Athens and Marathon, in addition to the Central Wisconsin Shopper.
Bob Anderson retired in 1992 but continued his “Common Tater” column until 1997. In May 1997, J.A. O’Leary died unexpectedly. Carol and her daughter, Kris, took over management and operation of The Star News.
Woerpel retired in 1999 after 17 years as editor. Laurie Sacho served as editor from 1999 to April 2005. Brian Wilson, who started with The Star News as sports editor in May 1996, assumed the editor role and is marking his 20th year in that position.
In 2015, Carol O’Leary became WNA President. She was inducted into the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Hall of Fame in 2018. Kris O’Leary took over as publisher in 2024 after Carol formally retired. Kris O’Leary is also the immediate past president of the WNA Board of Directors.
“We are proud of the local history The Star News has recorded in its pages for the past 150 years,” publisher Kris O’Leary wrote in the 150th anniversary story. “Even with online access, most of our readers still prefer the print product and are willing to wait for the mail to deliver it.
“You may have heard a rumor newspapers are dying or no one reads papers anymore,” Kris O’Leary continued. “I know that’s not true in Taylor County. We appreciate our readers and advertisers whose support will keep The Star News going for the next 150 years.”
