ALMANAC "The Almanac" MASS COMMUNICATION
The Almanac
In 1965 the first Crossroads Advertiser was mailed free to residents of Peters Township, Canonsburg, Eighty-Four, Upper St. Clair and Houston. It was also sent to homes in a small portion of Bethel Park, Cecil Township, Finleyville and North and South Strabane Townships. At that time it was a guaranteed circulation of 15,000. And, it was touted as the largest of any periodical in the area. The idea to start a newspaper for the merchants of Donaldson's Crossroads was hatched by the shopping center's owner and developer, Carlo Teodori. Items of community interest were reported, but the main emphasis was on local advertising. It averaged 20 pages and featured some of the larger retailers and food stores of the time. Giant Eagle and Kroger shared space with Miller Hardware, The Manor House furniture store, the W.T. Grant store and Scott Motor Co. The newspaper was headquartered in a cramped windowless office above the Crest Theater at Donaldson's Crossroads. Its founder and first publisher was Richard Barnes. In those early days he employed a staff of two.
It wasn't until 1967 that the first issue of The Almanac was published. Similar to the birth of the Advertiser, the Almanac was originally intended as an advertising vehicle for the merchants of the Great Southern shopping center in Bridgeville. It served all of the communities around the Mt. Lebanon area. Those first editions showcased the S.S. Kresge's store, Jo-Ann Fabric Shop, Stone's Sport Center, J.C. Penney's and Schiff Shoe Store. The newspapers were published once monthly then twice monthly and finally each week. As the newspaper grew, more space was required. In 1966 the offices moved to a location just north of the shopping center on Route 19. The community newspapers would remain there for the next 31 years. There were milestones over the next 3 decades. One of the most important was in 1981 when The Advertiser and The Almanac newspapers were purchased by the Observer Publishing Co. of Washington, PA. Another was in 1989 when the newspapers became fully computerized and in 1990 when they were changed from the original tabloid format to the broadsheet of today. 1990 also saw a change in publishers as Richard Barnes retired and was replaced by William Northrop, Jr..
1998 was a year of dramatic change for the newspapers. In June the sister newspapers were merged. Since the name "Advertiser" gave the impression of a weekly advertising circular and the path of the two papers had steadily moved toward a more comprehensive coverage of the South Hills it was decided that the Almanac title would remain. In a few months the second big event of the year took place. The Washington Rd. offices that had served as home for over 30 years were vacated for a new and larger location on Valleybrook Rd.
The Almanac has had only 4 publishers in its 37 years of publishing. It has a veteran and award winning staff of writers. It has been named best weekly newspaper in the state several times over the last decade. It's editorial, art and sales staffs continue to receive state and national recognition for excellence in writing, page design and special sections. It is delivered to nearly 53,000 homes throughout the South Hills each week. It is sold at 88 retail and vending locations in the South Hills, Washington Co. and southwestern Allegheny Co. The newspaper is committed to being a major player in the communities that it serves. The Almanac is active in events from community days to co-sponsoring an annual golf outing to support local ambulance service. It initiates and hosts health testing and screenings for the community on a regular basis. The Almanac hosts its own garage sale and craft sale in the spring and another near the holiday season. It is a member of several chambers of commerce and its staff plays an active role. Each year The Almanac in tandem with area chambers of commerce selects and honors the Citizen of the Year and provides a scholarship for a youth chosen as the Young Leader in Action. The newspaper also honors the areas finest athletes each May with its widely known and memorable awards banquet. The newspaper is always aware of population shifts and strives to be in all newer communities as well as those that it has served for many years. The news and circulation staffs are currently in the process of increasing their coverage and distribution in South Fayette Township. The Almanac will continue to follow the growth of the South Hills.
As a member of the Observer Publishing Co. family, the staff of the Almanac is dedicated to continuing to provide to its readers the best local, school, community and sports coverage in the South Hills and northern Washington County.
