Telegraph returns to roots on Sutter Street

Last week was a homecoming of sorts for Sacramento County's oldest newspaper.The Telegraph first began publishing in 1856 in the 700 block of Sutter Street of Folsom. Now, more than 150 years later, the newspaper has returned to its historic roots just a few blocks away from its original site. The paper is now located at 921 Sutter St., Suite 100."In the words of Mark Twain, the rumors of your demise are greatly exaggerated," said Folsom Mayor Jeff Starsky to a crowd gathered outside the newspaper's new offices on Wednesday. "The city is glad to see the Telegraph return to where it belongs, in the heart of town."Starsky was on hand along with numerous Chamber of Commerce officials to help cut the ribbon on Wednesday, Dec. 16, and attend the newspaper's daylong open house.Throughout the day, local residents stopped by to welcome the Telegraph back to Sutter Street.City Manager Kerry Miller, Assistant City Manager Evert Palmer, Police Chief Sam Spiegel and Public Information Officer Sue Ryan stopped in. Rep. Dan Lungren's office sent field representative Bob Ehlert, a Folsom resident, to attend since the congressman was in Washington, D.C."Congratulations," Miller said. "You're right in the middle of things now."Kris Keables helmed the newspaper as the editor for a decade, from 1982 to 1992. Keables now works with the Chamber of Commerce."I worked here back when it was a Lesher newspaper," she said. "I left to be a fulltime mom."The Telegraph is now owned by Brehm Communications, a newspaper publishing company that also owns papers in Lincoln, Roseville, Granite Bay, Loomis, Rocklin, Auburn and Colfax. The Telegraph publishes two papers, the historic Folsom Telegraph and the El Dorado Hills Telegraph.18-month Folsom resident Ruth Anderson said she was thrilled with the paper's relocation to Sutter Street."It's so nice to have you right here in the center of town, right in the middle of everything," Anderson said. "I love the Telegraph. Being new to town, the paper really helped plug me into the community."Art Williams of Folsom echoed her sentiments and said the paper is a must-read."I look forward to your paper every week," he said.Candy Coulson, a volunteer with many local organizations, said she had heard rumors that the Telegraph was gone."You know how it is nowadays. Someone sees a moving truck in front of your (establishment) and the sign gone, they assume you're out of business," she said. "It's nice to see the Telegraph is actually moving up in the world."Managing Editor Don Chaddock said the newspaper's move is crucial to connecting with the community."As the editor of one of the oldest newspaper's in the state, I take our role in the city very seriously," he said. "We should be accessible and visible. We now have that on Sutter Street. It's where the Telegraph belongs."An estimated 300 people stopped by the Telegraph office for the open house and ribbon cutting ceremony."We're thrilled with the response we've received," said Telegraph Advertising Director Nina Shorum. "The community and the businesses have been very supportive."To contact the Telegraph, call (916) 985-2581 or e-mail folsomadmin@goldcountrymedia.com.~ Staff report