Adam Prudhomme, the current editor of the Napanee Beaver newspaper, announced last week he is now its publisher. 

Along with the Picton Gazette, the Beaver was published by the Morrison family, who were based in Napanee, for over 70 years. The Beaver was founded in 1870.  J. Earl and Jean Morrison purchased the paper in 1953. They acquired the Picton Gazette in 1977, just one year before J. Earl’s sudden death in 1978. The venerable Jean Morrison continued as publisher of both papers until her death in 2019.

Mr. Prudhomme started as a general assignment reporter in 2008. He became Managing Editor in 2018.

He said it was a great honour to carry forward the tradition of local news in Napanee. ”I am grateful for the opportunity to report on the stories that matter to the community.” 

“Having a locally owned and operated, independent newspaper is crucial for a small community. When a small town paper gets absorbed by a larger corporation, the community loses its voice. It was important to me to keep the legacy of the Beaver going, operated by staff with a vested interest in Lennox and Addington County, the way it has been for 155 years.”

The Gazette and the Beaver shared resources during Ms. Morrison’s lengthy tenure as publisher. Overlapping staff filled in for each other during vacations. Ms. Morrison would make the rounds of both papers about once a week, dropping in unannounced to make sure staff were hard at work at their desks.

The Morrison family sold the Gazette in 2023 to current publishers, Chris Fanning and Karen Valihora. “I am sure Jean Morrison will rest easy knowing her beloved newspapers are still independently published,” said Ms. Valihora. “We extend our warmest congratulations to Adam Prudhomme. I always thought he should take over the paper he’s served so well for so long.”