Publishers receive Commemorative Coin Award

First District Supervisor Jack Duran awarded Commemorative Coin Awards this week to community newspapers publishers Liz and Gregg Goldthorpe, who for 22 years have been keeping local residents informed on what is happening in their communities.

The Coin Awards are given annually by each of the five supervisors to community members who are the embodiment of dedicated citizens. 

The Goldthorpes' labor of love had its inception in civic involvement. As they became involved in their community two decades ago, they found themselves going to meetings and events. The Goldthorpes followed organizations as these groups served their community. As the communities grew and more and more organizations came into existence and held events and meetings, the Goldthropes could not keep up with the many events and happenings.

That sense of civic involvement evolved and they founded their first newspaper, the Antelope News, in July, 1990. They focused on positive people, events and meetings, and hoped that an informed community would be a more active and unified community. Over the past 22 years the Antelope News has expanded to include the Woodcreek News, the Sun Senior News for Sun City Roseville and the Sun Senior News for Sun City Lincoln Hills.

"It seemed like a logical extension," said Liz Goldthorpe of her and her husband becoming community newspaper editors. "It was an accident and not something we set out to do."

As their reputation for covering their communities grew, more and more organizations would supply them with information which has proven to be the lifeblood of their publications.

Goldthorpe said she has one deadline for all four publications. "It's the only was we get a day off," she said. From their home office, the community-oriented couple produces the publications with the assistance of freelancers and a small staff.

"To understand how dedicated the Goldthorpes are, we need to only look at the fact that in producing community newspapers for more than two decades, they have never missed a deadline," said Duran. "Their publications are an integral part of the communities they cover and there are thousands of readers who wait to receive these papers so they can stay informed."

"We get a lot of input from community members," said Goldthorpe. 

Doing local community newspapers has kept Liz and Gregg in the forefront of community events from helping to raise funds and volunteering in worthy causes to logging hundreds of hours at community events and meetings to help kept the community informed.

Their efforts have been recognized by organizations from local school boards and community organizations to the California State Legislature, who recognized Liz in the year 2000 as "Women of the Year" by State Senator Deborah Ortiz.  Liz was one of 113 women in California to receive the honor that year.

In addition to publishing four community newspapers, Liz and Gregg are devoted to their two daughters Madison and Emily.