It was a year ago today EO Media Group of Oregon took ownership of The Bulletin and Redmond Spokesman newspapers, after winning the bid in a bankruptcy auction in late July and a flurry of activity to prepare for the changeover on Sept. 1, 2019.

It has been a bit of whirlwind ride, but very rewarding. We are optimistic as we look forward to serving our readers, advertisers and the community in new ways in the coming years.

The purchase of the two newspapers (thankfully) did not include buying The Bulletin building on Chandler Avenue, which was the cause of many financial headaches for the former owners.

Exiting the Chandler Avenue building happened in two stages. First, printing operations were moved to Prineville last December and are now handled through a printing arrangement with Pamplin Media, which owns the newspapers in Prineville and Madras along with a number of papers in the Portland market. The Bulletin is printed around 10 p.m. each night, trucked back to Bend and assembled in our new distribution center on Fourth Street. At the same time, a digital version of the newspaper is prepared, which is delivered to the subscriber’s email inbox, often before the hard copy hits the driveway. (One can also connect with us through regular Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts and video broadcasts).

In March, COVID-19 threw us a curveball — as it did everyone — and we deemed it necessary for most of our staff to work from home or remotely to protect them and the public. True to form, the staff responded so well that we didn’t miss a beat in producing a daily paper packed with local news, sports, entertainment and advertising.

What has come into clear focus over the past six months is it’s the local content we produce that matters most to readers, rather than how that content is delivered. Even longtime print subscribers who hadn’t read the digital edition before found having the paper in their email inbox seven days a week a better experience than they originally thought. For some, nothing will take the place of the traditional newspaper on the driveway each morning, which we intend to continue Tuesdays through Sundays.

The final stage of the move from Chandler Avenue happened in June, with the relocation of The Bulletin offices to 320 SW Upper Terrace Drive in the Old Mill District. The new offices, in the former Wells Fargo Advisors space, are modern, more centrally located and less expensive than the former location. There’s plenty of parking for the public to come visit once the office opens back up. Plus, the area offers great walkability for employees, when the time comes to welcome back staff full time. All pluses for attracting the next generation that will help shape the future of our community journalism in Central Oregon.

With these two moves in the rearview mirror, along with numerous other operational changes this past year, we’re well-positioned to grow and thrive in Central Oregon, even with the current challenges of COVID-19 on the local economy. Our website traffic, social media and newspaper subscriptions over the past six months have grown and are similar to what other community newspapers have experienced around the country. This serves as an affirmation of the desire for credible local news in these troubling times. We cannot thank the community enough for its strong support financially and in the spirit of journalism.

With a growing audience and the recent additions of CFO Anthony Georger and Director of Revenue Steve Rosen, our Oregon-based, family -run company is building a sustainable future for a newspaper that has been a part of the fabric of Central Oregon since 1903.

We’re forever thankful to the subscribers, community members and advertisers that welcomed EO Media to Central Oregon and saw the need to keep local journalism alive and well in the community.