The Power County Press still making headlines after 123 years
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AMERICAN FALLS — While many small-town newspapers across the country have stopped publishing in the past decade due to low advertising revenue and the boom in digital news, The Power County Press continues to thrive with a hands-on paper — celebrating 123 years of continuous publication.
East Idaho newspapers, such as the Blackfoot Morning News and Shelley Pioneer, have closed their doors. Others, including the Idaho State Journal, Post Register, Rexburg Standard Journal, Teton Valley News, Preston Citizen, and Montpelier News Examiner, have been consolidated under Adams Publishing Group.
However, The Power County Press remains independently owned and locally focused. Now operated by Brett and Debbie Crompton, the paper continues to publish weekly, delivering local news and advertisements with no signs of slowing down.
EastIdahoNews.com spoke with Brett Crompton, an American Falls native who began working at the Press while still in high school during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He shared insights into how the newspaper business has changed — and how community journalism remains vital in today’s world.
History of The Power County Press
The paper’s roots date back to the early 1900s, when several titles—including the American Falls Advertiser, Booster, Boomerang, Falls Power, and Rockland Times—merged into what became The Power County Press in 1937.
In 1959, Brett’s parents, Robert and Erma Crompton, purchased the newspaper and later acquired The Aberdeen Times, which had been serving its neighboring community since 1912.
“The paper was community-oriented and carried all the town’s news from who was gathering for card games to local politics,” said Brett. “That’s why the community found the paper so endearing, and they gave us a lot of news tips.”
“When I started back in the late 60s, we didn’t even have electric typewriters. The newspaper business changed drastically when PCs came along and even more so with the internet and rapidly changing technology,” he added.
Together, The Power County Press and the Aberdeen Times became a staple of local life, chronicling milestones, providing a platform for local businesses, and preserving the region’s history.
When Robert passed away in 1980, Erma and their son Brett carried on the family business. After Erma’s death in 2011, Brett and his wife, Debbie, took full ownership under Crompton Publishing Inc.
Through the years, Brett has served in every capacity — as paperboy, reporter, editor, publisher, pressman, ad salesperson, and even janitor.
For decades, the Cromptons not only kept the presses rolling but also contributed to civic life, serving as presidents of the American Falls Chamber of Commerce and leaders in the Idaho Newspaper Association.
Today, the paper is printed through Bear River Publishing in Preston — a far cry from the old days of manual layout and the roar of a rolling press. Back then, publishing was labor intensive, with headlines and stories hand-set and arranged on paste-up boards using strips of waxed paper, which were then photographed to create printing plates.
To help support operations, Brett said the paper often took on extra revenue by doing local print jobs.
Now, with just an editor and a reporter on staff, The Power County Press continues to cover the community, combining modern technology with old-school dedication. The paper is mailed to subscribers and sold at from newsstands at local businesses.
Unlike many newspapers today, The Power County Press is not yet published digitally, and a website is not currently available.
“The subscribers are our family and our real bosses,” said Brett. “We are still a community newspaper and rely on the community to give us news tips.”
Reflections on the newspaper business
After starting at The Power County Press at such a young age, Brett said he once couldn’t wait to get out of the business. But in the end, it was in his blood. “I went to college to do other things, but I just kept getting pulled back to the paper,” he said.
“What I love about the newspaper business is that every day is something different. You get up and go to work and you never know what’s going to happen,” he added.
Brett met his wife, Debbie — a farm girl from Firth — on a cruise. Debbie didn’t join the paper until she lost her job as a Mountain Bell operator. Brett brought her on temporarily for a couple of weeks, but those weeks turned into 30 years.
“It’s funny we had to go so far to meet each other when the whole time we were so close,” Brett said. “I wasn’t sure we could work together, but it’s worked out well.”
Now nearing retirement age, Brett and Debbie say they remain committed to keeping the paper strong until the right successors step forward — owners who will treat readers like family and preserve the same devotion to local journalism.
“We still plan to live in American Falls, and people want the paper to stick around,” Brett said. “I don’t want to tell the new people how to run the paper. I just want to read the paper and say, ‘That’s good.’ ”
With its sister publication, The Aberdeen Times, still publishing, The Power County Press remains a trusted voice for Power County — proof that local news can endure even in an era of major media change.
For more information on Crompton Publishing Inc. or to subscribe call (208) 226-5294 or email: press1@press-times.com .