Verde Independent is a local newspaper serving Cottonwood, Arizona. It was founded in 1948 by Richard Brann, who built the paper's first offices from World War II surplus Quonset huts.[2] The original buildings were located on a river rock foundation in Smelter City, Arizona. Where the first buildings were enlarged and modernized, and they remain the offices for the Verde Independent.[2] It is published three times a week by Western News & Info.
In 2015, the paper was criticized for running a lightly edited Sheriff's office press release as if it was a news story.[3] The paper said the lack of labeling was an oversight.[3]