The Lompoc Record was first published on April 10, 1875. It was founded by William Wallace Broughton.[1][2] He published the paper for 25 years.[3] In 1911, the Bank of Lompoc foreclosed on the Record and sold the printing plant at auction to Rae Soares. The previous owner was E.H. King.[4][5]
In 1914, Ronald M. Adam bought the paper.[6] He was the first newsman on scene of the Honda Point disaster in 1923. He witnessed and documented the rescue operation, then scooped competitors by 14 hours.[7] His son Ken Adam started work at the Record in 1946 after serving in the U.S. navy during World War II followed by working as a script writer at MGM in Hollywood. He became publisher after his father retired in 1952 and came to be known for writing a witty column called" Something About Nothing." He also wrote and locally produced a musical called "Julie". Ken Adam died in 1966.[8]
His widow Harriet Adam acquired the paper and managed it until selling out in 1979 to Donrey Media. At that time the circulation was 9,000.[6] In 1999, the Record became part of the MediaNews Group-led California Media Partnership.[9][10] In 2001, Pulitzer bought the paper.[11][12]Lee Enterprises bought Pulitzer in 2005[13] and sold the newspaper to Santa Maria News Media Inc. in March 2020.[14]
References
^"Vol. 1 | No. 1". The Lompoc Record. April 10, 1875. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
^"New Paper". Daily Evening Herald. Stockton, California. April 21, 1875. p. 3.
^"Judge Broughton Answers Summons". The Morning Press. Santa Barbara, California. February 13, 1910. p. 3.
^"Editor Sued". The Morning Press. Santa Barbara, California. May 2, 1911. p. 2.
^"Lompoc Record Sold To Santa Maria Man". The Santa Maria Times. May 27, 1911. p. 3.
^ ab"Lompoc Record sold". Santa Ynez Valley News. Solvang, California. November 22, 1979.
^"1923 Honda mishap worst peacetime Naval disaster". Santa Barbara News-Press. September 9, 1973. p. 8.
^"Witty Columnist | Ken Adam, Lompoc Publisher, Dies". Santa Barbara News-Press. July 27, 1966. p. 22.
^Walsh, Steve (January 15, 1999). "Mayor wants Record the same". Santa Maria Times. p. 21.
