West Virginia Newspaper Chain Shuts Down Operations

By: After a year of publishing newspapers in Southern West Virginia, owner Dan Butcher has shut down the Lincoln Standard Co. chain.

Managers at the chain's four weekly papers -- the Lincoln Standard, Boone Standard, Cabell Standard and Putnam Standard -- were notified of the closure by e-mail.

Butcher, a Lincoln County native who now lives in Florida, did not return calls or e-mail seeking comment on the New Year's Day closure. In his e-mail to staff, Butcher said the closures were necessary because he couldn't devise a profitable plan for the publications.

Butcher launched his first West Virginia newspaper, the Lincoln Standard, on Dec. 25, 2006. In April 2007, he bought the Putnam Post, Putnam Democrat and Cabell Record.

Before launching the newspaper, Butcher began major development and charity programs in West Virginia, including nearly $300,000 in donations to the new Lincoln County High School.

He also promoted the arts and Appalachian heritage through the formation of Lincoln County Friends of the Arts, a non-profit that was instrumental in bringing Loretta Lynn and Kathy Mattea to perform for locals.

Prior to dabbling in West Virginia media, Butcher founded a successful commercial landscaping business in Orlando, Fla. His journalism pedigree came from 22 years as an employee of The Washington Post, where he ran a community newspapers division.