The Ellsworth American, a weekly newspaper in Hancock County, laid off some of its staff on Thursday.
Information about how many and which positions were eliminated was not immediately available Thursday afternoon, but a senior executive with the paper confirmed some employees were let go.
“The Ellsworth American, like all small businesses, continually evaluates its staffing and expenses to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization,” Chris Crockett, the newspaper’s publisher, said in a statement to the BDN. “From time to time, this requires difficult decisions, including adjustments to staffing levels. We do not comment on individual personnel or other confidential human resources matters.”
It was not clear whether the Mount Desert Islander, its sister newspaper that serves towns on and surrounding Mount Desert Island, or its in-house marketing entity REACH Maine also have been affected by the layoffs. The newspapers have separate editors and mostly separate news staffs, but have shared a sports reporter and other shared staff, such as advertising representatives and customer service staff.
The American, Islander, and the marketing agency all are owned by Reade Brower, former owner of the Portland Press Herald and other dailies and weeklies in central and southern Maine and current owner of the Midcoast Villager. Brower did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment.
The Ellsworth American has been in publication since 1851. The Mount Desert Islander was founded by former Ellsworth American owner and publisher Alan Baker in 2001.
