Ben Romo, a former paperboy for the Santa Barbara News-Press, feels a strong connection to the local newspaper which has been part of his life since childhood. After the paper's bankruptcy in 2023, he teamed up with developer Jason Yardi to secure its digital archives and trademarks, outbidding a company that planned to commercialize the content. Romo emphasizes the importance of preserving the newspaper's legacy for community engagement and expressed hope to restart the publication, reflecting a shared desire among locals to see it thrive again.
"I've heard from dozens of people who expressed a desire to see this thing come back."
"The News-Press has not only reported on the news of our community for more than a century, but it's helped shape our community."
"By swooping in to outbid Weyaweya Ltd for the digital archives, we inadvertently also ended up owning the assets necessary to restart the News-Press as a business."
"Romo partnered with Jason Yardi, a local developer, who provided financial backing ahead of the News-Press' bankruptcy hearing."
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