Monday Update (1:44p): Palmer returned to Jefferson Monday morning, and per reports, is working on getting things back online.
Friday night’s digital disappearance of the Jefferson Jimplecute from FaceBook and their website (www.jimplecute1848.com) returning a “jimplecute1848.wordpress.com doesn’t exist” message, has left Marion County residents with more questions than answers.
No postings to indicate the stopping of publishing, or the closure of the Jimplecute have been made. The office doors have the normal “Closed” sign visible. The offices are normally closed from Friday noon until Monday morning. The latest edition of the paper can still be purchased in racks at Brookshire’s and in front of the offices.
Jimplecute publisher Micah Wilhite deactivated her FaceBook profile on Friday which, if she was the only page administrator, could account for the Jimplecute‘s FaceBook page disappearing. Wilhite was seen packing and loading a vehicle late Friday night according to reports by neighbors.
The website domain is registered through April 2021, and was hosted by WordPress.com. WordPress’s online response appears the website has been deleted.
Jimplecute co-owner Bob Palmer’s vehicle has been absent from the streets surrounding the Jimplecute offices since Friday night. The Herald has attempted to contact Palmer via FaceBook messenger, text message, and email, but has not received a response. Palmer and Wilhite have been living at the offices on Vale Street.
Palmer and Wilhite posted on FaceBook earlier this week they had made the last mortgage payment on the Jimplecute.
Former Jimplecute General Manager Austin Lewter had been in discussions with Palmer and Ray Strube (co-owner) to purchase the paper, but the last offer was rejected by Palmer.
The Jimplecute is owned by Strube-Palmer Media out of Mount Pleasant and operated under a DBA in Marion County.
A similar stoppage occurred last year, after the Jimplecute posted online they were ceasing publication. However, they retracted the statement and resumed publication the next week. The paper’s online presence remained active at that time.
Online postings by individuals have largely been negative towards the Jimplecute and praised their closure.
“Good Riddance!” posted Beje Foster. “I’m sorry, I never post negative stuff but when your agenda is to get a rise out of people just for the sake of…what selling newspapers? … for the fun of it? … Please, take that somewhere else! With today’s current situation, negative stories is not what we need. We have too many good stories in town that needs to be shared instead!”
A number of people have posted how they recently renewed their subscriptions and are wondering where that leaves them.
No other information has been made available to the Herald at this time. The Herald will continue to publish online, but is investigating additional avenues to possibly return to print.
Herald owner and publisher Hugh Lewis said “I’ve reached out to Bob to see if there is anything I can do to help at this time, but haven’t heard anything. The loss of the Jimp would be tragic for Jefferson and for our county’s history. The Herald will do everything we can to keep the people of Marion County informed.”