Fairfield Citizen

About Us

Roger Ludlow had it right, when in 1639, he settled what became the Connecticut Colony's fourth town and named it ''Fairfield.''

But while Ludlow never succeeded in his goal of creating a Greater Fairfield, he may have contributed something even more longlasting to the town: a bold, confident, entrepreneurial spirit and a dynamism that has extended into the 21st century, and upon which the Fairfield Citizen-News and its predecessors have reported for more than 130 years.
Today's Fairfield is a thriving economic, social, educational and cultural community whose influence resonates beyond southwestern Connecticut and continues to delight current residents and attract new ones.
Though itself only 33 years old, the Fairfield Citizen-News nonetheless can claim a journalistic heritage of serving this tradition-proud but forward-looking community for 135 years because, when in October 1970, resident Peter Ball launched the Fairfield Citizen and Chronicle, he linked his new paper's present and future to the Southport Chronicle. The Chronicle was founded in 1867, remained in print until 1901, was revived in 1947 and ran until 1952. When Ball began his own paper, he was given permission to add ''Chronicle'' to its name.
When B.V. Brooks purchased the Fairfield Citizen in 1973, he pledged that ''it will continue as Fairfield's community newspaper,'' but only better and with ''more comprehensive coverage of news, features, sports and all of the things always looked for in a community paper.''
In 1974, the newspaper added ''News'' to its title and on Oct. 2, 1981, added a Friday edition. In 2000, MediaNews Group, the seventh largest newspaper publishing company in the United States, purchased the Fairfield Citizen-News and its sister papers.
Although the issues deemed important to a community change over time, and despite the presence of a daily and weekly newspaper that also serve the town, the Fairfield Citizen-News has remained the definitive voice of Fairfield, a fact that has been recognized by its readers and by its professional peers.
Much of the Fairfield Citizen-News' critical success -- the paper has received more than 130 awards in its existence -- is attributable to a dedicated and long-serving staff that is intimately attuned to events in the town.
Of the Fairfield Citizen-News' staff, Editor Patricia Hines has been at her post since November 1986, while Sports Editor Todd Burger has covered Fairfield since October 1987, and Managing Editor Rachel Sadlowski is in her eighth year with the paper. Living section editor Michele Herrmann has been with the newspaper since November 2000 and staff reporter Marc van der Pol since October 2000. Newcomers Alexis Harrison and Jessica Papini began their reporting jobs in fall 2002. The editorial staff is complemented by advertising representatives Pamela Clark, Maria Casale and Nancy Roberts.
As the Fairfield Citizen-News looks forward to another decade of serving Fairfield -- a service, which has also included sponsorship, promotion or direct involvement in charitable projects -- the newspaper continues to be guided by the mission statement first published in the Nov. 21, 1973, issue: ''a voice for and of all citizens, all readers.''
The Fairfield Citizen-News editorial office can be contacted by calling 255-4561 and advertising at 849-1600. Visit the Web site at www.fairfieldcitizen-news.com.