By Peter Weinberger

Over the years the COURIER has received numerous awards for stories, photos, design and advertising published in the newspaper and website. During my seven years as publisher, part of those honors has been accepting awards on behalf of Martin Weinberger.

As editor and publisher of the COURIER for 53 years, Martin touched so many lives, in so many different ways, I am often reminded of his impact on the Claremont community and newspaper industry. Not a week goes by when someone mentions they “knew my father,” “worked for my father,” or in an effort to seek coverage suggest, “Martin would have done this.”

In most cases these quotes are followed by a fond personal story about how he touched other people’s lives. Such was the case when the California Press Foundation inducted Martin into the California Newspaper Hall of Fame last week.

What I discovered was this entire other world outside of Claremont of movers and shakers in the publishing industry where Martin helped shape policy for the media industry in California. But just like COURIER readers, the stories were similar. And it didn’t matter what your title was, he treated everyone with the same enthusiasm. Here are unofficial highlights from his years with the California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA):

He filled the roll as MC or greeter during group gatherings and would seek out new CNPA members to discuss the history of the organization.

My parents rarely stayed at the same hotel where a conference was hosted. Publishers liked nice digs, but the room rates were so high, they would stay at a cheaper hotel nearby.

In board meetings if a publisher looked bored, he would direct questions to that person just like they were in class. This was especially the case for big city members who Martin said would get “distracted.”

The CNPA each year raised money for various scholarships for students interested in journalism. Martin may not have donated the most, but it came out of his personal checkbook.

The one word that seemed to define my father’s role and actions was “activist.” Whether he was registering voters in Mississippi in the 1960s, coaching an intern on photography techniques, sharing his passion for defending the First Amendment, standing up to an irate caller, or just keeping the focus on accurate reporting, he was always willing to spend time with people in an effort to do the right thing. Martin Weinberger left a legacy that continues to march with time.

Price increases coming in January

The last time we raised COURIER subscription prices was in 2007. In an effort to keep the high standards readers are accustomed to, and with production and printing costs on the rise, the single copy price of the newspaper will be $1.50. Our subscription price will be $56 yearly (up $4), $98 for two years (up $6), and $52 for online only. Senior discounts will still be $5 off.

Given the volume of local content, full website access at no extra charge, I feel this is still an incredible bargain. I occasionally explain to readers the high cost of thorough reporting, especially given we generate all our own content. My goal has been to keep the COURIER single copy price near the cost of two-thirds of a cup of coffee.

It was an excellent year for the COURIER, especially given some of the big Claremont stories like water that needed continued in-depth coverage. Our website remains very popular with readers, as we strived for a balance of posting news between editions, with publishing an updated complete story on Fridays.

We could not publish without the continued support of our readers and advertisers. So as we say goodbye to 2014, all of us at the COURIER want to wish you all a happy holidays!