“Not to pat ourselves and say we’re winning Pulitzers, but we are covering those issues that nobody else is covering at all,” said Rick Jones, managing editor of the News-Gazette. “Anything happening now, unfortunately, it's not going to be covered. That's the news hole.”

First established in 1858, just eight years after California became a state, the paper will print its final issue on Sunday, Dec. 29, ending a 161-year run covering the county seat of Contra Costa. The issue will feature the contributions of longtime reporters and columnists, underscoring the paper's deep involvement in the community, Jones said.

“We’re trying to find a way to do [the paper] justice,” Jones said. “We don’t have the staff, we don’t have the tools, if you will, to give it a big send off.”

The paper, run by six staffers, has continued to publish on a biweekly basis despite years of cutbacks and diminishing resources. Its single news reporter works only part time, and it hasn’t had a sales representative for over a year.

“You’re not replacing reporters that leave, you’re not hiring an ad guy, you’re not putting any money at all into the paper,” said Jones. “The writing was on the wall. We all knew it was a matter of time.”

Longtime subscribers were saddened and shocked by news of the paper’s closure. Since the announcement was made, a number of residents have come into the office asking how it might be saved, Jones said.

Gibson Publishing, which owns the News-Gazette and the now-shuttered Rio Vista News-Herald, does not appear interested in selling the paper, he added. The company did not respond to a request for comment.