Local Planet ends publication

Publisher Matt Spaur said Thursday he is closing The Local Planet, ending a feisty four-year newspaper run that poked at Spokane’s conservative establishment and took readers on irreverent romps through the region’s political, music and dating scenes.

“I no longer have the interest and energy to do it,” Spaur said.

His newspaper enjoyed support from readers, but failed to translate that success into advertising, he said.

“I still feel there’s a need for (a newspaper like the Planet) and yet the business community is not responsive,” he said.

The last issue was distributed July 8.

Spaur said the newspaper will be dismantled and his staff would return money owed to advertisers and continue efforts to collect on overdue accounts.

Spaur bought the paper with his wife and founding editor Connye Miller in early 2000. Miller died a year ago.

With a press run of about 20,000 copies and 400 paper drops, the weekly offered an editorial forum decidedly outside the mainstream Spokesman-Review and the Pacific Northwest Inlander.

Spaur said he was most proud of the paper’s work following Sept. 11 when it prominently featured award-winning reports from students at Columbia University.

The paper may be best remembered for its hiring of television reporter Tom Grant. As editor, Grant offered coverage of the controversial River Park Square redevelopment.

He was able to use the paper as a springboard to run for mayor. His successful grassroots campaign earned him a victory in last fall’s primary. Grant ended up losing the mayoral race to Jim West.

Last November, Spaur sold the newspaper to Paulette Burgess and Eric Walker.

Burgess ceded the paper back to Spaur earlier this year after missing a monthly payment.

Local property developer Rob Brewster flirted with buying the newspaper this spring, but later dropped the idea.