Emert and Harley Heath, by then publisher of the
Independent, announced in jointly signed editorials Jan. 20, 1942, that they were
suspending twice-weekly publication, partly to help the war effort and partly for economic
reasons.
Neither paper resumed the twice-weekly schedule again. The
Independent ceased publishing in 1975.
Whiting reported in 1985 that he left the paper in 1938 and
by 1942 had received all of his back wages. Emert hung on and once again The Chronicle
survived economic crisis.
Frank and Edna Emert had been a team from the beginning. She
handled bookkeeping, ran the Linotype and filled in where needed.
As their family grew, the children also were drawn
into newspaper work. The Emerts had eight children.
Their eldest son, Winston, had worked beside his father
setting type at the Linotype during high school. He left college to join the Air Force;
his loss in combat over Hungary was a blow to the family.
The 1940s and ‘50s were periods of slow growth for Omak
and The Chronicle. The Emerts were able to pay their bills and upgrade presses and
equipment needed to publish the paper and operate a print shop.
There still were hard times, editorial battles and lawsuits
to survive. The Emerts were sued for publishing a photo of gambling tables after someone
claimed there was no evidence of illegal gambling. The suit was dismissed.
The years and pressures took their toll. After 40 years as a
newspaper publisher, Emert’s family and staff worried his health was failing. He was
urged to retire.
He announced sale of The Chronicle and his retirement from
publishing on Jan. 24, 1957. Emert died four years later, June 25, 1961.
New publishers Bruce and Merilynn Wilson, Ritzville, took
over April 1, 1957, with Joe and Ruth Sinclair as partners. There was again a spurt of
growth and a change in layout and format. |
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Chronicle file photo |
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Mail crew gets more elbow room after 1979 remodel |
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Chronicle photo by Dee Camp |
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Stacy Allen inserts advertising into Chronicle sections for the May 17, 2000 paper |
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