Benton Review has worldwide readership

FOWLER, Ind. (WLFI) - The Benton Review is a weekly newspaper that has served the community for more than 130 years. You might be surprised to find it is read in the county and abroad.

Pat Messman thumbs through the Benton Review every week.

"We get to know about the city council, the county boards, and I enjoy Don Moyers column he puts in there every week," said Messman.

The ten page paper was established in 1875. Fifteen years ago Karen Moyers purchased the weekly periodical. She worked for both the Lafayette Journal and Courier and Purdue News Service before deciding to edit a newspaper on her own. The Benton Review focuses on local meetings, obituaries and engagements and school news. All for the price of 50 cents an issue.

"People in Benton County want to know what people in Benton County are doing. They are very loyal and supportive of the paper," explained Moyers.

Every Wednesday a new copy of the Benton Review comes out. Most are mailed out to subscribers. But, 700 to 800 copies go on news stands and others go over seas for free to military personnel.

"We do free subscriptions to the military," said Moyers. "So anyone in the military from Benton County gets a free paper from home until they're out."

It's a policy Messman appreciates.

"I have two grandsons in Iraq at this time. I had another one that was there. The Benton Review is good about sending that with no charge to the men and women in the armed forces," said Messman.

Messman explained it helps her grandsons feel closer to home and lets her feel closer to them knowing they are all sharing the same news from Benton County. The mast head symbolizes what the county is known for. The sun comes up over the horizon of a farm at the top of the page. The rays of the sun also resemble the arms of a windmill that now turn through out the county. The Benton Review will debut its website in September.