Holden Landmark Corporation announces new publication

The Holden Landmark Corp. will begin publishing the Fitchburg Pride, a free weekly newspaper focusing exclusively on the people and happenings of Fitchburg. The newspaper and Web site fitchburgpride.com will debut on Friday, Jan. 26.

The Fitchburg Pride will be distributed free at more than 100 stores, restaurants and retail outlets throughout Fitchburg, as well as throughout the campus of Fitchburg State College. The FSC student newspaper, The Point will also be distributed through insertion into the Fitchburg Pride on campus.

"We're thrilled to bring Fitchburg its own newspaper in the tradition of our other high quality newspapers. We've been inspired by the countless requests we've received from residents and really look forward to contributions from all parts of the community in building the Fitchburg Pride," said Publisher Gareth Charter.

Fitchburg resident Jason Lefferts will be the Editor of the Fitchburg Pride, Cheryl Cuddahy will become the Community Editor, and Fitchburg resident Noel Nickerson will assume Marketing and Distribution responsibilities. Account executive Sue LeBlanc, who has serviced Fitchburg businesses for more than 20 years, will join a growing team of advertising sales representatives.

Lefferts has published the blog "Save Fitchburg" (www.savefitchburg.blogspot.com) for the past year following a career as a general assignment reporter for the Lowell Sun, Editor and Reporter at Community Newspaper Company and Suburban World Newspapers. Lefferts has also taught journalism and writing at Northeastern University as an adjunct professor, and worked at Regan Communications.

The Holden Landmark Corp. publishes The Community Journal, The Landmark, the Leominster

Champion and the monthly magazine Bay State Parent.

The publications earned more than 30 national journalism awards in the past year including a third-place finish for The Landmark from the National Newspaper Association, and a first-place Suburban Newspapers of America award for Best Parenting Publication for Bay State Parent. Photographer Steve King was also named Photographer of the Year by the New England Press Association in early 2006.

The company also publishes seven community Web sites that include news, advertisements, and archives from the three newspapers plus an expanded local classified marketplace, photo galleries of area events and happenings, and a searchable guide to school field trips and assemblies.

The sites are: www.thelandmark.com, www. thecommunityjournal.com, www.leominsterchamp. com, www.centralmassclass.com, www. baystateparent.com, www.massfieldtrips.com and www.gocentralmass.com