After trying to buck trend, newspaper founded with Ralph Nader's succumbs to financial woes

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — After trying to buck a national trend of media closures and downsizing, a small Connecticut newspaper founded earlier this year with Ralph Nader's help has succumbed to financial problems and will be shutting down.

An oversight board voted Monday to close the Winsted Citizen, a broadsheet that served Nader's hometown and surrounding area in the northwestern hills of the state since February.

Andy Thibault, a veteran journalist who led the paper as editor and publisher, announced the closure in a memo to staff.

“We beat the Grim Reaper every month for most of the year,” Thibault wrote. ”Our best month financially resulted in our lowest deficit. Now, our quest regrettably has become the impossible dream. It sure was great — despite numerous stumbles, obstacles and heartaches — while it lasted.”