The local newspaper has always been a very important source of information in any community. In olden days the newspaper was passed around the family, and every item read and re-read.
The first press that was used in Marked Tree and printed both the Lepanto and Marked Tree papers called for type set by hand. Instead of large sheets the newspaper was printed on 8x10 paper.
T. D. Harris who published a weekly called the Lepanto Enterprise from 1915-1918 was one of the first editors. About 1922, T. E. Story started printing the Lepanto News Record. He is best remembered for his column "Story Did It". In 1937, Guy Graves became the owner and editor of the Lepanto paper and he hired Esther Bindursky to be the editor of the Lepanto paper. She also became a correspondent for the Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis TN.
Esther Bindursky went into the job with all the enthusiasm, vim and vigor that she could muster. She was the first person on Main Street every Monday morning "beatin' the bushes" for news items, selling ads, cornering the police for a scoop and soon the papers began to take off. Circulation picked up and merchants started advertising.
Dale Heckendorn joined the staff in July 1940 as a business manager.
In 1946, William Shelton bought the paper and it was selling for 5 cents per copy with $2 a year.
Later on, Howard & Dorothy Stuck became the owners. With Esther's continues efforts, the paper began to win many honors throughout the press association. In 1970, the Stucks sold the paper to Fred Ashcraft.
In 1971, Esther died. The economy along with her death cost(sic) the Lepanto paper to suffer. The paper closed and became as one with the Marked Tree paper.