As we look back this year on the 50 years since the birth of Fountain Hills and the fountain, The Times looks forward to celebrating its own jubilee in just four short years.

It was 46 years ago this week, June 27, 1974, that the first weekly edition of The Times rolled off the press. It is something of an adage that things never really change and one can pull out a 20-year-old newspaper and the headlines would read as if they were printed that day. The front page of the first edition of The Times highlighted a fundraiser by a newly formed recreation committee to help construct recreation facilities in the town, a new business was opening on the Avenue of the Fountains and, of course, a brush fire (they seemed to be a lot smaller back then).

There was also an item urging residents to participate in a Civic Association promotion to turn their lights on for the Fourth of July. The goal was to show visitors how many homes there were in Fountain Hills.

Alan Cruikshank first saw Fountain Hills in early 1970, even before the Fountain was turned on. At that time, he was working as a copywriter for an advertising agency that had the developer, McCulloch Properties, as a client. Although he had tried his hand at publishing, Cruikshank said he had no vision at that time of starting a newspaper.

Around 1972 he was given the assignment by the advertising agency to write a monthly newspaper for the residents of the community. After about a year, it occurred to Cruikshank that maybe there was an opportunity to start a successful newspaper in Fountain Hills; the projected build-out population at that time was 78,000, and another McCulloch property, Lake Havasu City, had its own newspaper.

Cruikshank quit his job with the advertising agency and made a connection with Arthur Hewitt who headed the advertising agency. Hewitt was an experienced newspaper man, a UPI reporter during World War II who became the managing editor of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner in the early 1960s.

Hewitt was the money behind the venture and became a mentor to Cruikshank. The two of them also teamed with Robert Lightfoot, who had founded the Herald in Lake Havasu City. Lightfoot was the original publisher of The Times. In 1981 when he retired from the advertising agency, Hewitt bought out Lightfoot and became the publisher and remained with the paper until his passing in 1989.

With Cruikshank serving as editor the paper, he was assisted by the company’s first employee, Rick Snedeker.

Snedeker soon was joined by The Times’ first female reporter, Linda Carr McThrall. She now is special publications editor and Times reporter.

McThrall had graduated from ASU with a degree in journalism in late June 1976. Her first day on the job at The Times was July 6.

“I have never been as excited as I was to be working for a real newspaper,” McThrall said. “I grew up in small towns; working for a small-town weekly was just a dream job.”

Snedeker and McThrall reported all the activities in Fountain Hills, and Cruikshank was out and about shooting photos, writing stories, selling advertising and being the face of The Times.

“There were so few people in town then,” McThrall said. “We wrote stories on new families moving in to town, snake removals, birthday parties and some events people might consider hokey today.”

But those early days formed the base of what The Times has become.

“It was definitely a small-town paper with the kinds of things we covered, but we were also writing stories about the school and school board, road and sanitary districts, the Committee of Architecture,” McThrall said. “All things that are the foundation of Fountain Hills.”

As Western States Publishers, the parent company has created numerous print products on an annual basis as well as The Times. The Fountain Hills Phone Book (now the Residential and Business Directory, the Fountain Hills Community Guide as well as other special publications such as the HOME and The Dining and Events Guide are all products of Western States.

The other publications were the bread and butter supporting The Times, according to Cruikshank. With the newspaper a losing proposition in the early years, things looked particularly bleak in 1981 and Cruikshank feared the paper might need to shut down. However, changes were made and Hewitt came on board and The Times survived.

Over the years The Times has been able to maintain a stable staff that has learned to know the community and bring a man in the street perspective. Mike Scharnow took over as editor in 1994 after about 10 years with the paper and kept that job for more than 20 years.

General Manager Kip Kirkendoll came on board in the early ‘80s and is now handling day-to-day operations.

Her intimate knowledge of the workings of The Times keeps the staff in line and always going forward.

Other reporters on staff have had long tenures with the paper.

Bob Burns came to the newspaper in 1988 and has covered public safety and town government for much of that time. He is a graduate of Arizona State University.

The Times has been the “hometown” newspaper that has kept people informed about numerous important issues and events. The community incorporated to become a municipality in 1989 and there has been local government to cover ever since. In 1992 The Times was at the edge of a national story as federal agents raided the casino operated by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. There have been local stories focused on development (to have a Target store or not), formation of a local fire department, and several other key issues.

While it seems the stories never really change, the way they are delivered has. Technology has moved The Times from cut-and-paste layout and offset printing to computer design and the pagination process for the printing.

Newer technology has brought the age of publication websites for access on computer. Facebook and Twitter have brought near instant access to a 24-hour news cycle.

Cruikshank retired from the day-to-day news business in 2018 and his son, Brent, took over as publisher.

Brent started shooting high school sports photos on a part-time basis in 1993. He started working full-time selling advertising in 1997.

In 2016, when long-time editor Mike Scharnow stepped down to pursue other interests, Cruikshank promoted another young journalist, Ryan Winslett, to take over as editor. They are leading The Times into the new age of journalism.

Winslett started at The Times in 2005 as sports and schools reporter fresh out of Northern Arizona University. He majored in journalism, minored in photography and spent his four years at NAU working with the school paper, The Lumberjack.

“I enjoy getting to meet so many people and share their stories with the community,” Winslett said. “I think what we do here really matters. I can’t imagine a small town without a newspaper. What did the town council decide during last week’s meeting? How did the volleyball match go? What is the new high school principal’s background?

“To me, an informed community is a stronger community, and I’m proud of the work we do here each and every week to deliver the news.”

The Times has been streamlined over the years, with attrition resulting in the current staff.

Longtime reporter Barb Charzuk, who covered business and religion, as well as community events, retired late in 2019. After her retirement, her beats were split between Winslett and sports and schools reporter Joey Postiglione.

Postiglione is The Times’ cub reporter. He came to the newspaper in February 2017, straight from NAU.

“My favorite part about working at The Times is how close everyone at the company is,” Postiglione said. “It’s cliché, but it feels like one big family.”

Production Director Duke Kirkendoll joined the staff in 1997 after having worked in information technology for a software company. He wears many hats at the newspaper and staff members rely heavily on his knowledge and expertise. Asked what he liked most about working for The Times, Kirkendoll said. “There is always something new.”

Rounding out the staff are production employees Tangie Prieskorn and Amy Sanders and Classified Advertising Manager Tammie Ott.

“I have been at the paper for 11 or 12 years,” Ott said. “The Times is a great place to work. It’s a joy to have such a special place to work.”

It is clear The Times has a loyal staff. The entire crew is invested in making the newspaper an important part of the community.

“The Times has served and will continue to serve as the community’s bulletin board,” said Brent Cruikshank. “Our professional journalists work hard to get all the information to the community in a timely manner with all the facts in place. We will continue to provide the news to Fountain Hills residents and look forward to a long future as your hometown newspaper.”