The Weekly Almanac, which served the Wayne County region with weekly news, features and information since 1990, has closed its doors.
The Thursday, January 8, 2009 issue was their last. On Friday morning, Almanac staff met with company officials, and learned this was their last day  on the job. Mary Baldwin, Managing Editor, told The Wayne Independent, “This week’s issue was our last and we regret that economic conditions forced our company to close the paper. We’re very grateful to our readers and advertisers for their support over the years.”
She said that their seven full time people, as well as their circulation drivers, are out of work. Baldwin said that the company had been making cuts in other areas, and the announcement of their closure was not a total surprise.
The Weekly Almanac has been owned by Packet Publications, Princeton, NJ, since 2003.  Packet’s president and publisher, James B. Kilgore, released a statement on the Almanac’s web site. He states, in part,
“It is with a great deal of regret that we have to inform you that you have received your last issue of The Weekly Almanac.
“Packet Publications has been investing heavily in this newspaper over the last number of years because it has believed strongly in the potential of a newspaper in this area. But advertising and subscriber support has remained inadequate to operate a profitable newspaper. In the current economic environment, we can no longer afford to continue to operate at a loss in the hopes of future improvement.
“We attempted for a number of months to find another company interested in taking over our interests in the paper but without success. Thus our only alternative was to make a decision to close the newspaper.”
Steve Fountain, publisher of The Wayne Independent, commented, "On behalf of The Wayne Independent staff, I want to express our sadness at seeing the Almanac close. My prayers are with the Almanac's staff."
The closure leaves only two newspapers  published in Wayne County, both owned by Gatehouse Media, The Wayne Independent and The News Eagle.
James A. and [the late] Judy Kalbaugh started The Weekly Almanac in 1990, in Honesdale. Mr. Kalbaugh started the new venture after leaving The Wayne Independent where he had been General Manager since 1988.