Palisadian-Post

History

The community of Pacific Palisades was founded in early 1922 by Methodists who migrated west. In September 1924, the fledgling Methodist-based community's governing body, the Pacific Palisades Association, began publishing a monthly news sheet known as the Progress. It was by Thomas R. Gettys.

On May 4, 1928, Telford Work published the first edition of The Palisadian, a twelve-page weekly tabloid. Work was a graduate of the University of Southern California who operated the Selma Enterprise for six years and a.small chain of five papers in Fresno and Tulare counties. Work moved to Palisades two years prior to work as director of public relations for the Pacific Palisades Association.

In 1934, Clifford D. Clearwater assumed control of the paper. He was one of the first settlers of Pacific Palisades and published The Palisadian until his death in 1956. His Zola Clearwater widow ran the paper for a few years until selling it in 1960 to twin brothers Charles B. Brown and William W. Brown, owners of the rival Pacific Palisades Post. The two papers were then consolidated.

In August 1981, the Browns sold the Palisadian-Post, North Shore Mail and Brentwood Post to Small Newspapers of Kankakee, Illinois. Around that time the circulation was 4,100. The Small family operated the paper until December 2012, when they sold it to real estate entrepreneur Alan Smolinisky.

After the sale, editor Bill Bruns announced his plans to retire at the end of the year. He had worked at the Post for two decades. Instead, Smolinisky laid off Bruns and five other journalists. He also let go at least four office workers, shut down the printing press and sold the office building for $3 million. Printing from then on was outsourced.

In April 2023, the paper reduced its print schedule from once a week to once every two weeks. In December 2025, the paper ceased publication, mainly due to complications associated with the Palisades Fire earlier that year. The Post published its final issue on December 11, 2025.

References

References

1. Smolinisky, Alan. (2025-12-11). "A Note of Grief—and of Hope".
2. Branson-Potts, Hailey. (2025-12-11). "After 97 years and a catastrophic fire, the Palisadian-Post newspaper ceases publication".
3. Yakowicz, Will. (August 6, 2013). "6 Entrepreneurs Who Purchased a Paper". Inc.com.
4. (2013-02-22). "Our History".
5. (May 3, 1928). "Palisadian To Be New Paper". Los Angeles Evening Express.
6. (May 11, 1928). ""The Palisadian" Latest Contribution to Field of Community Journalism". Foothill Review.
7. (January 12, 1956). "C.D. Clearwater, Veteran Editor, Palisades Leader Passes". Topanga Journal and Malibu Monitor.
8. (June 30, 1960). "Zola Clearwater, Pioneer Woman Publisher of Pacific Palisades Honored By The City of L.A.". Topanga Journal and Malibu Monitor.
9. (September 25, 1960). "Palisades Paper Sold". The Los Angeles Times.
10. (August 21, 1981). "Small Newspapers buys 3 weeklies". The Des Moines Register.
11. Garcia, Kenneth J.. (October 2, 1988). "From Polo to Parades to Pageants, Palisadian-Post Promotes It All". The Los Angeles Times.
12. Sanderson, Matthew. (2012-12-12). "Palisadian-Post Sold to Local Businessman".
13. Smolinisky, Alan. (December 6, 2012). "Why I've Bought The Palisadian-Post". Palisadian-Post.
14. Groves, Martha. (January 30, 2013). "Column One {{!}} A Pali high for paper's buyer". The Los Angeles Times.
15. Hogan, Richard. (2013-01-31). "This Guy Owns a Ferrari, a Bentley and Now... A Local Newspaper".
16. (September 27, 2013). "Bill Bruns to Retire as Post's Editor-in-Chief". Palisadian-Post.
17. Groves, Martha. (December 14, 2013). "A different Palisadian-Post {{!}} A new owner and staff have turned the paper into the talk of Pacific Palisades". The Los Angeles Times.
18. Herwees, Tasbeeh. (October 30, 2013). "In The Palisades The Post Gets Pillaged".
19. Shmerling, Sarah. (2023-03-30). "Changes at the Post".
20. Jiménez, Jesus. (December 14, 2025). "A California Newspaper Prints Its Last Edition". The New York Times.