Community Impact Newspaper launches in Nashville area, plans more in Houston

Community Impact Newspaper is launching in the Nashville area, debuting an edition in the cities of Franklin and Brentwood. Residents can expect the hyperlocal publication to reach mailboxes in March. The company is also planning an expansion in the Houston area, and may have more news to announce next week, says owner John Garrett.

“Communities thrive when they are informed and aware of what’s happening in their backyard,” said Garrett (see industry predictions and insights from Garrett below). “We have a responsibility to serve each resident and deliver news that directly impacts those households."

Publisher Patty McHugh and the rest of the Nashville metro team will be based in the new CI office in Cool Springs and will be seen at local events and at Franklin and Brentwood city and county meetings, the company says. McHugh has been with Community Impact Newspaper since June 2012. She started the company’s Spring/Klein (Texas) edition and most recently led the Woodlands (Texas) edition. 

“Tennessee residents, families and businesses deserve to know what’s happening in the community around them with quality reporting and excellent visualizations put together by a passionate team,” McHugh said. “CI provides an opportunity for community connection by covering topics in a unique way,” she said. 

The free-of-charge newspaper reports on businesses, community news, local government meetings, real estate and transportation developments, education, health care and other issues. Homes, apartments and businesses will receive the full-cover newspaper in the mail monthly, the company says. 

Editor Wendy Sturges and designer Lindsay Scott are moving from Community Impact Newspaper offices in Texas to bring the publication to Tennessee. 

CI will host a launch party open to all Franklin and Brentwood residents and friends of the paper. Follow on Facebook and Twitter via @impactnews for details. 

Houston launches

The company plans to launch two editions in Houston's Inner Loop. Bellaire, West University Place and Meyerland will have an edition, as will Houston Heights, River Oaks and Montrose. Readers should see the editions starting in late spring, the company says. The two new editions will mean a total of twelve for CI in the Houston area.

With the new launches, CI will publish over 30 editions, covering 50 communities with a circulation of over 2.38 million, the company says.

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the first edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 with three full-time employees covering Round Rock and Pflugerville, in central Texas. The company debuted a $10 million printing facility in 2016 next to its headquarters in Pflugerville. The facility is anchored by a Goss Magnum Compact press, which is currently running at 46 percent capacity. Garrett expects to be out of capacity in about five years.

News and Tech