New publisher joins Daily Democrat staff

Shelley Ridenour joined the staff of the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat Monday. She’s the publisher and editor of Garvin County’s lone daily newspaper.

Ridenour is moving to Pauls Valley from Rawlins, Wyo. The announcement of her hiring was made by Linnie Pride, vice president of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., the parent company of the Daily Democrat.

“I am excited to have Shelley join the team in Pauls Valley,” Pride said. “She brings a wealth of experience and a strong dose of enthusiasm for community journalism.”

Ridenour has worked at newspapers in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana for many years and also worked at two advertising and public relations agencies and managed a printing company.

Most recently she worked as a media consultant for Wyoming Inc., a Lander, Wyo., public relations and advertising agency.

She was publisher of the Rawlins Daily Times in Rawlins, Wyo. She worked as an editor at the Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune; The Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho; the Cody (Wyo.,) Enterprise; the Basin (Wyo.) Republican Rustler, the Saratoga (Wyo.,) Sun and the Wolf Point, Mont., Herald-News. She also worked as a reporter and photographer at The Ranger in Riverton, Wyo., and The Press in Sheridan, Wyo.

Ridenour grew up in Bridger, Mont., attended Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., and the University of Wyoming in Laramie, earning degrees in English and journalism.

“I’ve lived nearly my entire life in small communities and the lifestyle suits me,” Ridenour said. “I’m anxious to become active in Pauls Valley organizations and to learn about the Pauls Valley area and Oklahoma.”

Admittedly, she said, learning to cope with the heat will be a challenge. “But, the absence of snow and cold winter temperatures is very appealing to me,” she said. “Everyone keeps telling me that come September it will be great weather.

“I’m excited to learn how to garden when I live at an elevation of less than 1,000 feet,” she said. “Most of my life I’ve lived at elevations of about 6,000 feet above sea level. I’m absolutely used to short growing seasons.”

Ridenour was attracted to the Pauls Valley job because the community is the right size, “the staff is obviously a dedicated group of talented, hard-working people” and the job description “fits my skill set very well.”

The new publisher has been involved in all sorts of groups, organizations and clubs in the past, including Rotary clubs, chamber activities, recycling programs, county fairs, youth swimming programs and, perhaps most notably, parades. She managed the Fremont County Fair parade in Riverton, Wyo., for eight years and was the parade marshal in 2001, after she’d moved away from Riverton. She also helped organize multiple parades as a member of the Downtown Billings Association in Billings, Mont.

“I remember being in parades when I was a little kid in my hometown,” she said. That tradition continued through high school and into adulthood. “As corny as it sounds, I really do love a parade.”

Ridenour will oversee all of the Daily Democrat operations. An open house is planned for later this summer at the newspaper office to provide her a chance to meet with Pauls Valley residents.

In the meantime, she welcomes anyone to stop by the office to meet her and chat about Pauls Valley news, events and life.