Community newspaper recognized for 200 years

CENTREVILLE — Local newspaper Bay Times-Record Observer was lauded by state, county and local representatives for providing 200 years worth of community news at the Queen Anne’s County Fair last Wednesday.

With coverage spanning Queen Anne’s County and beyond, State Delegates (R-36) Steve Arentz and Jay Jacobs celebrated and voiced appreciation for the long serving publication. On behalf of the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, President Jim Moran presented a proclamation to commend the publication for its dedicated service and recognized the “distinguished efforts as a community partner for two centuries.”

Centreville Town Council President Ashely Kaiser also presented a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Town of Centreville, expressing gratitude for two centuries of gathering the news of the day and celebrating the residents, businesses, and newsmakers that make communities on the Eastern Shore who they are.

Accepting the recognition on behalf of the publication, Executive Editor Jim Johnson noted the Bay Times Record Observer as a local newspaper, “It’s not just the people who work there, it’s our entire community,” he said.

The Centreville Times (Centreville Observer) began reporting the news of Queen Anne’s County in 1824 and merged with the Queen Anne’s Record, creating the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer in 1936.

Two decades later in 1956 the Queenstown News began publishing under the Record-Observer masthead. In 2020, the Record-Observer and its sister newspaper The Kent Island Bay Times merged to form the Bay Times Record Observer.