Leader Publications

Leader Publications Once a week but never weakly. Leader Publications, Jefferson County’s only weekly newspaper company, was founded in 1994 in Festus, Mo.
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It publishes four community newspapers with a combined circulation of more than 77,000. The first edition of the Jefferson County Leader came off the presses on Aug. 25, 1994. It was distributed free by direct mail to every home in the Missouri communities of Barnhart, Pevely, Herculaneum, Crystal City, Festus, Hillsboro and De Soto, as it still is today. The Arnold-Imperial Leader, which served those two ZIP codes as well as Kimmswick, began publishing on Aug. 24, 1995. The West Side Leader began as a monthly on May 30, 2013, quickly grew in popularity and readership and became the company’s third weekly newspaper on May 14, 2014. It covers the western Jefferson County communities of Fenton, High Ridge, House Springs, Cedar Hill, Byrnes Mill and Dittmer. In February 2017, the Leader started publishing the Eureka Leader, which is mailed to more than 10,900 households in the Eureka, Mo., 63025 ZIP code and the Wildwood, Mo., 63040 ZIP code every other week. The paper expanded to the Wildwood ZIP code in January 2021. In 2008, the company earned eligibility for a Requester Periodicals permit from the United States Postal Service when it collected more than 35,000 requests for delivery from its household deliveries. The company also publishes Grand Times, a magazine for senior readers which is inserted in the Leader newspapers in conjunction with very popular Senior Expo community events. The company always has emphasized strong local news content, running a 40 percent “news hole,” an unusually high percentage for free newspapers. That commitment to news has brought the company dozens of editorial awards over the years from both the Missouri Press Association and the National Newspaper Association. It also has earned the company a loyal and large roster of advertisers, ranging from local merchants to nationwide retailers. Those strong relationships, for both ROP and insert customers, are reflected in numerous awards the company has earned from the Missouri Ad Managers Association. In 2011, Leader Publications jumped into the digital age with www.myleaderpaper.com. The newspaper's online product now has an average of about 500,000 pageviews monthly and includes banner ads, online classified ads, breaking news and features unique to the website. Leader Publications also keeps in touch with readers and advertisers through social media. Follow the Leader on Facebook, as well as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram at . Leader employees are actively involved in Jefferson County’s communities and civic organizations. With owners/operators on site, the company remains committed to its cornerstone values of strong local news coverage, customer service and community involvement.

An outbreak of hemorrhagic disease does not have long-term effects on the overall health or sustainability of Missouri’s...
09/25/2026

An outbreak of hemorrhagic disease does not have long-term effects on the overall health or sustainability of Missouri’s deer herd.

Jefferson County is one of five counties to report multiple incidents of the disease.

ICYMI: The 36th annual George Portz Traditional Music Festival will be one day instead of two, but that single day will ...
09/25/2026

ICYMI: The 36th annual George Portz Traditional Music Festival will be one day instead of two, but that single day will offer 10 separate acts on Saturday.

The 36th annual George Portz Traditional Music Festival on Sept. 26 will pack 10 bands into one day of entertainment at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park in Festus.

Hornets pick up first win of the season.
09/24/2026

Hornets pick up first win of the season.

Click here to view this article from myleaderpaper.com.

The Leader has posted obituary information for the following people:Michelle Renee Biesemeyer, 62, FestusCarol Sue (Rich...
09/24/2026

The Leader has posted obituary information for the following people:

Michelle Renee Biesemeyer, 62, Festus
Carol Sue (Richardson) Dallas, 84, Festus
Stanley Gil Murray, 64, House Springs
Carolyn Sue Eschbach Bottila, 65, De Soto

www.myleaderpaper.com

Undefeated Hillsboro hosts Festus in conference showdown
09/24/2026

Undefeated Hillsboro hosts Festus in conference showdown

2026 football schedules

ICYMI: The crowds at Arnold Days dipped this year as temperatures rose. Organizers said this year's three-day festival w...
09/24/2026

ICYMI: The crowds at Arnold Days dipped this year as temperatures rose. Organizers said this year's three-day festival was one of the city's hottest ones in the last 20 years.

Approximately 15,000 people braved high temperatures to attend Arnold Days over Sept. 18-20.

Two Festus residents died in a gyrocopter crash in Reynolds County on Wednesday evening. Officials have not released the...
09/24/2026

Two Festus residents died in a gyrocopter crash in Reynolds County on Wednesday evening. Officials have not released their names.

Two Festus residents die in gyrocopter crash in Reynolds County near Annapolis

ICYMI: Most of Jefferson County’s law enforcement agencies have adjusted their policies on the use of automated license ...
09/24/2026

ICYMI: Most of Jefferson County’s law enforcement agencies have adjusted their policies on the use of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, such as Flock Safety cameras, and say they intend to keep using them.

Police chiefs, sheriff react to governor’s call for Flock safeguards.

UPDATE: The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the driver.
09/24/2026

UPDATE: The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the driver.

House Springs teen dies in crash near Byrnes Mill

Address

503 N 2nd Street
Festus, MO
63028

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16369377501

Website

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