“South Georgia’s Greatest Newspaper"
Currently, as of October 2019, the paper was bought by longtime sports editor Rick Head, owner of The Brantley Beacon in Nahunta, and his wife, Sandy. Under the new ownership, the Waycross Journal-Herald has become a weekly edition focusing on the Waycross-Ware County communities with strictly local news and features. The aim is to build the paper up with new
ideas and as of December 2019, the paper has become available online with the hopes of a second edition each week in the new year. Rick Head feels that every community needs a paper to call its own, as he as been associated with the Waycross Journal-Herald since 1977. As of November 2019, the office relocated to 311 Carswell Avenue, Waycross 31501 with a new telephone number of 912.590.6268. The Waycross Journal-Herald can be traced back to the first newspaper published in Waycross, the Waycross Headlight, edited by Dr. Daniel Lott and Dr. William B. Interestingly, the paper was first published in nearby Pearson but was relocated to the larger city of Waycross in 1876. It has changed ownership many times and was merged with the publication of The Reporter in 1888. Several years later, The Reporter became the property of Daniel Sweat, and it was he who laid the foundation for what would one day become the Waycross Journal-Herald. He sold The Reporter to a stock company and new, updated equipment was purchased. “Upon the grave of The Reporter, was born The Waycross Herald,” wrote Ware County historian Laura S. After several years, The Waycross Herald became the property of Judge A.P. Perham, who published the first daily newspaper in this city, known as the Waycross Evening Herald. In 1912, Perham retired and sold the newspaper to L.J. In October of 1895, the first issue of The Waycross Journal came off the press. Although it was a weekly, it was successful. Ownership of The Waycross Journal changed hands in 1904 when W.A. Price and Volney Williams took over. At this time, The Waycross Journal was a semi-weekly newspaper. In 1911, The Waycross Journal became a daily morning newspaper with rising circulation. In 1914, the Waycross Evening Herald and the Waycross Daily Journal were consolidated to form the Waycross Journal-Herald, with Jack Williams Sr. serving as business manager. In 1916, Williams assumed outright ownership of the Waycross Journal-Herald and served as its editor and publisher until his death in 1957. Following Jack Sr.’s death, his only son, Jack Williams Jr., became the publisher. He also served as editor for a few years; however, Jim Pinson was eventually hired to fill the editor’s chair. This reportedly occurred in the early 1960s. Jack Williams Jr. served as publisher for 35 years and was still working when he passed away on June 18, 1992. At that time, he was succeeded by his youngest son, Roger L. Williams, who was named publisher on July 3. Roger’s brother, Jack Williams III, had already been promoted to the editor’s chair in January of 1990. Both of the third-generation members of the Williams family served in their respective positions.
