The Shadow
For 106 years, three generations of the Beirne family were the caretakers of local news in the Alleghany Highlands through the Covington Virginian and, later, the Virginian Review.
The Beirnes saw the region through two world wars, a Great Depression and many other social, political and economic issues during its time as the area’s top news provider.
Last week, the family turned over the mantle of newspaper ownership to a new caretaker – one whose sole focus is leading news reporting in the Alleghany Highlands into a new era.
Dr. Scot Refsland, owner of ECENT Corporation, based in Lewisburg, W.Va., and Mary Ann Beirne, publisher and president of the Covington Virginian Inc., formally signed the agreement Friday morning, which will add the Virginian Review to Refsland’s other newspapers – the West Virginia Daily News and the West Virginian, located in Lewisburg, W.Va., and the Hinton News, located in Hinton, W.Va.
“It has been an honor for the Beirne family to not only publish newspapers in our area for 106 years but to also have been an integral part in the rich history of the Alleghany Highlands throughout the decades,” Beirne said. “The newspaper was founded in 1914 to provide daily news to the area and that tradition continued for over a century. Now, that tradition will continue with a new owner and the current staff of dedicated men and women and we as a family are pleased to know what was started in 1914 will continue for many years to come.”
Earlier this year, Refsland purchased the West Virginia Daily News, which had been shut down by its previous owner on March 20.
In August, he relaunched the newspaper, rehiring most of its former staff and resetting the newspaper as the leading news provider in the Greenbrier Valley area of West Virginia.
“Our community paper in Lewisburg started right after the Civil War and served us faithfully through thick and thin, right up until COVID-19 shut it down on March 20, 2020,” Refsland said in an interview at the time. “Without a community paper, the Lewisburg and surrounding areas were at risk in becoming just another sprawling city without any thread and glue to bond people together. And that is of great concern to the welfare of our communities in which we live.”
A native of Lewisburg, W.Va., Refsland left the Greenbrier Valley following graduation from high school, attended West Virginia University (WVU) and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1987.
He has a Ph.D. in Computer Systems and Software Engineering and a distinguished career in developing and producing large digital publishing systems.
The son of Dr. Lucie Tuckwiller Refsland and Ron Refsland, he returned to West Virginia in 2017 and lives in the Lewisburg area with his wife, Beth, and sons Eric and Cody.
“Folks like us, who left our small towns right after high school, are now coming home, bringing our young families to be near parents and families,” Refsland said. “While living in larger metro areas has its advantages, ultimately there’s a higher quality of life to be had living in a smaller community where everyone knows each other and the cost of living is lower. And with many industries now able to conduct their business remotely and online, who wouldn’t want to move back to charming towns like Lewisburg or Covington? We’re now continuing the grand legacy of these vibrant communities and are bringing fresh, new ideas and the next generation of kids to help the community and paper thrive well into the future.”
He added, “It’s likely most of the younger generations probably won’t even know what a newspaper looks like, smells like, feels like. It’s all online now.
However, our new approach to this is slightly unique. Not only will we deliver a real-time stream of high-quality news to the community through our online services, we’re going to revive the ‘art of print’ by offering a fresh, curated printed newspaper to compliment the digital versions. And by combining the deep history and culture with a wave of new residents returning home, the Alleghany Highlands is a great opportunity for a successful community newspaper.”
Refsland announced that a special section will be included in this Saturday’s paper, highlighting the history of the Virginian Review and the Beirne family’s role as leaders in the community over the last century.
“This Saturday, we will be publishing a special edition which will celebrate the Beirne family’s role in the history of the Alleghany Highlands and will include an opportunity for area residents to take a survey, either online or in the provided form, to give us your thoughts on how the Virginian Review can continue to best serve your needs and the needs of our community,” Refsland said.
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Ownership of the Virginian Review changed hands Friday when an agreement between the Beirne family, represented by Mary Ann Beirne, left, and Dr. Scot Refsland was finalized. Dr. Refsland, owner of ECENT Corporation in Lewisburg, W.Va., is adding the Virginian Review to other newspapers he owns, including the West Virginia Daily News and the West Virginian, located in Lewisburg, and the Hinton News, headquartered in Hinton, W.Va. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
