FOLEY, RINEHART RETIRING FROM NEWSPAPER
This edition of The Landmark is the final one for current owners Ivan and Linda Foley, who have sold Platte County’s most-established newspaper.
The ownership change takes effect Sept. 1. That date will mark the retirement of Ivan Foley from the newspaper business, which has included 44 years at The Landmark. His final Between the Lines column appears here.
Also retiring from The Landmark is Cindy Rinehart, who has worked alongside Foley at the newspaper for 34 years. Cindy contributed to every aspect of the operation during her tenure, while carrying the title of office manager for most of that period.
“We just want to express a sincere thank you to our loyal readers, advertisers, sources and tipsters. We also say thank you to all local government officials including city clerks, court clerks, and area attorneys who entrusted us with publishing their legal notices and other items,” Ivan Foley said this week. “Without your support through the years, The Landmark wouldn’t have the standing that it enjoys today.”
New owner will be Stacy Wiedmaier. Wiedmaier is familiar with the newspaper and Platte County. She worked as a reporter for The Landmark from 2006-2008 while attending college at Park University in Parkville.
After graduating from Park, Wiedmaier moved to California to work as a reporter for The Desert Sun, a daily Gannett-owned paper in Palm Springs. Wiedmaier, who grew up in St. Joseph, moved back to this area in July along with her husband. She began shadowing in The Landmark office in late July, reporting on stories at the same time.
When visiting Platte County while back this way for Thanksgiving in 2022, Wiedmaier first approached Foley about the possibility of eventually purchasing The Landmark whenever he was “ready to retire.” She indicated that she and her husband had plans to move back to Missouri in the summer of 2026 and wondered if that might fit Foley’s time frame. The two parties stayed in touch on the possibility over the course of the past nearly four years, and the sales contract was signed this week.
“I knew there would be no one I’d rather sell The Landmark to than Stacy. Importantly, she is familiar with our style of aggressive news coverage focusing on accountability journalism, and in fact she lived it during her time with us 18-20 years ago,” said Foley. “I will enjoy watching her continue that Landmark approach.”
Wiedmaier is excited about the future.
“I really do feel like I have the best job in the world. I get to tell people’s stories and share what’s happening in this community for a living,” she said.
Her introductory issue of the newspaper will be next week, the Sept. 2 edition.
In Foley’s time as publisher, The Landmark has earned dozens of awards in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. First place honors included in the categories of general excellence, best news story, best editorial pages and best feature series, among others.
In 2016, The Landmark’s aggressiveness in government accountability news and editorials helped earn Foley a national prize. He was presented the Tom and Pat Gish Award, an annual honor presented by the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky School of Journalism. It recognizes journalists “who demonstrate exceptional courage, tenacity, and integrity in community journalism.”
While operating the largest paid circulation printed newspaper in Platte County, The Landmark has also established and maintained a popular presence on the web and on social media. According to numbers provided by Meta, The Platte County Landmark Facebook page consistently attracts 1.5-2 million views each month, giving it the largest audience of any publication in Kansas City’s Northland.
The Landmark was established in 1865 in the closing days of the Civil War and is one of the oldest continuously-operated newspapers in the state. During its more than 161 years in business, The Landmark has never missed a week of publication, a span that has included World Wars, the Great Depression and global pandemics.
Ivan Foley’s father, Dwayne Foley, purchased The Landmark from Lucy Jones in November of 1979. Dwayne Foley, 50, died of a heart attack several months later, but The Landmark continued to be published by the family. Ethel Mae Foley, Dwayne’s widow, carried the title of publisher.
Ivan Foley began working at The Landmark in May 1982. He managed the operational aspect of the business, also covering local news and sports while Clay McGinnis served as editor. In 1993, Foley added the duties of editor to his role. In 2002, Ivan and his wife Linda purchased The Landmark and the newspaper’s historic building at 252 Main from Ethel Mae Foley.
Ivan and Linda renovated the exterior of the 1869 building in 2008-09, removing paint from the brick, tuckpointing and waterproofing the structure to return it to its original look. They added large arch-shaped windows on the second level. The renovation earned them the first-ever William M. Paxton Preservation Award from the City of Platte City for “preserving Main Street’s architectural heritage.”
In 2023, Ivan and Linda–who reside in unincorporated Platte County south of Platte City–sold the 252 Main Street building to the David Barth family. Foleys moved the newspaper operation to 212 Marshall Road, Ste. C, the former health department building now owned by Barth.
