Front row: Current Fullerton Observer editor Saskia Kennedy with two of the newspapers founders, Irene Kobayashi and Barbara Johnson, and former editor Sharon Kennedy. Family members of the founders stand behind.

The League of Women Voters of North Orange County held a special recognition ceremony to honor the Fullerton Observer on September 27, 2025, for its exceptional contributions to the community over the years. The event featured Ron Kobayashi, son of the publication’s founders, Roy and Irene Kobayashi, who presented awards to several key figures associated with the Observer.

Irene Kobayashi, one of the founders of the Fullerton Observer established in 1978, was recognized for her 47 years of dedicated volunteerism. The League applauded her unwavering commitment, highlighting her tireless efforts and passion that have left an indelible mark on the community. “Your work has inspired countless others to engage and contribute,” the League stated in their tribute.

Barbara Johnson, also a founding member of the Observer, received accolades for her vision and leadership. Her impactful role in enhancing the Fullerton community through the Observer and her efforts with Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services, now known as Pathways of Hope, was celebrated. “Your dedication has truly inspired others to work towards a more supportive community,” the recognition read.

Sharon Kennedy, who served as Editor-in-Chief from 1998 to 2020, was honored for her outstanding leadership and commitment to journalism. Over her 22 years at the helm, her work has significantly influenced public discourse and engagement within the community.

Current Editor-in-Chief, Saskia Kennedy, was also recognized for her continued dedication to quality journalism since taking the position in 2020. The League expressed appreciation for her service and its positive effects on the community.

The Fullerton Observer’s legacy, rooted in its founders’ ideals of community engagement and journalistic integrity, continues to resonate deeply within North Orange County, showcasing the power of local journalism to inspire and uplift.

A Summary of the History of the all volunteer newspaper,

the Fullerton Observer

As a result of their engagement in civil rights and social movements, Ralph and Natalie became involved in local politics. In the 1970s, they successfully advocated for greater diversity within the city council, helping to elect figures such as Luis Velasquez, the first Latino council member, Frances Wood, the first female council member, and Bob Ward, an early proponent of open space in Coyote Hills.

In 1978, Ralph ran for city council but faced challenges when the Fullerton Daily News Tribune published a scandalous and false article claiming he was under investigation for voter fraud. Although the newspaper issued a retraction and apology after the election, the damage to Ralph’s campaign had already been done. Following this setback, Ralph and his friends considered how to move forward and identified the need for an independent newspaper with integrity. This led to the establishment of the Fullerton Observer.

The initial team behind the newspaper comprised volunteers with diverse skills. Contributors included Barbara and Bruce Johnson, Jim and Nadene Ivens, Roy and Irene Kobayashi, Marti Schrank, Rusty Kennedy, Anita Varela, Claudia Miller, Amy Aul and many others. Junior high school journalism teacher Bill Gann offered his expertise and assistance. In the pre-digital era, the newspaper’s production involved manual typing and layout, with headlines detailed using a technique called “rubbing on.” Stories and photos were cut and pasted onto a set of boards which were then delivered to the printer.

Rusty designed a light table for layout purposes, utilizing a shower door, wood, and a fluorescent light. Layout sessions took place in the Kennedy’s garage, where collaboration often involved socializing over coffee. Barbara Johnson, who later co-founded Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services, was responsible for typing the stories, using an old typewriter, which required considerable patience and effort.

For the first decade, Barbara hand-typed each issue, sometimes utilizing a typesetting machine at The Azteca newspaper, where an incident of being accidentally locked in the typesetting room occurred. The team’s transition to using a computer became a major development when Ralph acquired an Apple Macintosh.

Founding members Roy and Irene Kobayashi significantly contributed to the paper, with Roy handling distribution. Initially, volunteers delivered the paper house-to-house, but eventually, they expanded their distribution to local establishments like stores and restaurants, increasing circulation dramatically.

Starting with a small monthly readership, the Observer now reaches 10,000 households bi-monthly and maintains an active online presence. Many volunteers contributed to the paper, and annual gatherings often included meals prepared by Rusty’s mother. As the editor, Ralph Kennedy dedicated substantial time to writing and attending city meetings to address community issues while recruiting new volunteers for the Observer.

In addition to reporting on local political and social issues, the Fullerton Observer has consistently highlighted local culture and community events. Aimee Aul, who began volunteering in 1979 as a high school senior, was assigned to the Arts and Culture beat and established the Observer’s Community Calendar section to inform residents about local cultural events before the advent of the internet. Graphic designer Claudia Miller offered her expertise to the paper – along with cartoons.

In 1997, Ralph notified his daughter Sharon about his terminal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and requested her assistance with the newspaper. Relocating from Monterey, Sharon opened an art studio in Fullerton and began contributing to the Observer. She took on the full-time task of being the Editor-in-Chief after Ralph died, and most of the volunteer crew dropped out. Sharon’s daughter, Saskia, moved to Fullerton briefly to assist with creating advertising contracts, designing ads, and updating the accounting system. She trained volunteers and then left the paper to pursue other endeavors. In 2018 college English professor and historian Jesse La Tour took on the role of editor. When Sharon announced that she was retiring in 2020, Saskia moved back to Fullerton to help continue the all volunteer community newspaper and took over as editor after Jesse stepped down in 2021.

Here are a few of the many key issues – important to residents – that the Observer has been instrumental in covering over the years:

McColl Toxic Dump Site: Neighbors living around an old oil dump site complained for years of strange smells and illnesses. City officials ignored them, but through the coverage by the Observer and help from then State Senator Tom Hayden, the EPA got involved and found massive levels of contaminants. This led to a Superfund cleanup, which the oil companies were made to pay for.

Save Coyote Hills: Ralph and friends started CHOOSE and got Bob Ward, later a city councilmember, interested in saving open space in Fullerton’s northwest hills, an issue which continues to be carried on for the past 20 years by Angela Lindstrom and the Friends of Coyote Hills, who fought through the courts in an attempt to force the city council to pay attention to the public’s Measure W vote to save the hills as open space. Although that effort was not successful later and ongoing negotiations have saved much of the property.

Affordable Housing: The Observer has always covered issues of affordable housing. For example, a lawsuit against the city prompted the council to allocate funds for affordable housing, leading to the construction of the City Lights project downtown for very low-income individuals.

Conagra Flour Mill: The Observer covered efforts by neighbors to oppose the construction of a massive flour mill at Malvern and Gilbert (across from Amerige Heights). The neighbors fought city hall, gathering proof that the three silos, each as high as the Matterhorn, would pollute the air and bring only five jobs to Fullerton. As a result, the council majority changed their votes.

The Fullerton Museum Plaza & Park: A group of Observers, led by Fred Mason, opposed Fullerton’s plan to build high-rise office buildings on the areas adjacent to the Fullerton Museum Center. They proposed an alternative strategy for a plaza and park, convincing the council majority that it was a better idea.

Union Pacific Park Cleanup: SoCal Gas was ordered to clean up its former gas plant location in Fullerton and the adjacent park site on Truslow. Neighbors asked the Cal EPA to test the site, and they found a vast amount of pollutants. The park was subsequently closed and fenced. The cleanup involved removing many cubic tons of contaminated soil. SoCal Gas lost its lawsuit against the city, which sought to avoid paying for the cleanup.

Saving The Fox Theater: Judith Kaluzny wrote an article reporting that then-Mayor Dick Jones had suggested that the Fox be burned down. Chuck Estes wrote a letter to the paper taking down the mayor and suggesting that it be restoredinstead. His letter attracted mover and shaker Jane Reifer, who created a volunteer organization (and later founded The Historic Theater Foundation) to save the theater against city and chamber of commerce objections at that time. She and the volunteers were able to match the $1 million the city required to go forward with the restoration idea.

Union Pacific Trail Phase II: Fullerton City Council voted 5-0 to receive a $1.78 million Urban Greening Program grant to construct a trail along the City-owned Union Pacific right-of-way from Highland Avenue to Independence Park at their May 4, 2021, meeting. Community member Egleth Nuncci  and Councilmember Ahmad Zahra were instrumental in advocating for the grant at the state level. What initially seemed like a great benefit to the community turned into a battle between the Fullerton community and the council majority. Finally, in June of 2025, the city broke ground, and the community was able to breathe easy in part because 176 trees will be planted. 

Walk on Wilshire: Holding the city accountable does not always lead to a positive outcome. The Walk on Wilshire could have been transformed into a beautiful outdoor dining, walking, and bicycling area in downtown. But, despite overwhelming community support,  a petition with over 2,000 signatures, and support from 67 local businesses wanting the area to remain closed to vehicles, the majority of the council sided with seven individuals opposed to the Walk on Wilshire and voted to again open the street to vehicle access.

The Vital Role of Local News in Community Engagement

In an era flooded with information, the significance of local news has never been more pronounced. Research indicates that when local news is readily accessible, residents are more actively engaged in civic activities. A recent report from the Knight Foundation underscores the concept of a “virtuous circle,” in which informed citizens lead to positive community outcomes.

However, the landscape is shifting. Political scientists Danny Hayes and Jennifer Lawless warn that the decline of local news often leads to diminished civic engagement, as vital information regarding elected officials becomes increasingly challenging to obtain. The repercussions of vanishing local news outlets extend beyond community participation; they also threaten government accountability and corporate oversight.

A pivotal study from Harvard Business School revealed that communities without local newspapers experience an uptick in misconduct by both businesses and government officials. The case of Bell, California, serves as a stark illustration: as the local newspaper slashed its budget and coverage, city officials engaged in financial mismanagement. They granted themselves hefty salary increases, drawing national attention for their exorbitant pay.

The closure of local newspapers strips communities of their watchdogs decreasing governmental oversight. Local news organizations are instrumental in spotlighting critical issues, thereby pressuring larger media outlets and government entities to take notice. A recent book on local journalism suggests that while a vibrant local media presence doesn’t guarantee good governance, its absence often leads to a decline in governance quality.

Local journalism’s importance in fostering informed and engaged communities remains undeniable. Despite facing myriad challenges, including dwindling revenues and shifting reader habits, local newspapers are more vital than ever. They often stand as the only institutions committed to covering public affairs at the regional level.  The future of local news hinges on the commitment of both consumers and communities to support these essential institutions.