 The "Observer" was first published December 4, 1882 by founder Dr. Julien T. Williams.John D'Agostino, former news and managing editor, is the current Publisher.The newspaper describes itself as a hometown paper, but it is owned by Ogden Newspapers Inc. of Wheeling, West Virginia; the paper is operated in a cluster along with "The Post-Journal" of Jamestown, New York and the "Times-Observer" of Warren, Pennsylvania.