The Journal & Topics Newspapers has its roots dating back to 1930. It was during the depths of the Great Depression when Mr. Robert Fabian, then an employee of an area newspaper, decided to launch the new Des Plaines Journal. Fabian owned and operated the Journal until 1947 when Richard and Mary Jane Wessell bought the newspaper.

Mr. and Mrs. Wessell saved their money during the War years to purchase the Des Plaines Journal. Mr. Wessell served in the Pacific Theater with the U.S. Navy during World War II while Mrs. Wessell worked at the Merchandise Mart during those years.

During the next five decades the Journal grew to its present day 17-newspaper operation with separate editions in Des Plaines, Mt. Prospect, Prospect Hts., Niles, Elk Grove Village, Arlington Hts. Wheeling, Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Rolling Meadows and other nearby communities that ring the "world's busiest airport" O'Hare.

The word "Topics" was added to the Journal's masthead in 1979 when the five Topics newspapers were purchased by the Wessell family. Currently, three of the Wessell's children are employed with the newspaper: Todd as managing editor and assistant publisher, Rick who is advertising manager, and Robert who is an advertising salesman, photographer and who performs in other functions.

Besides publishing newspapers, the Journal & Topics also prints other newspapers on its modern Goss Community Press. It also performs job printing and mail processing.

Since its founding, the Journal & Topics has won dozens of awards for editorial and advertising excellence including first places in Illinois Press Association contests and the Peter Lisagor Award for outstanding editorial writing.

The Journal & Topics' primary function is to bring its readers the best in community newspaper reporting, editorial writing, commentary and photography. We publish news about the local communities we serve---not about happenings in Europe or Washington, D.C. We will, however, publish news about people in the nation's capital if it has a LOCAL angle.

If you have any further questions, address them to Todd Wessell, 847-299-5511.