The Osage Oracle has a permanent home.
It was on Thursday, Nov. 13, when Osage Oracle Owner/CEO Chris Nelson announced the newspaper would have an office located inside the Leeman Education Center, the former Mitchell County Press News building, 112 N 6th St., Osage.
“This location carries both historical significance and strong community ties,” Nelson said. “And a physical location strengthens our connection to the community. Our readers deserve a place where they can speak with staff face-to-face, ask questions, provide feedback, submit information, purchase the newspaper, or discuss advertising. Having a downtown presence reinforces our commitment to being visible, accessible, and engaged in Osage’s civic life.”
Nelson said the Oracle will begin the transition to the office space with a soft opening on Monday, Nov. 17, with a formal grand opening event complete with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony with the Osage Chamber of Commerce to be announced soon.
The office will be led by office assistant Pat Wickham to handle patrons’ subscription, advertising, and general support needs. Advertising manager Stephanie Ketelsen, along with the paper’s local writers, will work in and out of the office throughout the week, as will Nelson.
Nelson said the office hours will align with those of the Leeman Education Center with Wickham being available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The remaining staff will be present at various times as needed.
“Residents can stop in to submit news items, photos, or articles, purchase a newspaper, start or renew a subscription, inquire about advertising, or ask questions about coverage,” Nelson said. “Essentially, any newspaper-related service will be available in person.”
Nelson said he worked side-by-side with Nikole Gast and the Leeman Education Center to secure this space for the publication.
“The location is unbeatable — especially for a newspaper. The building’s history as the home of the Mitchell County Press News makes it a natural fit,” Nelson said. “We’re grateful to Nikole Gast and the Leeman Education Center for partnering with us. Both organizations share deep roots in the community, making this a meaningful and strategic match.”
Nelson said within the coming weeks, the paper’s new sign, created by CREATE in Osage, will be in the office’s window.
“We are excited to plant deeper roots in Osage and strengthen our presence as Osage’s newspaper. This move represents our long-term commitment to local journalism, community storytelling, and being a trusted resource for the people of Mitchell County. We look forward to welcoming everyone into the new space soon,” Nelson concluded.