The Jeff Davis County Mountain Dispatch, a longstanding weekly newspaper serving Fort Davis, Valentine and surrounding communities, has launched an official Facebook page as it continues its transition into a fully digital publication.
The page provides readers with another way to access local news and community updates from across Jeff Davis County. The page can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/share/1NGPJrVsFj/
The move comes as the Mountain Dispatch has shifted to a digital-only format, with its weekly edition now distributed as a PDF to subscribers. The change reflects broader trends in rural journalism, where smaller publications are adapting to changing reader habits and rising print costs by moving online.
The Mountain Dispatch has deep roots in Far West Texas journalism, shaped in large part by the late publisher and editor Bob Dillard, who led the paper for decades. Dillard, who lived in Fort Davis for more than 40 years, operated the Mountain Dispatch alongside other regional publications, including the Martin County Messenger in Stanton.
After graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1976, Dillard entered the newspaper business and went on to help lead several West Texas publications. At various points, he and his wife held ownership interests in multiple newspapers across the region, including the Alpine Avalanche and the Big Bend Sentinel, reflecting a collaborative approach to small-town journalism.
Dillard continued publishing and editing the Mountain Dispatch and Martin County Messenger until his death in July 2019 at age 74. His contributions to community journalism were recognized when he was inducted into the Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame in 2020.
