Mankins mark 30 years since purchasing Eldorado Success

ELDORADO – Randy and Kathy Mankin recently marked the 30th anniversary of their purchase of The Eldorado Success newspaper.

The couple bought the newspaper April 29, 1994, from Gary and Cathy Smith, who published the Hansford County Reporter-Statesman in Spearman for many years thereafter. The Mankins have called Eldorado home since moving from Lubbock in 1979.

They purchased a second newspaper in 2005 when they acquired The Big Lake Wildcat, then bought the Devil’s River News in Sonora in 2016. Randy Mankin serves as publisher of all three newspapers and is editor of The Success. Kathy Mankin is the business manager for all three. Their son, J.L. Mankin, is the editor of The Big Lake Wildcat.

The Eldorado Success began its life under a different name in 1901, when R.L. Carrothers arrived from Lometa with a hand-turned Washington press. The first edition of The Eldorado paper came off the press in 1901. Since that day, the newspaper has reported the happenings in and around Eldorado and Schleicher County.

The Mankins are now the second-longest serving publishers of The Eldorado Success. Fred Gunstead owned and published the paper for just over 30 years, from 1946 to 1976.

Randy Mankin is a past president of the Texas Press Association and served two terms as president of the West Texas Press Association. He has served on the boards and numerous committees of both organizations.

During the Mankins’ tenure at The Eldorado Success, the newspaper has received numerous industry honors and awards and has earned a reputation as one of the best small town newspapers in Texas.