The Vindicator has been around for 150 years, and the newspaper has been a staple amongst the Mahoning Valley community for more than a century. 

The publication is Youngstown's only daily newspaper and is 21 WFMJ's print partner. 

According to The Vindicator's 150th-year-anniversary publication, the first edition of the newspaper was produced on June 25, 1869, and it was a new weekly called The Mahoning Vindicator.

James H. Odell founded The Vindicator, and the paper was named for the vindication he found in the area for his Democratic political beliefs. 

William F. Maag purchased The Vindicator in late 1887 after a fire destroyed its North Phelps Street print shop. Maag also persuaded John M. Webb to be his partner. 

Maag bought the paper from an auction that he had no interest in even bidding on. 

On September 23, 1889, The Vindicator shifted to daily publication as The Evening Vindicator; Vol 1 No. 1 which happens to be four pages. 

In January of 1890, Webb became the publication's president, and Maag was deemed the business manager and treasurer. 

On February 22, 1893, John M. Webb died. 

According to a reporter and columnist for The Vindicator, David Skolnick, William F. Maag, Jr., took reigns as the publications general manager after his father's death. Maag, Jr. was critical of the Ku Klux Klan. 

After Maag, Jr's death on February 29, 1968, his nephew, William J. Brown became the publisher and president. 

According to The Vindicator, Brown died in 1981, while his widow Betty J. H. Brown Jagnow became the publisher and the president. 

Jagnow's son, Mark Brown, soon became the publication's general manager. 

Brown is currently the general manager at The Vindicator. 

On August 31, 2019, The Vindicator will publish its last edition. 

One hundred and forty four employees and about 250 carriers will lose their jobs on August 31, 2019. 

The announcement came Friday afternoon, just days after the newspaper marked its 150th anniversary.  On Saturday, a letter to readers will be published by The Vindicator publisher Betty J.H. Brown Jagnow and general manager Mark Brown explaining the decision.