Moore has held the top job at the Enterprise since 1989, tying the 31-year term of John Ridenour for the longest time span as publisher. Ridenour who owned the paper from 1918 to 1949 and made it a six-day-a-week daily in 1926. It is still the only daily newspaper published inside the Adirondack Park.

Moore’s last day of work is Friday. Ogden Newspapers, which has owned the Enterprise and News since the late 1970s, has not yet announced the hiring of a new publisher. This will be only the third publisher transition at the Enterprise since 1953.

Various elected leaders, local business owners, press people, former colleagues and others contributed memories and well wishes to Moore on the occasion of her retirement.

Garry Trudeau, Doonesbury cartoonist, who grew up in Saranac Lake:

Catherine Moore said this is one of her favorite Enterprise front pages during her 31 years as publisher. The April 22, 2002, issue splits coverage between two huge local news stories: a damaging earthquake in the AuSable Forks area and an Earth Day visit by President George W. Bush. (Photo provided)

Since 2004, over 2,000 newspapers, most of them serving small communities, have disappeared across America. Adirondackers have been more fortunate — they still have the Enterprise — thanks in no small part to Cathy Moore’s remarkable stewardship and perseverance.

Cathy didn’t ensure the paper’s sustainability by cutting corners, at least none that showed. In fact, the Enterprise is much more comprehensive, informative and visually lively than the paper of my youth. For her decades of commitment and resourcefulness, Cathy should take a well-earned bow.

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Betty Little, New York state senator, 2003-2020, state Assembly member, 1996-2002:

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Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News Publisher Catherine Moore, right, listens to Gov. Mario Cuomo, left, during an interview in her office. (Enterprise file photo)

Cathy is such a genuine and thoughtful person, and I am so thankful for the many great conversations we’ve had through the years. When we have sat down in her office to talk about issues, her questions have always been about what more could be done to help people. Her dedication to this community is crystal clear, and her knowledge of its needs and challenges, as well as successes, is second to none. She’s done a tremendous job as publisher and will be missed very much. I congratulate her on a wonderful career and wish her all the best.

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Billy Jones, New York state Assembly member, 2017-present:

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Cathy Moore has devoted the last 47 years to provide accurate and reliable information to the North Country Region through her work at the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. The announcement of her retirement surely brings mixed emotions as we wish Cathy the best, but undoubtedly know her absence will be felt. I congratulate her on her retirement and wish her much enjoyment in the coming years.

Cathy Moore

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Paul Maroun, longtime Franklin County legislator and Tupper Lake village mayor:

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Being a publisher is like being the captain of a ship. You are responsible for all aspects of the operation! I can only say that a captain of a ship may have the position for five to six years. Your stamina in being publisher for 31 years is unbelievable. You have made sure that residents of the Tri-Lakes have been informed on the issues of the times. Most important to me as a public official, you always ensured that your staff treated me fairly. I know I’ll be seeing you at events around the Tri-Lakes, and I hope to meet you once in awhile at the Belvedere for a cocktail. Thank you for your years of service to Tupper Lake and the North Country.

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Melinda Little, Point Positive Inc. coordinator, Saranac Lake village trustee, Tri-Lakes Humane Society board member:

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Our community is incredibly fortunate to have a daily newspaper that does such a good job of keeping us informed. I give a lot of the credit for that to Cathy, who has successfully guided the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and its sister publication, the Lake Placid News, through a time during which so many other publications have failed. Thanks, Cathy, for your leadership and also for all that you’ve done for the Tri-Lakes Humane Society over the years.

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Ron Keough, longtime Franklin County coroner, Harrietstown board member and co-owner of Fortune-Keough Funeral Home, Saranac Lake:

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Cathy Moore has been a “good neighbor” in every sense of the word. She has been an every-day-of-the-week good neighbor. A good neighbor to her family, a good neighbor in the community, a good neighbor in her profession a good neighbor to her fellow employees. She has been the “Red Carpet” good neighbor we have been blessed to have at the helm of the Enterprise and working for the community with many community volunteers to make our community a better place each day. Thank you, Cathy. It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with you.

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Dan McClelland, owner-publisher-editor, Tupper Lake Free Press:

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I have worked with Cathy since my arrival in Tupper Lake nearly 43 years ago. We initially worked together as advertising managers of our publications and then as publishers on a number of collaborative projects over the years. We’ve laughed over silly things that have happened to us in the course of our duties. We’ve commiserated over sad developments and weird twists and turns we’ve seen in our industry. We’ve shared our fears and our worries of the futures of our small communities. Many times Cathy sought my counsel on issues relating to Tupper Lake, and she always seemed to value my advice. My two newspaper companies and our various publications have been exclusively printed at the Adirondack Daily Enterprise since I arrived in the North Country, and for the past 30 years when Cathy was publisher. We have enjoyed a warm, honest and mutually respectful relationship — helping each other give our advertisers and our communities the service they deserve. And we’ve had some fun at newspaper conferences over the years, too. I’ll miss her honesty and her candor. I’ve always found Cathy to be fiercely loyal to the Ogden company, and she leaves big shoes to fill. Saranac Lake has had a strong advocate for all good things there in Cathy Moore. My best wishes to her on a very well-deserved retirement.

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Jim Rogers of Lake Placid, owner of WNBZ radio station, 1963-1998:

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When Cathy Moore became publisher of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Keela and I had already owned WNBZ for quite a while. Our relationship with her predecessor was a bit short of warm. (I was told that the only time my name was to be used in the paper was in the negative or bridge club scores.) Our relationship with Cathy was, happily, always warm and friendly. She is so bright, always committed to the community, and a lovely person. Thanks for the friendship, Cathy. Happy retirement!

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Michelle Rea, executive director, New York Press Association:

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Cathy Moore is a fabulous friend and a great cheerleader for community newspapers. She has been a highly valued leader of the New York Press Association for decades. I first met Cathy at an NYPA conference at the Mirror Lake Inn in 1992. In 2010 Cathy was installed as president of NYPA’s board of directors at the Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont. In the interim, she served as district director and director at large on the New York Press Association Foundation board of directors. When she wasn’t chasing new sources of revenue, she was assisting with legislative issues, working to preserve public notices, helping to fight newsprint tariffs, finding innovative ways to cover the Olympics and talking always about why newspapers matter.

We wish her all the best as she and Jack (her favorite bartender) find more time for fun. Now when she comes to Albany, it will be for pleasure, not to attend a meeting!

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Diane Kennedy, president, New York News Publishers Association:

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Cathy has served on the Board of Trustees of the New York Newspapers Foundation for many years, including more than a decade as the board’s chairperson. This year, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the New York News Publishers Association. She is a strong advocate of news literacy education and has advocated for access to literacy instruction for local people through libraries and community organizations. She knows and loves the communities of the Adirondacks, and under her leadership, the newspaper has provided thorough coverage of readers living in towns and villages throughout one of the country’s largest wilderness preserves.

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Rob Grant, owner and broker, Rob Grant & Associates Real Estate:

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When I look back over the last 30 years, I’m reminded of how important a local newspaper can be to a community. It really is the heart and soul of the people who live and share their lives in the Adirondacks. As publisher, Cathy Moore has devoted her life to making our unique community a better place to live. She represents the best in all of us … and we are forever grateful for everything she has done.

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Former colleagues

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Jim Bishop, ADE, 1951-2009, 2012-16

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Holy cow, it seems like only yesterday I was interviewing you for a job as circulation clerk. Now, 47 years later, you are retiring as one of the longest-tenured publishers of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Where has the time gone?

When you first came here to work you had just graduated from North Country Community College and you and your then-boyfriend, now hubby, decided you wanted to stay in mountains instead of returning to Long Island. (Good choice.) Here’s a little secret I have not shared before. When interviewing anyone for a circulation job, you got a 20 from the start if you were left-handed, because we both put things down in the same area so it was easier to find things when needed.

The years working together in circulation were some of the best. We had a great bunch of carriers whom we had contact with each day when they came to the office to pick up their papers.

Glad you were able to take advantage of your many talents to advance your career here at the Enterprise, first as Ad Department manager, then as publisher. I met Jack on the street the weekend you were in Wheeling to interview for the job; he said he didn’t know whether or not you were going to take it, because they didn’t want to pay you much more then you were making being Ad Department manager.

We have seen a lot of changes in this business in the last 50 years, going from hot lead to offset to most of the paper put together by computers. Now you can put pages together 500 miles away and send all info to a press here. Putting out a Saturday paper was one challenge. Going from old typewriters to computers was another.

What we did in 1980 had to be our biggest feat, adding a seven-day special Olympic edition plus an extra Lake Placid News each week as well as the five ADEs. The Monday ADE was like big-city Sunday paper. Other events like Ironman, Wally Bayan, Goodwill Games, plus many more were also fun to plan and work on.

Some of real fun times we did I can’t mention here. We sure knew how to party.

As you ride off into the sunset, remember the Dinah Shore’s song, “See the USA in your Chevrolet.” Happy trails. I expect to hear many stories when you return.

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By James Odato, ADE reporter, 1977-79

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Cathy Moore’s many attributes included hard work and leading by example. She showed herself to be open and transparent, not closed-minded or intransigent. For example, when a reporter researching a story in 2019 for the 125th anniversary of the Enterprise found that the newspaper’s date of birth was actually a year earlier than thought, her reaction was swift and telling. First, she reacted by saying that she had just ordered the anniversary hats for a 2019 celebration. Next she burst out with a laugh. Thirdly, she directed that a story be published promptly, pointing out the discrepancy.

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By Jeff Platsky, ADE, 1977-81, now an investigative reporter for USA Today Network in Binghamton

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Working at a small newspaper is a special experience, and more so at the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. The staff is a small family, and that atmosphere was highly encouraged during Bill Doolittle’s tenure as owner and publisher. During my stint in the Enterprise Lake Placid bureau from 1977 to 1981, the entire staff — advertising, production, press people and editorial staff — would gather in the newsroom and production area as the Friday newspaper was printing in the back room to manually insert the Weekender into the newspaper. People would grab a stack of freshly printed newspapers and a stack of pre-printed Weekender tabloids, along with other inserts, and stuff the newspaper before they dispatched to subscribers and newsstands. Everyone was involved — even the long-timers: Bea Drutz, Evelyn Outcault, Charlie Decker, Dave Munn, Armand Amell, Cathy, too, among others. It was a chance for the entire staff to exchange stories — there were many — from the week and instill the sense of family among the staff. Memories of those Friday get-togethers remain fresh because of the good spirits that prevailed.

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By Christopher Mele, ADE, 1986-88, now an editor at The New York Times

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Good heavens, Cathy! Forty-seven years!? Did you start working at The Enterprise when you were 9 years old? Clearly, there must be some violations of the child labor laws in your past!

More than most, you can attest to the titanic changes that have buffeted newspapers over the decades. But through all of them, you’ve been a steady guiding presence. If ever you were frustrated or disappointed by a setback, I can’t say you ever let it show. You have been a stalwart advocate for the value of local community news. The Enterprise has benefited immensely from your dedication, smarts and leadership. You will be missed, but I do look forward to reading your memoir!

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By John Penney, ADE managing editor, 1989-98, Poughkeepsie Journal, 1998-2018, Communications officer for city of Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County, 2018-present

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Over a fantastic career, Cathy Moore showed you can be a genuine, level-headed person even in the chaos that often ensues while putting out a daily publication. Cathy always had such a calming influence on the staff. When I served as managing editor, she provided the perfect balance of granting me leeway to handle the news report while also offering key guidance and input to ensure I was keeping the community’s best interest in mind. I am not at all surprised that she served for decades and managed to keep succeeding in what has become a turbulent industry. She should be proud of all she has accomplished. I truly hope people recognize and celebrate all the hard work that she has put in for the betterment of the community.

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By Vini Fallica, ADE photographer, 1995-2000

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In late ’95, Cathy was kind enough take me on board the Enterprise so I could explore the Tri-Lakes. To seek out new and compelling images of our people, places and events. To present bold photographs of our communities in a daily paper as people have never seen them before. So I did. I photographed people and events in the Tri-Lakes, several times a day, every day, six and often seven days a week, for five years! And as much fun as that was, I also got to work in a newsroom with the best people and cobble a daily paper out of thin air when normal people are still having breakfast. If this sounds like it’s more about the Enterprise than Cathy, that’s mistaken. Cathy IS the Enterprise. Everything I wrote above comes from her. She’s the one who chooses who’s on the crew. She’s the one who helmed the Enterprise not only during the five-year mission I was on board but before and until now as well. As many things as I have done, my experience with Cathy and the Enterprise remains one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, likely will ever have, and I’m sincerely grateful to her for it.

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By Ed Forbes, ADE and LPN, 2002-07, now an editor for USA Today Network newspapers in northern New Jersey and southern New York:

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The phone rang early on a Friday morning. I was sitting at the editor’s desk in the offices of The Hill News, the weekly at St. Lawrence University. It was in mid-March in 2002. I had just eight weeks to go until graduation.

“Hi, Ed! It’s Cathy Moore.”

Cathy’s name was well known. The publisher of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, she ensured our paper was printed every week.

“You want a job? We’re looking for reporters.”

I had to turn Cathy down — with two months to go, I couldn’t give up my degree.

Three months later, I found myself sitting across her desk as a candidate for another reporter position. Cathy hired me. Cathy encouraged me as I was a reporter writing two to three stories a day — as well as briefs, cop shorts and obits. Cathy promoted me. I was the features editor for a summer before she sent me to helm the Lake Placid News. With Peter Crowley, we formed an editorial board and did terrific work leading the Tri-Lakes communities through our opinion pages.

We marked significant occasions — with floats in the Carnival parades and barbecues at the Lake Placid News during Ironman, with special sections to commemorate the anniversaries of the Olympic Games and our trip to post-Katrina New Orleans. We did big news stories. We did investigative work. We sent Lou Reuter to the Winter Olympics. We celebrated the centennial of the News.

Cathy is the consummate example of a publisher — dedicated to her community, a savvy businesswoman who kept the presses running constantly, and, importantly, fearless.

Thank you, Cathy, for your decades of service to a remarkable institution.

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By Howard Riley, ADE, 1942 to the 1970s, then ADE columnist, 2003-present:

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Cathy, I am sorry to learn that you are retiring after 47 years at the Enterprise but at the same time happy for you to enjoy your grandchildren and your long walks.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity, 17 years ago, to write a column for the Enterprise. Those columns turned into a book 10 years ago and will turn into another book this year.

Although I did not work for you directly on the Enterprise staff, I did get to know you pretty well. My observation is that you were a combination of Katharine Graham, publisher of the Washington Post, and Margaret Thatcher, prime minister of Britain, known to some as the “Iron Lady.” Both women were bright and tough and respected throughout the world.

Your business skills and editorial skills helped the Enterprise through some rough times, just as we are experiencing today.

I wrote an introduction to my column in May 2003 with this paragraph at the end:

“I wrote her [Cathy] a birthday poem last summer. She had written an editorial somewhat critical of the work being done on the Broadway Bridge … here is an excerpt from that poem … ‘She keeps firing those editorial scuds and like weapons of mass destruction they land on the Broadway Bridge construction.’ … She hired me anyway.”

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By Naj Wikoff, columnist, Lake Placid News, 2005-present

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From getting doused with a large bucket of ice water for the ALS Challenge to serving as a grand marshal for the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival to publishing a Daily Olympic Digest along with the Enterprise during the Olympics, Cathy Moore embraced all aspects of her community with joy and passion that inspired and uplifted others.

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