A final farewell took place Wednesday morning along the North Shore route to the Overlanders Bridge to say goodbye to the last physical newspaper in Kamloops.

The final edition of Kamloops This Week hit doorsteps Wednesday morning, after the owner announced its decision earlier in the month that today’s edition would be its last, citing financial pressures.

Jo Berry is one of the organizers of this morning’s rally at the Overlanders Bridge, and suggests losing KTW is like losing a member of the family.

“Of course we can get our news online or so many different places, but there’s nothing like the way Kamloops This Week has connected our community,” lamented Berry.  “It’s so much more than the news, it’s connecting our community, it’s about inclusivity. We love to read the stories. It’s a huge piece around community health.”

The loss of the paper — on top of putting around 30 people out of work — also means Kamloops will be without a physical newspaper for the first time since 1884.

Today’s final edition does contain a plea from the staff for an angel investor to step forward in a bid to keep the publication going.