Van Nostrand named CNA managing editor

John Van Nostrand, former publisher of Page County Newspapers, has been named managing editor of the Creston News Advertiser.

Van Nostrand, who has served 27 years in newspaper industry, replaces former managing editor Sarah Scull, who will serve as associate editor.

Van Nostrand will oversee the editorial duties of CNA, Osceola Sentinel-Tribune, Adair County Free Press and the Fontanelle Observer. He was CNA’s managing editor from 2002 to 2005. Van Nostrand’s career has stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River.

Van Nostrand was born in Leon, but grew up in Sterling, Colorado. Annual trips to Iowa during his childhood to visit relatives and friends of the family made Iowa feel like a “second home” he said.

After graduating from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling with an associates degree in journalism, he started his career as a reporter at Flagler News in Flagler, Colorado, in 1993. Three years later he joined the staff of the Windsor, Colorado, Beacon. Van Nostrand moved to Greenfield in 1998, where worked as editor at the Adair County Free Press until 2002. In May that year, he joined the staff of the Creston News Advertiser and served as editor until October 2005. Van Nostrand wanted to get into upper management and was named publisher of the Colby, Kansas, Free Press, a four-day-a-week paper, until August 2008.

In 2008, he was named the business section editor of The Hawk Eye in Burlington. The section was part of the Sunday edition.

He was recruited to the Burlington Record in Burlington, Colorado, to serve as general manager. He was there from January 2010 to June 2012.

Following his tenure at Burlington, Van Nostrand was chosen as publisher of the Clarinda Herald-Journal, a weekly.

As part of a company restructure in 2017, he inherited the Shenandoah Valley News, a twice-weekly publication.

His two children will graduate from Clarinda High School next month. Son Grant will attend Southwestern this fall for autobody. Daughter Kari will study secondary education at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. Wife Jennifer was recently named pastor of Villisca and Grant United Methodist Churches. She begins July 1.

Van Nostrand is thrilled returning to Creston and the newspapers.

“We had our two children when we lived in Greenfield. We had Kari the first year I worked in Creston,” he said. “Even after we left, we wanted to keep our friendships we had established here. This area has a special place in our hearts.”

Van Nostrand had a similar story with the CNA. He has occasionally spoken to publisher Rich Paulsen since he moved to Clarinda.

“I enjoyed the first time I worked in Creston,” Van Nostrand said. “I’m glad I’m back working here.”

To congratulate him or send story ideas, contact Van Nostrand at jvannostrand@crestonnews.com or 641-782-2141 ext. 6437.