Under Byrnes and his partner, Alva Lorenz, the Journal and Review developed into Aiken's main newspaper.
The Aiken Standard and Review operated in a small building on Richland Avenue, using Linotype machines and hot lead production methods that had been common in newspaper plants for many decades.
Construction of a modern, 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) newspaper publishing plant, which featured a new offset press, was begun at once, and was completed, equipped and occupied within a year.
Under the leadership of Mr. Cothran, in 1985 a new, faster and larger press was installed, and almost simultaneously a Sunday morning edition was introduced.
In December 2013, Ellen C. Priest became the president and publisher of the Aiken Standard, replacing Scott Hunter who retired that month.