[1] The publisher is Marianne Apfelbaum[3] and the editor is Jason Starr[4] The paper was founded as Williston Whistle in 1985[5] by five local women, Louise Ransom, Elaine Park, Ruth Painter, Diane Goodrich, and Sally Bryant.
[6] Louise Ransom, who wrote a book compiling articles and editorials from the early days of the paper, A Town in Transition: Tales Told in Newsprint, stayed with the paper as owner and editor for 10 years.
[8] Ransom also helped the paper to move into a new building, which it shared with the Williston Community Coffee House.
[9] In the early 90s, the paper was caught in the middle of disagreements in the Williston community about the development of a large shopping complex.
[6] Print and microfilm copies of the Whistle/Observer are kept in the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston.