Verifying against the live site and live WHOIS/DNS…
Common questions
Is journalstar.com legit or a scam?
journalstar.com was registered Jan 27, 1998 (28 years old), per public registration records. AboutUs doesn't label sites "legit" or "a scam": this page lists the dated registration, DNS, HTTPS, mail-authentication and safety checks we could verify, each with its source, so you can decide for yourself.
Who owns journalstar.com?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for journalstar.com. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
When was journalstar.com registered?
journalstar.com's registration dates to Jan 27, 1998 (28 years old), per public registration records. Tucows Domains Inc. is the registrar on record today.
Correct a description, link or other detail. Submissions are reviewed before publication.
Registered 1998 · site is live · HTTPS valid
The Lincoln Journal Star is a news and information publisher serving Southeast Nebraska through a daily newspaper, niche publications, direct mail, websites, and commercial printing. Part of Lee Enterprises, it operates with approximately 450 employees across editorial, advertising, circulation, and production.
Checked in the last 30 daysOlder, dated recordFrom registration records
Registered 28 years ago · on AboutUs since 2013 · 3 registrar changes since Jul 17, 2007 · no registrant change on record since 2007 · last checked Nov 13, 2026.
Registration
RegisteredJan 27, 1998journalstar.com was registered on Jan 27, 1998.Source: RDAP, fetched Nov 9, 2026
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageNov 13, 2013An AboutUs wiki page described journalstar.com from Nov 13, 2013 to Nov 13, 2013 (1 edit).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023Said about itself in 2013Jul 1, 2013
Registrar
TUCOWS, INC.Jul 17, 2007 – Aug 19, 2011Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for journalstar.com, from Jul 17, 2007 to Aug 19, 2011.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)TUCOWS.COM CO.Sep 18, 2011 – Jan 6, 2012Registrar TUCOWS.COM CO. in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for journalstar.com, from Sep 18, 2011 to Jan 6, 2012.
Registrant
Registrant recordsJul 17, 2007 – Jun 26, 2026Registration records for journalstar.com are held from Jul 17, 2007 to Jun 26, 2026 (135 records). None shows a change of registrant. Privacy-service and redaction changes, renames of the same organization and new contacts at it are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
No registrant changes recorded, 2007–2026
Zone file
Nameservers: townnews.comNameservers: townnews.comJul 17, 2007 – Oct 17, 2013Registration records listed townnews.com nameservers (ns1.townnews.com, ns2.townnews.com) for journalstar.com from Jul 17, 2007 to Oct 17, 2013. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Certificate
AmazonAmazonSep 11, 2025 – Nov 13, 2026Amazon issued 20 certificates for journalstar.com from Sep 11, 2025, the latest valid until Apr 23, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
200020102020Jan ’26Oct ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (19)
Jan 27, 1998Registration: journalstar.com was registered on Jan 27, 1998.Source: RDAP, fetched Nov 9, 2026
Jul 17, 2007 – Aug 19, 2011Registrar: Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for journalstar.com, from Jul 17, 2007 to Aug 19, 2011.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Jul 17, 2007 – Jun 26, 2026Registrant: Registration records for journalstar.com are held from Jul 17, 2007 to Jun 26, 2026 (135 records). None shows a change of registrant. Privacy-service and redaction changes, renames of the same organization and new contacts at it are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Jul 17, 2007 – Oct 17, 2013Zone file: Registration records listed townnews.com nameservers (ns1.townnews.com, ns2.townnews.com) for journalstar.com from Jul 17, 2007 to Oct 17, 2013. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Sep 18, 2011 – Jan 6, 2012Registrar: Registrar TUCOWS.COM CO. in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for journalstar.com, from Sep 18, 2011 to Jan 6, 2012.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
All 4 safety checks passed (Nov 13, 2026).
Automated safety checks
DNS (passed)
HTTPS (passed)
Page metadata (passed)
Security headers (passed)
Current facts
Latest available measurements; dated entries retain their dates. These are measurements, not an endorsement of the site.
latest result
Lincoln Journal Star — company name on record since 2013; still matches the live site.
latest result
Domain registered Jan 27, 1998 — 28 years old.
“Who We AreThe Lincoln Journal Star is the premier news and information source in Southeast Nebraska. Along with the areas leading daily newspaper, we pub...”
Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2013
Current AboutUs recordJul 2, 2026 – Nov 9, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Nov 9, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
TUCOWS, INC.TUCOWS, INC.May 21, 2012 – Jun 26, 2026Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for journalstar.com, from May 21, 2012 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Tucows Domains Inc.Oct 4, 2026 – Nov 12, 2026 (latest)Registrar Tucows Domains Inc. in the registration data recorded, first on Oct 4, 2026 and most recently on Nov 12, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Nov 9, 2026
Nameservers: townnews.comOct 18, 2013 – Apr 3, 2018townnews.com (ns1.townnews.com, ns2.townnews.com) were the nameservers listed for journalstar.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nameservers: townnews.comNameservers: townnews.comApr 4, 2018 – Oct 11, 2024Registration records listed townnews.com nameservers (ns1.townnews.com, ns2.townnews.com) for journalstar.com from Apr 4, 2018 to Oct 11, 2024. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nameservers: tn-cloud.netNov 21, 2024 – Jun 26, 2026Registration records listed tn-cloud.net nameservers (dns1.tn-cloud.net, dns2.tn-cloud.net) for journalstar.com from Nov 21, 2024 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to tn-cloud.netNov 21, 2024journalstar.com's nameservers moved from townnews.com to tn-cloud.net between Oct 11, 2024 and Nov 21, 2024. Last seen at townnews.com: Oct 11, 2024 (registration record). First seen at tn-cloud.net: Nov 21, 2024 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Seen in the .com zone fileSep 8, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026 (latest)First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Sep 8, 2026; latest sighting Nov 13, 2026. Nameservers on Nov 13, 2026: dns1.tn-cloud.net, dns2.tn-cloud.net.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 13, 2026
Google Trust Services
Apr 2, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026 (latest)
Google Trust Services issued 98 certificates for journalstar.com from Apr 2, 2026, the latest valid until Feb 5, 2027. Seen in use on Nov 9, 2026.
Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader); TLS check, Nov 9, 2026
Let's EncryptApr 2, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Let's Encrypt issued 40 certificates for journalstar.com from Apr 2, 2026, the latest valid until Feb 8, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
ZeroSSL GmbHSep 19, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026ZeroSSL GmbH issued 1 certificate for journalstar.com from Sep 19, 2026, the latest valid until Dec 18, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
May 21, 2012 – Jun 26, 2026
Registrar: Registrar TUCOWS, INC. (IANA 69) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for journalstar.com, from May 21, 2012 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Jul 1, 2013AboutUs record: “Who We AreThe Lincoln Journal Star is the premier news and information source in Southeast Nebraska. Along with the areas leading daily newspaper, we pub...”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2013
Oct 18, 2013 – Apr 3, 2018Zone file: townnews.com (ns1.townnews.com, ns2.townnews.com) were the nameservers listed for journalstar.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nov 13, 2013AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described journalstar.com from Nov 13, 2013 to Nov 13, 2013 (1 edit).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Apr 4, 2018 – Oct 11, 2024Zone file: Registration records listed townnews.com nameservers (ns1.townnews.com, ns2.townnews.com) for journalstar.com from Apr 4, 2018 to Oct 11, 2024. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nov 21, 2024 – Jun 26, 2026Zone file: Registration records listed tn-cloud.net nameservers (dns1.tn-cloud.net, dns2.tn-cloud.net) for journalstar.com from Nov 21, 2024 to Jun 26, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nov 21, 2024Zone file: journalstar.com's nameservers moved from townnews.com to tn-cloud.net between Oct 11, 2024 and Nov 21, 2024. Last seen at townnews.com: Oct 11, 2024 (registration record). First seen at tn-cloud.net: Nov 21, 2024 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Sep 11, 2025 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: Amazon issued 20 certificates for journalstar.com from Sep 11, 2025, the latest valid until Apr 23, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Apr 2, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: Google Trust Services issued 98 certificates for journalstar.com from Apr 2, 2026, the latest valid until Feb 5, 2027. Seen in use on Nov 9, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader); TLS check, Nov 9, 2026
Apr 2, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt issued 40 certificates for journalstar.com from Apr 2, 2026, the latest valid until Feb 8, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Jul 2, 2026 – Nov 9, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Nov 9, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Sep 8, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Zone file: First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Sep 8, 2026; latest sighting Nov 13, 2026. Nameservers on Nov 13, 2026: dns1.tn-cloud.net, dns2.tn-cloud.net.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 13, 2026
Sep 19, 2026 – Nov 13, 2026Certificate: ZeroSSL GmbH issued 1 certificate for journalstar.com from Sep 19, 2026, the latest valid until Dec 18, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Oct 4, 2026 – Nov 12, 2026Registrar: Registrar Tucows Domains Inc. in the registration data recorded, first on Oct 4, 2026 and most recently on Nov 12, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Nov 9, 2026
latest result
Registrar on record: Tucows Domains Inc. — unchanged since AboutUs began tracking (Oct 4, 2026).
latest result
HTTPS request succeeded for journalstar.com.
checked Sep 30, 2026
The site names Lincoln Journal Star as the organisation behind it.
checked Sep 30, 2026
The live front page reads as a news or media site that publishes free content supported by ads, mainly for a local community.
Authority 80/100— ahead of 80% of the August 2026 scored sampleClear
Why this authority score
80 is a percentile: higher than 80% of sites we score.
How it's calculated
Prominence (Tranco rank #36,630)+6
Verified continuity: 28.8 years (RDAP registration)+11
Identity corroboration (capped)+4
Security & email hygiene+5
Calibration adjustment (published map)+15
Model score: 41/99 — what these reason lines add up to.
Published Authority (percentile): 80/100 — this site's rank against the August 2026 scored sample. Public Authority is capped at 99.
Safety evidence
Retained threat-feed result (recorded about 4 days ago); name-similarity check available (recorded about 4 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 4 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
No caution flags in the available scoring observations; this is not a complete safety assessment
What journalstar.com said about itself, 2013
Quoted from the site's AboutUs wiki page in each year it changed (1 version). These are the page's own words at the time, not AboutUs's assessment. New words · dropped words
2013
Who We AreThe Lincoln Journal Star is the premier news and information source in Southeast Nebraska. Along with the areas leading daily newspaper, we pub...
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date.