As most everyone has heard, the newspaper industry is slowly being cut into smaller and smaller pieces, thanks to a tough economy, market share loss to other media outlets and a dwindling advertising base. I think as the industry continues to shrink (and their budgets along with it), we will see less and less human interest stories.

So I was heartened to read this piece from today’s Los Angeles Times by Molly Hennessy-Fiske regarding estates with no heirs that are auctioned off by Los Angeles County officials.

“The Public Administrator’s Office mostly tends to those who die either very poor or very wealthy, either without heirs or with heirs locked in disputes. About half the estates the office handles are worth $30,000 or less. About a third are worth more than $100,000, including the estates of some celebrities.”

Since I was a kid, I’ve always enjoyed stories like this, where I find out a little bit about a person who I otherwise would have never known. I hope no matter what the newspaper industry evolves into in the coming years, I will still get to read articles like this.