On the bridge this morning to document what it is to create local, community papers across the vast Nevada desert.
We're at number seven this week, adding Yerington into the mix with the Pizen Post. The wonderful Leah Wilkinson started her Pizen Switch Times five years ago as an online paper to serve the communities of South Lyon County.
That has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it... On January 1, 2019, we launched The Fallon Post as an online paper and then on November 6, 2020, printed our first Friday paper. We're only a week late from celebrating our sixth year of printing this weekly paper, and it seems fitting that we celebrate by adding our seventh local, community paper to the fold.
No pun intended.
When Leah asked me several months ago when we were "coming for South Lyon," I laughed and told her never would I step on those toes. I've been watching what she does down there, and the relationship she has with her community, and that is exactly what we support and encourage and want to see happen.
But she said she was tired and wanted to retire — a thought to which I can relate.
At the time, we had just started the transfer of the Eureka paper, so I asked her to give us some time to get our feet under us. And here we are. Feet not under us, but moving nonetheless to bring a printed paper back to Yerington.
At first, I was reluctant to use the Pizen name, but on reflection and research, the name has grown on me. The legend references Mark Twain, and since I'm a fan, we've decided to maintain Pizen and tie it to our Post and go with the Pizen Post. Serving the communities of the Walker River.
For those who don't know — one version of the folklore surrounding the name Pizen Switch goes something along the lines of “Pizen” being a frontier way of saying “poison.”
Local tradition says it referred to the rough whiskey served at an early saloon. The City of Yerington tells a story about a willow-thatched saloon called the Switch, where the proprietor supposedly stretched his whiskey with water and chewing tobacco. A cowboy's remark about heading to the Switch for some “pizen” supposedly helped the name stick.
So here we are.
I still remember the first day we did production for the Fernley Reporter — that was a rough one, getting the InDesign template working right and the new little crew working together. We don't believe in dress rehearsals around here; we just jump right in. We are the poster child for OJT — on-the-job training. Many times, friends and family have said we are building this thing while we're learning to fly it.
Wing walking.
So, while we rush headlong into another 2 p.m. on Tuesday deadline, quenching the thirst of local communities, launching our Oasis in the Rural Nevada news desert, we'll always be right here...
...Keeping you Posted.
Rach
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