A Letter to the New Editor

Dear Editor,

When looking over the MM on September 5 so that any typos in the issue to be printed the next day might jump out to me, I discovered an absolutely great announcement, at least to me. Granted my opinion in this case was extremely biased due to the fact that since the arrival at the Mess of one Ryan Steinwert, there have been few goofs for this “proof reader” to find, almost typo free! I’m essentially relegated to the delightful position of being able to read the paper the evening before it is published rather than the ten days it takes to arrive in my mailbox here in Fairfield.

Actually I started reading the Mess a day early about 25 years ago when I would go check the boards as Don Russell printed out the written words and Damaris (Harbert) ran them through the wax machine before sticking them onto the bare pages. Russell and I would fuss with each other a mite so Irene (Frazier) was the on call referee as Don taught me matters such as style and slant. He also said that he who owns the ink well has the final word.

In those years the front page of the Mountain Messenger belonged solely to Donald Russell but others of us managed to slide in a few words on the next pages. The Downieville Highlights were written by Belle Tauer (bell tower) who was so named so that anyone could write the town gossip. It turned out that Belle was really one person for years as the tennis bell bounced around town. It was fun!

On Wednesday evenings the Sierra County Sheriff (Lee Adams) and that Beals fellow were apt to pop up to see if they were safe for another week from the ink administered by their good friend. Tom Vilas couldn’t understand how they remained such good friends but there was never a personal attack, just strong remarks about work matters. Carl Butz was apt to be found in conversation up there too along with so many others that I couldn’t understand how anything got written, but it was, even to be quoted on the David Letterman Show.

So as the weeks and years saw the wax machine gather dust, Carl Butz acquired the paper and gathered likeminded individuals to keep it going as Don reached for those books he hadn’t had time to read and a cat adopted him. Then Carl figured out a painful way to separate himself from the weekly crisis. He was indeed lucky though that up the stairs climbed a computer savvy man who is so efficient that this staffer has more time to play golf and there exists the prospect that Carl may join her on the links soon. The paper is in good hands with Angela and Ryan there.

The Labor Day issue really summed this progression up for me well. Paul Guffin (almost never a typo) wrote of that annual celebration. Lenny Ackerman wrote of attending the US Open Tennis Championships, where I had my first legal drink as the guest of the head of the umpires on my 18th birthday. Later I played in it and called lines too. Earlene Folsom, Dee Skillman and Paul Jordan accompanied me there years later! Ackerman writes of his love of Maine while I recall being the tennis instructor at a camp there and how that lake water was so cold for our morning swim. I even hit a few balls out on Long Island and in Florida too. Small world!

That there is now a dedicated man assisting the veterans of the county really pleased me and reminding me how Bernie Stringer, Linda Marshall, John Funk and others stepped up to spearhead the Veteran’s Day gathering at the bell tower. We held my husband’s service (John L. Johnsen, LTC USA ret) there ten years ago with the Governor’s Honor Guard helping the Sierra County veteran’s be recognized and honored. So many memories!

It must be obvious to all who have read along with my evening ramblings that this 87 year old loves this newspaper and those who have touched it both recently and over the years. That the son of my dear friends, Laurie and Scott, is now the editor of the paper makes me so absolutely happy that “Game, Set and Match” just got called here. And that’s the way the ball bounces, isn’t it?

MPJ

Fairfield

The henpecking proof reader