Proud to serve our community for 20 years
Boy, did I get a big surprise last week when News Editor Makenzie Davis and a small group of Lassen County Times’ employees noisily pranced through the newsroom door with a little lemon cake singing, “Happy anniversary to you.” Twenty years here at the Lassen County Times — who knows where the time goes?
Truth be told, I’m not alone as a veteran employee. Many long-time employees of Feather Publishing, the parent company of the Lassen County Times, call the newspapers home, largely because of Mike Taborski, the company’s owner and publisher, and his wife Keri. Actually, there are lots of us. I’ve had many jobs during my lifetime, and over the years the Taborskis have clearly earned best-bosses-ever status. They truly care about their employees and the communities the six Feather Publishing newspapers serve. We’re more than just employees — we’re more like family.
Under their leadership, the Lassen County Times operates with traditional, “old school” journalistic values. I like that and believe in that standard. Unlike what poses as news these days on many cable television networks and other news platforms, we never mix our opinions with the news. News is news, and opinions are opinions. You’ll never read a story in your newspaper that begins with, “Well, here’s another stupid thing they did” in Washington or Sacramento or at the board of supervisors or at city hall. When you read the Lassen County Times, we won’t tell you what to think because we believe you can make those decisions for yourself without us nudging you one way or the other. That’s how journalism used to work, and that standard remains in force at the Lassen County Times.
Wow. I’ve dedicated nearly one-third of my life to serving the Lassen County community. I don’t regret that decision for an instant. It’s been my pride, my pleasure and my privilege to write about our county’s residents. It’s not beneath me, and I don’t find it boring in the least. The truth is, I enjoy writing for a living. I knew I wanted to be a writer in the ninth grade.
Here at the Times we strive to deliver original reporting to our readers. We don’t copy the stories we find on social media sites or the Internet.
If you have a story or an event you’d like to share with the newspaper’s readers, send us that information, and we’ll see what we can do to help you get the word out. Remember, while a few people may see social media posts, everybody in the county has a chance to see the Lassen County Times. I believe if you have news you want the community to know about, we’re your best bet.
Twenty years ago the Times hired me as a feature writer. I’ve also been a general assignment reporter, the sports editor and the news editor before I became the managing editor.
I’m healthy and happy, and I’m not ready for the rocking chair just yet. At this moment, I have no plans to leave, but I know nothing lasts forever, including my tenure at the Lassen County Times.
Until my time comes, let me say thank you to all our readers who have read my stories and to all those who have been my fans and my critics over the past 20 years. We put the paper together for you every week.
To all of you, let me say it’s been a true honor to serve you and our community in the last 1,040 or so issues of the Lassen County Times.
