Disappointed in newspaper coverage

My name is Tony Plante and I was just voted Honorary Mayor of Whiskey Flat Days. I have a bone to pick with the papers of the valley.

I was really disappointed in the lack of participation of our local papers. Why was it that all the articles had only one persons opinion or slant? Why if I’m the winner of this contest the paper never even asked me for any opinion on any item, including the mayor race. I really felt the local papers dropped the ball here. How is it that an event that hits this valley every winter and seems to be so important to the commerce of this valley doesn’t get the participation of it’s local papers.

I know your all thinking right now, “What! Did you fall down and bump your head Tony?” There were a ton of articles about Whiskey Flats. No! What happened was that our communities largest event had mostly articles written by Jill Thurman, on what was important and what wasn’t. I was very disappointed with the papers lack of effort to report on the goings on of each of the candidates. I realize this is a honorary position, but folks the organizations and the charities that we represent aren’t. These are all well deserving organizations and they deserve a much better showing of their local papers than one persons opinion.

In closing I would hope you would take this criticism with the way it was intended and play your part in your community as reporting papers and not just the Kernville Chambers voice box.

Tony Plante

Squirrel Valley

Editor’s note: For the last 15 years, Marsha Smith, current Sun publisher, has made her “Around the Valley” column space available to any and all Whiskey Flat Mayor candidates. This year, “Kernville Jill” Thurman, TurnCoat Chris’ campaign manager, was the only campaign manager or candidate to take advantage of that free space each week.