E Pluribus Unum

As I sat home on President’s Day, reading an essay on Washington’s Farewell Address, I was struck by a comment King George III reportedly made. In the closing days of the Revolution a decade earlier, it was widely believed Washington could easily have made himself king. Instead, after serving a self-imposed limit of two terms as President of the young nation, Washington simply retired to his farm. “If he does that,” King George said, “he will be the greatest man in the world.” Such is the legacy of our first president, like the one of Abraham Lincoln, an equally great American whose life was tragically cut short far too soon in an act of divisive sectarian madness. Presidents Day, which is aptly nestled between the birthdays of our two greatest leaders, is a time to reflect on who we are as a nation and what their legacies can still teach us.

However, my reflection on the man from Mount Vernon was abruptly rattled when I took a break and scrolled through my social media apps. On Presidents Day, in a shocking display of crass opportunism and inflammatory rhetoric, the GOP’s Georgia representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted “We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states.” That an elected member of Congress could, on a day celebrating Washington and Lincoln, actually make a public call for secession, as opposed to unity and reconciliation, is simply beyond the pale, even in these times. Of course, the real tragedy is not that Greene said it. The deeper concern is that we live in a time when Greene can say something so troubling and get away with it.

Granted, there was head shaking and calls for her resignation, but it didn’t come from the right people. While current party leaders took a pass, it was former Wyoming representative Liz Cheney who responded, “Our country is governed by the Constitution. You swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Secession is unconstitutional. No member of Congress should advocate secession, Marjorie.” How sad that Greene still sits in Congress, serving on committees like Homeland Security, while a smart, classy stateswoman like Cheney loses her seat. Granted, Cheney is persona non grata to many Republicans these days, evidence of deepening divide not just in the country, but in the GOP. That’s sad commentary on how far we’ve fallen from the big tent days of Ronald Reagan, and how far removed we are from the legacy of noble leaders like Washington and Lincoln.

Like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day, the national holiday in February celebrating the presidents should remind us of the commonalities that unite a shared citizenship. Washington’s farewell still has much to teach us, perhaps now more than ever.

For example, Representative Greene might consider reading Washington’s letter to the nation “emphasizing the necessity of ‘an indissoluble Union of States under one Federal Head,’ stressing the importance of overcoming ‘local prejudices and policies.’” Later, Washington warned Americans against the inherent danger of political parties, hoping policy disagreements would never divide the nation into “red and blue states.” We are, or should be, stronger and more resolute than any political issue.

Regarding the natural inclination to align ourselves by factions, Washington advised “Your union ought to be considered as a main prop of your liberty,” and “… the love of one ought to endear you to the preservation of the other.” Granted, the existence of parties and organizations is not inherently bad, and historians generally believe they are a structure for balancing dissent within the system. However, partisanship, sectarianism, and “local prejudices” are corrosive and unnecessary. Our connections as human beings should supersede our identifications with arbitrary associations. Living in Greenwood Village shouldn’t negate a sense of community with Centennial residents. Being a Cherry Creek Bruin shouldn’t keep us from camaraderie with Smoky Hill Buffaloes. Voting for Democrats shouldn’t alienate us from others who checked the Republican box.

In a recent Wall Street Journal column, Peggy Noonan looked back at Jimmy Carter’s historic “Crisis of Confidence,” noting how valid and insightful the speech actually was. On news of the former president’s entry into hospice, Noonan reflected on the inherent goodness of his leadership. She reminds us how he ended with this advice: “Whenever you have a chance, say something good about our country.” Great advice from a great man. And he lived it every day of his virtuous life.

Michael P. Mazenko is a writer, educator, & school administrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teacher’s View and can be found on Twitter @mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko@gmail.com

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A series on the evolution of the growth and technology of newspapers over decades from the pioneer days to the present.

Newspapers Were A Booming Enterprise

Part: 4

Colorado newspapers have always been in demand from the mining camps to cattle country. As the Colorado Territory became a state in 1876, there was a newspaper located close to every county courthouse across the state. County seats were planned about one day’s horseback or wagon trip apart. As towns became cities, newspapers grew and prospered. Many second, third, and fourth generation family-owned newspapers were located in communities of Ft. Morgan, Steamboat. Springs, Limon, Lamar, Louisville, Grand Junction, Montrose, Durango, Pueblo, Rocky Ford, Craig, Burlington, Longmont and Loveland. These family newspapers have given way to large chain newspapers that own more than 50 percent of Colorado newspapers today.

Ogden Newspapers headquartered in Virginia, now owns my old newspaper in Craig, no longer a daily, but twice weekly. They purchased the large Swift Newspaper organization headquartered in Carson City, Nevada with around 18 Colorado newspapers including Vail, Aspen and Steamboat Springs. Alden Newspapers, a New York hedge fund, owns most of Dean Singleton’s empire of around 160 newspapers, including The Denver Post, Boulder, Longmont, Loveland. Ft. Morgan doing business as Prairie Mountain Media with about 18 flags.

The Colorado Sun, started by a band of former Denver Post staff started the non-profit digital-only Colorado Sun. In the past year they purchased the 28 Colorado newspapers owned and operated by Jerry and Ann Healey under the Colorado Media News flag. At last count there are approximately 110 legal newspapers operating in almost every county in Colorado. Three companies now own somewhere around 64 of these publications.

The majority of these newspapers print at major newspaper printing plants including where this newspaper is printed in a Denver Post plant in Berthoud. Another printing facility is located at the Pueblo Chieftain. One of the last pioneer publishers is Merle Baranzyk in Salida who owns a chain of mountain newspapers including Leadville, Fairplay, Buena Vista, along with his Salida Mountain Mail and printing facility. Durango, once with a huge printing plant. is now printed in Farmington, NM.

The Cheyenne Eagle plant in Wyoming prints some Colorado newspapers and is chain owned. As lumber prices have skyrocketed with inflation, the price of newsprint has risen with wood pulp rising costs with several price increase in the past year, driving subscription prices higher.

This is the lay of the land today; there are only a handful of even secondgeneration newspapers still operating. We still have some family members involved in our two newspapers operating in Arapahoe and Gilpin Counties. The 41-year old Villager started in Cherry Hills Village and a new acquisition in 2021, The Gilpin County Weekly Register-Call, the oldest newspaper in Colorado dating back to 1862. The official address and office is in the 1864 original newspaper building containing the antique printing equipment of the original newspaper now owned by the Central City Masonic Lodge No, 6, our landlord. This will be my last newspaper adventure and one of my dearest. Loving the history of the gold strike on Gregory Gulch in 1859 and the rush of 20,000 miners to the “Richest Square Mile On Earth.” History reeks in Central City and Black Hawk. Starting way back with the first acquisition of a second newspaper, The Middle

Park Times, in 1964, with the efficiencies of technology we could print and operate multiple newspapers. Eventually, we had a Photon computer to set type at lightning speed. Each year we would add one, or sometimes two additional newspapers that would be printed in the Craig plant. We remodeled the newspaper building and added a new four-unit King Press with color printing capacity. The Craig Daily Press had expanded with 15 newspapers and 80 employees located across many Colorado towns. We didn’t have locks on the doors, and we operated around the clock, composing, printing, addressing and shipping newspapers to various locations.

I delivered the newspapers to Walden, driving over Rabbit Ears Pass every Thursday morning, sometimes wearing ski goggles to see through the blinding snow storms. There would be patrons waiting in the lobby of the North Park post office to read the historic Jackson County Star. The postmaster would help me unload my Volkswagen fastback sedan loaded with a vastly improved newspaper containing photos and school sports. The prior owners used a classic linotype and antique press to publish. I donated the pristine machine to the CSU journalism school. Don’t know where it is today.

(To be continued)

PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Gerri Sweeney gerri@villagerpublishing.com

PUBLISHER Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com

CREATIVE MARKETING DIRECTOR

Susan Sweeney Lanam 720-270-2018 susan@villagerpublishing.com

VICE PRESIDENT/MARKETING

Sharon Sweeney sharon@villagerpublishing.com

LEGALS

Becky Osterwald legal@villagerpublishing.com

NEWS EDITOR Gerri Sweeney 720-313-9751 gerri@villagerpublishing.com

GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

Freda Miklin fmiklin.villager@gmail.com 303-489-4900

REPORTER

Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com

FASHION & LIFESTYLE

Scottie Iverson swan@denverswan.com

DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER

Tom McTighe production@villagerpublishing.com

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

Susan Lanam — 720-270-2018 susan@villagerpublishing.com

Sharon Sweeney — 303-503-1388

Gerri Sweeney — 720-313-9751 gerri@villagerpublishing.com

Scottie Iverson swan@denverswan.com

Linda Kehr — 303-881-9469 linda@villagerpublishing.com

Valerie LeVier — 303-773-8313 valerie@villagerpublishing.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Susan 720-270-2018

PHOTOGRAPHER

Stefan Krusze — 303-717-8282 octaviangogoI@aol.com

EDITORIAL COLUMNIST

Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com

The Villager is an award-winning, locally owned, independent newspaper. All letters to the editor must be signed. The contributor’s name, hometown and phone number must also accompany all letters to the editor for verification and we reserve the right to edit contributions for space. We attempt to verify all matters of fact but hold contributors liable for the content, accuracy and fairness of their contributions. All submissions become the property of The Villager and may be reused in any medium.

Reverend Martin Niemoller “In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists and didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak for me!”

2020 Member

With the field narrowed to 15 finalists, Denver Lyric Opera Guild’s Competition for Colorado Singers will reveal Top Winners on March 18

After the Louise Conter Master Class in February conducted by Matthew Plenck, and the preliminary competition on March 4, Denver Lyric Opera Guild will present its 40th annual signature event – Competition for Colorado Singers on Saturday, March 18. The Competition for young singers is scheduled from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 6500 E. Girard Avenue at S. Monaco in Denver. The event is free and open to the public. Guests may come and go or enjoy the entire day’s extraordinary performances. An amazing panel of judges will determine the various levels of winners. The Guild has awarded almost $1 million to Competition winners - many of whom have launched their operatic and musical careers as a result. Karen Bruggenthies is VP of this year’s Competition.

Tenor Cody Austin, who was recently seen in Central City Opera’s “Madame Butterfly,” is one of the judges