We’re all grown up

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

I’m both the worst guy to write about our 21st anniversary and the best. I’m the best because I was here on the first masthead of the Reno News & Review on Feb. 22, 1995. (I was also on the first masthead of its progenitor, Nevada Weekly, Nov. 17, 1993.) I’m the worst because I’m not a sentimental person. I’m mostly embarrassed or humbled when I think of myself in context of what this newspaper has done and has been in this community. In many ways, this newspaper caused the Reno that exists today.

The biggest battles we fought, we lost. The two biggest were our efforts to save the Mapes Hotel and against the train trench. I can think of a hundred little battles we won, but the Mapes and the train trench still sting because, after all these years, I still believe we were right.

But we helped build this community over the last 21 years—particularly the arts community—in many ways. We helped build it by covering it, by making it real with our ink and our efforts. There was one theater troupe in Reno when we started. There was no Artown. Burning Man was a couple hundred San Francisco people in the desert. The only city arts organization was Sierra Arts. I can’t remember more than two or three places that had regular local live music.

So, congratulations to us. Still vibrant, still shaking things up. We’re 21, feel free to buy us a cocktail next time you see us out.

To celebrate our local impact—and ourselves—this year, we’re making our local concert series truly local. For the first time ever, all the bands in Rollin’ on the River are going to be local. It’s going to be awesome. (For details, check out the ad on page 21.) This seems to me to be another great chance to buy drinks for all the people who’ve been associated with this paper for 21 years. I think there’s about five of us.

Every week, I think, “One of these weeks will be my last.” Man, 21 years seems like both forever ago and yesterday.