Sheet legal
The Fifty Center can kiss my masthead
It only took six-plus years, but The Sheet’s petition to become a newspaper of general circulation was approved by Mono County Superior Court Judge Ed Forstenzer on Thursday.
Meaning the longstanding monopoly the Fifty Center has enjoyed as the sole paper of general circulation in Mono County is over.
Not that the Fifty didn’t fight truth, justice and healthy competition to the bitter end.
More fittingly, the Fifty fought its case while hiding behind Bishop-based attorney Dana Crom. Crom appeared via telephone. No member of the Fifty’s staff attended in person. Perhaps Publisher David Balcom listened in over Crom’s speakerphone. That or he was downstairs inside the Fifty’s offices and wasn’t up to climbing a flight of stairs.
After the hearing, I caught up with myself for an interview.
Lunch: So, how does this benefit the fine citizens of Mono County?
Lunch: It means that when my fellow cititzens need to run a legal classified, they can either run it in The Sheet, a locally-owned and operated newspaper whose knowledgeable staff actually knows where Bridgeport is, or they can run it in a corporately-owned competing newspaper whose home offices are based near Chicago.
Lunch: Chicago? You mean, a portion of what I spend with the Fifty Center doesn’t stay local, but is sent to Illinois?
Lunch: I’m afraid so.
Lunch: What will it cost to run a legal in The Sheet?
Lunch: Let’s just say we will not be undersold.
Lunch: How does your circulation compare to the Fifty?
Lunch: To make an analogy, The Sheet’s circulation is to the Fifty’s as Deena Kastor’s circulation is to Dick Cheney’s.
Lunch: Any final words?
Lunch: I would like to thank our readers, advertisers and staff for making The Sheet possible. A special mention to Brian Knox of Access Art and Business Center for helping get us off the ground in May 2003, as well to those businesses who’ve advertised with us since Vol. 1, No. 1, including Mammoth Reservations, Elegant Bath and Kitchen, Farmer’s Insurance, The Ski Surgeon, Minaret Cinemas and the Clocktower Cellar.
