[Vermont, USA] Obiturary for an Underground Newspaper

north america / mexico | the left | news report Sunday December 06, 2009 20:21 by CT News Obituary Editor Xavier Massot - Catamount Tavern News Service

Catamount Tavern News R.I.P. 2002-2009

Well folks, this is it: the last article of Catamount Tavern News.

Catamount Tavern News Service, Plainfield, Vermont, November, 2009- Well folks, this is it: the last article of Catamount Tavern News. Get those little plastic bags you keep your rare comic books in and save every back issue you can find, they might be worth something some day! In these desperate economic times you need all the ammo you can get your hands on. Ahh, the last issue, and I don’t have to write about Michael Jackson or Ted Kennedy which is good because I think I would have quit. What to say though? Reminisce about the good old days? No. Talk about Vermont stuff? Bah. Healthcare? Oh no. I always thought this thing should have been a drug, ammo, happy music trash, a cartoon good-time magazine, but that would have entailed too much leg work and perhaps legal fees. Maybe more could have been done is what I’m saying.

Not that the paper is folding because of any of the usual reasons why papers end. I think it’s just run its course and that is that. But as a final testament let me say that over the years I’ve dreaded the writing of almost every column I’ve signed and have found excuses to avoid doing deliveries and, especially, the stapling and folding paper-assembly torture thing every step of the way (*up until a year ago every copy was hand folded and stapled by whoever Dave could cajole and/or coerce into it). A lot of it was fun though and sometimes worth it (spiritually). It’s been a good time overall and the paper definitely improved by leaps and bounds over the years.

I guess some names should be mentioned as notables to the CT News effort, they are (in no particular order): David Van Deusen the monomaniacal editor guy, Jeremy Kaplan who was there in spirit if not occasional form, Jeremy Ripin the good natured photo dude, Lady the original editor and crossword puzzle gal, Sean West for editing for a while, Beth Cate for copy editing, Wes Hamilton for generally making the NEK deliveries (even if he did miss a few), Traven Leyshon for all the articles he was roped into writing, Jonah Banis who wrote the hunting column for a spell and was good to drink beer with, the three girls who lived in a shack on the compound and managed to neither kill each other nor escape the CT News communal stapling and folding process, and Thor the dog who provided emotional support even while sleeping. There’s probably a few names missing but these are the first one’s that came to my mind.

So, in this, the last obituary, the last article, what the hell to talk about? What would really tie the whole kit and caboodle together? I have no idea, none. Hopefully the final press release or the drunken ramblings for some bar patron in Brattleboro will fill that gap. The farewell should be short and sweet. I would encourage anyone who feels the urge to put out whatever they got and see what sticks. As for the staff of Catamount Tavern News, we’ll be out there in some form or other doing whatever seems like a good idea at the time. It’s easier to write about dead folks than defunct local free newspapers.

Catamount Tavern News, 2002-2009, Rest in Peace