It has been a while since a newspaper existed in Mora Valley. Hopefully, that changes with the introduction of the Pioneer Press of Mora Valley—a publication focused strictly on news for the people.
As Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, and Manager, I am excited to present this first edition. The paper will cover essential local topics, including county commission meetings, school board decisions, and FEMA-related updates. Above all, it will be completely objective: I will not take sides, nor will this paper ever be used to settle scores or air personal grievances.
While I am well aware of past local blunders and political missteps, my intent is to wipe the slate clean. I will not cover old news for the sake of gossip or entertainment. Instead, I will attend local meetings, take notes, capture photos, and write non-biased articles based solely on what I observe. When we highlight local personalities, those feature stories will be positive, upbeat, and entertaining.
The Pioneer Press will be printed in full color as a four- to eight-page edition, starting with an initial run of 200 copies priced at $1 each. For local businesses, placing an ad means reaching readers across these 200 print copies as well as a wider digital audience via online PDFs. Because I don’t use heavy industrial rolling presses, production costs remain low—allowing me to keep advertising rates fair and reasonable.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with an emphasis in print journalism from New Mexico Highlands University, where I served as Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, La Mecha. My last journalism role before local print media declined was right here in Mora. I also hold a Level II K–8 Teaching License from the State of New Mexico. Having recently entered semi-retirement, I am returning to my true passion.
Almost every article will be original—even the horoscopes! I avoid canned material, and while I occasionally use AI tools like Gemini and Copilot to assist me artistically, I will never use AI to replace human journalism. To me, AI is a tool, not a substitute for human thought.
Finally, this newspaper will leave national political noise at the door. My focus is entirely on our local culture, people, and land.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the Pioneer Press of Mora Valley.