The Plumas Sun: Rising August 1; community meeting July 31

Editor’s note: Earlier this week a press release discussed the formation of Plumas County News by a group of individuals committed to bringing news to Plumas County in the wake of Plumas News sunsetting on July 31. The new effort has been rebranded as The Plumas Sun. Details are shared by the organizers below.

Plumas County residents who follow the local news will be losing the voice we have trusted for many years when Plumas News stops posting new content on July 31. The site will remain available as a resource for readers to access past stories.

Feather Publishing Co., which has given us Plumas News as its online platform, will continue to produce High Country Life, a monthly magazine offering feature stories about local people, places, events and more.

Meanwhile, local readers can look forward to The Plumas Sun, a web-based publication offering countywide coverage of government, other news and local events.

“Nothing will quite take the place of Plumas News but Plumas Sun aims to keep local news alive and well,” said Sierra Blanton, one of the new publication’s organizers.

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The Plumas Sun will fill the information void Plumas County was facing with the closure of Plumas News. The prospect of no local news was unimaginable to those who believe accurate information is a cornerstone of democracy, Blanton said. Early in July, when Plumas News made its unexpected announcement, a group of local citizens gathered to discuss an alternative to the information vacuum we were facing.

Plumas Sun is the result. It will provide coverage of local government, including the Plumas County Board of Supervisors, county government and the City of Portola. The Sheriff’s Blotter and information about up-coming events provided by local, state and federal organizations will be posted on its website, plumassun.org/

As the news team expands and funding stabilizes, Plumas Sun will increase its coverage to include community activities, features, births and obituaries, and public notices.

The Plumas Sun will hold a meeting at 5:15 p.m. on Monday, July 31, to answer questions about and get feedback on the new venture to the community. The meeting will be held in the lower room of the Plumas Unified School District administration office.  A Zoom link will be available for those who wish to participate virtually.

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Heading The Plumas Sun editorial team is Jane Braxton Little, a veteran of Feather Publishing Company who has been an independent journalist for 30 years. She will be working with James Wilson, Lauren Westmoreland, Suzanne Schramel-Stirling and others to bring local news and events to Quincy, Greenville, Chester, Portola and every corner of the county.

“We will start small to ensure the high-quality journalism readers in this county deserve. Then watch us grow!” said Little.

To submit events for publication go to [email protected].

The Plumas Sun is a nonprofit organization supported by donations, subscriptions, advertisements and grant funding, Blanton said. It is working with The Almanor Foundation as its fiscal sponsor.

Susan Bryner, Almanor Foundation’s executive director, said newspapers and press coverage are indispensable in rural communities, providing a vital platform for communication, connection and community development. “Without them we risk losing our voice, identity and ability to thrive. The Almanor Foundation is pleased to be able to support this vital function in our community,” she said.

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The Plumas Sun is working in close cooperation with KQNY in Quincy. The new news organization is looking forward to collaborating with community groups and the public to bring information to residents throughout the county, Blanton said.

“We can’t thank Feather Publishing Co., Cobey Brown and Plumas News enough for the service they have provided for so many years,” she said. “We hope to continue offering the accurate, unbiased news we need to empower the public and strengthen our communities.”

Blanton particularly thanked Debra Moore, a “one-woman wonder” who has been part of the news team for 30 years.

The Plumas Sun is accepting donations through The Almanor Foundation at https://almanorfoundation.org/plumas-sun-news-fund/. It will eventually accept advertisements, Blanton said.

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Working in collaboration with committed leaders throughout the community has been encouraging and exciting, with Plumas Sun the proud product, Blanton said.

“We have a brilliant set of minds working on all areas of this project. I deeply admire their dedication and absence of hesitation when answering this call to action,” she said. “We look forward to working with all who share our commitment to strong journalism for strong communities.”