Small-town greatness

Enfolded in the Austin Chronicle picked up at the Whip In was the July 24, 2003, issue of the Shiner Gazette. The Gazette, now in its 111th year of publishing weekly, certainly deserves its survival. Every story on every one of the 12 pages was worth publishing. The front page shows two slogans: "Things are Brewing in Shiner" and "Serving the cleanest little city in Texas." Right there on the front page were photographs and a story about the introduction of Shiner Light, featuring the mayor, a far-from-young woman, hoisting the brew with every sign of approval. Going to the Shiner site enables one to become an honorary citizen of Shiner and receive a complimentary copy of the Shiner Gazette. The newspaper adheres to the small-town practice of not publishing asking prices for real estate. There's a long and informative (and opinionated) weekly column by the chief of police, obviously written by no one else. The weekly police report reveals that the greater part of the work is unlocking vehicles for those who locked their keys inside them. There are numerous photographs of local school children. Scholarships and graduations are featured. Nearly all help-wanted ads seek nursing-home staff members. Since it is a small town, there are fewer engagements and weddings (no births in this issue) than there are obituaries, one of which is for the great Lee Roy Matocha.