Labor of love -- one-woman newspaper staff gives readers what they want

Mary Marsh, editor and publisher of the Indianola News, takes a breather at the newspaper's office. (Lorri Sughroue/McCook Daily Gazette)

INDIANOLA, Nebraska --As small rural communities struggle to keep their identities intact, Mary Marsh of Indianola is doing her part.

For the past 17 years, Marsh, along with her husband, Skip, have published the Indianola News for this town of 600.

Prior to Marsh acquiring the newspaper, the Indianola News was distributed as part of a nearby weekly. But the news wasn't local enough, Marsh recalled. With some urging from friends, she borrowed the money and purchased the paper, becoming a one-woman publisher/editor.

It was a lot to take on at first, this former teacher said, as Marsh had no background in publishing. But now, the six-page weekly is a labor of love, as locals help out by contributing columns, photographs and ardent support.

"I'd be lost without it," said Indianola resident Margaret Noyes, who owns a beauty salon across the street from the newspaper's office. "It's a shame if it wasn't here ... we wouldn't hear about all our kids in sports otherwise."

Noyes said the newspaper fills a unique niche.

"We like to read about people from our hometown, because we don't get that kind of news in other newspapers," she said.

Marsh knows exactly what Noyes means, which is why she gives her readers what they want. In an area where cattle outnumber the people, news may be in the eye of the beholder.

Front-page stories in a recent edition included those on the city council meeting, the high schooler who qualified for state cross country and who attended the Kings and Queens pinochle party.

"People want to hear about their kids and neighbors," Marsh said, sitting in the one-room school house that has been converted into the Indianola News office. "I think a local paper helps us stay together, we've lost so much already."

Consolidation of schools, post office closings and lack of new business affects Indianola and other smaller towns surrounding it, she said. A locally-owned newspaper is the thread that keeps the fabric of the community going.

Regular items include "Pat's Prattle," about local history and Marsh's own "Mary's Ramblings," where she includes last minute obits or observations.

An Indianola resident for 30 years, Marsh takes the paper, but not herself, seriously.

"If there's a mistake to be made, I've made it," she cheerfully admitted, such as mis-identifying people in a picture or spelling Kelsey or Brittany the wrong way.

"People catch the mistakes right away, and I hear about it," she said, "but they know it's not intentional, so they're pretty forgiving about it."

Plus, it helps that Marsh is on the same page as her readers.

"I don't make much money doing this, but I don't care, I'm happy here," she said. "The open spaces, the solitude ....I like being in Middle of Nowhere, Nebraska,"

Her readers are glad she likes it, too.