Pioneertown Gets New Paper: ‘Jackass Mail’

Hometown newspapers are more popular than they were 25 years ago when radio and TV were first thinking of large scale news productions.

Take Pioneertown, near Yucca Valley, a very small community, with stores and businesses one can count on one hand. It has its own newspaper; “Jackass Mail.” Type is hand set. The four column five page paper is small but July 1 weekend 500 persons bought every single copy at 15 cents.

Pioneertown is making news with its 12^th Annual Wild Burro Race to begin at Pioneertown on the morning of Aug. 5, and proceed through Yucca Valley, Lucerne Valley and terminate at Big Bear Lake Aug. 7.

Pioneertown is calling all women from 9 to 90 to enter its big Burro Queen contest.

The queen will be chosen July 31 during the busy old western town’s hilarity. A coronation and queen’s ball is planned for the town slab on Mane Street, across from the park.

Editorially, our neighbor in Pioneertown is complaining about “Too Many Chiefs—Too Few Blankets,” referring to every man having more to lose by “aiming for a toga of the chief than by being satisfied with the dirty blanket of a warrior.”

The editor A.C. Amos calls for Pioneertown folks to remember Ben Franklin, who said, ”Indeed, we must hang together. Otherwise we shall most assuredly hang separately.”

And don’t forget July 3^rd issue of Pioneertown’s proud newspaper (9 x 12 inches) carries a hang up calendar of events I the town from today until Aug 8 – There’s a gym __, fast draw contest, marine shooting contest, rodeo, stage coach holdup, a fight an’ hangin’, dancin’ on the slab, twist and checker contest, and that ain’t all at Pioneertown USA.