NorthBay Times Publisher Starting Anew

It’s been a month since NorthBay Times publisher Irene Hilsendager shuttered print operations at her monthly newspaper.

Hilsendager — whose voice has been a staple in Rohnert Park and Cotati for decades, first working at the Rohnert Park-Cotati Clarion (1972-1992), the Sonoma Index-Tribune, the Petaluma Argus-Courier and finally the Community Voice, started the North Bay Times in 2008, citing a vision for a friendlier newspaper.

“I wanted to start a friendly, little town newspaper, filled with positive news,” said Hilsendager, whose voice is recognizable even though her columns — about local nonprofits, cooking and fashion — were often published without a byline.

Despite her struggle with systemic lupus, a disease that attacks the immune system, the mother of seven kids from what she calls a small prairie town in North Dakota, became the newly-minted newspaper’s publisher, editor, columnist, reporter, photographer and ad salesperson; though she would later hire a small staff to help her.

“I saw it as my way of giving back,” she said.

Hilsendager’s wit, optimism and drive no doubt fueled the paper — which littered nearly every area store, local business and some newsstands around town.

“I’ve always liked writing, and I fell in love with Rohnert Park and Cotati because of the small-town feel,” said Hilsendager, who moved here with her seven kids in 1988.

But, after years struggling with health issues, which she said were heightened with the stress of putting together a print publication, Hilsendager has decided to move online.

“I am very sad to say after nearly three years, my health is suffering,” she wrote readers in the last May issue of the NorthBay Times. “After fighting many infections, a surgery and more to come, my systemic lupus will not allow me to continue putting out the NorthBay Times any longer … I feel my health is more important.”

Encouraged by an outpouring of community support, Hilsendager is expected start her online blog, North Bay Bits, within the next two weeks, she said.

“It’s a mini-version of the NorthBay Times, and online,” she added. “I feel so much better already, and many many people have offered to help me in any way they could. This is such a compassionate community, it makes me feel so good.”

“Irene is so well-respected in the community,” said Arianne Eskew, otherwise known as “The Computer Lady,” who has worked with Hilsendager through the Rotary Club of Rohnert Park-Cotati. “The NorthBay Times gave people optimism in such hard economic times.”

“It was a place to go for positive news; our light at the end of the tunnel,” Eskew added.

“My mom did everything for that paper,” said one of her daughters, LuAnn Schann. “It’s a little sad it’s gone because she worked so hard at it.”

As for Hilsendager, stay tuned in the coming weeks for her online blog, North Bay Bits.

“I will not forget the encouraging words each month that were emailed, phoned or just a yell on the street, with ‘another month and another great job,’” Hilsendager wrote to readers on her last month.