“The owners closed the Mesquite Local News’ print edition, but they kept the website active,” Kern says (picture below left). So in August 2020, he launched the Mesquite Monthly, which has made it well beyond its first year and is growing. He has received the green light from his former bosses at Battle Born to revive and publish daily online news under the Mesquite Local News flag. He finds having a daily presence online compliments the Mesquite Monthly print product. “It requires a delicate balancing act for one local newspaper to provide equal coverage and satisfy readers in two different areas,” he explains.