The editor of the Vernon County Broad-caster took a complaint from a reader last week, who said the newspaper’s stories have no relevance to the community.

"Why don’t you report on anything happening here?" the woman asked, holding up the newspaper. "Everything in here is La Crosse news."

The woman pointed directly at a story on the front page that originated out of downtown Viroqua and said, adamantly, "You don’t care about Vernon County. This is all stuff about La Crosse and Eau Claire."

The editor listened as the woman said nobody at the newspaper cared about anything, her right hand holding onto the newspaper, partially covering a story about the Viroqua Eagles Club hosting a car show on the Fourth of July.

"I just don’t know what you people are doing calling yourself a Vernon County newspaper," the woman continued, pointing at a front-page photo of a Viroqua girl.

The woman opened the newspaper and pointed at a story highlighting the exploits of the Post 138 American Legion baseball team.

“Why are you covering the Brewers? This isn’t Milwaukee! Who cares?” she said.

Paging further and pointing at the Focus Page with a story on the Viroqua Community Theatre’s production of "Arsenic and Old Lace," the woman said, "And what about this? Who do you think you are? Variety?"

Finally, paging again and pointing at a photo of the Kickapoo Valley Chautauqua, which was performed at the Kickapoo Reserve visitor’s center, she said, "If you’re not going to cover anything local, what’s the point? This newspaper started with local news, you’ve ruined it."

The editor didn’t have the heart to tell the woman that the newspaper started more than 150 years ago, largely reprinting news that was a month or more old gleaned out of newspapers from eastern states. Instead, he bid the woman a good day and went back to his desk to update the newspaper’s website with a story about a motorcycle accident near Genoa.

--Wilhelm

Conspiracy of the week is a regular feature in the Broadcaster that’s meant to be entertaining, although opinions will vary. Oh, and it’s totally fake.