Adam Yacenda
Adam John Yacenda (December 17, 1915 – June 13, 1986) was an American newspaper publisher and political adviser. He began his career working for various newspapers in New York and New Jersey before moving to California in the 1940s for health reasons. There, he published the Beverly Hills Bulletin before taking a job as then-U.S. Representative Richard Nixon's press secretary. After Nixon's success senate campaign in 1950, Yacenda moved to Las Vegas where he became editor of the Las Vegas Sun.
Yacenda subsequently worked on the re-election campaign of Governor
Yacenda died in Houston in 1986 while awaiting heart surgery.
Career
Adam John Yacenda was born December 17, 1915, in
In 1950, Yacenda became then-congressman Richard Nixon's press secretary.[2] After leading Nixon's successful senate campaign over Helen Gahagan Douglas, Yacenda moved to Las Vegas in search of a warmer climate. He interviewed with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, but neither party was very interested. Instead, Yacenda took a job as a reporter for the recently founded Las Vegas Sun. Two years later, he was promoted to editor.[2]
In 1954, Yacenda left the Sun to work on the re-election campaign of Republican Governor Charles H. Russell. He was slated to run the governor's office after the campaign. However, late in the campaign the Sun published a story alleging corruption by Russell's opponent, Vail Pittman, which helped ensure re-election. Russell thus felt a high ranking position in his government for Yacenda would look like a payoff, and Yacenda returned to the Sun as managing editor instead.[2]
In late 1958, Yacenda grew tired of Sun owner
The Valley Times quickly surpassed its rival North Las Vegas News, published by Greenspun, and in November the two papers merged.[3][4] Under Yacenda's leadership, the paper continued to grow. In 1963, it moved to twice weekly publication. Explaining the growth years later, reporter Bruce Hasley remarked "[Yacenda] really understood how to make a small community paper succeed. I will never forget his hammering away at photos of children and dogs and getting as many names of local people in the paper as we could."[2]
The Valley Times expanded to tri-weekly publication in 1973, but North Las Vegas never saw the growth Yacenda had envisioned. The city council was in turmoil and the community received little support from the state government which did not view it as having a unique identity separate from Las Vegas. Facing heart surgery for a defective heart valve, Yacenda sold his paper to Bob Brown in November 1973. Upon the sale, Brown described Yacenda as "one of Nevada's outstanding newspaperman. He has done an amazing job building the Valley Times against tremendous odds ...Adam Yacenda has made the Valley Times a very successful and widely read newspaper."[2]
Yacenda remained politically active throughout his life. He was a close adviser to
After selling the Valley Times, Yacenda contributed to a variety of Las Vegas area publications, including helping with the Sun's youth forum in 1984.
Death and legacy
Yacenda died in Houston, Texas, on June 13, 1986, while awaiting heart surgery. His funeral was held in Los Angeles where much of his immediate family lived at the time.[1] Upon his death, Las Vegas Today editor Norma Staley described Yacenda as "a first class journalist [and] a super human being."[1] Gragson credited Yacenda for his political success and described him as "a close associate and dear friend ... he was one of few who believed I had a chance" to win the mayor's office. "He was a credit to his profession and a stickler about facts", he added.[1]
Personal life
Yacenda's brother, Rudy, worked with him at the Las Vegas Sun in the accounting department.[5] He had four other brothers – Dom, Pat, Albert, and Sam – and two sisters – Claire Vaughn and Mary.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Newspaper editor, political aide Yacenda dies". Las Vegas Sun. June 14, 1986.
- ^ ISBN 0874172888.
- ISBN 0874170753.
- ISBN 978-0810125087.
- ISBN 0874176816.