Longtime Elko newspaper owner Mel Steninger dies

ELKO — A colorful, longtime figure in Nevada newspaper history has died.

Mel Steninger died Monday at his home of chronic pulmonary disease. He was 82.

Born John Melvin Steninger, he was the third generation of Steningers to own the newspaper that was founded in 1883 and owned by family members for 90 years, from 1910 through 2000.

Steninger began working at the newspaper when it was jointly owned by his parents and Chris Sheerin in the 1950s. He later joined with a partner, Earl Frantzen, to buy the business and in 1968 became the sole owner with his wife, Mae.

They sold the Elko Daily Free Press in 1992 to their children, who sold it 2000 to Liberty Group Publication.

A memorial will be held later this month.