Don Gresock suffers stroke

Beacon retiree Don Gresock of San Antonio, Texas, suffered a stroke about noon Wednesday while working in his garage. His brother, Dick, said Don somehow got into the house, called a relative and was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in San Antonio where he is in intensive care. Dick said his brother had paralysis on the left side, affecting his left arm and hand and could not raise his left leg. However, he was able to call his brother and also called Bob Pell in Wadswoth. Don, now 74, took early retirement.
Don Gresock, 3319 Clearfield, San Antonio, TX 78230 E-mail: CVNL1@stic.net

Neil Sheinen in hospital

BJ mail room employe R. Neil Sheinen is in Akron City Hospital recovering from a single bypass open heart surgery on Monday. Sheinen joined the BJ in August 1984 and worked for a while in sports before joining the mail room. Call patient information at 330-375-3131.

Purloined from Hot Type

Items grabbed from Hot Type, the BJ online company newslettter:

Eight to be honored in Creativity Annual
The work of eight newsroom staff members will appear in the prestigious Creativity Annual, a publication recognizing outstanding art and design internationally.
Two Beacon Journal works won gold medals. Dennis Balogh and Edna Jakubowski won for illustration and page design in the Art/Illustration category for a center spread on Aretha Franklin in Enjoy magazine. Rick Steinhauser won a gold medal in the same category for his illustration of the Rock Hall’s Class of 2004.
Deborah Kauffman Barry was honored for her design work on last year's special section honoring the Akron Zoo's anniversary. Phil Masturzo shot the photographs for the section. Rick Brinson won for his design work on an infographic, "Blossom in bloom again," which mapped out the renovations and updating at Blossom Music Center.
An editorial design award went to Tim Good, Dennis Balogh and Phil Masturzo for their efforts on a Health section front about hormone replacement diets.
Dennis Balogh also won for his illustrations of the Tri-City Jazz Fest and REM coming to Cleveland, both of which appeared in Enjoy magazine.
Kathy Hagedorn was honored for her illustration of the Dixie Chicks in Enjoy magazine.

Road Runner Akron Marathon postscript
Several staff members were among the thousands who ran in the Oct. 2 Road Runner Akron Marathon. Participating on Beacon Blasters, a co-ed relay team, were Dan Belford, advertising; Cathy Harbert, advertising; Steve Hoffman, newsroom; team captain John Russell, newsroom, and his running buddy, Peter Horwitz. The team finished in a total time of 3 hours, 29 minutes and 3 seconds, coming in 27th out of 324 co-ed relay teams.
Denny Gordon, newsroom ran in the male relay division with a group of friends that included former staff members Mike Jewell, Greg Maibach and Eric Sandstrom. Their team, Ten Feet High, finished in 3 hours, 20 minutes and 26 seconds, good enough for 29th place out of 95 male relay teams, said Gordon. Katie Byard, newsroom, ran on a co-ed relay team called Lords and Ladies of the Library. The group finished in 4 hours, 40 minutes and 41 seconds, placing 297th out of 324.

KSU names Nancy Whitehead recipient of 2004 Service Award
Kent State University has named Nancy Whitehead, classified advertising manager, the recipient of a 2004 Service Award. The KSU School of Journalism and Mass Communica-tion (JMC) and Friends of JMC present the award jointly. The entities base their selection on a nominee’s service to the school.. Whitehead received the 2004 Service Award at a homecoming brunch on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Her most recent service to the school was to establish the Nancy E. Whitehead Scholarship to help prepare future journalists and advertising professionals. The scholarship will be worth $10,000 once it’s endowed. The contributions she makes toward that end are matched in part by Knight Ridder. She and her husband, Tom, live in Kent with their two children, Allison, 20, who is majoring in education at Ohio State University, and Neale, 13.

Lorraine G. Grace obit

Lorraine is the daughter of the late BJ artist Joe Grace

Lorraine G. Grace

CUYAHOGA FALLS Lorraine G. Grace, 50, passed away Oct. 24, 2004.

Lorraine Grace was born in Akron, Ohio, and had resided most of her life in Cuyahoga Falls. She was a 1972 graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, graduated from Akron City School of Nursing in 1975, and was employed as a nurse for Summa Home Care. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Cuyahoga Falls.

Preceded in death by her parents, Theresa and Joseph Grace, and twin brother, Lawrence, she is survived by her sisters, Mary Ann Grace of Stow and Patricia (Patrick) Grubbs of Cambridge; sister-in-law, Linda Grace of Cuyahoga Falls; nieces and nephews, Lawrence Loh man, John Lohman, Thomas Grubbs, Anne Grubbs, Steven Prough, and Jamie Zook; great-nieces and -nephews, Elizabeth Grace Lohman, Tracey Lohman, Collin Grubbs, Michael Prough, and Matthew Zook.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Clifford- Shoemaker Funeral Home, 1930 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls. A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 9 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Cuyahoga Falls. Inurnment at Holy Cross Cemetery. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of Summa, P.O. Box 2090, Akron, Ohio 44398-9976, in her memory. (CLIFFORD-SHOEMAKER, 330- 928-2147.)
Please sign the guest book at www.ohio.com/obituaries

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, Tuesday, October 26, 2004, page B8, col. 2

Roland Queen dead at 59

Roland Queen

Retired Akron sportswriter
leaves legacy of excellence

Roland Queen, who
covered both students
and pros, dead at 59

By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer
Roland Queen loved most everything about sports. It was his passion and immeasurable drive that made him one of Ohio's most-respected sportswriters.

Mr. Queen, a Washington, D.C., native, began his 22-year career with the Akron Beacon Journal in 1977. He retired in 1999, leaving a legacy of excellence that inspired his colleagues.

Mr. Queen, 59, died late Thursday night after a lengthy and courageous battle with bone cancer.

Perhaps no one understood the intricacies of a game quite like Mr. Queen, his friends recalled. He possessed an uncanny knack for simplifying complex game strategies, enabling him to connect with his readers. More importantly, Mr. Queen knew how to connect with people.

``He could befriend anybody. He made friends wherever we went. He had a good heart,'' said his son, David Queen, a police officer in Washington.

``He taught me not to judge people. That if you respect and love people, they will do the same in return,'' said his daughter, Tamara Queen, a senior at Miami University in Oxford. ``He was personable, loving, caring, compassionate and sincere.''

Mr. Queen had a soothing demeanor and an endearing personality that made him a beloved figure long after he left the Beacon Journal. Friends said he was loved by people of all walks of life. Color had no boundaries with him.

``He cared more about other people than he did himself. I literally saw him give the shirt off his back and the last $10 in his pocket to someone in need,'' said golf buddy Mike Simon of Akron. ``He was a good friend. He listened well and always had something encouraging to say.''

Mr. Queen, who studied journalism at Kent State University and was a star basketball player in the U.S. Army, had no boundaries as a writer. His editors trusted him with myriad beats: Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Barons, Cleveland Force, the University of Akron.

``He approached what he did as a calling,'' said former Beacon Journal Sports Editor Tom Giffen. ``He had high standards for himself, whether he was writing about pee-wee football or a pro beat. He didn't know anybody he didn't like. He treated the seventh-grader with the same respect as the pro football player.''

The athletes and coaches admired him, too. He developed a lasting relationship with the likes of former Akron and current University of Cincinnati basketball coach Bobby Huggins.

``Roland was always very fair, and he cared about the people he covered,'' Huggins said.

Most athletes and coaches respected Mr. queen's opinions, in part, because he played the games. He had no greater passion than golf. He toiled at the game, trying to find the perfect swing. He was a grinder, who kept plugging away hole after hole, round after round.

`` `Why do I love this game,' he asked himself repeatedly,'' recalled Ralph Paulk, also a former Beacon Journal sportswriter. ``The answer was simple, really. He loved a challenge. He loved the game. Roland approached golf just as he did life and work.''

``He always strived to be a better golfer, a better person and a better writer,'' Paulk said. ``When I arrived at the Beacon Journal, Roland and (the late Beacon Journal sportswriter) Milan Zban taught me the ropes. Roland could be brutally honest in his critique, but it never overshadowed his compassion for others. He never hesitated to tell those close to him how much he loved them.''

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday following family visitation at 12:30 p.m. at the Rhoden funeral home, 1101 Palmetto Ave.

Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or 800-777-7232 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, Saturday, October 23, 2004, page B7, col. 3]

Fitzpatrick wins award

Ex-Beacon Journal editor wins award

By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer
CLEVELAND - Pulitzer Prize-winning editor Al Fitzpatrick, formerly of the Akron Beacon Journal, is the winner of the 2004 American Journalism Historians Association local journalist award.

Fitzpatrick, who worked for 29 years at the Beacon Journal, was its first black reporter. He was news editor in 1970 when he supervised the newspaper's coverage of the May 4 Kent State University shootings. In 1977 he was executive editor.

In 1979, Fitzpatrick became coordinator of minority affairs for the Knight Ridder chain, owner of the Beacon Journal. He later moved to corporate headquarters, then in Miami, where he rose to assistant vice president.

He retired from Knight Ridder in 1994.

Fitzpatrick reminded journalists Thursday not to forget their fundamental responsibility -- to investigate and tell both sides of the story. He said people have easier access to information because of technology, but that doesn't ensure instant credibility. It's the journalist's job to sort through information and bring credibility to the table, he said.

Fitzpatrick was interim dean of journalism at Howard University in Washington, D.C., for a year and occasionally teaches a journalism course called Managing Diversity at his alma mater, Kent State.

His award was given during the AJHA convention held this week in Cleveland. The 23-year-old organization fosters research and teaching of journalism history.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or 800-777-7232 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, Friday, October 22, 2004, page B7, col. 1]

Sheila Semonin obit

Sheila Semonin


Sheila M. Semonin (Nee McClarmon)

Sheila M. Semonin, 63, died Monday, Oct. 18, 2004.

Mrs. Semonin was a lifelong area resident who graduated from St. Martha Grade School and St. Vincent High School. She was a former librarian at the Beacon Journal, Mother of Sorrow Catholic Church, and the Hudson Library System. At the time of her retirement, she was employed by Chase Transcriptions. Sheila was an avid reader who enjoyed photogra phy and artistic endeavors. Her life was dedicated to helping others and, although she had many adversities, her wit and contagious smile made life bearable.

Preceded in death by her husband, William, she is survived by her daughters, Julie (Bill) Krukemeyer, Nora (Matt) Fleming, and Annie (Kirk) Weitz; grandchildren, Abby, Alex, Andrew, and Aaron Krukemeyer, and Jack Fleming; sister, Eileen Weber; brother, Steve (Michele) McClarnon; nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Calling hours will be Thurs day, 4 to 8 p.m., at the Dunn-Quigley, Ciriello & Carr Stow Chapel (Kent Road at Route 91). Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, 10 a.m., at St. Martha Catholic Church. Interment at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Peninsula. The family suggests memorials to the Lung Association.

(Dunn Quigley, Criello & Carr, Stow, 330-253-8121.)

Please sign the guest book at http://www.ohio.com/obituaries

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, Wednesday, October 20, 2004, page B7, col. 4]

For Grandparents Only

Harry Liggett note: This is only for really old BJ types like me and courtesy of Dave Boerner:

WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?

(taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of her own. They like other people's.

A grandfather is a man grandmother.

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the store and have lots of quarters for us.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the color of the flowers and also! Why we shouldn't step on "cracks."

They don't say, "Hurry up."

Usually grandmothers are fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes.

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

They can take their teeth and gums out.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like "Why isn't God married?" and "How come dogs chase cats?".

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television, because they are the only grown ups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack-time before bedtime and they say prayers with us every time, and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

A 6 YEAR OLD WAS ASKED WHERE HIS GRANDMA LIVED. ''OH,'' HE SAID, ''SHE LIVES AT THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN WE WANT HER WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''

Send this to other grandparents. It will make their day.

Alfred C. Roseborough Obit

Alfred C. Roseborough


Alfred C. Roseborough

Alfred C. Roseborough, 86, passed away Oct. 16, 2004.

Born in Loudonville, he had been an Akron resident for most of his life, where he was a graduate of North High School. He retired from the Akron Beacon Jour nal, also worked at Goodrich, and was a former member of the Brown Street Baptist Church. He was kind, caring, and extremely gen erous, and always put everyone else before himself. He will be sadly missed.

Preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Mana, and son, Lowell, he is survived by his wife of 67 years, Kathryn; granddaughter, Sherry (Rob) Jewitt, and grandson, Kevin; great-grandchildren, Samantha and Michael; and daughter-in- law, Ernestine.

Funeral service will be held Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004, at 11 a.m., at Eckard-Baldwin Sanctuary Chapel, 760 E. Market St., Rev. Eddy Wayne offici ating. Interment at Restland Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home for one hour prior to services, from 10 to 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to American Heart Association.

(Eckard-Baldwin 330-535-7141}
Please sign the guest book at www.ohio.com/obituaries

[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, Tuesday, October 19, 2004, page B7, col. 4]

Knight Ridder profits up 11 per cent

Third quarter profits rose 11 percent at Knight Ridder Inc., helped by a special tax gain in the quarter, a report by Reuters states. . The company did not provide an earnings outlook but said it expects revenue gains to continue in the fourth quarter as it works to keep expenses under control. A report in the Beacon Journal business section said net income increased to $76.9 million, or 99 cents a share, from $69.1 million, or 85 cents a share a year earlier. Shares rose $1.14 to $67.19. Knight Ridder with 31 newspapers is the

CEO Tony Ridder said ad revenue was strong in all major markets except Miami, where total revenue for the third quarter fell 1.7 percent. Ridder attributed the decline to the three hurricanes that struck the southeastern U.S. in September.

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ reported total advertising revenue for the quarter was $562.9 million, up 3.2% from $545.4 million in the same quarter of 2003. Total operating revenue was $722.2 million, up 2.1% from $707.2 million in the same quarter last year. Total operating profit for the quarter was $134.0 million, up 3.9% from $129.0 million in the third quarter of 2003. Net income of $76.9 million was up 11.2% from $69.1 million in the same quarter the previous year.

Commenting on the results, Ridder said, "We are pleased with the quarter's strong finish, boosted by September's very good results. Ad revenue was up 4.3% for the month, exactly the same as in August, with all of the large markets except Miami performing well. Ad revenue increases for the month ranged from 2.1% in St. Paul to 9.0% in Charlotte. Likewise, combined revenue for 18 of our mid-sized and smaller newspapers was up 8.0% in September.

"For the quarter, the pattern was similar, with all of the large markets (except Miami) showing ad revenue increases -- albeit in a tighter range. In Florida, overall revenue loss from three September hurricanes was greatest in Miami, where revenue for the month was down 4.4% and for the quarter was down 1.7%.

"Cost increases for the quarter were the lowest of the year -- up 1.7% on a 3.6% rise in newsprint, ink and supplements. Lower health care costs helped; while we had earlier anticipated their being flat for the year, we now think they will be down. For the quarter, labor and employee benefits were down 0.2%.

"Knight Ridder Digital revenue in the quarter was up 39%, to $29.9 million, with operating profit of $10.7 million (excluding equity losses from partially owned subsidiaries), double what it was in the same quarter last year. Also in the quarter, CareerBuilder maintained its audience lead over both Monster and Hot Jobs, averaging 13.8 million unique visitors in each of the three months, up 112.0% over the same quarter last year. CareerBuilder's Q3 average visitors were 43% greater than visitors to Hot Jobs, and 19% greater than jobs-related visitors to Monster.com.

Dawidziak Debut: A Christmas Carol

Mark Dawidziak, former Beacon Journal TV and movie critic, looms large in a 6-col. photo on the Beacon Journal Arts&Living front, page E1, of Thursday, October 14.

The photo accompanies a brightly written article by BJ staffer Kerry Clawson on the move of the Largely Literary Theater Co. to the beautifully renovated 700-seat Greystone Hall & Theatre in the former Masonic Temple at High and Mill streets downtown.

Mark and his wife, Sarah Showman, who lead the company, will open their third year with Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, December 10-18. Other productions include Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses April 2-3 and The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated May 21-22.. Fifty poems of Stevenson are featured in the April production and 14 scenes drawn from Mark Twain’s works in the May show.

Free parking will be available in garages on High and Broadway.

If you hurry, you can click on the headline above to link to the original article by Clawson and photos by Lew Stamp
[Ohio.com charges a small fee to view articles once they are archived.]

Obit: George Richards, adv. dept.

George Richards

George W. Richards passed away Oct. 7, 2004.
He was born in 1914 and lived his entire life in Ak ron within five miles of his birthplace. He attended the old West High school and graduat ed from the University of Akron in the class of 1936. He was a mem ber of Phi Sigma Kappa. After 25 years in the advertising department of the Akron Beacon Journal, he left to form his own advertising company, George W. Richards Advertising, Inc., which he operated until his retirement in 1990. He created the first advertising for such clients as the Lawson Milk Co., Walden of Aurora, and Home Centers, for whom his advertising presentation twice won them the coveted Brand Name Retailer of the Year award.
His lifelong hobbies were photography, golf, and travel. He was a former member of Silver Lake Country Club and Myerlee Country Club of Fort Myers, Fla., where he resided six months of the year. His travels took him to over 40 countries on every continent but Antarctica. A member of St. Paul's Episcopal church for 50 years, he served on its vestry from 1985 to 1987. He was a 50-year veteran of Akron Lodge 83 F&AM and also held the 32nd degree in Freemasonry.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Ellen, and is survived by wife, Irene, whom he married in 1984. Other sur vivors are son, Dr. Keith Richards of Cape Cod; daughter, Judith Hoschner of Owosso, Mich.; daughter-in-law, Lynn Richards; and son-in-law Robert Hoschner. Two stepsons, Rob ert Morris of Mission Viejo, Cali f., and Howard Morris of Ritt man, Ohio, survive, with their wives, Shari and Francey. There are five grandchildren, Scott and Jeffrey Richards, Kristin, Jay, and Robert Hoschner; sev en stepgrandchildren, including Mark, Matthew, and Stacy Morris in California, and Jessica, Adam, Michael, and Andrew Morris in Rittman.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. TUESDAY in the chapel at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, corner of Kenilworth Drive and West Market Street, with Dr. Richard L. McCandless officiating. Interment at Rose Hill Burial Park. Friends may call at the Billow Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd., Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Merriman Activity Fund, 209 Merriman Rd., Akron, Ohio 44303, or the American Cancer Society, 1900 W. Market St., Akron, Ohio 44313
. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 330-867- 4141.)
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, Saturday, October 9, 2004, page B7, col. 2]

Guild e-mail on Tony Ridder's letter

Here is e-mail from Rollie Dreussi, Northeast Ohio Guild rep. Mark Davis who is mentioned is a district Guild rep. and Karen (Chuparkoff) Lefton, is BJ management rep. The "situation" is the benefit cuts mentioned in the letter to BJ retirees from Tony Ridder. Here is the e-mail from Dreussi:

Mark Davis spoke to Karen Lefton of the BJ today. She
has contacted a Knight Ridder official who claims he
was unaware of the situation. He was to check with
another KR official who handles health care trusts in
Knight Ridder.
Mark and I think it may be a good idea if the retirees
also call the BJ Human Resources Department (you could
ask for Karen Lefton), so they know you all are upset
by this change.
Mark has told Lefton we've calls at the Guild office,
but it never hurts to complain to the source, also.
We have not received a date yet for the grievance. We
also are waiting for Lefton to let us know what the KR
people say.
Rollie Dreussi
Local Representative
Local 1
Northeast Ohio Newspaper Guild

Some BJ connections in Atlanta

This information is from Dick McBane:

There are at least three former Beacon Journalists working in the media in Atlanta, two of them with the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Janet Frankston has been with the AJC for about five years and is primarily covering problems of growth in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Her most recent was a major piece on the regional 25-year transportation plan. If carried out, the plan will cost about $50-billion, traffic will still be snarled, and there will be no expansion of MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Authority); but the population is expected to increase by 2.3-million.

Reaching farther back into the Beacon Journal's past, there is Bill Osinski who also is with the AJC and is covering religion for the Gwinnett (County) News, which is a separate daily section of the AJC. Bill says he remembers his ABJ years fondly.

There is also Morse Diggs who is reporting for WAGA, Channel 5, the Fox channel in Atlanta. Morse covered the Akron police department at the time of the Barbuto scandal.

Guild Retiree benefits cuts loom

Text of letter received by retirees:


>KNIGHTRIDDER>

September 29, 2004

RNL-00065-03
HARRY LIGGETT
544 N FIRESTONE BLVD AKRON, OH 44301

Important News About Your Knight Ridder Retiree Benefits

Dear HARRY LIGGETT:

We are writing to let you know about some upcoming changes to your Knight Ridder Retiree Benefits. You'll see more information in October, but we wanted to let you know now that some changes are being made.

Health Care Benefits

As you may know, the escalating cost of health care in general, and retiree medical and prescription benefits in particular, has presented a major challenge over the last decade or so.

Like all employers, Knight Ridder has responded by making changes to our programs. We have increased the premiums that our employees must pay for their own coverage, and to cover a spouse or dependent children. We have made changes to benefit designs that also increase the employee's cost burden.

Those who retired from Knight Ridder since the current retiree health benefit program was implemented have also experienced change. Modifications to plan designs covering employees apply to these retirees as well. Retiree premiums under this program have risen dramatically in response to increasing costs.

On the other hand, those like yourself who retired before the current program was implemented ("grandfathered retirees") have generally not seen any changes to their coverage, or to their premium, since retirement.

The Company realizes that those who have been retired for many years may not be in a position to now absorb large cost increases. But, given the burden that employees and more recent retirees have had to bear, we believe it is appropriate, as the plan provides, to make some updates to the deductible and coverage provided through your Company retiree medical plan.

Our goal has been to make only relatively modest changes to these plans for 2005 - although we recognize that because so many years have gone by with no update, the changes may appear more significant than if they had occurred gradually. A secondary goal has been to reduce a large administrative burden by consolidating the multiple plan designs wherever possible.

The changers sometimes involve an increase to the annual deductible, increases in some plan
co-pays (including co-pays for prescription drugs) or co-insurances, and in some cases a new method for coordinating plan benefits with Medicare. Dental or vision coverage, for those who currently receive it, is being discontinued. .

We will not be introducing or increasing retiree health care premiums in connection witl these changes.

Benefit changes are automatically effective January 1, 2005. We are announcing these changes
as early as possible to give you time to consider coverage alternatives.

We know you will have questions. Therefore we’ve established a Knight Ridder Retiree
Information Line, staffed by trained specialists on the Company's retiree health program and how these changes affect you. Please call 800-561-0842 to speak to a representative between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Sincerely,

Tony Ridder Mary Jean Connors
Chairman and CEO Senior Vice President/Human Resources
Knight Ridder Knight Ridder

Roland Queen in hospital

October 1, 2004

Former Beacon sportswriter Roland Queen is in Room 707 at Akron City Hospital and would like to hear from his former co-workers. The phone number at the hospital is 330-375-4707.
Queen, 41 years old, was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer in 2000. His condition relapsed about four days ago and he was admitted to the hospital. He expects to go back on chemotherapy soon. Multiple myeloma cancer attacks the bone marrow. You can learn more about it on the internet. Search on "Multiple+myeloma+cancer" for a list of articles about it.