BJ batch in Fairlawn-Bath patch

There's a batch of former Beacon Journal employees working for the Fairlawn-Bath Patch, one of the hundreds of local news outlets that are springing up all over the country. Each Patch provides extensive news about its area via the Internet, a job that cash-strapped newspapers no longer can handle.

Former BJ reporter Kymberli Hagelberg is editor of the Fairlawn-Bath Patch.

Another former BJ staffer, Dave Wilson, who has lived in the Akron area since 1996, is a contributor.

So is former BJ editorial page staffer Sarah Vradenburg, who is working on a history of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County that will be published in the fall of 2011 in time for the park district's 90th anniversary.

Fifteen-year BJ sportswriter David Lee Morgan, Jr., who covered and wrote books about LeBron James, former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar, is another contributor.

Former Plain Dealer talent is involved, too. Rich Fletcher, who created, designed, and edited graphics/results for the Sports department at the Plain Dealer, is editor. So is his wife, Eneida Morales Fletcher, involved for 23 years with getting photos into the PD.

Denise Ritter, who has been a reporter, copy editor, news editor and page designer during her career at the PD, San Jose Mercury News and Miami Herald, is contributor, editor.

Alana Baranick, who wrote PD news obituaries from 1992-2008, also is a contributor.

Another contributor is Kit Kelly, a New York native who worked for the Montrose Sun, the West Akron Sun and the Barberton Herald.

Contributor Bruce F. Griffin has reported for the Wooster Daily Record and Warren Tribune Chronicle.

Contributor Sean Dougherty once was Summit County Director of Administration for Planning and Building.

BJ Alums had an Oct. 19, 2010 article about Patch.com looking for editors in communities around the country. It's part of the Internet-fueled new journalism, which allows even small areas to get news about the little things that traditional newspapers don't have the staff or space to handle.

To read more about the staff and what the Fairlawn-Bath Patch does, click on the headline.