Andale Gross visits BJ friends

Andale Gross, once a BJ reporter and Guild unit chairman, dropped in to visit his former colleagues the BJ. Those who are still there, that is.

Andale Gross (right), Bob Dyer in BJ reunion

Bob Dyer, named the best columni in Ohio so many times that it’s hard to keep track, wrote:

“Surprise visit today from former ABJ reporter and good guy Andale Gross, who is now an editor for the Associated Press in Chicago. It has been nine years since he worked for us, and five since he set foot in Akron. He was back in town for a quick visit with family and friends. The guy hasn't aged a day. Must be that mellow lifestyle in Chi-Town.”

Andale went with the AP in Kansas City, 100 miles from where he grew up in Mobley, Missouri, immediately after leaving Ol’ Blue Walls. Later, he migrated to AP in Chicago.

Andale left the BJ in 2006 with 14 staff members who had a combined 264 years of experience at the BJ. Andale had been at the BJ for 9 years and was Guild unit chairman. Others in that devastating wipeout included Diane Paperone Evans, Debby Stock Kiefer, Jane Snow, Mike Needs, Sara Vradenburg, Mary Ethridge, Dave Hertz, Tim Good and Robin Sallie. You know, a Who’s Who of the newsroom staff at the time.

In that same year, the BJ lost 24 with 335 years of service. Others who went out the door forever that year were Bonnie Bolden, Dennis Balogh, Gloria Irwin, Jim Kavanagh, Kathy Spitz and Jocelyn Williams.

More than 1,000 years of BJ experience has left Ol’ Blue Walls in the past decade. It’s a story, unfortunately, common to newspapers all over America.