CATCHING UP WITH MARK DAWIDZIAK, DAVID BIANCULLI, DON ROSENBERG, JANIS FROELICH, BILL O'CONNOR, BOB SPRINGER, BOB DYER & MIKE WILLIAMS

 

                        MARK DAWIDZIAK, RICH HELDENFELS, DAVID BIANCULLI, DON ROSENBERG & JANE SNOW AT LONG-AGO BJ GATHERING AT PRIMO'S DELI ON VERNON ODOM BOULEVARD IN AKRON IN 2012

Mark Dawidziak reunion with David Bianculli and Don Rosenberg

 

Plus news about Janis Froelich, Mike Williams, Bob Springer & Bill O’Connor

 

Former BJ occupants at 44 E. Exchange Street are having a reunion in New Jersey.

 

Mark Dawidziak, my TV critic when I was Television Editor at the BJ, who has Edgar Allan Poe talks scheduled in the Philadelphia-Baltimore area, is spending a few days with David Bianculli, also my TV critic during my Television Editor years at Ol’ Blue Walls, and Don Rosenberg, classical music critic at the BJ.

 

Mark’s response to my email inviting him to the 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 19 monthly BJ Gathering at the Missing Falls Brewery, 540 S. Main Street, Akron:

 

“Writing this from David’s home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, outside of Philadelphia. Tonight we head for the Abingdon library north of Baltimore. Tomorrow, Baltimore. Give everyone my best. I’ll do my best to make next month’s gathering.”

 

Janis Froelich, in the BJ Features Department at one time, sends her regrets from sunny Florida:

 

“Since colder weather is coming, I probably won't be in Ohio anytime soon. But I do have a high school reunion in August 2024 (don't ask what year). And I usually come in the spring. So I'll keep this BJ monthly event in mind.

 

“I now teach a writing class at Eckerd College near my island home of Tierra Verde. I love seeing all forms of writing so I'm keeping involved.

 

“Thanks for all you do, John for BJ Alums.”

Tierra Verde is a fantastic 667-acre island near the entrance to Tampa Bay and its population of 3,721 is connected by bridges of the Pinellas Byway to St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach (with its fantastic pier where I’ve seen swarms of fish come close to the pier to get grab fish hooked and still struggling).

 

Very upscale, too. Average family income on Tierra Verde is more than $100,000.

 

The 15 original islands are now the present six areas of Tierra Verde: Monte Cristo, Entrada, Pinellas Bayway, Sands Point, East Shore (Bayview) and West Shore (Oceanview).

Bob Dyer, Ohio Columnist of the Year more times than I can count, replied to my invitation:

"Thanks, but I'm in Mexico. Have fun!"

iOle!

Katie Byard, one of the BJers who revived the BJ Gatherings, replied:

"Jimmy (Carney) and I won't be to make it this month. Familia birthday party. Stay safe, everyone."

Katie and Jim are wife and husband and both were reporters at the BJ.

Betty Lin-Fisher, who attended the September BJ Gathering, posted:

"Sorry I won't make it this month to the Gathering. A high school friend from Chicago is doing a quick and last-minute college visit to Kent State and staying at our house. Hope to see you next month!"

As for Thursday’s monthly BJ gathering at the Missing Falls Brewery, former Librarian Diane Lynch will be there. Diane joined David and Beth Hertz at a 2019 BJ reunion.

Mike Williams, a 1971 summer intern at the BJ, told me he plans to attend.

 

Mike responded to my email:

 

“I certainly share the pain over the new technologies they (current BJ employees at the Main Street relocation from 44 E. Exchange Street) had to endure.”

 

So do I, Mike. People like me, Dawidziak, Bianculli, Rosenberg, Froelich had a much better environment, with owner John S. Knight in his corner office after he flew from his Miami Herald office to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May treating everyone from the janitor to the BJ carriers to management like family.

 

I enjoyed the BJ so much that I ran to work every day. Few grumpies in the newsroom. And so much talent. And support, financial and back-patting, from JSK and upper management.

 

And I got the extra bonus of starting out as assistant State Desk editor under the late Pat Englehart, a whirling dervish that drove management crazy but instilled loyalty in his underlings. With Harry Liggett at my side the State Desk editors and reporters would push and demand excellence and respect for the BJ readers that produced a superior product with helping hands from management.

 

Those, indeed, were “the good ol’ days” of my 42-year newspaper career in West Virginia, Florida, Montana and Ohio, particularly my 26 years at Ol’ Blue Walls (somebody got the idea to pain EVERY wall in the multi-story building “Beacon Blue”).

From former BJ op ed editor Bob Springer has a prior commitment:

 

“Hey, John. Sorry, I have something else going Thursday night in Kent.”

 

Bob and Barbara Hipsman Spring were married September 1, 1979. I had to get my calculator out to figure out that’s FORTY FOUR years of wedded bliss.

 

Bob Springer’s father studied accounting at Chicago Loyola. His classmate was Bob Newhart, the famous comedian!!!

 

Barbara retired after 26 years teaching journalism at Kent State. Bob also spent time on the KSU faculty.

 

Bob and Barbara live in Fort Myers, Florida. 

Bill O’Connor, former BJ super features writer who still lives not all that many miles from 44 E. Exchange Street and throws upscale fun parties from time to time, told me “I will try to make it (to the monthly BJ gatherings) when I can.”

 

The host with the most would be sure to brighten the gathering, as he does when he throws parties at his upscale home.