LINDA McELROY, HAROLD'S WIDOW, PASSES AWAY

 

                 Linda and Harold McElroy

Linda McElroy passes away

 

BJ Accounting retiree Linda Spoon McElroy, who married BJ Finance retiree Harold McElroy of Finance (both worked at BJ), passed away June 25.

 

The McElroys moved to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina.

 

Cheryl Sheinin, who was was at the BJ 45 years, informed me of Linda’s passing. Husband Neil Sheinin spent 42 years at the BJ, where Cheryl and Neil first met. They were married in 1957.

 

Debbie Fox and Janet Hall were best friends of  the McElroys at the BJ.

 Debbie posted to me:

“I was blessed to have her as a boss, she dedicated her life to the Beacon and her family. She was certainly one of a kind, I will forever remember our trip to Denver to watch the Browns in an AFC championship game. She loved the Browns.”

 

After Harold passed away in 2011, Linda visited Akron a year or so later and was greeted at the Golden Corral on South Arlington Street by her Circulation friends

Bob Craiglow and wife Pat, Mike Jewell, Susan Lindeman, Janet Hall, Cheryl Sheinin, Martha (Cookie) Lipford, Noreen Dimmerling, Mickey Dimeff and Carol Eubank.

Linda lived a block away from the late BJ printer Dick Latshaw and wife Pat in Pawley’s Island, where retired BJ printer Sid Sprague lived before moving to Loveland, Colorado with his second wife.

In 2018 Linda drove Pat Latshaw, Dick Latshaw’s widow, from Pawleys Island to a Celebration of Life service for Dick at the Allenside Athletic Club on Manchester Road in Akron. Former BJ printer Mike Kerchan also attended.

 

Linda’s stepchildren and Harold’s daughter are Colleen Sweazy, Maureen Anderson. There's also Michele, Jamie and John Scott. There are 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

 

Michelle wrote a tribute to her mom that was so perfect that I’m repeating it here verbatim:

 

My Mom passed away after a short battle with a third occurrence of cancer. She was diagnosed about two months ago and her doctor was pretty optimistic that they had a good treatment plan in place, but it turned out to be more widespread than initially thought.

She started feeling bad a little over 2 weeks ago and declined fairly quickly. She decided to transition to comfort care after she was told she wouldn’t be able to come back from it and have any quality of life, which was so important to her.

She told me she didn’t want to go but she knew it was her time. She died a little under 36 hours later.

She was a great Mom, daughter, sister, wife to our stepdad Harold, aunt, great-aunt and cousin, and friend to many. But where she really excelled was as a grandmother and great-grandmother. It was the biggest joy of her life and she loved them all so much.

When she made her decision to stop fighting the cancer, she most regretted that she wouldn’t get to see the littlest ones again.

I miss her terribly but I have felt her at my back, pushing me to get through handling many of her affairs and her family knows her spirit will always be with us.

 

Akron native Harold’s obituary:

Harold Ray McElroy
Pawleys Island
Harold Ray McElroy, 74, beloved husband of Linda, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 5, 2011 at Waccamaw Community Hospital.
Born in Akron, Ohio, he was the son of the late Charles William and Elva McElroy. His great-granddaughter, Reagan Lacole Edwards, also preceded him in death. Harold retired from the Akron Beacon Journal after forty two years of service. He was the treasurer of the F.O.P.A. #6 for several years.
Surviving are his wife, Linda; children, Colleen Sweazy (Denny), Maureen Anderson, Michele, Jamie and John Scott; brother, Jim (Debby) of Burke, Va.; nephew, Jeff; ten grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be held 3 p.m. Monday, September 12, 2011 at Goldfinch Funeral Home, Litchfield-Pawleys Chapel with visitation one hour prior to services.
In lieu of flowers or donation, the family requests that a tree be planted in Harold's memory.
Sign a guest book at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com.
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Litchfield-Pawleys Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

TIM SMITH HOME AFTER HOSPITAL & REHAB OVER EATING PROBLEM

 

Tim Smith home after eating problem

Former Beacon Journal managing editor and Kent State professor Tim Smith spent several weeks in hospital and rehab because a “corkscrew” esophagus blocked his food.

Tim joined Kent State in 1986 after 19 years at the BJ. His other media stops were the Columbus Dispatch, the Painesville Telegraph and United Press International.

Tim has a bachelor’s degree and master’s in journalism from Ohio State and a law degree from the University of Akron. In 1991, became a law clerk for now-retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Craig Wright. In June 1991, he was named acting director of the School, a post he held until June 1994, when he returned to the faculty and resumed his service as adviser to the Daily Kent Stater.

I’ll let former BJ reporter Charlene Nevada, who reported Tim’s situation, tell the story in more detail:

 

Good news. Tim Smith - former Beacon Journal honcho, Kent State journalism professor and lawyer — is back home after several weeks in hospitals and rehab. 

Long story short, Tim started having problems eating several months ago. Actually, he says he pretty much stopped eating at all. He lost a lot of weight, which caused his blood pressure to drop, and he nearly had a stroke. That’s what put him in the hospital originally. 

Walking became difficult because he was so weak, so then he needed rehab. Doctors finally figured out Tim has what they described as a “corkscrew” esophagus, which kind of blocks food.

Surgery to repair it is set for late July at the Cleveland Clinic (in Cleveland). In the meantime, Tim is back at his lake home and on his feet with the help of a walker.

His address is 4770 Sundown Trail in Ravenna, 44266. His cell phone is 330-283-4676 and he said he would welcome calls.

26th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY FOR KERRY CLAWSON

 

   Kerry Clawson in BJ's Main Street newsroom

26^th wedding anniversary for Kerry Clawson

BJ arts writer and critic Kerry Coughlin Clawson and Steve Clawson celebrated their 26^th wedding anniversary.

Kerry began at the BJ in 1991. She also was the BJ’s Mad Shopper, succeeding Mary Ethridge in that position in 2006, and retail business writer.

She has won Cleveland Press Club awards for her writing at the BJ.

DAVE ADAMS TO MARRY NORTHEAST OHIO WOMAN

 

  Dave Adams, future wife Alexis Lyn Calatrello

Dave Adams to wed Northeast Ohio woman 

David Adams, a Beacon Journal reporter from 1986 until 2004, will marry Alexis Lyn Calatrello in less than a week.

 

Dave posted:

“Happy birthday to the coolest, most beautifucl, most fun, big-hearted woman any guy could ask for! I cannot wait to get married to you and spend the rest of my years with you.”

 

Dave became Ernst & Young’s Global Risk Advisory Services director at lives in Bay Village. He been in PR and accounting, too.

Alexis previously lived in Shaker Heights and Cleveland.

Dave remembers fondly his BJ days with Pat Englehart, State Desk chief when the late Harry Liggett and I were Nobil-smoking Pat’s 2 assistant editors.

And Bill O’Connor, Michelle LeComte, Glenn Proctor, Kathy Fraze, Larry Pantages and Bob Paynter. Quite a collection of talent at 44 E. Exchange Street.

Melanie Payne's 'Color Blind" play world premiere June 23 in Detroit

 

       Melanie Payne with father 

       Melanie Payne reunion with Gloria Irwin 

      Melanie Payne doing cat walk to celebrate cancer cure

Melanie Payne’s play has world premiere June 23

 

Playwright Melanie Payne’s “Color Blind” play will have its world premiere at 8 p.m. Friday, June 23 in Detroit’s Boll Family Theater. It’s part of the 3^rd annual Obsidian Festival.

 

Melanie was a 1996-2000 BJ reporter. Her career also includes the Fort Myers, Florida News-Press and ABC’s Tampa Bay WTFS-TV.

 

Melanie began her life in Wickliffe, Ohio and studied at Wellesley College, a women’s liberal art college in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

 

She survived a bout with cancer.

 

PHIL TREXLER NAMED MARSHALL PROJECT'S CLEVELAND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

 

Trexler gets high post in Cleveland’s Marshall Project

Phil Trexler, who spent 16 years covering crime for the BJ, has been named editor-in-chief for The Marshall Project – Cleveland.

The Marshall Project is a Pulitzer-winning non-profit media organization.

After the BJ, Trexler spent 8 years with WKYC-TV in Cleveland.

CHARLES SMITH MONTAGUE -- CHASM -- PASSES AWAY

 

Chasm – Charles Smith Montague – who was at the BJ for more than 40 years, passed away May 7.

Chasm was one of my favorite people at the BJ and there was a LOT of competition for that honor because the BJ newsroom had astounding talent and personalities.

Chasm knew how to enjoy life. More people should try it.

The Steubenville native married Rebecca Orosz. They had two sons, Jonathan and Joshua Montague, who with wife Amanda makes delightful chocolates at Lilly Handmade Chocolates in Cleveland owned by Amanda. One of their customers was Kelly Clarkson of American Idol fame.

Chasm retired from the BJ in 2008 in the same week that photographer/page designer Ted Schneider and photographer Lew Stamp did. Now Chasm and Ted are reunited in the afterlife.

Chasm was big in helping stage the famous Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race from Anchorage to Nome in Alaska.

Chasm visited 1970s BJ State Desk reporter Cathy Strong in Wellington, New Zealand, where Cathy is renown world-wide for her Massey University faculty work. Former BJ photographer Don Roese and I also visited Cathy, back to back, one year. So did Fran Murphey, BJ’s extraordinary columnist who made common folks famous.

 

When I contributed to the BJ Layoff Auction, Chasm gave me three lights from the BJ tower which I treasure and keep in my den for daily viewing.

 

One of his sons, Josh, wrote his obituary which will appear in Thursday’s BJ. I can’t add much to it. Chasm would be proud of Josh’s writing:

 

Charles "Chuck" Smith Montague, a renowned journalist, loving father, and doting grandfather, passed away on May 7, 2023.

 

Born in Steubenville, Ohio, in the 1940s, Chuck devoted his life to his family, his fervor for journalism, and his enthusiasm for sports.

 

An academic scholar, Chuck spent a summer interning in Munich, Germany, before graduating from the esteemed Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in 1969.

 

He launched his illustrious journalism career in Elyria, Ohio, before joining the Akron Beacon Journal in the early 1970s. Chuck's journalistic accomplishments at the Akron Beacon Journal spanned over four decades, during which he served as a reporter, editor, and headline writer.

 

While at the Akron Beacon Journal, Chuck was part of the courageous newsroom team covering the tragic Kent State protest and shootings in 1970. Their efforts were recognized with the prestigious 1971 Pulitzer Prize for General Local Reporting.

 

Alongside his professional accomplishments, Chuck passionately advocated for the fair treatment of Akron Newspaper Guild members, actively participating in labor contract negotiations during the 1970s and 1980s.

 

A man of many talents, Chuck also excelled as a pitcher for the Beacon Journal Bombers Men's Softball team.

 

After graduating from Ohio University, Chuck married Rebecca Orosz. Together, they raised two sons, Jonathan and Joshua Montague, instilling a passion for sports and a deep appreciation for education. Both sons, Montessori, Cuyahoga Falls, and Hudson School alums, pursued successful careers and established their own families.

 

Later in life, Chuck became an Ohio Soccer Association referee, achieving the remarkable feat of refereeing soccer games in all 50 US states. His zest for travel persisted into retirement, leading him on eco-tourism adventures to places like Baja California, the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, and Alaska.

 

Chuck's warmth, wit, and commitment to his craft left an indelible mark on his family, friends, and colleagues, who will cherish his memory. His sons Jon and Josh (Amanda), grandsons Charlie and Gibson, and a vast community inspired by his kindness, intelligence, and generosity will carry forward his legacy.

ERIKA SMITH PART OF L.A. TIMES PULITZER

 

Erika Smith gets Pulitzer at L.A. Times

 

Former BJ reporter Erika Smith was among Los Angeles Times reporters who won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for revealing a secretly recorded conversation among city council members that included racist comments, a scandal that prompted two officials to resign. 

 

2023 STATE AWARDS FOR BJ NEWSROOM STAFF

 

State awards for BJ newsroom staff

The Ohio Associated Press Media Editors awarded first place to three BJ reporters:

 

Amanda Garrett for best news reporter.

 

Doug Livingston and former reporter Seyma Bayram for best enterprise report for 'How Catholic Democrats in Akron helped write the conservative playbook to overturn Roe.'

Former sports reporter Marla Ridenour for best sports columnist.

 

Ridenour also won a second-place award for best sports writer.

 

Bayram also won third place for explanatory writing.

 

Other winners:

Digital project, second place: Stephanie Warsmith and Paula Schleis.

 

Sports photo, second place: Jeff Lange.

 

Sports feature writer, third place: Nate Ulrich 

 

Feature writer, third place: Craig Webb.

 

Full page design, third place: Sydney Clark.

 

Reporter Derek Kreider won second place for news writer in Division II for work he completed at the Wooster Daily Record before joining the Beacon Journal.

PAULA TUCKER'S PODCAST INTERVIEW ABOUT 1970 KENT STATE SHOOTINGS IS A CAN'T MISS LISTEN!

 

Paula Tucker’s podcast is one you shouln’t miss

Former BJ State Desk reporter Paula Stone Tucker, who in the crowd in 1970 when Ohio National Guard shot and killed 4 and wounded 9 Kent State students over the Vietnam War, gave an amazing interview on the Eyewitness History podcast.

Paula, later a clinical psychologist for Akron Public Schools after two decades in California with Kaiser Permanente, in the 38-minute, 21-second podcast gave a clear, conconside view of May 4 and the events leading up to it.

She did this one with Josh Cohen. It’s an Apple podcast.

Paula was 5 ½ months pregnant and a reporter checking out the scene with Gov. James Rhodes’ Guard, most of them the same age as the students they fired at, when the shooting erupted.

She wrote about it in her best-selling book, “Surviving: A Kent State Memoir,” which dealt with both the Kent State shootings and Paula’s personal life at the time.

It has won Florida writers awards, too.

“Surviving” is available on Amazon.com.

 

You can listen to the podcast at:

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/.../eyewitness.../id1617821942

 

This podcast is deserving of being added to the Kent State archives about that terrible time when opposition to the Vietnam War forced America to withdraw its troops from “that crazy Asian war.”

 

Paula, after California, Akron and Tallmadge homes, is living in her domicile in The Villages, Florida where 150,000 senior citizens live without being in a city. The Schwartz family owns and controls the sprawling Villages which is in three counties.

 

I spent winters there year after year. Loved it!

 

Paula also performs in various bands on her flute, in Florida and, previously, in Summit County.

 

Paula’s brother, Tom Stone, and I are golf partners in senior leagues at Brookledge and Sunny Hill.

PRESERVATION COMMISSION REJECTS BJ DEMOLITION. CITY COUNCIL NEXT STEP FOR APPEAL.

 

Preservation Commission rejects plan to demolish BJ building.

The Urban Design and Historic Preservation Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday against a proposal to demolish the former Beacon Journal building at 44 E. Exchange Street for a parking lot.

Michael Mouron, founder of Capstone Real Estate Investments in Birmingham, Alabama, bought the building for $1.1 million in 2020 after the Beacon Journal relocated to the AES Building at 388 S. Main St.

Mouron’s sons Drew Christopher and Lewis, who manage Capstone, own The Standard, an apartment complex at 22 E. Exchange St., and want to tear down the former newspaper office to accommodate parking.

John York, assistant director of law, said the owner had not met any of the criteria for demolition under Akron’s historic preservation ordinance

● Its integrity has deteriorated beyond saving.

● The building lacks historic or architectural significance or does not occupy a major portion of the historic landmark.

● Maintaining the historic landmark is not technically or economically feasible.

● The commission determines there’s no feasible alternative.

Commission members Jaunae Carter, Leianne Neff Heppner, Mark Schweitzer, Mark Smith and John Wheeler turned down Mouron’s request.

The Akron Times-Press built the downtown landmark in 1929, and it became the Beacon Journal’s headquarters after the two newspapers merged in 1938.

The Beacon Journal was Editor and Publisher John S. Knight’s first newspaper after he took over the business from his late father, C.L. Knight during the Great Depression. It grew into 32 newspapers employing 18,000 workers.

The Beacon Journal won four Pulitzer Prizes.

The owners can appeal the commission’s decision to Akron City Council.

MARK DAWIDZIAK AND POE TOGETHER, FOREVERMORE!

 

Forever more!

 

Mark Dawidziak is continuing his Cuyahoga County Public Library tour with his latest book, “A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe.” 

 

Mark appeared at North Olmsted on Thursday, April 27 and will be at the Chagrin Falls branch at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17.

 

Chagrin Falls registration:

https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/event/7584426

The launch event was February 14.

JANE SNOW AND TONY KAWAGUCHI CELEBRATE 16th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

 

Jane Snow, the best BJ food writer (and there was plenty of excellent competition) in history, and Japanese native and sushi chef Tony Kawaguchi celebrated their 16^th wedding anniversary at Henry Wahner’s in Kent, a restaurant Jane reviewed for the BJ more than 30 years ago.

Quips Jane: ‘It’s just as good as when I reviewed it. Tony has held up well, too.”

When Jane walked into Tony’s Sushi Katsu restaurants in the Merriman Valley, where I have enjoyed the cuisine from time to time, Tony swept her off her feet when he hugged her into the air and said, “You’re going to be my girlfriend.”

Two weeks later, they were engaged. The next year, they were married.

When a sushi chef marries a food writer you know that’s a match made in cuisine heaven.

There were two Snows who were BJ food wrtiers. The first was Glenna Snow, whose 1944 “Glenna Snow’s Cook Book” has been purchased for decades and decades.

BJ readers thought for decades that Glenna and Joan were related. They aren’t. Just had Snow for a surname.

In between was Polly Paffilas, Charlene Nevada and Connie Bloom.

Glenna retired from the BJ in 1944. Jane, who started at the BJ in 1979, in 2006.

Jane once told me:

“Glenna Snow’s son called me once from his home in Biloxi, Mississippi. He wanted to know why the BJ was still using his mother’s name. Her cookbook usually can be found at The Bookseller in Wallhaven.”

WILL BJ BUILDING BE DEMOLISHED FOR A PARKING LOT. TUESDAY, MAY 2 MEEETING BY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

 

Parking lot or salvation for BJ building?

 

The Urban Design and Historic Preservation Commission on Tuesday, May 2 will consider whether the former BJ building is demolished and the the property turned into a parking lot or saved as a historic site.

The 230,000 square foot BJ building and tower was bought by Capstone Real Estate Investments in Birmingham, Alabama.

Capstone founder Michael Mouron paid $1.1 million in 2020 for the 44 E. Exchange Street building. The BJ moved to the seventh floor of the AES Building at 388 S. Main St., a former rubber company building.

Mouron’s sons Drew Christopher and Lewis, who manage Capstone Real Estate Investments, own the former student housing building at 22 E. Exchange St. and have converted it into a conventional apartment property known as The Standard. They want more parking for the apartments.

The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 2, on the third floor of City Hall in the City Council chambers.

The Akron Times-Press opened the downtown landmark in 1930, and it became the Beacon Journal’s headquarters after the two newspapers merged in 1938.

The Beacon Journal was editor and publisher John S. Knight's first newspaper after he took over the debt-ridden business during the Great Depression from his late father, C.L. Knight. JSK created Knight Newspapers,, which once owned 32 newspapers and employed 18,000 workers.