Ronald H. 'Capt. Ron' Sattler dies

[Ron's first wife, Sue Sattler, was a long-time BJ correspondent. This full obituary for some reason did not get printed in Wednesday's Beacon Journal, but was on Ohio.com. A shorter version ran Tuesday.]

Ronald H. 'Capt. Ron' Sattler
Those who loved him, those who sailed with him in times of great joy and stood beside him in times of hard labor, called him ``Captain Ron."

And now it is our time to hoist the flags for him.

Ron Sattler, 69, passed away on Monday morning, Feb. 26, surrounded by family members after his unrelenting battle against cancer. For those who could not be there with his loving wife and children, we lifted him up in our fondest memories, like a ship's mainsail, and shall not take it down.

He was a man of many talents, passions and undertakings, not the least of which was his love of the sea and our country's beautiful inland lakes.

Ron seemed to have an inner attraction to the sea, like the ancient Greek philosophers lured by its vast challenges and adventures. And it was there that he and his wife, Jeannie, spent their happiest years on his 36-foot catamaran, Cattitude, sailing the Caribbean from Florida to Trinidad and back again as we turned into the 2000's.

Someone once asked Ron why he had seven boats, and he replied: ``Because I sold one!"

Years ago, he survived a lightning strike and sailboat sinking on Lake Erie--and spent over eight hours in the water before making it to shore.

Laughter, tenacity and ingenuity were his hallmarks.

Born in Akron on April 21, 1937, he was one of two children of Walter and Louise Sattler, who preceded him in death. His father worked at Goodyear for his entire career, retiring in the 1970s. And just like him, Ron had an uncanny ability to work wonders with his hands.

A 1955 graduate of Hower Trade School in Akron, he embarked on his first course in life as a journeyman tool and die maker. Then it was on to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and early jobs with R. H. Freitag in Akron, B & W Boiler in Barberton and Industrial Aircraft in Akron.

Striking out on his own, Ron was the founder of Sattler Machine Products Inc., in Sharon Center, formerly Precision Die and Stamping of Copley.

Ask those who knew him there, and they will tell you that he could craft a spare part from scratch.

Ask those who played golf with him on the area's public courses, and they will tell you he was the ideal partner in a scramble because of his cool head and fine touch on the greens.

But Ron's life was never a self-centered one. He gave of himself, plentifully, to others.

For 20 years from the late 1950's, he served the public as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic, rising to the rank of lieutenant with the Copley Fire Department. It was Ron who organized the department's first Reverse Raffle Fundraiser, still in existence.

One of his prized possessions--an enduring symbol of his strength and courage--was his firefighter's helmet.

In 1974, he helped save the old railroad depot in Copley and contributed to the birth of the Copley Historical Society.

In 1989, Ron and three fellow Copley Township businessmen joined forces to create Sharon Corporate Park on state Route 94, just south of the Sharon Center Circle.

As a longtime member and past president of the Akron chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, he brought the organization's National Apprentice Contest to Norton, procuring new machinery for both the contest and the school.

The consummate patriot, Ron sailed from Cleveland to New York Harbor in 1986 for the Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration.

He became a licensed captain and took great pleasure in escorting family and friends to the Cleveland Air Show and so many other unforgettable experiences, where the waves truly ran through his veins.

Captain Ron, yours was a great life lived to the fullest, and for that we want you to know we miss you and wish you Godspeed in your ultimate journey.

Ron's survivors are his wife, Jeannie (Flynn) Sattler and stepmother, Aurelia Sattler; sister, Barbara Brown; half-sisters, Karen Pascu and Pam Deal and half-brother, David E. Sattler; sons, David M. (Janet) Sattler and Jeff (Karen) Sattler; daughter, Kelly (Mark) Batchco; stepdaughter, Holly (Sohail) Boyd-Syed; stepsons, Ryan and Steven (Carrie) Boyd; and 11 grandchildren, Nicole, Katie, Joe, Bobby and Jennifer Sattler; Tyler and Travis Penrose; Asad and Amara Syed; and Dean and Carman Boyd.

Calling hours are TODAY from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 44 University Ave., downtown Akron, followed by a memorial service at the church with the Copley Fire Department Honor Guard assisting.

Afterward, the family will receive friends at the Walterville Barn, 1351 S. Cleveland-Massillon Rd. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Hospice of Visiting Nurse Services, 3358 Ridgewood Rd., Fairlawn, Ohio 44333; or to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, 39 S. Miller Rd., Fairlawn, Ohio 44333.

[Akron Beacon Journal, published online at Ohio.com Wednesday, February 28, 2007]

McClatchy awards $719,000 in bonuses

The McClatchy Co. paid four high-ranking executives a total of $719,000 in bonuses for their effort last year, according to documents filed Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Frank Whittaker, vice president of operations, received the largest bonus -- $220,000. He was followed by co-vice president of operations Bob Weil at $200,000, while chief financial officer Patrick Talamantes received $170,000. Vice president of news Howard Weaver received $129,000.

Last month, McClatchy chairman and chief executive officer Gary Pruitt was awarded a $950,000 bonus, slightly less than his annual salary of $1.05 million for last year.

The Sacramento-based newspaper publishing company -- the parent company of the Wichita Eagle and 30 other daily newspapers -- completed a $4.5 billion deal last summer for Knight Ridder Inc. Pruitt and fellow executives oversaw the complex deal, highlighted by buying and selling 12 former Knight Ridder-owned newspapers including the Akron Beacon Journal, San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times and Philadelphia Inquirer.

In December, McClatchy announced it would sell its largest newspaper, The Star Tribune of Minneapolis, for $530 million to Avista Capital Partners. McClatchy (NYSE: MNI) paid $1.2 billion for the newspaper in 1998, but gained $160 million in tax advantages, making the deal valued at $690 million. The money would help McClatchy trim more debt.

Shares of McClatchy dropped 62 cents -- or more than 1.6 percent -- to $37.71 in trading midday Tuesday, close to its 52-week low of $37.56.

[Source: Wichita Business Journal, Tuesday, February 27, 2007]

Craig Wilson transferred to hospice

Craig Wison is being transferred to the Hospice on Ridgewood Road for evaluation. We are hopeful of a return home after three or four days. As far as we know he is allowed calls and visitors.
~ Elizabeth Wilson

If it's February, Olesky must be in Florida

By John Olesky (BJ 1969-96)

To celebrate Paula's retirement as a psychologist for Akron Schools we left our Tallmadge condo before the ton of snow hit Northeast Ohio. For 19 days we trolled successfully for warmer temperatures during day/night stopovers in Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA and a two-week stay in Sea Castle on Siesta Key, off Sarasota, FL. Sea Castle, which will be torn down to make way for $1 million condos, is across the street from late printer Bill Gorrell's complex, which drew BJ folks for decades. I've been going to Sea Castle since 2000 for annual month-long February blood-warmings.

Click on the headline to see the full report with a photo montage

Post-Gazette pay cut, retirees also hit

The final unions to vote ratified a new contract with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Saturday, agreeing to a deal that includes staff reductions, net pay cuts and changes in health care.

The newspaper's owners had said they were losing money and threatened to sell the paper if a new labor deal was not reached.

The newspaper's editorial union approved the deal Thursday, and the last unions voted in favor of the 39-month contract Saturday. The unions had been working under the terms of five-year contracts that expired Dec. 31.

Under the new contracts, all 14 bargaining units will see wages frozen over the life of the contract, but a provision requiring employees to divert 5 percent of their wages, up to $50,000, toward health care effectively serves as a pay cut.

The contract also requires retirees to pay at least 25 percent of their premium payments. In the past, they received health care for free.

The Teamsters will see a dramatic reduction in their workforce. The union, which had 375 members last year, will lose 80 positions through attrition and buyouts. The newspaper also is looking to cut dozens of other positions through buyouts, including 10 members of the newsroom staff.

[From reports in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and Editor & Publisher, Click to go to either story.]

Setting the clock ahead on weather chart

The corrections section on page A2 of Mondaty's Beacon Journal notes:

The March weather chart in Sunday's paper had incorrect sunrise and sunset times because it did not account for daylight savings time, which begins March 11. A corrected version appears today on Page B2.

Blog Note: Probably we should have called Don Bandy to ask if he ever had to correct a chart in all the years he put them out. The time change is coming three weeks early this year, so maybe even your computer clock will err. Remember the Y2K fuss which end up amounting to very little?

BJ to install new phone system

The Beacon Journal will insall a new telephone system from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. No calls can be received during the change. The changeover was announced in a page A1 news brief on Saturday.

They're retired from Circulation, still in circulation

Beacon Journal Circulation Department retiree Janet Hall reports “a good time was had by all” circulation retirees at a luncheon on January 15 at Dontino's on Cuyahoga Falls Avenue.

“It all got started when Wayne Poteete retired District Manager sent me an email and it mushroomed from there,” Janet reports. “We ended up with about 18 of us.”

Here’s more of her report:

Ned Barefoot, who is now 88, was driven up from Carrollton, OH, by his daughter and looked wonderful. Bill Aylward who is now 85, looks the same as when he worked at the BJ. Some came hobbling in, some had a cane, some lost their hair or it is thinming out a bit, but all in all everyone looked wonderful.

Marion Gid and I just got over cancer in our eyelids of all places. She looked wonderful as well as her husband Bob who was nice enough to bring her.

Bob Rosen, John Frient still hunt and fish. Al Keller still swings the golf club and came to the lunch even though he was suffering from a sinus cold. Wayne Poteete, Bill Lambert, Bill Thomas, Louis Moss and even Grover Gregory looked as young as they did when they worked at BJ.

Joe Patterson came bouncing into the room even though he had two new knees replaced. Says he works out in the gym most everyday with Don Clark.

Fred Welch could not make it as he had just had open heart surgery and came through like a champ. Rough going at first but from what I hear he is doing good.

Art Beck is 75 now and works a total from winter to summer four different part-time jobs. Right now he is working with a handicapped child in school and takes care of him in class. He also works in the summer at the ballfield in Akron and also the golf course on Route 91. I have got to say though it must work for him because he looks wonderful.

After the lunch we all agreed to try and do this every year and I have already marked next year's calendar to remind them.

[Thanks from the blog guy for a great report]

Gil Beorn at 97 still amazing, says Laura

Gil Beorn, retired BJ mailer who now lives in Peoria, Arizona, is still an amazing guy, according to daughter Laura who sent these three photos to surprise him the next time he calls up the blog.

Beorn, 97, still walks at least once a day, she reports, and until about a year ago he was still riding a bicycle. “And, a couple of years ago he could still beat any of us at bowling.” Laura writes. “Out of about 10 of us ranging from 13 to 60, he beat all of us.”

Gil and wife Opal will celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary in August. One photo show the couple witth their children. The other photos are from 1971 in the BJ mail room. Son David is also in one of those photos.

Talking Biz blog reports on BJ biz/sports combine

There are seven comments -- and growing -- on a post in the Talking Biz News blog post about the BJ's decision to combine business and sports sections. A mug shot of BJ managing editor Mizell Stewart is used.

[Info on Talking Biz News says the blog was created in august 2005 in collaboration of the Society of American Business Edtiors and Writers and the Carolina Business News Initiative is a program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]

Here's the lead on the post by Chris Roush:

The Akron Beacon Journal will drop its standalone business section during the week as it cuts its stock listings, managing editor Mizell Stewart said in a column. The changes will begin on March 5.

The Akron paper is the second to cut its standalone section that I’m aware of. Interestingly, the other — the Cincinnati Enquirer — is also in Ohio.

Mizell Stewart wrote, “The Business section will be relocated and combined with the Sports section Monday through Friday. The Business section will remain a separate section on Saturday and Sunday.”

Later, he added, “The daily stock report in the Beacon Journal’s print edition will be consolidated into a single page. It will include a comprehensive list of local stocks of interest and the top mutual funds, along with reports on currencies, commodities and interest rates.

“Some of the space formerly devoted to stock listings will be used to increase the amount of space available for daily business news. In the coming weeks, we plan to increase the size of the Sunday Business section from its current four pages to six.

“In this regard, the Beacon Journal is following the lead of many other U.S. newspapers, reducing the amount of space devoted to ‘commodity’ content and shifting those resources to provide unique local content that can’t be found elsewhere.”

Here’s my take: Cutting standalone business sections and putting business news into the back of the metro or sports section of the daily newspaper will be the next wave of cuts that we’ll see to business journalism, similar to the cutting of stock listings from the past 18 months. What it translates to is a loss of prestige for business coverage in the newsroom, and in journalism overall.

I hear rumors that this is being considered at a lot of other metro dailies, or has already been decided and is about to be implemented.

Let me ask all business editors where this is being considered to go to their editors and ask them this question: What is more important to people, knowing information about their jobs and the economy, or knowing whether their favorite sports team won last night? (And I went to the UNC-NC State game last night.) At some point, newspapers will have to decide whether they want to improve society or not. better business reporters and editors.

Click on the headline to go to the blog.

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust

It was Ash Wednesday, so Akron TV23 news anchor Eric Mansfield was making the obligatory report about the distribution of ashes by the Pope who he referred to as John Paul.

Whoops. JP2 is dead. There's a new Pontiff now who goes by the name Pope Benedict XVI.

When the video clip was displayed, though, Eric got it straight with no hint that he erred on first reference.

Helen Thomas to take a back seat

Here's a lead from a story by Mike Allen on the Politico.com web site which was accompanied by the AP photo by Charles Dharapak. It is sort of a commentary and probably does not belong out front on the blog--but we did not want you to miss it.

Here's Mike:

Every theater-style seat in the White House briefing room, now closed for renovation, had a brass plaque inscribed with the name of a news organization. Only one, in the middle of the front row, had a name: “HELEN THOMAS,” it said. The unique assigned seat between the chairs for CBS News and ABC News was reserved for the legendary United Press International correspondent who is now a columnist for Hearst Newspapers.

The press corps is scheduled to move from temporary facilities back into the spiffed-up, rewired briefing room in May or June. Thomas, who has been questioning presidents and press secretaries for 46 years, plans to be there. But her front-row seat won’t be. Plans call for her to be moved to the second row to make room for a cable news channel – a sign of Washington’s changing pecking order, and of the new ways that Americans get their news.

“I didn’t think I had a monopoly on that seat,” Thomas, 86, said in a telephone interview. “Since my peers have decided that I don’t belong there, I’ll bow to their – I’ll drink the – What did Socrates drink?”

Hemlock?

“I’ll drink it,” she said. “You have to submit to the will of the people, and apparently this is the will of my peers. It’s OK with me. I’ve had a good run in the front seat.”

Spending in newsroom is good for business.

A MUST SEE study

U.S. newspapers that spend more money on their newsrooms will make more money, according to a study released on Wednesday, which questions the wisdom of the media industry's trend of cutting jobs to save costs.

The authors of the University of Missouri-Columbia study, which was based on 10 years of financial data, said news quality affects profit more than spending on circulation, advertising and other parts of the business.

"The most important finding is that newspapers are under-spending in the newsroom and over-spending in circulation and advertising," said Esther Thorson, a co-author of the study.. "If you invest more in the newsroom, do you make more money? The answer is yes. If you lower the amount of money spent in the newsroom, then pretty soon the news product becomes so bad that you begin to lose money."

U.S. publishers have been eliminating jobs at many newspapers as part of larger efforts to trim expenses amid falling profit margins and, in the case of publicly traded chains, declining stock prices.

At the Los Angeles Times, the former publisher and editor were ousted last year after resisting parent company Tribune Co.'s ) demands to find more jobs to cut.

The new publishers of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Akron Beacon Journal also cut newsroom staff after they bought the papers from McClatchy Co

Publishers have focused on reviving circulation, which is declining, and renewing interest among advertisers who are moving their money to the Internet and other media.

"I am delighted to see them post proof that quality precedes profit," Philip Meyer, a professor at the University of North Carolina, a former Beacon Journal staffer and author of the book "The Vanishing Newspaper," said of the study.

"I don't share the authors' confidence that the industry will appreciate the importance of their result and act on it," he added. "Too many owners are more interested in harvesting than investing."

The study, "Uphill or Downhill? Locating Your Firm on a Profit Function," will be published in the April issue of the Journal of Marketing.

Click on the headline to see the Reuters story on the study or
See the report announcement from the MU news bureau.

BJ to drop stock listings, combine business and sports

The Beacon Journal will drop stock market listings the week of March 5 and combine the business sectionwith the sports section Monday through Friday. The business section will remain a separate section on Saturday and Sundaiy.

The BJ joins many other newspapers in dropping stock listings. It will save much space and production work. Those seeking up-to-the-minute information on stocks and mutual will rely on the Web for prices, dividends and historical performance.

In announcing the change in a column on page A2 on Sunday, managing editor Mizell Stewart said new features will be introduced on Ohio.com.

“All told, our Web offerings will provide comprehensive data on 7,000 stocks, 17,000 mutual funds and more than 300 exchange-traded funds -- more than we could ever provide in our print edition.:” Stewart wrote.

“The daily stock report in the Beacon Journal's print edition will be consolidated into a single page. It will include a comprehensive list of local stocks of interest and the top mutual funds, along with reports on currencies, commodities and interest rates.

“Some of the space formerly devoted to stock listings will be used to increase the amount of space available for daily business news. In the coming weeks, we plan to increase the size of the Sunday Business section from its current four pages to six.”

Click on the headline to read Stewart's column.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution trimming bigtime

Big changes at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution mean the buyout of at least 80 employees 55 years or older and also a scaling back of the circulation area.

You can click on the headline to see an update by E&P and the AP.

"We are extending a voluntary separation program offer to about 80 employees who are 55 years of age or older and have 10 years of Cox pension vesting service," editor Julia Wallace wrote. "The offer is completely voluntary. We don't expect everyone to take the offer, but we will not limit the number who can accept....Clearly we will lose some very talented and veteran folks. It's hard, but it's necessary for our economic realities."

Effective April 1, the newspaper will scale back its circulation territory to no longer include Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and many parts of Georgia. The paper had been delivered in 145 of Georgia's 159 counties, but now will only be available in 66 counties in the state. The paper won't be found in cities like Augusta, Columbus, Savannah and Albany.

The changes will mean the end of 44 circulation positions, with displaced workers offered severance packages, pubslisher John Mellot said.

The newspaper's parent company, Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, also will spend $30 million on upgrading its presses in suburban Gwinnett County, with plans to close the paper's downtown Atlanta production facility in two years. Mellott said the changes will mean the shift or loss of 98 production jobs.

A dozen different departments and desks will be reduced to four main departments.: News & Information, Enterprise, Digital, Print.

"The News and Information department will be responsible for news of all kinds -- metro, business, features and sports. Its mission and mantra is daily watchdog and aggressive newsgathering....

"The Enterprise department will generate distinctive local content. While it will produce special projects, this is more than a projects department. It will produce a steady stream of enterprise. Print will be its focus, but it also will take full advantage of the online platform....

"The Digital department is responsible for growing online audience by offering local news and information; providing a platform for interactivity and social networking; and extending our selection beyond news to attract new audiences....

"The Print department will produce the best newspaper possible."

Calling all Mailers: Here’s a 1959 list

An e-mail from Gil Beorn, a 1972 BJ mailroom retiree, served as a reminder that a list of Mailers on the old 1959 Beacon Journal employe directory had noth yet been posted.. Gil says he would like to hear from former Mailers.

“My wife and I are still enjoying Arizona weather,” he writes, “but have to settle for a care center to live.”

Gil also asked us to correct his address. It is:

GILBERT BEORN
11295 N 99TH AVE
BLDG 8 APT 106
PEORIA AZ 85345

You can send e-mail to gbeorn@cox.net

Here is a .list of 48 employees listed in the Mailing Room in the ”Beacon Journal Directory of Employes” revised September 15, 1959. The full list was printed as a newspaper-size broadsheet page. The directory was provided to the blog by retiired composing room employe Calvin Deshong. Names of others on the directory were posted some time ago on the blog.


HAGENBUSH, JESSE E., Foreman, 3083 S. Main, MI4-3162
Artalla, James J., 807 Avon, HE4-5045
Basore, Harry H. , 2052 Verde, PL-3-8252
Beorn, Gilbert,2728 Slxth st., Cuya Falls, WA-3-1550
Beom, Ralph, 2894 Albrecht av., RE-3-6601
Bernabei, Joseph J. , 946 East av., Tallmadge, ME-3-4886,
Butler, Gerard F., .2560 Berk st., C. F., WA-8-0639
Capatosfa, Rudolph A, 1115 Collinwood, WA-8-9549 ,
Chapman, David E., .2914 Sfockton,. PL-3-9314
Coleman, Francis ,.12 Circle dr., Medina, PA-3-6362
Coudriel, Bernard L., RD I, Seville, PO-9-2415
DeWitt, Henry R., 904 Kellar av., MA-8-1104
Ferguson, James R., 741 Manchesfer rd., SH-5-3630
George, Sfeve, 459 Magnolia, Cuya. Falls, WA-3-0548
Grna, Joseph, A. Jr , .370 Lindenwood av;, PA-4-0520 ,
Gma, Paul, 867 Davies, PA-4-5290
Hagenbush, John H., 2993 Bender, MI-4-3847 .
Hannan, Charles, 2824 Revere dr., Cuya. Falls, WA-8-9164
Hiney, John William, 1470 Hyde pl., ME-3-2648
Hiney, Ralph W., 1735 Mohawk, PA-4-3075,
Hiney; Richard B., 1728 S. ,Arlington PR-3-4847.
Howell, Robert L., .480 Ohio st., HE-4-5792
Jubara, John E. Jr., 695 Harvard, JE-5-6521
Kanter, Theodore, 1625 Highvlew, PR-3-2537
Long, Robert, .3747 Herbert, Mogadore, MA-8-3227
Lufz, Edward, 419 Grove, Cuya. . Falls, W A-8-4206
McGowan, John, Page. Hotel, 525 S. Main st., JE-5-0796
Memmer, Harry A. Jr, 178 Emmons, RE-3-1298
Nichols, Rex L ,1343 Rowe, PA-4-6593
Nichols, Roscoe G.,2249 Tyrone, ST-4-5961
Nichols, Wilkie, 1652 Hametown rd., Akron 13, MO-6-2381
Orum, Wiley M., 351 East Park blvd., ST-4-4381
Pariso, Thqmas E., 3978 Melton, MI-4-5473
Pileggi, Joseph S., 542 Magnolia av., C. F., WA-9-1476
Robinson, Wilfred L.,2325 10th sf., C. F., WA-3-1134
Royce, Melville A.,508 Columbia av., FR-6-3096
Royce, Roger, 128 'Wills av., HE-4-3474
Ruggles, Frank D., 635 North av., Tallmadge, ME-3-2658
Ruggles, Patrick C., 405 Kildare, UN-4-7831
Sanroff, James, 645 Pentiss, PR-3-6575
Schucker, John, 2585 23rd st., C. F., WA-9-1448
Slabaugh, Lemoyne , 619 Pleasant pl., HE-4-4686
Stacy, Ralph H., 4407 Darrow rd., Sfow, OV-8-4744
Thornburg, John R., 491 Vine st., BL-3-1328
Viscione, Louis M., 742 Kipling, PR-3-1851
Watson, James, 3527 Northampton rd., C. F., WA-8-3267
Whltlnger, Chesfer L., 903 Fess, FR-6-4320
Williams, William, 561 Cole av., PR-3-3154

Moyer to step aside when Chris Harte arrives

Keith Moyer, publisher and president, is leaving the Minneapolis Star-Tribune after the change in management from McClatchy to Avista Capital Partners.

“I am not leaving because of the change of ownership,’ Moyer wrote in a memo to the staff,”. “In fact, I believe the Star Tribune is going to be in excellent hands with Avista, as it was under McClatchy. I like very much the people who have bet on a bright future for each of you and this company with their considerable investment dollars.”

Moyer said he will remain until the close of sale occurs, currently planned for early March.

“From comments I’ve gotten from many of you, Chris Harte, who will be chairman of the Star Tribune Company, has been seen as an accessible, reassuring figure. Chris has a strong newspaper background. He understands that a newspaper is a public trust.,” Moyer said.

“Chris will be a wonderful steward for the Star Tribune, along with OhSang Kwon, Jimmy Finklestein and others who will help the new publisher, Chris, the Executive Team and, most importantly, all of you, develop what will undoubtedly be a new and exciting course for the company. My hope is that it will be a model for others to emulate as newspapers navigate their way out of the recently choppy waters we’ve seen.”

Harte is a former publisher of the Beacon Journal.

Click on the headline to read Moyer’s memo.

Former BJ photographer dies in Las Vegas

Robert Seifert Jennings Feb. 24, 1914 - Feb. 12, 2007

Robert Seifert Jennings, a Beacon Journal photographer in the 1950s, died Monday, February 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Born in Marion, Ohio, he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps and U.S.Army in World War II, before becoming a professional photographer, working for newspapers in Akron and Cleveland, Ohio.

He moved to Farmington in 1967 as a photographer with Howard's Photography. In Farmington, He was active in the local photography associations before relocating in Las Vegas in 2001.

He is survived by two sons: Michael of Phoenix and Steven and wife, Brenda, of Las Vegas, Nev.; and two grandchildren: Justin Jennings of Phoenix and Elizabeth Jennings of Las Vegas.

Cremation has taken place. There will be no local services.

Some personal information not in his obituary in the Farmington (NM) Daily Times) may be of interest.

He was a delightful conversationalist and told some wonderful stories about his days of working in New York and Europe and taking pictures of many celebrities. Overall, he was a shy man, with a good sense of humor He made flash bulb earrings for Frances Murphey for some occasion. She wore them frequently.

He me his wife, Donna Dunkeson, who wad head of the reference library, at the Beacon Journal. They were divorced some 30 years ago. He never remarried. Donna, now a widow living in Farmington, NM, was from Cleveland and they lived there when he worked for the old Cleveland News until he opened his own commercial photography business.

Leo Osmar recalls night shift weather

Here is an email that composing room retiree Leo Osmar sent to his children on Wednesday morning after spending close to two hours Tuesday afternoon traveling from Catholic Worker House on South Main Street to his home on North Hill. Leo says he is from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan so is not really too upset "when we get a 'touch of home' here in Akron."

Here's the email:

Hi all,
It is 9a.m.
I'm not surprised that no BJ was in my box this morning. And it is still snowing pretty steadily. So
what! I've (we've) pretty much decided to declare "snow days" for Thursday already. And I do feel for anyone who has to venture out today. Brings back a memory of years back when I was on the night shift at BJ. Weather was bad and pretty much getting worse, but what the heck. I jumped in the VW bus and went to work by way of Tallmadge to Dan to North to Arlington to Exchange to BJ. I took the short route that day because there was a backup on Main to the viaduct. It took a couple hours and I was not docked. The Composing Room had no time clocks.

Few people arrived to work that day. Mike Leidel was one of them (and he insisted on beer breaks every few hours). The BJ ASKED day timers to stay on and also any night shift people. At overtime and double time rate. BJ had reserved rooms at closeby hotels or motels for anyone who wanted an hour or two to sleep. BJ paid the bill.

Mike Leidel went home about 1 a.m. I stayed for a couple hours more and headed home. Downtown roads were OK. Main Street was easy all the way to Tallmadge. Then snow was bad. When turning onto Schiller I impounded into a snowbank and could not move. I walked home. And had a cup of coffee. I remember starting upstairs and my mind said, "Volkswagens do not get stuck." So I went back to the car and rocked that car back and forth until it gave up and backed out of the snowbank. Then I drove over to the A&P store on Howard Street and parked the car in the parking lot. And of course I walked home and went to bed. (Retrieved it the next afternoon when I went to work).

Gevalt writes about Valentine's Day in VT

Former BJ staffer Geoff Gevault who is editor of a blog for his Young Writers Project in Vermont tells about weather there on Valentine's Day.

Here's the lead:

It wasn’t a blizzard, but Wednesday’s storm was darned close to one. And at times, it felt like one — winds upwards of 35 miles an hour, snow coming at a rate of 4 inches an hour, visibility about 20 feet, 2 degrees.

The Valentine’s Day Storm of 2007 was a good one. A total of 36 inches fell here on the hill in Hinesburg, Vt. The snow is deep enough to get exhausted going no more than a half mile in the woods on snowshoes. It’s deep enough to swallow a small black Lab. It’s deep enough to bring gales of laughter from my youngest daughter. All the snow came in less than 24 hours. School closed for two days. Emergencies were declared — I89 was closed to traffic. We stayed at home.

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