North Coast Journal

PUBLISHER - JUNE 1996


Comings and goings

by Judy Hodgson, Editor and Publisher


ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MANY writers and other contributors to the Journal each month, our core staff consists of just a half dozen regulars. It is always like saying goodbye to a family member when someone leaves.

This month two staffers are moving north. Our advertisers are most familiar with Deborah Sheretz, our unfailingly cheerful sales manager for this past year. Deborah's Coast Guard husband was transferred back home to Washington state.

And staff writer Lisa Ladd-Wilson is already busy job hunting in Portland where she has joined her husband. (What is it with them?) But not before we got a few more outstanding stories out of her, most notably, "Author, Author!" "The Accusers of Father Timmons" and the "HMO update." Lisa has been a colleague since 1987. We will especially miss her sense of humor -- even the endless dog stories. I am glad readers also got a chance to know her through her personal column, "Taking notes."

Joining our staff as ad manager is a born-and-raised Eurekan, Carla Strope. Carla graduated from Redwood High (remember?) in 1974, worked for 20 years for AT&T in Eureka, Santa Rosa and Reno as an account executive, and returned to Humboldt County last year. She was married to the late Reed Strope and has a 3-year-old daughter, Felicia. Carla says her new hobby is "tropical vacations."

Our new staff writer, Jim Hight, has been on board for the last two issues. He wrote last month's cover story on the Big Lagoon Casino. Since he is a writer, I asked him to produce his own bio:

"Moved here from Boston with wife, Elizabeth Conner. Chose Humboldt County as the best place to live between San Luis Obispo and Bellingham, Wash. Pub'd underground newspaper in HS (Pasadena), wrote for and eventually edited community magazine in Pasadena.

"Free-lance wrote for Boston Herald for five years. Taught non-traditional journalism curricula to inner-city students in Boston, and published quarterly magazine of student writing.

"A 'practical idealist' who loves to write stories about good people doing good things ... as well as hard reporting that analyzes public policy, inquires deeply into how well our public institutions are performing.

"New to the resource issues of the North Coast, but eager to learn. Likes to get calls with suggestions for great stories."


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