July 13, 2007

From the Editor

Thanks for the memories…

It is with some sadness that I am writing this column to say goodbye to the many friends and acquaintances that I have met over the years as Executive Editor of the Almaden Times Weekly. This is my last edition as I am leaving to follow another path.

I will miss the ebb and flow of newspaper life. As editor for the past seven years I have grown to appreciate the many wonderful aspects of life in Almaden Valley and the many amazing people who inhabit the neighborhoods.

In my capacity as a journalist I had the opportunity to meet a variety of people from different walks of life, many of whom I never would have met if not for my position here at the Times. From covering the mayors of San Jose and Campbell, police chiefs, schoolteachers and neighborhood activists all the way down to criminals who prey on the weak, it has been an amazing adventure.

Some of my favorite stories have involved those who have overcome adversity to triumph and inspire others…such as the mother who is fighting to make sure that the drunk driver who left her son for dead on Almaden Expressway doesn’t get off with a slap on the wrist, or the heartbroken dad left to raise his two young sons after his wife died of breast cancer, or the mom whose beautiful 21-year-old daughter’s life was cut short by terrorists on 9/11, or the elderly parents of Jeanine Harms who may never see the person who killed her come to justice or the eight-year-old girl left paralyzed, who later died after a rare reaction to an over the counter medication. I am also proud of the work we have done to uncover the pedicure infections, driver training problems and issues at City Hall.

I have met many impressive people while covering the Almaden Valley, too many to mention here, but they definitely include the likes of Allison Johnson, Gary Dillon, Pat Dando, Rob Davis, Rocke Kramer, Leslie Reynolds, Nancy Pyle, Lee Wilcox and Linda Kakes, just to name a few.

I have also worked with some amazingly talented men and women who have taught me to hone my craft and to laugh when crazy deadlines loomed such as Diego Abeloos, Carol Rosen, Jeanne Lewis, Lorraine Gabbert, Kym-berli Brady, Sha-na Moore, Murry Frymer and of course, the in-comparable Karl Laucher.

Along with the rest of the country I have read the stories of newspaper readership decline with great sadness because I am an ardent news hound. I have also seen many talented writers, editors and photographers flounder as they struggled to support their families in this changing industry, and watched as some eventually gave up and left the industry altogether. If you love newspapers, as I do, please support them. Read them, write letters to the editors, patronize their advertisers and if you can, buy an ad for your business.

As they say, you’ll never know how much you’ll miss something until it’s gone. Don’t let this happen to your neighborhood community newspapers… or to any newspaper.

I am heading off to explore a new adventure; one which I believe will bring me great satisfaction. I will be the Director of National Expansion for the non-profit Family Giving Tree organization. The FGT grants holiday wishes for disadvantaged children thanks to the kindness of their many supporters. They also provide school supplies at back to school time. In that capacity I plan to spread the word about this amazing organization and help set up virtual-giving opportunities across the nation.

The FGT first came to my attention when I interviewed an amazing teacher at Leland High School, Carla Lucarotti, who is one of the FGT’s biggest supporters in this area. I have always been so impressed with their efforts and with the organization that I knew I wanted to be a part of helping them expand their vision.

Thank you all for the memories… it has been a fascinating ride.