By Gina Cuclis

Long Time Local Government Reporters Retire

The retirements this week of two long time Santa Rosa Press Democrat local government reporters means few remain in the PD's newsroom who know what politics was like in Sonoma County 20 to 30 years ago. The retirement last weekend of Santa Rosa City Hall reporter Mike McCoy, and the May 1 retirement of County government and political reporter Bleys Rose, are the latest in what has been an exodus of senior writers from the PD in the last couple years.

With the downsizing and decline in readership of printed newspapers, many experienced newspaper writers and editors are "retiring" before the traditional age. Often motivated by buy outs and other incentive packages, they are ending their careers early. This recent round of Press Democrat retirements was motivated by a changes in its pension plan payout. (Veteran photographer Mark Aronoff and sports writer Matt Maiocco also retired.)

Impacts on Coverage

What concerns me, and others I've talked to, is what happens when the newsroom loses the perspective of those who have been long time close observers of local history? While it's common for reporters to change beats, the transition is smoother when the new and former reporters on a beat are still working together. Mike McCoy covered Santa Rosa City Hall for 17 years. Whoever replaces him won't have his relationships or knowledge of the players. However, it's likely whoever replaces him will be a current employee, as the trend has been to reduce staff, not hire.

One Other Event This Week Indicates Further Decline of Newspapers

After 65 years in business, April 30^th will mark the last day for Sawyer's News in downtown Santa Rosa. During the 1990s and early part of the last decade, Sawyer's is where I would pick up Sonoma County's community newspapers. It was the only place that carried every newspaper published in the county. Sawyer's also sold newspapers from throughout the U.S. and the world.

As the newspaper and magazine business fell into decline, due to the digital age, so did Sawyer's News. I noticed a few years ago the numbers of newspapers on the shelves dwindling. I also could no longer find every Sonoma County community newspaper.

If you're looking for something noteworthy to do after work Friday, stop in at Sawyer's News at 733 4th Street before 6 p.m. The Press Democrat's Chris Smith Chris Smith reports Sawyer's owners, John Sawyer and Dan Potts, plan to make their last item sold be a copy of the Press Democrat. They have asked their friend and lifelong customer, Tom Reier, to make that final purchase. Bring a hankie. I'm sure there won't be a dry eye in the crowd.

If you have any thoughts to share about the retiring PD reporters or the closing of Sawyer's News, please leave a comment below.