I’ll also remain a member of our editorial board, which is the institutional voice of The Columbian. I now have the title of editor emeritus, which is Latin for “old guy who can’t quite let go.”
Thanks for the kind words
Look, journalists don’t get into the newspaper business with a goal of making friends.
Eventually, we’re likely to strike a bad note with you, and you’re likely to not easily forget it.
So it was not only humbling but a little surprising when the nice notes started rolling in after The Columbian announced I was stepping down.
Sure, some of the usual suspects gleefully gloated about my departure. As it should be. I respect my critics as much as I respect those who say nice things about me.
So before my editor thing becomes really old news, I wanted to devote this column to sharing a few of those comments:
• “I have been around a while, and I have never seen a better example of how the voice of the people, that is the press, can effect positive change in government.
“Your work in exposing the cancer in the county commissioner’s office was unrelenting, brave and spectacularly effective.”
— From a judge in Clark County
• “You have taken the mission of good journalism fiercely seriously while making the news entertaining and fun.
“You have made me nervous. That is you doing your job. A good thing.
— Larry J. Smith
• “Thank you for always backing up reporters in their pursuit of the truth!”
— Erin Middlewood
• “Ninety-nine percent of my subscription reasoning was your refreshing style.”
— Sam Atkinson
• “Congrats and thanks for a ‘must read’ every weekend! Will have to adjust to a monthly chuckle.”
— Peter Mayer
• “You’ve been the first thing we look for in the paper for a long time now. Thank you for doing such a great job of holding folks accountable and keeping us informed.”
— Judy Richards Chipman
• “Watch out Florida, Lou is on his way, the Bocce King.”
— Thom Rasmussen
• “I have always enjoyed your column. Your columns have always been well-written, extremely informative, humorous sometimes, and I have looked forward to reading it each week. You have touched many lives of people, some of whom you will never know. Your reporting has always been very meaningful to me, as well as to my 98-year-old father, who often greets me with ‘Did you read Lou’s column this morning?’ accompanied by a twinkle in his eye.”
— Helen Engel
Lou Brancaccio is The Columbian’s editor emeritus. His column appears the first Saturday of every month. Reach him at lounews1@gmail.com.