Yesterday there was a gathering of old Newsday colleagues at a country club for a dinner, and a book signing by a former editor. It was a wonderful gathering and so nice to see a number of people I haven't seen in the last ten years. From left: Bob Keeler, Henry Moritsugu, who has worked at the paper for 51 years, and me. I went back to Newsday after the event with Henry to get a copy of a special section on the production and printing of the paper over the years. Then we took a walk through the city room.
The Sunday paper was pretty much put to bed, so there are not very many people in the city room.
I did find one friend I have known for a long time. This is Rich Loretoni, an art director for the paper. But we worked together years ago when he was in the art department of Parents' Magazine, where I did some freelance work.
They have this wonderful display in the hallway at Newsday of reporters and photographers at work on assignment. I was surprised to find this photo of me, at the lower left. It is Bob Keeler and I standing by the New York State electric chair at Green Haven Correctional Facility, taken years ago.
And I had completely forgotten about this photograph, also on display in the hall. I took this photograph in 1969 on Martha's Vinyard. It is a photograph of the Dike Bridge which goes to Chappaquiddick Island - this is the bridge that Ted Kennedy drove off of with his car, resulting in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. There are several Newsday reporters standing on the bridge, along with other spectators. It was sad, realizing that I would never again visit the place where I worked for 28 years. Newsday printed its last papers last Saturday night on the presses in the building, before shutting them down permanently. Newsday is now printed by the New York Times printing plant in Queens, NY. The lease is up on the Newsday building, and all of the staff will be moved to an ordinary office building, to save money, since they don't need that much space for the smaller staff.
I enjoyed seeing old photos of you. I thought you worked at Newsday for a longer period of time. Nice to visit with old colleagues and friends and tour the building, but sad that newspapers are shrinking and will be leaving this building.
ReplyDeleteJoan
So glad you were able to take some photos for the last time. Love seeing the picture of you (in dark pants!). How sad, though, that they are closing. I also thought you worked for Newsday longer than 28 years...betsey
ReplyDeleteI worked for Newsday for 41 years. When I first came to Long Island, Newsday was located in Garden City, NY, and I worked there for 14 years. In 1979 they build the new, larger building in Melville, NY
ReplyDeleteThank you for clearing that up :-) betsey
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how sad you felt as you exited the building on that last visit.
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