After nearly a half-century, it is time.

I am retiring as of today.

“45 years, six days and counting….” was a piece I composed for National Newspaper Week in October 2024. Many readers interpreted my reflective column as a farewell. It wasn’t. But I knew I was taking final steps on a long and winding professional road.

So, now it’s “46 years, 171 days and DONE counting…”

Truth is this fossilized editor is plain tuckered out. Over my years as a sports staffer, sports editor, managing editor and executive editor — for another day, anyhow — there have been great times and, frankly, bad moments, too. A lot of in-betweens. But as a colleague would say, journalism is the profession we chose. No regrets here.

Newspaper work is ever-changing, often spontaneous from one minute to the next. You never know heading into work exactly what the next day’s page one will look like. I loved the challenge. Newsrooms could be so exhilarating, especially in years past. Pure adrenaline rushes.

Changes have been many, the most staggering being the internet. That brought along good, bad and in-betweens, too. Granted, social media serves many positive and solid purposes. Sadly, the flip-side is it provides platforms for the grossly misinformed, bullies, perverts and cowards to weaponize — often behind a shield of anonymity. That is downright pitiful.

In our business we deal with constant deadlines, trying to cover all readership communities with staffing challenges and often, as least in my case, dealing with a writer’s block the size of the iceberg that took down the Titanic.

Of course, newspapers, large and small, are magnets for critics. We are easy targets for those with tiny minds and big mouths. Now — if you would allow — this corny but, actually, accurate analogy. Newspapers versus candy bars. We all enjoy a good chunk of candy now and again, right? Chocolate, gooey caramel, maybe some nuts.

Still, your daily typical newspaper costs the same, usually less, than a simple candy bar. For that you get bountiful information such as community stories, obits, police and court blotters, syndicated columnists, puzzles, comics, sports, etc. You get my example, right? All of that and more for $1.25 a day. Newspapers still are fantastic bargains. They don’t give you cavities, either.

So, thank yous to all deserving my gratitude. There have been hundreds. Thanks for having my work in your homes, in your work places — wherever newspapers are read. Truly appreciated.

Beckoning now are bugs-and-worms expeditions with the grandkids, pars to be had and a huge iceberg to melt.

God bless.