To reporter Rex Springston, it was “a good day to be alive.”
In a post-Thanksgiving escape from 9/11 stress, he took his family hiking into the Great Dismal Swamp Na- tional Wildlife Refuge. He wrote about the wonders of autumn in Virginia and illustrated the article not only with his own color photography but also with descriptive similes and metaphors. Examples:
“Cypress knees lurked in the swamp’s shadows like trolls.”
A great blue heron “snatched a little frog with its long beak, like chopsticks grabbing a mushroom.”
“Across the state this fall, nature put out the good china.”
Dave Gaddy of Tappahannock was among those who took special notice.
“You, sir, have the soul of a poet,” Gaddy wrote to Springston. “Thanks . . . for reminding us all of the beauty that surrounds us.”
As I wrote here two weeks ago, the ombudsman normally deals with complaints from readers. To start the new year, I invited members of The Times-Dispatch news staff to share compliments they have received and especially appreciated.
Gaddy’s e-mail note was a keeper. News folks, somewhat hardened to criticism, long remember the kinder words.
How long do they remember? Some 45 years ago, this ombudsman was makeup editor here. In that role, I was in charge of layout of all inside news pages and oversaw the jigsaw-puzzle composition of Page One and what is now the Metro front.
After one particularly challenging struggle with three editions, I returned to the newsroom from the hot-metal shop and slumped at my desk. Dick Payne, assistant city editor, walked past and restored my energy with four words: “Good looking paper, Jerry.”
Following is Part 2 of your compliments sent to news staffers here, and they will be long remembered as well. Even though, as was done with the previous list, the comments have been edited and compressed, space won’t permit inclusion of all the notes forwarded by the recipients.
To Tom Campbell: “Thank you for writing an unbiased story about my husband.” (The wife of a man convicted in a federal court commenting on the trial coverage.)
To Clissa England: “Congratulations . . . on your usual informative and especially beautiful issue! This edition is a treasure.” (Millie Heltzer to the editor of Discover Richmond 2001.)
To Katherine Calos: “You won’t recognize my name, but we shared a hot dog lunch on the streets of New York recently. We thought your write-up of the trip and the situation in New York was extremely good; we would’ve enjoyed it even if we hadn’t been along!” (Mary G. Corsentino about a Travel section article about New York showing its “softer side” to visitors from Virginia soon after Sept. 11.)
To Bill Lohmann: “I think it is important for you (the message was sent to Executive Editor Bill Millsaps) to know just how impressed everyone at Camp Comfort was with Bill Lohmann’s series on our recent journey up to Montclair, N.J. . . . He was masterful at observing and in turn, poignantly writing, about his perceptions.” (Jill FitzGerald, Camp Comfort board member, on articles describing the Richmond bereavement camp’s outreach to those who lost loved ones on Sept. 11.)
To Shawn Cox and Mary Goodwyn: “I wanted to commend you for the story entitled ‘Ready, Set’ in the . . . Your section. It is important for all Virginians to know how the state and local governments prepare for severe winter weather.” (Rohn Brown, Virginia Department of Emergency Management.)
To Michael Martz: “I am pleased you are helping people understand people.” (Jackie Snow responding to an article on the inspirational messages delivered at a National Black Student Leadership Conference.)
To Jay Strafford: “I was especially struck by your mention of [James Fox's book] ‘White Mischief’ . . . and on some level, I did indeed think often of it throughout. That’s damned perceptive of you!” (Alan Pell Crawford of Richmond writing that he was impressed with the review of his book, “Unwise Passions.”)
To Gail Kelley: At least 40 readers called her Metro Business “Startup Spotlight” feature on a new bathtub and sink resurfacing business “well done” and asked for details on how to reach the business owner.
To Mark Gormus: “Imagine my surprise when I opened the St. Paul Pioneer Press and USA Today on Nov. 21 and saw the picture of Breanna Korsman, the freshman from William and Mary, waiting at the airport. What a good choice to photograph! . . . I’m the proud grandmother.” (Lucille Korsman of Farmington, Minn., in a card thanking the photographer.)
To Melissa Ruggieri: “Your reviews are sincerely appreciated by someone who has a love for music. . . . I know you take a beating from the children, and I can’t help but chuckle at the foolishness that they write.” (Carol Storts of Richmond in a thank-you to the popular music writer.)
To Randy Fitzgerald: “His column is the first thing I locate [in the Your section]. . . . Barb and her unused gifts she quickly wrapped at Christmas for an exchange this year will probably become traditional in the Foreman household.” (Beverly Foreman in a note on how she looks forward to Fitzgerald’s columns.)
To Rea McLeroy White: “I attend several [NASCAR] races a year from Daytona to Richmond and always buy a local newspaper. None of them has the quality race coverage we in central Virginia receive.” (Ed Wilkerson of Disputanta commending the T-D’s auto racing writer.)
To Mark Holmberg: “I think your column is a breath of fresh air. After reading so many news stories that leave one feeling like they should steer clear because of so much ‘bad’ news, you always leave the reader with a lesson to be learned.” (Judy Lee of Richmond.)
To Betty Booker: “I enjoy your work, especially when it involves the ‘true confessions’ segment. As a reader, not a writer, it is comforting to have those that are usually giving advice admitting that taking advice is a hell of a lot harder.” (Hob Sigmon, one of several responding to Booker’s column confessing she didn’t keep a New Year’s resolution to walk three miles a day during 2001.)
To McGregor McCance: A reader in Mechanicsville praised the technology reporter’s story on a device to protect computer equipment with high-speed Internet connections. The story, wrote the reader, was better written and more useful than any similar article in his editions of PC World magazine.
“That was cool,” said McCance.
