Newspaper design for me consisted of InDesign, Photoshop, my cameras, community networking, projects big and small, the presses – the list goes on. Those are the skills that I have mastered to create whatever the Executive Editors, and my favorite features editor, threw my way. Sometimes a whole project would take days. I always tried to figure everything out myself. It was the only way to learn. Even our IT department would teach me how to fix my computers myself.
I would start my day grabbing the daily newspaper on my way to my desk, pressing my nose into the freshly printed paper so I could sniff the ink. I bet some of those days I even had ink on my face. It was exciting. I remember the editor saying “why don’t you read the newspaper?” I did, kinda, but I did not want to give in to his teasing. He loved it.
To be perfectly frank, the photography staff welcomed me with open arms. They taught me that a photograph and caption should tell the whole story and the best photo was always above the fold. Deep inside, I just really loved looking at all the photographs and designs.
I remember splitting up the holidays. A staff of 3 designers at our capacity. Would we rotate? How would it work? I remember the design staff did not rotate much over the years. I made some fabulous friends. And, I agreed to work every Thanksgiving since the thought of Thanksgiving dinner made me cringe. I only ate the pearled onions, the sweet potatoes (if marshmallows were not in sight) and my grandmother’s apple pie. The deal as years went by, was that I was allowed to change the nameplate and replace the dot in the “i” of “Register” with an Illustrator version of a turkey Melanie Stengel photographed on the loose in the city. The first year, the editor was very silent when he realized what I did. I thought I was headed straight to the chopping block for not having permission to alter the prized nameplate. But, after realizing how cool it looked, he allowed me to work many more Thanksgivings.
For most of my 25 years, we were in what currently is Jordan’s Furniture. Our presses were there. Running all night and day. My kids loved coming in and visiting with the press folks. The open newsroom was inviting. The hustle and bustle of news being told. The big meetings where everyone had a say and I drew the final layout of the front page. It was so exciting. Even my kids found fun things to do while enjoying a summer or two in a tent inside Rick Sandella’s bird and squirrel sanctuary. My son even flew through the newsroom one day with the publisher’s son delivering newspapers to anyone who just arrived for their shift. (I think HR was about to have a cow on that one). But, as it was explained to me, the publisher overrules HR (not sure of this one).
Over the years I have delivered some really cool designs to our readers. The pages below are some of my favorite and some of the most heartbreaking news I have experienced. Enjoy!

What memories do you have of your newsroom? Drop me a line…