Danville Register and Bee sports editor leaving

He saw the light and someone saw his. After all his time at The Danville Register & Bee Sports Editor Drew Wilson is leaving. The best always do. He's not going far. Averett University is picking him up. He'll now have, and I quote from his farewell commentary, "A normal schedule." True. Reporters at the Register and Bee work a lot of overtime and not all of it is paid. You're expected to "be honest" on your time sheet...but pretty much everyone I know who takes pride in their work works overtime and doesn't put all of it down. You may say you worked 45 hours but in all likelihood you worked closer to 55. You have to. There's not enough staff to cover everything.

The hours were brutal...but then staffers have to contend with no photographers - real photographers...people who take good photos consistently. Reporters - including Drew, must travel great distances, use their own gas money (paper only reimburses.41 cents per mile and key word is REIMBURSE. They ride on your dime for a month at a time), their own cameras (if they want good photos - because the Register & Bee cameras are all broken or not working effectively and there's no money to replace them...see earlier posts about the closing of bathrooms because of the cost of cleaning them).

Okay, no microphones for the tape recorders. You have to buy your own batteries or stand on your head to get them....two video cameras (only one works consistently) to share among um.....10 people? And gory wrecks and fires and sports take precedence over things like - oh - a tour of a new plant or a feature story or anything else.

So - how do you cover sports when you don't have a photographer, have to take your own photos, have to follow the play-by-play, interview players and coaches post play and then write, edit and lay out your section at the same time...and when you do it well and go above and beyond....that's simply what is expected...no kudos from inside - although outside people notice - thus the awards. However, this year The Register and Bee couldn't afford to send its award winners to the ceremony...too bad. So sad. Mr. Reid Ashe was raking it in....but no money for a hotel room, gas or meals for the folks who busted their butts all year to perform.

Steve Kaylor sure doesn't care. Remember Steve? Steve who lies to his advertisers, lies to the women who confronted him about the video tape antics of his reporters, lied to the Rotary Club about why the newspaper has no photographers...geesh. Small wonder Drew is leaving. Everyone else has their resumes out too Steve. I told you the newsroom talent were all leaving or looking to leave. Believe me now? Then maybe you'll believe the rest of it too.....the squabbles between managers....

You know Steve. I think the newspaper needs new leadership. You should put your resume out there too if it isn't already. Just leave. Maybe you can go work for Jerry Gwaltney as he starts his new consulting career with the county, or the hospital since you sort of already are....but make it above board now. I heard he has a million dollar slush fund and some good friends. He might find you something to do.

The polls here on the board all agree...that you need to be fired. Get out now - before the EEOC thing goes to court. Go back to not being in touch with the community somewhere else. And take Arnold Hendrix with you...oh. I forgot. You two hate each other. Always a good thing in an organization. If you're not sleeping with co-workers you're trying to undermine them.

Not many more people to lose...