Bruce Mitchell's The Athens NEWS, a powerhouse legacy of local Ohio journalism
The first time I met Bruce Mitchell, in December 2008, while I waited for our appointment, I noticed a sign hanging in the second-floor front office of The Athens NEWS at 14 N. Court Street in Athens, Ohio.
'A newspaper's duty is to print the news and raise hell,' it said.
When Bruce walked in to greet me, I gestured toward the sign.
'I love reporting the news,' I grinned. 'And I love raising hell.'
He beamed back with his wide, open smile and laughed his approval.
After our conversation that day, I knew kismet had found us — a shared bulldog energy for public accountability against corruption combusting in our professional cores.
Hard-nosed and never afraid of confrontation, but not militant or hateful, this energy is fueled not by fear, contempt, vengeance, or resentment, but an absolute love and commitment to community, humanity, truth, justice, and public service.
Having for years read and admired the work of longtime Editor Terry Smith, Jim Phillips, and Nick Claussen, I knew quickly after my interviews with Terry and Bruce that The Athens NEWS would mean something in my life.
Perhaps, though, I didn't fully recognize how deep and profound its meaning until just last weekend, when many of us were reunited in Athens to celebrate Bruce's life and legacy following his passing on April 29 at the age of 71.
As I watched a slideshow last Saturday of Bruce living this joyful, fiercely unique, caring, heart-forward, service-oriented, wildly colorful life, I could not help but be struck by the force and magnitude of all that he and Terry had built. Of course, many others helped, from Bruce's wonderful wife Susan and his business partner Guy Philips, to the countless reporters, staff and sales reps, graphics people and photographers who contributed so much along the way.
I joined the NEWS at the very start of 2009, after Terry hired me as a new staff reporter over the holidays.
I had been a student reporter for the campus bureau of the paper during my senior year at Ohio University. I used those first crucial professional clips to obtain an internship in Washington D.C., which turned into a job at the National Journal's The Hotline. That led to a job for the New York Observer's Politicker covering the 2008 campaign cycle in then-battleground Ohio. After the election was over, they laid us all off.
I needed a new reporting job, and wanted to gain a wider variety of coverage experience. Terry was looking for a reporter with political coverage chops. Bruce had already been printing the news and raising hell for more than three decades as publisher of The Athens NEWS, which he founded in 1977, fresh after graduating from Ohio University and raising plenty of hell as a campus leader and activist.
While I was an undergrad, I read every twice-weekly edition of The Athens NEWS.
I loved — and still love — the tactile quality of flipping through a physical newspaper: the feel, the sound, the smell, the vibe. The Athens NEWS was free, ubiquitous around the campus and city, and useful. With no smartphones back then, every Monday and Thursday I would sit down to lunch at one of the dining halls and read the whole thing.
From the NEWS, I knew every event at every venue every weekend throughout the city and county. I knew all the bands, all the players, all the local personalities, the best bars and food spots, the best deals, all the clubs and activities, all the festivals, all the opportunities.
I knew everything Ohio University was up to, and anything nefarious the administration might be trying to pull. I knew everything the city and county was up to as well, and anything untoward any local officials might be trying to pull. I knew the crime, I knew the scandals.
When I joined the full-time team, it was a blessing: With Bruce's passionate, tireless crusade against public corruption and injustice of any kind, I knew I had the freedom to be the best bulldog reporter I could be.
With Jim Phillips' extraordinary, polished, and excellent example, I could study a master reporter at work. And with Terry Smith's steady-handed, level-headed, practical, insightful, inquisitive mentorship and guidance, I learned everything I ever needed to know about how to run a newsroom like a true pro.
I expected to be at The Athens NEWS for two years. I ended up staying for nine.
We held powerful local politicians accountable to the people, and Ohio University accountable to its students and the larger community. We exposed schemes, scams, and abuse.
We did all the everyday reporting that the community needed. We featured everybody making a positive impact, told our readers the heartbreaking truth about poverty and all its attendant ills in Appalachia, exposed predatory landlords and corrupt politicians, and produced every kind of special issue, student and visitor guide imaginable. I got to write everything from restaurant reviews and Goo Goo Dolls interviews, to deeply reported issue coverage of addiction in Southeast Ohio.
While Terry ran the show in the newsroom — ever-balancing Bruce's intensity and more feverish ideas with Terry's own steady and serious news judgment — behind the operation as a whole stood Bruce, a pied-piper with a wild tie and funny hat, deepening community connections, leading our march in the Halloween parade, handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving and trees at Christmas, taking us to Cincinnati for Reds games, throwing birthday pizza parties, insisting relentlessly on fun.
He was one-of-a-kind, never meant for mass production, and others have written lovely tributes outlining the many memorable stories about Bruce and the wonderful things he accomplished, including former reporter Miles Layton and longtime Athens NEWS columnist Dennis E. Powell.
In my time there, I got all the invaluable reporting experience I craved, covering local government, crime and the courts, education, health care, energy and the environment, natural disasters, public corruption, protests and riots.
After working first in D.C. and then Columbus, I finally saw and learned how policy impacts Ohioans' lives at the ground level. I'd been in their homes. I'd heard their stories. I'd witnessed their tears.
What happens at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus is not theoretical to me; I know the repercussions in my heart — I know the faces of the people being harmed.
And perhaps therein lies the source of my largest debt of gratitude to Bruce, Terry, Jim, and the whole rest of the entire Athens NEWS team over the years.
Everything I learned there became a part of me. I carry it all within me now, at the Ohio Capital Journal, with my own team.
So last Saturday, as I sat there in my beloved Athens, reunited for this celebration of life, a wave of gratitude, appreciation, and admiration crashed over me.
What a helluva great and noble thing Bruce had done, creating The Athens NEWS and building it into the beautiful community newspaper that it was.
Over the decades, an upstart alternative newsweekly became, by the time Bruce retired in 2015 — and for five years after through Terry and Conor Morris — what ought to always be remembered as an absolute powerhouse of local Ohio journalism.
Fair, fearless, free, fact-based reporting for the people.
Those are actually the mission taglines for the Ohio Capital Journal, but they may as well have been the taglines for The Athens NEWS. I realize now that this whole ethos was inspired and ingrained in me during my time there. And by some wild grace I have the good fortune to continue on with it with States Newsroom, dedicated only to doing the best journalism possible.
Before I left Bruce's celebration of life last Saturday, having reflected on all of this, I made sure to tell Susan how grateful I was for the role that she and Bruce and The Athens NEWS played in my life, and how fortunate I feel to be able to try to continue some of that legacy today with the work of the Ohio Capital Journal.
Graceful and gracious as ever, Susan gave me a hug and told me that Bruce had followed our work at the Capital Journal and he was proud. That made my eyes well up. I hadn't seen Bruce in the years after I moved to Columbus and they moved to Key West, but I knew that if he ever read the Capital Journal then he would've recognized various reflections of the kind of work we did at the NEWS. That made me smile.
Bruce was a man who cared passionately about others and cared passionately about justice and community. He lived with joy, loved deeply, fought corruption relentlessly, and poured himself into his community with no reservations. He was a wild man, with a great big honest heart, and to me, that counts for everything. Bravo, my friend.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Marshfield man gets 25 years in prison for November 2024 death of his roommate
WISCONSIN RAPIDS − A 28-year-old Marshfield man was sentenced Aug. 19 to 25 years in prison for the November 2024 death of a woman who was chocked to death then taken to Price County and set on fire. Deyvin Castro-Gutierrez pleaded no contest to and was found guilty of second-degree intentional homicide in the death of Blanca Jesenia Hernandez-Portocarrero, 28, of Marshfield. The charge was reduced from a charge of first-degree intentional homicide. Retired Marathon County Circuit Judge Gregory Grau, acting as a substitute judge in the Wood County case, found Castro-Gutierrez guilty of the reduced charge. As part of the plea agreement, a charge of mutilating a corpse filed in Price County was dismissed but considered during sentencing. Wood County District Attorney Jonathan Barnett said Castro-Gutierrez told investigators he and Hernandez-Portocarrero got into an argument over some text messages and phone calls she had made. Because she was smaller, Hernandez-Portocarrero got a knife to protect herself. Castro-Gutierrez knocked the knife out of her hand and then hit her throat and held his arm across it until she stopped breathing, Barnett said. Wood County inspections: One restaurant receives 10 violations on initial and reinspection Local business news: 7 Brew drops new drive-through coffee stand in Marshfield, expected to open this fall If the case had gone to trial as first-degree intentional homicide, a jury likely would have decided Castro-Gutierrez's account of how the death happened did not justify the charge, Barnett said. There was no evidence to dispute it, he said. A neighbor in the apartment complex had put a surveillance camera in the parking lot, because he believed someone had hit and damaged his car repeatedly, Barnett said. The camera happened to catch Castro-Gutierrez putting Hernandez-Portocarrero's body in the trunk of his car, Barnett said. That is the reason officials were able to determine it was him who killed Hernandez-Portocarrero, he said. Castro-Gutierrez then took the body to Price County where he put Hernandez-Portocarrero in a ditch and tried to burn the body, Barnett said. Some people came along and saw the fire. Defendant knows he has destroyed two families, lawyer says Nothing the defendant or anyone can do will bring Hernandez-Portocarrero back, said James Bennett, Castro-Gutierrez's attorney. It is clear he tried to cover up the crime afterward. "These actions are inexcusable here and will forever be with him," Bennett said. Castro-Gutierrez was born in Nicaragua and lived with his grandmother, Bennett said. From the age of 10, he cared for his grandmother. Castro-Gutierrez wanted to become a doctor, but his family was too poor to make that happen. Castro-Gutierrez came to the United States to make money he could send home to help his family, including his four children, in Nicaragua, Bennett said. His oldest daughter is studying pharmaceutical chemistry at a university. Castro-Gutierrez is both proud that he has helped his daughter do that and sad he won't be able to continue helping her. Castro-Gutierrez knows he had taken Hernandez-Portocarrero away from her four children and he will not be available for his four children for many years. He knows he's destroyed two families, Bennett said. He hopes to return to Nicaragua and his family in coming years. Victim's family asks for harshest possible penalty Hernandez-Portocarrero's aunt spoke to the judge by a video call. She spoke through a Spanish interpreter who was interpreting the Aug. 19 proceedings for Castro-Gutierrez. The aunt said the actions of Castro-Gutierrez have devastated Hernandez-Portocarrero's children and mother. He took her away from them, she said. The family would like Grau to give Castro-Gutierrez the harshest possible penalty, the aunt said. They would like to see him spend the rest of his life in prison. Castro-Gutierrez did not give a statement when given the chance. Grau gave Castro-Gutierrez 25 years in prison to be followed by 20 years of extended supervision, which was the joint recommendation of Barnett and Bennett. Since he is not a U.S. citizen, it is likely officials will send him back to Nicaragua when his prison sentence is finished, Grau said. Grau gave Castro-Gutierrez credit for 281 days already served in jail. Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@ Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: Deyvin Castro-Gutierrez of Marshfield gets 25 years in roommate death
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What's happening at UIS on Aug. 20? Move-in day kicks off fall semester
Hundreds of new students are expected to move into University of Illinois Springfield residence halls starting 11 a.m. Aug. 20. Volunteers from student organizations and campus departments are scheduled to help with parking, unloading and directions, according to a community announcement. Fall semester classes are expected to begin Aug. 22, according to the announcement. This story was created by reporter Abreanna Blose, ablose@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: UIS students move in Aug. 20 ahead of fall semester Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
It's Peach Season—Here's How to Make a Whiskey Cocktail with the Stone Fruit
Celebrate peak peach season with a Palisade Peach Whiskey Smash that's made with ripe peach puree, mint syrup, and Colorado whiskey for a perfect summer sip. It's the peak of peach season in many parts of the country, including in Colorado where I'm from. It's my favorite time of year to scoop up the stone fruit at farmers market and make peach everything—panzanella salads, cobbler, and marinades for pork chops. But one of my favorite ways to incorporate juicy ripe peaches into recipes is with a cocktail. If you've ever had a Palisade peach, you know they're something special. Grown on Colorado's Western Slope, which is where Colorado's wine country is located, these peaches are big, sweet, and incredibly juicy thanks to the warm days and cool nights in the region. Stranahan's, a Colorado whiskey maker, has provided its go-to recipe for toasting to peach season. The peach whiskey smash is made with a peach puree from Colorado's Palisade peaches but any local to your area will do the trick. (Pro tip: To make a peach puree, just peel and pit a ripe peach, then blend it until smooth. If it's too thick, you can add a splash of water or lemon juice to get the consistency just right.) I love these elegant rocks glasses for whiskey drinks, including smashes: Here's how to make a peach whiskey smash, the perfect late-summer cocktail. Stranahan's Palisade Peach Whiskey Smash Recipe 2 oz Stranahan's Blue Peak Single Malt Whiskey 1 oz peach puree 1 oz mint syrup* 0.5 oz lemon juice 2 dashes Peach Bitters 2 dashes Orange Bitters Garnish: Mint sprig and dried peach wheel Instructions: 1. Add ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake. 2. Strain over ice in the glass. This cocktail pairs wonderfully with dishes that let summer ingredients shine. Think backyard happy hour or a sunset dinner on the patio. Here are a few ideas: Grilled pork chops or chicken with a peach glaze or herb marinade. Prosciutto-wrapped peaches or melon Panzanella salad loaded with heirloom tomatoes, peaches, and fresh basil, and mozzarella pearls. A cheeseboard with creamy goat cheese, sharp cheddar, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey. Peach cobbler or shortbread cookies if you're ending the night on a sweet note. * A Quick Note on Mint Syrup You can usually find mint syrup at well-stocked liquor stores or online, but it's also super easy to make at home—especially if you've got an overflowing mint plant in your garden! To make a quick mint syrup: Combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and a big handful of fresh mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let it steep for about 10 to 15 minutes, then strain out the mint and let the syrup cool. Store it in the fridge for up to a week. It's great in everything from cocktails to iced tea and lemonades.
