Some changes are being made to the talented writing staff at the Journal-Tribune.
Readers may have noticed a new byline atop a story from Jerome Township in Tuesday’s newspaper, as Michael Williamson will be taking over coverage of the rapidly growing corner of Union County.
Williamson (who is not related to Journal-Tribune Managing Editor Chad Williamson) is a 2007 graduate of Fairbanks High School and comes to the Journal-Tribune after serving as the managing editor at the Madison Press. He lives in Plain City and will also take over duties covering the village and its council.
Mac Cordell, who has covered Plain City and Jerome Township for the past 12 years at the Journal-Tribune, will continue to assist with coverage for the newly created Plain City News page, which can be found on page 6A of today’s newspaper.
The idea for the Plain City News page formed after the Madison Press and its weekly publication, The Plain City Advocate, ceased publication. Journal-Tribune leadership felt an obligation to step in and ramp up coverage to the growing village.
“I think we have always done an outstanding job of covering Plain City and Jerome Township, but because our name features ‘Marysville’ it was difficult for residents to consider us the newspaper of record for the village,” managing editor Chad Williamson said. “We hope that the new focus of the Plain City News, along with the hiring of an experienced journalist who lives in that community, will prove our commitment to serving our readers in that area.”
Cordell, who has also previously served as a managing editor at the Madison Press, will shift his focus to covering the City of Marysville and its governmental operations. He will be taking over the duties of reporter Will Channell who will be moving from the area.
“I think it’s pretty unique that we now have people in our newsroom who have managing editor experience,” Chad Williamson said. “In fact, we have four, because sports editor Tim Miller served a stint as managing editor at the J-T in the 90s.”