The New Orleans Times-Picayune printed its final daily edition Sunday, with several farewell columns to readers, including a goodbye to its longtime publisher (links below). The paper also announced modifications to its plan to publish only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays by telling readers that it would introduce an “early” Sunday edition on Saturdays, starting Oct. 6. The paper also printed a special edition today about yesterday’s Saints game. Events on Friday and Saturday honored Times-Picayune journalists for their service to the community (photos below).
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- Photojournalist Robert X. Fogarty captured this photo of former Times-Picayune photographer John McCusker at Friday’s party. The image is part of Fogarty’s project, Dear World, which “unites people through pictures in his distinct message-on-skin style.”
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- Pamela Coyle, who worked at the Times-Picayune from June 1992 through October 2005, returned to town for the “Black, White & Read All Over” benefit on Saturday, Sept. 29. This photo of cupcakes with a final message appears with her permission.
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- Bill and Susan Webb, who left the paper in 2002, also came to town for the party. The couple, who now live in Wisconsin, met at the Times-Picayune and will celebrate their 11th anniversary next month, Webb said by email. They are shown here reading the last Saturday edition of the paper. They are sitting on the front porch of Laura and Steve Beatty, who also met at the paper (the couples worked on the copy desk together). Beatty is now managing editor of The Lens, an independent news website in New Orleans. The photo was taken by Betsy Carmody Gonzales, a former front-page designer at the Times-Picayune, who also stayed with the Beattys for the weekend.
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- The final daily edition of the paper included a note to readers. NOLA.com also features a promise to readers.
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- Former Times-Picayune reporter Frank Donze, captured by Fogarty, is now the new Communications Director of the Audubon Nature Institute.
Goodbye columns
- Thanks to departing publisher Ashton Phelps
- “I arrived in New Orleans on Halloween, 1994, and if someone had told me then what would happen next (and after that, and after that), I’m not sure I would have believed it.”
- “Some are leaving in anger, and I don’t begrudge them that. I prefer to focus on gratitude for a rewarding and meaningful career more so than sadness at the way it ended.”
- “New Orleans readers will be feeling … phantom anticipation in the days to come.” (This cartoon shows what that looks like)
- “This is my last day as Outdoors Editor of The Times-Picayune. … I’ll see you in the marsh.”
Related
- Photos from the final daily press run
- Birmingham News sneaks a “-30-” into the paper’s date
- Birmingham staffers depart
Corrections: The photo of John McCusker was taken on Friday night, not Saturday as this post originally stated. And the Webbs are reading the Saturday paper, not the Sunday paper, as this post originally stated.
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