Birthdays for Tuesday, Feb. 9
Here’s wishing the happiest of VizEds birthdays to four wonderful journalists…
Jim Hopkins is the man behind the popular Gannett Blog. A 1989 graduate of Brown University, Jim worked as a reporter and editor for 20 years at various papers around the country, ending up at USA Today. At its peak, the Gannett Blog got more than 100,000 page views and 10,000 unique visitors a month. Jim ended the blog last year but then quietly cranked it back up in December while also creating the New York Times Co. Blog and the News Corp. Blog. Jim turns 53 today.
Craig Lancaster is leader of the news and sports copy desks at the Gazette in Billings, Montana. A 1991 graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Craig worked various copy-desk and design positions at the Dayton Daily News, the Anchorage Daily News, the Olympian in Olympia, Wash., and the San Antonio Express-News before joining the San Jose Mercury News in 2000 as sports editor. He moved to Billings in 2006 and published his first novel — 600 Hours of Edward — last year. Find his book here and his blog here. Craig turns 40 today.
Cliff Redding is a copy editor on the news desk at the Los Angeles Daily News and an editor for the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. A 1982 graduate of Troy State University, Cliff spent four years with the 33rd Tactical Air Wing of the U.S. Air Force before signing on as a copy editor with Newsday in 1991. He subsequently worked with the Baltimore Sun, the New York Daily News, the Virginian-Pilot, the Santa Barbara News Press and the Los Angeles Times. Cliff doesn’t blog frequently, but what he does post is brilliant. Find that blog here.
Linda Shapley is news design director of the Denver Post. A 1992 graduate of Colorado State University, Linda spent two years as a copy editor and designer for the Greeley (Colo.) Tribune and then a year-and-a-half at the Kansas City Star before joining the Post in 1996. She was promoted to her current position two years ago.
Linda, Craig, Cliff and Jim share a birthday with actors Ziyi Zhang, Joe Pesci and Mia Farrow; musicians Travis Tritt and Carole King; entertainers Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha (better known as Carmen Miranda) and Rose Louise Hovick (better known as Gypsy Rose Lee); baseball team owner Bill Veeck; novelist Alice Walker; secretary of state Dean Rusk and TV journalist Roger Mudd.
Plus, today is Toothache Day. Seriously.
Best wishes, gang, for the happiest birthday ever!