Ex-book editor Janice Harayda says hi,

We got this recent note from the former book editor:

"Since leaving the Plain Dealer in 1998, I've had two comic novels come out, The Accidental Bride (St. Martin's, 1999) and Manhattan
on the Rocks (Sourcebooks, 2004). Both had a lot of good things happen to them, including a movie option for The Accidental Bride.
And I've put some of the news about them on the Web site for the books, www.janiceharayda.com On the page of this site labeled "My
Background," you can see a picture of me in front of the old Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior.

Just recently I started a book-review blog, One-Minute Book Reviews, www.oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com,that became successful
much faster I expected owing to some big links or publicity from places like Gawker.com and an article on the blog in the PD's
sister paper, The (Newark) Star-Ledger. I had planned to post book reviews only a couple of times a week, but after the blog began
to get a lot of attention, I had to start putting up a new book review almost every day. (A word warning to any of you who are
thinking about becoming bloggers: Blogs can run away with you! If you start getting a lot of traffic, you have to keep posting new
entries or you'll lose it.)

Jo Ann Pallant has done a great job of keeping me up to date on a lot of Plain Dealer alumni news, and I've enjoyed reading more on
the blog. Thanks a million to Rosie and Margie for making it possible for everybody to keep in touch.
Best,"
Jan Harayda


Janice Harayda
41 Watchung Plaza, #99
Montclair, NJ 07042
www.janiceharayda.com

Doris O'Donnell to speak at TRI-C east

SPJ's Writer's Week says former PD journalist
Doris O'Donnell will speak at Cuyahoga Community College's Eastern Campus on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 5:30 p.m. in the Eastern Campus Performing Arts Center Lobby at 4250 Richmond Road in Highland Hills. She'll be talking about her memoir, Front-Page Girl. Kent State University Press published it last year. The event is free. Doris made it to the PD's Nov. 15 retirees' party.

You too can get one of these, if you're retired

Dick Ellers handed out certificates of membership to new attendees to the PD retirees alumni luncheon Friday, Jan. 26, 2007 at Li Wah's on Payne. Notice it's signed by Etaoin Shrdlu, which are the most common letters (in descending order) used in the English Language and what the linotype operators used to fill out a line. And sometimes they forgot to delete the letters so in the hot type days, this became a familiar typo. Anyway, any retiree/ alum, PD groupie , can get one by attending the next lunch on the last Friday in April. Ellers sends out the postcard announcing the time and place and JoAnn Pallant and Janet Beigle French make the arrangements for the lunches. They are the held on the last Friday of January, April, July and October.

Retired at last

Tom Quinn, former night police reporter, is so happy to be retired and attending the luncheon gathering Friday, Jan 26, 2007 at Li Wah's, he's dancing to his table. About 40 retirees, including many of those who took the recent buyout, attended and caught up with old friends. Bob McAuley, former medical editor, can't believe what he's seeing. The following photos were taken by Rosemary Kovacs, who apologizes if she caught you with your mouth open.

The lunch is called to order

While Dick Ellers, an organizer of the PD Editorial Retirees and Expatriates (aka The Lunch Bunch) or (Casual Unstructured Lunch Troup - CULT), explains what Etaoin Shrdlu means, not listening are Dick Zunt, Tim, husband of Pattie Graziano and Bill Barnard. Etaoin Shrdul are the letters from the linotype operators or something like that.

Have I seen you lately?

Jim Strang can't believe his eyes. It's Jack Hagan.

Zip and Zander

Ruth Zander Sindelar, former secretary to the editors, and former high school sports reporter Dick Zip Zunt. Eneida Fletcher is almost hidden behind them.

Your point?

Former night police reporter Tom Quinn, former sports reporter Bob Dolgan and Enieda Fletcher, former photo clerk.

Get serious!

The one time this table wasn't laughing and having a good time. Jim Hatch, left, Bob McAuley, former dance critic Wilma Salisbury, and Estelle Johnson, who kept the phones and calls in order.

Thanks JoAnn

JoAnn Pallant and Millie Mateucci. JoAnn helped find the restaurant. She's looking for one on the east side for the last Friday in April lunch.

Amen brother

Buzzy and Lou Mio with mountain climber Darrell Holland, former religion editor, and Jim Strang, former editorial writer and Civil War buff.

Good ole boys

Lou Mio, a recent retiree, with veteran retiree Jim Hatch.

Veterans of retirement

Janet Beigle French and her husband.










Millie Mateucci, former Friday mag copy editor, with former boss Bob Roach.

And some West Coast tales

Carol Malinowski, Lillian Hlabse and Bob Dolgan










Marianne and Jim Hatch (former asst. photo editor), who flew in for a week from California, share sunshine and grandchild tales with Millie Mateucci, left, and Pat Gessler, former systems person.

Three amigos

Jack Hagan, Don Bean and Bob McAuley. All worked at one time at the Third District Police Station on the cops beat. The 3d District is to be closed and Bean wants to have a party in its honor.

More lunch bunchers

That's Steve Esrati, left, who used to be on the national copy desk, Bob Roach, former Friday magazine editor and JoAnn Pallant, books assistant and lunch coordinator.

Below
Jack Hagan, now teaching at Tri-C, Dick Ellers, and Ruth Zander Sindelar, former administrator assistant to various editors. That's Jim Strang's hand paying off Ellers.















Bill Barnard, former assistant to the publisher chats with Eneida Fletcher.










At the table below, Ellers, Ruth Zander, Lori Onder, former business secretary,former music critic Bob Finn and photographer Pete Copeland.

PD Lunch Bunch Jan 27, 2007 Li Wah's

Richard Ellers, former PD state reporter, explains the rules of the lunch. There aren't any.

Everyone had a grand time meeting old friends. The group grew thanks to the new buyouts who attended. At least 40 people attended. Jim Hatch and wife Marianne came the farthest, they returned from Studio City, Calif. to their West Side home for a week.

Former chief police reporter and assistant city editor Don Bean was his usual quiet self. He only had a few tales to tell. You could look it up.
Carol Malinowski , former layout designer and Lillian Hlabse, administrative assistant to at least 3 people at the lunch, shared a table with Bean.

Former copy aides united again

The PD alumni news blog is non political but we'll take news and offers from anyone. But we're not promoting any one side or other. Or if we do, we'll tell you.

That said, Andy Juniewicz, a former PD copy aide, reporter and city desk ACE, sends his regards. After he left the PD, he went to City Hall to work for a mayor and later into PR and politics. Now he's working for another former copy aide:

Andy says:

"I'm writing because a few of the happy "See-ya!" crowd know that I'm working on the Kucinich Presidential campaign, and they have expressed an interest in volunteering to help out during their spare time -- which is considerable these days. Just wanted to let you and your entire network know that, if anybody's really serious about dabbling in politics, they can give me a call (216/409-8992) or send me an email: ajuniewicz@aol.com

Or, if they just want to enjoy life after 20 or 30 or 40 years, I wish them all the best.

It's hard to imagine that it was just over 40 years ago that I stepped into the City Room for the first time and responded to the first call for "Boy!" But what that really means is that I have 20, 30, even 40 years of friendships. And, if any of those friends who've left the confines of journalism want to get a taste of the unconfined and free-wheeling arena of politics, I'd be happy to hear from them."

andy juniewicz

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In a spirit of adding a bit of memory to add interest to your PD alumni blog, Richard Ellers offer this tidbit:

When you can't readily find a memento in the likely place, you begin looking in least likely places.

Which is why, shivering in our attic recently, I came across this clip of a piece written by one of the all time great wits of the PD city room.

Thoughts

by Robert Stock

PD Magazine, June 1970

.By the time you read this, the Press Club of Cleveland will have picked its news media award winners, and they deserve a lot of credit, but I would like to suggest some additional award categories, all in the newspaper
section.
As follows:
1. Best news story written while intoxicated.
2. Snottiest remark by assistant city editor to male reporter under 40.
3. Snottiest remark to assistant city editor by reporter (male or female) over 55. ,
4. Best feature story by reporter sticking his nose into somebody else's beat.
5. Neatest copy boy. (Repeated efforts to revive this category have failed for lack of competition, but it is worth one more try .)
6. Most imaginative expense account by reporter working under deadline pressure.
("How was I to know they had another hotel in Chicago")
7 .Tallest copy editor who graduated from a Big Ten college.
8. Best sports story written in longhand.
9. Most attractive wig worn by a society editor who does not have a private office.
10. Most incisive quotes composed by reporter writing without help of notes.
11. Best editorial written without nagging fear of facts.
12. longest hook shot into city room wastebasket. (Separate competitions for Plain Dealer and Press due to higher ceiling at Press.)
13. Best sports story written in high German under deadline pressure.
14. Most vicious memo by reporter who is sure of obtaining employment elsewhere. -
15. Most vicious memo by reporter who is not sure of obtaining employment elsewhere.
16. Any sports story which gives the score in the first paragraph.
16A. Headline least related to story .
17. Neatest locker .

January lunch bunch

The Lunch post cards annoucing the next alumni lunch were mailed Wednesday, says Dick Ellers. If you didn't get a card,
card, email : GeeRichard@aol.com

The Lunch is 1 pm Friday Jan 26 at Li Wah restaurant in the Asian Plaza, corner of Payne Ave & E30th. $12 for the meal, includes tax and tip.

In happier times

Retired PD clerk Annie Brown, 50, was buried today, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2206. She died a week ago, Dec. 30, at age 50. She had lupus. The night before she died she had gone to the Cavs' game. The funeral at St. Paul AME Church in Cleveland was standing room only, since quiet Annie had so many friends. It was a wonderful celebration of her life. The picture above was taken at the party for all the PD people who took buyouts.