A reader and former Star employee sent this my way this morning; he posted it yesterday on Jim Hopkins Gannettblog. I asked if he would mind if I shared it on this blog,.,,it is a neat summary of what a lot of us are feeling right now, as well as a tender look backwards:

"I left The Star ( of my own accord) over two years ago. I had a twenty-one year run behind me and knew that I didn't have twenty ahead of me. It's sad to see what is happening to newspapers. Of course everyone loved the Pulliams and having Gene walk by and call you by name. As soon as The Star was purchased by Gannett everything changed. I've never liked Gannett, they run a very lean, very cold, mean machine... it wasn't for me. As much as we would all like to blame Gannett for the demise of our beloved Star we simply can't. I'm sure it would be struggling if it was still owned by the Pulliams (although most likely still a better place to work!). Newspapers are quite simply, an analog product in a digital world. I was in the pressroom watching Russ start the press for The Indianapolis News the last day it published. I also watched Mike Redmond be reduced to tears. Both of our fathers were featured in the last issue. I also wept the day The Indianapolis News ceased publishing. I will do the same for The Star."

Thanks. Incidentally, this person did not work in the newsroom, which again shows that the romance and respect for newspapers extends all the way through 307 N. Penn. We were all in it together.