The Star's John Strauss has seen the writing on the wall; he's leaving the newspaper. This makes him number 207, by my calculations, to exit since Gannett came to town. If anyone disputes that figure, please speak up. I had Pat McKee as No. 206 in May.

Sounds like Strauss has got a good gig in Muncie teaching. That's something he enjoys and does well. He was always willing to talk to high school journalism students, as well as the kids at Y-Press.

Also, John is the ultimate team player, a regular company man. When a guy like John bails, you know it's bad.

Here is the usual memo:

"07/07/2008 04:46 PM

>

> To

> StarNewsroom

> cc

> Subject

> The Star's loss is Ball State's gain...

>

>

>

>" John Strauss, an editor on The Star's Online desk, is leaving the

> newspaper to join the journalism faculty at Ball State University.

>

> "John has worked at The Star for 10 years, including stints as City

> Hall reporter, metro columnist, nonprofits reporter and as an

> enterprise reporter and "super GA," traveling to Texas and Florida for

> the narrative story of a young Hoosier soldier's recovery from wounds

> suffered in the Iraq War.

>

> "He was part of the team formed three years ago to enhance The Star's

> online coverage, serving as the group's multimedia editor and now as a

> content editor and as Sunday day city editor on the print side.

>

> "John was previously a supervising editor and correspondent for The

> Associated Press in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and New York City, and >before that worked in local television as a reporter and weekend >anchor.

>

> "At Ball State he will teach writing and reporting, and serve as

> faculty advisor to The Ball State Daily News, the school's

> independent, student-run newspaper.

>

>"John starts in Muncie on Aug. 25. We're still working out the timing

> of his departure from The Star, as well as the specifications for his

> sheet cake."

>

One question: did Strauss have to promise Dennis Ryerson that he wouldn't start a blog? That would be like Snow White starting World War III, but still, Ryerson may want to cover his bases....

>