The Southside Sentinel has hired Don Richeson, a veteran editor who has served at weekly newspapers in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia, to succeed current editor Tom Hardin when he retires.
Richeson most recently served as editor of the Crossroads Chronicle, a weekly newspaper serving Cashiers, N.C., a resort area in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Prior to that he was editor at The Eatonton Messenger in Eatonton, Ga., and The Independence Declaration in Independence.
Richeson earlier spent 10 years (2004-2014) as editor of The Madison County Eagle in Madison. He is happy to now be a bit closer to a cabin he still owns in the mountains near Madison.
As a writer, photographer and page designer, Richeson has received numerous awards from the Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia press associations. At most of his posts he has also been responsible for managing the papers’ websites and Facebook pages.
Richeson received his degree in communications from Boston University in 1982, but most of his career in journalism has been in the south.
Hardin, editor of the Sentinel for more than 33 years, announced several months ago he would retire at the end of March.
Richeson, who is currently residing in the Deltaville area, arrived this week to begin working with Hardin and the rest of the Sentinel staff toward a smooth transition.
NOTE: An open house at the Sentinel office to wish Tom Hardin a happy retirement and thank him for his years of service to the paper, and to the community, has been canceled because of the coronavirus threat. Messages may be sent to thardin@ssentinel.com or as comments on the Sentinel Facebook page.
