Pandemic costs reunion with newspaper friends

The County Line

The current pandemic has limited our activities and events in so many ways. Among the things I miss are being able to get together with old friends and workplace associates.

I’ve written in past years about the reunion of former Noblesville Ledger newspaper staff members around this time of year. No reunion this year due to health concerns, and I will miss it.

Longtime residents of Hamilton County will remember the Ledger and many of its staff members. It’s a shrinking group of folks who brought the local news to county residents six days a week.

We’ve lost a number of these folks in recent years: Jim Neal, John Neal, Don Jellison and Darrell McConnell just to name a few. But, others are still kicking; some are retired but still interested in their community.

Folks like Jane Martz, Ruthanne Nunamaker, Chuck Godby, Georgia Roudebush, Bill Whitacre, Becky (Snelling) Schrorer, Cora Griffin, Marty Spitz, Patty (Sell) Powell, Barb (Webb) Fuller and Betsy Reason did a lot to keep the paper going during its last 30 years.

These folks are among those who attend most of our reunions to keep each other up to date with our activities and relive some of the adventures of our newspaper days.

The Ledger, an award-winning daily, left the local scene nearly 20 years ago, and like so many things, was probably not fully appreciated until it was gone.

We’ll gather again next year to keep the memories alive, but just not this year.

By the way, the Hamilton County Reporter is, in a sense, an heir to the Ledger. Started by Don and Jeff Jellison, it’s an interesting story we may explore early next month during National Newspaper Week.