Breaking news! Old ties and companions are the BEST!

Our annual Journal(ism) reunion

We try to do it every year. Thanks to the hard work and persistence of our former colleague and resident Good Guy J.W. Stewart, the annual Poughkeepsie Journal sports department reunion happens every July at the Palace Diner in Poughkeepsie. This diner was the site of many, many, many after-deadline, late-night, unhealthy-eating excursions – usually at 2 a.m. or later (after, as we used to say, the paper was “put to bed”) way back in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, etc., when we all worked together at what we liked to call Dutchess County’s Finest Daily Newspaper.

This year’s edition was Sunday at the diner and we had a fabulous turnout of 13 not-so-young-anymore men – old ties and companions that remain strong. Some members are the group are still working in journalism (more on THAT in a moment). Most of us have moved on, but we still remain connected in one way or another to the days of our daily newspaper grind. It was hard work, rewarding work, and we forged a bond that has remained decades later.

Like most reunions, we just caught up on things – family and friends, our current careers, etc. More than one guy in the group asked, “hey Pete, are you still coaching?” I get this question A LOT these days, as I prepare to embark on Year 34 as Marist track/XC coach. Like the rest of the world, we are all tethered to our phones. So it was no surprise that when the news broke of President Biden’s bowing out of the presidential race, our phones lit up like Christmas trees in December. We all let our minds wander to what it would be like if we were still working in the newsroom. For one of us, Phil, his mind didn’t have to wander too far. He still works for LoHud, and his editor summoned him away from the burgers, wraps, French fries and onion rings – the same “healthy” fare of our long-ago 2 a.m. gatherings! – to get to his laptop and get to work posting updates. This was breaking news, and he’s still a breaking news guy.

Because of Phil’s call to duty, he’s not in this awesome photo. Some traditions are worth keeping, no matter what breaking news is happening in the world. A lunch date at the diner with a bunch of Good Men is certainly one of them. Neat.