A year ago today (or yesterday)

It was a year ago today, or yesterday if you go by days of the week rather than dates, that the publisher offered the generous buyouts that started the clean out of the "characters" from the Flint Journal.

The Journal loves anniversary stories so here is mine.

Late last week, we learned that a second round of buyouts may be offered as soon as next month. From what I understand these will require folks to be gone by the end of the year, but that could change.

And now I'm hearing reports that the New Jersey newspaper (George Arwady) Star Ledger is talking about closing or a sale in the near future. (More on that later).

For some of us, the buyout was a copper parachute, for others a brief life ring to the next job, and for others they are still waiting on that "next thing." Some of them, I know, miss the rough and tumble of daily reporting, but fully understand that under the current leadership those days were behind them whether they were at the Flint Journal or out.

I grew up in a home where my stepfather's job at Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in Burbank, California, was always at risk for layoff. I know the toll that took on my stepdad always wondering if Friday was his last day (he ended up retiring at 70 after nearly 40 years on the job).

So my heart goes out to the folks living through this again at the Journal this year. Many of them are young folks who have the same love of journalism that brought many of us into the profession when we were their age.

Knowing how bright they are I can only assure them that whatever happens, they will succeed.

Currently they are limited by what, in my humble opinion, is poor management and weak leadership. Someday they will discover what their real potential is under effective and strong leadership. But for now, I know it must, well, suck.