On this episode, I chat with former Editor at the Brentwood Press Rick Lemyre who is leaving Brentwood, CA for Georgia. Just a simple chat here on a variety of topics from the news industry, to the community, non-profits, change, elected officials, and more. Wanted to give Rick a chance to share his story with the community after all his years of telling other peoples story.

• 02:19 – Rick provides a quick bio on himself from locksmith to Newspaper Distribution to Journalism to launching the Brentwood Press.
• 06:25 – we chat about the biggest changes in the news industry and if you want to be rich, don’t go into news.
• 07:50 – Rick explains leaving the Press in 2013… we get into advice Rick provided to me which helped ECT grow over the years.
• 9:03 – What was the best thing about being in the news industry… we get into youth sports and school coverage. Print vs. online publications
• 14:50 – How do you pay people to produce the news? Its become tough.
• 15:55 – Rick explains why he got out of the news industry. He gets into his love of history.
• 18:20 – Rick explains how he got involved with the John Marsh Historic Trust and highlights the challenges with connecting the trail and opening up the property to the public. It would be a 3,700 acre State Park. Working with East Bay Regional Park District to connect trail to Round Valley.
• 21:10 – Quick update on Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed and the Three Creeks Project in Brentwood
• 23:28 – What Rick will miss most about Contra Costa County.
• 25:00 – we get into more educating vs. reporting.. especially with East Contra Costa Fire issue.
• 27:20 – Moving… what weird things has Rick found living in his house for 27-years. How much has he actually given away
• 30:00 – Rick gets into how excited he is to get a fresh start. Both history and cost of living was motivating factors. Georgia is about 30% cost of living savings vs. California.
• 34:08 – We chat how news is 24/7 and decompression at some point is important… then move into potential for podcast to record history. Achieving peoples history. It also comes down to people wanting to be educated – such as ECCFPD.
• 41:30 – When Rick was starting, there was about 100,000 people in East Contra Costa County (City of Antioch, City of Brentwood, City of Oakley) and the growth and changes occurring in the area. With Rick leaving, it’s the history and knowledge that is leaving the area.
• 47:26 – Have people come to East County to become part of the community or try and change it? We get into elected officials and some of the policies being put in place. We talk about public face of elected official vs. public face (Lamar Thorpe, Monica Wilson, Kevin Romick, Bob Taylor).
• 51:48 – What is Rick’s hope for East Contra Costa County after he leaves.

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If you would like to be a potential guest, email [email protected] and explain why… this show is open to anyone in Contra Costa County.

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