Ken Reich Rest In Peace - 30 -

Ken Reich with the Blogging Pressman Edward

Just when I thought my mood could ebb no lower I read that my friend Ken Reich has passed, on LAObserved. Ken was very kind to the pressmen, and even attended two of our dinners, giving the men an insight into the inner workings of the Los Angeles Times. He would answer the questions the men would ask and would not allow us to pay for his dinner or taxi expenses, he was honored to be in demand.

Ken did not hold his opinions of Tribune executives, and felt most Tribune Company executives should be sent packing. Ken will be sorely missed in the Blogosphere and by all his friends and family.

Here’s what Kevin Roderick said on his blog:

Word at the Los Angeles Times is that retired reporter Ken Reich died in
his sleep last night. He was found by a friend, former Tom Bradley deputy mayor
Anton Calleia. This note was sent to other retired staffers who belong to an
informal group that calls itself the Old Farts Society:

Dear OFS Members:

Sad news. Anton Calleia, a close friend of Ken Reich and a fellow
OFS member, sent me an e-mail this morning saying that Ken died in his sleep
last night. Ken was a retired staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. In his
three-plus decades with the newspaper, Ken covered City Hall, wrote a column and was a lead reporter on the 1984 L.A. Olympics coverage.

Those of you who attended last Wednesday's OFS luncheon noticed that
Ken arrived and left in a wheelchair, the result of a defibrillator episode he
experienced on the last two days of his recent weeks-long cruise around
Africa.

The Los Angeles Times obituary desk has been notified of Ken's
passing. Funeral details will be sent to OFS members when they become
available.

Reich had been a Times political writer in the 1970s and '80s. He has been
blogging at Take Back the Times and posted his final entry at 12:20
this morning — asking the question whether the Times will survive the Sam Zell
regime.

Reich's last line:

This is a bad time in the newspaper business, as it is, economically for the country in so many ways. But, I fully believe, brighter days will come, and we must do what we can to insure that they do."

Since he didn't get the chance, here's for Ken Reich:

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