Fielder’s Choice
Friday, I had the opportunity to visit with a longtime friend and mentor.
Erin and I made a one-day trip to Alabama. My sisters took her shopping, while I spent a couple of hours with Les Walters.
Les moved to Hamilton, Ala., in 1979, my senior year of high school. He was working at The Itawamba County Times in Fulton but owner Rubye Del Harden transferred him just across the state line, where she started a new newspaper, The Hamilton Progress.
I was 17 and eager to start learning more about journalism, my planned college major.
Les and Rubye Del “took me under their wings.”
I had previously met Rubye Del when getting our high school newspaper, The Aggie Bark, printed at The Itawamba County Times.
Les gave me a “Reporter’s Notebook” and a camera and put me to work.
I was green, real green, but he stuck with me.
Even while attending Northwest (Ala.) Junior College for a year and the University of North Alabama for three, I kept pitching in at The Progress as much as possible.
I was particularly busy on Friday nights, covering high school football.
My writing got better. My photos even got better.
Les knew his stuff, and he was more than happy to help transfer some of that knowledge to me. He’s always been a hoot, too, and we always had a lot of fun even during deadline pressure.
After graduation from UNA in 1984, I went to work fulltime for Les at my hometown newspaper.
The learning continued. Not only was I writing and taking pictures, but I was designing pages and running a newspaper route, just to name a few things.
A couple of years later I moved to Fulton, and The Itawamba County Times, and I’ve been in Mississippi ever since.
The Progress sold and later went out of business.
Les recently retired from his job as editor of The Journal Record in Hamilton, concluding a 41-year career in journalism.
I found him last week working a new job, in retirement, at the Marion County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department.
“I have to have something to do,” he said.
He’s also back at the newspaper a few hours each week, helping edit some of the copy.
My good buddy Les has always been modest man. He didn’t even tell me that he was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Press Association. I found out about it by reading The Journal Record, which I still receive in the mail.
The award was presented June 26 during the APA’s annual convention at Orange Beach.
“Les embodies the spirit of a community newspaperman,” said APA Executive Director Felicia Mason. “This is evidenced by his many awards and recognitions and more importantly, when you speak to anyone who has crossed paths with him over his 41-year career as a journalist and newspaper manager.”
Thank goodness I crossed paths with Les as I launched my career. He’s one of the best people I know, and a best friend.