Desk jockey needed in Tupelo, Miss.

[HejiraHenry]

I’m posting this here first, so don’t say I never did anything for you.

We’re looking for a fulltime desk person immediately at the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, Miss. That’s 5 nights a week, probably 4 of those in the lead role, for a 35K daily in SEC country with a seven-person sports staff.

We’re filling a position as a result of someone leaving to become an editor at another paper.

Previous lead desk experience is preferred, but I’ll take a flier on a real talented youngster who can do the job but can’t find a job in the current economy. We’re not looking for Mr. I’d Rather Be a Writer. Don’t waste your time or mine.

Our sections have beefed back up recently, averaging 4-6 pages daily and 8 on Sunday. In addition to the SEC, we keep up with 55-to 60 high schools, two community colleges and a buttload of other stuff. We use Quark on Macs and poopy IQue NewsEdit for our text needs.

We’re the rare newspaper that’s owned neither by chain nor family. The founding owner set up a foundation before he died and that’s how we roll. The local economy is on the brink of a huge breakout when a $1.5B Toyota Prius plant comes online ... one of these years. (It’s already built, they swear they’re gonna use it but it’s on hold right now. Best guess: 2012-3.)

Tupelo is about 90 minutes from Memphis and despite what you may have heard, all homes here have running water and ’lectricity, assuming they pay the bills.

We want this opening resolved as quickly as possible. I’d like to have the new person in place no later than March 1.

You can PM me with any questions. Nobody’s gonna get rich in this spot, but the salary range isn’t insulting, either.

Here’s an e-mail address to reach me: john.pitts@djournal.com

[slappy4428]

Am sure dip will  post this sometime today...

Good luck with the hire...

[albert77]

Who left?

Anyway, I have relatives scattered all over Tupelo, so I can vouch for the quality of the area. You won't find many better smaller cities anywhere in the Deep South.

[Ryan_Sonner]

Pitts is good people. His Lou Brown impersonation is a little overrated, though.

[HejiraHenry]

Pitts is good people. His Lou Brown impersonation is a little overrated, though.

"You may run like Hayes ..."

[Ryan_Sonner]

Pitts is good people. His Lou Brown impersonation is a little overrated, though.

"You may run like Hayes ..."

"...but you hit like his sister."  [/tvversion]

[John]

Pitts is good people. His Lou Brown impersonation is a little overrated, though.

I'll second that.

[Methodtomymadness]

"I think you can go get him now."

[HejiraHenry]

Back on topic, I have heard from 4-5 folks through this method, each of whom looks like a decent candidate.

We'll probably post this on a statewide jobs board on Monday.

First guy in the clubhouse responded within 15 minutes or so. There's a guy who had his ducks in a row.

I'm gonna look over the folks I've heard from on Sunday and probably make a first round of calls and replies on Monday. I'm moving quick on this one, folks.

[three_bags_full]

You guys run an Afghan operation?

[HejiraHenry]

You guys run an Afghan operation?

Well, you must admit, the CEO has done some pretty good work in that part of the world.

For my part, I'd like to add a helicopter to the rapid response circulation team: "You didn't get your paper? Go out on your porch in 3 minutes and we'll drop one off."

[three_bags_full]

My $.02: I worked there (alongside Pitts) for about four years. You want this job. Period.

[Ryan_Sonner]

I'd love to ask Pitts what he'll be drinking in honor of the Winter Olympics...

[RedSmithClone]

I know this crew. I will second or I guess third or fourth that the winner of this position is in for a quality job with quality people.

And despite living in Massachusetts, I do frequent the Mississippi-Tennessee-Arkansas area often - it is a beautiful area.

[HejiraHenry]

I'd love to ask Pitts what he'll be drinking in honor of the Winter Olympics...

As always, the blood of a drifter I found down by the railroad tracks. Everybody knows that.

[three_bags_full]

I'd give up flying for a year to eat at Connie's Chicken, just one more time ...

[RedSmithClone]

Is Connie's in Tupelo? Those bastards didn't take me to a good fried chicken joint when I was in town? Pitts and Co. will hear from my lawyer on this one.

[three_bags_full]

Right across from the hospital (on the other side), about three blocks from the paper.

They had this charbroiled chicken sandwich, that, when accompanied by onion rings, was probably the best chicken sandwich I've ever eaten.

Dude, Connie's is the bomb. You should contact your lawyer before his noon squash match.

[HejiraHenry]

Eh. The onion rings are the best thing at Connie's.

[Faithless]

The drive-through window service is kinda slow at Connie's, but it gives me time to check out the nice looking girls working there.

[Football_Bat]

I take back all my pre-2008 Halliburton_Henry cracks, but I reserve the right to reinstate them whenever I sober up feel like it.

[HejiraHenry]

I take back all my pre-2008 Halliburton_Henry cracks, but I reserve the right to reinstate them whenever I sober up feel like it.

Fair enough.

[HejiraHenry]

A guy called me when I was busy the other day, said he was from a little town in the region and working in another state. He told me he was going to get back to me and hasn't, as far as I can tell. If you are that person, call me back ASAP. I've been looking for your stuff and I'm interested in talking to you this week.

[HejiraHenry]

A little update: I have heard from several interesting candidates and I'm evaluating right now.

Tragic circumstances – the death last weekend of one of our deskers, detailed elsewhere – leaves me needing to fill two slots ASAP. As the job description is so similar, I'm going to work within the existing pool of candidates.

[airbag2929]

Emailed you my clips and resume on Sunday after you got back in touch with me through email. Just making sure you got them