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McNeese Beat/Lake Charles American Press

Discussion in 'Journalism Jobs' started by willie, Jul 21, 2008.

  1. willie

    willie New Member

    The American Press (40,000) in Lake Charles, La., seeks a sports reporter to handle its McNeese State beat, concentrating on coverage and columns of football, basketball and baseball. The local school is covered -- home and away -- the way most I-A schools in far larger markets are.
    We expect a self-motivated reporter in this spot. The sports section has been judged the state's best in its class seven of the last nine years. Some experience covering colleges is preferred. There is no strict rule on experience for applicants, but this is not an entry-level job. The position also helps out some on preps, mostly covering Friday-night games in a pinch. Applicants will have big shoes to fill as Gary Laney, who left to become Sports Editor in Beaumont, Texas, was one of the most respected reporters in what is still known by most of us as I-AA. Limited desk work, but the American Press has the staff size where everybody has to pitch in on occasion -- so some pagination skills are a big plus. Lake Charles is a gambling resort town near the Gulf Coast, two hours from Houston and two and a half hours from New Orleans.
    E-mail resume and samples to Sports Editor Scooter Hobbs at shobbs@americanpress.com or mail them to him at American Press, P.O. Box 2893, Lake Charles, LA 70602.
     
  2. I know Lake Charles was badly hit by the hurricane that came shortly after Katrina. Other than that, I don't know much about the town and nothing about the paper. Anyone?
     
  3. BrianGriffin

    BrianGriffin Active Member

    Casino/refinery town of about 75k people. It would be closer to 100k if not for the fact that it's difficult for Louisiana cities to annex outlying areas, meaning there is a lot of unincorporated Lake Charles. L'Auberge Du Lac is (I believe) the largest of Louisiana's casinos and would fit right in on the Strip. It's a resort with a golf course and a ton of amenities, including the only other Snake River Grill outside of Jackson Hole. There is also an Isle of Capri across the bridge and an Indian casino about a half-hour away.

    City has shifted southwest. It's inexpensive, but has gotten a tad bit pricier lately. It's no cheaper than Houston, but probably no more expensive either. It's HOT. Schools are, shall we say, serviceable. Pretty fair golf town. Gray Plantation is a great course and the course at L'Auberge is good if they can ever get their greens up to snuff.

    You'll be two hours from Houston, three from New Orleans, two from Baton Rouge. SE is the LSU writer, but McNeese is probably the most read thing in the paper. McNeese has a good FOOTBALL following (it drops off in basketball and baseball).

    And yes, it did get pounded by Hurricane Rita and it took a while to get back on its feet. But it is back on its feet.

    Any questions, PM me.
     
  4. Did the Harrah's casino in Lake Charles ever re-open after Katrina?
     
  5. What's the word on Scooter Hobbs? Good guy to work for? Does he in fact move quickly and low to the ground?
     
  6. BrianGriffin

    BrianGriffin Active Member

    Harrah's closed shop and left Lake Charles with a nice parking garage and a deserted hotel on its lake front (the damaged ship is long gone). But Pinnacle, which owns L'Auberge du Lac, is building another one right next to it, called Sugarcane Bay.
     
  7. BrianGriffin

    BrianGriffin Active Member

    Let's say you have a pretty free rein. If you have a lot of ideas and feel restricted by your shop, this is a good place to be. If you like to sleep in and need a 2 p.m. wake-up call for a 3 p.m. shift, you'll probably have a hard time if you are waiting for someone to kick-start you.
     
  8. CarlSpackler

    CarlSpackler Active Member

    When I get off of this mountain, you know where I want to go?
    Straight down the Mississippi River, to the Gulf of Mexico
    To Lake Charles, Louisiana, little Bessie, girl that I once knew
    She told me just to come on by, if there's anything she could do
     
  9. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    I agree with everything BrianGriffin has said and have used the bold font to note my amendment to his posts. If you're looking for a second opinion (after consulting BrianGriffin), lemme know.
     
  10. StaggerLee

    StaggerLee Well-Known Member

    Lots of good people at the Press. McNeese is a great football program to cover, you won't get much better at the D-IAA (oops, FBC) level. Great SID to work with and all around great coaches at the school.

    Big shoes to fill with this position, Gary did a great job.

    Scooter's a good guy to work for/with, easily one of the most laid-back people I've been around.

    This job should attract some good candidates.
     
  11. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    Never mind all that, what kind of bucks are we talking about?

    Talk about burying the lead ...
     
  12. It's a newspaper that's hiring, not laying off. What are you, greedy?
     
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