The Charleston Gazette - Rick Steelhammer

Adventures in small-town journalism

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:37:28 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- To stay afloat in the realm of bush league journalism, youve got to be versatile.

There was a time when reporters were an exalted presence in our newsroom, an occa...

Cradle-to-grave retail strategy

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:17:22 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Youve got to give West Virginias largest private employer credit for reaching out to new customers, following the launch of two new online experiments in cradle-to-grave marketing. Earlier this year, Wal-Mart began offering dispo...

Safety is serious business

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:31:40 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- How many reporters does it take to screw in a light bulb. The question is irrelevant, after reading the new, mandatory, MSHA-mandated Ladder Safety Training Course workbook now making the rounds in our newsroom. Henceforth, changing li...

What once was lost now is found

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:01:24 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The key to short-term happiness, Ive found, is finding the key. I lost mine while running along Kanawha Boulevard one night last week. By "running," I mean the 50-something-year-old approximation of the sport as practice...

Humming right along

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Hummer, the brawny, costly, gas guzzling sport utility vehicle that came to symbolize Americas over-the-top love affair with the automobile, will soon be made in China. In a deal announced late last week, General Motors is unloadi...

The directions, my friend, are blowing in the wind

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:28:09 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- According to an article last week in Slate magazine, Bob Dylan is considering offers to become a voice for automobile satellite navigation devices, joining the ranks of such celebrities as Mr. T and Burt Reynolds, who have already ...

Move over, Barbra, now theres Barbie

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:26:14 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Who says there arent any good movie roles for 50-year old women. Barbie, the timeless, top-heavy blond bombshell who has played more than 100 roles during her half-century career as a doll, is finally making it to the big screen. ...