Last Updated: May 26, 1999
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An American Editor
Edward W. Jones
Birthday: April 15, 1948
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Va.
Marital Status: Married to Peggy Marshall since 1982
Children: None (five cats)
Self-portrait: Curious
Newsroom motto: Be aggressive but fair
Inspiration: The Rev. Desmond Tutu
Greatest feat: Managing to stay in touch with movies and baseball
while running a newsroom.
Bad habit: Staying so busy that I ignore my wife.
Pet peeve: Bias in news stories.
Luxury defined: An afternoon at the baseball stadium.
Most dangerous story: Investigative piece on lawyers’ fees in
Fredericksburg.
Best story: Editorial series based on visit to South Africa.
Best interview and why: Kathleen Turner, who appeared in an interview
room wearing the white dress from "Body Heat" moments after my screening
of the film. (’Nuff said.)
My newspaper’s strength: Hometown roots.
Most admired editor: John Edwards, publisher/editor of the weekly
Smithfield (Va.) Times, for his commitment to open government and his leadership
in the Virginia Press Association while getting out his paper with a tiny
staff.
Most admired writer: Paul Greenberg, editorial page editor and
syndicated columnist for The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock.
Favorite publication: The New Yorker
Favorite comic: The Far Side (even in reruns)
Best part of job: Brainstorming on story ideas that will make
a real difference in the community.
Worst part of job: Not enough time to spend with individual writers.
Vacation spot: Grayton Beach, a tiny 1920s-style beach community
in the panhandle of Florida.
TV program: Old movies
Books at bedside: "Out of America" by Keith Richburg and "Ship
Fever" by Andrea Barrett (assignments from my nonfiction and fiction book
groups).
Last words: "What do you have for tomorrow?"
