The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Former News-Sun editor Karla Garrett Harshaw to retire

Former Butler County girl on Sports illustrated cover
Updated 15 min. ago
Cities declare snow emergencies; lull in snowfall expected at rush hour
Updated 1 min. ago
Psych evaluation ordered for teen accused of raping 64-year-old woman
Updated 19 min. ago
Rape investigation stalls at Miami
1:51 p.m.
High school, college basketball makeup dates
1:38 p.m.
> More headlines

By Tom Stafford, Staff Writer Updated 11:33 PM Monday, October 12, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — “I’ve always said I wanted to try something different,” said Karla Garrett Harshaw.

After nearly 40 years spent pursuing a career in journalism, 16 of them as editor of the Springfield News-Sun, she will have that chance at year’s end when she retires from Cox Ohio Publishing (COP).

Harshaw, 54, began writing to entertain herself as an only child growing up on a farm near Dayton. She persuaded a teacher to allow her to write a teen column for the Dayton Express, a black newspaper. Then a high school guidance counselor recommend Harshaw for a Dayton Newspapers summer program to draw minorities into the business.

“I got a job that summer at the Dayton Daily News and never went away,” she said.

Joining the paper full time in 1977, Harshaw became its assistant city editor, features editor and assistant business manager before being named News-Sun editor in 1990.

Inspired by newspapers’ calling to give voice to the voiceless and hold the powerful accountable, she also likes news features’ ability to convey “what the community and its people are like.”

Harshaw was involved in a phalanx of professional and community organizations, from Pulitzer Prize nominating juries to Buckeye Trails Girl Scouts and was the first minority woman to serve as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

Vice president of community development for COP since 2006, Harshaw has spent most of 2009 as an executive on loan to Wilberforce University, helping to re-establish a development department there.

She plans to continue with Wilberforce as a volunteer but eventually would like to work in administration or development for a non-profit.

“I’m not ready to come home with Ginger yet,” she said, referring to her family’s well fed dog.

“Karla accomplished much ... both as a journalist and a community leader,” said News-Sun Publisher Steve Sidlo. “Her leadership was widely recognized and appreciated not just here, but around the country. She’ll be missed.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0368 or tstafford@coxohio.com.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Is this really news? Seriously?

KGH was an extremely partisan, liberal editor who allowed the News-Sun to lose all journalistic integrity during her tenure.

I canceled my subscription because of her and have never gone back.

canceled under Karla
8:06 PM, 10/13/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Tom

Instead of phalanx (military conotation) use plethora

flipper
9:53 AM, 10/13/2009

REPORT ABUSE

I wish you the best! Thank you for your contributions and spirit, Karla. May your good dreams flourish, your bad dreams be few, and the Good Lord Bless You In All That You Do!

Patron
7:04 PM, 10/12/2009

REPORT ABUSE

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.