March 20, 2008 Issue

The two journalists I have been working with for the past decade have moved on.

Leah Strathman, the only editor I’ve ever had, has left The Beachcomber to work with The Defuniak Herald. Leah did much more than correct my grammar, spelling, and punctuation. She offered support throughout our time together at The Beachcomber.

This paper doesn’t print letters to the editor, but it definitely gets them. Leah would forward letters that concerned me, both good and bad. Some letters caused me to smile, some to shake my head, and some to watch my back.

If there was a theme to the derogatory letters it was this. “Does this guy not understand that we live in an extremely conservative, military-driven area?” Leah’s response was always accurate: “Yes he does.”

I was writing against our country’s invasion of Iraq long before Barack Obama was. My critique of bumper sticker patriotism and the hysterical flag-waving that accompanied our mis-guided war was a bit much for many in the Florida Panhandle.

One reader complained to Leah, in her role as editor, on five separate occasions. Each letter the man wrote was more strident than the previous one. Finally, he simply demanded that I be fired.

Leah called the retired colonel and told him that he wrote a fine letter. “But it will be difficult to fire Mr. Morgan,” she said. “He is an owner of The Beachcomber.”

After a moment of silence, Leah said the gentleman spoke very quietly, “Well then, thank you very much.”

I think Leah understands how wonderful and radical it is to be able to freely express ideas in this country. She also knows how frightening it would be if we couldn’t.

Another local journalist has moved on. Scott McKinney, a sports radio host at 98.1, and an occasional columnist for this paper, has legal problems.

Over the years, every spring, Goose and I have participated in a radio program with Scott related to cobia fishing. Cobia fishing can be exciting. It can also be very boring.

Years ago, on one of those boring mornings, we were asked who was fishing with us that day. “Leonardo DiCaprio” I responded. “And what a fine young man he is,” I continued.
“His grandfather taught him to fish, he’s here in Destin looking at real estate, and we’ve already caught two cobia. It’s a great day on the Hey Baby in the Gulf of Mexico with Leonardo DiCaprio.”

Well. We never did that again.

I went back on the radio several times to announce that a mistake had been made. “We’ve got Larry Decapolitti out here today. He’s a cousin of mine. A used car dealer from Brooklyn. We’re sorry for any confusion.”

It was too late. When Goose and I got back to the dock that afternoon, the docks were lined with mothers and their teenaged daughters who were removed from school to see the young star of “Titanic”. I made Goose dock the boat that day. I had other business to attend to.

We never did take a teen heart throb fishing again. But we did take Madonna, Halle Berry, Michelle Pheiffer, Sharon Stone, Paris Hilton, Britney, Prince Charles, Bob Marley, and many other celebrities for a day of fishing on the Hey Baby.

We also broke stories as varied as the sinking of Holiday Isle and the closing of the Destin Bridge. After we mentioned that we had heard the DOT was closing the Destin Bridge for a year to see what would happen when all the through traffic in Destin disappeared, a city staffer who had answered 700 calls from concerned citizens, commented that the report was the result of “irresponsible and incompetent journalism.”

Goose and I didn’t even know we were journalists.

We’ll miss Scott too.

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