Maine's CHOICES CEO Project
Bill Nemitz (left) with Jonathan (right)
December 1, 2009
By Linda Lehmann and Jonathan
Jonathan of Kittery, Maine was chosen to participate in Disability Mentoring Day. Jonathan is interested in Journalism and is in his first year of attending York Co. Community College P/T in Wells, ME. Jonathan was matched with Bill Nemitz, the columnist for the Portland Press Herald. Jonathan was accompanied by Easter Seals Job Placement Specialist, Linda E. Lehmann. Bill writes columns that touch on local, regional and national news. Bill has been to Iraq three times to write about soldiers serving there with the Maine Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. Bill has also traveled throughout the country to cover such stories as Senator Olympia Snowe’s role in the health care debate in Washington, D.C., the aftermaths of the September 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina.
Jonathan was greeted very warmly by the receptionist and Bill at the front office. Bill and Jonathan then proceeded up the elevator to Bill’s office where Bill showed Jonathan how he keeps up with the news via computer, sometimes on an hourly basis so that Bill is getting accurate and up-to the minute information to report to the public. Bill also stressed how important it is to follow–up with phone calls to confirm that the information is correct before publishing a story in the newspaper.
Jonathan was given a tour of the Portland Press Herald building. Bill and Jonathan toured the Advertising Department, Billing Department, Local News Department, Sports Department and the Photography Lab. Bill explained that the newspaper has had to down size due to the internet. Just about anyone can get up to the minute news via internet. This is one reason newspaper sales are down. Bill explained to Jonathan that all the desks in each department used to be filled with writers, it was a busy place. Now parts of the building are very quiet. The printing press operation was once across the street connected to the main building by a tunnel under Congress Street. This building is no longer in operation. The newspaper is now printed in South Portland.
Bill Nemitz is a very pleasant, down to earth person who is passionate and committed to his work. Bill took a lot of extra time to thoroughly explain his career and show Jonathan how the newspaper business runs.
