News Finally Replaces Dave Levinthal

When last we spoke with Dallas Morning News editor Bob Mong, about sales reps overseeing editors, he mentioned that A.H. Belo was hiring a handful of investigative reporters. At which point we wondered: Did that include replacing Dave Levinthal, who hopped off the Dallas City Hall beat in July to...

By Robert Wilonsky

December 21, 2009

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When last we spoke with Dallas Morning News editor Bob Mong, about sales reps overseeing editors, he mentioned that A.H. Belo was hiring a handful of investigative reporters. At which point we wondered: Did that include replacing Dave Levinthal, who hopped off the Dallas City Hall beat in July to take the communications director position at the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C.? Said Mong, "We've been talking to people internally and externally."

In the end, the paper hired from within: Steve Thompson, who came to The News from the St. Petersburg Times in 2007 and has been working the crime beat, will join Rudy Bush at 1500 Marilla. The announcement came down this morning.

"He's a good reporter, a good writer," Mong tells Unfair Park. "We had great internal candidates, and we brought in a bunch of people. It was a real close call internally. We had a couple of top finalists, and it was one of those things where you couldn't lose. Anyone we chose internally was going to do a great job over there. We're really pleased with Steve doing it." Mong said he'll start "pretty much immediately."

As for whether the paper will replace Thompson, Mong says, sure: "We're filling our openings and looking at expanding the staff again."

See what a few nice words from Schutze will get you?

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