Rocky biz editor says goodbye

Rob Reuteman, the business editor of the Rocky Mountain News, said goodbye to the paper’s readers with one last column. The paper published its last issue on Saturday.

Reuteman writes, “Don’t feel sorry for us — feel sorry for Denver, for Colorado. You may not miss us now, but you will most certainly miss us later. After all, you don’t miss your water till the well runs dry.

“There will be many nooks and crannies around this town that won’t see the light of day any more. It will be somewhat easier for all manner of crooks to prosper. Corruption at all levels of government will grow some. Politicians will escape embarrassment. Businesses will hoodwink their employees and shareholders. More taxpayer money will be wasted. And far fewer people will be looking out for you. I’m talking about trained, dedicated, experienced journalists who know what to look for and know how to get it in front of you to read in digestible form.

“Hey, look, I didn’t get into journalism to chase Octomom around the block. Neither did any of my colleagues here. This has been serious business, and there necessarily will be less of it done in Denver. When this newsroom is humming — as it is today — the energy is palpable, a thing to behold. I am blessed to have been a cog.

“I don’t see any villains in this piece. It’s the economy, stupid. It’s happening everywhere to everything and now it happened here to us.”

Read more here.