Richard Byrd named CBH, Sun Tribune managing editor

MOSES LAKE — Longtime Columbia Basin Herald reporter Richard Byrd has been named the new managing editor for the paper, the Sun Tribune and Basin Business Journal

Byrd, 28, and a graduate of Lee University in Tennessee, has been covering crime, law enforcement, Grant County courts and Moses Lake city government since he came to work for the CBH in 2014. He begins his new duties overseeing the paper’s editorial operations today.

“I mainly covered courts and breaking news,” Byrd said. “Mainly crime, fire and courts.”

Byrd will oversee Columbia Basin Publishing’s three publications, the Columbia Basin Herald, the Sun Tribune, and the Basin Business Journal.

Byrd said he wants to focus on improving the Herald’s and the Sun Tribune’s breaking news coverage, especially since the market for news and information has gotten competitive in Grant County. He also said he wants to increase the use the newspaper’s Facebook and Twitter pages in delivering news as it happens.

“I want to focus more heavily on hyper-local news,” he said. “People want news fast, quick and when it happens.”

However, Byrd said he also wants the paper to remain true to its values, and report the news accurately, truthfully and with integrity.

“You have to be precise in what you do, especially with breaking news,” he said.

“I am impressed with the vision Richard has for CBH, Sun Tribune and (Basin Business Journal) and look forward to supporting him as he continues to elevate our content across all of our brands,” said publisher Caralyn Bess.

In addition, Connor Vanderweyst has been named sports editor and assistant managing editor and longtime CBH employee Joel Martin has been named copy editor.

“Connor and Joel also have some really great ideas to continue to enhance our editorial coverage and under Richard’s direction, I look for the three of them to collectively take us to the next level,” Bess said.

Bess said that local newspapers have never been more important, especially to communities like those in Grant and Adams counties.

“All three of our brands, Columbia Basin Herald, Sun Tribune and Basin Business Journal serve the residents of Grant and Adams County and surrounding areas of the Columbia Basin, keeping residents connected to local news important to their lives,” she said.

“We serve as a watchdog for the community, holding public officials accountable and covering the everyday events and happenings important to our community,” Bess added.

Replacing Byrd on the courts and cops beat will be Emry Dinman, who started full-time with the Herald and Sun Tribune late last summer after serving as the newspaper’s intern in Olympia last spring.

Charles Featherstone can be reached via email at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.