They got the word three weeks ago they would be out of a job. And Friday was the last day for more than 130 staffers at the Express-News.
"It's just painful for the people leaving and for the people staying behind. A lot of people here have survivors guilt seeing their friends go."
Columnist Ken Rodriguez is one of those who is leaving the Express-News in this round of layoffs. He spent his last day saying goodbye, going through e-mails and cleaning up what was his office.
His last column "Little bits of good news while saying farewell" was on the front page Friday. But for his former colleagues, there's always another deadine, so their work had to go on.
They're all hoping this big round of cuts -- 15 percent of the paper's overall staff -- will be their last, at least for a while.
Reporter Scott Huddleston still has a job. "For about the past month it's been a very sad place to work. We're missing a lot of good friends."
The recession is forcing layoffs here just like it is at so many other businesses. But with newspapers, the recession is aggravating other problems.
More and more people are getting their news "free" on the internet, reading on-line much of the same content that's in the paper.
But web advertising -- at least at this point -- brings in only a fraction of the money papers have been getting for print ads.
Express-News Editor Bob Rivard says the smaller rounds of layoffs they've gone through over the past couple of years just weren't enough to prepare for the future.
"Everybody here knows it's necessary. We held off longer than almost any daily newspaper in America and we are far more secure as both a business and a newsroom than almost any other city."
Knowing that doesn't make it easier for those who are out of work. But outside the Express-News downtown headquarters there was a little diversion Friday, courtesy of San Antonio car dealer Red McCombs.
He sent over a truckload of ice cream, at least giving everybody another excuse to just hang out and talk.
Express-News Publisher Tom Stephenson says they feel it was more humane to keep workers on at the paper for three weeks after announcing the layoffs.
"Let's remember that people aren't leaving because they did anything wrong. Business changed. Advertising revenue is gone so a number of people lost their jobs but not because they did anything wrong."
Editorial Cartoonist John Branch had been with the Express-News for 28 years.
"I think having the time to deal with it was good for me cause it gave me the opportunity to do a few more weeks worth of cartoons that's still what I love doing so."
Branch is hoping to do some freelance work as he looks toward the next phase in his life.
The next phase for those still working at the Express-News may involve different technology and a changing business model, but staffers like Scott Huddleston see their work as essential for the community.
"There's always going to be a need for people who tell the truth and report factually and provide fair and balanced coverage and provide a sense of community."
*In the next few days we will be posting longer clips of interviews we shot for this story.
Randy Beamer
