Manhattan (KS) Mercury sports writer

From jjobs (http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=900075):

Company: The Manhattan Mercury
Position: Seeking Sports Writer
Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: Negotiable
Ad Expires: May 1, 2008
Job ID: 900075
Website: http://www.themercury.com

Description:
The Manhattan Mercury, located in the Flint Hills of Eastern Kansas, is seeking a full-time sports writer to cover one local high school and seven other area high schools. The position would also assist in coverage of Kansas State University, a Big 12-member school.

We desire the applicant to have some design experience, but will train, as well as a working knowledge of AP style.

For more information, please contact the sports editor, Joshua Kinder, at (785) 776-2300, ext. 244 or at sports_scribe@hotmail.com. Please send a cover letter, resume, at least five writing examples and three design clips to P.O. Box 787, Manhattan, KS 66505.

 

At least there's NO PHONE CALLS in the ad.

 

PM me with any questions about this position and paper.

I will throw out that in my dealings with Josh, he seems to be a very good guy as is Jerome, who is the outgoing sports writer.

 

RAWK!

 

I'll include my support for Josh, someone whom I have considered a good friend for a while now.

He's from Dodge City, though. That's the only bad thing about him.

 

This was going to be my job because I'm good friends with Josh and he likes the work I do, but I decided to go back to Oklahoma and not stay in Kansas.

I will say that Josh is a good guy and would be fun to work with. He makes the job fun and he's hilarious. Definitely recommended.

 

Heard nothing but good things, but for those who do apply, I would be curious as to the salary. About 10 years ago, the Mercury offered me $17,200 to cover Manhattan High. Hopefully, pay has improved there.

 

The pay is definitely one area that I am interested to find out about. If anyone has any credible information, please PM me.

 

Anybody know where Jerome is headed?

 

Isn't this the shop where the sports editor was allowed to write for the Rivals site and the newspaper at the same time, and when he recently retired he was allowed to keep the Kansas State beats (while still writing for the Rivals fans' site)?

I remember some back-and-forth about the arrangement and how awkward that could potentially be for the current staff, in terms of impartiality on the paper's No. 1 beat, for the new sports editor having the outgoing S.E. thrust upon him in a pretty big role, and how that would work in the office, with a "retired" staffer being given the prime spot while the remaining full-timers are left to handle the leftovers and get an occasional pat on the head with a sider on a K-State game or such.

Those who are close to the situation, are these questions/issues valid concerns for those interested in applying for this position?

 

Does anyone know anything about this position? Haven't heard much on here.

I'd be real interested in what the pay is for someone with pagination experience.

 

Ugh.

I know the former SE is still the K-State beat writer and that it caused some problems for a while, although I'm not sure if those issues still exist.