Article by Don Jergler 
5:00pm | The Long Beach Press-Telegram is losing a newsroom leader who has overseen editorial matters at the P-T at varying levels for three decades.
John Futch, the P-T’s executive city editor, is leaving the daily newspaper for what some would call retirement, but what he jokingly calls a “repurposing.”
“Sometimes you need to take a break and reassess your life,” said Futch, who made his plans public on Friday.
When Futch broke the news it saddened many P-T staffers, who say it will be hard to replace a leader like Futch. “A couple of us were teary eyed about it,” staff writer Karen Robes Meeks said. “He’s a terrific boss who worked tirelessly nights and weekends to put out the paper. I know some of the staff probably feel the same way I do, because even when we were tired and frustrated and working that long day, we often took on that extra story because John counted on us.”
Reporter Greg Mellen, who worked with Futch for nearly 10 years, said Futch’s news judgment and editing skills were a great asset to the paper. “Personally and professionally I admire John and feel honored to have worked with him,” Mellen said. “He has supported me and given me chances I don’t think I would have had elsewhere.”
Leaving the industry to gain a little perspective is something Futch has done before. “I did it before years ago—took a year off from the Atlanta Journal and worked as a sailboat rigger for Blackbeard Yachts in Atlanta and Darien and finished a master’s thesis at the University of Georgia.”
Futch was the managing editor at the Press-Telegram until a few years ago, when announced his retirement from that post to spare another P-T editor the loss of his job due to newsroom cuts. When that editor got another position with another company, Futch stepped back in at his current job title.
Futch was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, and grew up in the small town of Nashville, Ga. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. His long journalism career includes working as a sportswriter and a sports editor at the Athens Daily News. He also served as the executive sports editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Futch came to the P-T as regional editor, and donned a variety of newsroom hats during his tenure there. He left the paper for a brief stint in 1995, spending three years on loan to the Boca Raton News, eventually serving as the paper’s executive editor until it was sold by Knight Ridder in 1997.
Before journalism, Futch rose to the rank of lieutenant in the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam in the Phu Bai-Hue area. His service earned him the distinguished Bronze Star for Meritorious Service.
“Actually have no immediate plans,” said Futch, who plans to leave the paper some time in the next few months. “We have a 14-year-old who just is finishing his first year at (the California Academy of Math and Science) and we’re looking forward to time hanging out.”
Shortly after arriving in the area from the South, Futch said he “fell in love with Long Beach and the P-T and that’s taken up most of my life since 1983.”
Police reporter Tracy Manzer has worked with Futch 16 years.
“John is one of a dying breed of newspaper men who really care about the craft and the role of journalism in the community so this is devastating for not just the paper but for Long Beach,” Manzer said. “I know we’ll never see the likes of him again, and that’s a terrible thing for all of us.
