By Josh Stilts

Reporter Newspapers

His hand reaches for a copy of a long-forgotten issue of a newspaper and a smile spreads easily across his face at the memory of the story he wrote.

“It was so fulfilling to tell her story,” he said. “I forgot how much fun I had writing people’s stories and features.”

Some years ago Craig Groshart spent an entire day following the then Issaquah superintendent, shadowing her every move and chronicling the tough decisions she faced at nearly every turn, both as an administrator and someone battling cancer.

It’s just one example of the more than a half-century of work he’s accomplished telling and shaping the story of his Northwest communities as an education reporter, business editor, page editor and most recently as the editor of the Bellevue and Issaquah/Sammamish reporters.

After countless news briefs, editorials and meetings, Groshart, who turns 73 this year, said it was time to hang up his reporter pad and red editor’s pen announcing his retirement. Today marks the end of an era, but the beginning of a new chapter for the staple of community news on the Eastside.

“It’ll be fun to do other things. I’ve always wanted to do more volunteer work, but for whatever reason I didn’t have the time or couldn’t because of a potential editorial conflict. Now my wife and I can do that as we please.”

In 1987 Groshart joined the Journal-American, which became the Eastside Journal, then the King County Journal when it merged with the South County Journal. That paper would be sold to Sound Publishing at the end of 2006 and closed shortly after before being redistributed as the various Reporter papers we have today. Groshart was appointed editor of the Bellevue paper and a year later took on the Issaquah/Sammamish paper.

However Groshart’s first job in journalism was much earlier. At 15 years old, Craig ran a Linotype machine, rewriting press releases a few nights a week for The Magnolia News, a community newspaper in Seattle. Other nights he’d run the press.

And while no news agency uses Linotypes anymore, Groshart said the experience was invaluable and encouraged anyone interested in pursing a career in journalism to understand its history.

“Learn to do all the aspects of the job you can,” he said. “Photography, social media, writing … if someone is offering a workshop go to it. Above all, read good writers.”

As he looks at what’s next, Craig said he and his wife JoAnne have already started identifying opportunities to continue helping their community.

The Grosharts have helped prepare meals for the men’s winter shelter, chopping vegetables for salads and making a meatloaf or whatever else needed help with. Craig said he and his wife wanted to do more and it makes sense to move on as editor.

But once a journalist, always a journalist. It’ll only be a matter of time before he’s got the itch to write again, to tell other people’s stories, sharing their narratives with others.

“Journalism is so rewarding,” he said. “Emotionally, philosophically, but not really financially. That’s OK. You never make much money, but your day is different every day and you’re making a difference every day.”

Josh Stilts: 425-453-4290; jstilts@bellevuereporter.com