KC STAR LETS BABSON, HEASTER GO As reported first on this site last month, another round of layoffs are on at the Kansas City Star and two of the big names on the editorial side were veterans Randolph (Randy) Heaster and Rick Babson, according to sources close to the situation. Heaster, the paper's Labor, Manufacturing and Transportation reporter/columnist, had a huge beat that included covering labor issues, trucking, railroads and unions. "It is very clear that the Star does not give a damn about covering business anymore," said a source. "Randy was already covering three different beats." Randy Heaster is also the son of the Kansas City Star's legendary business columnist and editor Jerry Heaster, who retired in March 2006 after 27 years with the newspaper. Babson held a number of key positions with the Star and would have been with the paper 33 years in May. He had worked in Sports, Features, Business and at the Johnson County and Olathe desks. Most recently he was editor of the Olathe News the past two years, and his departure is a major blow for Star coverage in Johnson County. Veteran newspaperman Jim Sullinger's retirement from the Star was also announced.
02-01-2011 SULLINGER BIG LOSS "Not to minimize Babson's contributions, but the real blow to johnson county coverage is the departure of sullinger...that's more than 40 years of experience covering the county and topeka, and despite being past retirement age, was outproducing the young'ns on staff."
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