February 27, 2009 09:47 PM UTC

Bartels Moving to Denver Post

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• by: Jeff Bridges

With the close of the Rocky I’ve worried incessantly that the quality of news coverage in this state will go down. My main concern focused on the loss of one of Colorado’s top political reporters, my friend Lynn Bartels. (As much as any political flack can really befriend a reporter…)

So it was with much relief that I read an email from her this morning saying she had accepted a position with the Denver Post, starting on Monday. From Bartels:

So, it is late and I sit down at my laptop    which must be turned in Friday with all of my other Rocky equipment – and I get weepy.

I’m staring at the Rocky Mountain News drinking glasses that city editor Tonia Twichell found at an antique story and got me for Christmas. They must have been for some promotion decades ago.

Today is the end of a long, sad day. This isn’t a death in the family. It’s the death of a family.

My beloved Rocky will no longer exist, physically that is, after 5 p.m. Friday. For so many of us, it will live on and on and on.

I appreciate the calls and e-mails today and I’m sorry I couldn’t get back with lots of you. I was on deadline, calling movers and shakers for their reaction. Jon Caldara made my cry. Bill Owens made me laugh.

I regret this blast e-mail but I fear I won’t have the time Friday to reach all of you – or I will be too much of a wreck.

The Rocky has been an amazing adventure. I worked for Scripps for 26 years, including 10 years at The Albuquerque Tribune.

I have accepted a job with The Denver Post starting Monday.

Yes, it feels strange.

I am thinking this is going to be like when I have had to put down one of my dogs. I would get a new dog and think, “I’ll never love him/her as much I loved my other dog.” I always have, but just in a different way.

I am thrilled to be staying in journalism and honored that the Post considered me. Many of you were instrumental in my success at the Rocky, and I hope you will continue that tradition.

Thanks for everything. Long live newspapers.

Lynn Bartels, Feb. 26, 2009

I haven’t heard anything about the plans of another great political reporter, Ed Sealover, but I have heard that Mike Littwin will make the move to the Post as well. His column today, which is certainly worth a full read, seems to confirm that: “I’m moving to another newsroom now, but it won’t be the same.”

No, it won’t be the same.