There’s a name and title you won’t see on the masthead: Katie Aschim, design editor. This issue of the Montana Journalism Review is dedicated to her memory. Katie, a native of Sunburst, Mont., died in her sleep on Jan. 20 of diabetic ketoacidosis, days before the start of spring semester. Katie, a sophomore, would have been on the MJR staff, and surely would have been design editor because of her solid skills.

The magazine’s editorial team was looking forward to having Katie as a colleague, but that was not to be. Although just 20, Katie had already impressed her professors and her peers with her skills as a designer, reporter and writer. In Wintersession, the month between semesters, Katie had completed a profile of emeritus Professor Bob McGiffert, an Army World War II veteran. It was part of the Veterans’ History Project course taught by assistant professor Sheri Venema, who called her “fearless.”

Katie had written many articles for the Montana Kaimin as well, starting as a freshman. Kaimin columnist Luke Johnson described her as “short, cute, funny, self-deprecating, hard-working and immutably bright.” Her own family, in the introduction to a collection of 93 columns she had written for the Shelby Promoter, said “she always had a dozen irons in the fire; but she always took time to stop and ‘smell the roses’ and to share those experiences with all who took the time to listen.” Kaimin editor Chris Rodkey noted how Katie’s premature passing had personalized the pain of death — surely a valuable lesson for beginning journalists. The MJR editors bow their heads in a moment of gratitude for the life of Katie Aschim, and ask you to do the same.

Note from the editor...

This issue contains articles by or about nationally recognized journalists or journalism organizations—and stories by younger journalists who will gain recognition some day. Chicago Tribune reporter Maurice Possley has gained much acclaim, including the Elijah Lovejoy Award, for his superb criminal justice reporting on DNA testing and prosecutorial misconduct. Last semester’s Pollner Fellow delves into a Montana DNA case, raising serious questions about journalism. Former Baltimore Sun editor William Marimow, who’s won two Pulitzers, was recently named managing editor at National Public Radio. As 2004 Dean Stone speaker, Bill focused on officials who lie and reporters’ obligation to uncover lies. J-School grad Thomas Nybo, a CNN “one-man band” in Iraq, tells how he muscled into the multi-media world.

Associate Professor Keith Graham shows skills he developed in his photojournalism career in a story on disappearing family ranches. We profile Erik Peterson, who won two NPPA Photographer of the Year awards while with the Livingston Enterprise. We look at the Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources, a Missoula-based group dedicated to improving environment reporting through mid-career field workshops, as well as Headwaters News, a daily online compendium of links to stories and editorials in Western media about environment and land use issues. We examine the collapse of Salt Lake Tribune editor Jay Shelledy’s 12-year reign and resulting change in newsroom culture.

Montana and the world is the focus of three pieces: How the asbestos-afflicted residents of Libby react to a documentary about their plight, how national stringers cover the state, and how a big-city woman tries on the many hats of a small weekly editor. We look at the aftermath of the state’s first FOI audit, a Great Falls cartoonist, how news media handle adult ads, blogs, an emerging free press in Iraq and our cover story, diversity in newsrooms.

It’s quite a package. Enjoy!