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Arsenault's departure another blow

 

One of the more surprising subscribers to the ProJo buyout is 41-year-old Mark Arsenault, a fine reporter who has a sideline in writing mystery novels. I profiled him in 2006.

Tim Schick, administrator of the Providence Newspaper Guild, says management has set a final buyout deadline of midnight tonight. Twenty-one people have thus far put in for it -- 11 on the news side, including Charlie Bakst, Scott MacKay, Pawtucket reporter John Castellucci, and sportswriter Steve Krasner, according to Schick and Guild president John Hill.

Arsenault, who has an appreciation for whimsy, notes that he has spent 10 and one-quarter years at the ProJo, 25 percent of his life. But considering how he has one book in the works at St. Martin's, another one completed, and an idea for yet another, the time felt right. He was out of work for a while prior to arm surgery over the summer, Arsenault says, and he enjoyed the experience of spending his days at home, tapping at the computer.

"There's never a perfect time to place a very large wager on yourself and your abilities," he says, "but if not now, when?"

Arsenault plans to focus on fiction, although he still wants to practice journalism. As someone capable of writing both serious narrative journalism and well-tuned idiosyncratic features, he will be missed.

Arsenault is married to former ProJo scribe Jennifer Levitz, now in the Boston bureau of the Wall Street Journal. 

While MacKay painted a dim picture of the ProJo's direction, Arsenault sees it differently. He described how a previous buyout opened fresh paths for him, including the chance to cover the State House, and in terms of younger staffers, he says, "Now it's going to be their opportunity."

  • Thom Cahir said:

    Mark and Scott will both be sorely missed.  The cubicle they share will fall silent and future visitors to the newsroom will never know the camaraderie that took place there over the years.  

    Hopefully each will continue their work to make the Newspaper Guild Follies a success in the coming years and with more time on their hands each will have plenty of new material on hand when it comes to write jokes for the Follies of 2008.  

    Good luck guys, I have no doubt you'll both do well in whatever endeavor you decide to partake.  

    August 20, 2008 7:05 PM
  • Joe Ouellette said:

    Mark is right. The positive side to all of this is that this may give some new writers an opprotunity to do some great work. All things change. Will it be for the better or worse? I guess we'll see.  

    August 21, 2008 7:35 AM

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