I always hoped this day wouldn’t come, but it has with today’s closing of the Rocky Mountain News.

My affection for the News began well before my days in newspaper.  When the Rocky began rural delivery in Eastern Colorado, my family subscribed and each morning I’d dash out to the road to pick up the paper.  My mother enjoyed grumpy Gene Amole and the crosswords.  I poured through every statistic on the sports page — which is probably why I eventually thought journalism was the career for me.

Dick Connor was the prototypical sports columnists — one who could illuminate the best aspects of the sports scene, rather than criticize, ridicule and nitpick. 

When the Rocky made its ill-fated decision to confine itself to the Front Range and ski corridor, many of its loyal readers, including me, were crushed.  No longer could I read Peter Blake’s weekly political “gossip” column or John Sanko’s reports from the Capitol or Scott Stocker’s excellent high school sports coverage.

Although I re-subscribed to the Rocky after the joint operating agreement again made it available statewide, it seemed the paper never quite regained its status as the publication of choice in rural Colorado.

Over the years, I’ve so appreciated the editorial balance and conservative/libertarian perspective of Vincent Carroll and Peter Blake, as well as Lynn Bartels’ even-handed skepticism of events at the State Capitol.

With the Rocky’s demise, the most significant chronicle of Colorado news and history comes to an end.  As a loyal reader, I’m sad to see it go.

So long, old friend.