With this issue, we say goodbye to a talented journalist and editor, Chad Oliveiri, who joined our staff fresh out of college in 1997. A strong writer and an inquisitive reporter, he brought an amazing breadth of interests --- new music, art, politics, urban development --- and in his own writing he made major contributions in news and features.

For the past five years, he served as managing editor, guiding our editorial direction and coaching and mentoring staff and freelance writers, who praise him as an insightful, caring editor. Most recently, he crafted a vision for expansion of our web content.

That vision, and his exceptionally high standards, set us on a path that will benefit readers for a long, long time. He'll be very much missed here, as a colleague and a friend and we wish him success in his new career.