Longtime community editor retires, city reporter to fill role
While one of the Butler Eagle’s most seasoned writers has left for retirement, community section readers can rest easy as a familiar name has stepped in to fill the role.
Community editor Paula Grubbs, who had been with the Butler Eagle since June 12, 2000, and who served in various roles in the editorial department, officially retired on Wednesday, Nov. 27, but Eagle city reporter Eddie Trizzino will step in to fill the shoes of Grubbs.
Both said they are excited about their new paths, although they are on the opposite ends of the career spectrum.
“It hasn’t sunken in yet that I won’t be coming into the office at the Butler Eagle to do my job every day,” Grubbs said. “I don’t know when it will, but at some point I will realize I’m not impacting the community anymore by writing for the paper.”
Grubbs said she is looking forward to spending more time with family and a lot of traveling.
“My daughter wants to go to Puerto Rico in January, and she wants to go to Europe next summer,” Grubbs said. “It is a stressful gig we do at the paper, so I am just going to relax.”
Throughout her past few years at the Butler Eagle, Grubbs said she has watched Trizzino grow as both a person and a reporter, and she is confident that he will be able to continue to more great things in life and for the newspaper.
“(Trizzino) can write a good feature story that is very engaging, more so than most reporters,” Grubbs said. “I think he will do a great job. He is a people person and he is very relatable and approachable.”
Trizzino said he can remember the very first time he met Grubbs, which was during his interview process in early 2021.
“I could tell she was someone who respected the job, but recognized the trials and tribulations that come with being a reporter at a local newspaper,” Trizzino said.
Once Trizzino got the job as the new community editor a few weeks ago, he said that Grubbs was helpful with getting his schedule organized, finding stories and, especially, finding sources to speak with.
“I’ll miss her quick wit and willingness to go on with a silly joke in the office, but also her knowledge of the city and county, and her ability to hook you up with almost anyone you need to get in touch with,” Trizzino said. “She’s got big shoes to fill, as such a longtime reporter here, and I hope the rest of us can step up to fill in the gaps.”
Trizzino said he looks forward to bringing his own set of ideas to the community section and he is excited about the new challenge.
“For the community section, I hope to have a little more freedom to tackle interesting topics in the county that can help shed light on the lives of local people,” Trizzino said.
