Tom Martin, editor of the Galesburg Register-Mail, bids farewell after 19 years. He reflects on memorable moments from his career at the local newspaper.
The closure of the Maytag plant in 2004 was one of Martin’s first and most significant stories. The September 15th front page featured a collage of hundreds of Maytag workers, powerfully illustrating the event’s community impact.
Following this, the Galesburg Register-Mail produced in-depth investigative series, including a 2015 examination of domestic violence. Reporters collaborated with Knox College students, analyzing thousands of domestic violence calls and tracking investigations and prosecutions, revealing that few cases resulted in convictions.
The paper also won awards for special projects: tracking three families’ international adoptions (2013), surveying towns under 1,000 residents (2016), exploring the rate of high school graduates leaving Galesburg (2017), investigating the opioid epidemic’s impact (2019), and capturing the voices of Black residents (2021).
Beyond planned projects, the Register-Mail responded to breaking news. The 2006 O.T. Johnson fire exemplified this; a Register-Mail photographer’s image of the blaze appeared in The Washington Post.
Another memorable event was President Barack Obama’s surprise 2011 visit to Galesburg High School. Initially planned for Alpha, the Register-Mail quickly confirmed and covered the historic moment.
Martin acknowledges talented colleagues: Jay Redfern, Tom Loewy, Rob Buck, Lorraine Stone, Mike Trueblood, and many others. He also thanks community contributors like Tom Wilson, Talbot Fisher, and Carol Moore Painter.
Finally, Martin expresses gratitude to all who worked at the Galesburg Register-Mail before him, chronicling the city’s history. He affirms his time there as a career highlight.
