Northeast Journal Celebrates 20 Years of Delivering “Good News”
This fall, the Northeast Journal celebrates its 20th anniversary of bringing readers the “good news” stories that make St. Petersburg such a special place. It’s a remarkable accomplishment. What’s been the secret to success? It’s the NEJ’s mission – the celebration of community and connection, with stories about friends, neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances who are making a difference.
“When the personal story can be told and readers can feel the common humanity, that’s what makes the NEJ successful,” said publisher Jen MacMillen. “With every story, we can’t just take the obvious top layer. We have to go deep. Why does that person volunteer at CASA? What motivates the artist to create, or the athlete to push beyond the limits? We’re storytellers. It’s the heart and soul of who we are. Our goal is to uplift people and help them feel more positive about all the good things happening in their community.”
In 2016, I had a busy freelance writing career but was looking for an outlet where I could publish human interest stories about local people. When I picked up the NEJ from my front doorstep, I knew I had found my niche. I was so fortunate to write and later serve as editor for such a unique local publication. One of my favorite stories was writing about Tom Stovall touching up his mural on the Crescent Lake water tower. Stovall invited me to conduct the interview at the top – about 100-feet up. But he had a 32-foot ladder propped against the water tower that I would have to climb before I even reached the first step of the tower’s staircase. Needless to say, I chickened out.
The NEJ’s history is one of serendipity. In the early 2000s, MacMillen came to St. Petersburg with her two young daughters for a visit with her mom, who had just bought a house in the Old Northeast. “I would go out for a walk, look around, and think, ‘This would be the perfect place to start a community paper,’” said MacMillen. A Vermont native, MacMillen had been the publisher of two local papers, which she had just sold. But the publishing business has a way of getting into one’s blood.
Her first call to lay the groundwork was to Rick Carson, who was already publishing the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association (HONNA) newsletter. “I didn’t want to step on his toes,” said MacMillen. “But Rick gave me his blessing. He’s been a tremendous support and connection to the community. He really helped paved the way for me.”
At first, both the NEJ and the HONNA newsletter were published separately, but in 2016, the two publications joined forces. The HONNA newsletter is now printed within the center spread of each NEJ issue. “I’m still collecting material for the HONNA page,” said Carson. “We’re grateful to have such a good working relationship with the NEJ that continues to this day.”
MacMillen’s second call was to the St. Petersburg Museum of History and then-executive director Will Michaels who has a passion for history and writing. He immediately said yes when she asked if he would be willing to contribute an article for the new paper – and he’s never missed an issue since. Michaels’ pieces have appeared in the bottom left corner of the front page six times a year for the past 20 years. That is a serious commitment! His columns have introduced readers to everything from gangster Al Capone’s time in St. Pete to the city’s historic neighborhoods like Mirror Lake, and more current subjects like redevelopment plans for Tropicana Field.
“I think a big part of the Northeast Journal’s success is our emphasis on articles addressing the city’s rich history and contemporary cultural scene, along with current community matters of concern,” said Michaels, who has a doctorate in anthropology from the University of South Florida and is also a past president of the St. Petersburg Preservation Society (now Preserve the ‘Burg).
All good community papers need strong photographs to tell the story, and Susan Alderson filled the role from the start. She was born and raised in the Old Northeast, was a vital part of the historic neighborhood, and most important of all, she was a skilled photographer with an amazing artistic eye.
Over time, Alderson moved into the role of managing editor, while continuing to take most of the photos for the publication. Sadly, after several years at the helm of the NEJ, Alderson passed away suddenly in November 2016. “It was such a shock,” said MacMillen. “Susan knew everyone and truly understood the nature of the stories the paper embodied.”
“If there was an enthusiast for the Old Northeast, it was my mom,” said her daughter Rebekah Lazaridis, a local artist who also wrote stories for the NEJ under the pen name of Eugenia Woods. “Our family has deep roots in the neighborhood going back to the 1920s. For my mom, getting involved with the Northeast Journal was her way of expressing her love for the neighborhood.”
In fact, the Alderson family can be credited with starting the Old Northeast’s over-the-top Halloween tradition that draws kids and adults from all over the city. “You can totally blame the Halloween extravaganza on the Alderson family,” joked Lazaridis. “My dad and I would build a set and come up with all these different themes. Year after year our family’s productions got bigger and more elaborate.” Not surprisingly, Lazaridis said writing about her family’s Halloween traditions was one of her favorite stories for the NEJ.
Julie Johnston, the NEJ’s art director and copy editor, was working as a stagehand behind the scenes at Eight O’Clock Theatre in Largo when a colleague brought in a copy of the Northeast Journal. The issue had a story about the theater’s technical director CJ Marshall. “I read the article, then read the publication cover to cover,” said Johnston, who has a freelance graphic design business. “I’m not a voracious reader, but the Northeast Journal captivated me. I noticed how special the actual publication felt in my hands: the recycled stock, the color of the paper, the size of it – and the not-too-long, not-too-short articles. It felt good. I felt connected when I read it. Like having a cup of tea with a neighbor.”
Johnston emailed the publisher and said she be honored to design ads if MacMillen ever needed help. Within months she was laying out the whole paper. “I’m proud to be associated with a publication that has such a heart,” said Johnston. “There are not many places where you can read about a neighbor kid starting a lemonade stand to raise money for his classmate’s family, whose mother is battling cancer. That student, Jud Cummings, was in second grade in September 2020 when we published that story. I just love the generosity and simplicity of stories like that. Good people doing good things. You can’t beat that.”
Imagine hand-delivering the Northeast Journal to thousands of homes every two months for 15 years. Jamie Mayo retired from her role as the NEJ’s distribution manager in March of this year, but before then, it was her responsibility to make sure homeowners in the paper’s target area got a paper on their doorstep. “I assembled friends, my children, and hired people to help. We piled into the back of my truck and went neighborhood to neighborhood, even in the rain and the heat,” said Mayo.
Her tenure with the NEJ actually goes back to the very beginning. MacMillen and her business partner at the time asked if Mayo would like to barter – an ad for her cleaning business in exchange for wearing multiple hats to help them keep the paper running smoothly. “We couldn’t have done it without Jamie,” said MacMillen. “Her support over these past two decades has been such a blessing.” (Starting with the May 2024 issue, the paper is now mailed via the U.S. Post Office.)
Porch parties are a great way to meet the Old Northeast neighbors, but in Susan Williams’s case, it also turned into a job offer to manage advertising sales for the NEJ. “Twenty years later, I’m still enjoying the journey,” said Williams. “Driving ad sales has been immensely rewarding as I’ve had the opportunity to build relationships and strong connections with our clients. The NEJ boasts an impressive roster of loyal advertisers, underscoring the publication’s strong reputation and reach within the community.”
Shelly Wilson came aboard as editor in early 2022, after serving as editor of The Gabber Newspaper in Gulfport. “I had heard through the grapevine that the previous editor, Janan Talafer, was ready to pass the baton, and it was a natural fit for me to step in and continue the NEJ mission of publishing inspiring stories,” said Wilson. “I’m the quintessential English major, so reading and writing are my first loves. Editing is the curation of those things and it’s exciting to not only learn about ‘good people, good places, good things’ in every issue, but to find inspiring ways to bring those stories to our readers. It’s the best kind of job and I’m so proud to be a part of this team and help continue the NEJ legacy.”
The Northeast Journal wouldn’t be possible without a loyal readership or the many contributors over the years who have put their heart and soul into so many interesting “good news” stories. On behalf of Jen MacMillen and the NEJ team, thank you everyone for an amazing 20-year adventure, with more still to come.
