Hollister
Hollister – Former Free Lance reporter Kollin Kosmicki has been hired to fill the shoes of departing editor Mike Schmeltzer.
Kosmicki, 27, covered San Benito County politics from 2002 to 2004. Monday was his first day back at the Free Lance, but Kosmicki already has big plans.
“I want this to be the best small daily newspaper in California,” he said.
When the Free Lance told county Supervisor Anthony Botelho about the change, Botelho said he was delighted.
“I’ve always thought Kollin was an outstanding reporter,” Botelho said. “I was disappointed when he decided to go back to Wisconsin … Of course, he never had to scramble for stories.”
Kosmicki’s previous stint at the Free Lance came during a contentious time in San Benito politics – namely, the beginning of the struggle between then-District Attorney John Sarsfield and the anonymous group Los Valientes. The Sarsfield-Los Valientes fight remains a divisive issue for some locals, but Kosmicki said he’s proud of his work.
“I think we did a good job … unraveling a very confusing time in local politics,” he said.
Kosmicki also pointed to articles about noise pollution at the local cannery, coverage of the reintroduction of condors at Pinnacles National Monument and, above all, the “people-centered stories” that he hopes to emphasize as editor.
After leaving the Free Lance in 2004, Kosmicki returned to Wisconsin, where he was born and raised. There, Kosmicki worked as a political reporter for The Freeman in Waukesha, then as the managing editor at the News Graphic in Cedarburg.
Despite being relatively young for the job, Kosmicki said he and the Free Lance are a perfect fit. For one thing, he paid close attention to his old bosses.
“I had quality leaders above me both here and in Wisconsin,” Kosmicki said. “I’ve learned both from their positive attributes and watching the mistakes they made.”
Free Lance publisher Steve Staloch added that Kosmicki’s background in San Benito County made him the right choice for the job.
“(Kollin’s) familiarity with the community is a tremendous asset to the Free Lance and he’s ready to hit the ground running,” Staloch said. “He’s bright, energetic and we’ve discussed a number of content features aimed at making the newspaper more interactive with our readers, who will see a reinvigorated Free Lance under Kollin’s leadership. ”
Kosmicki said he welcomes feedback and story ideas from readers, who can reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 337 or ed****@***********ws.com.
He acknowledged that the Free Lance hasn’t had much luck recently when it comes to holding on to editors, but Kosmicki said he’s not leaving anytime soon.
“One of the reasons they brought me here is they know that I’m familiar with the area,” he said. “I’m committed to staying here, making this a better newspaper and enjoying life in San Benito County.”
