NVN Publisher/Editor Keven Graves
Photo courtesy: Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

From the Whidbey News-Times, January 11, 2013:
“Onetime news intern returns to Whidbey as publisher”
“Sound Publishing has named Keven R. Graves executive editor and publisher for the Whidbey Newspaper Group, which includes The Whidbey News-Times, the Whidbey Examiner and the South Whidbey Record, as well as the Crosswind, a monthly veterans publication.”

Graves is succeeding Kasia Pierzga in the role. Pierzga has accepted a public relations position with the Washington Department of Revenue in Olympia.”

“Graves, 48, comes to Whidbey after 13 years as editor and publisher of the Nisqually Valley News [NVN], a weekly newspaper in Yelm. He has a son, Liam, 17, who will complete high school in Yelm and relocate to Whidbey Island in June and attend college in the fall.”
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Graves said in response to Dennis Waller, the recently retired CEO and president of Lafromboise Communications Inc., the NVN’s parent company:
“And I feel fortunate to have worked with you, Denny. You’ve been a great mentor and I’m grateful that you gave me a chance at the Nisqually Valley News all of those years ago. It has been my home for 13 years, and it’s hard leaving the great people here and with Lafromboise. We all still need to get together for dinner soon.”

Graves last day at the NVN is February 8, as he begins his new assignment February 11, 2013.

As reported here recently, Graves is the First Vice President of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA). He becomes the association’s President in October, 2013 and currently serves on the WNPA Foundation Board of Directors.

Editor’s Note:
Interesting this news was not shared with Yelm’s NVN readers until after 5pm on Monday, January 14 and is not even as a Nisqually Valley News “First Report” story as of this report, rather listed only in Biz/Life. Hmmm.
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The Yelm Community Blog wishes Keven well in his new “digs.”