THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, July 7, 2023 Page 3 ~ in Remembrance ~ More than just a boss to me By Joe McConnell F or the better part of three decades, there was one constant in my journalism career, and that was working for the Everett Advocate and its sister publications in Revere, Saugus and Malden. The Chelsea Advocate was started in Chelsea by James Donald Mitchell, Jr., who was a distinguished advertising executive for many years at the Malden Evening News, Medford Mercury and Melrose Evening News. He always wanted to publish a newspaper in his hometown after serving its residents in the political arena. But his passion was always in the print medium, while also understanding what the business was all about, and what readers wanted from their local newspaper. He eventually passed on that enthusiasm to his son, Jim, who came aboard in 1992. Within a year, they expanded into Everett and Reed life. After reading Jim’s straight from the heart eulogy on his dad, so many fond memories started racing through my mind. I can honestly say my experiences writing for them was never dull. Jim’s dad never sat idly by if he saw a wrong that needed to be righted. He pointed out those indiscretions – many of them emanating from city James D. Mitchell, Jr. vere. I witnessed that growth fi rst-hand as their sportswriter, an association I was able to maintain to this day. That’s why when I read Jim’s Facebook post last Saturday I was struck with sudden sadness. He stated that his dad had passed away on Friday at the age of 86, before elaborating eloquently on his well-roundgovernment – in his popular “Sounds of Everett” column that became a must-read every Friday from Day 1 in 1993. Throughout the years, I also helped the Mitchells out as a photographer, typesetter and courier. At times, I was even Jim’s Uber driver, before there was ever such a thing. If he needed a ride home after many late nights wrapping up the papers at the offi ce, I’d give him a lift back to Chelsea. There were times he IN REMEMBRANCE | SEE PAGE 9 www.eight10barandgrille.com OPEN DAILY FOR DINNER AT 4 PM. CATCH THE CELTICS, BRUINS & NCAA SPORTS ON OUR 6 LARGE SCREEN TV'S! om WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER FACEBOOK.COM/ADVOCATE.NEWS.MA
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