Mary Schley_Reporter, Journalist at The Carmel Pine Cone_2025-06-27_interviewed on KZSC's "Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club"

UCSC undergrad in the early 90's majoring in psychology with a minor in journalism (there was not an option to major in journalism), where she was a reporter, and then the editor, of the campus City On A Hill newspaper; she wanted a career in journalism, but first worked in finance, and accounts receivable at a law firm; her break, and her first paying journalism gig, was writing for a monthly motorcycle magazine (she rode for 27 years); she moved back to Santa Cruz, eventually working for a PR firm for a great boss; she interviewed at The Carmel Pine Cone and they made a note that she "will write anything", and started out with the local police logs (hand written, and faxed in); when their sportswriter quit and she got laid off, she asked the owner / publisher if they had a full time slot, which she started in March, 1999; The Money Question: is she able to make a living as a report / journalist, and if so, how? YES! Even though she lives in an expensive town (Carmel), she has a small house, a landlord who keeps rent reasonable, and a publisher who pays well & covers a significant portion of her benefits! For story ideas she keeps an eye on meeting agendas, and people come up to her pass ideas along - her beats are Carmel law enforcement, meetings, local issues (& motor sports!); there are 3 other reporters! Plus 3 on the sales team, office staff, and 5 on the production team; the owner (also editor & publilsher) bought the paper in 1997, and brought ideas on how to make it work; The Carmel Pine Cone has been around since 1915, one year older than Carmel itself, is a free weekly, and now has a circulation of 20,000 (delivered in Pacific Grove, else picked up), and an email subscription list of 23,000; local journalism can not only survive, but thrive! Huzzah!! An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.