I’m still recovering from a tragic accident involving an exploding e-mail inbox. Doctors are confident I'll regain use of the toe. Meantime, here are various links to things you probably already know about. Actual blog “content” will be coming tomorrow.

• Jeff Schnick and Jenna Busey of the Abilene Reporter News leave to be, respectively, assistant news editor at the Dallas Morning News and sports designer at the Salt Lake Tribune, opening up assistant managing editor and A1 designer positions.
• Derek Simmons, design director for sports and features at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, joins the L.A. Times as a deputy design director for news (memo after the jump).
• “Most people believe online is the future of publishing. These same people see the newspaper (the core product) as the lifeboat to that future. Our lifeboat is a leaky one: as print circulation drops it approaches a tipping point where advertisers lose confidence in our ability to reach their customers. If newspaper companies want to remain as profitable as they have been historically, they must find a way to make much more money with their online products.” Alan Jacobson’s got some suggestions.
• SND prez Scott Goldman talks to CJR about “what the hell is wrong with American newspapers.” Scott sez: “There's no doubt though that in these economic times, it takes guts and it takes someone really stepping forward to be a leader. Unfortunately, that's not happening in this country right now.” Interesting stuff. But seriously, “SDN”? Dart to CJR.
• Time to get crackalackin, students, if you want a shot at The Intern at SND Boston this fall. Internships at the Boston Globe, Hartford Courant and New York Times (among others) are up for grabs. Deadline’s May 25. The Orlando edition was a hit.

We are pleased to announce that Derek Simmons, currently the design director for sports and features at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, will join the design staff as a deputy design director for news. Derek’s primary responsibilities will be Business and Sports, but he will help edit in all news departments.

Derek was at the Star Tribune for nine years, where he was a cornerstone of the design department. During his tenure he served as a sports designer, sports design director and business design director in addition to features design director. He led the prototyping effort on the Star Tribune's 2005 redesign and has worked with editors and reporters in every corner of the newsroom. He was previously a designer at the Wichita Eagle.

Derek is a native of Kansas and a graduate of Kansas State University. He is passionate about (and sometimes frustrated by) playing golf. Derek, his wife Sheri, and their two-year-old son Jackson are relocating to Los Angeles in April. His start date is still being worked out.

Please make him feel welcome when he arrives.

Michael Whitley
News Design Director