For my first edition of the Schuylkill Beat, I thought it was important to share a little about myself and how this journey began. My hope is that these posts will give you a look at what goes into covering Schuylkill County news from my perspective and spark conversations with all of you.
By J. Reed / Skook NewsBorn and Raised in Schuylkill County
If we've never met, my name is Justin and I’ve lived my entire 42 years in Ashland, Pennsylvania. I graduated from North Schuylkill, and while I was the editor of my high school yearbook, I’ll admit writing wasn’t exactly my favorite thing—in fact, I failed English class one semester (Thanks Mr. Lucas). You shouldn't be surprised by that after seeing my writing and typos in the past. I think I've grown since.
I wasn’t a sports guy either; I rarely went to games in high school and never played. My passions back then were computers and the early days of the internet, which has led me to a 20-year career as a database administrator and web administrator.
Looking back, I think my curiosity about the world around me was always there. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house listening to the radio scanner with them. I was fascinated by the voices calling out police and fire incidents and always wanted to know more. Maybe that planted the seed for what would later become my love for local news.
The Birth of Skook News
After several failed attempts to start different kinds of websites in the early 2000's, I always had the idea in the back of my mind that I wanted to do something Schuylkill County-related. There was even an idea at one point to create a Facebook/Myspace style website just for Schuylkill County. Thank god I never went that route.
In August 2012, I launched Skook News with a simple goal: provide a free source of news for Schuylkill County. The idea was inspired by the firewire pages that posted breaking incidents but often left readers waiting days for full stories until it was in the newspaper. I realized I could step in, share those updates quickly, and do it for free.
Within the first week, the Facebook page took off, gathering over 1,000 followers, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since. Roughly about a month in, SkookNews.com was officially launched with the first story being about a car accident in Butler Township. As time went on, I got up the nerve to start chasing fire trucks and going to fires and covering police incidents. From there, I would eventually move on to cover high school sports.
The one thing that I always felt was the key to the success of Skook News was sticking to the facts and never inserting any opinion.
What started as a small idea has become my life. It’s incredible to see how far the platform has come and how it’s helped keep the community informed. Did you know that in the over 12 years of covering news, Skook News has helped find hundreds of missing people, animals, and criminals?
Building Relationships and Respect
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been earning the respect of so many other journalists and news organizations. They could have easily ignored me, but instead, I’ve been welcomed and encouraged. I’ll always admire the work of professionals like John Usalis, Frank Andruscavage, Donnie Serfass, and the teams at WNEP, WBRE, WFMZ, and Fox 56. It’s an honor to work in the same field as these people who have been reporting for years.
And as I stated in my announcement on social media about the launching of "Schuylkill Beat", John Usalis has been a great inspiration. My respect for John grew as we were covering local events and meetings together. I still remember the time he told me he was retiring, and my response to him was, "When you get bored, call me".
I also found great friendships in the photographers that are out covering news and sports. Jocelyn Barrett of Danie Mae Photography has always been someone I've been able to depend on for "South of the Mountain" news and sporting events. There have also been Dave McKeon and Jacquie Dormer who are former newspaper photographers.
A photographer that I always wished I had the opportunity to work alongside was Emil Yenchick. If you don't know that name, Emil was a freelance photographer for the newspaper. If there was an event in the Mahanoy City area, he was there to take pictures. There are times where I'm covering events and people will often bring up Emil and talk about his commitment to covering Schuylkill County news.
And of course, I can't forget about friends I've made at emergency incident photographers like JC Kriesher from Fire & Film, Steve Barrett from Coal Region Fire, and Don Scicchitano from Northumberland County. These guys have been taking photos long before Skook News started but were always happy to share a photo or two to help tell the story about a fire or accident scene.
The relationships were limited to just news. T102 has been a great friend and ally in media for as long as I can remember. That friendship led to a partnership where we provided live sports for a football season during COVID. Our road trips with Chaz and JP are legendary
It was through these friendships and relationships that I think not only helped me but helped grow their platform as well.
The Changing Landscape of News
When I first started, the way news was delivered looked very different. In 2012, there was Skook News, firewire pages, the newspapers, and TV news—but no live video on social media, no instant updates like we see today. Now, it feels like the news never stops.
It’s a challenge to keep up, but also a privilege to deliver updates to our community in real-time.
While many people tend to despise national news, I feel like local news is almost always trustworthy.
Giving Back Through the Fire Department
Covering news has also opened up other opportunities. I joined the American Hose Company and the Ashland Fire Department, and it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Being part of a fire department is about so much more than fighting fires—it’s about supporting your community and being there in its time of need.
I again look back at my grandparents for being great examples of that. I think back about them now and realized that the community was their lives. Both my grandfathers were in the military and upon coming home, both involved in the churches and multiple other community organizations.
Looking Ahead
I’m excited to use these Schuylkill Beat posts to share the behind-the-scenes stories of covering the news and the challenges that come with it. I want to hear from you, too. What topics do you want me to dive into? Whether it’s about the evolution of Skook News, my thoughts on local issues, or the stories that have stuck with me, let me know!
Thanks for being part of this journey. I’m proud to call Schuylkill County home, and I can’t wait to share more with you.
What do you think about this first edition of the Schuylkill Beat? Drop your comments on social media or message me directly with your ideas for future topics!
You can always reach me by emailing skooknews@outlook.com