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The Staff

Allen Johnson, editorial page editor (373-7010, ajohnson@news-record.com), is a Greensboro native and Dudley High School alumnus who relishes the chance to discuss issues that affect his hometown's future. He joined the News & Record in 1987 as features editor. In 1992 he became sports editor and in 1999 editorial page editor. Allen leads editorial board meetings, edits most editorials and writes some editorials. He also screens letters to the editor and writes a weekly column. Allen is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, where he received an undergraduate degree in English and a master's degree in journalism. He has taught part time at a variety of area colleges, including UNC-Chapel Hill, UNCG, N.C. Central and, currently, N.C. A&T. In 1996, he taught a short course in newspaper management for newsroom executives in Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia). In addition, he volunteers at Jackson Middle School and serves on the boards of Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Youth Focus Inc. Never having entirely grown up, he is a model train buff and a member of Carolina Model Railroaders. He also likes to read, especially biographies and science fiction, goes to the movies obsessively and is addicted to jogging, despite bad knees and rapidly advancing age.

Tracie Fellers, editorial writer, (373-4422, tfellers@news-record.com), is a native of Durham who joined the editorial staff in January 2005. Before returning to the News & Record, where she was a reporter in 1992, Tracie was an adjunct assistant professor of English at N.C. A&T, where she still teaches part time. She has spent much of her career in higher education and journalism, working as a program manager at the Council of Graduate Schools, a higher education association in Washington, D.C.; a reporter, features writer and arts and entertainment editor at the Herald-Sun in Durham, a features writer at the Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Va., and a reporter at The Charlotte Observer. Tracie earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, a master’s degree in English with a concentration in creative writing from N.C. State University, and a master of fine arts in creative writing from UNCG. She has taught at N.C. State University and the Duke Young Writers’ Camp at Duke University. In her off-duty hours, Tracie, a fiction writer seeking her first publication in that genre, enjoys reading on a wide variety of subjects, singing, traveling, and all manner of the arts.

Becky Layton, office manager, (373-7037, edpage@news-record.com) is a wife and the mother of three grown sons. She verifies and processes all letters to the editor. She says she especially enjoys letters that "say what I can't say!" She is the person to call first if you have a question about our letters or our letters policy.

Dennis Shelton, copy editor (373-7036, dshelton@news-record.com): Dennis designs the daily editorial pages and Sunday Ideas section. He also copy edits the text and writes many of the headlines. Dennis, 44, has been employed by the News & Record since 1988. He grew up near Nashville, Tenn., and is a graduate of Marquette University. He and his family live in Alamance County, where they are members of First United Methodist Church of Elon.

Elma Sabo, Ideas/Books editor (373-7038, esabo@news-record.com). Elma has been a member of the News & Record editorial department since November 1990. She grew up in Philadelphia, but has Southern roots that even extend into Guilford County. She has English and American studies degrees from Penn State and a master's in journalism from Indiana University. Previously an editorial writer and page designer/copy editor, she now edits the Sunday Ideas and Books pages. Have an idea that would make a good Ideas front? Know of a book that should be reviewed? E-mail Elma with your suggestions.

Ken Irons, editorial writer (373-7019, kirons@news-record.com). Ken has been a reporter and editor in the Triad for 40 years. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and was a reporter and city editor at the old Greensboro Record before becoming managing editor of the High Point Enterprise for 25 years. For the last two years, he has been writing editorials for the News & Record. Ken's interests include antique automobiles (Kaiser-Frazer Owners Club, Studebaker Drivers Club, Antique Automobile Club of America) and auto-related toys. He's lived in the same northeast Greensboro neighborhood for the last 40 years.

Doug Clark, editorial writer (373-7039, dgclark@news-record.com). Doug joined the editorial department in April 2004 after 20 years with the High Point Enterprise. A native of New York City, where his father was employed by Cone Mills and later Cannon Mills, Doug moved with his family to North Carolina in 1971. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism and went to work as a reporter, sportswriter and photographer for The Waynesville Mountaineer. His next stop was the High Point Enterprise, where he was Davidson County reporter before taking over the political beat. He left High Point in 1982 to work as press secretary for then-U.S. Rep. Gene Johnston of Greensboro. After Johnston's defeat in that year's election, Doug was appointed to a press and public affairs position in the U.S. Dept. of Labor. He returned to the High Point Enterprise in 1984 as associate editor. In 1989, he was named editorial page editor. Doug's wife, Margaret, is a middle school teacher in Davidson County, and their two sons are college students. He likes to read books about history, politics and exploration, jogs religiously and roots for the Tar Heels. He tutored for many years in High Point schools and is an elder and Sunday school teacher at First Presbyterian Church in High Point.