News-Times Staff Report
EL DORADO — Madeleine Leroux has been named managing editor of the El Dorado News-Times according to general manager Ronnie Bell who made the announcement to the newspaper’s staff Tuesday, July 11. She assumed her duties immediately meeting with the editorial staff and started getting to know the operation, said Bell.
She is a Chicago native, but left the city at age 17 to attend school at Southern Illinois University Carbondale where she studied news-editorial journalism and political science before entering the newspaper business.
Leroux comes to the News-Times most recently from The Columbia Daily Tribune in Columbia, Missouri where she worked as Associate City Editor, Business Editor and Lifestyle Editor. There she managed a team of six reporters and three photographers, coordinating daily coverage as well as working on long-range projects.
Prior to that, she worked at The Jefferson City News-Tribune, a sister paper to the El Dorado News-Times, in Jefferson City, Missouri where she covered city hall and local government producing 10 articles per week including in-depth reporting and spot news.
Leroux also worked at The Daily Guide in Waynesville, Missouri as a general assignment reporter with a focus on community journalism.
“I am excited to have Madeleine join our team here at the News-Times and to work with our staff,” said Bell in the announcement. “She brings a solid background of reporting, planning and management to our operation. She will no doubt help us make a number of improvements we have had on the drawing board for sometime and I look forward to seeing the end result.”
Leroux says that though she only arrived in El Dorado a few days ago she has already seen the warmth and friendliness of the residents here.
“I am ready to dive in here in El Dorado and do my best to ensure that your newspaper is the best reflection of the community. As I get to know the staff and the operations, I look forward most to getting to know our readers and the community. I want to know what we do best and, more importantly, what we can do better,” she said.
Leroux said she decided to come to the area because she saw an opportunity to make the News-Times absolutely indispensable to its readers. And, that by working with the newsroom team already here, she hopes to accomplish that.
Her boyfriend of nearly seven years and her beloved cat will soon join Leroux. “We are looking forward to making a home here in El Dorado,” she said.