Publisher Paul Fanlund on Monday announced several staffing changes at The Cap Times, including new roles for two veterans on the Madison newspaper’s staff.
After two years as opinion editor, Jessie Opoien is moving back to a reporting role, joining Briana Reilly in covering the Wisconsin State Capitol. Opoien previously covered state government and politics for The Cap Times from August 2013 to April 2019, when she became opinion editor.
Taking over as opinion editor will be Steven Elbow, who has been a reporter with The Cap Times since 1999. Elbow has served primarily in a general assignment role for the newspaper, including extensive coverage of the pandemic over the past year.
In additional moves, Fanlund noted that higher education reporter Yvonne Kim has left the newspaper to move out of state. As they look to fill her position, The Cap Times newsroom will be bolstered by two interns this summer, both UW-Madison students.
Cam Cieszki, a graduate student in the UW journalism school, was named the recipient of the David and Elliott Maraniss Scholarship, which includes a summer internship at The Cap Times. He will be joined by Addison Lathers, a UW senior who will serve as editor-in-chief of The Daily Cardinal student newspaper in the fall.
Event updates
Fanlund also provided updates on the newspaper’s signature event, Cap Times Idea Fest, as well as two newly launched virtual event series.
This year’s Idea Fest is slated for Friday, Sept. 17, and Saturday, Sept. 18, with additional details to come. Fanlund said he hoped the event would return to UW-Madison’s Memorial Union this year and suggested the festival would likely be a hybrid of in-person and virtual sessions.
The two virtual event series, Cooking with the Cap Times and Cap Times Live, have been big hits among readers, Fanlund said. The cooking series launched in February and consists of a one-hour Zoom discussion and live cooking demonstration with a Madison-area chef. Cap Times Live, is a series of live virtual concerts featuring local bands at High Noon Saloon.
