With the departure of Cuyler Meade at the Craig Press, Eli Pace will become the next editor of the newspaper.

Pace currently serves as the editor of the Steamboat Pilot & Today, and he will assume the role as managing editor of both newspapers on April 1. The Craig Press is currently looking to hire a full-time assistant editor.

With two decades of experience working at newspapers, Pace comes to the Craig Press after being the editor of the Sky-Hi News in Grand County, where he led the newspaper for more than two and a half years, including through the devastating East Troublesome Fire. The blaze destroyed more than 300 homes when it raced across 100,000 acres in 24 hours in October 2020.

Prior to the Sky-Hi News, Pace served as the features editor and reporter at the Summit Daily. That was after working as the managing editor for nearly five years at the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Pace graduated high school in Fort Morgan and obtained a journalism degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley before working in Kentucky and Tennessee for almost a decade.

Pace became the editor of the Steamboat Pilot & Today in December. Meade has been serving as the assistant editor in Steamboat and as the editor in Craig, as the two have been working to more closely align the Craig Press and the Steamboat Pilot & Today.

With the addition of an assistant editor at the Craig Press, Pace believes great things are ahead for the community newspaper.

“I believe in the power of community news, and I love Craig and the Moffat County community,” Pace said. “I can’t wait to get to know the city and county better, and I believe readers will see the Craig Press draw strength from the Pilot & Today while we also look to increase coverage. We have some hiring to do, but I believe our readers will really enjoy some of the additions that come from strength in numbers.”

Craig Press publisher Bonnie Stewart expressed confidence in Pace bringing the community the newspaper it needs and deserves.

“Eli has a wealth of experience and great understanding of the area, the community and the issues that we face,” Stewart said. “Although Eli has big shoes to fill with Cuyler leaving, I am confident that he will rise to the occasion.”

While the two newspapers look to work more closely together, Pace remains committed to ensuring Craig retains its local coverage and remains the premiere place to go for Moffat County news.

“We are going to miss Cuyler for sure, but I believe great things are in store for the future of the Craig Press,” Pace said. “I couldn’t be more excited to be taking on this role.”