by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Whether it’s wandering through his favorite patch of woods in Georgia or the offices in Jacksonville’s City Hall, he is always on the hunt.
Ron Littlepage can normally be found either fleshing out a story idea as a political columnist for The Florida Times-Union or flushing out wild game as an avid outdoorsman.
“I like being a columnist because it keeps me involved with what’s going in the city,” said Littlepage. “You also get to engage in debate with a column.”
About eight years after graduating from Baylor University in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in English, Littlepage moved from his home state of Texas to work with one of his former editors, Darrell Mack, in Jacksonville. Over the course of the next 10 years, Littlepage progressed through different managerial positions with the T-U. Along the way he became a family man, marrying colleague Mary Kress, having kids and living in Avondale.
He didn’t mind management but he longed to get back behind the pen, and Littlepage jumped at the chance when an editorial page column was offered to him in 1989.
“I didn’t get into journalism to go to meetings,” said Littlepage. “I was glad to get back to writing.”
His columns have appeared in the T-U four days a week — Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday — for nearly two decades and he hasn’t shied away from tough issues.
“It helps that I have a bit of an argumentative streak in me,” said Littlepage.
The major issues Littlepage has covered have dealt with Jacksonville city government, JEA, the St. Johns River Water Management District, the State Legislature and preservation of the St. Johns River.
His relationship with these organizations can become strained when they are the focus of a column and trying to get information from them after the column comes out can be difficult. Littlepage was appreciative of the professionalism displayed by the Water Management District during his career.
“Linda Burnett and Teresa Monson are very good about getting information out,” said Littlepage, “even though I have been at odds with water management.”
Despite the tenuous relationship Littlepage might have with her organization, Burnett has enjoyed working with him.
“You don’t always have to agree on topics to have a healthy respect for one another,” said Burnett, St. Johns River Water Management District director of communications and governmental affairs. “The most important thing is openness and the opportunity to communicate, especially when there are differences of opinion.”
One “person” Littlepage hardly ever squabbles with is the “guru of all things political,” Jimmy Ray Bobby.
“I created Jimmy Ray Bobby during a time when a lot of good political races were going on,” said Littlepage. “I was getting a lot of good info from area politicos and I wanted to find an interesting way to get the information out.”
The character is not only a good writing device for Littlepage, but also a source of humor away from the written page.
“There are several people who think they are Jimmy Ray Bobby,” said Littlepage. “The truth is Bobby is a collection of people who I have come in contact with over the years.”
One of the better quotable subjects Littlepage has covered was former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold.
“Jake was the last of the old-style politicians,” said Littlepage. “You never knew what he was going to say and he had so much energy cheerleading for Downtown and Jacksonville.”
Godbold has a similar respect for Littlepage.
“I didn’t agree with him all the time during my time as mayor,” said Godbold, “but I still respect him for his opinion and for challenging government to do the best job possible.”
Littlepage loves covering politics, but if he had to choose one subject to write about it would be the outdoors.
“I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid, and I am gone every weekend during hunting season,” said Littlepage. “One of the great things about this area is that you have access to so many activities in the outdoors.”
He had his first manatee sighting of the season recently while paddling his kayak along the Southbank. Littlepage spends as much time playing on the river as he does fighting for its preservation.
“Anyone who spends a lot of time in the outdoors understands it needs protection,” said Littlepage. “That’s how I became an advocate.”
He is happy to educate anyone who will listen about the fertilizers that are damaging the river. These chemicals wash off lawns throughout Duval County and run down into storm drains that empty into the St. Johns. Littlepage also practices what he preaches.
“I have successfully killed all the St. Augustine grass in my yard,” said Littlepage jokingly. “But, seriously, I am experimenting with grasses that don’t need as much fertilizer.”
Another area that needs healthy growth is newspaper readership, said Littlepage. He is starting to become familiar with new technology, such as podcasts, as newspapers begin to utilize the Internet more to serve their customers better. Littlepage also hopes to better utilize video to help tell the story.
“I’ve got a lot to learn,” said Littlepage. “It’s also a delicate balance. You want to use new media to attract a larger audience, but you don’t want to do that at the expense of your current readers.”
He plans to serve those readers for as long as he can and doesn’t feel a book is in his future.
“A book takes more discipline than a column,” said Littlepage. “I like my career as a columnist.”
What others have to say
The Daily Record caught up with several of Littlepage’s “fans” and asked them all the same question: what do you think of him?
“Littlepage generates quite a bit of response, both pro and con, to his columns. I tend to hear more from those who disagree than those who agree. He most irritates those who think he is more of a liberal who wants to raise taxes to pay for city services.”
— Wayne Ezell, Times-Union Reader Advocate
“One of the things he does is bring focus to a lot of the issues we may not be paying attention to. Whether you agree or disagree, his goal is to spark comment and he does that on a regular basis. His column is either the first or second thing I read in the paper in the morning.”
— Dalton Agency Vice President Michael Munz
“He is one of the first pages you turn to. Whether you agree with Ron or you don’t, his is a perspective you always want to read.”
— Susie Wiles, Mayor John Peyton’s Chief of Communications and Special Initiatives
“Ron is this community’s biggest proponent for a clean St. Johns River. He has done so much to educate the public on the importance of preserving the river and how they can contribute.”
— Neil Armingeon, St. Johns Riverkeeper
“I’ve had to take the opportunity to get him on the right track on occasion. But, in the end, he’s been fair and reasonable”
— Sam Mousa, former chief administrative officer under Mayor John Delaney and current Courthouse consultant
“It depends on what day of the week and that probably applies to most of the people who are his friends. We agree on most issues. We’ve grown in friendship and respect as professionals the last 20 years. He does provide a perspective that you don’t necessarily hear or read.”
— School Board member and former mayor Tommy Hazouri