The News-Banner’s newest employee is neither a stranger to Bluffton nor the city’s paper.
Chet Baumgartner, a 1999 Bluffton High School graduate, began working and writing for the News-Banner during high school.
He continued during college summers, graduating from Ball State University in 2004 with a journalism degree.
While working full time at Loving Shepherd Ministries since shortly after he graduated, Baumgartner wrote
occasional assignments for the newspaper, such as for the annual Progress edition.
He began writing a regular religion column earlier this year.
Baumgartner replaces Jerry Battiste, who recently accepted another position but will remain in Bluffton and continue his Friday humor column as well as serve as a consultant for the News-Banner’s online efforts.
Baumgartner will be a general-assignment reporter with a focus on education and will also serve as the paper’s online coordinator.
