Dear Reader:

I am thrilled to announce that Jeff Sturgeon, a veteran journalist who has worked at The Roanoke Times for the last 29 years, will be joining The Rambler.

One of Virginia’s finest investigative reporters, Jeff starts today as a part-time reporter who will explore a variety of topics, with a particular focus on business, government and the intersection of the two. 

“I'm excited to join The Rambler,” Jeff says. “The Rambler is rising in power and influence, and I want to see it continue to succeed in keeping Roanoke informed. The region is fortunate to have an independent publication dedicated to truly local and investigative journalism that makes a difference in the community.” 

In addition to reporting, Jeff will help manage The Rambler’s growing ad sales program. Local businesses increasingly recognize they can reach a civically engaged Roanoke Valley audience through our weekly newsletter, which has grown to 7,200-plus subscribers since our founding three years ago. Starting today, we are also accepting public and legal notices, making us one of the first online-only news outlets in the country with judicial authorization to do so.

Please join me in welcoming Jeff. Reach out to say hello, share story ideas, or learn about our advertising opportunities, at jeff@roanokerambler.com. 

Jeff brings to The Rambler 40 years of daily newspaper experience. He has covered everything from healthcare to transportation, banking to public safety. His investigative reporting has laid bare the misdeeds of individuals and organizations not acting in the public interest and resulted in positive change for our communities.

Only after Jeff revealed in 2016 that state officials gave $1.4 million to a fake Chinese manufacturing company did the Virginia Economic Development Partnership establish a formal vetting process for companies seeking development incentives. His reporting exposed that a local sheriff assigned a deputy who had been disciplined for sexual misconduct to work as a high school resource officer. More recently, Jeff reported that glass panels continued to fall off a 15-story office building downtown over a number of years with no warning given to the public, even after owner Carilion Clinic knew about the issue.

Prior to The Roanoke Times, Jeff worked at newspapers in California and Illinois, where he earned his journalism degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the father of two grown children, Hannah and Emily, and of two cats, Pearl and Ranger.

I am grateful that a journalist of Jeff’s caliber is joining The Rambler in its next chapter. And I am especially grateful for our community of reader members that makes this growth possible. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Henri Gendreau

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
The Roanoke Rambler
Local | Investigative | Literary
editor@roanokerambler.com