Editorial: In memorial to R-J’s Tammariello, Evans

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 1999 | 9:33 a.m.

Anyone who has ever worked for a newspaper knows that newsrooms are filled with unique personalities and talents. When a newsroom colleague passes away, the void is never filled. The Las Vegas Review-Journal endured a double dose of tragedy last week with the passing of award-winning columnist Rafael Tammariello on Thursday and writer Kenneth James Evans on Friday.

We did not agree with many of the positions espoused by Tammariello, 48, but his fiery prose represented a voice that deserved to be heard. As a libertarian he was never afraid to take on bureaucracies that he believed to be bloated or government actions that he considered invasions of privacy.

Evans, 46, had a passion for history that was reflected most recently in a series of stories titled "The First 100," an examination of the men and women who built Nevada. He was a skilled storyteller who frequently reminisced about the life and times of bygone eras at both ends of the state.

Tammariello and Evans will be sorely missed. The Sun extends its heartfelt sympathy to the families of the two men and to the Review-Journal staff.