People

Tim Ritchey will become group publisher of McClatchy’s Merced Sun-Star, The Fresno Bee and The Tribune in San Luis Obispo when Ken Riddick departs at year end, The Fresno Bee reports. Ritchey, who is also VP/Advertising for McClatchy’s West region, will continue to oversee The Modesto Bee, where he has been general manager since December…

Melissa Murphy will become editor of the Santa Cruz Sentinel next week, said Jim Gleim, publisher of Digital First Media’s NorCal Community Newspapers. Murphy has been managing editor of The Reporter in Vacaville since October 2017 and previously was news editor. In Santa Cruz, she succeeds Kara Meyberg Guzman, who resigned in September. Jack F.K.…

Davis Taylor, group publisher of Hanford-based Lee Central California Newspapers, adds its Napa-based group to his oversight, The Napa Valley Register reports. Taylor had been interim publisher in Napa since August.

Tim Grieve, McClatchy’s VP/News since 2016, will depart following the midterm elections. McClatchy’s four regional editors will now report directly to President and CEO Craig Forman.

Rob Galloway, publisher of the Tahoe Tribune, adds oversight of the Record-Courier in Minden-Garderville, NV. Both are Swift Communications properties.

Matt DeRienzo, previously executive director of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, becomes vice president of news and digital content for Hearst Connecticut Media.

Jim Kirk, former executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, becomes publisher and executive editor of Crain’s Chicago Business.

Julie Makinen began this week as executive editor of Gannett’s Desert Sun in Palm Springs. Makinen is a veteran manager of newsrooms in Beijing, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. Most recently, she had been a fellow at Stanford University and a faculty member at San Jose State University. Makinen succeeds Greg Burton, who became executive…

Ryan Mote, advertising director at The Sacramento Bee and for McClatchy’s Western region, in November becomes publisher of the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram and vice president of strategic advertising for the company’s Central region.

Kevin Yamamura, assistant managing editor at The Sacramento Bee, will become California editor of Politico.