New Line of Work For Scott

Scott Rasmussen at the 2014 July 4th Parade – Tim Dustrude photo

After 15 years with the Journal, first as a reporter and more recently as editor, Scott Rasmussen has turned to a totally different line of work: assisting Stan Reitan at King’s Market in the wine/beer/liquor department — and especially with the popular monthly wine tastings Stan offers at the Mullis Center.

“That line of work seems not only to be somewhat recession- and tech-proof,” he said last week, “but an actual ‘growth’ industry, as opposed to the one I’m in now.”

Journalism and the hospitality industry have already alternated in his life. He majored in English Literature at the University of Oregon, and later attended Portland Community College part-time in order to work on the student newspaper. But he was a bartender for eight years in Portland — at the Alibi, a well-known bar in North Portland – and spent a number of years working in various capacities for Red Lion Inns.

Scott has good memories of learning the community from a newsman’s vantage point, but he is happy to trade the never-ending responsibilities of a newspaper editor for a 40-hour workweek, and he looks forward to the physical work involved.

He was also attracted by Stan’s reputation: he’s “incredibly knowledgeable about wines and about his customers,” Scott said.

He’s at something of a transition point in his life. His two daughters have graduated from Friday Harbor High School — Kasey a year ago and Kori just this year. Kasey has spent a year at Haverford College near Philadelphia, and will go back in the fall, where she may major in archeology. Kori, an avid soccer player in high school, will leave for Uganda in the fall where she has a job working in an orphanage.

For a recap of Scott’s years as reporter and editor here, see this story on the Journal.

Story by Louise Dustrude

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