For a few days I’ve been mulling Rhino editor John Hammer’s column on why Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins’ personal problems are pertinent. Little did I know it would be his last, at least in print. Hammer says that while the paper will no longer go to press–effective immediately—- the Rhino “will continue to have a web presence for as long as possible.” We’ll see.

Anyone who reads this blog knows the Rhino has been a must-read for anyone who cares deeply about Greensboro and Guilford County politics. While the investigative work of Hammer and Scott Yost has spoken for itself years now, I’ll cite relative newcomer Paul Clark’s work on the recent controversial resignation of Smith High School principal Noah Rogers as an example of the kind of journalism we’ve come to expect every Thursday when the Rhino hits the stands.

The Rhino indeed had a good run, probably for longer than we might have thought given the decline of print media. Still, it was hard not to notice that recently they were down to 40 pages after putting out 100-plus pages not that long ago. No doubt Greensboro and Guilford County officials are, at the very least, breathing a sigh of relief. And you know this is true –wherever he is, former Greensboro City Manager Mitchell Johnson must be smiling.