June 11, 2013 — From his early days as a State House reporter, through an influential tenure at the helm of The Boston Phoenix in the 1980s, Richard Gaines covered Massachusetts politics with energy and purpose.
In the latter stages of his career, when he wrote about the fishing industry for his hometown paper, his commitment to “fighting the good fight” never wavered, those who knew him recalled Monday.
“He was a classic old-school reporter,” said Ray Lamont, editor of the Gloucester Daily Times, where Mr. Gaines had worked since 2002. “His persistence was incredible. He absolutely pressed and pressed to get the truth.”
Mr. Gaines, an award-winning journalist who covered the region for more than four decades, was found dead Sunday in the swimming pool at his Gloucester home, the victim of an apparent heart attack. He was 69.
On Monday, colleagues past and present recalled Mr. Gaines as a quintessential newsman skilled at synthesizing complex issues and conveying them clearly.
Read the full story at The Boston Globe