Editor brought readers the world

Union-tribune news services editor Mitch Weinstock retired Thursday night after his shift of curating the state, national and international wire report. He had worked at the U-T for 30 years.

Readers wouldn’t know this, but his work, his decisions appeared before you five days a week for decades. If you read about something happening in the Bay Area, or in the Midwest, or in Asia, or anywhere else in the world, he probably brought it to you.

Weinstock, 66, came to San Diego from the Jerusalem Post. He didn’t intend to stay here, but he fell in love with the area.

Fun fact: When working for the Jerusalem Post as a news editor, Weinstock’s Washington, D.C., reporter was Wolf Blitzer.

“I see the role of journalism and being an editor as one of helping readers understand the world around them,” Weinstock said. “How and why political leaders and people in authority make decisions and the impact they have on their lives. Those areas include the environment, their pocketbooks and their security among others.”

Over the years, he’s been involved in bringing to readers the news of six presidential campaigns. Of course, 2020’s has been unlike any others.

“This one has been vastly different,” he said. “Trump was difficult. It was a challenge to point out his untruths because even when they were obvious lies his supporters accuse the coverage as harboring bias. Today, we’re witnessing a unique event — a defeated president claiming he has been cheated as he attacks a fair and open election, undermining the integrity of an American institution.”

Weinstock’s sendoff note to readers: “My hope is that our readers understand that we cover stories with an open mind and that our goal is to provide critical and useful information so that they can navigate life fully informed and armed with facts that will enable them to make wise decisions.”