A tale of two dogs: Register hires new canine reporter

Jun. 19—Perhaps the longest serving, and undoubtedly the most popular, reporter of the Richmond Register never jotted down a quote or typed a single sentence.

Her name was Blaze and she was a dog.

This didn't stop the boxer from doing her journalistic duty to the citizens of Madison County, however.

For 20 years, Blaze doled out her own unique blend of news from the left-hand corner of the front page of the newspaper each day.

Opinionated, with a nose for gossip and a biting wit, the Register's canine reporter quickly cemented herself into the hearts of local readers.

She was an honorary member of the local Girl Scouts and Brownies and received letters and Christmas gifts throughout her time at the Register.

Blaze, who was the companion of co-publisher and editor Shelton Saufley, made her first appearance in the Richmond Daily Register on July 7, 1950.

"In paddling around the streets of Richmond I observe lots of thing that most people overlook, so beginning tomorrow I am going to have something to say each day in the Register. Better watch close because it might concern you," Blaze announced.

Surrounding her announcement on the front page was news of the Korean War.

Saufley's son, Marshall, said his father had a good sense of humor and thought the addition of Blaze would delight Register readers.

He was correct.

Just a few days after Blaze's announcement, the boxer received a basket of flowers and a card from Burnham & Harber welcoming her insight into the goings-on of Richmond.

Marshall said Blaze was allowed free reign by the family and could be seen roaming the streets of Richmond freely in those days.

"She was very well-known, even before the paper," Marshall said of the family dog.

Oftentimes, her exploits around town made it into her reports on the front page.

One time, Blaze quipped to readers they should be careful who they follow. The boxer had found herself in the sheriff's office due to her not having her dog tags on.

Unfortunately, Blaze's contributions to the Register was tragically cut short.

On March 23, 1951, Blaze died after she was poisoned. Marshall said the family suspected she died after eating contaminated meat that was set out for her.

Marshall said the family never figured out who exactly was responsible for Blaze's death. The newspaper reported other local dogs had come to the same fate in the next weeks.

The day after Blaze's death, the Register printed her picture with the announcement of the boxer's passing. A black box surrounded her normal spot in the paper.

"Blaze is Dead" was the headline.

The next day a eulogy was printed for Blaze.

Her spot sat vacant for several weeks as condolences poured into the Register's mailroom.

On April 23, 1951, another announcement appeared in the left corner of the newspaper:

"Register Signs New Canine Reporter"

Little Blaze appeared the next day — a boxer puppy with a familiar white stripe down her face.

Little Blaze picked up where Blaze left off, dispensing pearls of wisdom and important notes to readers, with the familiar humor of her predecessor.

Through the next years, Register readers watched as Little Blaze grew. A new picture of Little Blaze, standing in profile, soon occupied the spot of the former puppy reporter.

On June 16, 1954, two days after Flag Day, Little Blaze made another important announcement.

She was a "grown girl now" and would henceforth be called Miss Blaze.

The change was prompted by a mistake concerning flags at the courthouse.

Little Blaze had admonished the city for not displaying Old Glory on the courthouse lawn during the holiday.

The following day, Judge Moberly called the Register to inform Little Blaze of the error. He said a flag was indeed present on the courthouse lawn. George Singer had also sent a pair of glasses to the Register, as apparently Little Blaze's eyesight needed some correction.

A picture of Little Blaze wearing the glasses from Singer was published on June 15.

"I appreciate the specs, George, but as you can see they do not fit very well and I am passing them on to the person responsible for the error," Little Blaze wrote in response.

Now equipped with a more distinguished look, Little Blaze became Miss Blaze.

That picture accompanied Miss Blaze's writings for the next 16 years.

Her last day was August 29, 1970.

"The boss is now retired and I am also putting my typewriter in mothballs after making comments in the corner of the paper for over 20 years," Miss Blaze announced.

Coincidentally, the following day Shelton Saufley's retirement appeared on the front page of the paper.

With a nod to the unique legacy of Miss Blaze, the Register has decided to bring a canine reporter back into our midst.

You may have noticed a new addition —Walt Says — on the top right corner of the Register the past few weeks.

Walt is the Register's new doggo-in-chief, and while he may be no Miss Blaze, we hope he can fill her collar for a new generation of Register readers.

He will appear on the front page of each edition of the Richmond Register in the top right corner.

In addition to his reporting duties, Walt will be appearing elsewhere in the newspaper in a weekly contest called Where's Walt?

An additional picture of Walt will be hidden throughout the pages of the newspaper in one issue a week. If you are the first to find Walt, you could win a special treat from our contest partners at Craft Restaurant & Artistry.

The doggo-in-chief will also be informing readers monthly of his friends in local animal shelters with a pet adoption page.

MEET WALT:

Walter "Walt" Charles Pryor is the companion of Register editor Ricki Pryor.

He is a seven-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix who was adopted from the humane society in 2014. He lives in Berea with his family.

A true patriot, Walt's birthday is July 4. He loves the hotdogs, but hates the fireworks.

Walt is a foodie whose favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs.

His favorite band is Three Dog Night.

He is an avid supporter of the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Bengals, and Nashville Predators. He is also a fan of the University of Kentucky Wildcats and attended his first Big Blue Madness campout when he was 10 weeks old.

When not sniffing out leads and being a watchdog journalist for the Register, Walt loves hiking, taking naps, playing fetch, and watching documentaries with his family.

He thinks you should always ring the doorbell when visiting the Register.