Veteran newsman joins Ledger

TIM GULLA

Pennsylvania native Tim Gulla has joined The Gaffney Ledger staff as its new police reporter.

Gulla is a native of Swoyersville, Pa., a former coal mining town near Wilkes-Barre.

A 1994 graduate of Penn State University, he began working for The Citizens' Voice of Wilkes-Barre daily newspaper the same year.

He began his career covering U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and later spent about six years operating the newspaper's satellite office at the Luzerne County Courthouse.

The last few years of his career with The Citizens' Voice and its sister newspaper, The Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa., were spent as a business and personal finance writer.

"We feel Tim will be a great asset to The Ledger," publisher Cody Sossamon said. "The work he did at the papers in Pennsylvania is impressive and in the short time he has been here, he has proven his worth."

Gulla initially moved to South Carolina in January to be closer to family. His sister moved to the Charlotte region more than a decade ago, and his parents relocated there last year for retirement.

Family bonds aside, Gulla said moving was an easy choice.

"Since my sister moved to the Charlotte region, every vacation I took in the past decade was to the Carolinas," he said.

Getting to work with The Gaffney Ledger was an opportunity he said he couldn't pass up.

"I love community journalism, getting to know the heart and soul of a community," he said. "That's what this newspaper, its publisher, editor and writers are passionate about."

But it was the people of Gaffney that most influenced his decision to come here.

"Upon my first visit to the city, I was awestruck by the way Gaffney residents greeted a newcomer," Gulla said. "There was no mistrust. The people of Gaffney gladly offer a handshake, a warm welcome and talk to you like you've been acquaintances forever. You can't put a price tag on how much that's worth."