Two additions have been made to the Reporter staff.

Fred Guarino has joined the staff as a staff writer and Whitney Lewis has joined the Reporter as an intern.

Guarino has spent the last seven years as the editor of the Childersburg /Sylacauga Extra.

He is a 1976 graduate of the University of Alabama who began his career with the Cedartown Standard in Cedartown, Ga. before coming to work for the Shelby County Reporter in 1978 as editor of the Childersburg Star and the Coosa Press, two newspapers then owned by the Reporter.

He later served as a political reporter and sports editor of the Reporter.

Guarino next worked for the Daily Home in Talladega County before returning to work for the Reporter as a business and staff writer.

Guarino said he is excited about the opportunity to cover news in Shelby County.

&uot;In more than 20 years of newspaper reporting I have covered a huge part of Shelby County and have been witness to its tremendous growth,&uot; Guarino said. &uot;I am excited to be serving the Reporter in Shelby County again and reconnecting with many old acquaintances.&uot;

Lewis, a native of Calera, comes to the Reporter as a senior at the University of Alabama.

She is a senior majoring in journalism

with a minor in communication studies.

She currently holds a 3.5 GPA in her studies and is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society and is a President’s Cabinet Scholar.

Lewis has written for Dateline Alabama, a news website of the College of Communications at UA. She is also currently a staff writer at the Crimson White, the official student newspaper of the University of Alabama.

&uot;I am excited to get a chance to expand my knowledge in the newspaper business,&uot; Lewis said. &uot;I am glad that I can have this opportunity in Shelby County, a place where I have lived.&uot;