Married for 22 years (after dating for five), this longtime couple occupies two separate worlds at the Tampa Bay Times. Sue Carlton is a columnist, a savvy observer of the dynamics of city life and Florida politics. John Hill is a member of the editorial board, which means that whatever he writes goes through discussions with the board because “ultimately, we’re speaking for the newspaper and not an individual.” But they’re both doing invaluable work. Reading Carlton’s column can feel like taking a walk with an observant friend who asks just the right common-sense questions about what’s afflicting the community. Hill and his editorial board colleagues were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize “for editorials that examined the policies of a new, inexperienced governor and their impact on the state.” Hill and Carlton don’t always agree on things — the Friendship Trail Bridge is one bone of contention — but, says Hill, “we do have fun conversations.” I’ll bet. (For more on the couple, go to cltampa.com/poweroftwos.)
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2012.