Tammy Toler
PRINCETON, W.Va. — A veteran local journalist who has served as editor and general manager of the Princeton Times for the past decade is undergoing treatment for a stroke at a Roanoke, Va., hospital.
Tammie Toler, an award-winning newspaper reporter/editor who started her career in newspapers working on the copy desk of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph was transported to Roanoke on Saturday evening, according to her mother, Connie Toler.
“We are all hoping for a full recovery,” Connie Toler said.
Toler, a graduate of both Princeton Senior High School and Concord University, joined the Daily Telegraph staff as a copy editor in late 1999, and soon moved up to the position of news editor where she earned West Virginia Press Association awards for her page design and layout skills. When the position of editor of the Princeton Times became available, she took on a new challenge and as a result, was honored for her editorials, columns, news reporting and feature writing. The Princeton Times is one of the state’s most highly honored weekly newspapers.
“Tammie is a real professional journalist,” U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall said of Toler. “We were just together two weeks ago (on Jan. 21) at the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce annual dinner. She is very much in my prayers. I’m praying for her speedy recovery.”
In addition to her skills as an editor, columnist and unafraid hard-news reporter, Toler is better known locally for her commitment to community service. Since taking the job as editor of the Times, she has coordinated the annual concert series at Dick Copeland Town Square, but she has also accepted leadership roles in Princeton AutumnFest, the Princeton Chamber, Rotary Club, Princeton Renaissance Project and has worked to promote every positive community activity in the city.
“When I heard Saturday evening about what happened to Tammie, I started calling around and got her name added to the prayer lists in four different churches,” Valerie Hendricks, chairman of the board of the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce said.
“Tammie is just a phenomenal leader of the paper and a phenomenal person,” Randy Mooney, publisher of the Princeton Times and Bluefield Daily Telegraph said. “All of our prayers go out to Tammie for her complete recovery. We’re awaiting her return…”