Long-time readers of the N&O may have noticed on the cover of Sunday's Arts & Living the return of a familiar staff byline.
Elizabeth Leland was the author of "You are the gift", a feature article about the concept of acknowledging a kindness by "paying it forward." The subject of the excellent piece was a Charlotte woman who paid it forward all the way to Cambodia after she was involved in a wreck on a Georgia highway and was cared for by a stranger.
Elizabeth, an award-winning writer at The Charlotte Observer, was an N&O staff writer covering courts and politics some 20 years ago. Among her recent state and national honors are a Green Eyeshade Award from the Society for Professional Journalists, a Women in Communications Award and recognition for her work from the National Association of Black Journalists. We are pleased that a merger of the News & Observer and Charlotte Observer features staffs returns Elizabeth to the N&O pages under a staff byline.
Under the merger, features writers in both cities contribute content for features sections published daily by the N&O and the Charlotte Observer. We have a similarly merged state Capitol Bureau and a sports staff for the two McClatchy-owned newspapers.
The combination of the features staffs is our latest effort to maximize for readers in Raleigh and Charlotte the benefit of more reporting resources and writing talent.
Linda Williams
Senior Editor
Linda Williams is a native of Fayetteville and graduate of UNC-CH. Her journalistic experience includes working at The Oregonian, The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. She can be reached at 
