Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal file photo Nevada Magazine publisher and "Backyard Traveler" columnist Richard Moreno has taken a job at Western Illinois University.
Richard Moreno, longtime publisher of Nevada Magazine, is leaving the state to teach at Western Illinois University.
Moreno, 51, has been with Nevada Magazine 21 years, the past 14 as publisher. He is also the "Backyard Traveler" columnist for the Nevada Appeal. He will be director of student publications at the university, in Macomb, Ill.
"We hate to seem him go, but it sounds like a good career move," said Bruce Bommarito, executive director of Nevada Commission on Tourism.
"He has been a part of Nevada history and has done a great job for the magazine. He's leaving us with a very good team; Nevada Magazine will go on and be as good as ever."
Bommarito said Nevada Magazine Editor Joyce Hollister will continue operations until the state fills the position.
"He's a good guy and we'll miss him," Bommarito added.
Moreno said he applied for the job in January on a whim and forgot about it.
"The job had a combination of things I thought would be interesting to do," Moreno said. "They brought me out for a job interview and offered it to me in late June. I went back a week later with the family. I wanted them to see it before I said yes."
Moreno will be a student adviser in journalism and teach journalism courses. His last day at Nevada Magazine is July 28.
"It's a nice rural town in the corn fields," Moreno said. "It has rolling hills and is very pretty, very nice."
Moreno, with wife, Pam, and daughter, Julia, 11, will move Aug. 8. His 18-year-old son Hank, is moving to Africa for six months to work as a volunteer in an orphanage.
"It's something new to do," Moreno said. "I have been teaching at the University of Nevada, Reno a couple years now, part-time. I thought I would eventually move into it (full-time). This may be a little sooner than I thought."
Moreno will be at his last Nevada book signing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, 2180 S. Carson St.
Moreno said with the move his son is making, he began to review what he would like to do with his life.
"Teaching is something I've always been interested in. This was the opportunity to make that change."
Moreno said he will miss Nevada and being able to write about all the places in the state.
"It's been great having the column to do that with," he said. "And the staff at Nevada Magazine are a great group of people to work with. This was not the easiest decision."
Moreno said he could have stayed at Nevada Magazine until he retired in eight years, but wanted to live in another part of the country and have a new experience.
"I've been in Nevada 26 years," he said. "It's been a great ride."
Moreno said he still needs to finish a couple of Nevada books and will back to do research. "Nevada's not out of my blood. It will be difficult to say goodbye, but I'm looking forward to a new challenge."
• Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.