Courtenay Edelhart is leaving the Star -- something that has been in the works for a while, since I heard the word last spring from mutual friends not connected to the paper.

She only wrote one of the finest columns ever printed in the Star, about the challenges of identity when one is both black and Jewish, as she is. She won a first place award for that piece, too. (This was back in the days when the Star ran columns on the city/state page from non-columnists, to fill in when the regular columnists were on vacation). In addition, she wrote eloquently about the death of Mpozi Tolbert. Her graceful and carefully researched articles also filled both business and features for years.

Following is the email sent to the Star staff about her departure from features czarina Jackie Thomas:

"To the staff:

California's gain is our loss.

Courtenay Edelhart has accepted a job as public relations

specialist for the California Association of Realtors. Her last day at The

Star will be September 7.

Courtenay's time here has included three years as a business

writer. For the last seven years, she's been in features where she's

produced memorable stories on downtown living, parenting issues, finding

blue jeans that really fit, being single in Indy, taking the Mensa test

and a variety of other topics. She was also our chief Home & Garden

writer for a time and fondly recalls "stomping through millionaires'

mansions."

We'll miss her.

Jackie"

A word on Dick Walton: I understand he left the paper without a job. He was simply ready to move on. As are we all.