Dave Montgomery - Profile and Journalist Details

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Biography

DAVID MONTGOMERY A half-century of reporting, including bureau assignments in Washington, Moscow and Austin and virtually ever conceivable story including wars, natural disasters, crime, terrorism and state and local politics. PERSONAL Born: Aug. 30, 1944, in Boise, Idaho. Grew up in Abilene, Texas. Education: Bachelor of Journalism, 1966, University of Missouri Family: Married to Linda Thompson Montgomery since 1970. Two grown children, Mandy Briggs and Colin Montgomery. Grandchildren, Cassie and Garrett Briggs. Military: Six years as a medic in the Air Force Reserve, 1966-1972. Honorably discharged as sergeant. Began full-time reporting August, 1966 PROFESSIONAL Austin-based free-lance corespondent, March 2012-present Clients: Publications and entities have included The New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Highways, The Fort Worth Business Press, Politico, Dallas Innovates, The Center For Public Integrity, and the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. As Austin-based free-lance correspondent for the New York Times, have bylined a number of both breaking news and enterprise features, including the worst hot-air balloon crash in history at Lockhart, a 50-year lock back on the sniper attack from the University of Texas Tower, Memorial Day floods in Central Texas, continued coverage of the racial-divisive arrest and jailhouse hanging death of Sandra Bland in Hempstead, tornadoes that rampaged through Dallas suburbs, efforts to rollback environmental protections of the golden-cheeked warbler, and political pieces that included the continued Tea Party influence on state and local races. Also participated in New York Times reporting teams that covered the slayings of five police officers in Dallas, the second gun rampage at Fort Hood, and a gun battle between motorcycle gangs in Waco Served as a special correspondent for both the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Fort Worth Business Press, covering a variety of political and state government stories, including the Texas legislative sessions of 2013 and 2015, the 2012 presidential conventions (Business Press), and the 2016 Texas presidential primary race (Star-Telegram) Conducted a year-long research and investigative effort for the Center for Public Integrity as part of the center’s study of how well states deal with issues such as ethics, transparency, campaign finance and other issues. Compiled the research for Texas. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Austin Bureau Chief October 2008 – March 2012 Coverage of state government and politics, including the state Legislature. Stories included: Gov. Rick Perry's 2010 race for re-election and his unsuccessful bid in the 2012 presidential race, with reporting from Iowa and South Carolina. Covered the campaign for the Star-Telegram and its parent chain, McClatchy Newspapers. A 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood that killed 13 people and wounded 29 others. In-depth reporting on the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in 2004 after being convicted for setting the house fire that killed his three daughters. Washington correspondent McClatchy Newspapers and Knight Ridder Newspapers February 2002 – October 2008 Held a variety of assignments. Served as Knight Ridder and McClatchy's national correspondent on immigration. Sent to Saudi Arabia on repeated assignments to cover terrorist attacks there. Based n Saudi Arabia as part of Knight-Ridder's international reporting team during United States' 2003 invasion of Iraq. Sent to Russia in 2004, covering the aftermath of a terrorist attack at a school in Beslan Russia Headed a reporting team that covered a 2007 shooting massacre that left 32 dead at Virginia Tech University, the deadliest shooting massacre in U.S. history. Moscow Bureau Chief Knight Ridder Newspapers August 1998 – February 2002 Covered Moscow and traveled extensively through Russia. Major events I covered included: The Russian financial crisis in 2008. The transfer of power from Boris Yeltsen to Vladimir Putin. Was one of several Western journalists who interview Putin in the Kremlin Library. The second war in Chechnya. Made repeated trips to the turbulent North Caucasus. The sinking of the Russian submarine, The Kursk. A series of devastating apartment bombings that contributed to the second Chechen war. Senior Editor for News Fort Worth Star-Telegram November 1993 – August 1998, Fort Worth, Texas Ran the newsroom at night during final production of the newspaper. Washington Bureau Chief Fort Worth Star-Telegram January 1981 – November 1993 (12 years 11 months)Washington D.C. Metro Area Headed the paper's Washington bureau, supervising up to six people. Covered the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and the election and inauguration of President Clinton. Co-led of a reporting team to El Salvador in 1984 that prepared a special section on the war and turbulence in El Salvador and Central America. Covered an ethics scandal surrounding House Speaker Jim Wright. Covered the 1991 Persian Gulf War, reporting from Saudi Arabia and liberated Kuwait. Covered the 1984, 1988 and 1992 presidential elections. Dallas Times Herald January 1973 – January 1981 Austin, Texas Area Covered state government and politics. Events covered included: Reforms enacted after the Sharpstown stock fraud scandal that rocked the state in 1970 and 1971. The election of Bill Clements as the first Republican governor since reconstruction. Led a reporting team that covered Hurricane Allen that struck south Texas in 1980 Metropolitan reporter Dallas Times Herald October 1968 – January 1973 Dallas/Fort Worth Area Held a variety of assignments, including police, general assignments, rewrite, the religion beat and urban affairs. Major stories including coverage of the slayings of three sheriff’s deputies and an exclusive interview with the lone survivor, and a scandal tied to the discovery that the Dallas Crime Commissioner deserted from the Navy decades earlier, took a new identity, and carried out a scheme to steal money from the Texas Children’s Hospital in Dallas. As a religion writer, covered the tumult and social changes in the church during the late 1960s. The urban affairs beat incuded chronicling the urban problems facing Dallas during its growth into the eightth largest city. police reporter Odessa American June 1966 – October 1968 Odessa/Midland, Texas Area Covered the police beat, as well as general assignments.

Content

Total articles 825

• Wind and solar power opponents make headway in state legislatures

  By Dave Montgomery

  Apr. 08, 2025

• State vs. local control: Legislation could overturn downtown Fort Worth district’s authority

  By Dave Montgomery

  Apr. 06, 2025

• North Texas lawmakers want to reform how jail deaths are investigated. Here’s how

  By Dave Montgomery

  Mar. 17, 2025

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