Outpost reporter John Ross Ferrara is the one on the left.
Photo: Andrew Goff.

Today the Outpost is excited to officially welcome reporter John Ross Ferrara into its ranks. If you see him out on the street pointing his phone into someone’s face, know that he is doing it on our behalf.

Ferrara comes to us from Humboldt State University, where he just graduated from the journalism program. You’ve likely seen his byline in the Outpost, the Mad River Union or The Lumberjack, above all sorts of stories — spot news, enterprise pieces, sports, features, you name it. With photographer Sebastian “Sea-Bass” Hedberg, he broke the story of local businessman Steve Watts’ crippling mixed-martial arts injury last year. He was the first person to write about the big industrial marijuana park that’s now moving forward in Arcata.

News-watchers in Humboldt County probably saw the stories mentioned above, but even they may have missed all the memorably weird pieces he has cranked out about everyday life at Humboldt State and around town — evidence of a native LoCO sensibility that J-school wasn’t able to completely drum out of him.

Ferrara’s Lumberjack cohort just took home honors from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, which named the paper the best student publication in the state. Along with Outpost contributors Diover Duario and Israel LeFrak, Ferrara holds forth Thursdays on “John & Jove in the Morning with Big Iz and Donuts,” radio station KRFH-FM’s weekly morning talk show.

We expect great things. Welcome John, everyone! And immediately follow him on Twitter: @johnferrara.