The News Wheel Automotive Writing Staff

The News Wheel Automotive News Staff

At The News Wheel, we are fortunate to have an excellent automotive writing staff onboard. A rare breed, they delight in new engine specs, concept cars, new car tech… and might even drool at the prospect of a car show. Meet some of our hard-working writers who burn the midnight oil to discover the latest and greatest auto news just for you. Yep, you. Visit our Contact page for information on where to direct your query.

Editorial Team:

Want a peek inside the news desk at The News Wheel? Follow us on Instagram…

Cat Hiles Managing Editor Cat Hiles is a native Brit currently based in Dayton, Ohio. Don’t ask how that happened. Cat has written about a variety of subjects, from dog training to fashion, and counts running and cooking among her hobbies. Cat lives with her husband, Ben; their daughter, Rose; and their collection of animals, including an energetic mutt, an elderly basset hound, and a jerk cat. Articles by Cat | Contact Cat

Morgan Pritchett Managing Editor Morgan Pritchett currently resides in Dayton, Ohio, after living across the U.S. (seven different states, to be exact) and even in Germany for a few years. Originally a graphic design major, Morgan floated around and eventually found her calling in writing and editing after working in marketing for a few years. Her hobbies include: board games, concerts, knowing way too many song lyrics, hiking, video games, quoting pop culture, and watching sports. It is advisable to not give her coffee after 3pm. Articles by Morgan | Contact Morgan

Rebecca Bernard Managing Editor Rebecca Bernard, a Dayton native, she got her start blogging at the curiously named Harlac’s Tongue while studying abroad. She admits to only driving a trusty old Ford Focus named Eugene, but aspires to own the perfect car for navigating Ohio’s hot summers and winter snow. On any given weekend, you can find her with her camera at area festivals and car shows, shopping at flea markets, or taking an adventure on the open road. Articles by Rebecca | Contact Rebecca

Aaron Widmar Senior Editor Aaron Widmar is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a 1995 Saturn SC-2 (knock on wood). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing. Articles by Aaron | Contact Aaron

Kyle Johnson Senior Editor Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future.  Articles by Kyle | Contact Kyle

Kurt Verlin Editor Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. Articles by Kurt | Contact Kurt

Zach Berry Editor Zachary Berry currently resides in the Dayton, Ohio area. However, he enjoys traveling from place to place, as he was born in Oklahoma City and has also lived in Albuquerque and Orlando (such is the life of a military brat). Zachary graduated from Ohio University with a major in Strategic Communication, which is fancy talk for advertising and public relations. Beginning his career at The News Wheel as a lowly intern, he was able to climb his way to the top, eventually claiming his place within the last cubicle on the left. Other jobs that Zachary has held include driving around a safari truck at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When he’s not putting his nose to the grindstone, Zachary enjoys watching and critiquing movies and television. Articles by Zachary | Contact Zachary

DeAnn Owens Editor DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. Articles by DeAnn | Contact DeAnn

Whitney Russell Editor Whitney Russell is a current resident of Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming on Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not adventuring through the exciting world of car news, she can be found hiking with her husband and their Labrador, motorcycling, visiting her cute nephews and nieces, discovering new memes, reorganizing and/or decorating some corner of the world, researching random things, and escaping into a great movie, poem, or short story. Articles by Whitney | Contact Whitney

Caleb Cook Editor Caleb Cook is a recently transplanted Hoosier living in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite activities are reading and listening to music, although he occasionally emerges from the heap of books and vinyl records in his basement to stand blinking in the sunlight. Once fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be observed hanging out with his wife, attempting a new recipe in the kitchen, attending movies, walking the dog, or wandering into a local brewery to inquire about what’s on tap. Articles by Caleb | Contact Caleb

John Baden Editor John Baden is known for his creativity, humor, and charm. Since writing books during his childhood, he has written for newspapers, radio and TV stations, and online publications. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano, watching Chicago Cubs baseball, and experiencing the outdoors. For John, a perfect day is summed up in a morning cup of coffee, an afternoon run in the sun, and an evening spent in an exciting chapter of a good book. Articles by John | Contact John

Kimiko Kidd Editor Kimiko Kidd s a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. Articles by Kimiko | Contact Kimiko

Contributing Writers

In addition to our staff, we are fortunate to have auto experts from across the country (and the world!) who contribute to our headlines.

Timothy Moore Staff Writer Timothy Moore takes his leadership inspiration from Michael Scott, his writing inspiration from Mark Twain, and his dancing inspiration from every drunk white guy at a wedding. When Tim is not writing about cars and money, he’s working on his novel or reading someone else’s, geeking out over strategy board games, hiking with his pooches, or channeling his inner Linda Belcher over beers with his friends. Articles by Timothy

Rain Blanken-Turner Staff Writer Rain Blanken-Turner is an author who specializes in covering art, travel and the automotive industry. With three kids and a lot of road trips ahead of her, she is always excited to review the latest models and to check out classic car shows with the kiddos. Rain has written for The New York Times, Barnes & Noble and Running Press. Rain currently lives in the land of cornfields and airfields; Dayton, Ohio. Articles by Rain

Caitlin Moran Staff Writer Caitlin Moran, a born-and-raised Jersey girl, has somehow found herself settled in Edinburgh, Scotland. When she’s not spending her days trying to remember which side of the road to drive on, Caitlin enjoys getting down and nerdy with English. She continues to combine her love of writing with her love of cars for The News Wheel, while also learning more about the European car market—including the fact that the Seat brand is pronounced “se-at” not “seat” as you might think. Articles by Caitlin

Madison Eblen Staff Writer Madison Eblen has been living in Dayton, Ohio basically her whole life, except for the first nine months of her life when she lived in New Jersey, where she was born. She currently attends Ohio University where she is majoring in Journalism and Spanish with minors in Business and Film. Along with being an avid reader and writer for as long as she can remember, Madison also enjoys hiking, baking, and traveling, among other generic pastimes. Upon graduation, she hopes to teach for a couple of years with plans to relocate back to the Northeast. Articles by Madison | Contact Madison

Sarah Mahan Staff Writer Sarah Mahan currently lives in the Bicycle Capital of the Midwest, Xenia, Ohio, with her band director husband and three darling daughters. She loves all things French and the written word. Sarah writes professionally for the automotive industry. While her forte in cars focuses on new vehicle technology and family-friendly features, she is developing a love for all things fast, maybe in an attempt to get to know her wild side. Articles by Sarah

Shannon Benton Staff Writer Shannon Benton does not enjoy writing “About Me” blurbs. However, she does enjoy writing about cars and car-related subjects, which is what really counts. She is an avid reader whose favorite pastime is curling up in an oversized chair with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and a soup bowl-size mug of hot chocolate or salted caramel Chai tea latte. In addition to reading and writing (not so much the arithmetic), Shannon has enjoyed dancing for the past two decades. She currently lives and performs in Dayton, OH. Articles by Shannon

Matt Chinn Staff Writer Matt Chinn is more than just a name that, when said quickly, sounds like an adjective used to describe someone who is well coordinated in their attire. He is a writer who has covered the automotive industry throughout his professional career with a talented team of fellow writers. Matt is constantly looked up to, as the tallest member of the team, and displays a constant enthusiasm for all things automotive. Born and raised in Ohio, Matt has a deep-rooted passion for sports in the ‘Buckeye State,’ and has an active lifestyle himself, which shines through in his writing. Articles by Matt

Joe Pudlewski Staff Writer Joseph Pudlewski is somewhat of a writer and editor living in the village of Anna, Ohio. A graduate of Wright State University, he holds a B.A. in English and enjoys reading anything by Jules Verne. A third generation American, he chose to forego joining the Air Force, unlike his father and grandfather before him. He would much rather keep his feet on the ground, hence his interest in the automotive industry, although he has no fear of flying. In addition to reading and writing, he also enjoys playing video games and spending time with family. Articles by Joe

Meg Thomson Staff Writer Meg Thomson is a writer, photographer, blogger, and activist. When she isn’t writing, Meg can be found immersing herself in television scripts, adopting and playing with animals, or updating lists of her dream travel destinations (the list never ends). Meg believes writing is power, and equality is essential. She is determined to make a difference in the world, one word at a time. Articles by Meg

All automotive stories here at The News Wheel are edited and fact-checked before they are posted, and each writer is hand-selected to write for us. If you’re interested in contributing to The News Wheel, contact us.