June 10, 2008, 8 a.m. - Washington Continent Publisher Robert "Rob" Redding Jr. today announced that journalist and editor Henry J. Brier will become the executive editor of the publication, ending a more than two month national search.

Brier, who has worked as a reporter for the Washington Times, the Prince George's Journal and the Daily Times in Salisbury, will be joining the nonpartisan independent publication as executive editor, effective next week, Redding said.
 
"We are proud to have Henry, a fine journalist and friend who I  worked with during my time at the Journal, at the top of one of our fastest-growing news properties," Redding said. "The Washington Continent is already telling a clearer, more concise story about the District and I believe that Henry will further sharpen the organization's news coverage." 

Brier holds a journalism and history BA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a politics MA from George Washington University. He recently completed a contract at the World Bank - where he edited, wrote and translated economic and public health statements.

"Serving as The Washington Continent's executive editor represents a valuable opportunity to combine efforts with a hard-working journalist, a trusted colleague and a good friend I've
known since coming to D.C. years ago," Brier said. "I look forward to working with Rob and the strong staff in the never-ending pursuit and generation of newsy, hard-hitting stories."

Brier replaces Marlene L. Johnson, who left the publication in April.

Johnson was also editor of the online newspaper's sister publication Redding News Review, a role Redding has reclaimed.

The Continent, a general interest, continuously updated Web site covering politics in and around Washington, D.C., began covering politics from a nonpartisan, independent perspective on July 30, since becoming an active URL on late July 3. 

Since its inception, the online newspaper's reporters have been credited for their outstanding election coverage by ABC News, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Boston Globe and the Washington Times.

The Continent is owned by Redding Communications, Inc. (RCI).