From the Long Beach Press-Telegram website:

The sudden death of James Melroy, 36, whose byline has graced these pages both as a prep editor and a keen chronicler of MMA, has saddened those of us who knew this affable, bright man who had such a productive life.

He was an extremely industrious fellow, a terrific copy editor, a favorite of Joe Haakenson and his predecessor, Jim McCormack, and the guy I so often have called when I needed a fix in the column.

He always had a smile on his face, this nice man who was physically challenged since birth with arthrogryposis, a muscle and tendon defect.

His departure leaves a void in the department of fun and games that became a department in mourning Thursday.

Read Bob Keisser's tribute to Melroy in the Press-Telegram this weekend.

More, with comments, at the Stress-Telegram, the guild's blog.