Promotions at 'St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times'

By: E&P Staff Bill Adair has been named Washington bureau chief for the St. Petersburg Times. Adair, who joined the Times 15 years ago, has spent the last seven in the nation's capital covering Congress, presidential campaigns, Florida politicians, veteran's affairs, and other topics.

Tim Nickens has been promoted to deputy editor of editorials for the Times, from metro editor. Nickens joined the staff in 1983 as a city hall and courts reporter; he worked for the Miami Herald from 1990-1995 before re-joining the Times as an editorial writer. He was named political editor in 1998 and became metro editor in 2001.

Nickens replaces Robert Friedman, who has become editor of the Sunday Perspective section.

Chase Squires is the Times' new television critic. Squires, who has worked as a reporter in the paper's East Pasco bureau for the past six years, replaces Eric Deggans, who has joined the Times' editorial board.