The Vancouver Columbian Agrees To Hire Erik Gundersen As Blazers Beat Writer

The Vancouver Columbian has agreed to hire Erik Gundersen as its new Portland Trail Blazers beat writer, Blazersedge has learned.

Gundersen replaces Candace Buckner, who left the paper back in September to take a position covering the Indiana Pacers with the Indianapolis Star.

Gundersen spent the 2012-13 season working for the Blazers as a Sports Reporter Intern in the Digital Media and Marketing department. Follow Gundersen on Twitter right here. He'll be manning the paper's @BlazerBanter feed as well.

Buckner had replaced Matt Calkins, who left to join the San Diego Union-Tribune back in July 2012. Calkins joined The Columbian from the Riverside Press-Enterprise in September 2010, replacing Brian T. Smith. Smith joined the paper in August 2009, taking over for Brian Hendrickson, but left to cover the Utah Jazz for the Salt Lake Tribune.

In other Blazers media news, The Oregonian is searching for a Blazers beat writer after Jason Quick moved to the paper's University of Oregon's football beat, and ESPN.com's TrueHoop Network recently ended its affiliation with its Blazers blog, Portland Roundball Society.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter