HARD TO REPLACE 

A trio of heavyweights is leaving the State Journal-Register. Molly Beck, who had a knack for prying loose secrets from the Springfi eld school board, has been hired by the Wisconsin State Journal to cover education. It’s a step up for her. The Madison newspaper has twice the circulation of the SJ-R, and its writers have been nominated for Pulitzer Prizes twice during the past fi ve years. Her last day here is Friday. Deana Stroisch will be leaving the city hall beat on Oct. 30. Her spouse has landed a job outside Springfi eld. And longtime food writer Kathryn Rem is retiring and will leave the building Nov. 1 after nearly 20 years. How the newspaper will fi ll the slots isn’t clear.