Mike Riley, editor of The Roanoke Times since 1998, will leave the newspaper Feb. 16 to become editor and senior vice president of Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C.

Riley, 47, announced the decision today. He has supervised the newsroom operations at The Roanoke Times, including its  growing online presence in news gathering.

"It's been a wonderful eight years at The Roanoke Times, a newspaper that defines the leading edge of the industry's online efforts," Riley said.

The Congressional Quarterly opportunity, Riley said, "combines two of my prime passions: political journalism and the ongoing digital transformation."

Congressional Quarterly has the largest news team covering Capitol Hill, with more than 125 reporters, editors and researchers covering Congress, the White House and other aspects of politics.  

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