PHOENIX — Longtime Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts joked on Monday that her only plan for the afternoon was a "date with my swimming pool."

Ah, the joy of retirement.

After 44 1/2 years, Roberts no longer had a deadline. Neither did fellow columnist Elvia Diaz.

The two women joined a venerable group of Arizona Republic employees who accepted a buyout from parent company Gannett, which is looking to cut $100 million across the company because of falling year-over-year revenue and plans to pay down debt.

Others who accepted the buyout include fellow columnists E.J. Montini and Phil Boas, reporters Mary Jo Pitzl and Russ Wiles, and photojournalists Michael Chow and Cheryl Evans.

Roberts and Diaz sat down with 12News on Monday to discuss their decades in journalism and the roles

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