Hard-charging Valley reporter David Castellon, whose journalistic style was often described as a “bull in a china shop,” died from a range of health problems, including COVID-19.

He was 55.

Castellon covered beats including crime, government, business and agriculture for the Visalia Times Delta/Tulare Advance Register from 2003 – 2017. He continued his career for the past three years at The Business Journal, based in Fresno.

“He was one of the most dogged reporters I ever worked with,” Business Journal managing editor Gabriel Dillard said. “You don’t find many reporters like him anymore.”

A native of Southern California, Castellon worked for daily newspapers across the country in Albany, Oregon; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.; Ogden, Utah; Fort Worth, Texas; and Stockton, as well as for the weekly Air Force Times, Navy Times and Marine Corps Times newspapers.

“David was fearless. He always knew what to ask and helped younger writers hone their reporter skills,” said Times-Delta local news editor Eric Woomer, who started his career as a rookie reporter at an adjacent desk from Castellon. “He didn’t back down. Even when those on the other end of the line wished he would.”

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