MediaNews CEO Dean Singleton has picked George Riggs (pictured), who has headed the San Jose Mercury News for the past 18 months, to head all of the company’s Bay Area newspapers — both the former Knight Ridder papers, such as the Merc, and papers Singleton already owned, such as the Oakland Tribune. This story by John Simerman of the MediaNews’ Oakland Tribune gives some background about the 60-year-old Mississippi native who came to the Mercury News by way of the Contra Costa Times.