Two years in Franklin County
Well Franklin County. Congratulations. You and I are celebrating our two-year anniversary together.
About two and a half years ago, my husband was approaching his final semester of his two-year master’s program at Auburn University. We knew we were moving back to Lawrence County to be near his family. He had a semi-guaranteed job. We had housing worked out.
It was all down to me lining up a job.
The job market in newspapers can be a tricky thing. It’s not so hard to find a job, if you have the right education and skills, but to find a job at the exact time you want it, in the exact place – well, that can be a little more challenging.
Like in most industries, it helps to know someone. I reached out to contacts from previous jobs and was excited to learn there might be another opportunity to work with a Boone Newspapers publication. I interned with a Boone newspaper – The Selma Times-Journal – while I was in college. It was learning the ropes of hyper-local community journalism with the Times-Journal staff that solidified my love for covering local news – the local events and happenings that really matter to local people.
I found the chance to do that once again with the Franklin County Times.
It was nerve-wracking to start all over in a new place. I had been working at the Opelika Observer in Opelika for two years, and it became my comfort zone. Of course, in any new job you have to learn new people and new places. But usually, those people are just your coworkers, and that place is just your office building. When you work in journalism, those new people and place are – everyone and everywhere across your coverage area.
In Franklin County, that meant trying to connect with five new mayors and five city councils. Three new police chiefs and a sheriff. Two superintendents, six high school principals, one chamber of commerce director. A county commission. Fire chiefs, the EMA director, the district attorney, the economic development director, the Extension director. These are all people you need to know and build a good relationship with if you want to be the editor of an effective community newspaper. And that’s not to mention scores upon scores of other people who have their own stories to tell – teachers and doctors and children and librarians and businesspeople and coaches. They all have stories, and it’s my job to share them all.
It hasn’t been easy, Franklin County. It’s not easy becoming a familiar face and a known quantity, establishing yourself as The-Person-To-Call when anything is happening in Franklin. And it’s been a challenge to keep up – there are so many wonderful things going on in our communities.
But I have loved getting to know the people of Franklin County. It has been an honor and a privilege to learn every nook and cranny of this county and to share the many stories of the wonderful people who live here. I appreciate you letting me into your lives and giving me the opportunity to spread the word about … everything.
I also appreciate our parent company, Boone Newspapers Inc., for giving me the opportunity to work and learn here. My gratitude further goes to Nicole Pell, an excellent general manager, who has truly been a great boss, and Peggy Hyde and Sommer Morris, who complete our office family here and have been a joy to work with.
Being your community newspaper is what we’re all about, and I thank you for the past two years of fulfilling that mission together.
Do you have a story we need to share? Give me a call. I’ll be here.
