As the famous English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer once said, “There is an end to everything, to good things as well.”
For the past year, I have been immersed in all things Highlands, from town board of commissioners meetings, to high school sports and events all around the Plateau.
I have loved every bit of my time here, but as our cartoonist Duncan Greenlee says, it is time to move onward and upward.
There are several pieces that I have written that I could talk about, but one thing is for sure, it takes a unique person to write about this community. It is no easy task, being a small-town journalist, but the people make it worthwhile. The people in Highlands love fiercely, whether it be loving the town itself, their neighbors or an issue in the town. While the busy season is indeed busy, it was enjoyable finding stories in the off-season highlighting businesses and residents when the town is quiet.
A lot of my time in Highlands, I spent writing about the short-term rental issue. It is clear that it is the number one issue in Highlands, no matter what side of the argument you are on. I hope that everyone will come together to come up with a reasonable option for all parties, but I know that is a hard task in itself.
There are several people that I would like to thank, first off, my publisher, Ryan Hanchett, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I have learned a lot, so thank you for taking a chance on me. Second, Pam Kolber and Jody Pierson, thank you for making every day at work fun. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t laugh. Third, our sister paper’s editor, Michael O’Hearn, thank you for providing jokes, classic rock analogies and collaboration. Finally, thank you to the people of Highlands. You welcomed me with open arms and let me tell your stories, which I am forever grateful for.
For my next venture, I will be stepping away from the newspaper industry. It has been a long five years, but I have learned so much along the way. I will start Aug. 1, as the lead digital multimedia journalist for WKRG News 5 in their Pensacola, FL. Bureau. I will have a lot more to learn when it comes to television news, but I am looking forward to the challenge.
I will definitely be back to visit this gorgeous town, so please feel free to reach out!