Through good times and bad, this place became home

Friday, July 17 will mark my last day as executive editor of the Starkville Daily News and Daily Times Leader. There — I said it. Whew. It’s worth noting this is a reality I’m still slowly coming to terms with through each passing moment, so I beg your pardon if I’m long-winded or overly-sentimental. This job gets in your DNA, especially in a tight-knit place like Starkville.

But for the readers at home who may not have social media, I announced a couple of weeks ago that I have taken a new job in Tuscaloosa that will allow me to still work in journalism in my hometown and be closer to my family.

The decision was not an easy one, by any stretch, but this new opportunity checked all the right boxes and will ultimately be for the best.

Over the last three and a half years, Starkville and the Golden Triangle became home in ways I never could have imagined, especially being from Tuscaloosa and a graduate of both the University of Mississippi and the University of Alabama. I admit, when I left what I thought was a big-shot media job in Atlanta to come here in January 2017, I had my reservations as murmurs persisted of the death of print journalism, along with the weaponization of misinformation and general distrust of traditional media.

I wanted a challenge, though, and was undeterred. As a result, we as a team through blood, sweat, tears and dogged persistence built something great over the years. During that time, this talented team won 39 awards in the Mississippi Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and left an indelible imprint on the lives of so many we interacted with — work that is sure to continue long after I’m gone.

Looking back, I came to Mississippi wanting to use my skills to make a difference and save the world, but, at present, what I gained instead was a refined understanding of what it means to be a member of a community. Community journalism is so much more immersive than a simple 9-to-5 job, but it took me coming to Mississippi to truly learn that.

Writing stories is the fun part, but the work is answering concerned phone calls at 2 a.m. on a week night and nearly falling asleep in a church pew as election results slowly trickle in.

Just during my time here, I’ve cried with grieving families, helped victims sift through the rubble of dismantled lives and marched with those hungry for change. Conversely, I’ve laughed with new friends until the wee small hours and had the opportunity to record triumphs that will continually serve as reminders of who we are when we’re at our best.

I’m grateful for the wide spectrum of emotions and memories I will always have from this place, but am equally thankful for the numerous journalists I’ve worked alongside here who have embodied the ideals of doing journalism the right way and for the right reasons.

Sports Editor Danny P. Smith has been so gracious to me over these years and to say I’m proud of Danny’s work and commitment, along with Robbie Faulk and Joel Coleman, wouldn’t quite do it justice. The same can be said for reporters Charlie Benton and Donna Summerall, who have both stepped up and out of their comfort zones as we face what could be the crisis of the century in the COVID-19 pandemic.

This pandemic is far from over, too, which underscores the need for quality local journalism that is unsullied by the toxic political divisions tearing this country apart at the seams. I have no doubt the staffs of both of our newspapers will continue to offer that unbiased, homespun approach and will rely on your support moving forward to do so.

Your support and kindness always had a way of keeping me going when times got tough in the newsroom and will be counted on for those still working to tell the stories of the community during these strange days. Whether it was a box of freshbaked cookies or a simple “Thinking of You” note, those seemingly small gestures of love motivated me to give it my all because that’s what was expected each day from such an engaged community.

As this chapter closes for my career and for the newspaper, it also means new beginnings.

Faces will always come and go, but my hope is that the soul of this community will continue to shine bright through the support so many have shown this historic institution.

Thank you all for the love you have shown me, too, but most importantly, for teaching me what it means to be a part of something bigger than myself.