Each time you pass through the front door of the Newton Daily News you’re met with an opportunity to revisit the past with a collection of significant front pages on display.
The one that most often catches my eye reads “End of an Era” — a headline which marked the day the Maytag closure was announced. While certainly significant, it most often reminds me of how far the community has come since that day.
As I walk through the newspaper office I sometimes think of my first several months on the job. That uncomfortable feeling of not completely having a handle on a new role. Learning about new programs, beats, sources and routines. Figuring out how to build the newsroom to meet my expectations and deliver a product our readers deserve.
Within those first several months I had some key employees who essentially said “it’s not you, it’s me” and moved on to other opportunities. This meant filling some big shoes and making big decisions on how to move forward.
It turned out to be one of best things that could happen. I was able to bring in other experienced and hard-working journalists who have made a great impact on the newspaper. Two of my staff members followed me to Newton from Marshalltown, another left Nebraska to join our team. We added a new position at our weekly newspapers, and I was able to offer a young man a reporter position the day before he graduated with a journalism degree.
I once wrote a column about my Newton Daily News colleagues and how we were able to assemble the “Dream Team.” Now, about 2.5 years later, more opportunities have presented themselves and a few members of my dream team are moving on.
Last month we said goodbye to our weeklies reporter Alex Olp who decided to fall in love and move to Des Moines. He will remain working in the newspaper business, and I was thrilled he was able to spend two years out of college working as a report in Jasper County communities.
On Friday we hosted a farewell for Kate Malott who will be joining the Omaha World-Herald. The event drew hundreds of people and made for a great way to say goodbye to one of our beloved employees. If I had to guess how many times I said, “I’m really excited for Kate, but we’ll really miss her,” it would be in the few dozens range. The same sentiment was expressed between hugs and tears as I left the newsroom Friday.
This week we’ll say goodbye to Jason Brooks who has spent the past two years covering education, politics and anything else I threw his way. He’s been a reporter who has rarely complained about a chaotic schedule, heavy workload and demanding editor. He’s made an impact in Newton and now he’ll move on and do the same at the Boone newspaper, where he’s been named its editor.
While turnover creates some headaches and some heartaches I’m starting to look forward to the next era, to the next chapter and what will hopefully become the next dream team. Look for an introduction to a couple of new hires and announcements in the coming weeks.
Contact Abigail Pelzer
at apelzer@newtondailynews.com