Jay County made an impact

Friday was my last day at The Commercial Review.

You may have already seen in our business roundup two weeks ago, but I’ve accepted a position as the economic development reporter at the South Bend Tribune.

Jay County will always hold a special place in my memory, as the community where I first began my career in journalism and met so many wonderful people along the way.

Every day, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with people who have truly made an impact on me, and who make a positive impact on Jay County every day.

Jo Newman and Betty St. Myers always had time to chat when I visited the courthouse each week.

Next door, in the clerk’s office, Ellen Coats, Missy Eads, Karen Saxman, Monica Lykins, Dee Culy and Jon Eads were always cheerful and eminently helpful during my weekly visit to gather court news.

Kent McClung, Don Gillespie and the other Portland City Council members always asked how I was doing and took the time to talk after meetings. City (and county) attorney Bill Hinkle, a fellow IU graduate, was someone I looked forward to talking with about IU football and basketball.

Lori Ferguson was a smiling face at virtually every city meeting I attended, and answered my laundry-list of questions with utmost professionalism.

Kevin Culy, Randy Davis, Monica Grayson and so many others involved in A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope helped me tell the story of our ongoing drug problem. But they also showed me how much hope there is for the future. Their work is truly important and impactful. I look forward to keeping track of the success of the organization and hearing stories of recovery from your ongoing efforts.

Rusty and Doug Inman embody the attitude of service that makes this county a great place. The new manufacturing maintenance program at John Jay Center for Learning is truly groundbreaking, and Rusty and everyone involved in bringing it here deserve credit. Doug’s work at The Portland Foundation makes a difference in ways that are too many to list. The robust giving by the foundation is a testament to the selfless attitude of this tight-knit community.

There’s Bryan Jessup, Jesse Bivens and the other members of Dunkirk City Council. There are sometimes difficult decisions to be made in government, but I believe the Dunkirk council embodies service and truly does their utmost to make the community a better place.

Doug Stanley, Debbie James and the others involved in Redkey town government also deserve credit for their hard work.

The county’s law enforcement agencies also deserve my thanks. Sometimes, as a reporter, my role to get information out can conflict with law enforcement’s role to protect investigative techniques. Nate Springer, Todd Wickey, Bart Darby, Todd Miller and so many other officers understood that, and I truly appreciate their trust and openness.

Jay Emergency Medical Service and the county’s fire departments also deserve high praise. Sitting at home with the fire and EMS pager each weekend, I realized the sheer volume of calls to which they have to respond. Our emergency workers are on the front lines of fighting drug overdoses, and they deserve recognition for their hard work to save lives every single day. Watching firefighters tackle an barn inferno last year made me understand their skill and their willingness to put themselves in danger to help others.

Redkey Elementary principal Jan McGalliard made my life easier by always having wonderful story ideas from the many things going on at the school. Plus, her infectious smile certainly brightened my day when I made trips there.

Mitch Waters, Nate Clay, Travis Weaver and the other guys I played lunchtime basketball with have my thanks for tolerating my relative lack of coordination.

My neighbors Jaco and Christy Nel, along with Wes, Leah and Matthew, were always a joy to talk to. I’ll miss our conversations on the front porch.

My landlord, Mitch Sutton, was helpful and friendly for my entire stay here. If you’re looking for someone to rent from, he’s a great option. (No, he didn’t ask me to write this.)

Bill Bradley, Ami Huffman and all the other employees at Community Resource Center were always a pleasure to talk to. They do important work for the county, and it shouldn’t go unnoticed.

And last, but certainly not least, I’ve got to thank my coworkers here at The Commercial Review.

Jack Ronald gave me a shot and saw potential in me I initially wasn’t aware existed. His lifelong impact can be seen throughout the county, and you’d be hard pressed to find a newspaper in a community this size with the quality that The CR has.

Chris Schanz does a fantastic job covering sports. Take a glance at him next time you’re at a game. Not only is he taking photos, but he’s also keeping stats that are almost always more accurate than the official game stats (that’s not a veiled shot at the stat-keepers, just a testament to Chris’ skill). You’d be hard pressed to find a sports editor who works harder and covers the diverse range of sports that Chris covers.

Ray Cooney is the heartbeat of The CR’s newsroom. Those who know him know he’s a no-nonsense guy. That attitude left a number of my stories marked up with notes and requiring significant rewrites. But it also made me a much better reporter, something I’ll always be grateful to Ray for. Not only just a boss, I count Ray as a close friend.

Brian Dodd and Eric Daughtery always kept things humorous, with a dose of dry humor and sarcasm.

The young reporters whose bylines you’ve already encountered will do a great job, and I think they’ll realize there’s so much to learn covering this county. Rose Skelly, Julie Valentine and Allie Kirkman are already aware of that, and I looking forward to reading the great stories they will write in the future.

There are people who I haven’t been able to include in this column, and I also want to thank them for their friendship. To those readers I didn’t meet, I thank you for reading and hope my work was sufficiently informative and engaging.

I may be leaving Jay County, but the friends I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had in Jay County won’t leave me. Thanks again.