-30- Time to say goodbye

Years ago, when the first press dispatches from the front lines of the Civil War were sent across telegraph, the reporter would end their correspondence with the symbol, -30-. Though no one knows what this symbol means, or how it originated, it has since become within the journalism profession, a tradition to label your farewell piece as the -30- column. Explanations for this vary, but the one that I most like equate the number with a sign of completion.

I’ve written three –30- columns in my short career in journalism, and each of them have proven significantly harder to write (this being no exception). Indeed, by the time you read this column, I would have already handed off the reins of the Chelsea Standard and Dexter Leader to a new copy editor. After three and a half years with Heritage Newspapers, I recently accepted a new position as editor for an online news website covering the community of Dexter.

It seems like yesterday I was moving into my office on the second floor of the Comerica Bank building in Manchester Village ready to tackle the unsuspecting community. There I was, a young, single, 25-year-old from Texas almost fresh out of college in charge of my very own newspaper. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared out of mind. In fact, I fondly recall (after being handed stack after stack of paperwork from my boss and then being asked to film my welcome video), sitting in my office thinking, “What the hell did I commit myself too?” But, by that point, it was too late. I had a job to do, and I set out to do it, and do it the best I could. After all, as the old masthead of the Manchester Enterprise read, "To boldly go where no newspaper has gone before." That motto is a takeoff of the old Star Trek theme. It resonated with me almost immediately (I must confess I am indeed a Trekkie).

For three and a half years, I made it my goal to tell the stories of Manchester, Chelsea, and Dexter. From three-hour council meetings, to covering community fairs, events, police, and human interest pieces –– every story I wrote, I started with a fresh approach and exuberance.

As I began cleaning out my desk, I came across an abundance of old reporter notebooks chalked full of notes from the dozens of stories written over the years. It dawned on me that these notebooks weren’t just a compiling of chicken scratches, they represented a history of the towns I was a part of. The gem, however, was a Sticky Note attached to the back of a notepad that I must have written to myself during the first week on the job. Underneath the words “Meet with Jeff Wallace, 10 a.m.,” the note read, “keep it simple.”

That’s a philosophy I’ve gradually committed myself to over the years. Though a lot of folks believe an editor or reporter’s job is simply to go out and cover a story, there’s a lot more to it. Editors especially commit well over 60 hours weekly writing, editing, designing, blogging, video editing, handling payroll, managing online content, and a half dozen other tasks. This can make for some very late nights.
However, none of that mattered when I was out in the community. My job was to tell a story, and though sometimes individuals didn’t always agree on how that story was told, as a trustee of the community news, my goal was to always paint a fair, accurate, and balanced account.
As is often tradition with these types of farewell columns, I would like to give a few “shout outs” to some folks who made this job just a little bit easier and a lot more enjoyable.

First and foremost to my girlfriend, Amy, whose gentle understanding allowed me to work many late nights without complaint, and who provided a constant source of support to listen to me unload my frustrations without judgment week after week.

Second, to my boss, Michelle Rogers for taking a chance on a relatively unknown guy from Texas. Thanks for the vote of confidence and help over the years. Thanks also for supporting the band and attending many shows at the Quarter Bistro, and for the parties and gatherings at your house. Thank you also for your friendship, especially during my first year on the job.

I also owe a debt of gratitude to my coworkers, each of which will be greatly missed.
Bill C.: I’ve enjoyed our conversations about guitars and music. We will definitely have to get together and have that jam session one day.

Terry J.: Thanks for supporting the band this past year. Hopefully we’ll be able to perform again together at another venue soon.

Don R.: Thanks for all the late night conversations on production night Monday evenings. It’s been a great pleasure working with you.

Ed P.: You were always good for a joke, especially when it came to Simpsons quotes. Though you’re at the Adrian Telegram now, your presence in the office in Saline is sorely missed.

Austen S.: You’re a damn good editor. It’s been fun working together and congratulations on the baby. Good luck in the future.

Sean D. and Dave M.: You guys were my right arm when I was assigned to the Chelsea and Dexter communities. During my tenure, the paper owed a lot to your ability to go out and cover local stories.

Joe, Carol, and Erin: If Dave and Sean were my right arm, you guys were my left when it came to production. Thank you 1,000 times for all the hard work you all did to make sure the paper came out on deadline. Carol, thank you especially for taking the time to explain page design to me during those early days at Heritage.

Kim M., Michelle M., and Pat C.: It’s been great working with you over the years. I can only wish you all the best of luck in the future.

Lisa A.: Thanks for all the help with freelance coverage of Dexter and Chelsea. Your uncanny ability to sniff out a story or track down a lead was a tremendous help. Thanks for hosting the reporter gatherings at your house and for any and all advice now and in the future. Though we started off rocky with the Obama button comment, I’m glad we’ve become good friends.

Jana M. and Stephane T.: You are the best girls in the office. Jana, your an amazing writer and friend who I’ve really come to enjoy working with. Covering President Obama’s speech together at U of M will be one of the best memories I take with me from Heritage. If you ever need help with anything, you know how to get in touch with me. It’s been a great ride, and if you ever launch your book series and you need a good P.R. guy, I’m your man!
Stephane, you are one of the harder ones to say goodbye too. You’ve been a great friend over the years. I could probably write an entire column just about working together with you. We both started at Heritage close to the same time, and since then you’ve become an indispensable friend. Thanks for all your help with the paper, but more importantly, thanks for all the fun times, conversations, and your uncanny ability to coax me through, what I consider sometimes, a crazy life. It’s been a lot of fun working with you and you will be deeply missed. Remember, Thursdays at Dan’s is an open invitation. I wish you all the best in wherever life takes you in the future.

To the rest of the Heritage West staff I leave these parting words:
“Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.”
Keep on doing what your doing. Heritage Newspapers has produced and will continue to produce quality work into the future. While you are here, above all, remember to have fun with the job and don’t take yourselves too seriously.

D.L.