Editorial: Reflecting on 24 years as a news reporter

Monday, January 20, 2025 marks 24 years in my career as a news reporter. My journey started with baby steps. After serving one year as the President of the Rockton Chamber of Commerce, I lost in my bid for reelection.

Randy Johnson was the manager of The Herald at that time. After I wrote several articles for the Chamber newsletter, Johnson noticed that I had a base talent to be developed. He suggested that I write a column. Together we brainstormed ideas for the column, deciding that I would write it weekly and it would be called Rockton Ramblings.

The Ramblings column gained popularity quickly, but I still was green in many areas of the news. My prior experience was one article about the Patriot's Gateway Center in Rockford, written for Lutheran Social Services Magazine, and several stories in newsletters for the Rockton Chamber of Commerce.

At times I let my opinion be known strongly but I needed to learn balance. Readers would sometimes tell me, "You are a good writer but you need to get off your soapbox." A former teacher told me during the teachers strike around 23 years ago, “Be Fair.” This advice I have remembered since that day.

I quickly discovered how to take criticism and to make it constructive, even if at times it didn't seem to come across that way.

I have worked with different editors. Some have said, “Sometimes this business is tough.”

Rockton Ramblings was a column every week for thousands of weeks until I transitioned into writing feature stories.

Ramblings were often compared to Shirley White's Meandering Down Main columns. In the 20 years between her final column and my first, the Village of Rockton started to see new growth and many changes.

Two women - Shirley White, who was a long time editor of the Herald, and my mother -were my greatest supports and mentors. Though both have passed away I am sure they are giving approval in spirit.

Through the years I have been blessed to become great friends and colleagues with Margaret Downing, who started over 10 years before I did, and Jean Seegers who started at the Herald before me and encouraged me to join the team at Rockton-Roscoe News, who have been a team in the truest sense of the word.

To my editor at The Herald, Melanie Bradley, thank you for giving me the best advice over the years to help make me the best reporter that I can be.
To Michael McGinnis, I appreciate you starting Rockton-Roscoe News and for encouraging creativity with even the most factual stories.

Times have changed but there are always great opportunities to write about people, school and library news, special events, non-profit organizations, and volunteer groups, features on businesses, and various entities.

Overall my goal is to reach the public with facts, presented in a neutral way, which remains the most important reason to be a writer.

Once in a while I might miss the boat on balancing a story. Each time someone accuses me of bias (which rarely happens), it makes me want to work even harder to get everything spot on correctly moving forward.

I am very blessed to be able to do what I love, and to keep my brain sharp (most of the time) in the process. I will remind myself of this next time I am pushing the limits to make a deadline.

Today I work full time as a personal home health care aid, which I have loved doing for the past 18 years, and I have owned my own house cleaning business for 38 years. I have a boyfriend who always supports me, and two cats. I am a member of Rockton Township Historical Society, a member of the Rockton American Legion Post #332 Auxiliary, and am the current president of Hononegah Woman's Club.

A word of advice to everyone who loves to read and to keep up with the news: “Keep reading.”

I am looking forward to writing my next story and expanding my knowledge in the future! Thank you to everyone who continues to support me in this venture.