I started working at the Enumclaw Courier-Herald in March 2021, nearly two years ago. In my time here, I’ve been able to write stories that made me laugh, made me cry, let me explain complicated, important issues to people and let me hold public officials accountable for their actions. That’s about all a reporter can ask for.

But my role here is going to change soon. For about half a year, I’ve split my workweek halfway between this paper and the Federal Way Mirror, our sibling newspaper which is also owned by Sound Publishing. Starting now, I will begin transitioning away from reporting from Enumclaw and toward working full-time for the Mirror.

I will continue working on stories I’ve already started, but I will be taking on fewer and fewer new assignments for the Courier-Herald going forward. Long term coverage of Buckley, a city I’ve fondly gotten to know over the last two years, will return to my editor Ray Miller-Still, who will solely take on the news writing responsibilities of the paper.

This is not an absolute goodbye. You’ll still see my byline occasionally in the paper, such as when I write a regional story about South King County or if I’m needed to help follow up on a Plateau story I wrote about previously. When Ray is on vacation or sick, I’ll come back down to our Myrtle Avenue office to step in as temporary editor and make sure critical news stories are published and the paper gets put together.

And because I’ve come to care about this place and the people here — an inevitability as a reporter — I’ll probably come to visit Enumclaw and Buckley here and there just for fun.

It’s been a real pleasure to write about this community, and I appreciate the time and trust you’ve given me with your stories and your voices. Your support and your subscriptions are what allow us to do what we do, and when more people sign up to read the paper, we can afford to bring on more people to make it a better product.