Gazette editor says thanks

It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed since I was hired as editor of the Glenns Ferry Gazette. Originally, I had planned to work for only four years in order to pay off my car. Two cars and one truck later, I still find myself putting together the weekly publication. How time flies.

As Brenda Fincher, publisher of the Mountain Home News and Glenns Ferry Gazette, announced in her letter last week, I have decided to retire to spend more time with family.

It has been more years than I can remember since I spent Christmas with my family due to deadlines and the responsibilities of producing a weekly hometown newspaper.

The passing of my father this past summer prompted me to reevaluate my priorities. My mother is 90 and still in good health. I want to spend as much quality time with her as God will allow, and I want to be available to my sister as she undergoes chemotherapy.

I cannot do these things and continue my duties as editor of the Gazette.

I thank all of those people that supported me and offered words of encouragement throughout the past 20 years. It's been an interesting journey, and I appreciate all of those who walked it with me. Especially Geri Brennan, who was my sounding board more often than she probably wanted to be.

I especially want to thank my husband, Gib, for all of his support over the years. He had to put up with some (okay, maybe a lot of) very "grumpy" moments as I struggled with the question, "what am I going to write for next week's paper?"

Gib just cruised through my episodes without complaint or criticism. I am truly blessed to have him in my life.

I want to thank all of the employees, past and present, of the Mountain Home News who worked with me to produce the Gazette each week. Putting together a newspaper takes more than a publisher and editor. The behind-the-scenes folk at the Mountain Home News -- advertising, production, circulation and press -- work hard to put together four papers every week. Thank you for your support and hard work.

A special thank you to former Mountain Home News editor Kelly Everitt, who took me under his wing and was always willing to take time to answer my dumb questions, give me support when I messed up or just to chat and calm my frazzled nerves.

Thank you to Kelly's replacement, Brian Orban, for his support and good humor and kind words in last week's issue of the Mountain Home News.

If she were still with us, I would thank the late publisher of the Mountain Home News, Colleen Swenson, for giving me the opportunity to be editor, and for her continued support of and confidence in me throughout the years.

Lastly, I want to thank Brenda for her support and kindness. Her decision to discontinue publication of the Gazette was not an easy one, but one I completely understand and respect.

I hope Brenda's offers to publish local events and accept local advertising for placement in the Mountain Home News, as well as her offer to give a special, one-time-only, discount for a yearly subscription to that publication are appreciated and will be supported by this community.

Putting together a newspaper is a team effort, and I am grateful to have had such a great team to work with over the past 20 years.

God bless and Happy New Year.

-- Melanie Brown