By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

This column is bittersweet, because I am announcing some changes that are exciting but will take me out of the Syracuse area, a place that has been my home for more than three years.

Recently I accepted a job in Albany with Spectrum News Capital Region as an assignment desk editor. I will be monitoring different sources to get story ideas or to find breaking news, and then working with news producers, directors, reporters and camera operators to get those stories assigned and complete. The job involves research, fact-checking and relying on journalism ethics to get information to the public. The move to a broadcast environment will be a learning experience for me, but I am ready to take it on.

It will be hard to leave Eagle Newspapers, and I am so thankful to have been hired here as my first job in journalism out of college. I’ve learned so much and have gotten a hands-on opportunity to do so many things I may not have been able to at a different publication. I have learned how important the local paper is to so many residents and am thankful to the group of co-workers who helped me learn through my past few years here.

Though I am a native to Central New York and went to college in Ithaca, making the move to Syracuse was a step into unfamiliar territory. I am so grateful to the entire Syracuse community for accepting me and making me feel welcome these past few years. I have met so many wonderful people through work who are making a difference in the place they live.

Through trivia nights, visiting local establishments, learning about local organizations, attending a variety of events and babysitting for a few families in the area, I’ve built relationships with a large group of wonderful people who cannot be replaced. In my time here I’ve seen businesses flourish, events come and go, fire stations built, sat through contentious public hearings, covered important local elections and have met countless people doing unique and great things.

Thank you to all of the readers who have supported me through my time here. I appreciate the feedback I’ve gotten and am glad to have an audience to share my work with. I am especially thankful to all of the people who have allowed me to interview them and share their stories through my articles.

One thing I have come to learn so well is just how important involvement in local government is. I’ve covered countless hours of town, village and school board meetings and while they are not always the most exciting, they discuss the issues that will hit the closest to home for everyone. I encourage you to go to more meetings and keep track of what’s going on in your municipality. It’s important for citizens to have a presence so their elected boards can make the right decisions for everyone.

While it is hard for me to leave Syracuse, I will always have positive memories of this place and will be back often to visit and see what’s new! If you should feel the need to get in contact with me in the future, feel free to email me at [email protected] or follow my blog hayleighgowans.wordpress.com.