A tearful goodbye from Jen Hill

RBC | Over the years I’ve learned that many of life’s little clichés exist for a reason. Oftentimes there is a grain, or even a boulder, of truth packed into those tiny nuggets of wisdom. The cliché I’ve been stuck on this week is, “when one door closes, another opens.” After a lot of thoughtful consideration over the past weeks I landed on the conclusion that, for now, it is time to close the door on my time at the Herald Times and tackle new adventures.
The decision to leave was an incredibly hard one fraught with angst and a few tears. My time with the paper and especially the Turner family has been a wonderful experience, full of exciting opportunities to learn and grow as a writer. I have come to regard my boss as a good friend, something most people don’t get to experience. An added bonus was the occasional voices of support for my efforts to keep Rangely informed about their local and county governments. Those of you who provided those compliments will never know how impactful and sometimes needed they were, thank you. I am proud of my time with the paper and honored to have played a role in local communication.
As I leave my role of local reporter I want to encourage each and every one of you to follow your local and county governments. Ask questions, read through meeting packets and when you can, show up. Don’t let them forget that you are here and they work for you.
In addition to participating in your local government I want to urge you to participate in your local economy. Through my role with the HT I have gotten to know most of the local business owners. I have covered more business openings and closing than I care to remember and I’ve seen the vital role you all play in supporting each other. Shop local when you can, advertise local when you can, preferably with the HT (everyone loves a shameless plug) and consider how you can stop the cycle of publicly complaining about local businesses while simultaneously bemoaning the lack of local services. Find a way to really live the Gandhi quote, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”