I’ve now got more than a week of living in Merritt under my belt — which I assume means I have the okay to don my cowboy hat for formal occasions.
The boots however, are still backordered, and I’m not sure how to attach my spurs.
But in all seriousness, my first week at the helm of the Herald has been an exciting one — we’ve covered some stories that could get national attention, like Brad Firth setting out on his cross-country run for missing and murdered indigenous women, and the Trans Mountain pipeline approval.
But what excites me most about being a part of the fantastic team here at the Herald, is that our paper is a long standing institution in the community.
For more than 100 years, the Herald has been delivering the news to the communities of the Nicola Valley.
And that means all of the news — from the big stories to the small briefs, from the sporting triumphs to the tragedies that all communities must deal with.
Throughout all of that, the Herald has remained true to its roots as a real pillar of the community, and its something we’re going to continue to deliver on as I get to know Merritt, and its wonderful people even better.
That brings me to my point — the idea of community, and community news is more than just the what, when, where and how.
It’s the who that really matters.
Merritt is more than country music, spectacular views, endless sunshine, with a rich history of indigenous culture — although those things aren’t bad either.
Merritt is defined by its people, with that in mind, come by the office and share a story or two. This is your paper, your community, and your news.
I hope to see your names and faces in our paper — because that is how I believe we can truly be a paper worth Merritt.
Cole Wagner is the editor of the Merritt Herald.
