The Groundhog Turns a New Page

Please extend a warm welcome to the new editor of The Groundhog, Stephen Smith! Stephen has actually been part of the team since MERF began publishing the paper last fall. He and his wife, Michele, have been an integral part of the smooth and successful transition. The couple has worked together for almost 30 years in the media industry, and they value the role this paper plays in our community.

Stephen and Michele Smith

Michele has created a beautiful layout for the paper since joining the team and will continue to design the paper each month. Stephen has helped improve our processes behind the scenes and has been generous in sharing his editorial expertise, for which I am very grateful. I am also thankful to have someone knowledgeable and passionate about our readership receive the torch that I am ready to pass. The Smiths love being part of the Mentone community in a number of ways, including serving on the Little River Arts Council.

Life is a process, full of change. Changes last fall led me to temporarily reprise my role as editor of The Groundhog, which I was glad to do. I am honored to be a part of this 40-year-old tradition, and I’ll continue working in the background supporting the success of the paper.

Since MERF began publishing the paper, the feedback from you, the reader, has been wonderful. We all treasure the opportunity to read community news in a local paper and learn what our organizations are up to. This will stay the same. But we can also look forward to exciting new elements. Stephen and Michele have the vision, knowledge, and tools to advance the paper in a way that will inspire and inform. We hope you are as excited about this new “page” as we are.