Solari: A homecoming and an introduction

For those of you who pay attention to the box to the left of this column, this isn’t the first time you’re reading my name. About a month ago, depending on how you count it, I was named regional editor of the Illinois Valley papers for Shaw Media. It may be the first time I’ve taken a new job and didn’t feel immediately lost.

It’s a homecoming of sorts for me. My very first newspaper job, not counting a paper route for the Tinley Park Star back in the 90s, was as a reporter at the La Salle NewsTribune. It was a different paper back then – we still printed out of the office, for starters. The internet was around, but it wasn’t our focus and making sure we put out a solid broadsheet every afternoon – it was an evening paper – drove a lot of our decision making.

And, of course, The Times and Bureau Country Republican were our bitter rivals and we battled ceaselessly to be first and best.

I covered La Salle County government, Illinois Valley Community College, and a couple of other towns and boards as they came up. As someone who learns best by just jumping in head first and figuring it out as I go, I couldn’t have asked for a better learning environment.

Things have changed since, but not as much as they might appear at first. While the medium may have changed – I am sure more people are reading this on a screen than read my last introductory column in the NewsTribune – and all of the papers are on the same team, the goal remains the same.

A local paper will make its readers better citizens.

Every time you purchase a copy of the paper at the gas station or click through a story on the internet, you’re making yourself a more informed and more involved member of the community. You’re also supporting a team of people who make it possible.

My career took the scenic route to get here. In college, I majored in English Literature, figuring I would have a bestselling novel out by the time I graduated and maybe a Nobel Prize before my 10-year high school reunion. Neither of those is off the table, but my timelines are much more realistic.

I took a couple of detours after school, working at a tool catalog and even as a middle school language arts teacher. All respect due to the middle school teachers of the world, but seventh grade was my Waterloo and all the summer breaks and taxpayer-funded that pensions will not bring me back.

After finding myself as a 30-year-old intern at a magazine and learning they would pay me to write, journalism had its hooks and me, and although I’ve made a few digressions, working in local news seems to just fit right.

One of the great things about this job is that you never know what a day is going to look like. A quiet day can be saved with some breaking news in town, and suddenly it is all hands on deck to get the story.

One thing I do know, however, is that there is no such thing as a slow news day. I’m looking forward to helping tell the stories of the Illinois Valley again, and working with an amazing team of editors, reporters and photographers here.

And send me your news. Any tips or events you want us to know about are welcome. taxpayer-funded