My journey to Selma started with a job offer to work for The Selma Times-Journal as a staff writer. I didn’t know much about Selma or working in newspaper, but it was an opportunity to move to a new place and take on an entirely new challenge.

Before moving to the Queen City I worked in television at WDHN News, an ABC affiliate in my hometown of Dothan. I spent two years at the TV station working and learning the ins and outs of the television world. I was a videographer at the station, or the Swiss army knife of the newsroom, as some would call me. It was there that I developed a passion for news.

The move to Selma was a quick one. I packed up nearly everything I owned in my car and hit the road. As the mile markers flew by I thought about how different newspaper would be compared to television, but it isn’t so different after all.

I learned just how welcoming Selma could be on my first full day in town. Doug Horton, a firefighter, invited me over to watch the Iron Bowl with him and some of the crew from the firehouse. Being new in town with nowhere to watch the game, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

The game didn’t go quite the way I wanted it to being an Auburn graduate and an avid football fan, but I did meet a lot of nice people that showed me how great Selma’s hospitality can be.

My first story in the newspaper was about the Cahaba Mental Health Center’s Christmas program. From the moment I walked in the door until the moment I left, the people at the center kept a smile on my face. I’m glad to have gotten the opportunity to go there and learn about the services the center provides.

From there on, I have hit the ground running. I’m still learning the quirks of newspaper compared to television, but I have enjoyed every moment of the two weeks I have been in town.

No matter where I go, whether it is a basketball game or to the Christmas parade, everyone I have met in Selma has been helpful and welcoming.

As week two of Selma comes to a close for me, I am looking forward to what opportunities lie ahead of me in this historic town. One thing is for sure though, there will always be someone or something to write about.