The beat goes on in Murry's absence

5/15/2007

The beat goes on in Murry's absence
inside my shoes

By TAMMY MALGESINI
The East Oregonian

When EO Community Editor Terry Murry called me a couple of weeks ago and said I was going to "be her" this week, since she's on vacation, my heart skipped a beat.

Although we share a similar sense of humor and probably even wear the same size, her shoes will be hard to fill. However, she assured me things would be fine and she had some stories "in the tank."

Murry, along with Editor Steve Brown, Deputy Managing Editor Dave Sager and Senior Reporter Kathy Aney have helped guide me in honing my journalistic skills since starting with the EO just over a year ago.

Although writing has always been a part of my work, there's a world of difference between writing a drug and alcohol assessment and writing a captivating news story.

Last year Steve told me I needed to get out of the "Dragnet" mentality of Sgt. Joe Friday of "just the facts Ma'am," and add a little "Dukes of Hazzard" flair to some of my articles.

So, enjoy the ride this week as I take the driver's seat in bringing you the community news.

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I actively look for opportunities to contribute to EO's Sound bites - extracting little snippets of conversations that humanizes even the most stoic professionals and public officials.

I've gotten to know many city and county officials on a personal level, which may come back to haunt me. Morrow County Public Works Director Burke O'Brien has been compiling his own Sound bites, focused on things I've said.

Although Morrow County Judge Terry Tallman recently introduced me at County Court "as our normal person," O'Brien has quotes that may very well dispute that.

---Tammy Malgesini is a general assignment and community reporter in the EO's Hermiston Bureau.