First bylines and other things

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Someone recently shared with me a post about a young reporter on the site My First Byline:
“My first-ever byline was for my college newspaper, The Hilltop, in 2015. But my first story outside of campus reporting was a feature I wrote for The Wakulla News during one of my first trips home from college. My good friend’s dad was its editor-in-chief and graciously assigned me stories while I was home for the holidays and eager to get clips. For my first story, I previewed the opening of a local theater that had been closed for many years and detailed the arts scene in a small community in Florida’s panhandle. The piece made the front page of the paper and gave me one of those ‘maybe I can do this’ feelings about journalism that will always make it really meaningful for me.”
That was posted by Maya King. She was a good friend of my youngest daughter in high school and Maya took the opportunity to write for me at the News. Maya is now a reporter for the New York Times.

  • I recently learned of the death of local historian Mays Leroy Gray – author of numerous books and articles on Wakulla’s past.
    Gray was very involved in the Wakulla County Historical Society.
    We will have an article about him in an upcoming issue.
    Of note as well, we received an obituary this week for former Supervisor of Elections Sherida Crum Leffert.
    She oversaw numerous elections – going back to the old days when the supervisor’s office was in the courthouse and people gathered on the courthouse grounds on election night to hear the results.
    The last election she oversaw was a doozy – the 2008 which required a recount in two races: then-Sheriff David Harvey won re-election by 48 votes over challenger Charlie Creel and Lynn Artz won a race for county commission by eight votes over Jim Stokley.
    Conspiracy theories abounded because a Tallahassee TV station (which wasn’t at the supervisor’s office on election night) announced Creel as the winner – before the ballots from Sopchoppy arrived to be counted. The votes from Sopchoppy put Harvey over the top for his ninth term, but there were unfounded rumors of ballot-stuffing at the precinct.
    The local election garnered statewide attention – some of it unfortunate and wrong.
  • We sent out emails to subscribers a couple of weeks ago to create an account to access the website.
    We’ve heard very few complaints. But if you are a subscriber and have any problem with your online account, call us for help at (850) 962-8019.
    If you haven’t received an email from us, be sure to check your spam.
  • Last thing: Wakulla Wonderful, the celebration of the county’s founding, is set for March 9 on the courthouse square. There will be food and fun and history.
    Vendors are welcome.
    4-H Director Rachel Pienta told me her goal is to have 100 vendors there. After I picked my jaw up from the floor, she said, basically, you have to have big goals.
    To register, https://forms.office.com/r/JYfhnXezax

William Snowden is editor and publisher.