In the last couple of weeks since taking on the role as news editor, I’ve had quite a few people call and congratulate me or send me an encouraging email or card. Even a few people I’ve seen while on assignment have given me a thumbs-up on my new job.

But one comment in particular struck a chord with me.

A woman told me she thought it was great that female had taken a leadership role at The Tribune, that there hadn’t been a female editor before.

While I feel honored to take on the job as editor, I responded by telling the woman we have had a female editor — Teresa Moore.

Many people knew Teresa. She was a longtime reporter with The Tribune and was made news editor shortly after I came to work here in 2010.

I don’t think I had ever met anyone who loved his or her job as much as she did. Every facet of being a reporter — from the long evenings covering government and finance meetings to the even longer weekends covering pancake breakfasts and festivals.

To watch her work under a deadline was an inspiration to this cub reporter. If there was breaking news, she was the first one out of her seat to chase it down, no matter what pile of work she already had to do.

If she was flustered by any of it, she didn’t seem to let it show. She just loved it.

Even when she became ill, she worked until she absolutely couldn’t any longer.

Unfortunately — as many of you know — Teresa lost her battle with breast cancer earlier this year.

She more than earned her spot as editor at The Tribune, and it saddens me that she didn’t get to enjoy it as much as everyone here knew she would have.

Recently, I had been thinking about her and what she seemed to love most about being a reporter as I moved into her former office.

Teresa was a familiar face at the Lawrence County Courthouse, covering common pleas hearings each week without fail. Four years ago she helped pioneer a weekly series in The Tribune that called for the community to be on the lookout for the county’s “Most Wanted” probation violators.

I can’t count the number of times someone has asked me, “Why don’t you do the Most Wanted anymore?”

I didn’t really know the answer until recently — that the series was such a success, the Adult Probation Agency ran out of violators to publish.

About two weeks ago I asked Carl Bowen, the chief of the APA, about renewing the series, which he was thrilled to do. On Monday, Oct. 21, The Tribune published the first set of probation violators since the series concluded in 2009. There will also be another edition of Lawrence County’s Most Wanted in Monday’s paper, highlighting a few offenders who have already been captured.

I couldn’t help but think Teresa would have wanted to do the same thing if she were still here. Although we all still miss her, it’s nice to be able to honor her in this small way.

 

Michelle Goodman is the news editor at The Tribune. To reach her, call 740-532-1441 ext. 12 or by email at michelle.goodman@irontontribune.com.