It's been a great three and a half years

Friday was my last day here in Nevada and Vernon County. I am leaving to take a new position with the city of Rolla, Mo., as the Parks and Recreation Director.

It is my hope to be able to serve the residents in the community there as I have tried to serve the residents of this county.

The hardest thing to do is to take my leave of all the wonderful people I have met, who are far too numerous to list, and I'm sure I would leave someone out.

I do want to recognize our hard-working staff here. You couldn't find a more caring, conscientious and professional group of people.

I count every member of our team, from the part-timers in the distribution, production and printing areas, to the bookkeepers, business managers, sales representatives to reporters and photographers, and our management team, as valued and trusted co-workers and more, as friends.

Each of these teammates helped me in ways I can never describe. I will always count myself blessed by knowing them.

Doing a job that can require a 24/7 schedule and one in which the demands are never ceasing can be stressful, but also rewarding.

Where else can you find out something about virtually every business and industry, from manufacturing to retail, and from government to education.

While you never become an expert on any, you are granted the privilege of seeing through a window that many don't get to experience.

Not only do you get the opportunity to learn a plethora of information across a wide diversity of fields, but you also get to meet a wide spectrum of outstanding individuals.

I will miss my associations with all of the people I have met here, from law enforcement, school, city and county officials, the dedicated folks at the library who I share a passion with for the written word, to the giving members of civic and community groups I have had the great fortune to interact with, in particular Lions, Rotary, United Way, and the Nevada Fitness Club.

I have enjoyed my time and the friendships I have made.

Hopefully the impact I've had has been a positive one, as I and my teammates have strived to do for the community.

There's a saying that goes something like this, "You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been."

And I've been in a great community full of wonderful people.

I wish the citizens of Vernon County all the best.

In the immortal words of one of my favorite screen characters, "Live long and prosper."