It is a custom the world over for a person, when they depart from a job to say “Farewell” especially the unfortunate group of laborers who are writers at heart.
I wish to dash off a brilliant soliloquy that sums up, “It’s been great, and I’ll see you around yet not from these pages.” But this one won’t be it.
I have read many good-bye columns or good-bye letters in which many gripped the emotions and shook people with feeling; I won’t be writing such heart-rending material. It won’t be maudlin or great but hopefully captures what a journalist should be- simple and straightforward.
Almost 30 years, I have worked in some role at newspapers. For over 20 years, I have worked and dashed about to make sure The Winston County Journal, Webster Progress Times and Choctaw Plaindealer went to press and were brought back to our readers.
At times, we were late and one time failed to deliver in the same week but we always got them out. These are special newspapers. The communities they cover are each unique and I hope we have captured that uniqueness in each of the 1,040 issues of each newspaper I have overseen.
I feel I am extremely lucky to have worked for such a long period of time in the same communities. I grew up in Webster County. I made great friends in Choctaw as a teen. I met and married a Winston County girl. These communities have been the greatest to report on and give a newspaper to each week.
It is hard to fathom that as you are reading this I am not at the office answering calls or making sure everyone got their newspaper that week. It is hard to think that I am no longer seated in an office where I have spent over 20 years crossing the front door every day.
It is so strange for me to be leaving my home newspapers and my downtown Louisville office. I was allowed to develop the newspapers most times as I envisioned was best. My wife and children have all spent thousands of hours at the newspaper or covering an event for the newspapers.
I don’t know what the rhythm of the days will be like without newspaper deadlines and meetings to attend, I have no idea. Somewhere a bell has rung for me and announced that I must get to other work. I will be working as hard as ever just no longer at newspapers.
I will miss, all of it. I will miss the people. I will miss all those I have covered along with all the subscribers especially the ones who called or emailed or texted me on Wednesdays as the newspapers hit the racks.
I will miss the feeling of three completed newspapers. Of holding those printed words that I helped get on a page and sent off to a diligent press.
It has been an adventure like no other. A 20-year adventure that started with a photo of cute girl in Noxapater at the Cotton Gin festival as my first assignment for these 3 newspapers that has led to marriage to that Noxapater girl along with 2 children and thousands of stories.
I am off to a new adventure.
These three newspapers have been around for 100 years before I got here and will be here 100 more after I leave.
I have full faith that Wyatt Emmerich and Emmerich newspapers will find the right fit to lead the newspapers into a bright and wonderful future.
Editor’s note: Joseph McCain was the editor and publisher for the Winston County Journal, Webster Progress Times and Choctaw Plaindealer for over 20 years. His last day was June 5, 2022 with the newspapers.
