Fond farewell

Joe Sova / Hungry Horse News

It may be farewell for me, but not a permanent good-bye.

This is my last issue as managing editor of the Hungry Horse News as my wife Diane and I are moving to Casper, Wyo. I have accepted the position of managing editor of the Casper Journal, the largest weekly newspaper in my native state. We'll be publishing 28,000 copies of the community-minded paper each week.

I have absolutely no ill feelings about leaving Columbia Falls; this is a career decision for both Diane and me. She will be able to get back into a career she loves (accounts payable) and I will have a new challenge as editor of a larger newspaper. (I did live all but the last seven years in Wyoming.)

My two years at the helm of the Hungry Horse News have been rewarding in many ways. During that time I have met many friendly, caring folks — people who whole-heartedly care about the community. Unfortunately, I have not been able to tell many of you personally that I am leaving Columbia Falls, but I will miss your friendliness and openness. We may be recovering from a recession, but there are many reasons to be proud of the community.

Special thanks go to the C-Falls Lions Club. It was very humbling to be honored as the club's Citizen of the Year for 2009.

Another thing I appreciate is the support I have received from the staff of the Horse. They include Chris Peterson, Heidi Desch, Andrea Browning, Leslie Armstrong, Barbara Proctor, Tom Floyd and John Carabin, as well as co-workers who are no longer part of the Hungry Horse News team. Special thanks to Chris for his guidance and knowledge, since he's been part of the Horse and community for more than a decade. Also, my thanks to publisher Tom Kurdy for his support of what we do at the Horse, plus Frank Miele, Scott Crandell, Dave Lesnick and other staff members of the Daily Inter Lake. Thanks, as well, to Rick Hanners and the Whitefish Pilot staff and Alex Strickland and the Bigfork Eagle staff for their willing exchange of stories and photos.

I wish I could shake the hand of everyone I've come to know in Columbia Falls and the surrounding area, but I can't. But I will be back to visit since my step-son Don is in Columbia Falls and step-son Chris and his wife Tessa live in Kalispell. Diane is Don and Chris' mom.

Farewell, and thanks for your support. Chris and Heidi will carry on in the Horse's editorial department along with a new editor. We're proud of a newspaper that truly serves the community.

Joe Sova is the managing editor of the Hungry Horse News.