Hello, Hermiston. My name is Travis Snell, and I’m the new editor of your Hermiston Herald. Over the next several months I hope to meet as many citizens and readers as I can while I settle into my role.

I hope to eventually become someone you have no qualms sharing story ideas with, no matter if they are good or bad topics, as I gain your trust.

But first, a little about myself. I am a Cherokee Nation citizen from a small town in northeast Oklahoma. I took to journalism in high school, writing for the school paper. After graduating, I attended Oklahoma City University, a small private school, where I also worked on the university’s newspaper, eventually becoming editor.

Following college, I worked as a reporter for a small daily paper in northeast Oklahoma before being moved to its sister paper to help modernize it. I then went to work for the Cherokee Nation as a reporter for its independent newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix. I spent six years as a reporter there before being promoted to assistant editor. I was at that position for 15 years.

But in December 2021, being the adventurous travelers we are, my wife Lisa, daughter Sadie, and son Swimmer packed up and moved to the Czech Republic. And with that move, it meant the end of my run at the Cherokee Phoenix.

Luckily, I signed on to remotely design the newspaper of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. That Cherokee tribe is located in the same town of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, as the Cherokee Nation. So my run in American journalism continued despite living in Europe.

However, after a year and a half in the Czech Republic, we realized that the language and schooling gaps were too great to overcome for our children, so we decided to move back to the States. And that is how I found the Hermiston Herald.

Now that I’m here, I’m slowly getting to know the town. My family and I only arrived July 10, and much of our time has been unpacking, putting together IKEA furniture and getting our home in order. But as we get settled in, and as I get settled in at the Herald, I hope to spend more time around the city.

So if you see me, whether you have a story idea, critique of the paper or just want to introduce yourself, don’t hesitate to approach me. Or if you prefer sending an email or letter to the editor, that will work, too. I am a big believer in listening to the readers for suggestions on how to improve. I’ll listen for what can be used to improve the paper and strive to make that happen.

My goal is to help improve the Hermiston Herald in any way that I can, and knowing some of the people the Herald is working for helps with that goal.

———

As always, if you have comments or questions about the Hermiston Herald, or want to pass along a story idea, send me an email at this address: tsnell@hermistonherald.com.

Finally, let me take this opportunity to once again thank the Hermiston Herald subscribers: We simply would be unable to do this vital work without your support.

Travis Snell is the editor of the Hermiston Herald.