When I?became the editor of the Hermiston Herald, I?knew one of the challenges I?would become well acquainted with was fairly regular staff turnover and I?would be tasked with the subsequent hiring process.

I?knew this not only because I?had been forewarned, but also because I?came from a small daily newspaper that encountered the same issues, and, as associate editor, I?was involved in many interviews and added insight to various hiring decisions through the years.

As well, I?was once a young reporter ready to launch my journalism career and had dreams of where I?would go as a reporter.

As a student in journalism school, I?thought I?would go on to work for Newsweek before realizing I?didnt really want to pursue magazine writing. This turned out to be a good thing since Newsweek is now defunct. I?then thought I?would climb my way up the newspaper ranks until I?landed at the Washington Post. When I became introduced to the world of editing as a copy editor for my college newspaper, The Western Front, I?amended my career plans again and decided I?would forego a move back East and a long hike up the daily newspaper ladder to someday become the editor of a weekly newspaper. As the editor of a twice-weekly newspaper, I?am quite satisfied with how those plans worked out.

Very few reporters, however, end up at their final career destinations right out of the gates. They all get their start somewhere.

My start was at the weekly Enumclaw Courier-Herald, where I?worked for two years before deciding I?was ready to advance in my career.

So, when I came to Hermiston, I?knew what I?was up against, and when I had to say goodbye to first sports reporter Alex Field, who accepted a job at the six-day daily Walla Walla-Union Bulletin, and then reporter Holly Dillemuth, who went to the daily in Klamath Falls, I?was resigned I?would have to become familiar with the hiring process sooner than I?had perhaps hoped.

It is, after all, the nature of the beast. Young reporters, frequently straight out of college or just launching their newspaper career, start out at newspapers such as the Hermiston Herald and, after being trained up, move on to bigger and, hopefully, better things.

That is just the way it is, and it is my job as an editor to prepare them for their future careers as members of the Fourth Estate while ensuring the content of the Hermiston Herald meets the needs and the interests of the readers as well as my standards, being an editor who takes her job and responsibilities very seriously.

Until I?have to do it all again with someone new.

To that end, I?am very pleased to announce Zach Beehler is the Hermiston Heralds new sports reporter, and, in a little more than a week, Colin Murphey will join the staff as our news reporter, coming to us from Montana, where he worked for a short time at the weekly newspaper in Plains.

It is an exciting time for the Herald and for me, as an editor.

I?expect it will be a valuable learning experience for everyone involved, especially myself, and I?cant wait to see how things progress.

And, hopefully later rather than sooner, I?have no doubt I?will bid someone goodbye and begin the hiring process again.

That is the nature of the beast, after all.

Jessica Keller is the editor of the Hermiston Herald. She can be reached at jkeller@hermistonherald.com