Making a splash: New editor takes over at The Keel

Change is inevitable.

Sometimes it is forced, sometimes it is a choice. But it’s always good for the soul. Change helps us learn and grow, rather than stagnating in one place for too long.

I've made many changes in my life, and this newest adventure will be one of my biggest yet. I've recently joined The Keel as its managing editor.

Hopefully soon, I'll also be joining the residents of St. Clair County as a new homeowner in the area. (Fingers crossed that my dream house comes through!) So in addition to this new exciting job, I'll be learning the lay of the land in St. Clair county as an employee and as a resident.

Small town life is how I grew up. I spent most of my formative years in towns surrounding Lansing. I went to college in Mt. Pleasant and headed to the small town of Clare after graduation, where I launched my career in journalism.

Not long after that I made a huge decision to move to metro Detroit, something that was completely out of my comfort zone, and definitely something I had never experienced in my life.

It was quite an adjustment to actually experience rush hour traffic while driving from the east side to my new job in Dearborn. I not only moved from a small town to the "big city," but I was also learning to navigate three different cities just between work and home.   

Now, I've lived just outside of Detroit for nearly half of my life, and I think it is time for my family to experience a little more of small town life.

While Port Huron, population 30,000, may not be that small of a town, it does have a wonderfully small town feel, while still having many nearby shops, restaurants, and conveniences. One thing I hated about country living growing up was having to drive 30 minutes to get to a grocery store or good restaurant.

Life gave us the perfect opportunity to find a place to start over and rejuvenate our family. My husband's job is mobile, so moving a little out of the way won't be a big deal. I had the opportunity to choose where my next job would be. A couple of visits to the area, and we've zeroed in on St. Clair County. I love that just about anywhere you live, you are close to the water or a park. We love that it's a place where it's easy to enjoy the outdoors, and that it is encouraged.

I'm still learning a lot about what cities like Port Huron, Algonac, Fort Gratiot, Kimball and Marysville (to name a few) have to offer. But I am excited to learn more by reading, exploring and talking to people.

So readers, please share with me what you love best about St. Clair County, your city, your schools and your amenities. Are there places you don't love? Projects you'd like to see happening? Improvements that need to be made? I'd love to hear more, and maybe together we can find a solution.

I know this community’s leaders are hard at work trying to grow our cities' downtowns and bring residents and jobs to the area. I'm so excited to be part of that trend and part of that story. I'll be sharing more on that with you very soon.

Feel free to contact me at jrempala@thekeelph.com.