Last October, I moved to Meridian to start my first full-time job in journalism.

Since then, I have grown as a journalist and learned how to report on local government.

Before starting my job as a reporter at The Meridian Star, I had only written a few stories about city government. But over the last nine months, I have attended bi-monthly city council and board of supervisors meetings and have written countless stories about the two governmental bodies.

At The Star, I’ve also become a more confident reporter and individual. I used to worry that I wouldn’t be able to write fast enough. Now, I often write several stories a day.

I also have covered major stories, which is something I dreamed of doing a few years ago. I’ve written about Rush Health Systems’ merger with Ochsner Health, the results of Meridian’s mayoral election and the ending of the city’s mask mandate this spring.

But my favorite part of being a reporter in Meridian has been talking with the city’s citizens about their lives or about issues that matter to them.

One of these moments was when I interviewed a couple about their opposition to the location of a proposed waste transfer station. If built, the station would be near the Sweet Gum Bottom Road neighborhood, which is where they live.

Shon and Alicia Willis invited me to their cattle pasture, where they frequently see vultures. They worry that a transfer station could attract more vultures to their area.

It was an honor to document their thoughts. The couple had originally reached out to The Meridian Star to inform us of their concerns. Without local news outlets like The Meridian Star, their perspective might not have been broadcasted to the general public.

My next step is as a reporter in Sarasota, Florida, where I plan to continue talking with community members about their concerns.

I am very thankful to Bill Graham, Bianca Moorman, Cheryl Owens, Ida Brown, Drew Kerekes, Helen Reynolds and my other colleagues at The Star who have taught me about journalism and have made me laugh.

I feel ready for my next steps because of them. I can’t wait to tell everyone in Florida about Meridian, Mississippi, and its great newspaper.

Anne Snabes covered government and general assignment news for The Meridian Star. She can be reached at annecsnabes@gmail.com.