David Jenkins: After 24 years, it’s time to say farewell to the Standard Democrat

In August of 1998 I walked into the Standard Democrat office, expecting to stay a year or two before continuing my journey up the journalism ladder. But then I found a home.

Now, after over 24 years, I’m leaving home, as this week is my last at the Standard Democrat.

I grew up wanting to work in the newspaper business, clipping sports stories and pictures out of newspapers when I was just 8 years old. I worked at newspapers in college and then after college, found a good job as the city editor here at the Standard Democrat.

From there, I began trying to tell the community’s story. Over the years I’ve covered almost everything. City council meetings, murder trials, elections, rodeos, state championship games, you name it, I’ve covered it. And I’ve loved every second of it.

I remember staying up for 24 hours straight putting together a special section after the Twin Towers fell and covering our National Guard members after they returned home from deployment. I’ve covered too many festivals and events to count and there are times I feel like I’ve lived at basketball gyms covering game after game.

While I’ve loved the job for all these years, the thing I can never replace is the relationships I’ve built.

For the longest time I worked for two great bosses in Don Culbertson and Michael Jensen who not only taught me the ins and outs of the newspaper business but also how to treat people. That continued with my current bosses DeAnna Nelson and Chris Pruett who continue to work their tails off to put us in a position to produce a good product in a difficult time for newspapers.

I learned how to be a real newspaper writer from Jill Bock who still remains the hardest worker I know. Then there was Tim Jaynes. Before his passing, he not only became a good friend but taught me everything I know about photography, which I continue to love to this day.

There was Ginger Stricklin, who became like my second mother and for the last 20 years I’ve worked alongside Leonna Heuring. Nobody can find a better partner. We were a perfect duo, the yin and yang of the newsroom.

Working with the sports departments year-after-year, I worked closely with Lance Hanlin, Derek James, Chris Moore, Chris Pobst, Josh Mills, Brent Shipman, Alex Wallner, Dennis Marshall and too many others to mention, most who I still am friends with today.

The current crew of Dana Sanders, Susan Freed, Rod Anderson along with Leonna and DeAnna have not only been co-workers, but have become family.

And I’ll never forget you, the readers. I often was referred to as “the newspaper guy” which I’ve worn as a badge of honor. I never tired of hearing of having people come up to me saying they enjoyed my column, story I wrote or a photograph I took. It was a pleasure to cover all the events and to be accepted as part of the community. At the end of the day I am proud of my work I put in and I can only hope you, the readers, have enjoyed it.

While it is difficult leaving family and a place I’ve grown to love over the last 24-plus years, it is time to move on. Beginning Dec. 5 I will begin my new job as the communications director for the City of Sikeston where I will be able to continue to tell the story of the community, just in a different way.

The newspaper will never be far from my heart and I will forever be indebted to those I’ve mentioned and the countless others I haven’t. To everyone I’ve worked with and covered over the years, I owe you a great deal of gratitude.

Thank you.

David Jenkins is the co-editor of the Standard Democrat.