Jonathan Meyer.

One of the biggest privileges of my job is covering the community that has shaped me into who I am. Working for the newspaper has been so much more than a job, it’s been a way to give back and contribute what I feel the community deserves.

I would describe myself as a civically engaged individual. I love being a part of the cool things that make us special. Part of the reason the paper has been such a fun adventure for me is taking a deeper look into the ups and downs of our community.

With this deeper look and my genuine passion for Tama-Toledo, several things came to mind. Before I share anything more I invite you to take these ideas, questions, and thoughts into consideration. The forthcoming information comes from a place of positive intent and nothing but the best wishes for all of us.

As a member of the STC class of 2022, I walked out of the gym after graduation and realized they’re probably some classmates I won’t see in town again. Even before graduation, the feeling of resentment and wanting to leave was noticeable in some of my peers.

I can’t fault young people for moving into their adult life and wanting to explore the world. I especially won’t fault people for traveling to acquire a high quality education wherever is best for them.

With those pretenses in mind, questions started popping up. What keeps young people here? What are we proud of? What factors push people away? How can our community better engage with residents?

Though I don’t know the answers to these questions, I feel it’s our responsibility to have these conversations. It’s never easy to be open to change, but small things make a huge difference. As a young person who bleeds columbia blue and black and loves his community, I invite the community to always strive to be the best we can be.