Over 800 articles, 500,000 words and counting

When I took over The Times in 2019, I was an avid newspaper reader, not a newspaper journalist. Just because you've eaten in a restaurant doesn't mean you can run one.

Michele was one of the constants as I began my new endeavor. She covered Dayton and Columbia county in a comprehensive way, as a citizen, friend, and civic member who cared about her community and journalism. You couldn't read her articles and say you weren't well informed about the issues.

Michele joined the paper in October 2015 after she and her husband, Mike, moved to Dayton in 2012, from the Tri-Cities. Before her time with...