Conlon: 2023 for the Argus Leader will be all about the changes you'll see in ink
No doubt about it, I've had my hands full these last few weeks, learning the ropes of what it takes to be news director of the Argus Leader.
The 100-year-old-plus institution itself has been through its own set of changes in the last six months. We're smaller in size, staff and resources, but we're listening. And like all businesses, especially one with a focus on people, we must evolve to continue to thrive amid challenges.
So, if there's anything you need to know about the Argus Leader and the crew of the current nine - yes, nine - who bring you local news each day, it's these changes have forced us to look in a mirror and ask ourselves critical questions:
What's the best we can do for our community going forward? What's working? What's not?
I won't drown in the past too much. Enough ink, and plenty of grief, has been given to that already. Any Google search will show you this, and we have work to do. It is, however, time I lay out what you can expect from us as we regroup to keep giving it our all to cover a community of more than 200,000 people in Sioux Falls, and occasionally, the more than 800,000 across the state at any given moment.
And truth is, we're shifting our focus. We're looking inward to Sioux Falls and we're doing it with the growing pains, gumption and grit to proactively and inclusively serve and represent you better.
What does that look like?
That said, let me introduce my colleagues, meant to focus on the big issues in our own backyard with valuable, informative context as well as community pride and a bit of fun.
Some of these names may be familiar to you, but what topics they now explore within this community may not be. Here's a closer look at what they do, aside from myself and Erin Woodiel, our talented photojournalist:
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First, there's Symmone Gauer. An avid business reporter at heart, she'll be shifting her focus from the broader topic of business in Sioux Falls to a focused effort telling stories about real estate and development. That effort will stretch anywhere from the latest HGTV housing show to come to our great city, to affordable housing, evictions and challenges faced by those who are homeless. Don't worry. We'll be keeping Top Homes. We, too, love to see what the most expensive home is on the market sold for each week − and what kind of weird, cool or unique features are inside.
Morgan Matzen, the sole full-time education reporter in South Dakota, will continue to cover what governmental decisions affect our youngest, but her scope will broaden. She'll also explore how social issues intersect the classroom more regularly and she'll also bring you more stories about what challenges are affecting families. Her focus won't be limited to the serious, though. She also has a keen eye for highlighting community events for families to enjoy in Sioux Falls, and that's important, too.
And while you may recognize him for his annual round budget-friendly, South Dakota Halloween costumes, Trevor Mitchell also serves as our metro reporter. His reach, however, will occasionally go beyond the city limits of Sioux Falls and incorporate some county coverage between Minnehaha and Lincoln counties, too. Specifically, he'll examine how a booming city, balancing two county lines, handles those growing pains as decisions are made by elected officials. And with great curiosity, he'll continue to illustrate how those decisions fit into larger community issues.
Then there's Dominik Dausch, the editor of the Farm Forum and our agriculture and environmental reporter. Given agriculture is the No. 1 industry in South Dakota, it's only natural to make sure we keep a close eye on how political decisions and climate change affect those who grow and harvest the food we eat. I'm excited to see his work continue as he brings awareness to the challenges our farmers and ranchers face daily.
Annie Todd, currently in Pierre for her first legislative session, started as our political reporter last fall. And while it may be occasionally newsworthy to report on that tit-for-tat political spat, her focus will broaden some, too. Beyond focusing on how lawmakers' decisions affect the broader general public, she'll be elevating more of the general public's voice when it comes to those state government decisions. And she'll also focus on big business and how it plays into the political landscape of South Dakota. Like others before her, I can't wait to see how her reporting helps shape conversation about our state's future.
Trent Abrego, is one of two in our newsroom who has seen the most change in their roles. Previously, he served as a business reporter alongside Symmone. As of the new year, he now takes on the role of our rapid response reporter, handling everything from breaking news and criminal justice trends in our city, to explaining why the sky is a strange color the next time a derecho hits, to insightful community features or that weird thing that made South Dakota go viral (Yes, I'm looking at you corn stalk. I see you already making plans to grow out of that curb again this year. With all this snow, maybe you can be that hopeful sight of change to come again).
And the other, one who is last but certainly not least, Michael McCleary. If you've been paying attention, you know we also said goodbye to the legendary Matt Zimmer last week. While we're excited to know Matt will remain in the area as a sports reporter, Michael will now have the challenge of covering South Dakota sports currently as the sole sports reporter for the Argus Leader. What exactly that looks like we're still shaping, but this talented go-to journalist is up to the task. And while he can't be everywhere at once, what can be done will be stronger and more focused on bringing you Argus Leader sports content.
We'll also be bringing back Letters to the Editor occasionally on Sundays, as long as interest remains. Many of you have asked throughout the last several months whether such an avenue for a community forum had disappeared for good, given our recent changes. I've heard the desire, and understand how important that forum is for Sioux Falls. If there's something you'd like to weigh in on, I invite you to email me directly at sconlon@argusleader.com. I'll be happy to send you guidelines for getting your letter published.
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You'll also continue to see bylines from some our content partners across the state, like South Dakota News Watch, South Dakota Searchlight and even the Rapid City Journal. We may not be as large a staff as we once were, but important, informative, credible journalism is more essential than ever. We're happy to continue sharing that strong work to have a better informed society.
And there's much more to come.
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In the meantime, you'll hear more from the staff individually about what their roles mean for you, the reader, now that 2023 is in full swing. I can't wait for you to get to know my talented colleagues a bit if you don't already. And I look forward to hearing from you as well as I continue in this new role.
Will we get it wrong sometimes? You bet, but we'll do our best not to and own it when we do. But we can't keep doing more with less. We can do better with what we have.
As always, thank you for supporting us as we continue to hold accountable those who work for the public.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: 2023 for the Argus Leader will be all about the changes you'll see in ink
