![]() ![]() This was obviously before the COVID-19 pandemic.Īs much as technology and social media help journalists and readers connect more easily, nothing beats sitting across a table from someone. Take my advice: The only thing it will get you is higher blood pressure and frustration - when was the last time you heard someone say they changed their mind based on a Facebook argument? Lesson No. 2: Don't engage on social mediaīy trial and error, I learned the hard lesson of not engaging in a back-and-forth with people on Facebook. That now has become part of the job, something we are forced to get used to if we want to do our jobs well. When we call powerful people out, journalists often become personal targets. And we've challenged our county commission's spending of federal CARES Act money. I've criticized our elected officials for their behavior on social media. It took a lawsuit by FLORIDA TODAY to get that video made public. Things change when you have to say unflattering things or hold people accountable.ĭuring my time at FLORIDA TODAY, our Editorial Board and I have called for more transparency from Sheriff Wayne Ivey regarding his budget and the release of jail footage of veteran Gregory Edwards, who died in custody in 2018. That's easy when you're in agreement with powerful people or with the majority of your readers. The role of opinion journalists is to, well, say your opinion. I've learned a few lessons along the way: Lesson No. Three and a half years doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it was enough time to cover a global pandemic, a hurricane, two local election cycles, and start Civility Brevard, a project that sought to create better understanding among people across the political spectrum. Unfortunately, my time to do that has run out.įriday is my last day at FLORIDA TODAY before I move on to a job as an editorial board member and writer at The Miami Herald. From exciting new developments in our local downtowns, to our at-times dysfunctional political class and a sheriff who has evaded transparency, I've had my hands full.Īfter more than three years serving as FLORIDA TODAY's opinion and engagement editor, I realized I have been able to tackle only a fraction of the interesting, bizarre and inspirational stories happening in Brevard County. While we're not a bustling metropolis, I've come to appreciate there's a lot - a lot - of stuff going on here. If you've ever told anyone you live in Melbourne, Palm Bay, Cocoa or Titusville, you've probably been met with a blank stare or you've had to say something like, "I'm 45 minutes outside of Orlando." (If you live in Cocoa Beach, you know how mad you get when people call your city Cocoa and vice versa.) From an outsider's perspective, this seemed like a sleepy little community where nothing much happened outside of the space industry. When I accepted a job at FLORIDA TODAY in August of 2017, I'll admit the thought of moving to Brevard County sounded daunting. ![]() Watch Video: COVID Q&A: What to know about FDOH sign ups in Brevard ![]()
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