The Rossland News has two new faces in the office this month.
Arne Petryshen will take on the role of reporter/editor this week, and Monika Smutny took over administration and sales very recently.
Petryshen, who graduated from Lethbridge University after studying journalism, has been practising his skills at the Grand Forks Gazette since December. He is now leaping over the mountains to Rossland with his first day being August 18.
“I’m pretty excited,” he said. “It will be fun to test myself.”
Petryshen originally hails from Cranbrook and can’t wait to start his new life in Rossland.
“I love the outdoors – biking and I’m looking forward to skiing in winter.”
What kind of imprint he’ll put on the Rossland News, he says is too early to say.
“It’s been such a short turnaround time.”
He starts this week and will be saying hello to his new community in the next issue.
Smutny moved to Rossland with her family, from the Silverton/New Denver area on August 1 and started at the News that following Friday.
“This is more like home to me,” she said. “I grew up in Kimberley. I don’t see this as a challenge. Sales is new but living in a mountain town is very comfortable.”
She worked for Black Press in Nakusp as office manager and also did some freelance writing while at the Arrow Lakes News.
“I’m up for meeting new people and getting to know the mountains around here.”
An avid skier, Smutny has two kids, age seven and nine, who are both into biking. She also has a 17-year-old attending college in Nelson.
“The kids love it here.”
The Rossland News is owned by Black Press which publishes award winning newspapers in Canada and the U.S. including: 36 newspapers in northern and southern B.C., 18 on Vancouver Island, and 17 in the Lower Mainland. Black Press also produces the Red Deer Advocate, the Honolulu Star Advocate, and the Ohio Akron Beacon Journal, and owns Sound Publishing in Washington state.