There will be another changing of the guard at the Bonnyville Nouvelle as reporter Kristen Oelschlagel is officially stepping up and taking over the editor position from the departing Mike Pickford.
Oelschlagel, who moved to the Lakeland in November of 2014 from Hanover, ON, has been an integral part of the Nouvelle newsroom for the past nine months.
She is ecstatic at the opportunity to take over the reigns from Pickford and ensure the Nouvelle continues to provide the region with the most up-to-date news possible.
“I am honoured to be able to take the next step in my career and assume the role of editor,” said Oelschlagel. “I know I have some big shoes to fill (literally and figuratively) but I am excited for this challenge.”
While Oelschlagel is pleased as punch, Pickford is down in the dumps having to walk away from a community that provided him with so many great memories over his two and a half years in the region.
“Having spent the past few years of my life in Bonnyville, it's safe to say I've developed a real appreciation for this community. I've built friendships and relationships that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” said Pickford, pausing for a moment to wipe away a tear. “The Lakeland is a wonderful and unique area and I feel blessed to have been able to call this place home. While I will miss the people and the places, the time has come for me to move on.”
Pickford isn't leaving the region on his own accord. His current work permit expired on Aug. 17, and due to a slow government renewal process he wasn't able to get the proper paperwork in time.
His nearly three year stint at the Nouvelle saw him cover a wide variety of events, issues and beats. According to Pickford, he felt quite at home in any situation, whether it was the council chambers or the hockey rink.
“From bringing you all the gossip from bi-weekly Town Council meetings to following the Cold Lake Ice as they recorded back-to-back-to-back NEAJBHL championships, I've thoroughly enjoyed filling you in on all the weekly comings and goings of the community,” said Pickford. “It has been a blast.”
Pickford's unfortunate departure will leave a temporary void in the Nouvelle newsroom. For the time being the writing and reporting will be left up to Oelschlagel and senior reporter Andrew Mendler.
While the next few months won't be easy, Oelschlagel feels the current newsroom has what it takes to continue providing the best coverage in the Lakeland.
“The Bonnyville Nouvelle has always been the best source for news in the community, and as the new editor, I will strive to maintain that standard,” said Oelschlagel. “Our supplementary paper, the Lakeland Regional, has come along way in the past few months and I look forward to continually growing the Regional with new, exclusive stories each week.”
