It’s that time again for our annual year in review series, when we look back on the year of writing that was, and share some of our favorite stories with readers.
It’s been one busy year. As both Marketing and Promotions Administrator and a writer here at the Indy, I get a unique mix of projects that make their way across my desk.
Though it sounds cheesy, my favorite thing I’ve done this year is our staff highlights in the paper’s Table of Contents and online. Each week, I get to connect with my coworkers or meet someone new and try to find out something new about them — one of my favorite parts of the job!
And there were some other memorable stories I got to do — covering the Cat Therapy cat café, hearing from the legendary Anne Lamott, and even adding my opinion in the mix during the election season were some personal highlights.
Working on the big issues was also a blast. In addition to getting it all set up, writing for Burger Week and Local Heroes was a fun flex of talents. I’ve also had the pleasure of being able to table at multiple events and connect with our readers! If you stopped by at the Lemon Festival, Earth Day, or the Library Plaza opening, you might have met me in person to talk about all of the fun things the Independent has to offer.
Or I might have been telling you to sign up for my favorite newsletter, Angry Poodle Barbecue. Nick Welsh’s coverage on SpaceX, the 2024 election, and State Street has kept me thoroughly entertained. Many of our cover stories have made it into my top favorites as well: the trip “Down the Rabbit Hole” by Callie Fausey, our “Freedom Behind Bars” story by Isabelle Walker, and Ryan P. Cruz and Xavier Pereyra’s story on Santa Barbara’s first tattoo convention. I also enjoyed taking another look back at our stories from 2023 that won the California Journalism Awards.
Outside of all this, my day to day is dedicated to making sure our events and promotions run smoothly. Some of my favorites from this year were Backyard Brunch, the Indy Awards, and of course Best of Santa Barbara® and Best Fest. As the year comes to a close, I look forward to doing them all over again next year, and to some fun new additions to our classic events and promotions.
