It isn’t in my nature to be the news, so I’ll keep this short.

Nearly four years ago, I arrived in Greenfield just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the region. I knew nobody, and frankly, having grown up in eastern Massachusetts, I knew very little of what lay west of Worcester. I even hesitate to admit that growing up, as far as I was concerned, Worcester was, in fact, western Massachusetts.

Suffice to say, I have since learned my lesson. I can now say that this region of the state — in particular, Franklin County — will always hold a special place in my heart.

And that’s what makes the next bit of news a bit difficult to share: I have accepted a new job in Belmont, where I will be the assistant editor of a new local newspaper covering municipal government, education and all aspects of daily life in the town of 26,000. It will be a small operation to start, so while I will have more editorial responsibilities than I do now, I’ll also get to continue wearing my reporter hat. My last day with the Recorder was Friday, Jan. 19.

I didn’t want to leave, however, without first taking the opportunity to thank you all for trusting me to tell your stories, even the ones that may not have been so easy to tell. I was an outsider and you let me in.

It may go without saying, but Franklin County is incredibly lucky to have not just one local news source, but a few, including the Montague Reporter and the Ashfield News. Many communities across the state aren’t quite so lucky, though I suppose if you’re reading this, I’m preaching to the choir. So, thank you for being a reader. We couldn’t do what we do without your support.

It’ll certainly be strange jumping from one of the oldest papers in the country to one of the newest, but I’m excited to be part of an effort to bring local news back to a community that’s been without it for several years. Every interaction I’ve had with a reader who wanted to pass along their gratitude for what we do at the Recorder has reminded me to never take for granted the importance local newspapers have in a community.

And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank each and every person who helped to make this little corner of Massachusetts feel like home over the past four years, whether or not they realized it. I am beyond grateful.

As Friday was my last day as a full-time reporter with the Recorder, please send any new tips you might ordinarily send to me to reporter Chris Larabee, who is taking over the Greenfield beat, at clarabee@recorder.com.