They are a changin'

Let it snow indeed.

Jacksonville was graced with the presence of a rare visitor on Wednesday. All across campus, the red bricks of the buildings contrasted beautifully with the bright white on the ground.

While driving conditions were dangerous and temperatures were frigid, reporter Bethany Harbison and all-around-good guy Matt McRae went around town and snapped some fantastic photos of the scenery, which we have in a slideshow on our Web site.

It was a nice change of scenery to say the least.

Speaking of change, that's a popular word these days. The presidential candidates are throwing the word around left and right (no pun intended) in the hopes that the promise of a new America will sway discontent voters in their favors.

We've had quite a few changes around the paper ourselves.
Toni Merriss has a great new opportunity to pursue her career in Nebraska, leaving yours truly in charge. We all wish Toni the best.

Bethany has moved into News Editor position vacated by Brandon Hollingsworth, who has gone back to his first love in radio. You can listen to him again on weekday mornings on NPR's Morning Edition. He will still contribute articles to the paper as Commentary Editor, and you can still read his Saturday science blog from our site.

Suffice it to say, Bethany is more than capable of filling the News Editor's shoes.

We also have a new Features Editor, Julie Skinner. She will be blogging on Fridays about health.

Jered Staubs and Jared Gravette will double-team the sports department this semester. Coverage of the Gamecocks is in good hands, I can assure you.

Eager young go-getter Webb Dillard (I couldn't resist) is now on staff, doing anything and everything. As Multimedia Editor, he has already edited our first weekly Podcast.

We also now have Sudoku puzzles so you can pass time in class. Solutions to the puzzles are also on our site.

Yay for convergence. Yay for progress. Yay for snow.

Hope you enjoy the first issue back. See you next week.