I would like to reach out to all the friendly readers of the Times-Republican and take the time to introduce myself. My name is Susanna Meyer, and I will be both a new addition to the Times-Republican team as a reporter and a new resident of Marshalltown who can’t wait to serve this charming community.

Before I relocated to Marshalltown, I lived in Centennial, CO. Colorado is where I grew up, and the thing I’ll miss most about it is the Rocky Mountains. Aside from their snow capped brilliance, I always knew which way was west — a compass is now at the top of my shopping list.

Even though I’ll be missing those mountains, I certainly won’t miss the bumper-to-bumper traffic that covers Colorado roads daily. I’ll trade Colorado’s mountains for Iowa’s traffic (or lack thereof) any day.

I am the youngest of eight siblings, three sisters and four brothers. Though most of my family still remains in Colorado, I am lucky enough to have one of my sister’s living just 40 minutes away in Ames.

The 29th annual Holiday Stroll just so happened to be going on the first evening I was in Marshalltown, and what a great welcome it was. After a long day of unpacking on Saturday, I was delighted to go out and explore Main Street amidst the delightful backdrop of the Holiday Stroll. It was a wonderful introduction to Marshalltown’s community, and allowed me to glimpse just a small part of what Marshalltown is all about. I am excited to hit the streets and experience everything this town has to offer firsthand.

I’m so grateful for this opportunity, as writing has been a passion of mine since I was very young. From the moment I learned how to hold a pencil, I wanted to write. It progressed from terrible twists on classical fairy tales to original fiction to writing research papers for school. Throughout all these writing experiences, I enjoyed putting the words to paper. Finally, just about a month ago, I came across a job posting for a reporting position at the Times-Republican. I was lucky enough to be offered this position, and I now have the pleasure of covering the news and conveying it to the reader.

I sincerely hope I will have the opportunity to get to know you all, and I look forward to meeting you.