New Beginnings: Lou McCall’s Shoes will be big ones to fill.
Not many people have the privilege of receiving a free quality newspaper in their mailbox every month with stories written by everyday people from their communities. Questa Del Rio News has offered that service for five years because of a strong vision to protect local news and help others stay informed. As she prepares for her transition from Questa Del Rio News editor to other endeavors, I would like to thank the person who helped start it all and who has stayed true to that vision. The person who has made an impact on news coverage in northern Taos County — Lou McCall.
I had the privilege of working with Lou as a journalism student in 2021 with my summer internship with Questa Del Rio News. It was a beneficial, and truly eye-opening experience. I learned useful skills that would help me become a reporter and now an editor for my college paper. I saw firsthand the impact that a small-town paper has on a community and how it has brought so many people together whether they are locals or former residents wanting to stay in touch.
It was the relationship that I formed with Lou that really made me enjoy my time on her team. She was an excellent mentor who believed in me and provided valuable guidance. Her leadership and knowledge helped us produce a monthly paper that readers look forward to seeing every month.
In the coming new year, Questa Del Rio News will be under new leadership as Lou steps down.
Lou’s service and dedication these last five years will be missed. However, it’s also an exciting time for the paper as a new editor will have the opportunity to bring in their ideas and enhance the groundwork that has already been laid. As Lou says, “…take the paper to the next level.”
I hope that whomever takes the position, they realize the importance of local reporting and how this community has been impacted by it for the greater good. Other publications and media outlets have tried to cover our culture, traditions, and history but nothing compares. Questa Del Rio News is strongly rooted in the community it serves and has been successful because of its dedication to local reporting and focusing on the people who would otherwise be left out by the mainstream.
Our little newspaper is proof that local news is still alive and important! Right now, we see an upsetting trend in local newspapers shutting down across the country due to the influence of large media corporations. In a time when journalism is needed more than ever, our little local paper can and has led by example.
We have Lou to thank for that!
I am proud to have been a part of this publication during my short time here, especially under the leadership of Lou. Her service to our community is beyond commendable. She is more than just our news editor; she is our friend. We wish her all the best in the coming new year.
Ernesto Cisneros,
Managing Editor, NMSU Round Up
