It’s not easy to watch them leave the nest. But reporters and photographers who leave The Natchez Democrat often leave behind a newspaper richer for their tenure here, and go on to careers made brighter by their experience in our community.

Last weekend in Memphis, Tenn., I sat in a disco-themed ballroom at the Peabody and watched former Democrat photographer Melanie Duncan make her way to the front of the room several times to accept awards for her work at the Vicksburg Post.

It is not the first time I’ve seen a former employee receive awards, and it always makes me proud to know they got their start here. (The pride helps temper the sadness that another good one got away.)

In recent weeks The Democrat newsroom has lost two bright spots, sports reporter

Chuck Corder

and Louisiana editor Jessica Waldon.

Both LSU graduates (and avid Tigers fans), Chuck and Jessica made significant contributions during their time here, and both left an impression on their fellow employees and on the Miss-Lou.

Chuck’s unique sense of humor made his column &045; a first-place award winner in this year’s Louisiana-Mississippi Press Association contest &045; a weekly treat. He went on to win several awards at the Mississippi Press Association banquet held last week.

From his ready smile to the mass of hair that seemed to spring from his head, Chuck has a personality that will serve him well in his new position at the Pensacola News-Journal.

Jessica, who began her career at The Democrat covering education, won accolades for her coverage of the Natchez-Adams School District’s desegregation case, then went across the river to Louisiana to charm residents of Concordia Parish.

Jessica’s warm smile and exuberance now grace the newsroom at the Opelousas Daily World.

While we won’t forget them, we will soon welcome new reporters to our staff, and they have some big shoes to fill &045; and a staff ready to work with new talent.

Every member of The Democrat staff had a huge role in our winning this year’s first-place general excellence award for Mississippi daily newspapers of our size.

Winning awards in writing, photography, sports and design, The Democrat staff showed its versatility in just about every area.

The awards for sports &045; including a first-place for best sports section &045; were among the best showing for that section in quite some time.

But I am perhaps most proud of two awards.

Our December series &8220;Season of Wishes,&8221; highlighting the needs of local charities, won second place among all daily newspapers in the state, beating several newspapers much larger than we are.

And our summer series on economic development needs in Natchez and Adams County also earned a second-place award.

Every member of the staff contributed to those stories, so I’m proud of the teamwork &045; and the effect those stories had on our readers and our community.

Kerry Whipple

is editor of The Democrat. She can be reached at 445-3541 or by

e-mail at kerry.whipple @natchezdemocrat.com.