The readership of the Belleville Area Independent said goodbye to long-time editor Rosemary Otzman June 30. I’m Sarah Rigg, the paper’s new editor as of July 1.
Sarah Rigg
Here’s a bit of background about me! I’m not new to either Belleville or journalism. I started my adult career as a freelance reporter in the Kalamazoo area in the 1990s, later landing in Belleville at the Independent’s rival paper, The Belleville View, from 1999-2004. I started as a reporter and later became the editor, regularly covering Belleville City Council and Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education meetings and writing a regular opinion column called “My Two Cents.”
My experiences in Belleville were absolutely foundational to my later career and taught me so much. I’ve been reporting mostly on Washtenaw County, specifically on Ypsilanti since 2018, but it is great to be back in Belleville where it all started for me.
We have several other staffing changes on deck as well, with a new page designer and a part-time reporter, Emily Flesch, who will be helping cover the many municipal meetings in the greater Belleville area.
Additionally, we’re switching up our delivery driver lineup and adding some stops. Thanks to Lavinel Puja, store director for Meijer, for agreeing to carry the paper in the store, and thanks to the many local businesses that have carried our paper for years. If any other local businesses would like to have a bundle of the Independent delivered each week, please reach out to our Advertising Manager, Janet Millard.
Though there are many new faces at the Independent, your hometown paper won’t look too different for the next few months. We’ll still be covering school board, municipal meetings, obituaries, local crime, and more.
Over time, though, I’d love to create a paper that more closely reflects what the community wants from its hometown newspaper. Do you want to see more about local high school sports? Less crime, more “soft” news and features? More crime and cops? More photos of local activities?
Soon, we will offer an opportunity for formal feedback from the community, but in the meantime, I encourage our readers to email me, stop in the office, call, or send me a letter letting me know what you value and hope will remain in the Independent and what improvements you’d like to see us make. Reach out to me by phone at 699-9020 or by email to [email protected].
And finally, here’s an introduction from our new reporter, Emily:
Emily Flesch
Emily Flesch is a new reporter for the Belleville Independent. Emily comes to local journalism from a non-traditional background, having worked as an event coordinator, local actress and trivia host, giving her a seasoned background in public storytelling and community engagement.
Emily will be your eyes and ears at the Belleville City Council and Van Buren Township trustees meetings. As a Belleville resident herself, she’s beyond excited to be covering the outstanding residents, hidden-gem businesses, and organizations that make our community so unique.
When she’s not working, Emily is often chasing down thrills at amusement parks as a self-proclaimed roller coaster enthusiast, getting swept away in romance novels, belting out a few hits at karaoke, and searching for treasures at garage sales.
Emily is absolutely thrilled to join the Belleville Independent. Writing has always been a special passion and having the opportunity to bring the news that matters to her neighbors is a dream come true.
She looks forward to working closely with her fellow residents and collaborating directly with the community to share the stories that shape our town. If you have a story idea or would just like to say hello, you can reach her at [email protected] .