How long have you lived (or done business) in Clovis? If you are not a native why did you chose Clovis?

I have lived in Clovis for 8 years.  Before that we lived in what I refer to as “the Clovis Foothills.”   Clovis was where we worked, shopped, played and did business.  I always loved the family friendly events, small town feel and the strong community that Clovis offers.

There are many communities where you could have chosen to start a paper. Why Clovis?

It was purely by coincidence.  Clovis was a quickly growing city with no newspaper due to the sell off and closing down of the former Clovis Independent. In 2009 my husband was approached with the idea of starting a community newspaper. I don’t know why anyone would think that we qualified for this as we both only had experience in print media sales. However, I had a passion for community papers and my own idea of what one should include and accomplish. It started out as a hobby and grew from there. Now, 10 years later, we consider ourselves the true “Voice of Clovis.”

Clovis is full of events year-round. Which is your favorite and why?

There are so many that it is hard to choose just one.  However, if I had to choose one I would say the “Back to School Bash” hosted by Sierra Vista Mall. Simply because it truly exemplifies the meaning of “The Clovis Way of Life.”  It is so gratifying to see a whole community come together to create a fun filled event for children in our community.  While meeting the needs of children in need of school backpacks and supplies.

You have a friend visiting Clovis. Where is the one place you have to take them for a favorite meal?

That depends on what meal and what type of food they were in the mood for.  It would definitely be a local family owned restaurant.  Clovis has such a large amount of choices that it would be difficult to choose just one.  I would hope to have a week to take them on a food tour of Clovis.

What does the Clovis Way of Life mean to you?

The Clovis Way of Life is the willingness of our community leaders and organizations to work together alongside the people in our community in order keep Clovis the No. 1 place to live in the Central Valley. It also means living in a community where people always want to pay it forward.

What is a hidden gem in this community which you have discovered during your reporting?

The people and organizations of Clovis that work hard for the betterment of our community.  I have met so many people dedicated to Clovis and to keeping it the wonderful city that it is.

Do you have a favorite story you have covered in Clovis?

There are so many but “Clovis not just a gateway, it’s a destination.” This is because it accomplished all my goals. It talked about how much our city has grown and changed over the years.  It also conveyed my pride in our community and its events in such a way to attract visitors to the area.  It was so well written by Valerie Shelton that I entered it into the California News Publishers Association journalism awards where it received first place for best feature article.  The CNPA judges commented that after reading it they wanted to visit Clovis.

If you have the day to yourself (no work, no chores, no family commitments, no appointments) how do you spend it in Clovis?

With my Queensland Heeler walking our city’s beautiful trails and enjoying nature while visiting with neighbors. When you’re on the trails, people stop, talk, and even when they don’t know you, they’ll still take the time to stop and talk to you. And, when you’re crossing the street, people in Clovis wave you across. It leaves me feeling good about our community and feel good about the people in it.