Well it's been just over a year since I came back into community journalism after diving into the corporate world of business writing and public relations. 

I started writing for The Central App eight years ago with the original owner and then Vicki McLean lured me back in October 2023.

There’s something about ‘being in the know’ in a small community, and the wider district for that matter. It's not only the satisfaction of constantly sniffing out the local goss, but also what we get to do with that information, and how we share that news to our audience in a fair and respectful way.

We are often given information in confidence - particularly from local police - and it is our responsibility to then find a way to both educate and entertain our readers, but without causing unnecessary harm or embarrassment.

Gone are the days of sitting in court writing up everyone for drink driving charges - naming and shaming is not our game. As Vicki has always said from the get go, the aim of The Central App is to make our community a better place.  

But we’re still here to ask the hard questions and keep people accountable - reporting the facts without ‘twisting’ the truth is what we constantly strive for.

I still enjoy sharing the stories that make people laugh, gasp and “tut tut” without giving away too much detail. 

Like the father of the groom recently getting caught doing burnouts on the way to the wedding. Or the guy who got threatened with police custody for running out on the Cromwell race track the day before his wedding.  

My favourite interview subject? The Year 13 YES students from Cromwell College who won the Otago final and admitted they were the ‘naughty’ kids in Year 10 that nobody thought would get anywhere.  

These are the stories that get people talking. That bring people to our app and want to tune in each day to know what else has been going on.

And what about 'Lady Cromwell’ and her Bridgerton-style letters interpreting the local government scene? We think we might know who she is, but wouldn't dare give it away - for her sake and because that's not really our job. Nobody likes a nark anyway.  

Lady Cromwell…. What will she think of next?

I’ve had a fun year in local journalism and it sounds like I’m coming back for more. Our NZ On Air funding might’ve finished but we’ve proven that the local media business model does work when you listen to your community and give them what they want. Thanks everyone for supporting the work we all do.

Keep an eye out for more entertaining content in 2025; we’re thinking about an ‘Agony Aunt’ column where people can write in for some advice, and we may even have a contender for the ‘Tinder’ Diaries for those wanting to hear about the online dating world. Because life is just too serious sometimes.