VOICES From Cañon City crime reporter to your editor: my 10-years so far as a journalist

Th e other day, I was bingewatching some “Dateline” reruns and one of the episodes that came on was about a story that I had also covered early in my career.

It was about a man whose first wife died suspiciously when a car fell on top of her as she was changing a tire. A judge ruled it was an accident – and questions arose when the man was accused (and later convicted) of murdering his second wife while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.

It got me thinking about all the stories I’ve told and edited through my years as a journalist. Then it dawned on me that I have a special anniversary this month. July marks a decade as a full-time journalist.

The prelude to my career was a short internship under the guidance of Rowena Alegria, who was the editor and publisher of the now-folded Viva Colorado newspaper. Alegria is still serving the community as the founder and director of the Denver Office of Storytelling. Then there was my three-month internship abroad in Madrid, Spain, in which I wrote for a small website company that helped people settle abroad. On my return, my journalism career began in earnest, in the summer of 2013, in Cañon City, Colorado. Wow, I got to cover some interesting stories right from the start. I

FROM THE EDITOR

to Dr. David VanSickle, the neurosurgeon who performed my dad’s deep brain stimulation surgery to alleviate some of his Parkinson’s symptoms.

Christy Steadman

was the cops-andcrime reporter for the Cañon City Daily Record. No, I did not tour the “Alcatraz of the Rockies’’ in Florence, but I reported my fair share of county court proceedings, including some heinous crimes, ranging from arson and theft to rape and murder. My friends in Denver always asked me to bring them newspapers when I visited because the true crime I reported on was up to par with anything fictional. Though I loved my job in Cañon City, I had a hard time making friends out there, with it being a small town and most of the people I was exposed to were those in the courthouse being accused of some sort of felonious criminal activity. So, after about a year, I found out that Colorado Community Media was hiring a reporter for the Highlands Ranch Herald. I applied, got the job, and came back to the Denver area.

Highlands Ranch was full of great stories, as it is today. I vividly remember covering a pink chair painting effort for breast cancer awareness. I also met a Holocaust survivor. And, I did a story about the woman who ultimately led me

Then I moved to my next adventure, reporting for another CCM newspaper, the Golden Transcript. I fell in love with Golden, and have so many fond memories, from Buffalo Bill Days and Colorado Whitewater’s kayak rodeos to the Candlelight Walk and holiday parades. Of course, there was also a good dose of news from city council and planning and zoning issues. I covered the discovery of Baculite fossils during the Linking Lookout road construction project. I got to know a lot about Golden’s small businesses and breweries, local Sherpas (during the April 2015 Nepal earthquake), county issues and the history of the Transcript on its 150th anniversary. I recall the opening of a time capsule and putting newspapers with my stories in it for the next time it’s opened. And there’s more. I flew in a WWII fighter jet, reported on the USA Pro Challenge’s inaugural women’s cycling race, and covered Coors, skate park renovations, the Golden Lions Club, Colorado School of Mines. I could go on and on.

Then came another opportunity when the former editor of CCM’s monthlies (Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile) announced she was moving out-ofstate. I was encouraged to apply and it was probably the hardest decision I’ve made thus far in my career because it meant leaving Golden. But, ultimately, I did so for three main reasons: 1) I already knew I loved Denver. Who doesn’t?

2) I would get to learn new skills as an editor. And, 3) I was staying local, so I could visit Golden anytime I wanted.

Little did I know that COVID was on its way and three months later, would lock down the entire world.

Denver welcomed me with socially-distanced open arms, as only Denver could. It’s exciting to be celebrating my 10 years with readers of Life on Capitol Hill and the Washington Park Profile. It’s fun to share the stories of the local artists and authors whose works offer joy and education to all. I enjoy learning about the nonprofits that work tirelessly to make Denver be the best that it can be. I love telling the stories of neighbors who care so deeply about their community. And I’m looking forward to the many more stories to come — and always welcome tips from you. Being a journalist is the best job there is, in my opinion, because it’s everything one could ask for in a career. It’s rewarding. It’s challenging. It’s exciting. I wouldn’t change it for anything.