The Tryon Daily Bulletin has new leadership in the editorial department. Samantha Hurst has joined the staff as editor.
Hurst’s responsibilities will include directing the Bulletin’s news coverage, writing news and feature stories and handling special publications such as “Appointments,” the Bulletin’s monthly equestrian publication.
“I’m anxiously looking forward to the opportunity of becoming immersed in such a historic area as Polk County,” Hurst said. “It’s refreshing to see a community that so whole-heartedly takes ownership of its newspaper.”
Hurst, whose hometown is Huntsville, Ala., spent the past four years at the Shelby County Reporter, a large weekly paper serving the largest county in Alabama. She served first as a staff reporter before being promoted to lifestyles editor and then associate editor of special publications.
As associate editor of special publications, Hurst coordinated the planning and publishing of three glossy magazines, “Shelby Living,” “Wellness Alabama” and “Bride Guide: Shelby County.”
Hurst graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in political science.
“We are fortunate to have a journalist of Samantha’s caliber to lead our news team,” said Betty Ramsey, president and publisher of the Bulletin. “She understands community journalism and the close relationship we have with our readers and I’m excited about the development of our news content under Samantha’s leadership.”
Hurst joins managing editor Barbara Tilly, reporter Leah Justice and community news editor Malia Ferguson in the Bulletin’s editorial department.
The Bulletin is owned by Tryon Newsmedia LLC, which purchased the 83-year-old newspaper from former owner and publisher Jeff Byrd at the end of September 2010.