EAST COAST FLAIR

While some of you may already know me, it’s only polite to introduce myself to all of Bremerton at once.

I’ve been with the Central Kitsap Reporter more than a year and now it’s time to add another feather to my cap: Bremerton Patriot staff writer. That’s right, this Silverdale gal is invading the city of Bremerton.

My beats at the CK Reporter include business, cops and fire, among other things, and I’ll work those same beats in Bremerton. One new assignment for me is Bremerton City Council. I’m excited to check out the city council meetings and get a peek at Bremerton’s inner workings.

Now that you know I’ll be hanging around Bremerton, here’s a little bit about myself that you may or may not find interesting.

Born and raised in Virginia, I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for more than a year. I picked up my life, put it in my red Chevy Cavalier and drove the 3,000-plus miles to the West Coast in February 2007. Why would someone up and move across the country, you ask? You guessed it, my husband is a member of the Navy, a submariner to be exact.

My husband and I are suckers for animals, so we are quickly turning our Silverdale apartment into a small zoo. We have two large dogs, a guinea pig and fish are looming in the near future.

As for my professional background, I graduated from Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va. December 2006. I have a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in communication studies.

I originally set out to be an English teacher, but instead decided to follow my passion for journalism. Journalism has been a passion of mine since high school. I worked with both my high school and college newspapers. I served as staff writer, layout editor and eventually became editor-in-chief of Veritas, Bridgewater College’s student newspaper. I served as editor-in-chief for two years. The stressful position proved to be very rewarding and gave me lots of journalism experience.

While at Bridgewater, I completed two internships, one at a local television station and the other at three weekly publications known as The Journals. I covered everything from business spotlights to town council elections and enjoyed every minute of it. In the end, print journalism won my heart and here I sit behind a desk in a newspaper office.

I’ll admit it, I did not like it out here in Washington at first. I was extremely homesick, missing everything from my family and friends to sweet tea and Cracker Barrel restaurants (If anyone knows of a Cracker Barrel closer than Idaho, let me know). But as time goes on, Kitsap County is really growing on me and I rather like it here. Now, if only I can get my entire family to move out here, then I’d really have it made.

As with all military families, the prospect of relocation is great. My husband reenlisted for another five years last fall and, provided his command does not move, we’ll be here for a few more years.

So get used to me Bremerton. I’m going to be sticking around for a while.

Rachel Brant can be contacted at rbrant@bremertonpatriot.com.