We are hoping he comes back some day, but this week we say thanks, so long and good luck to reporter Joseph Charpentier.

Joe, as we call him, has been covering some of the most intricate stories in the region for the past five years. From the planned school project to Eastside Waterfront Park, and several other issues and stories that usually end up on the front page of this newspaper, he has done an outstanding job of explaining what is going on at meetings and what it means to the readers.

It wasn’t easy for him to leave. One of the story topics he has covered in the past couple of years has been affordable housing and the lack thereof. When he decided to move from his home in Bath, he searched high and low for another place for his family to live. He found nothing within an hour’s commute and affordable for the five Charpentiers. He tried and did well commuting the past two months from his new home – in Wilton – but the stress on his family and the hour and 40-minute drive were too much to accept.

He told us three weeks ago of his decision and that he got a new job at the Sun Journal in Lewiston – an hour’s drive. We accepted it with regret and sorrow. He told us that he would like to return to the newspaper some day but, for now, the Lewiston community will soon be reading his articles on crime, courts and police. And our search goes on to try and replace Joe … a fine young reporter who will be missed, not only by the newspaper family but by our readers and the groups he covered since June 2017.

We have advertised for a full-time reporter this month but no one with experience has applied. We’re hoping another Joseph Charpentier is just waiting to submit a resume.

We were lucky to have you, Joe. Come back when you can.