By Ashley Babbitt
Managing Editor

Cub reporter-turned-head honcho in just a few short months.

Then head-honcho started turning heads once weekly opinion pieces began to hit the presses.

My time spent at The Evening Sun has been fantastic; in that anything that has happened in my life since beginning the job, is relatable to a newsroom event or a story that was published.

Managing Editor isn’t simply a job description, title or face of a newspaper. There is so much more behind the scenes that readers don’t get the pleasure of delving into.

Despite all that, I wouldn’t trade this journey I’ve taken for anything.

I remember when the masses were riled up when I wrote about how dancing at the Jefferson Memorial is not lawful.

I recall being present for the first escape from the current Norwich Police Department. She jumped out the window and Detective Reuben Roach and I located her soon after.

Well, it wasn’t long after she jumped out of the window, that I agreed – for some reason – to jump out of a perfectly functional aircraft for the ‘fun’ of it.

Goodness, I would do that every day if could, as a reminder to spend your time living for a living.

But let’s not make this long and sappy; let’s cut it down to brass tacks.

Today is my final edition of The Evening Sun as Managing Editor.

Thank you to all the faithful subscribers who have not only sent me positive letters and emails, but gifts as well. That was unnecessary, but very much appreciated and I’ll forever cherish them.

Any frequent reader of our product could easily see that my topics of interest were crime, court, law … anything that raised my blood pressure a little bit.

Below is an excerpt from a column I wrote and was published in 2014. I interviewed a convicted drug dealer in the local jail, and he told me that the problem is the demand, not the supply. He said he would like to see in-patient treatment facilities in Chenango.

‘Did you all catch that part? The out-of-towner poisoning your community is gone, and won’t be back.

You know what’s not gone? Heroin. Addiction. And the heartbreak caused by the two. Your 30-year-old son is still shooting heroin in his veins. The teenage girl and her friends down the street may break into your garage next week so they can buy a bundle from the Norwich native who is selling out of his apartment around the corner.

Agree with me or not, but I’m with Barry on this one. The method in place isn’t working. It won’t work. Long-term, inpatient treatment, education, and a little compassion just might.’

Sidenote: It only takes a weekend trip to an establishment that serves alcohol to witness hand-to-hand drug transactions conducted by well-known local folks.

Four years ago, I published what follows:

‘First and foremost, life is absurd. I immediately thought of Albert Camus' “The Myth of Sisyphus.” Sisyphus was punished by the gods and was made to roll a rock up a mountain each day for eternity, for the rock to just roll back down to the bottom daily – when Sisyphus would then have to start all over and do it again the next day.

What may seem like destitute circumstances or a horrible situation, there is joy to be found. Be it solely inside yourself, or something that is externally apparent, each of us is consciously choosing to live and that in itself is beautiful.

We've all got our rocks our push – and sometimes they're pretty darn heavy. But, Camus concludes with, “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”

And I do.’

Here’s to today, slowing down, suspending judgement, and breast strokes through chaos.

Now I clearly didn’t go to law school; I’m just a former psychology and chemical dependency counseling major-turned newspaper editor. But what I’ve witnessed over this past year or so of randomly attending court … there is a problem.

I’ve seen a case where a man stood accused of forcing his female blood relative to perform sexual acts on him. The man was remanded on less than $3,000 cash bail, which was posted that day.

With all my heart, I hope the man is following the piece of paper ordering him to stay away from the alleged victim.

I have seen other cases where persons charged with possessing a plant that grows in the ground is remanded with bail set sometimes three times higher than a father accused of molesting his daughter.

Maybe it’s just me — but hopefully not — there is something wrong here.

I don’t care if you’ve lived in the county your entire life, you’ve been gainfully employed for years, and you have a family … if you’re accused of a sex crime against someone, you should be removed from the situation.

If you’re accused of touching your son, you should wait it out in a cage.

If you’re accused of possessing, let’s say, marijuana, adios, be on your way. Take your case to trial.

I don’t want to see people who may be mentally ill and self-medicating thrown into jail. That’s not where those folks belong.

The folks that belong in a cage are those who have damaged life, liberty or property. And if a small child is brave enough to report a sex crime to the authorities of their own volition, the accused should be remanded to protect the alleged victim.

We all know an order of protection is just a piece of paper.

Sex crimes are not a joke. You’ve held a job for a month, but might have touched your son? Okay, if you pay $2,500, you’re free to go, and please show up again in a month.

You were found with painkillers not in a bottle? You belong in a cage until you can pay the government $7,000.

Oh, you admittedly committed a sex crime against a child and you’re a female? No worries, you’ll get less time than the male 'thanks' to your female privilege. Your bail while your case was pending was undoubtedly lower, too.

Perhaps you’re alleged of a sex crime, but have a parent who holds a position held in high regard in the community. Your bail will most likely be lower as well as your sentence. Your father is a CEO and you’ve been plead guilty to molesting a minor? No worries, you’ll just serve weekends.

Maybe it’s just me, but that’s not only backwards, it’s absolutely disgusting.

Justice isn’t blind.

Correct me if I’m wrong, Lady Justice atop the Chenango County Courthouse is not wearing a blindfold. Her eyes are wide open and she’s playing the game.

The political game, the socioeconomic game, the race game, the gender game. Justice is not a game. It’s not a joke.

These are people’s lives here. Victims who will never be whole, if the alleged person accused of a sex crime is in fact guilty. Individuals who are medically ill and self-medicate, but are treated worse than someone accused of vile actions.

Justice here — or anywhere — isn’t blind; but she certainly isn’t seeing straight.

In another vein, my mother wrote a note twenty years ago that she intended to give to her three children. While she did not literally deliver the letter to us, the major tenets in the letter have a lot to do with who I am today. She gave me the physical copy of the letter approximately a month ago.

I will not use my mother’s exact words, I’ll put the typical “Ashley spin” on it as she taught me to be my own person, but I feel as though this might hit the nail on the head for all of you moving on today.

• Don’t take for granted what you have, be it family, friends, pets, material items (if that’s your thing), your education.

• Love one another. Hatred breeds only more hate. If you each respect that you all come from different walks of life, and embrace that with a feeling of love, your generation could be the one to make real change.

• Life isn’t fair. You’ll be dealt cards you don’t think you deserve. You’ll want to fold. Don’t let the things that knock you down knock you out. Sometimes you’re dealt a hand with seemingly nothing to offer because you don’t have a straight or full house, but then realize those two heart cards … they were meant for you.

• Educate yourself, for with that comes strength and confidence. Rather than, “I learned that from so-and-so,” be able to say, “That swing set, I learned how to build that myself. And someday, a skyline will be plastered with skyscrapers.” Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with mentors and teachers, but there is a wonderful sense of fulfillment when you learn something on your own, start to finish.

• Work. Work your body, mind and soul. We’re all going to die. Every day is one day less. Don’t let your future job be your life. Yes, please have a job and become a productive member of society, but work isn’t only your profession. Allow yourself time for yourself. Sit in a tree and think. Go to a gym. Do yoga. Sit cross-legged on your living room floor for an hour and reflect.

•People often say “Life is too short.” Well, can you name me one thing you do that’s longer? Maybe you can, and that would be fantastic. At any rate, you never know when someone’s last day will be on Earth. You don’t know when your last day will be. Don’t hold too many grudges. Loved ones die, that’s part of this journey. Some of you may have already lost your parents, grandparents, a sibling or close friend. Dealing with death is hard. Reach out if you need help with the grieving process, there is no shame in that.

• Be strong enough to admit when you are wrong. Believe me, you will be wrong. Yet be determined enough when you are right.

• Follow your instincts, they tend to be right. If after a college party on your walk back to campus seems like it may be sketchy to you, go a different route. Call a friend. Call a cab.

• Remember, no one is perfect. Don’t let anyone make you think they are.

• Money is not everything.

•Make yourself your top priority, and be your own best friend. Stand up for yourself. Hold your head high, because you are amazing.

• Help the less fortunate. Most of you are probably playing with your smartphones in class, or taking selfies in the bathroom, but remember that there are people all across the globe — including this country, maybe even this county — that don’t have fresh water. They aren’t able to shower daily. Meals are acquired from dumpsters. If you can help someone out, do it.

•Take hikes and enjoy nature. Spend time in the sun. Play hide and seek in tall grassy field with your best friends. Sidenote: Make sure you’re not trespassing on private property when you do so.

•Own pets and show them love. While they will be in your life for maybe a decade and a half, you will be their entire life.

• Do not settle for something in life because you feel as though you have to. Dream. Set goals. Start small. Demand excellence of yourself, because all of you beautiful people deserve it.

• Remember that everyone makes mistakes. The key is to learn from them. Think before you act.

• Don’t trust everyone. There are some slimy people in the real world. I’m sure you’ve all encountered some already. Keep yourself safe.

• Have fun. Go on trips, even if they’re just day trips somewhere. If you so desire, travel the world. Try skydiving. Bungee jumping. White water rafting. Ride a camel.

• Maintain relationships with good friends and confidants, they’ll be that wave you need that pushes you back to the shore when you feel like you’re drowning.

• Generate your love.

And finally, while your branches are sprouting out in this life, do not forget your roots. You can’t become the tree someone wants to photograph and put on Instagram without them.

Well, ES readers, it’s time for me to follow my head, my heart, and my principles. Know that every single paper I’ve built has been for you.

[Insert awkward ‘goodbye’ dialogue here, that I’m not all that comfortable with.]

Tyler Murphy will be taking the reins. He can be contacted at tmurphy@evesun.com or news@evesun.com.