Orinda Is A Special Place. Everyone says so.
Last year, as I was voting for city council and diligently reading the candidate statements, I realized every single one expressed some version of this sentiment
I get it.
My husband Jeff and I moved here a little over five years ago from Palo Alto. With our adult daughter about to move to London and our son heading off to college, the plan was to continue working in the Bay Area until we paid off that last tuition bill, then pursue our dreams of retiring in the Sonoma wine country.
An old saying goes, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” Something happened on the way to fulfilling that dream. I found I really liked it in Orinda.
I loved Orinda’s Goldilocks not-too-hot-not-too-cold weather, the friendly neighbors I met while walking my dog and the independent film offerings and charm of the Orinda Theatre. I volunteered as a driver for Seniors Around Town and developed a genuine affection for the seniors, as well as the sunny Orinda Association staff who always made me smile when I walked into the office.
I quickly found my “tribe” of smart, funny, generous friends as we bonded over our shared passions for family, books, wine, dogs, politics, great food and more. I didn’t want to leave.
Fast forward to now.
Although my husband has since retired and we still love a weekend getaway to the wine country, Orinda has become our home.
After writing for local papers for over two decades, I’ve always thought editing one would be an ideal job. I love writing about people and journalism suits my curious personality. I’ve always known that small town papers can have big impacts, covering important city issues and events, promoting non-profits and highlighting local achievements.
With all of this in mind, I believe it was divine intervention when Sally Hogarty recruited me to take over for her as executive editor upon her retirement.
Throughout her 29 years at The Orinda News, Sally ushered in great changes, leading the paper into the Internet age, implementing new technologies and taking a big risk in shifting the paper from a quarterly to a monthly publication.
Year after year, she oversaw the production of a remarkable paper on a shoestring budget, leading and inspiring a team of passionate, dedicated staff and writers.
While Sally leaves big shoes to fill, I hope to make my own mark at The Orinda News.
As always, we’ll continue to bring news about local government and community events like the annual Car Show and the 4th of July parade. We plan to do some deep dives, explaining complex issues that greatly affect Orindans, like the School Funding, the Housing Element and the Downtown Precise Plan.
We will publish more stories about the fascinating people who live in Orinda and the many amazing things they are doing. This issue introduces two new features: “A Conversation With…,” Q&As with a different extraordinary Orindan each month and “Keys to a Lasting Marriage: Insights from Couples Who’ve Been Together for a Half a Century,” which will appear a few times a year.
Finally, I’d love to hear from you, our readers. I want to know what you like about the paper, what you want to see more of, what you think we can do better and any story ideas you’d like to share. Please email me at cordova@theorindanews.com.
Also, follow us on our new Instagram page @theorindanews.
Here’s to a marvelous 2023 and beyond!
– Kathy Cordova, Executive Editor
