The Democrat newsroom has undergone some personnel changes in the last few weeks, putting two familiar faces into reporting roles.
Bryan Everson has been hired as the new sports editor and Skye Melcher has moved into a new role as the education and county government reporter. Both started their new positions within the last few weeks.
“While employee changes can be difficult to navigate, I’m excited these recent changes involve two journalists our Sedalia readers are already familiar with,” Editor Nicole Cooke said. “I’m glad Bryan is returning to Sedalia, and it’s great to see an intern turn into a full-time reporter, as is the case with Skye. I’m confident both of them will help us continue to provide quality news coverage for West Central Missouri.”
Everson takes over for Alex Agueros, the Democrat’s long-time sports editor who left in August for a new job.
Originally from Olathe, Kansas, Everson graduated in 2012 from Oakland University in Michigan with a Bachelor’s in journalism. He previously worked for MichiganPreps.com as an editor and recruiting analyst, and as the Sports Editor for Gazette Media Group in Troy, Michigan. As a Kansas City area native, Everson is a fan of the Chiefs, Royals and Kansas Jayhawks.
Everson worked for the Democrat as a sports reporter from 2018-19 before heading to another Phillips Media-owned newspaper, the Marshfield Mail, to take on the sports editor role. Earlier this month, he returned to the Democrat newsroom.
“As a Kansas City native, remaining in a sports market that’s been a part of my life since childhood is really enjoyable,” Everson said. “I’ve already enjoyed rekindling some relationships with coaches and ADs and look forward to making new ones while continuously bringing our readers great coverage.”
Everson will be covering high school sports in West Central Missouri along with coverage of State Fair Community College. He can be contacted at bryane@sedaliademocrat.com or 660-530-0142.
Melcher is taking over the education and county beats for Ryan Sheehan, who left the Democrat earlier this month for a new job.
Melcher, a Smith-Cotton alumna, graduated in May from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg where she studied digital media production with an emphasis in journalism. She spent her summer as a news intern at the Democrat, which turned into a part-time general assignment reporting job while she pursued a full-time position. With Sheehan’s departure, she transitioned into a full-time reporting role at the Democrat.
“I’m excited to begin my new position at the Democrat after completing my internship,” Melcher said. “I can’t wait to work with Pettis County and the schools in the area.”
Melcher covers all things education in Sedalia and Pettis County, as well as providing county government news coverage. She also assists with general assignment and feature coverage. She can be reached at skyem@sedaliademocrat.com or 660-530-0144.
