Welcome Back, Bigelbach

The Glasgow Courier welcomed back Michelle Bigelbach on March 7.

Bigelbach returns to the Courier to take up the mantle of Publisher/Editor after a hiatus of just over a year from the paper. She first joined the Courier in the summer of 2016 as Copy Editor. She moved into writing after demonstrating an ability for editing without sacrificing the original tone of an article.

Bigelbach said she made the move "grudgingly" because as a new resident of the area "I didn't feel I could provide the voice for the community."

Nearly six years later, that concern has fallen by the wayside as Bigelbach has immersed herself in Glasgow and embraced her family's life here. She laughed as she recounted her initial reaction upon moving to Glasgow for her husband's, Brandon, career with the National Weather Service in June of 2015.

"One year. I'll give you one year here and then we're moving." Bigelbach, who hails from Brooklyn Center, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis, was hesitant about small-town life. Her college years were spent in St. Cloud, Minn., and post-graduation she and Brandon lived in Grand Forks, N.D., until their move to the Middle of Nowhere, areas slightly more populous than Glasgow.

The two arrived in Glasgow with their two-week old daughter, MacKenzie, and an agreement for Brandon to continue job searching. MacKenzie is now nearing completion of her first-grade year at Irle School and in the interim, the family welcomed a son, Chandler, "the only 'local'" of the family. Chandler will begin his formal schooling in the fall of 2023.

Both of the younger Bigelbachs are excited for their mother's return to the newspaper. "I am so excited for Mommy to write stories on the different things my friends and I are involved in! She is a great writer!" enthused MacKenzie.

Chandler, with a four-year-old's wisdom, added, "I am very happy for Mommy!"

Bigelbach, in addition to working, serves as the Chair of the Friends of the Library and is in her final year with the Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital Foundation Board. She also volunteers with the Irle School Parent Teacher Organization.

In returning to the Courier, Bigelbach brings her community connections as well as award-winning experience. Before leaving her previous position with the paper, she was honored by the Montana Newspaper Association, winning first place for Best Breaking News as well as awards for continuing news coverage.

In looking at the news and events happening in Valley County, she had previously noted, "There are so many other things going on in the community that need to be recognized. The people of Valley County that are making these great things happen need to be profiled too."

As she settles into her new position, Bigelbach acknowledges it will take time for her to adjust and bring the Courier back to the community newspaper readers expect. However, her passion for the area and her drive to make the paper better motivates her.

" ... there are SO many things happening, SO many people involved in these great things, that putting pen to paper to computer to newspaper makes telling these stories week after week easy."