After more than 15 years as senior editor of the Times & Free Press, Christine Reid has resigned from the staff, effective Dec. 30.

She’s accepted the position of assistant district attorney in Garfi eld County, starting work there Jan. 10.

“I’ve been associated with the paper in some form or fashion since 1986, when I started here a year out of college, so this wasn’t an easy decision to make,” she said.

“But the timing was right to put my law license back to work and I’m really looking forward to that opportunity.”

Reid holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, with a minor in journalism and worked at the newspaper until 1993, when she left to take a temporary job as city editor at the now defunct Broken Arrow Scout.

She left that position to complete law school at Oklahoma City University, graduating summa cum laude in 1996.

After working eight years as an assistant district attorney in Garfield and Blaine counties, she returned to Kingfisher to work as an associate attorney at Harrison & Mecklenburg Inc. and then as Kingfisher city attorney.

Reid returned to the TImes & Free Press as editor in 2007 and has been a fixture here since that time, covering meetings and events, writing feature stories and investigative pieces and designing and laying out Page 1.

“Christine always has been an asset to our news department and we’re sorry to see her go,” Publisher Barry Reid said.

“But we’re excited that she has this opportunity and we wish her well in her new endeavor.”

Reid described the staff and management of the Times & Free Press as “outstanding.”

“In terms of integrity, talent and dedication, I would put our small crew up against any newspaper of any size,” she said, noting that most of the staff have been with the paper for 25 years or more.

“I was one of many long-timers on staff and we’ve got a lot of shared history,” Reid said.

“Brenda Slater, Robin Johnston and Barry Reid were all here when I started in 1986 and Michael Swisher and Jeremy Ingle joined us not long after that.

“Together, we’ve taken the paper from physical paste-up to desktop publishing to digital pagination and an online presence.”

The fact that the newspaper has continued its long history of twice-a-week publication even as other community newspapers have shut their doors is a testament to the staff, she said.

“Being the publisher of the state’s oldest, continuously- published newspaper is not a responsibility that Barry Reid has ever taken lightly, and that was never more evident than over the last three challenging years,” she said.

“I’ve never been prouder to work with a group of people than while watching all of our staff pull together during the pandemic to make sure our readers didn’t miss a single issue of their newspaper, even during a two-week period when every single one of us was infected.”

The county has avoided the fate of many of its neighboring communities, where local newspapers have become a thing of the past and residents have to rely on social media or an occasional local story in state newspapers or TV broadcasts.

“You can get the highlights on social media – plus great photos and even video – but this is the only place you’ll find indepth coverage of county news and sports, plus Gary Reid’s commonsense editorials,” Reid said.

“Being thorough, fair and accurate, while also providing a great read, is business as usual at this newspaper and I have no doubt that will continue,” she added.

“Our awesome storytellers Michael Swisher and Twila Adams will still be on the job in the news department, with contributions from Barry and Gary.”

Reid added that her job also was made easier by the “tremendous support” the community has always shown the newspaper.

“I’ve had the privilege of developing great professional relationships with our local businesses, community leaders, law enforcement and ordinary citizens doing extraordinary things,” she said.

“I appreciate everyone who’s ever entrusted me to tell their stories.”