Rachel Hodge is well-traveled, having lived in a lot of places - both small and large.
A native of Albany, N.Y., Hodge began her new job Monday as the Greenwood Commonwealth's new lifestyles editor. She replaces Jo Alice Hughes, who is returning to book editing.
"Greenwood is larger than some places Rachel has lived, and smaller than others," said Pat Kelly, managing editor of the Commonwealth. "With her varied experience, we know she will bring a unique perspective to our lifestyle pages that our readers will enjoy."
Hodge, 23, has lived in small towns such as Krum, Texas, population 2,632; Oxford, Miss., population 11,756; and Medway, Mass., population 12,448.
But she has also called home larger cities such as Salt Lake City, population 186,743, and of course Albany, population 93,913.
And in all that moving about, she's developed an idea about what's interesting and newsworthy to everyday people.
"I'm really interested in this particular style of writing because you write about things that are very personal to people - not what's just going on," Hodge said.
An honors graduate from the University of Mississippi, Hodge received her degree in applied science from the university in 2005.
After graduation, Hodge wrote for the Oxford Town, a weekly entertainment guide published by the Oxford Eagle newspaper.
"I wrote articles on entertainment, events and art shows - the things that were coming to town," she said.
Hodge, a 2001 graduate of West High School in Salt Lake City, said going to Ole Miss was an easy choice after graduation.
"I wanted to get away from home. My mom, Rheba Vetter, was actually born in Memphis, so it wasn't too unfamiliar for me," Hodge said.
She moved to Greenwood in October to be near her boyfriend, Stephen Adams, who teaches mathematics at New Summit School in Greenwood.
Hodge said her stepfather, Kim Morris, an old Salt Lake City newspaperman, encouraged her to apply for the Commonwealth's lifestyles editor position.
Vetter and Morris live in Maryville, Mo.
Hodge's father and stepmother, Jim Hodge and Lori Jo Klempter, live in Henderson, Nev.
