Orange Street News
VANDALISM? CORRUPTION? HAVE NO WHERE ELSE TO TURN? NO STORY TOO BIG OR SMALL THE OSN WILL INVESTIGATE! Please email news tips to Hildelysiak@gmail.com
EDITORIAL – A Final Goodbye to Selinsgrove
Hi, this is Hilde Kate Lysiak, the publisher of the Orange Street News. Many of you have reached out to me to ask why I haven’t been publishing many stories over the past two weeks. The reason; I have been busy packing up my home office and belongings. See, my family has decided to move me across the country, from Selinsgrove to the small town of Patagonia Arizona, about 18 miles from the United States Mexico border.
This wasn’t my choice. I didn’t ask for this move.
Selinsgrove is the town where about five years ago I started my newspaper when I reported my first exclusive — the birth of my baby sister. Selinsgrove is also where I have all my sources, some of which I’ve worked on for years to earn their trust. It is where I’ve reported on hundreds of stories that the local adult run newspaper couldn’t (or wouldn’t) touch.
I am proud of my work.
The OSN was the only one to stand up to the dishonest District Attorney, shed light on the drug issue in Selinsgrove High School, expose the corruption at the local fire department, take on a KKK member, and report on countless other exclusives too.
Now this means starting over.
However, I’m not slumping my shoulders. I intend of making the most of the move and use it as an opportunity to grow.
Since I started the Orange Street News in 2014 I have learned a lot of interesting lessons. As I’ve grown as a reporter, I feel like my readers have grown with me.
I want to thank the people of Selinsgrove and the hundreds of people I have met who have trusted me to share their stories or give me tips, and sometimes point me to the right court documents. I’m especially appreciative of the workers at the Kind Cafe, where I made into my office when my house would get too loud and would loiter for hour after hour to work and conduct interviews or research.
I didn’t always see eye to eye with the Selinsgrove Police Department, but I always respected them and felt like that respect was mutual.
But now I move on..
Now it is time to expand my horizons. How? The OSN is going to shift focus from local crime to stories (unfortunately, Patagonia just doesn’t have a lot of crime) to reporting on bigger investigations that have more national interest. If I’m covering the same things I don’t think I can really grow as a reporter. I want to try to do new things with my paper, and I have been thinking about this for almost a year, so what better time then now, when I’m in a new place?
I also understand that some readers may have paid for a subscription because they wanted to stay up on the local news happening in Selinsgrove, PA. For those people, I would like to offer a full unconditional refund and my sincere apologies for not being able to meet my obligation. I look forward to the day when I am 18 years old I am not at the mercy of others and will be able to make my own decisions.
I am so excited to turn this new page. Journalism and finding the truth is my passion. I look forward to giving my readers the quality paper they deserve.
And finally, one last note to the good people of Selinsgrove. Everyday I woke up and felt determined to get you the truth. In return, so many of you have trusted me with your time and subscription money. Please know that was a trust I held as sacred. I hope you feel like I’ve honored your trust. I hope you feel like together we made a difference.
And just maybe, I hope, I left the town just a little bit more informed than the day five years ago when my seven year old self scribbled out my first created the sign pasted to my home office all those years ago.
Orange Street News 
Ms. Lysiak, I’m a reader from New Hampshire, and I used to teach 7th and 8th grade English in a small rural school. When we first got computers we started to write a school newspaper. I have enjoyed your writing, and your spunk.
I have an idea about your new beat. From NH, the news about our Mexican border can seem pretty scary, and if you stick to the crime desk it may increase that fear, even if it is the same stuff that happens around here.
Is there a way you could report on the rest of life in Patagonia as well as the crimes? I get it that crime is exciting, and a good way to build readership.
You have a good base now. I know that as a Yankee, I’d like to learn more about cultural differences between PA and AZ, and also between Anglos and Hispanics in your new state. I fond it pretty thrilling when people cross cultural barriers and connect with new people.
I’m not saying you should just write pablum, or even be explicit about the various cultures, but when you report on activities, and talk about music,food, activities and mention the family names, New England readers may get a better understanding of what AZ border country is like.
Keep up the good work.
Tim Butterworth
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I wish you all the luck and good fortunes you deserve, I will truly miss reading your column, reading your column I can feel your passion in what you do, I started reading your column over two years ago and enjoyed it, I am from a town outside buffalo, New York in Kenmore but feel like I know Selinsgrove pretty well now, thank you for that and keep up your great work.
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I know Hilde Lysiak will do an extraordinary job broadening her horizons to national news now that she has relocated with her family to Arizona. She is a journalist first and foremost, and she will find the news to report and I’m sure the news will find her. Onward and upward, Hilde.
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Growing is the point of life. i will be looking forward to watching your continuing foray into journalism.
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Dear Miss Lysiak, Good luck to you in your new residence. I look forward to your future postings and your continuing evolution as a writer/journalist. Keep up the good work and bon voyage. Sincerely, Eric R.
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A good reporter like you will always find interesting things to report, where ever you are. My family moved from TN to AZ when I was in elementary school, and then to NC when I was in middle school, then back to TN. I went to 5 different schools during 7th and 8th grade. One year I barely went at all because we were always moving, but as an adult I have found that it gave me a much broader perspective on things. I didn’t always like where we lived, but I don’t regret any of the experiences. I’m sure that you will make the most of your situation. I look forward to your new reporting.
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Hilde,
As you have read above most of us have never been in your neck of the woods but love your work, Hard to believe you are only 12. I do however, hear a little 12 year old in all the bravado about looking forward to the new circumstances. It is scary and confusing but you will grow from the experience, I grew up a little like Susan [above] and it was hard, but, at 79, I look back with many fond memories and look forward to new adventures. And , I think a much wider perspective than if I had stayed in one place. You will too. You have a lot to give the world – keep it up and we look forward to reading about your next adventure,
You might interview some of the oldest folks in town about their lives. When I lived in North Platte, NE in the mid 50’s there were people who remembered the last Indian raids in the area. I wish I had talked to them to get their perspectives on the wild west, Maybe you could do the same in AZ. It might help us all understand the current situation a little better.
John
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Hilde — I assure you that there are plenty of things in Patagonia that need to be written about; you know Selinsgrove well but don’t know much about Patagonia yet. A key part of your great success has been digging up and writing about things that others had not noticed or had not done the work on that you have been willing to do. When you put that level of scrutiny on Patagonia — the kind of scrutiny that your readers have become accustomed to seeing you exercise — will find plenty of things to write about. Remember that marshal who tried to give you trouble there; it sounded to me as though his approach reflected a desire to keep, and a longtime practice of keeping, the lid on things. That won’t stop you for long, I am sure. You will find plenty to write about in a place like that. Sure, you can begin to cover issues of national scope, but do not forget that your enormous success has been based on local coverage where others thought there was nothing to cover or at least were not doing the work of covering it. With every wish for your continued success that is both astounding and deserved.
Daniel Joseph
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Hilde, just remember to keep your politics neutral and free of bias and agenda or else you’ll alienate half of your subscriber base.
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You are a remarkable young woman with a great future. Your readers will follow you, and you will gain.many.more. Growing in your.mission as you grow in experience is excellent preparation for that. Good luck!
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I will miss you but good luck with your next journey. Thank you for all you did and wonderful stories. Ann Longenberger
Sent from Outlook
________________________________
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Ms. Lysiak, You have a whole new field of environmental reporting concerning the Rosemont Copper Mine near Patagonia. You are not far from Nogales so you’ll have access to immigration issues and military spending and waste with your proximity to Fort Huachuca and Davis Monthan Air Force Base. I look forward to your future writing. I know moves can suck but you have so many new things to dig into in southern Arizona. We welcome you and look forward to your good work. -Ryan Bushnell
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I moved to Arizona from Ohio tean years ago. It is very different, but there is a lot to see and do here. I look forward to your continued journalistic efforts.
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Looking forward to your new piece from Patagonia. Moving is never easy – been there done that way too many times and some of the moves easier than others. But, this sounds serious, so best of luck. Maybe you could treat this like a “foreign” assignment? It’s going to be a bit of a culture shock, but in the end, it will be worth it.
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No refund for me. Keep involved with the world, stick to verified facts and you will thrive. And I will follow your work. Live long and prosper.
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Hilde– I first found out about you when you wrote your story about the Patagonia Marshal. You’re so popular in these parts that our hometown adult paper, the AZ Republic, reported on your move. Welcome to Arizona. I just purchased my digital subscription. Look forward to reading.
Chris
Phoenix, AZ
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Nun carborundum est…best wishes Lady!
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Hilde, I cannot wait to until you publish your new newspaper, but if you decide not to publish a newspaper, keep writing because we love your talent.
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Oh, Arizona is a very interesting State. I’m just across across the border in New Mexico. In New Mexico, we are taught in our History classes that Arizona separated from New Mexico because of the fact that there were too many Hispanics in the legislature. Do they teach you anything about this in Arizona? Also, try the frybread. It’s one of the best things about the Southwest.
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Standing by for your reboot in Patagonia.
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