Derek Aaron, who has been the sports editor of the Times Journal for the past three years, has been named the new editor of the Times Journal and the Russell County News.  

The publisher of this newspaper, David Davenport, made the announcement following the resignation of former editor Greg Wells last week.

"We regret the loss of Wells from our staff but are so pleased and excited to be able to name a young man from Russell County to this position," Davenport said. "We feel very strongly that Derek truly holds the future of Russell County as his number one priority while leading the Times Journal. We know without a doubt that he maintains a fair and balanced reporting standard. We are so very excited to be able to work with Derek in the future and knowing the Aaron family and Derek's personal standards and work ethics, we believe Derek Aaron, the Times Journal, the Russell County News, and Russell County will have a long and rewarding relationship."

Aaron is a 2007 graduate of the University of Kentucky's School of Journalism in the College of Communications and Information Studies. He also graduated from Russell County High School in 2003.

"I look forward to the opportunities that being a newspaper editor offers," Aaron said. "I will strive to do my best for my home community and look forward to serving the people as well as being a community watchdog, which is the main purpose of an ethical journalist."

While numerous large-market newspapers around the country falter, smaller weekly newspapers continue to thrive thanks to the fine folks who work in rural news outlets and Russell County is no different.

"Since 1949, the people of Russell County have counted on the Times Journal to deliver  their weekly local news, features, sports, obituaries, and advertisements and that will not change," Aaron said. "We will continue to be the leader for all these avenues and welcome anyone with story ideas or news tips to give us a call or send us an email."

Aaron, 25, said he looked forward to telling the stories that make Russell County such a special place to live as well as covering county and city government issues and the numerous board meetings in the area along with continued sports coverage.

First working at the Times Journal part-time in the summers of 2005 and 2006 while attending UK, Aaron was hired full-time by the paper in June 2007 to cover local sports, including Russell County High School athletics, as well as city government meetings, feature stories, photography, layout and news editing.

Aaron graduated cum laude from UK with a bachelor's degree in journalism-general editorial and a minor in community communications and leadership development in the college of agriculture.

"I want to thank my fine professors at the University of Kentucky who helped me strengthen my journalistic traits and help me become what I am today," he said. "I also want to thank David Davenport and the folks at the Times Journal for giving me the opportunity three years ago to return home and give back to the community I am so fond of."

With his advanced role, Aaron hopes to get to know those in the community even better.

"We have a lot of fine people here, I've met many but hope to get to know more," he said. "A lot of people work day in and day out to try and make a better living for their family … those are the people I will enjoy serving."

Aaron lives in Russell Springs with his wife, Jerica, who will graduate from Lindsey Wilson College in December with a degree in middle grades education.

His parents are David and Freda Aaron of Russell Springs. He has two brothers, Brett, a senior at the University of Kentucky, and Blake, a junior who attends Russell County High School.

 "I look forward to providing Russell County with the news it needs to keep going and with the community's support we can all work together and in doing so, make our area a better place for everyone," he said.

Former editor Greg Wells had been with the Times Journal for some five years and is presently taking a break from the publishing business and will reside in Cumberland County.