By Mark Carpenter-

The People’s Defender and Champion Media are proud to announce the newest addition to the Defender staff as Ashley McCarty comes on board as the new editorial reporter, replacing Austin Rust, whose final day with the paper was Monday, June 29. After an outstanding year of work with the Defender, Rust is leaving to pursue other career opportunities and McCarty is set to step right in on the local beat.
Ashley, the daughter of Bennie and Lisa McCarty, is a lifelong resident of West Union, as are her parents. She is also no stranger to the local news scene, having worked as a reporter for the Ledger Independent in Maysville, Ky. earlier this year. She attended public schools in West Union through grade six in the old West Union Elementary, then grade seven and eight at West Union Jr./Sr. High School. From ninth grade to graduation, Ashley was home-schooled through ECOT, earning numerous awards during that time for literary excellence and scholastic achievements.
“My childhood inspirations were incredible men like Bob Ross and Steve Irwin and I grew up with a strong sense of love and compassion for all things, human and animal alike,” McCarty says. “I’ve spent the majority of my life serving others and the creatures we share our lives with. A few years ago, a bird I rescued even made the paper.”
“Since late in my childhood, I’ve always been drawing or writing and I’ve been a freelance artist for quite a few years and it’s another great gift in my life to be able to write for a newspaper. I was given that opportunity by Mary Ann Kearns at the Ledger, and it came after a long spell of sickness that I was thankfully able to overcome.”
“We are thrilled to have Ashley come on board as our newest reporter,” said Defender editor Mark Carpenter. “Being a lifelong resident of Adams County plus her experience with the Ledger already gives her a head start on making the contacts and digging into the kinds of stories our loyal readers have come to expect. I’m excited with the enthusiasm that she is bringing to this new position and I know that will translate into outstanding reporting in the pages of our publication and more of the original writing that our readers have come to expect.”
“I look forward to serving you all, telling your stories, reporting your news, for what I hope to be many years to come,” McCarty added. “I thank everyone here for their confidence in me and for giving me this wonderful opportunity. I hope to see many of your smiling faces soon, and getting to now you all a little better.”
You can reach Ashley by phone at (937) 544-2391, by email at amccarty@www.peoplesdefender.com, or by finding her page and adding her on Facebook.