IF YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED, ABERDEEN DOESN’T HAVE A LOCAL NEWS PROGRAM. That is, one that is produced specifically for the Aberdeen region. Why not? Not enough news? Not enough advertisers? Escalating broadcasting costs? Whatever the reason, TV news pulled out of Aberdeen years ago, and when that happened, we lost our voice. A local voice validates a community, checks its pulse everyday, and lets you know how things are going. When the only local TV news is from a city 200 miles away, there’s the implication of inactivity presented to the east half of the state. A fact we all know isn’t true.

    But just over a year ago, we were delivered a new voice. Thanks to a bright, beaming, young journalism professional you see quite a bit of Aberdeen on KSFY TV. Brittany Benner has become the voice and face of Aberdeen, and we are damn lucky to have her.

    In the past, journalists camped out up here and fed a story a day back to Sioux Falls. Sometimes the stories made it on TV, but were meager at best. Benner usually does three to five. Fortunately for us, at least one story on each of the day’s KSFY news broadcasts, if not more.

    At just 24, Benner’s journalism career is off to a brilliant start. From working at NBC in her hometown of Chicago, to moving to KSFY in Aberdeen, just 15 months ago, her life changed very quickly. Was she shocked? As a person willing to broaden her life experiences, she took Aberdeen for what it was and did her job.

    “Of course it was a shock since I came from living Downtown Chicago. I went from living where millions surrounded me to a fraction of that population. I do miss the food and culture but there are different issues and cultures here.”

    For instance, she had never met any Native Americans before moving here and since has even attended Pow Wows. But her biggest shock was moving so far away from home and everything that was “normal” to her. Starting a new job (with an exhausting schedule) and living in a place where she didn’t know anyone was challenging.

    It is a sacrifice to leave one’s family and familiar turf, but meeting new people is what she does best. “Part of my assignment is to find people to talk to. But working long hours is not necessarily conducive to having much of a social life outside of work. I met most of my new friends through work-related encounters and their ages and occupations vary as much as the weather in South Dakota.”

    As an “outsider,” fitting in was not necessarily easy since it seemed as though everyone knew everything about everyone. People, for the most part, were “warm and inviting.”

    In the fall of 2004 Benner jumped head first into the political frenzy by covering the election which ousted Tom Daschle. It was the suspicious death of Morgan Lewis that same week that brought her out of her training period in Sioux Falls and up to Aberdeen. Big news for Aberdeen, in confident hands. Since then she’s covered the coux attempt on the mayor, dehabilitating ice storms, robotic pigs in Leola and hundreds of stories in between. Often the stories come to her, but she’s always on the scene searching for a great story.

    Despite the workload, she does have favorite spots to hang out, meet new people and be with friends. “I have no problem filling my free fun time – what little there is of it. There are times when Lager’s Inn fits the bill and other times when sipping a glass of wine and listening to the Dominant 7 is the perfect way to top off a hectic week.”

    Benner says Aberdeen’s scene is evident, but it also can be elusive. “Aberdeen has a scene, you just have to find it or let it find you. Many of the places people like to be seen include benefits, chamber outings, invitation-only events and clubs. Aberdeen’s scene can also be as simple as having dinner at Maverick’s and running into a few people you know there. Alonzo’s is a hot spot for sparking up partnerships and business deals. The Ward’s Ballroom is also a personal favorite for dancing.”

    Keeping in stride with local passions, Brittany tried her hand at hunting last fall. She was able to bag a pheasant on her first day out. Not bad, considering she’d never even picked up a gun before moving here.

    She has also immersed herself in South Dakota, traveling extensively throughout northeastern part of the state with her job and taking several trips to the Black Hills on weekends. “I’d never been to South Dakota before I moved here. I think it’s important to learn as much as I can about the land, the people and the history.

    There is an odd sentiment around Aberdeen that if you have talent, you won’t stay here very long. Comments like this have been said about Benner and should be taken as a compliment. But we should be more positive about having talent here than worrying about when and if it will leave.

    Who knows how long she’ll be here, but in the time that she’s been here, she’s made great strides in getting Aberdeen a lot more attention. Not because there is more news than there was before, but because she produces quality stories worthy of airing.

    Brittany makes the A-List because she is a young creative person giving Aberdeen a shot, and she’s giving Aberdeen much needed exposure. It takes courage to “throw a dart” and end up here, some 800 miles from comfort, three brothers, two sisters, mom, dad, grandparents and a family business.

    Since she’s giving her all for Aberdeen, we asked her if Aberdeen was giving its all for her. “I attended ballroom dance lessons through Parks & Rec, sang the National Anthem at a NSU Basketball game, emceed the NSU Marching Band Concert and judged a Karaoke contest in Mobridge. I don’t just work here, I live here and want to make the most of this experience. Life is a journey, not a destination, so I just hold on and enjoy the ride. It’s less about where you live and more about the quality of the way you live your life each and every day.”

    Benner has a lesson all of us can learn from. Her job is to immerse herself into the community and region to really get to know it and its stories. She’s not a bystander. She’s engaged in the community, respects it for what it is and what it has to say.

    “The people who work at the Chamber and Development Corporation are important, no doubt, but they can’t do the work that 24,000 people can, which is talking about the area in a positive manner and encouraging people to visit.” The voice of Aberdeen has spoken.