It's going to be difficult to say goodbye to Martin Nobida, staff writer for the Campbell Reporter. During his time on the beat he became a familiar face around the town. City officials were comfortable talking to him. Business owners trusted him and residents knew him as the guy with the affable personality and long black hair.

That laid-back style is what endeared him to the community, a place he grew to know intimately. He could often be found spending time at Orchard Valley Coffee, or grabbing a bite to eat downtown at local stops like Twist Café and Sonoma Chicken Coop. Other nights he would hang out with co-workers at Katie Bloom's for trivia night. Martin was pretty much everywhere in Campbell.

His desire to know the community on such a visceral level is a rare attribute in today's journalism environment. His willingness to learn beyond the basics--to spend hours talking to people in the city and to citizens on the streets--made Martin a standout reporter.

When he first started covering Campbell he was no different than anyone else new to this job, or any job for that matter--just keeping his head above water was a challenge. But it was apparent from the beginning that he had a natural affinity toward our approach to community journalism, which was listening to the people and hearing what they have to say. He quickly understood that we were the voice of the community and a bridge between city officials and citizens. It was a role he easily embraced.

It was also clear from the beginning that Martin was a natural storyteller. People in the community often told me that his stories kept them engaged and informed. As a reporter, you can't ask for much more.

But there is one thing a dedicated journalist knows about this job--no matter how skilled the writer is, the hours can't be controlled. The news is a 24/7 business. It will absorb every cell and bone in your body if you are at the top of your game.

Those of us committed to this way of doing business can't help but cover every story and be everywhere when physically possible. It's simply our nature, part of our fiber, who we are.

But this way of life makes it impossible to have a life outside of what we do. Every time there is a news story, we're out the door chasing it down. So what happens when we want to go back to school or spend time outside the realm of reporting? Usually it means rethinking our priorities. That's the case for Martin. He's chosen a more structured schedule that will allow him to go back to school. No more news chasing, city council or planning commission meetings, no more late nights filing copy.

His departure is bittersweet for all us at the paper. Working with him has been a terrific experience for me, as an editor and friend. Many in the community have also voiced their sorrow in his decision to move on. But it's about life and where the next adventure takes you.

For Martin, hopefully that's graduate school, and then onto a new assignment. Hey wait--that sounds just like a reporter to me.

Moryt Milo is the editor of The Campbell Reporter. She can be contacted at 408.200.1051 or mmilo@svcn.com.