 Good morning. I'm David McGowan. I'm here with Melissa Ross as I guest and I was Sitting there watching the program as you were right next to you and I was thinking wow, this must be very strange for you You have owned the chair that I'm sitting in for 14 years. So how does it feel? It feels Incredible to have had the chance to do this job for 14 years. Let me first say that and And I'm so grateful to see all of your faces out here today a live audience Many of whom are my friends give yourselves a hand for being here. Thank you for coming and And thank you so much for supporting This show and WJCT public media I just want everyone here to know and everyone listening How much that means not just to me or to David, but to everyone who works here as I leave WJCT I'm going to continue to support this organization every way I can Because I think it is so important to this community and I agree with David What the mission here is is to bring people together and and I know that this show will continue to do that I think in these times nothing is more important that What unites us is so much greater than what divides us so So keep supporting it, please and I know you will Melissa we um, we have talked in the last week or so a lot about This opportunity that you have and I said I wasn't I'm sorry I mean, let me say on behalf of the station and I think on behalf of all of your supporters and audience That we're really excited for you. It is a great opportunity and we've talked about it as an opportunity to learn and it's really a special Thing when you have an opportunity at a certain point in your career to do something Entirely new and to learn from it and we embrace that here because that's really what we're all about is about Absolutely lifelong learning, but I wanted to Flip that around from it and ask you Started this program 14 years ago. What have you learned during that time? I mean, that's a that's a long run I think the list is so long. I mean, where do you even begin? There have been so many amazing people We've had the opportunity to put on the air and to welcome into our family here So many smart talented people and so I guess what I've learned is that this community is rich This community is rich in talent and intellect and in love and humanity and it's in everyone and The other thing I learned is that everyone has a good story Just have to bring it out Everyone has a good story Everyone sitting here today has amazing stories to tell and It's just been my privilege to amplify those stories. I can't think of anything more Exciting and rewarding to do Other than what I'm gonna get to go do now. I Mean, I'm so excited about mayor elect Egan She has been a friend for a long time Used to be a colleague and I am really excited about what she is going to do for Jacksonville And I know all of you are too and so it's just such an honor to get to go to work in her administration and try to continue the kinds of Initiatives that we we do here but just in a different way and I think the discussion we just heard with the roundtable Encapsulates that yes, there are a lot of challenges facing this city but I have confidence in This administration's ability to meet those challenges and and most importantly as the guy said to bring the community along That is so important And I think that's something that mayor deegan believes in with all of her heart the community is Everything and they've got to have by and everything that's going to improve this city. So It's just been an incredible privilege to be part of this organization for 14 years That I think does that same kind of work and I want to let me just if I could I want to give you a special thanks, David For championing not only the show I the shows I worked on but everyone In the newsroom and everyone in this building Thank you for your leadership. I want to thank really think David Luckin if it weren't for David this show never would have made it He has been the heart and soul of this show from the first day. I love him and I'm gonna miss him Heather Schatz The amazing senior producer on this show. She is so talented and she's gonna keep giving her talents Thanks to everyone in the newsroom and everyone in this building thanks to the community for listening and Calling in and tweeting and contributing to the conversation and I know you'll continue to do that because It's a unique platform and it's one that we've got to keep supporting and I know that's going to happen Melissa I think I'm gonna let that be the final word I will only say that you and I have spoken Recently and I said to you don't start the spin-in already And I know that you and our audience can expect us to cover the deacon administration with all the vigor and Journalistic integrity that we would cover any other And I wouldn't have it any other way So with that, thank you so much Melissa for your service We honor you for that and wish you all the best going forward. Thank you so much