Newspapers bring on reporters, interns

You've seen their bylines, now meet the people behind the stories. In the past several months, the Sandusky Register and Norwalk Reflector have hired new reporters and brought on several interns: Terry Burton Terry Burton is a full-time reporter for the Reflector, though you'll likely see his work in the Register as well. He's originally from Danbury Township in Ottawa County and attended Sandusky High School and graduated from Danbury High School. He attended Ohio State University and graduated from Crowne University with a degree in psychology. "I have always been a writer since I was a young kid," Burton said. "I wrote a series of articles for the Register while I was in Ukraine during the war and found I enjoyed the work," he added, referring to his "Diaries from Ukraine" series of articles published in the Register. Michelle DeMore Michelle DeMore is no stranger to the Register, having first worked for the newspaper as a teenager while still in high school. A longtime Sandusky resident and mother of two, DeMore is also a dancer, body artist and the owner of Up in the Stars Studio on West Perkins Avenue. She first got involved with the Register after several members of the newspaper listened to her speak at a public event and asked her to contribute to a "teen blog feature" the paper was starting up. That was in 2008 when DeMore was 15, and she later went on to be a staff writer for Funcoast magazine and for the newspaper itself before transitioning to a freelancer role in 2017. "I take a lot of pride in being able to help people share their thoughts, ideas and memories in an organized, comprehensible fashion that can be consumed by others for entertainment or education," DeMore said. "There's something just so magical about being able to paint a picture in a person's mind with just words." More recently, DeMore became more closely involved with the newspapers' entertainment coverage. Readers will see her name on arts and entertainment stories and on the bylines of photo galleries, and she also puts together the weekly Let's Go events calendar for the Register and Reflector. Joseph Jones A Vermilion native and graduate, Joseph Jones' entry into the world of local journalism came from what he saw as a lack of, and need for, it. Jones, who operates the vermiliondaily.com news site with his brother, Erik, recently became a correspondent for the Register, sharing some of his Vermilion stories with the newspaper. "I got interested (in journalism) because I saw the gap in local coverage," he said, adding that he decided to start attending and covering local meetings. He added: "We've watched our community improve greatly as they became more informed. More people were willing to help and step up for any problem. That's been what drives me personally to report local news." In his free time, Jones enjoys biking, nature and the digital card game Hearthstone. "I care much for my local communities and our environment. We live here," he said. Wyatt Gilbert Wyatt Gilbert is from Sandusky and a 2024 graduate of Perkins High School. Readers will see his byline on sports photos published in the Register, and he's been contributing his photography skills to the newspaper since 2022. "There's something exciting about capturing the emotion, movement and intensity of a game in a single frame," Gilbert said. "As I started shooting more, I realized that every photo tells a story — not just about the game, but about the athletes, the energy of the crowd, and the moments that matter. "What I love about journalism is how it brings these stories to life," he added. Gilbert is attending BGSU Firelands and pursuing a major in applied business in digital content creation. He also works for K&K Interiors. Taylor Wilhelm Taylor Wilhelm is also a freelance photographer who's been shooting sports photos for the Register since 2024. He grew up in Greenwich and today lives in Milan. A 2011 South Central graduate, Wilhelm earned degrees in accounting and business administration from Malone University. Since then, Wilhelm has had a career in photography and graphic design for collegiate football teams. He previously served as the director of new media for Iowa State football and later as the creative director for the University of Pittsburgh's football program. He cited Iowa State's upset of Texas Christian University in 2017 and Pitt's Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 2021 as some of the most memorable moments of his time serving in those roles. "I've gained so many great relationships that have turned into lifelong friends and also great networking opportunities that have opened the door for other things," Wilhelm said. People can find Wilhelm's photography on the Facebook page "Taylor Wilhelm Photography." He also enjoys painting on canvas in his free time. "Some of the athletes I have come to know over the years who are playing in the NFL have commissioned me to make artwork for them," he added. Clay Ross A native of Wadsworth, Ohio, Clay Ross has familial connections to the Sandusky area that brought him to the Register for a summer internship. Ross is attending Ohio University where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in news and information journalism and a minor in sports management. He expects to graduate in spring of 2026. The world of sports first sparked Ross' interest in reporting. "Throughout college, I started to develop more interest towards all news coverage with the more classes I took," he said. "I enjoy giving people a platform that normally would not get the opportunity to share their story." Outside of the office, Ross loves Cleveland sports and golfing with family and friends. Rylie Towns Rylie Towns is a Huron High School junior who recently began working as a Register intern. She lives in Berlin Heights and has not yet selected a college but intends to pursue a journalism major. Towns' love of reading and writing stories is what led her to the path of journalism. "As I started writing stories, I soon figured out what genre I really loved, and every day after I finished my homework, all I would do was read and write," she said. "In high school, it got to the point where I didn't even care what I was writing: whether it be a poem, a speech, story or even an essay for a school assignment." Towns' initial exposure to the Register was on the other side of a reporter's notebook. "During track season, I started to get interviewed by the Register frequently, and I thought it would be so cool to get to do that — to get to know people and write about them," she said. "Now, I am beyond ecstatic that I am working with the Register." In her spare time, Towns is a lifeguard at the Norwalk Rec Center and is an athlete in cross country, swim and track for Huron High School. She also loves baking, reading and creative writing.