Readers of The Western News may have noticed a new name.

Elka Wood, who’s lived in Troy for the past few years, joined the editorial staff last week.

Wood said she’s interested in learning more about the Libby community, and making more connections in the Troy community.

“I’m always up for meeting new people and love to hear life stories,” Wood said. “I try to stay open to being surprised by people, and often am. I really want to cover human interest stories, and stories which highlight how beautiful Lincoln County is.”

On top of enjoying meeting new people and uncovering human interest stories, Wood said she’s enjoying the newspaper business so far.

“The Western News team have been so friendly and welcoming, and the office is a fabulous time capsule,” Wood said. “Paging through the huge bound copies of past newspapers, dating back to the first edition, really gives a palpable sense of history.”

Before working as a reporter, Wood worked with the Troy School District and the Yaak Valley Forest Council.

Elka grew up in rural New South Wales, Australia near the town of Bega, which is known for its cheese and dairy farming. While visiting Troy in 2004 to visit a friend, she was introduced to her future husband. They were married in 2007.

Since then, they’ve lived on and off in Troy since 2008 and built their own house in downtown in 2013.

Elka has two children, Atticus, five, and Callie who’s almost two.

“Atticus is super nerdy and into science and doing ‘speriments’ [experiments] and Callie is really social and loves people,” Wood said.

Her parents-in-law are Yaak locals who moved there in the 1970s. After many years spent in the Yaak, they moved to Troy and live on the same street as Wood and her family.

When Wood and her husband are both working, her father-in-law takes care of the kids.

“We’re so grateful we don’t ever worry about our kids when we’re away from them,” Wood said. “He is a natural and really loves them.”

Aside from being a reporter, Wood is currently organizing a fundraiser for the Troy Food Pantry, working with a team of volunteers and providing home cooked lunches to people who work in Troy over the month of March.

“I hope it will become an annual event, and maybe even a shifting fundraiser, with different local non profits benefitting every year.

She also works with the school garden in Troy, which is funded by The Yaak Valley Forest Council.

Some of Wood’s pastimes include gardening, cooking, taking trips with her mom when she visits from Australia and going to yoga at the Shakti Soul Yoga studio in Troy.