Hmm. Lurking might be a bad word choice. It has that criminal feel to it.

How about patrolling? Yeah, I like it.

Either way, my point is there’s a new face, actually two, at The Daily News here lately, and I’m one of them.

This announcement is a tad late. I’ve actually been here since mid-October, having moved to Dickinson County from Sheridan, Wyoming. Though, I wonder if moving is truly accurate, as my coming here is more of a return to Michigan. See, I am Michigan born and raised, having spent a good portion of my life in Grayling.

Jerry DeRoche

My family moved there when I was 3. Sure, there have been other stops, even out of state, not to mention attending and graduating from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism 30 years ago.

I’ve always loved Northern Michigan and always came back to what I know to be home, except this time. This time I finally got to fulfill my dream of living in the U.P and I couldn’t be happier.

On top of the move, I was recently named sports editor here at The Daily News. It’s a title I’ve held before and I’m a self-proclaimed sports geek, so I think you’ll be pleased with my plans to provide our readership with the best in local sports.

But I can’t do it alone and, thankfully, I won’t have to. Enter the other recent newcomer to The Daily News sports staff. Meet Jerry DeRoche.

DeRoche was born in Chicago but moved to the area when he was just 8. In fact, he’s a 1981 graduate of West Iron County and remembers competing against Kingsford and Iron Mountain.

“The first basketball season after I moved to Iron River (Gaastra actually) was the year of the infamous regional in which the Wykons edged the Mountaineers for the regional title on Tom Izzo’s missed free throw (sorry old-time Mountaineer fans),” DeRoche said. “The excitement of that season cemented my love affair with high school basketball.”

Like myself, this isn’t DeRoche’s first rodeo, so to speak. Though, he took a longer route to the newspaper business than I, first graduating form Northern Michigan University and getting a master’s degree in education from National Louis University in Wilmette, Illinois, just up the road from Northwestern University.

“I only stayed in teaching for five years before I decided to try my hand at sportswriting,” he said.

Since then, his journalism career has included stops at the Appleton Post-Crescent, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter and eventually at the Iron County Reporter.

“I’m very excited to write for The Daily News, to cover the area’s teams, to meet the players and coaches and to bring my love of storytelling through sports to our readership,” he added.

So far, everyone, including DeRoche, has made my transition here as both a new member of the community and a new member of The Daily News an absolute joy.

OK, I guess carrying the couch into my new home in Iron Mountain wasn’t a joy. At my age, such chores usually result in having to lay on the couch shortly after putting it in place.

Enough of that, however. There will be plenty of time for personal stories later.

Right now, we’re on the verge of the start of another season of winter sports. And DeRoche and I, along with other helpers (better known as freelancers and stringers) are prepared to give you the best coverage possible.

Part of doing that is being available. So, please, don’t be shy. I want everyone to feel free to come up and say “hello” or whatever greeting you prefer.

Let me know about your love of sports. Sure, I’m also more than willing to hear a complaint or two. After all, you can’t fix something if you don’t know what needs fixing. So, you tell me the stories DeRoche and I need to be providing. Tell us about your preferences and your concerns.

Oh, one of those concerns might be that I’m a die-hard Lions and MSU fan and maybe you’re not. That’s fine. We’re still sharing the love and joy of sports, which is something we should all be able to enjoy.

Dennis Mansfield can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 225, or via email at dmansfield@ironmountaindailynews.com.