The Valley News searched far and wide for its next top editor, according to publisher Dan McClory, but ended up promoting one of its own. Starting next month, 30-year-old web editor Maggie Cassidy will take over the West Lebanon, N.H., daily, which serves the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire.

"She's wise beyond her years, is very level-headed and has developed a great rapport with the people she works with," McClory said.

A resident of White River Junction and native of Framingham, Mass., Cassidy joined the Valley News in January 2012 and worked her way up the ranks from news assistant to web editor of the previously tech-averse paper. She'll succeed Martin Frank, who is retiring after more than three decades at the paper and five years as editor.

"I don't know how many times I'm going to be in the position I'm in right now, which is to have been working at a newspaper that I love for seven years and to have an editor position opening that I feel like I can do," Cassidy said.

She said she hopes to "build on the journalism that we're already doing" and continue to expand the Valley News' digital offerings.

While the paper has fared better than most print dailies in recent years, McClory announced in June that parent company Newspapers of New England would outsource advertising design to Gannett and move the Valley News' printing operations from West Leb to Concord, N.H. He said some 30 full- and part-time staff could be affected by the change, which he expects to take effect in February 2019.

According to McClory, "a few" editorial positions have also been left vacant, but some may again be filled.

"We'll let Maggie settle in for a day and then hit her with the budget," he said.