The Alexandra Montoya File
She got into the business honestly.
Reporter Alexandra Montoya’s mother was a high school English teacher who ended up being the journalism teacher at Mexia High School as well.
“I always loved writing,” Montoya said. “So journalism felt like the right path.”
Her mom’s job addition as the sponsor for the MHS school paper The Prowl ended up introducing Montoya to another female who would also become important in her journalism journey, Jennifer Paul.
“(Alex) was this little sixth grader running around the halls,” Paul said. “I was a senior and she was just a little kid.”
“She (Jennifer Paul) has been a big influence in my life and career,” Montoya said. “I still have an encouraging letter she wrote me when she graduated.”
But lots of folks are exposed to things are early ages and don’t follow it as a career path. What was it that kept her interest?
“Truth telling,” she said. “I think when you are able to put out a story that has some depth and reveals more than what is commonly known, well, it’s rewarding.”
How does she hope readers look at it?
“It’s my job so if I’m not doing a good job I want someone to tell me,” she explained. “I want people to know that I am open minded and even open to criticism.”
As a guy who’s been around several newsrooms, that open-mindedness is refreshing. Too many folks in the media see things a certain way. Alex truly comes at stories with a blank slate and tries to learn all she can.
“Well, truth-telling is such an integral part of the job,” she reiterated. “News can be kind of chilling and daunting,” she said, adding that the pressure to get things right is always there. “People treat Facebook or whatever they see on social media as truth and factual . . . and that’s so dangerous.”
Outside of hard news, Alex said she is looking forward to getting back to doing more features.
“It’s such a cool feeling to be able to share worthy stories, and shine a light on happenings that may not otherwise be known,” she said.
The 31-year-old is a wife and mother of three children, including twin boys. She also has a second job. She’s a licensed private investigator – although she says she mostly works on the business side of things for her employer.
Nice to connect again. I’ll be getting back to work now. We’ll talk again soon.
Timmons is a career newspaperman, award winning author and insudtry consultant. He is the group publisher for Moser Community Media’s Central and Limestone newspaper groups which inculdes publications in Cameron, Marlin, Thorndale, Rosebud, Groesbeck, Mexia, and Fairfield. You can reach him at tim@themexianews.com
• Second oldest of five siblings.
• Lived in several Texas cities and towns growing up until family settled in Mexia in 2005. Went to Mexia ISD from 6th through 10th grade. Her mom taught high school English and Journalism.
• Graduated from Groesbeck in 2012 and went to University of Texas at Austin and majored in Journalism, minored in Spanish.
• Interned with UT’s Voces (Voices) Oral History Project, a program that elevated Mexican American experiences related to WWII, Vietnam, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and more, through interviews transcribed and formatted into articles.
• Started with The Groesbeck Journal in 2017; covered crime, education, local government, small businesses, community events and exceptional individuals doing incredible things.
• Husband Joe works rotating 12 hour shifts at Luminant, operating heavy equipment.
• Has three rowdy little boys: identical twins Eli & Nico (turning 5 in early October) and Toby (turning 3 in early October).
• Lives in Kosse and family loves playing at the park/splash-pad, visiting the Cameron Park Zoo, area libraries and museums!