HAVANA NATIVE HOPES TO GET CREATIVE AT JOURNAL

    The Marshall County Journal has welcomed Justine Warburton as its new assistant designer. A native of the area, Warburton says she is eager to return to her creative roots and contribute to the local newspaper.
    Born and raised in Havana, North Dakota, Warburton, known to many as Justine Smith, graduated from Sargent Central in 2012. Although her home was across the state line, Britton often felt like a second hometown since her parents, Sam and Janel, both worked there.
    Warburton began her college studies at Bismarck State College before transferring to the University of Mary, where she earned a degree in Media Communications with a minor in Business Communications. After graduation, she entered the media world, first working at a local television station as a camera operator before becoming weekend news director. She also gained experience in advertising, creating commercials, and later worked for Trail King Industries, where she focused on digital content, promotional campaigns, and marketing projects.
    She said she has always enjoyed the creative process behind her work. That passion carried through as she built her career while also starting her family. She married her husband Chase, an Enderlin native, in 2020, and in 2023 the couple welcomed twin daughters, Autumn and Violet.
    The family later moved to Fargo after the passing of Justine’s mother. After about a year, the Warburtons decided the city was not where they wanted to raise their children. “We realized that we did not like the big city and wanted to raise our kids in a small-town setting,” she said. Earlier this year, the family returned to her childhood home in Havana.
    Though she enjoyed her time as a stay-at-home mom, the Warburtons decided daycare would be a good step for their twins. At the same time, Justine was eager to return to work that would spark her creativity. When her daycare provider shared the opening for an assistant designer at the Marshall County Journal, she knew it was the right fit.
    Now three weeks into the job, Warburton has quickly settled into her role. She helps with layout and organization of items such as legal notices, obituaries, and classifieds, and also applies her passion for photography through photo editing.
    She said she is enjoying being back in the community and reconnecting with people. “It has been fun to relearn Britton and meet both familiar faces and new ones,” she said.
    Outside of work, Warburton loves Halloween and the fall season. She and her family enjoy spending time outdoors, and she admits she also likes cleaning and organizing.
    She said she looks forward to contributing her skills to the Journal team and being part of its growth in the years ahead. She also encourages community members to stop by the office, say hello, and get acquainted.