Mark Wells has joined The Elberton Star staff as a reporter effective Feb. 17, Star editor Rose Scoggins announced.
Wells will be familiar to readers of The Star’s sports pages as he covered football games for the paper during the 2021 season.
Born in North Carolina, Wells grew up in Woodstock and graduated from Etowah High School in 2011, where he played football and ran track. After attending Reinhardt University for a year, Wells joined the United States Marine Corps in 2012 where he served a four-year contract.
During his time in the Marines, Wells served as a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist during an eight-month deployment on the 26th MEU’s expedition to the middle east. While stateside, Wells was in charge of instructing marines on how to use personal protection equipment.
After his contract ended, Wells moved to Athens and married his wife, Lizzie Wells, in June 2017. The couple was introduced to Elbert County after Lizzie got a job teaching second grade at Elbert County Elementary School and the two fell in love with the community.
Wells was connected with The Star and former Publisher Gary Jones by Mark Hynds, the former editor of The Hartwell Sun in the fall of 2021 to write sports stories and Wells said he has hoped to join The Star staff ever since.
“From then on, I was hoping to end up here,” Wells said. “It really did feel right from the get-go. I’m a sports guy, sports have always been my obsession. I really like the history behind the football team and the Granite Bowl is the coolest high school football stadium I’ve ever been in, hands-down.”
With his knowledge and love of sports, Wells will help report the sports news in Elbert County while fulfilling other various reporter duties.
“We are thrilled to have Mark join our staff at The Elberton Star,” Scoggins said. “He is eager to jump in, learn the business and get to know the community he and his wife Lizzie have fallen in love with. With Mark on staff, I’m excited for the future direction The Star can take.”
While he’s not covering events for The Star, Wells said he enjoys watching any and all sports and hanging out with his wife Lizzie and their cat, Barry, who’s orange color helped name him after the Flash character, Barry Allen.
Wells is scheduled to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in from Liberty University at the end of the year.