Longtime Independent Weekly publisher and former AAN secretary Sioux Watson is stepping down after 29 years with the Durham-based publication.

Editor Lisa Sorg noted in a blog post last week that the positions of general manager and publisher will be merged as part of the paper’s sale to the owners of Willamette Week.

“Best of luck to Mark and Richard,” said Watson in an email. “The NC Triangle is a great place to be in the alt-weekly business. I’ll miss all my AAN pals like crazy.”

Watson served on the AAN Board of Directors for 12 years. She was elected to an at-large seat in 1998, and two years later joined the Executive Committee as secretary, a seat she held until 2010.

She was the Independent Weekly‘s first advertising rep, joining the paper two months after its launch in 1983. She was named publisher in 1999.

“I am happy to still be involved with Hopscotch, our music festival which is happening next weekend Sept 6-8,” she wrote. “Stay tuned to hear about my next adventure, which will be right here in NC, once I figure it out.”