If you are reading this, let me thank you.

Those who invest time in reading the local news need to be thanked because they are willing to take time out of the day to focus on issues that directly affect them.

I always argue that local government affects people more directly than, let’s say national or international news. Your direct property tax, sales tax, and — depending on where you are — wheel tax, go directly to the roads you drive daily, the schools your kids go to, and to the government services you use month-to-month.

I commend the people who attend the meetings when they can, go to community events when they can, and serve when they can.

And you can find all that information here in our paper.

If you don’t see it, reach out to me and we will work on spreading the word.

As a reporter, I hope to deliver clear, non-biased information that covers meetings so you can get as broad or as detailed of a view of the city and county as possible. Hopefully, our articles whet your appetite to look further into issues. And, remember, don’t just read the headlines.

So, thank you again for reading our paper and getting involved or informed where you can.

It’s more than just supporting “local journalism.” It’s developing the community for a better future.

I once heard a quote from an old 1940s documentary about the Tennessee Valley Authority coming to help farmers. The commentator of the documentary commented, “Years of isolation, ignorance, and bigotry die hard…”

Harsh? Sure.

He was commenting on the resistance many older farmers had toward TVA coming in and building major dams, flooding valleys, and introducing fertilizer. But it changed the valley forever for the better.

We can undo that isolation, ignorance, and bigotry by being knowledgeable, by looking at both sides of the story, and by being involved. It’s that simple.