By Scott Robertson
Putting the letter “M” in parentheses in the title of this column is a nod to this being the 1,000th issue of The Johnson City News & Neighbor. M is the Roman Numeral for 1,000, and memories are, in a way, what a newspaper is about. Yes, papers bring you up to speed on current events in the community, but they also serve another important purpose. They create a record for posterity.
For instance, folks who want to find out about the massive 2012 storm that virtually destroyed a small community – and the remarkable response from the larger community to rebuild 40 flooded out homes in Dry Creek – can go back and read the inspiring stories penned by Tammy Childress and Jeff Keeling in the News & Neighbor’s pages.
I’ve heard it said that future generations will look back on this era as one of discord. Certainly, there have been stories of conflict, especially in local politics. We live in a community in which people on both sides of many issues are passionate. Citizens here care about their community.
It is in that caring, more than in the conflict, that we have found stories for 1,000 issues.
The Johnson City News & Neighbor has told stories of the sacrifices made by faithful public servants and courageous veterans. We have told stories of everyday citizens who decided making their community a better place was worth their time and effort. We have told stories of children growing from stars on the fields of play to job creators in the world of work.
One day we will look back on it all and smile, because we’ll know how fortunate we were to have a community like this in which to live, love and make memories. For now, though, we’ll just thank you for the opportunity to keep bringing you the good news of Johnson City and Washington County.
