This is where I’m supposed to give an obligatory rundown on all the obligatory changes we’ve made in the magazine for the new year. You know the drill. We mark another journey around the sun — something the planet has been doing pretty much along the same path and within the same time frame for 4.5 billion years — by changing things. And though I am a bit contrarian, I do like me some ritual, so we did a little tweaking. Not that there was anything wrong with our old ways of doing things that seem so 2017 right now, but because we genuinely believe that the changes will make ABOUT better.
True to my contrarian ways, I’ll start with the last page first. ABOUT has entered into a new and exciting partnership with Dog Ear Books in downtown Russellville. Our new back page sponsored by Dog Ear will be book reviews guest written by various folks around the River Valley that know a thing or two about good reads. We’ll be careful with the spoilers and Dog Ear will be the place to get those books after the review has whetted your literary appetite. Reading is the cornerstone of a well-informed citizenry and a well-rounded individual. We’re hoping this partnership will turn into something more, perhaps a movement community wide that leads to deeper thought and discussion. Thinking along truly idealist lines, we want this little project to make the question “what are you reading now?” a common inquiry among River Valley people of all demographics.
This issue includes a revamping of our traditional February bridal section into something we hope to launch as it’s own annual publication soon. Introducing DEVOTED: Your River Valley Wedding Planner. It’s a concept we’ve been toying with for a while now brought to print for the first time as a trial run.
And finally, we’ve axed the A View from the Back Roads column for a concept more encompassing. There will still be some outdoors content, but now it will be under the American Pokeweed column. It’s a place we’ll talk about rural ways of the River Valley — folklore, history, outdoor pursuits, the old ways of doing things — to help instill a sense of place for readers.
All of these changes are designed to help us better reflect the character of your River Valley. That’s what we do… because some things never change.
– Johnny Carrol Sain
Some things never change
