There will be no vision jokes within this first issue of 2020. No ham-handed tries at hindsight puns or sad attempts at other ocular humor.
Instead, we’ll offer a continuation of what ABOUT has done for the past 15-plus years — bring stories and images reflecting the character of the River Valley to it’s readers with a style unparalleled by any other media outlet in the region. Looking back over more than a decade of ABOUT issues, it’s what we do best.
This particular issue features a continuation of our Devoted section, a spotlight on things matrimonial, with a little Q & A session for River Valley married couples who have or will shortly celebrate milestone years in their commitments. In the short answers provided, it’s easy to see that the simple shared vision of a future together is just as important as date nights and open communication
We’ve also got an interesting story by Cathy Graves about Russellville’s oldest church — the foundation of the town itself in so many ways — accompanied by the always stellar photography of Liz Chrisman. Cathy’s words and Liz’s images combine to create a beautiful melding of the history of a people and the architecture that housed them. It’s a clear view of the power of community that was often fostered in frontier churches.
Added to the mix for ABOUT 2020 is the first of what will be a monthly column by Kristin Foster dedicated to educating readers about the workings of local government. Think of it as a distilled version of civics class. This inaugural work by Kristin about bonds was eye-opening for yours truly, and our hope is that the column will lead to a more informed, thus, more engaged citizenry when it comes to local matters.
And then you’ll still see the regulars — Sarah Clower’s super power of always finding herself in weird situations with Cliff Thomas providing illustrations to compliment, Jill McSheehy’s innovative garden expertise, Hannah Butler’s spotlight on local businesses, 10 Things ABOUT your friends and neighbors, Valley Vittles pointing the way to good grub, and a look at rural life through essay in American Pokeweed contributed by Meredith Martin-Moats and me.
But don’t take my word on any of this. Browse through the February issue at your own pace and discover some things about your home that maybe you never knew. Look at our region through the lens of our talented writers and photographers. From our perspective, the River Valley never looked better.
