by Becca Roberts | May 8, 2025 | Feature, Franklin County
JEFF TETERS, general manager of the Winchester Hat Corporation for 25 years, said the city of Winchester has always been well known for making hats. Although this hat company was established by the Stratton family out of Illinois in 1971, there has been a hat...
by Becca Roberts | May 8, 2025 | Feature, Franklin County
JOYFUL, CLASSY events and sweaty outdoor work may not seem to have much in common, but in Franklin County, they have found a common denominator in Reliable Rental. Since 2020, the business has been owned by April and Jeremy Acklen, and their leadership has grown the...
by Jeriah Brumfield | Apr 17, 2025 | Feature, Franklin County
THE FIRST time Paula Watts picked up her instrument in North Middle School’s band room, the world suddenly made a little more sense. Students tuned their instruments, chair legs scraped against the tile, and off-key notes quickly found their pitch. At the front of the...
by Jeriah Brumfield | Apr 17, 2025 | Feature, Franklin County
CHERIE WILLIAMS never set out to be a teacher. In fact, she was certain she wouldn’t be. Growing up, she was inspired by Mary Tyler Moore’s iconic television persona and dreamed endlessly of city lights and newsroom deadlines. But life had other plans. Williams was...
by Jeriah Brumfield | Apr 1, 2025 | Feature, Franklin County
WHAT DOES it mean to be part of a community? Is it simply sharing a space, celebrating victories, and exchanging smiles and stories? Is it coming together to help those in need, offering a leg up when life feels overwhelming? Look around you, and you’ll see the heart...
by Jeriah Brumfield | Apr 1, 2025 | Feature, Franklin County
SUSAN BINKLEY walks the construction site with both pride and purpose, her eyes scanning the 24,000-square-foot building. The sun catches the gleaming metal roof of a sprawling barn-like structure, its silhouette rising against rolling farmland like a promise coming...
