Testing the limits
THEY SAY you can take the man out of the small town, but you can’t take the small town out of the man. This would seem to be the case for Franklin County native Eric Taylor. In 2001, Taylor...
A chorus of community
WHAT DO you get when you bring a group of Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Nazarenes, and Mennonites together to sing? A breathtaking group of voices singing songs of inspiration for all to...
Giving the gift of lights
JASON DAUGHERTY is a lover of Christmas. He enjoys the time of year when the family gets together and shares gifts and fellowship, along with the birth of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He not...
Songs for the Season
OVER A century ago, the Festival of Lessons and Carols was introduced by the King’s College Chapel In Cambridge, England. According to the college’s website, the event was introduced in 1918 to...
A kickoff to Christmas
IT’S AN annual event that’s circled on calendars. Plans are put on hold or moved to another day. Phone calls are made for carpool arrangements, and getting a good seat is of the utmost importance....
The school that helped to build a community
ONE MILE south of the square, along South Shepherd Street in Winchester, stands one of the most historic buildings in the county. What is known to many as Townsend School was first constructed in...
Thrive Youth Conference
YOUTH AMBASSADOR for the Franklin County Prevention Coalition Jadon Vanzant earned bragging rights this summer. Vanzant, a grad student at Middle Tennessee State University, working toward a degree...
Life’s short; eat dessert
WE DUST off the artificial pumpkin decorations and pull orange and purple wreaths from storage. We pull out rakes and sweaters as the weather drops like the leaves do. The weather feels therapeutic...
Go straight to the best
TAKE A deep breath and smell the aroma of lunch cooking in the kitchen. It was a very important meal. Jesus and the 12 stopped in to visit the home of Martha and Mary, in Bethany. Through the...
Bringing the Local Butcher Back
JEFF EBNER was riding his motorcycle on a hot Florida day when he stopped at a stoplight and noticed his shoe was stuck to the road. “I checked my shoe thinking I had stepped on a piece of chewing...
Let’s Make a Note
SEWING, CRAFTING, learning to play a musical instrument, voice lessons, art, painting… whatever your passion — you can find it at Let’s Make a Note Music, Art, and Enrichment Center in Winchester....
Finding hope at HorsePlay
AS A toddler, 7-year-old Hope Smith babbled like others her age, then, on the autism spectrum disorder, and became non-verbal. When Hope and her adopted sister Allie, who has cerebral palsy, began...
Dogs on Wheels! Catch us if you can!
CORTNEY WOOD, co-owner of C&J Dogs & More, is a naturally shy person. But when she’s in her food truck, she’s in her happy place. "When I’m in my little second home here, I’m comfortable and...
Brewing up The Best
THERE ARE those that say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The magic of coffee could be why it’s so important. For some, it is the life fuel that starts the engine of the day. It...
A recipe for a lifetime of success
YOU SMELL the aromas of both sweet and savory as soon as your feet hit the pavement. Friendly flowers blooming along the walkway and carved into the cheerful red shutters offer a welcoming sight to...
Come Gather Here
CHEERS, THE Central Perk, Paddy’s Pub, MacLaren’s, and Monk’s Cafe. What do they all have in common? They are all iconic gathering places. Places that came into our lives each week, via our...
What’s in your truck?
IN AUGUST OF 2020, when local elections were in full swing, a local business owner called Franklin County Mayor David Alexander to see if he could set up a food truck in the parking lot while people...
Walking the Walk & Talking the Talk
THE FAMOUSLY KIND and good-hearted television host, Mister Rogers, often spoke about the importance of helping each other. For over 30 decades he came into our homes each day through his show...
Helping students of Franklin County
FOR THE past 23 years, Chris Hawkersmith has been working tirelessly to help his students be the best that they can be, both mentally and physically. Now he is getting the opportunity to continue...
A roundtable of knowledge
ONCE A month Franklin County’s industries, manufacturers, and local educators come together to observe how they help each other, learn more about each other, and assist each other in the continued...
Remembering Mollie and Abbie
EACH YEAR, the Franklin County community comes together for a weekend of fun, playing softball while raising money for local athletes and remembering two of their own. Their gathering is for the...
The art of Preserving History
PAINTERS CREATE with oils, pastels and watercolor. Sculptures work with clay, stone, and wood, and musicians experiment with melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. Each of these types of artists work...
Trusting the journey, not the destination
IT HAS been said by some of the wisest that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. For 28-year-old Hannah McDonald, that could not be more true. Wise beyond her years, McDonald had...
Urgent in Caring
EACH MONDAY, Heather Jolley gets her two children ready for school and drops them off. She makes sure to tell them she loves them and how proud she is of each of them. A kiss for her husband, David,...
Lettuce Shop!
THE SUN shines bright, encouraging all that it touches to get moving and start the day. It’s a nice morning, for the middle of August. The cooler air is a reminder that summer is on its way out, and...
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