“FRANKENSTEIN,” PUBLISHED in 1818, is considered the first science fiction novel. The Gothic story cracked open an entire genre of literature that has endless new entries today. It inspired...

MOST PEOPLE slow down at 70. Cindy Woody is just getting started. By the time the Volunteer Network named her Volunteer of the Year, she had already logged nearly 100 volunteer hours, much of it...

ON A quiet morning in Tennessee, Brooke Stewart’s world shattered. Her husband, Shawn Stewart, a steel mill worker and devoted father of four, kissed his family goodbye, told them he loved them the...

“DO THINGS that can make a difference, and create hope in someone else’s life.” Those words are the driving force behind Andy White’s life, and his work in and for the community reflects that goal....

THE SCENT of warm butter-covered popcorn and the huge roar of the crowd… does anything bring you back faster than a Friday night under the stadium lights? For me, it’s a flood of memories: the...

WHEN LIFE threw everything it had at Corey and Misty Shadd – job loss, medical emergencies, financial hurdles, and a devastating car accident ­ — they refused to let it derail their dreams. Instead,...

For nearly 86 years, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has been deeply woven into the fabric of the Shelbyville, Tennessee community. To Bedford County and surrounding areas, this...

IF YOU’VE ever seen a fighter jet cut across the sky, you know what powerful looks like. You know what freedom sounds like. That roar overhead reminds us that we live in a country where people put...

LIGHTS FLASH across the stage, lighting up three guitarists as they bring to life the energy of ’90s rock. Behind them, at the drum set, sits James Briggs, providing the rhythm and drive that helps...

THE FLOWERS weren’t just dead — they were a message. Wilting in a hospital vase after his third lightning strike, Sheriff Terry Ashe stared at the bouquet, sent anonymously by enemies who knew he...

A FAMILY LOADS up their navy blue Jeep in Tennessee and takes a cross-country road trip. It’ll take several days to get to the Sequoia National Park in California. There may be hours when the Jeep...

IN 1935, with a dream and $1,200, which she used to purchase her first two incubators, Vicie Mae Brown Edwards started the Edwards Hatchery. Vicie and her husband started out grinding grain and...

MOST OF us know the saying, “It takes a village.” A well-known African proverb, it’s often used when discussing the care of children. The concept of the phrase is that no individual succeeds or...

WHEN YOU choose a locally owned business over a national chain, you’re not just spending your money, you’re planting it. And the roots of that investment reach deep. Every dollar counts, and it...

GOLF TOURNAMENTS, 5Ks, and auctions are all excellent ways to fundraise for a good cause, but J.D. and Lindsie Henry found another way to raise money by serving with Both Hands. Both Hands is an...

A STUDENT IN our community today will walk the halls of Congress with a pinned American flag on their chest. A student in our community today will pray their knees still hold when their nerves get...

JOY AND laughter fill the hallways of Belamour Ballet Dance Academy, bright colors swirling gracefully as dancers of all ages practice their craft. The academy is a beloved location for many...

WHEN DALE Buford walks into a classroom at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Lebanon, it’s clear that this isn’t just another day at work. For Buford, teaching isn’t simply about...

LIFE THREW a wrench into Joshua Brown’s plans — ideas of numbers, data, and creation all woven into the career of an electrical engineer fell apart. Instead, the Florida native turned into what he...

LAURA DILEONARDI’S life felt like a cluttered room of chaos with no doors. In 2012, she became pregnant for the first time. With the new reality came anxiety, exhaustion, and loneliness. She...

AFTER YEARS without a major business expo, the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce is bringing a fresh and exciting event to the local community: the Accelerate Expo. Spearheaded by James...

CONSTRUCTION CAN be a sweaty, dirty job, and shed manufacturing is no different. But Matthew Black of Blacks Buildings isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty for his business or for the community. As a...

MENTAL HEALTH is an issue for people all across the United States, especially for children — but Lebanon has a champion fighting back. Francis Garcia has lived in Middle Tennessee for over 21 years...

THE SOUNDS of the self-checkout registers beep through the entire store. The short lines of people with baskets and carts move across the reflective tile like a conveyor belt and out the door. Uh,...

Sitting side by side on a comfy couch in the cozy living room of their Lebanon home, Mary and Harry Harris were surrounded by a lifetime of memories — old magazine articles, newspaper clippings,...

Tim Leeper’s son, Kylan, was a funny, mischievous child who led a typical kid’s life — school, church, Little League. When he started exhibiting behavioral issues, his parents obtained counseling...

Some families have a weekly game night, a weekly movie night, or a weekly date night. Lebanon knows the Brownlees, however, for their weekly night of service. Every Tuesday, Linda and TJ Brownlee...

A nurse walked down the hallway his mother walked decades before he did. Beep … beep … he could hear the sounds from patients’ rooms. He kept a small keepsake pinned to his scrubs, a pin his mother...

Imagine this: You wake up feeling a sharp pain in your chest, a gnawing worry growing with every breath. You know something is wrong, but the thought of seeking medical care fills you with dread —...

As a young girl living in the country near the local dump, Sara Cooper encountered many abandoned pets. Her family took many of them in, and Cooper quickly bonded with those animals. She loved...

Kelsey Mires is the lead registered dental assistant (RDA) at Serenity Dental, helmed by Dr. Teresa K. Larkins, who also happens to be Wilson County’s first female dentist. Mires joined Serenity...

For a quick lunch, my family and I stopped at Speedy Burrito. The restaurant is a neighborhood favorite. Its worn brick walls and mural add to the charm of the place. The decor was simple, with an...

A community is often judged by how it treats its older adults, and the staff and volunteers of Wilson Rides Inc. work hard to make sure Lebanon and Wilson County rise above all expectations. Founded...

Every morning, as the sun begins to peak through the clouds across the quiet streets of downtown Lebanon, the rhythmic swish of a broom and the creak of a well-worn cart signal the start of Terry...

It might be at a city council meeting, at a Rotary Club fish fry, or at Liberty State Bank’s veteran’s breakfast, but you will always see Chris Crowell involved with the community. Crowell’s roots...

The people of the year 1000 faced division, uncertainty, and fear for the future. They didn’t know it then, but they stood at the edge of change, transitioning from the Dark Ages to the Middle Ages....

AUTUMN SETTLES into our town like a puppy in a warm bed. There’s a magic in the air that only this season can bring. Golden leaves drift gently from the trees, painting the sidewalks in shades of...

WILSONHELPS.ORG IS a large-scale, comprehensive, and user-friendly guide to Wilson County’s broad array of available aid. This is the most general way to describe what is an enormous,...

PAYING IT forward describes the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others rather than paying it back to the original benefactor. It has also been referred to as serial reciprocity....

IN 2020, less than 6,000 people across the United States became living organ donors, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Lebanon is proud to be home to one of those brave donors:...

SITTING ON his great-grandfather’s land, George McDonald surveyed the fields he’s tended since he graduated high school in 1978. The roots of his farming legacy run deep, stretching back to 1927...

WHEN I’M in the mood for an authentic Mexican dinner, one of my go-to restaurants in Lebanon is Los Compadres. It always hits the spot, and my most recent visit was no exception. Our server, Manny,...

SHE FLASHES her lights and pushes the gas pedal a little harder. The walkie-talkie is too quiet, so she spins the dial and makes her bulletproof vest a little more comfortable. She worked hard to...

HEROES COME in many shapes and sizes, but at the end of the day, each has the same important quality: they are willing to do difficult things to help people in need. A hero might rescue someone from...

THE NIGHT began like any other for Lorah McCarter and her husband as they fed their precious baby girl, Rhylee — one of their newborn twins. Having just returned from the NICU days earlier, life was...

WITH EVERY heavy step down the road, Pastor David Ashley’s rugged hands grip the weight of a wooden cross — a symbol of strength and sacrifice — carried not for himself but for the countless victims...

KRISTEN AND Shane Meyers have made a life out of giving for well over a decade by being a vital part of the farming community in both Lebanon and Watertown.  From Shane’s managing a 1,000-acre...

OUR FOOD nourishes us, from the soil beneath our feet to the table where we gather with family and friends. The hot sun beams from the sky into the field of sprouting seeds. Farmers rise early,...

KANSHA JAPANESE Express was an excellent choice for a quick lunch date. It’s a charming restaurant with a nice variety of Japanese cuisine. The atmosphere was laid-back, with a few subtle touches to...

A PEACH SO juicy it drips down to your elbows, fresh and creamy pimento cheese, crisp yellow squash — all of this can be found at Demeter’s Common, lovingly gathered from growers and artisans across...

WOMEN WHO have experienced trauma — suffering from the aftermath of human trafficking, addictions, assault, domestic violence, and more — are the people to whom Kelly Orlowski is dedicating her life...

ON A nice day, it’s always a treat to walk around Lebanon’s square and check out the stores and restaurants. If you are looking for a great place to eat, Town Square Social is a must. My husband and...

THE PROM is an American rite of passage that has, through cultural ups and downs, become an enshrined part of adolescence for almost a century. Yet the costs associated with the prom — costs that...

FOR NEARLY 20 years now, in August and September, green bows have been found all around Wilson County, Tennessee. Some people pass by the vibrant bows not knowing what they represent, while others...

SPORTS ARE vitally important to any community, especially those geared toward youth, teaching responsibility, teamwork, commitment, personal drive, and any number of other values. Sports provide a...

EVERY SATURDAY in the spring, the gym of First Baptist Lebanon is filled with the sound of sneakers squeaking on glossy floors, balls swishing through hoops, and rousing cheers as members of...

THE CROWD fills the stands, row after row, of people in our high school’s colors. The family in front of you sits down with a fresh hot dog from the concession stand. It’s still steaming with a...

A FRIEND AND I recently visited a local favorite in Lebanon, Sake Japanese Grill, for the first time. The menu features hibachi, teriyaki, sushi, and various Japanese dishes. It has a cozy...

GROWING UP on a farm teaches you a lot about life — hard work, commitment, respect, and the resilience to get back up when you fall. For Leslie Copeland, these lessons have profoundly shaped her...

WHEN I was 8, I wanted to be a teacher. I remember my third grade teacher clicking the chalk on the green board on the wall. And when I was 9, I wanted to be a director. My parents bought me a...

ON SIX acres tucked into the countryside of Lebanon, Joeleen Davis’ garden is a lush oasis. With her hands covered in rich soil and a spirit as generous as the summer sun, she cultivates an...

DOWNTOWN LEBANON is a vibrant place full of food, entertainment, and various locally-owned shops. Among those on the public square is Poppie’s Boutique, which recently celebrated 10 years of serving...

The Sherry’s Run 5K Run/Walk event is one of the largest community events in Lebanon, TN! The 5K run/walk is a fundraiser that benefits Sherry’s Hope, a local nonprofit. Sherry’s Hope assists...

IN A world where endless worries can sometimes press in from every side, it’s comforting to lean into the encouragement of a dear friend — or even a stranger on Facebook. To dozens of people across...

AS THE president of Cumberland University for the last nine years, Dr. Paul Stumb has become an important figure both on campus and within the broader Lebanon community. President Stumb recently...

In September of 2004, many in the Lebanon community gathered together for an event called Sherry’s Run 5K to honor the life of Sherry Whitaker — a 44-year-old wife and mother who passed away from...

LET ME start by saying that I’m not a fan of bar food, so I wouldn’t choose a sports bar for lunch. However, I recently met a business associate for lunch at Coach’s Eastgate Grille off Highway 109...

THE FAMILY is one of the most important foundations of any community, especially when it comes to caring for the next generation. Not every child begins life with a family, but many people in...

IF YOU took a snapshot of any moment in our country’s history, there is a hurt we were trying to heal. The same is true today. It’s our independence that lets us correct our wrongs, to heal, and to...

SUMMER IS coming. And surely your home will sit empty for a week in this heat. The playful cheers of the kids on summer break go missing for a week that was planned for a year. The dishes sit in the...

FROM 2011 to 2021, the Nashville Superspeedway stood silent but not forgotten. For a solid decade, the gates remained locked, its track untouched by the thrill of race day, and the roar of cheering...

BEN GRAHAM is a man who wears many hats. He’s a husband, father of four, grandfather, actor, film producer, podcast creator, speaker, radio program host — the list goes on. As a fifth-generation...

EXCEPT FOR four years spent at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT-K) and two and a half years living in Murfreesboro, veteran relic hunter Quindy Robertson has always lived in Trousdale...

VANILLA MOOSE Coffee is a brand-new coffee cafe in Lebanon. It began as a coffee truck and added a physical location in the Hamilton Station area. I had the pleasure of eating lunch. The shop serves...

THE ECONOMIC Policy Institute reports that for every dollar spent at a locally owned business, 68 cents of it stays in the local economy. Compare this to 32 cents staying in a local community when...

ARE YOU familiar with the saying, “The best memories are made around the table?” In the South, you will find that most of our memories include food. Some of my best memories were made around the...

LEBANON BOASTS many attractions, including Working Man Winery, which is run by the husband-and-wife team of Will and Connie Johnston. Like many proprietors of small businesses, the Johnstons came to...

THOSE WHO lived along the Gulf Coast braced for impact or fled further inland despite gasoline shortages and lanes of traffic that steadily crept north. As a nation, we held our collective breaths,...

TO TRULY understand what an organization does, you have to look at its impact. What does it do for the community? What does it do for entrepreneurs, educators, and families? How has the world...

THE METAL beams tick, tick, tick with every inch the cart climbs to the top of the hill. The experienced thrill-seekers in the front cart raise their hands as the coaster inches toward the climax of...

MARY BESSE craved opportunities for her four home-schooled children to delve deeper into a wider variety of subjects that interested them. Ten years ago, she founded the home-school tutorial...

RISE AND shine to breakfasts that fuel minds and bodies alike! Celebrate the power of wholesome, delicious meals to kickstart learning and energize young students. We’ll dish up recipes packed with...