
Making Lebanon Shine: The Story of Terry Wright
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...

Chris Crowell: Rooted in Service
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...

Letter From the Editor
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....

Letter From The Editor
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...

Neighbors Helping Neighbors
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....

Help Is a Click Away
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,...

A Story of Faith & Peace
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:...

Generations of Grit: George McDonald, Tennessee’s Farmer of the Year
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...

Los Compadres: A Lebanon Favorite
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,...

Founded on Relationships
Whether it’s through the Court Appointed Special Advocates board, the United Way board, or as chairman of the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce in 2023, Wes Dugan is always serving his...

A Give-Back Boutique
THE WOOD floor and brick walls of Iddy & Oscar’s hold a wide variety of items, from clothing to jewelry to bags and decor, but that is only the surface of Joy Pine’s give-back boutique....

Paws, Claws, and Healing Hands: The Vet Who Cares for Them All
WALKING ALONG West Main Street in Lebanon, where the sound of paws pattering on sidewalks is as common as the hum of passing cars, Dr. Matthew “Matte” Haley’s veterinary practice stands as a welcome...

Letter From The Editor
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...

A Safe Haven
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...

Officer Abigail Jones: A Hero In Blue
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...

David Ashley: Pick Up Your Cross
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...

Lucy Nelson: Fighting Fires and Opening Doors
FEW PEOPLE have the chance to become pioneers in their field, and even fewer take that risk and blaze new paths. Lucy Nelson — wife, mother, and lieutenant at the Lebanon Fire Department — is one of...

Matthew McPeak: Guardian on Campus
YOU’LL SEE him roaming the halls during class time. You can find him in the cafeteria at lunch, sitting with a group of students, getting the news of the day. He lends a hand whenever an instructor...

Jan Parker: The Most Honorable Thing in the World
JOE’S (REAL name withheld for privacy) brain did not work. The man was unconscious. He had been that way for a while now in the trauma unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after suffering a...

The Meyers Family: Sowing the Seeds of Generosity
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...

Kansha Japanese Express
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...

Neal Farms Beef Co: Nothing Like Having Beef with Family
THE MOST important agricultural industry in the United States is cattle production, which persistently “accounts for the largest share of total cash receipts for agricultural commodities,” according...

A Cast Iron Community
SIZZLING STEW, sweet cobblers, and crumbling cornbread are all staple dishes for the Wilson County Cast Iron Community, and their commitment to teaching and serving means that anyone in Lebanon and...

Charles “Tommy” Lowe: A Legacy Built on Faith and Family
STEPPING INTO a Cracker Barrel kitchen feels like walking into the heart of a Southern home. The air is warm and fragrant, filled with the rich aroma of biscuits baking in the oven and the savory...

Demeter’s Common: Celebrating The Seasons of The Earth
APEACH 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...
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