A Week to Remember: Debate, Community, and the Moments That Matter Most

From a historic mayoral debate to a powerful weekend of community and faith, this past week reminded me why this work—and this place—means so much

There are weeks that remind you exactly why you do what you do.

This was one of them.

We began with something many in our community said hadn’t happened in over a decade—a county mayoral debate. According to several sources, the last one was held in 2014. Hosting this event was both an honor and a responsibility, and one I approached with great care.

Our goal was simple: provide a fair, respectful platform where voters could hear directly from the candidates.

The response has been overwhelming.

At the time of writing this column, more than 12,000 people have watched the debate, and that number continues to grow. For a local election, that level of engagement says something important—people are paying attention. They care about the direction of our community, and they want to be informed.

That is exactly why we do this.

Just a day later, our community came together again—this time for something entirely different, but just as meaningful. The Easter drone show on Good Friday was nothing short of spectacular. If you haven’t seen it yet, the livestream is available on our Facebook page and will soon be on our YouTube channel.

More than 35,000 people have already watched, with hundreds engaging in real time. Just like the debate, it became a shared experience—neighbors connecting, families watching together, and a community showing up.

Two very different events. One powerful outcome: connection.

And then came Sunday.

Easter is always special, but this one felt especially meaningful. Herbert and I were joined at church by our daughter Bethany, our son Cameron, and his girlfriend Jenna. Afterward, we met for lunch with Piao and spent the evening talking with my parents, Carolyn and Anthony, and my sister Angelina and brother-in-law Billy.

It was a full day—one filled with gratitude, laughter, and reflection.

A reminder of God’s grace and blessings.

Then, as it always does, the week moved forward—and quickly.

Client meetings, story coverage, investigative work, feature writing, and interviews filled the days. I attended the Chamber’s “Meet the County Commissioner” event and the Putnam County Republican Party meeting, all while continuing the day-to-day responsibilities of running a media company.

And now, as a candidate, there are additional responsibilities—filing the Statement of Disclosure of Interest and the Campaign Finance Report. Both are new to me in this role, but the principles behind them are not.

My entire career has been built on transparency, accountability, and getting it right.

Because of that, I reached out to the Tennessee Ethics Commission to review my practices, editorial structure, and internal processes. We walked through everything—from advertising procedures to internal tracking—to ensure that I am fully compliant.

And I am.

That matters deeply to me. Holding others accountable is not something I take lightly, and I believe it is just as important to hold myself to that same standard.

At the time of writing this—on deadline for this week’s paper—I’m headed to the library for a Meet the Candidates event after finalizing photos for our gallery and sending everything to our design team.

It’s a full schedule.

But I wouldn’t trade it.

I love this work. I love the process. I love thinking through the puzzle pieces that come together to create each edition. Every story, every interview, every detail—it all matters.

And most of all, I love this community.

Thank you to everyone who is part of this journey—those who watch, read, share, and engage. You are the reason this work matters.

And as we move forward, I’ll leave you with this:

Be bold.
Be bright.
Be a light.