Week 2: We are better every day, together

It’s amazing to me that this is only week two. The team at The Silsbee Bee has been working so hard to navigate the transfer of ownership and learn all my newspaper systems, it honestly feels like we’ve already been at this for a solid month.

Right now, I have two teams that form one big team—kind of like a newspaper version of a Transformer. We keep them separate when we need to, but for a lot of operations, we work together. That’s what keeps the machine rolling forward.

Now, I won’t lie to you—the community newspaper business isn’t what it once was. In fact, it’s harder today than it has ever been. But with the right people, it’s also more rewarding than ever. It’s a position of real responsibility and purpose in the community.

We get to tell your stories. And I can promise you this: in 106 years, The Silsbee Bee has never knowingly lied to its readers. In 130 years, The Robertson County News hasn’t either. That’s the foundation of community journalism—honesty, integrity, and trust.

Sure, we report on upcoming events, milestones, and all the news of the week. But have you ever really thought about what your local newspaper means? It’s more than ink on paper—it’s a promise. A commitment. A reflection of your town’s character.

You can trust what you read in this paper because the people behind it—whether they’re staff, contributors, or even readers like you—are honest and driven by integrity. We wouldn’t publish anything less.

That’s what sets us apart from those fast-moving internet news feeds that flood your phone all day long. Online, it’s about being first. But here, it’s about getting it right.

And yes—we make mistakes. We’re human. According to Grammarly (which I use to write every article and column), I’ve written 1,967,453 words in the past 12 months. I’d love to see Stephen King’s Grammarly stats, just for comparison.

I love to write—but more importantly, I love getting the story right. I don’t publish anything until I’m 100% sure it’s accurate. Still, mistakes happen. I made one last week. So did Dan Eakin. That’s life. And while I don’t make a habit of running corrections, I believe in owning them—especially when a mistake diminishes a young person’s achievement. (See the correction in the paper.)

The point is: our mistakes are never intentional, and that matters. We don’t let AI write our stories, editorials, or columns. But internet publishers do—every single day.

So thank you for sticking with us humans. We truly appreciate your support. And this week, do me a personal favor: share your copy of The Bee with a friend. Let them know we’re evolving, and we need them just as much as we need you.

We don’t have a staff of 20 people here. But we do have Hardin County—a community of 61,000 strong. And together, we can build something great.

Take a photo. Send us a suggestion. Criticize, analyze, and tell us what’s happening at the 7-on-7 game or the Little League field. We can clean it up and get it in print. Because your voice matters—and your contribution helps serve your neighbors, your youth, and your town.

Just give me a call. I’ll see you right here next week.