Who’s the New Guy?

Some of you may have read the front-page story this week about me — but that was just the canned version. Want the real story? You’re in the right place.

I reserve this space each week to write about just about anything, but mostly, you’ll find good, old-fashioned humor. I like to tell stories about the funny and often ridiculous things that happen to me — which, of course, are usually newspaper-related. That’s what I do all day: make newspapers.

On Monday, I was in Silsbee. Not my first trip to Hardin County, but my first official “business” trip — the kind where I actually get to meet people, shake hands, and talk about the exciting news that The Silsbee Bee is under new ownership.

I love interacting with people, so my first stop was the bank: RAVE. It’s a clean, modern place. I walked in to open a new checking account for The Bee and was greeted by a lovely young lady who escorted me into a small room with a monitor screen. She shut the door, and another kind woman appeared on the screen to help with the account setup.

Now, let me say this: I’m not ancient, but I am old enough to remember the days when you knew your banker’s full name — and probably his dog’s name too. My banker in Johnson City, Texas gave me my first loan — $300 to buy my parents a new TV for their anniversary. I still know his son, and he’s still one of my bankers.

But back to RAVE.

The process was smooth, just... distant. No handshakes. And while I completely understand how these changes came about — especially during COVID — I have to admit, I missed that personal connection. I even attempted a handshake with the screen. Don’t try that, by the way. It just looks sad.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I think RAVE is a fine institution. In fact, they’re probably ahead of the curve when it comes to modern banking. Most of us do everything from our phones now anyway. But still... I’ll miss sitting across from a banker and pitching some wild idea, like the time I tried to open a miniature golf course in Johnson City (population: 1,100). I was 17, had every hole mapped out, land-use agreements in place — everything but the money. My banker wisely told me no. Thank God for that man.

I’ve been in newspapers a long time, and I’m proud to be part of Hardin County now. My newspaper family just got a little bigger — with Dan, Debbie, Amy, Danny and the rest of the incredible team you already know.

We’re also bringing in a new guy: Dylan. He’ll be working with Dan and learning the ropes. He’s full of energy and ready to dig into the business. I’m excited to see where we go from here as we work to make The Silsbee Bee into the award-winning newspaper it deserves to be(e).

And finally, here’s my cell number: 979-250-2733. I’m available pretty much all the time. I don’t answer unknown calls, but if you text me, I’ll call you back and add you to my contacts. Call to compliment, complain, offer advice, or just say hello. This is your newspaper — and the best way I can serve you is by knowing what you care about most.

Until next week.