It might not look like much yet, but it’s home

When I arrived in Robertson County in 2012, both the newspaper office and I were in temporary spaces. I ended up buying a home for myself and a place for the newspaper. Since then, we have both happily settled in. Life can rearrange itself and take you along for the journey.

When I purchased 114 W. 4th Street for the newspaper, it marked the first time in the publication’s 130+ year history that it owned a permanent building. I have dated photographs of this newspaper displayed throughout downtown Hearne, but in 2014, I took steps to change that to give the paper a lasting home.

Times change, and situations change along with them. Sure, COVID-19 set everyone back a step or two, but we survived. We downsized a bit, cut an employee to save money, and started remembering to turn off the lights to save on energy bills.

Yes, my wife passed away from cancer, but she would not have wanted me to quit what I love, which is this newspaper. It was hard; it still is at times, as I see her everywhere. However, living in the past is not who I am, even though I cherish history, a staple in the community newspaper business.

Many already know that the current newspaper building is for sale. There is too much space for this newspaper. Though I, along with the help of the Hearne EDC, the Mayor, the City, Kevin Gassen, and too many others to mention, worked hard to make this an excellent restoration for downtown Hearne, it is time to part ways.

Good news—we bought a new home!

On April 17, I will sign the papers that make 305 Cedar St. the new home of the Robertson County News and my family of two. It’s not much to look at right now, but neither was 114 W. 4th Street. For those who may remember, the building was faded orange and white back then, and the interior was in rough shape. The upstairs was nearly condemned, and there was a long list of other problems that have since been corrected.

Cedar St. is no different than when we bought the 4th Street building; it needs love and a bit of restoration. The good news is that the interior and base infrastructure are solid. It has a good water heater and HVAC system, among other things. The exterior, however, tells a different story. I will begin immediately with a few projects to restore the place, including a new fence for the backyard, new windows, and a complete roof replacement by C/R Systems. There’s more to come, but I’ll save that for future columns because, like the restoration of 114 W. 4th St., I will keep you updated on the new location’s improvements as they happen.

We are not moved yet, but I’ll let you know when we are.

We haven’t moved yet; there are still things I need to do first, but my goal is May 15. You know the saying: make a plan and watch God laugh. Fingers crossed He is up there looking down and nodding His approval, because I need His help to get this all done—along with a handful of others.

The best part is that the space is bigger than it looks, and I believe it will be more manageable. Right now, we have a lot of unnecessary stuff—lots of stuff—so be on the lookout for an upcoming garage sale. I have two large storage sheds full of antiques, as well as a collection of just about everything you can think of. It’s a lot!

That’s it for now. I’ll let you know when we move. As a final note, all email and phone numbers will remain the same; only our location will change to across from City Hall and the former Palmos and Russ Law Firm building. We also have the open lot adjacent to us, and I’ll tell you all about that project a little later.

305 Cedar Street, Hearne