via The Time Mail Newspaper/ 2019

On September 25, our own “Martin County Journal” left the newsstands after 15 years of covering government, crime, news, and opinions.

It is a loss to both journalism and life in the city of Loogootee as changes have been made to cover news in this area with Courtney Hughett leaving the community.

I, as editor-in-chief, and CEO of this company want to continue what Mrs. Hughett left from our community by combining new articles with more in-depth perspectives on county government in Martin County, justice in Daviess County, The Mid-State Corridor coverage, and most importantly, more in-depth reporting without the need of not just backing information, but providing it while accepting the role the world of journalism has changed.

There will be no need for word counts or the need of you not having your voice heard.

Loogootee is a place my family called home for over 100 years dating back to when my great-grandparents became Catholic priests and doctors in the area.

With that later proceeding to my grandfather, James Lents, being the head manager of the Jay-C Grocery Store in three different areas. My grandmother was a respected worker at the German American Bank in town, and my extended family ran companies such as Gary’s Garage, J&R Tools, and ran a Marathon Gas Station while working hard to provide for their families and communities.

My grandmother was a part of the first ever graduating Class at St. John’s Catholic High School and for over 40 years she was respected along with my grandfather and mother who all grew up in this town.

I went on to later live in Bloomington, but I am also from Vincennes and here with generations of families who all graduated from a wide range of schools including myself, a graduate of Indiana University, and my family related to the Woodruffs and Miles Families.

For me, as an African American who grew up to becoming a Daviess County resident, it gives me an extra boost of energy to write, report, and read about the news this area needs to hear.

Our youth depend on this paper, and I depend on taking care of my family’s reputation and providing the news you need to know on our Twitter/X page, soon Facebook, our soon-to-be newsletter on Substack, podcast series, the Loogootee Big L, and Instagram pages as we report on government, crime, politics, some sports, mainly features, and more.

We welcome you to our family and want to thank you for reading the first story with many more stories and features to come.

Keep reading Loogootee, we’ll make you proud! 🙂