Looking forward to hearing from you

I'm glad to be here -- to be a part of the Fort Scott Tribune and our related products and operations.

It's great to be a part of a group of people committed to being the best they can be and to doing everything we can to serve the public.

This is the first time I've worked for a newspaper in Kansas, but not the first time I've been in Kansas.

My first time in this wonderful state was when I was a sports editor a number of years ago. I was covering a junior college in Gallatin, Tenn. -- Volunteer State Community College. Vol State earned a spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament that year in Hutchinson.

That was a fantastic experience. Vol State didn't come away with a trophy, but was competitive with the best teams.

What struck me most about the tournament was the way the community and the state embraced the teams competing there and how hospitable everyone was.

It was truly one of my most memorable experiences thus far during my career.

I have been blessed to see a lot of the country, from Minnesota, to Oregon, to Tennessee, to Oklahoma, Missouri and now Kansas.

While people may have a different way of saying things like getting a "cold drink, a pop, a soda," and maybe just a Dew or an RC Cola, I have found that people are basically the same all over.

Small-town values and small-town sensibilities are universal and have always made me feel comfortable and right at home.

As I meet people over the coming days and months, I want to say thank you to our readers and advertisers for your support.

I will be asking you for your input and what you would like to see from us and how we can better serve you.

I will also be asking, in person and in these columns, for your submissions. From all things education, to civic clubs, to theater groups, veterans, seniors, nonprofits, and our churches, anything that is of interest to you, we'd like to share that.

Thanks for your warm welcome and I look forward to hearing from you.

Floyd Jernigan is the Publisher of The Fort Scott Tribune.