Last week we, the Riverbend News, turned one year old. On July 29, 2020, our very first edition hit the streets in order to serve the residents of Suwannee County, Hamilton County and Lafayette County.
I grew up in the newspaper business. It’s all I’ve ever known.
On August 4, 1964, my parents, Tommy and Mary Ellen Greene, put out their very first edition of the Madison County Carrier. My parents (at the young age of 25) founded and started that newspaper with no newspaper experience at all; but with just a lot of hard work, dedication and will-power. They then went on to purchase the Mayo Free Press and the Branford News. Soon followed by the founding of the White Springs Leader.
Although I was born and raised in Madison County, I grew up spending many a day and night in Lafayette, Suwannee and Hamilton Counties laying out newspapers and covering events with my parents for publication in the next newspaper’s issue – for whichever county we were in that day/night.
When I was about 14-years-old, my father asked me what I (truly/really) wanted to do when I grew up and if I wanted the newspaper publishing business as my life. I had answered, “Yes, but I only want Madison. I do not want all the other counties; just Madison.” So, he sold the Branford News and he had (long since) closed down the White Springs Leader. Yet, he never did sell the Mayo Free Press. During my teenage years, I spent many a days working in Mayo, at our newspaper there, selling advertisements and laying out; just as I did in Madison County. (Not to mention the few years we also owned the Swapper and I spent my days and nights laying that out and doing the Swapper paper route, as well.)
In 1992, we went twice-a-week with the Madison County Carrier, publishing every Wednesday and Saturday. In 1993, we sold (traded) the Mayo Free Press and bought (traded) the Madison Enterprise-Recorder; dropping our weekend Carrier and making the Enterprise-Recorder our Friday newspaper. For the next several years, Daddy found himself more and more in other outlets; leaving the newspaper world more and more to me. By 1999, he made the “official announcement” that he was not “in charge” anymore and that I was now his boss (there are a lot of funny stories around that scenario!)
The years rolled on and in 2007 I bought the Monticello News, in Jefferson County. I began publishing the Monticello News and the Jefferson County Journal every Wednesday and Friday, just as I did in Madison County.
Last year, in the middle of the COVID nightmare – CNHI Newspapers closed down the Suwannee Democrat, Mayo Free Press and Jasper News. My daughter, Cheltsie and I found ourselves contemplating starting a brand-new newspaper for you, You see, my whole life has been in the newspaper business and my desire in life has always been to tell local stories/happenings and inform local citizens of what is happening around them. I look for ways to make life better in our communities and to help the “underdog” climb on top of the mountain. I like to help small businesses and the Suwannee, Hamilton and Lafayette County citizens. our local citizens strive and thrive in our small communities. I want to build our towns up and make it a place were our children want to grow up and raise their children. I would like to think I am helping change the world or at least my corner of it. So, on July 29, 2020, (one year ago) we put our first Riverbend News newspaper on the street, servicing Suwannee, Hamilton and Lafayette Counties.
And here I sit, 57 years later … what my Daddy and Mama started back in 1964 has come full circle, in a sense. For they once owned newspapers in Madison County, Lafayette County, Hamilton County and Suwannee County …. And now Cheltsie and I do the same, in the same exact counties, plus Jefferson County. I sure wish my Daddy was alive to see what has transpired; but I’m sure he is smiling down from his (green) mansion in the sky!
The greatest compliment, I believe, I have ever receive is, “You’re just like your Daddy!” and to hear, “Your Daddy would be so proud of you,” brings tears to my eyes!
So, it is in this spirit and in my Daddy’s memory, that I would love to invite everyone to our “Birthday Party” this Thursday, Aug. 5, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Suwannee County Historical Museum, located at 208 Ohio Ave. North, in Live Oak. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served and it is a walk-in party… so you all are free to come and leave as you choose.
Please stop by and celebrate our first birthday with us and let us meet each of you! It would be our pleasure!
“Bringing Local News Home”
Proudly serving Madison, Jefferson, Suwannee, Hamilton and Lafayette Counties.