Macon Magazine

36 maconmagazine.com | August/September 2024 Listen to "Prison Town" wherever you stream your podcasts or at prisontownpodcast.com. A new season will be out this fall. View "Saving Juliette" at pbs.org/show/ saving-juliette/. footprint by one-third, and install a wall to keep it from slipping downhill. Every day, Wetherbee continues with an eye out for important stories that, at their heart, are about people and the need to inform. As an educator, she desires to help students find their way in the changing world of journalism. "Some think journalism is in turmoil now, but I think it's an exciting time to be in it," she said. "Many of my students come in wanting to be on-air personalities, and I try to show them there are many ways to report a story now. The fun part now is figuring out what medium communicates it best among so many possibilities. For me, it's about setting out to learn and bringing others on the journey. It may or may not be a project that reflects a personal concern, but that's not what honest journalism is about." collaborative projects. "I was blown away by the Peabody nomination," she said. "It elevated the podcast to the level of a lot of major media organizations and was so validating. But I feel proud I didn't choose a traditional journalism route. I moved to the middle of Georgia where I can be a mom, teach, and have the freedom to doggedly work on stories and make them the way I want to. I feel Macon is critical to me now in juggling all I do and enjoying where I'm doing it." Not only is Wetherbee keen on having chosen Macon over larger media cities but on living downtown as well. "I love the community," she said. "Running into friends and acquaintances around town, at work, at restaurants, in galleries, and elsewhere makes me feel connected," she said. "We live a really local life, so I don't lose a lot of my life to commuting. A lot of people are chasing their dreams here, just like I am, so that's inspiring. There's still space for people to chase their dreams." That includes doing production work on "Prison Town" late at night in her guest room after her kids are in bed and how Season Two is being created for a likely September release. Because much of what was brought to light and many who were introduced in Season One are involved in current court cases, the new narrative shifts focus to the mental health crisis in prisons. "Prison Town II" is furthered by Wetherbee becoming a Rosalyn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Reporting and Benjamin Von Sternenfels Rosenthal Grantee for Mental Health Investigative Journalism. Though wheels of change move slowly, Wetherbee feels journalism's work to inform, shine a light in the darkness, and hold those in power accountable has a cumulative effect for good. Though news of ongoing problems and violence in the prison system, such as the June 16 event, is vexing, she's encouraged that public awareness is growing and action is increasing as state study groups delve deeper and move toward solutions. And there have been changes allowing Juliette neighbors to receive safer water. County commissioners worked to bring water lines to the citizens of Juliette. Georgia Power announced plans to consolidate and dewater the ash pond, reduce its ABOVE Wilson and Szilagyi, creators of "Prison Town."

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