Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/526281
12 | MACON MAGAZINE JUNE/JULY 2015 n Macon Magazine's first issue, then-co- owner Joni Woolf's editorial described Macon as: "a typical Southern town: steeped in its own history but making the most of its present and optimistic about its future. "We believe that Macon is in the process of becoming what it can be: a city large enough to welcome growth and development in a variety of areas and small enough to promote a feeling of community, of belonging to a place. We will be successful in that growth if we reach out and welcome the newcomer and listen to what he or she can teach us, while at the same time, honoring those who have spent their lives in this place and who continue to work to give Macon a quality of life that will rank near the top of anybody's list. Our goal is to help make that happen." That was in 1986. Today we are not talking about what might be. We're talking about a community that is on the move and shows no signs of slowing down. Look no further than recent news of a 314,000-square-foot development that will be a mix of big box, small retailers, restaurants and a hotel off Bass road in north Bibb County and a proposed $50 million commercial development in downtown Macon, the largest in decades. And Macon Magazine is still here to tell the story. Almost 30 years later, it is gratifying to see how far our community has come. We believe in highlighting the positive stories in our community, and with each passing year, it's becoming easier to do. Sure, there are still naysayers, and there are community issues that need to be addressed. But the portrait of Macon is that of an ever-improving community, with a rapidly evolving city center, a robust educational and health care community and a core of young leaders who love it here. The future is bright. We look forward to telling that story. I Editorial EDITORIAL