Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/704523
Downtown Macon: The best is yet to come You can track progress many different ways. You can use anything from pie charts to personal reflection. It depends on the kind of progress you're tracking. When you're talking about the community in which you live, well, that can be tricky. Local media, with a few exceptions, rely heavily on cops and courts for news. That means you're going to see a lot of crime stories. And if it's not what's on the docket, chances are you're going to read and hear about a lot of things that need to be fixed. When Jodi and I worked at the local newspaper, we once had a managing editor ask, "where's the outrage?" during a meeting about what was going in the next day's paper. That kind of mindset leads to front-page stories that can paint a not-so-pretty picture of Macon. Thankfully, we got out of the outrage business almost 20 years ago when we became owners of Macon Magazine. We focus on positive news, the good stories, about Macon, Bibb County and Middle Georgia. It's never been hard to come up with those stories. And it gets easier every year. Case in point: What you're holding in your hands would not have been possible for us to do five years ago. There would not have been the types of businesses in downtown to support such an effort and produce what we feel is a beautiful picture of our new downtown. We appreciate their participation in this new magazine and, especially, for their belief in the future of downtown. If you hang out downtown, you already know what I'm talking about. A true rebirth is underway. If you don't come downtown, you need to. On a Saturday afternoon you'll see everyone from young couples pushing strollers to hipsters perfecting their poses. It is a diverse, exciting place to be. Frankly, it's amazing to watch it happen. There are new restaurants, new shops, new lofts and condos and, most importantly, a new attitude. This New Downtown magazine reflects that. These businesses and organizations – along with many others – are the reason downtown is experiencing such a positive transformation. We want to thank NewTown Macon for working with us to produce this New Downtown magazine. It will be an annual publication each June to celebrate the heart of Macon. And we're sure the best is yet to come. -Macon Magazine