Thinking Out Loud: Liz Flowers

Welcome to The Post!

Earlier this year, I thought it would be a clever idea to create a Johns Creek-centric news outlet that not only covered our local city government and political scene, but also examined the impact of state and national issues on our community.

As I talked to my friends and colleagues about the idea, they had a few things on their news wish lists: more in-depth coverage of local news, cultural and community activities, book reviews, something webby, and blogs that dealt with meaningful matters within the community.

Six months and a few concepts later, The Johns Creek Post has taken life. It’s born of hundreds of small ideas that I suspect will continue to evolve as we listen to you about how we can improve.

But this endeavor has turned out to be more than just putting a news site on the Internet. It's been about community.

Any new small business owner can tell you the angst of opening -- there are so many details. But every time I asked for help I received it, and it didn’t matter whether the folks I asked were regular folks like me, or big muckety-mucks within our community.

Johns Creek is like a small town within the very large megalopolis of Atlanta. Some folks, like our Speaker Pro-Tem Mark Burkhalter, have called the Johns Creek area home since the Earth was cooling (that’s not a reflection on your age, sir, just your longevity in town). Others have arrived more recently.

There’s something nice in these hectic times about looking over the gas pump and saying hello to Mayor Mike Bodker or running into Commissioner Lynne Riley at the car wash. I see the Chamber members getting their kids ready for a field trip at Target. And it’s awesome that Penny Ho at the Mandarin House remembers the name of the Chicken in Plum Sauce dish I like, even when I can’t.

At the end of the day, regardless of stature, we all live or work in this wonderful new City of Johns Creek – that is at the same time a small town and a hip place, with our cool new Super H Mart (the fresh fish is to die for).

The reality is the Speaker, the Mayor and the Commissioner are also your neighbors, Mark, Mike and Lynne. They remember to ask about your kids, while working two jobs -- the one that pays the bills, and the one that runs our government.

We can disagree and rant and rave about how we think things ought to be done (I have certainly done my share of that and plan to continue!), but I know I will see you, my neighbors, after the news story is written. And that is the part that makes me care about what I write.

Not everyone lives, eats and breathes politics or the goings-on of government and our educational system. I know several of you, though, who would "lock up" without your daily fix.

But politics alone don’t make the city. Every day our citizens are working on volunteer projects, sharing stories in a book club, gardening, running marathons, or conquering an illness. We hope you will let us know what you are up to so we can make sure others know. Tell us about a great book you read, or a fantastic place to eat lunch on the cheap. And please send us your pictures and accomplishments. All of us are creating the history of Johns Creek.

For those of you who listened to me whine, vetted my accounting, told me something “off the record” or took a chance on advertising in something you could not touch or see (and you all know who you are), thank you.

Finally, about three hours before this site is scheduled to go live, I want to express my deepest appreciation to Robert, Josh and Shelby who just did what needed to get done. And to my mom, who regardless of how old I get, still thinks every idea I have is a good one. Everybody needs someone who believes in them. Thank you.

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Thank you for reading!

Liz