In tomorrow’s weekend edition of the newspaper, you will discover the 2019 Progress section, one of our most in-depth special sections we produce on an annual basis. In our Progress section, we strive each year to bring more long-form, descriptive and enlightening stories to our readers than the daily newspaper edition allows. This is no small task to produce, and we are proud of the work that has gone into the product you will be able to hold in your hands tomorrow.

Our focus this year for the edition has been ‘What’s Next?’ With growth and consistent change taking place throughout the community, we wanted to take the time to highlight what the future holds for a plethora of different industries, including the business world, the education sector, the law enforcement profession as well as health and wellness. We have brought you stories from these different corners of our community, and our hope is that you enjoy them.

To make a section like this possible and doable takes a village, and one of the most important pieces to that village are our advertisers who help bring this section to life. To our many community supporters who have invested in this section, we thank you for recognizing the value of a section such as this as a great vehicle to tell your story.

In the section you will be able to see tomorrow, we have produced stories on the changes that technology has brought to different industries. The high school classrooms in Troup County are one example. Gone are the days of lugging home a backpack chalk-full of books, as the school system has moved to Chromebooks for all students. These changes have helped increase student engagement away from the schools, and has allowed for additional, creative learning opportunities for students.

We also took time to speak with both LPD Chief Lou Dekmar and Troup County Sheriff James Woodruff to learn how the law enforcement profession has changed over their storied careers, and the changes they envision coming to the profession over the next decade.

Both men shared illuminating commentary on the changes they have seen, and speculated as to what might be coming next.

Stories on both The Thread and the nursing pipeline between LaGrange College and WellStar West Georgia Medical Center are included as well, giving an overview on health trends and professional careers in the healthcare field. Additionally, stories related to the housing market in LaGrange, the 10-year anniversary of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Point University in West Point and the new skate park in LaGrange are included as well.

This is one of our most comprehensive sections we have produced in some time, we hope you agree and enjoy the content within.