Staff Report

Months of planning and work have culminated in this year's 2005 edition of Progress, the largest publication produced each year by the Luverne Journal and staff at Greenville Newspapers, LLC.

This year's edition is made up of five sections, with special focus paid to new industries and health-related topics as well as snapshots of everyday life around the county and in our school systems.

"Without a doubt this is the biggest, most detailed project we do throughout the year," said Dennis Palmer, President of Greenville Newspapers, LLC and publisher of the Luverne Journal. "I'm very proud of our staff for setting the bar high and I'm grateful to our advertising partners for making it a reality and showcasing their businesses to our readers."

Like last year, the Luverne Journal has named a Citizen of the Year for 2005. Sandy Walker was the Journal's inaugural Citizen of the Year in 2004.

This year, that honor went to Jimmy Johnson, a Brantley resident, who annually donates his time, money and knowledge to a number of different efforts.

"Jimmy was truly a unique nomination and well deserved of this honor," said Journal Managing Editor Kevin Pearcey. "This honor was conceived as a way to recognize those people who are behind the scenes and out of the general spotlight. I believe we've done that again for the second straight year."

Along with the Citizen of the Year, the Journal also recognized eight Unsung Heroes in Crenshaw County.

The two biggest sections in this year's edition, "Our Work" and "Our Health", focused on a variety of subjects.

"Our Work" spotlights the SMART Plant, Dongwon facility, Helispec, and other new and established businesses inside the county. "Our Health" features an in-depth story on Luverne's first full-time parks and recreation director Merrill Sport and highlights a lunch hour at the Nutrition Center spent with the senior citizens. The upcoming renovation to the Crenshaw Community Hospital is also addressed through a feature article.

Readers will also be interested in the "Our Lives" and "Our Selves" section and may catch a snapshot of someone they know. Each section is packed with photos taken by students in our school systems and by members of the Journal staff.