For just over the last four months, the team at the Austin Daily Herald has been working hard on stories to fill our biggest and best publication of the year — Progress.

For over 30 years, the Herald has been putting together Progress, filled with poignant stories from Austin and the surrounding communities.

This year’s edition is no different, and is once again packed full of stories from our communities.

The news staff starts planning in July, coming together to talk about the ideas they’ve heard from our area. We ask a simple question, “what makes Austin and the surrounding area great?”

Is it the people? The ag industry? Retail? In short, it’s all of these things.

Just a few of these stories we included this year is the great work being done at Gerard Academy and its school, New Dominion. You will read about the growing impact of MacPhail Center for Music as well as an example of growing small business at Sellers Lock and Key.

This year also saw the addition of a new section within Progress that celebrates the diversity of Austin and of course you will read stories from our small towns.

In this year’s Progress, you will find these stories laid out across 128 full-color pages. The stories and photos feature your neighbors or people you may know from other communities.

But Progress is so much more. It’s also a spot for our advertisers, who put their biggest and best ads on these pages. Some showcase how many years they have been in business or maybe who works for them or what services they provide. But all of them showcase the important part they play in our community.

In just a couple days we will be sending Progress to press and you’ll be able to pick up your copy on Friday, Feb. 22, at any place our newspaper is sold. Or stop down to our office, pick up your copy and, while you are here, let us know what you would like to see in the 2020 edition of Progress. We’re always on the lookout for new ideas. You can also call me at 507-434-2220 or email me at jana.norman@austindailyherald.com.

We sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading about your friends, family and neighbors featured on these pages. We have some unique and talented people in our area and they are worth celebrating.