KILGOROUND by MITCH LUCAS | A Kilgoround like none other – Kilgore News Herald

Here in Kilgore, we live together, we work together, we worship together, we watch sports together, we eat together, we shop together, and we laugh together.

We are a vibrant community that is growing by leaps and bounds. Despite what a handful of disgruntled people will tell you, Kilgore Independent School District is a very good public school system. City leaders here are thoughtful and have foresight. Our churches, while having to re-work things after the coronavirus, are God-fearing and play a major role in the community. Like anything else, there are always going to be complaints.

Trust me when I tell you: I work at a newspaper. I know ALL ABOUT complaints.

There literally is no way you can please everyone, and you cant even please most. Everyone has a differing opinion. I found out this week that even the new Welcome to Kilgore sign is polarizing to some, believe it or not.

But Ive been here for going on 19 years. My family has made Kilgore home. After moving around for a few years due to newspaper dysfunction and hospital merges, I told my oldest, Teresa Leigh, when she was about 10 that if they like it here, we would try to stay here long enough for them to graduate.

Thats been 14 years ago. My wife is now a highly-decorated RN at Good Shepherd Medical Center. Teresa is a University of Texas grad who works in Austins parks and recreation department. My son, Jacob, is a student at Kilgore College, and most of you know my youngest, Ashtyn, who was born during the 2004 football state title run. Shell be a sophomore at KHS this fall.

Do we have problems here in Kilgore? Sure we do. You cant go from one side of the city to another without having to turn 52 times, unless youre going from Johnny Ozarks to Skeeter Boats on 259. We used to have one prayer light the traffic light at the intersection of 259 and Houston Street, which holds long enough for you to say your prayers. Now it seems theyre all long enough to get that prayer finished.

I have found that most people here think a four-way stop is a suggestion. And it sometimes seems like we have an awful lot of power outages for it to be 2020 werent we supposed to all be driving flying cars by now?

Still, there are so many reasons to be proud to live here. I recently was approached to be the managing editor of this paper. I didnt have to do it. Between us, its not a lot more money, and I dont ever want to give up my true love, which is sports (OK, behind Jenna, its sports). But I care about Kilgore, care about giving you guys the best newspaper we can possibly produce.

We want to deliver a great product. Since I took the chair a few weeks ago, weve had a lot of positive news: Wagner Tuning will soon open in Synergy Park. Were getting Dairy Queen back. Popeyes is coming to down. Businesses are re-opening after the coronavirus crisis. There are other things on the horizon that I know about, but cant even tell you about just yet.

Things are happening here, like really happening. Here, we largely live in harmony. We move forward together.

When a group of us is hurting, we all hurt. When a group of us feels the need to be heard, then we listen.

But when things are great, we are all a part of that. Thats how its been since I got here, people who will lend you a hand, a shoulder to cry on, or an extra sandwich when youre hungry.

Were not better than anyone else, but maybe we have the human condition figured out: when somebody is in need, we help them. When someone mourns a loved one, we cry with them. When someone is down, we lift them up. We practice Matthew 7:12 here. You might know it under its laymans-terms name: the golden rule.

We are blessed. And a blessed community is a community in which everyone wants to live.

We are Kilgore. And we are strong.

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KILGOROUND by MITCH LUCAS | A Kilgoround like none other - Kilgore News Herald