
New Year’s Day is always a time of renewal. With a special 366 days ahead to accomplish goals, it's a shame that the will to keep so many resolutions doesn’t even last until February.
This year, I’ve decided to be honest with myself; no, I’m not going to start getting up early and exercising, no I’m not going to give up carbs and no, I won’t be signing up for a gym membership while on that ‘new year, new me’ high. Not to say that some of the local gym owners don’t have fabulous facilities and have tried effortlessly to recruit me throughout the year. (I see y’all and to all of you I say, you tried it! ‘A’ for effort all around.)
Instead I plan to focus on the new. After making sure to stay connected with our local chambers of commerce and seeing all the ribbon cuttings already on the calendar for 2024, I am looking forward to continuing to cover all of the latest business developments across our seven county converge area.
Last year, we were proud to start up four new newsletters in our daily rotation, these include:
The Week Ahead: Keeping readers up to date with upcoming business related and community events in the coming week.
Restaurant Roundup: Featuring the latest in restaurant developments across all our counties.
The Weekender: Focusing on business and community based activities taking place over the weekend.
Real Estate Update: A newsletter focusing specifically on real estate news from around the area. This includes new developments, project approvals, new projects up for bid and more!
In this issue, you will see a recap of some of the biggest stories from 2023 in all of our seven counties. These stories were covered by the GFBJ team in both print and in our online newsletters. One of the main things writing articles like this does is remind me exactly how many follow up opportunities there are for stories going into the new year. If you see a story you helped us with and it’s been a while since you last heard from us, just know that we’re coming back around for you! We’re looking forward to continuing to connect with our communities and covering the best in business news in 2024. Happy reading!
Cindy Akers-Gilford creates stained glass, fused glass, mosaics, handmade glass jewelry, pendants, suncatchers and other original glass artwork in her studio in Dunn, N.C. Photos provided by Cimply Broken.Self-made Artist and Founder of Cimply Broken
FirstHealth’s art therapy for cancer patients and caregivers helps attendees reduce stress through creative expression. Photo provided by Deborah Yarborough.Group therapy can provide much-needed support and comfort during difficult times, and t
Van Goat Studios, which has been operating since 2019, has allowed Johnson to express herself and reflect the spirit of local communities through murals. Photo provided by Elyse Johnson.Elyse Johnson of Van Goat Studios in Dunn wants to spread her ar