Building issue interview offers unique experience

     Last week was a first for me…

     Wednesday evening I had two interviews lined up for our annual Home & Building Issue, which in published in this week’s Express.

     My first interview was at 5:30 p.m. on Monk Court. At that time, the sky was turning a bit gray, and the wind a bit gusty, but nothing to worry about.

     I left there with five minutes to spare before my 6:30 p.m. interview in Breckenridge. I wasn’t there more than 10 minutes when the rain started coming down in sheets and the wind picked up.

     The couple, Dustin and Audrey White, and their two young children had their TV tuned to the local weather. We could see the radar and the bad storm headed toward Monticello.

     We carried on our interview about their new home, built by Dean Stevens. The lights flickered on and off, but nothing to worry about. Then, the wind really picked up. Audrey ran outside to grab the lid of their son’s sandbox as it started rolling away, and brought it into the garage.

     Minutes later, the power went off in Breckenridge, and remained off for about an hour.

     The Whites took their kids into the basement and graciously invited me to stay and hunker down with them during the storm. We didn’t know just how bad it might have gotten.

     So, we finished our interview in the basement, by cell phone flashlight.

     The rain and wind started letting up, though the power was still out. I ‘still had pictures to take of their lovely home, but without power, that was really impossible. Audrey invited me back the following morning, Thursday.

     As I drove back toward First Street, I noticed the downtown was lit up. It turns out power went out in random locations throughout Monticello. Areas by the fairgrounds had power, but businesses along Business Highway 151 South were without power for about an hour. Weird…

     I just want to thank Dustin and Audrey White for allowing me to not only feature their beautiful new home in our building issue, but inviting me to ride out the storm in their basement as well. I had never met the Whites, but after our interview ended and we started just chatting in their basement, I could tell Dustin and Audrey were really nice and genuine people.

     Both work in the area; Dustin at Innovative Ag Services and Audrey for Grant Wood AEA.

     That was definitely a unique experience, conducting an interview during a storm and having to seek refuge in the basement. Timing is everything I guess.

     I also want to thank all of the businesses, companies, contractors, and homeowners in the area that allowed the Express to feature you in our building issue this year.

     We pride ourselves on local coverage. Pete Temple and I personally interviewed all those featured in the special three-section issue to provide our readers with a snapshot of new construction and remodel/renovation projects throughout our coverage area. We also took photos inside and out of those projects and people featured.

     Mark Spensley and Mary Yanda spent many hours on the roads to also capture photos for our loyal advertisers also featured in the building issue.

     This special issues, as well as our Jones County Fair souvenir issue, are both the largest special sections we produce in-house, with original content inside. Our goal with every special section is to provide you with local content and coverage.