Those of you who regularly peruse The Evening Sun may have noticed that this week’s papers have been a bit ... heavier ... than normal. And yes, I mean that in the literal sense (as opposed to Cheech and Chong slang ... you know ... wow, man, that’s heavy, dude). This, of course, thanks to our annual Progress Chenango series, which – if you hadn’t noticed by now – means an extra two sections included with your newspaper each day this week, by far our hometown daily’s most ambitious, time-consuming and ultimately worthwhile effort of the year.

I should know, as 2013 marked my fourth foray into the journalistic behemoth that is Progress, although if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that each year is unique; each assignment (ten in all) an opportunity to dig deep into the successes and challenges facing our local businesses and communities; and every extra hour spent laboring over the keyboard or reviewing notes is – in the end – well worth the effort.