Todd is a copywriter, content strategist, digital marketer and the Publisher for Conway Scene. He enjoys coffee from the local coffee shops, learning the stories of new friends, pro wrestling, and dirt track racing.
Today on the Weekly podcast we visit with Gatlin Billick, curator of Conway NOW.
SHOW NOTES
Conway NOW provides information in a timely manner.
Works in hospitality
Attends UACCM
Studying Business
Loves learning more about the community and delivering timely news.
Started Conway NOW in August 2016, in tenth grade
Previous article at Conway Scene
Music by Joystick – https://www.joystock.org
The transcript is generated automatically and may contain inconsistencies.
Transcript
00:00.00
tejones
Hey everyone, welcome to the weekly at Conway Scene I’m your host Todd Jones and today I have Conway’s most well known unknown business entrepreneur that would be ah gatlin.
00:18.27
Gatlin
At billock.
00:19.45
tejones
What’s your last name again Gatlin Billock that’s what I was thinking I didn’t have in front of me so I was like but I’m going to I’m go to butcher his last name gatlin billock now you may know him. He’s been a server at various restaurants around town and he has a day job and he goes to you accm. But He’s like a superhero at night he puts on his cape only for him. It’s in the morning time he puts on his cape and he runs the conway now Facebook page and if you’re listening to this podcasts. It’s very likely you already follow that page because we were looking at it while it go and he’s got There’s like 12000 followers give or take reach about 20000 people every day. So um, he’s he’s but people don’t really know even though we actually had an article about him a couple years ago in conway scene but people don’t really know the face behind the person who runs conway now. And today we get to talk to Galen so Gatlan thanks for joining me and tell us a little bit about yourself.
01:21.62
Gatlin
So as you say we had an article a couple years ago. I was 20 at that time and I am 22 years old now. Wow I feel older for that one. Ah, like you said I go to school at uvc cm I am getting my associates in business.
01:26.57
tejones
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:40.59
Gatlin
In the spring of 2023 so I have only two more semesters to go at this school and um, like you said I’ve worked at various restaurants outback Texas roadhouse and most recently hatchet house which unfortunately did close down in December of last year and right now. Like said have a day job or night jos a work night shift half the time at a comfort in in sweets over behind Walmart on 65 and it’s and it has been an adventure for the past few months dealing with hatchet house shutting down and.
02:08.20
tejones
So go go ahead. I’m sorry go with few months. Yeah.
02:19.29
tejones
Yeah, so you’re doing your associates business. I assume that you’re gonna transfer somewhere like UCA. Is that correct? Okay, and then you’re gonna get a bachelor’s degree in business with yeah and kind of okay.
02:18.74
Gatlin
Trying to find out what I’m going to be doing.
02:25.90
Gatlin
Yes. Yes, properly even business administration something a little higher.
02:38.58
tejones
And with the like a focus in hospitality. Okay, that makes it So you think you want to move up in the hospitality industry and be a management or something like that.
02:39.44
Gatlin
Yes.
02:48.30
Gatlin
Yes I mean working in a restaurant you work in hospitality at a restaurant I started as a host at outback in 2019 a job I never thought I’d take on a job I never thought I would enjoy and the the woman that hired me just had a hunch about me and she just.
02:52.19
tejones
Boom right.
03:07.70
Gatlin
But heart and someone to me and here I am.
03:12.59
tejones
Yeah, So do you like that kind of a job? I mean it it is you know I’ve done it and I think a lot of people listening probably have done it as Well. I’ve worked in grocery store I’ve worked in vending and I’ve worked at a retail store I’ve done all that and it’s not for everybody. You know some people get into that real huzz like. This is not me but did you think that was something you could do when you started that like outback.
03:35.67
Gatlin
When I started, honestly I didn’t think I even last two months at Outback since I mean people are you have a lot of nice people in that area and I love it when you are I love it when you’re nice I love it when you’re understanding about things. But in the hospitality industry specifically with restaurant hospitality. You have that select few people that are as hostile rude and you have to have patience which surprisingly I have a lot of patience.
03:58.85
tejones
Now. Lots of it. Yeah.
04:10.10
Gatlin
I mean I’ve dealt with weird requests rude people specifically with covid after covid happened and we reopened out back in May of Twenty twenty that I saw a lot of changing people.
04:22.97
tejones
Yeah, it’s stressful so taking on those roles. Did it surprise you that one that you had the patience to deal with it too that you know yeah I kind of I’ve seen you in public a few times you know.
04:26.60
Gatlin
It really is I mean.
04:40.35
Gatlin
Yeah.
04:43.10
tejones
Waved at you? Um, you don’t seem like a very extremely outgoing person, kind of introverted. Maybe I’m wrong about that. But yeah I got you.
04:50.40
Gatlin
So I try to stay introverted in public. I mean you know if you know me, you won’t talk me. Okay, but now if you’re a random person on the street you know and I don’t know who you are. It’s kind of like paparazzi in a way I guess.
05:04.47
tejones
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:09.98
Gatlin
You don’t want to be seen but you do want to be seen. But by people you know, not by people. You don’t know I’m just you’re like oh okay I mean I’ve had people wave at me on the street while me in my own car just driving lunch or I’m over here like.
05:12.82
tejones
Right.
05:28.79
tejones
Hey in Arkansas it could be 1 of 2 people. It could be somebody who actually knows you or somebody who’s just waving at everybody they see when I was a kid. It was not in common when I became a teenager and started driving. It was not uncommon to be driving down the road.
05:29.22
Gatlin
Hi, can I help you?
05:34.87
Gatlin
Yeah, yeah, yeah I mean.
05:48.26
tejones
And the person coming from the direction put their faint hands up on the steering wheel wave at you and you’re like yeah yeah I mean.
05:49.98
Gatlin
And that’s still happens today I mean I travel throughout Southern Arkansas to visit my dad every now and then in Mississippi. It’s common in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and I’m just like.
06:02.80
tejones
Ah. Hi, exactly. It’s the South y’all no doubt. Yeah, so but I mean you know you,, you’re kind of introverted at least Publicly. Did it surprise you that you could take on a role in hospitality and.
06:08.62
Gatlin
But I mean Southern hospitality I mean you know? yes.
06:20.95
Gatlin
Madam.
06:26.90
tejones
And succeed at it. You know, having to interact with people.
06:30.60
Gatlin
Yeah, um I mean back then obviously specifically when I was younger 14,15 if you were rude to me. Unfortunately I would probably match that energy and probably be rude right? back to you. But then learning in hospitality. That’s how people are. You have to suck it up and deal with it. So I took the training I got from outback Texas roadhouse and with where I am now because I don’t deal with just people from Arkansas anymore I deal with people.
06:48.33
tejones
FA. Okay.
07:03.51
Gatlin
From California from watching state from New York state from any other state in America really at this point working in the hotel. You don’t know who you’re going to meet.
07:05.29
tejones
A.
07:14.16
tejones
Right? Yeah and they all have different opinions about how to handle things in public than Southern hospitality if you will. So yeah, so what does that? do.
07:19.84
Gatlin
Nothing.
07:29.30
tejones
For you moving forward. You now you’ve kind of decided hey I’m Goingnna make a career in hospitality I mean when you were 14 years old did you’d ever think hey I’m gonna I’m gonna just live and I’m gonna have a career in hospitality.
07:40.10
Gatlin
I Never thought I’d have a. I never thought I would think about going into any form of hospitality restaurants specifically because I mean I’ve heard horror stories and I’ve read lots of stories. I’m like oh I don’t want to work in that.
07:46.11
tejones
Right.
07:55.95
Gatlin
Well when I graduated high school looking for a job. First time job is going to be in a restaurant in a store and I thought well I mean I do like outback let’s give it a shot and I spent 2 years just about there at outback before I left to go serve tables.
08:00.73
tejones
Yeah.
08:06.76
tejones
Um, yeah.
08:13.87
tejones
Yeah, how is that serving tables? How has that been different being a host?
08:15.74
Gatlin
At Texas roadhouse.
08:21.90
Gatlin
So with being a host. You only see these guests when they walk in walk out, you know, hello and a goodbye serving a table you have these have guessed 1 maybe 6 or party of 30 in your group sitting there for probably up to two and a half hours
08:25.32
tejones
Correct.
08:37.36
tejones
Bright.
08:40.30
Gatlin
And you deal with them more and more and you know probably as a situation goes on. You know what? they like more and more you know how they are. You know if they want to talk or not and if you really set my section all the time I knew what you wanted to eat right? there off the bat because I would learn my faces names and regulars.
08:45.96
tejones
And.
08:53.50
tejones
Right? right.
08:59.33
Gatlin
And put their orders together right? there and just make sure haiti want your ah your usual today. Yes I mean it makes them feel important.
09:02.29
tejones
Right? And they like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I feel that when I go into the local coffee shops and then hey Todd you want your usual. Yeah I do so or I was do something different today.
09:17.29
Gatlin
And even when I go in to a coffee shop I mean I switch it up every now and then if it’s winter you’ll be something hot normally and if I walk in there more enough I mean this was a few years ago, but there was a woman at the Starbucks on oak street when I was in junior high.
09:25.32
tejones
Yeah.
09:35.53
Gatlin
Who knew exactly what I wanted the second I walked in the door she had it ready or was getting it made as soon as I walked in the door because she knew the car I was arriving at which was a bagel, cream cheese and coffee. That’s it.
09:37.35
tejones
A.
09:45.29
tejones
Yeah, yeah, yeah, well I’ve got my share baby when cream cheese and coffee at that Starbucks over the years oh yeah absolutely yeah, they do a really good job. All the coffee shops do a really good job with that in town. So.
09:52.59
Gatlin
Um.
10:00.30
Gatlin
Oh yes.
10:03.15
tejones
We’re fortunate to have that. So let’s turn the page a little bit. Let’s talk about Conway NOW. Okay, um I want to make the connection between your hospitality and running Conway NOW. Um, what about what you learn in hospitality helps you.
10:08.00
Gatlin
Ah.
10:22.11
tejones
Run Conway now or is there anything.
10:26.12
Gatlin
It’s all a matter of fact of just kind of knowing what the people want to hear because like you um we were talking about before we started ah road work has been huge over the past two or three years and that’s all people have been wanting to know about was what.
10:28.77
tejones
Right.
10:34.51
tejones
A. If.
10:42.20
Gatlin
Open what’s closed and what do I need to avoid and I mean obviously with the donaggie project. It’s hit or miss sometimes because they will unexpectedly have a post out saying hey this is gonna be closed today at four o’clock or yesterday we didn’t know that until.
10:43.95
tejones
So yeah.
10:53.25
tejones
Right.
10:59.78
tejones
Right? yeah.
11:00.54
Gatlin
This morning? Um, but just knowing what the people kind of want to hear about and everything I mean like with mems pulling out a conway a few weeks ago. Um, trying to figure out what that was all about I had to go back into council meetings and actually find that out for myself that hey.
11:07.88
tejones
The health.
11:20.30
tejones
Yeah, yeah, that was a pretty good discussion I think on some of the Facebook groups on town and to end of course everybody has their ideas about what happened, but the the bottom line is that mems is no longer here and we have paor now and I’ve seen them.
11:20.39
Gatlin
Mims is leavingafing and ah Packard came in and I heard they’re doing a really good job I’ve seen a few. There’s.
11:39.74
tejones
You know, come in with their emergency lots on a few times. Yeah, as long as they get the loan as they get the people to the you know where they need to go in a timely manner then you know that’s yeah, it’s all we need. Yeah.
11:40.50
Gatlin
And um.
11:49.91
Gatlin
That’s all I need and then I um, ah so a couple months ago people started to me pictures of little black stubs in the ground around downtown or in west conway. And they were asking me what are these locations and I asked them the location they took it at its wayfinding signage which was a part of the callingway one 25 plan um if you’ve walked around downtown or driven. You’ll see these brand new signs up with arrows and directions toward courthouses city hall post office and out here in west conway there is um.
12:11.28
tejones
Okay.
12:24.33
Gatlin
There’s a few over on Tyler and a few on here on Hogan directing you to centennial event center in Mcgee Center um and I was honestly surprised that I’m driving out I don’t see these little black stuffs and then I started to look and I go. There’s some black stuff right? there.
12:27.19
tejones
Yeah.
12:39.40
tejones
Ah.
12:41.84
Gatlin
And what there’s another sign going over there.
12:43.49
tejones
People pay attention to the roads for sure. Yeah, hey could end up with a flat tire.
12:45.87
Gatlin
Yes, ah specifically with road construction and everything as well. I mean.
12:53.84
Gatlin
And the one that people have been bugging me the most about is this pothole in front of Zaxby’s and I keep telling what the city tells them. It’s not City property. All the property owners.
12:58.58
tejones
Oh yeah, that’s a bad 1 exactly yep, yeah, there used to be 1 on oak street and the subway and oak street in front of there too I don’t know if it’s in’t been there in a long time but it was a massive pothole just like kind of I don’t know if it’s as bad as 1 in front of zaxby’s but it was a massive one I used to grumble every time i.
13:18.55
Gatlin
Re her.
13:24.19
tejones
Drove around it to go get my Subway sandwich. So I thought to myself. It’s gonna hurt business for Subway and all the other shops there because especially Subway because it’s right in front of Subway and I’m like if people stop going there because of this hole that you should think surely they would. But yeah, yeah, that’s.
13:25.52
Gatlin
Ah.
13:33.67
Gatlin
Yeah.
13:43.50
tejones
That’s a common thing like you know that’s not the City’s issue there, that’s private property.
13:46.97
Gatlin
And then recently that all got paved over from not zaxby’s oak street the one that you’re talking about. Um I think East German all the way down to your hark rider got repaid and overlaid. Finally.
13:51.36
tejones
Oh really does Zaxby did oh okay, good.
14:05.10
Gatlin
Where you can see the lines and nowhere you can see the lines in the rain.
14:08.31
tejones
That’s good. Yeah, that’s really good now. Let’s talk about Conway now. Let’s go back to you and say it’s 2016 that you started it. So.
14:18.19
Gatlin
August of 2016
14:24.14
tejones
What what? What grade were you in school at that time.
14:26.90
Gatlin
I think it’s been so long. Let me think here graduate at night eighteen night Ten tenth grade
14:29.36
tejones
Um, yeah, six years ago I guess okay so please wake up one morning August go I think I’ll start a Facebook page. Um, how did that go down.
14:43.10
Gatlin
So it was the idea came into my head a few months before all that actors because I want to find out information of what was going on in the city obviously and wonder what one does is they turn on local news. You know four 7, 11, 16.
15:01.74
tejones
And yeah.
15:01.83
Gatlin
You don’t hear anything about Conway ever. We don’t have a dedicated section. We don’t have this because there’s other state priority issues or other big events than a new business coming to Conway or new overlay here or there. Whatever. And then the lock cabin you know they’re a great source and everything and nowadays I and I see because we still get the paper in the mail still um, I’ll see that information there but on Facebook it could be two days until they post those articles on Facebook and I went you know.
15:32.18
tejones
Correct.
15:37.18
Gatlin
Let’s change that.
15:39.22
tejones
So you want to provide information timely. Not not like two days later
15:44.32
Gatlin
A plainly yes, a timely manner to where when you log into Facebook. The first thing that you see there’s a road closure of more of the area.
15:53.36
tejones
Got you? So did you think I can do this? Do you think somebody should do this? How did that go in your head?
16:02.50
Gatlin
I went either I can do it and become at least someone of a name in Conway or lose sense of opportunity and so we go I you and Conway which is not known which is an unknown individual just floating around the streets.
16:17.62
tejones
Yeah, so I guess I’m trying to think ah you know obviously of course, Facebook didn’t exist when I was in tenth grade so that wasn’t when they mean I’m just thinking about what goes into a tenth grader’s head that hey I’m gonna start this page to offer timely.
16:26.70
Gatlin
With you.
16:35.84
tejones
Did you have family members who did news or you no? Okay, so no, no okay, okay, all right? So it’s it’s all about it was all about timely relevant information and so you are.
16:39.67
Gatlin
Nope My family did pipeline and oil work actually.
16:49.68
Gatlin
The oh and the big one is in a non-biased way to where it’s only that information I’m not throwing roads closed I think this is stupid I’m just saying the roads closed.
16:54.68
tejones
Go ahead.
16:59.20
tejones
Yeah, just the information.
17:08.30
tejones
Gotcha yeah.
17:08.83
Gatlin
There is no bias and that’s really hard specifically today more than was a little over five years ago is a lot more difficult today to do that.
17:12.49
tejones
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and I’m sure people make comments under their displeasures. But that’s not what you do, I got you? So you started what some in August of 2016.
17:25.40
Gatlin
Um, yes, no.
17:35.89
tejones
Did it take off quickly or take a little while for people to understand what was going on. Yeah.
17:36.56
Gatlin
Like it took a while I think the first big takeoff and this is an infinite name in Conway John Daly steakhouse I reviewed their food and it was I loved it. Trust me I missed them. Um, that was the first.
17:45.61
tejones
Okay, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
17:55.77
Gatlin
Big kickoff because that that morning I was sitting at just under 900 people like that page I posted the review that evening by the time I woke up the next morning I was at two Thousand five hundred likes
18:00.73
tejones
Right s.
18:10.33
tejones
Yeah, yeah, so it jumped pretty good little jump there.
18:15.25
Gatlin
It jumped significantly.
18:19.39
tejones
What does that tell you about what people want to hear, what kind of information, what kind of news people want to have especially online.
18:30.41
Gatlin
Like with the John Daly situation. A lot of people had it because it was brand new. I mean it was only open for a week at that point and no one had really tried it. I think they’re just waiting for someone to review this place.
18:37.60
tejones
Yeah, yeah.
18:49.28
tejones
A.
18:49.44
Gatlin
And a qualified manner. Well here I come along with this canon cameras of a restaurant getting dinner reviewing this place and seeing that think that post reached 75000 people
18:57.91
tejones
Right.
19:07.99
tejones
Yeah, yeah, still more than population. Yeah yeah.
19:07.73
Gatlin
Which is more than the population at the time. Oh yeah I mean we hit almost 70000 finally on this last census but I mean it was.
19:19.58
tejones
So what was your next big bumper? Can you recall? Maybe what would be the next big bump.
19:29.80
Gatlin
Me and the next big bump I saw were 17 my first coverage to toadsuk days obviously which would be 2018 since I was able to get out because I had my own car at that point. So I actually go out and explore even further than what I knew about it.
19:48.32
tejones
Gotcha.
19:48.78
Gatlin
So just little coverage here and there of um tosuk days I mean you don’t like cover to toso days come on final cakes Lemonade Giant Turkey legs. Um, and then severe weather coverage is a big bump anytime of of.
19:55.26
tejones
Yeah, yeah.
20:05.26
tejones
And yeah, we’re right in the middle of run now.
20:07.75
Gatlin
The season. I mean yeah, we’re starting to gear up on that one and luckily that’s where another big bump happens I mean I can gain another 200 likes just off 1 notice of your weather coverage.
20:29.27
tejones
Right? So what is it about? Yeah, what is it for what is the why? What is the why for Gatlin Billock running Conway NOW?
20:29.53
Gatlin
But then again, it’s not about the likes is the information. It’s about the.
20:39.12
Gatlin
I mean like you said, there is that timely information but severe weather season with specifically there. It’s life saving information I mean yes, tornadoes don’t really directly hit the city I mean one really hasn’t directly hit since the 60’s.
20:46.89
tejones
Right.
20:55.66
tejones
Right.
20:59.12
Gatlin
But say that were to happen again. Yes, you would have your stations on Tv covering it. But what if you lose power, what if you lose power and you can’t get that information or what if you don’t have a weather radio like I do that says on top. My desk bar here behind me.
21:05.64
tejones
Yeah.
21:12.21
tejones
A.
21:17.95
Gatlin
What do you do.
21:19.51
tejones
So in a different generation. You would have been akin to a ham radio operator in some sense. Yeah I mean I guess you could still be 1 now you wanted to be there. You know there are those that still exists. In fact I saw a.
21:25.62
Gatlin
Yes.
21:38.23
tejones
Pretty cool little video article from Skot Covert the other day about hammot radio operators. He’s one and I have a friend in the rock. That’s also one so but in a sense like if we had an online ham radio operator. You would be that person. Yeah did you get really into it like ah.
21:50.77
Gatlin
That would probably be me.
21:57.97
tejones
Storm chasing at least from afar or like you really into that or.
22:01.18
Gatlin
So I mean I’m into it. I have certain qualifications and certifications that I know what I’m doing when I do it but I can’t really post updates going down interstate forty chasing this tornado.
22:13.91
tejones
Oh sure. Yeah, no, yeah, well the thing that I think we need is largely what you see the toddy kobeans and Tom Brand as the world. Do they sit in a studio?
22:18.52
Gatlin
Unless I had some Facebook live going on with.
22:30.23
tejones
And because they’re monitoring radars Obviously which is great. Ah, but they’re also following the storm tracers who have like online presences. There’s their need for somebody to serve like as a person who’s you know their hangingbag They’ve got like this weather central station kind of deal.
22:37.12
Gatlin
Ah, her.
22:49.87
tejones
Where they can kind of keep tabs on what’s going on and I do think that’s fascinating if I was ever involved in and weather chasing would be from that standpoint cause I’m not interested in getting out and being in a truck that gets rolled over when a Tornado rolls through but but certainly the timely information online is something that is. Do you think you’ll continue doing this like when you graduate and you get going in your career or yeah, so it’s a love thing for you. It’s like a passion. It’s like your hobby.
23:13.10
Gatlin
Oh definitely I mean it’s something I love doing.
23:21.62
Gatlin
Yeah I mean I don’t want to get paid to do this I don’t want compensation from that I mean that’s why I work where I work so I can get compensation and my stuff from there.
23:28.92
tejones
Job. Yeah, right? So What kind of what is Conway NOW done for you like in standing you like the people like notice you now or. Do they ask you for things? What’s what is that kind of standing does that give you in the community?
23:55.15
Gatlin
I mean like in public I mean like right now people probably don’t realize who this actual face of the page even is so I mean I don’t get a lot of people in public. But when I pull up meta’s business suite and I see 20 different messages from people asking me.
24:04.10
tejones
Right.
24:14.57
tejones
And I yeah.
24:14.83
Gatlin
What’s going on here. What’s the ordinance on fireworks specifically in July of course I get that question every year um
24:27.14
tejones
Yeah, it probably makes you feel needed right? yeah.
24:31.26
Gatlin
I mean it does yes because I mean you know the city’s Facebook page is only operated so many hours a day. It’s not. It’s not like this where it’s operated while I’m awake during the day because normally if i’m.
24:38.32
tejones
Right? right. Bright.
24:48.69
Gatlin
At school my break and I have a message come across a business suite. It’ll get answered.
24:53.57
tejones
Yeah, you’re more flexible in that regard. Yeah, what do you see for the future of Conway NOW.
24:57.10
Gatlin
Yeah.
25:08.83
Gatlin
I Pretty much just wanted to say the way that it is just the same page bap just provides that timely information.
25:19.29
tejones
Do you think there, you know I know you’re catching this as you go and you know it really does rely a lot on you being flexible because you know your life you know and you catch things on the phone and all that kind of stuff but as you get older and more. More responsibilities and you have less time to delve into this.. How do you think you can keep that going or you think you may have to make some changes to keep it going or.
25:50.23
Gatlin
I Mean there may be some changes and that may be years down the road until then so me at that point that’s the unknown.
25:55.49
tejones
Right. And that’s not a bad thing. I mean you know having the unknown. It’s kind of like an adventure right? The great conway now adventure. Yeah, um.
26:05.22
Gatlin
Yeah, it’s been an adventure. Trust me, yes.
26:19.20
tejones
What have you learned about yourself doing Conway NOW?
26:21.68
Gatlin
Now I’m a lot more open and outgoing than I thought I was because when I do this job to do Journalism you have to go out. You have to talk to people that you probably don’t even want to talk to? ah.
26:32.52
tejones
Right.
26:40.90
Gatlin
You know he’s just a lot of growth.
26:44.30
tejones
It stretched you a little bit especially and in relating to people which is probably I mean do you see a correlation between that and your hospitality what jobs that you’ve had and and the direction you’re going a career.
26:58.75
Gatlin
I Mean there are small connections that you make. I mean dealing with people being one of them specifically I mean if I had to get information out and I have you know Unruly people here and there I’m just like hey we’re trying I’m trying my best I am only one person.
27:11.81
tejones
Yeah.
27:16.67
Gatlin
Only 1 person wants the page that would be me I’m trying. It’s not easy to get all the information specifically if they’re not if the other party’s not ready to push it out yet I can only push out what I know.
27:17.68
tejones
Right.
27:27.10
tejones
Yeah, yeah, that’s something that’s yeah, that’s actually a good point because when it comes to doing this kind of work. You can’t push out something that the organization or company is not ready to push out. So.
27:34.56
Gatlin
Um.
27:45.31
tejones
It’s a you’re trying to get a scoop but balancing that with you know, the will what what the people that are you’re trying to help what what they’re wanting you to do that. That’s a tough balance to make sometimes and people are not always patient or understanding about that can be tough.
28:00.96
Gatlin
And it’s like a few years ago because I covered a majority of the l o fraxen cases that happened here. Um, it was very difficult to get that information out because it was a huge investigation.
28:08.50
tejones
And.
28:20.20
Gatlin
And I have people calling me I mean because if you look on my page my phone number my personal and phone number is the page’s phone number that way you can actually get into direct contact if you have an immediate question when it came to that though it was difficult because I’m like I Only know what they’re giving me.
28:37.17
tejones
Right.
28:39.93
Gatlin
I Only know what Conway police is giving me. I Only know what members of the community are giving me.
28:44.84
tejones
Yeah, they give you a new appreciation for Journalists like especially the Tv Journalists are covering cases like that.
28:53.94
Gatlin
I Mean that was a very difficult case. I mean it hit the community hard.
28:57.40
tejones
Yeah, it did. He did a deed. Yeah well man I appreciate you coming on a talk we went longer than I thought I would but that’s okay that that means it was a good conversation. Um.
29:10.94
Gatlin
Ah, yeah, ah.
29:16.40
tejones
Conway NOW probably got the most relevant fast updating information I don’t even try. So if you look guys you want that kind of information go to conway now. Um, I kind of consider him a friend of the Conway Scene in that regard. So. You know he’s on top of it over there and I just let him handle that stuff and so but I appreciate you coming on and talking with us and telling us more about the journey and we may have to do it again. Sometime.
29:43.80
Gatlin
Oh yeah, like another year and more find out what’s changing a year who knows? Yeah thanks Todd.
29:48.30
tejones
Absolutely maybe it may have to be a recurring thing every year So we’ll see all right man, appreciate it.
Todd is a copywriter, content strategist, digital marketer and the Publisher for Conway Scene. He enjoys coffee from the local coffee shops, learning the stories of new friends, pro wrestling, and dirt track racing.