Andy Taylor is somewhat like a vintage automobile that has 400,000 miles on it.

At age 37, he is street wise, bruised from public criticism, genetically curious about everything that happens in his world, and he’s always up against a relentless deadline.

As editor of the Montgomery County Chronicle, Andy is also the chief reporter, sports writer, photographer, production manager and route delivery guy. Plus, he writes sports for the Flint Hills Express and Sedan Times-Star.

As a fifth generation newspaper editor, Andy Taylor takes personal pride in his reading product. He’s a proud graduate of the University of Kansas and usually wears a KU shirt or jacket as he goes about his daily work of being a country editor.

Still, his highest priority is going home to his wife, Amy, and 3-year-old daughter, Lillie. They’re the only ones who can slow him down, get his mind off the newspaper business and turn back some of those 400,000 miles to a cool 30,000 — mint condition in any car dealer’s book.

The only person who can work shoulder to shoulder with Andy is the co-publisher of the newspaper who happens to be his mother — Kathy Taylor. The two of them write all stories, produce all pages, answer all telephone calls and emails and still manage to smile as they work.

Kathy was born three blocks from the hometown Chronicle office, grew up the daughter of newspaper publishers and has never worked another job other than typing news items, keeping the books, sweeping the front sidewalk every morning and raising three kids during the whole process.

Today, Kathy is the payroll and accounts payable manager for our newspapers and she still manages the Caney office which serves as our company headquarters.

She writes a popular column, “Life’s Little Lifesavers,” and refuses to leave the office each Wednesday night until her editor son finishes the last page of the Montgomery County Chronicle. Then, she and Andy enjoy a laugh as he fulfills a quiet tradition that has become their deadline finale’ — he plays the first eight bars of “The Hallelujah Chorus” on his computer with the speakers turned to full volume.

Rudy Taylor and Emalee Mikel round out the Montgomery County Chronicle staff, although they have other responsibilities with the Taylor Newspaper Family. Emalee is sales manager for the Montgomery County Chronicle and Labette Avenue and works from her home office in Parsons. She and her husband, Mark, are parents of a daughter, Marlee.

Rudy spends most of his time in the Caney office but very little time working on the Montgomery County Chronicle. He uses today’s internet technology to work with staff members in Sedan, Oswego and Independence to help produce the other three Taylor newspapers.