T-R PHOTO BY JEFF HUTTON Times-Republican advertising staff members Candice Callaway, left, and Lynne Guldager, peruse the new “Points of Pride” magazine published by the T-R. The publication will be featured in this Sunday’s edition.

What distinguishes Marshalltown and Marshall County from other parts of the state? What makes us unique in Central Iowa?

Trying to answer those questions served as the impetus for a new publication crafted by the staff at the Times-Republican — “Points of Pride” — a 64-page, glossy magazine that provides readers with snapshots of what makes Marshalltown and Marshall County special.

“‘Points of Pride’ was born out of this idea that we need to recognize what’s good about living and working here,” said T-R Editor Jeff Hutton. “This was an effort to not only market the things that differentiate us from other communities, but it also served as a reminder that we do indeed have some remarkable things to brag about right here in our own backyard.”

In mid- to late 2017, the T-R asked several community members to come up with an informal list of those “Points of Pride” that separates Marshalltown and Marshall County from other locales.

Multiple lists were culled together and narrowed to 104 places, organizations, clubs, events, programs and unique aspects that illustrate what makes the area so appealing.

“The difficulty, of course, is that there is so much more,” said Hutton. “We know we’ve only covered a brief array — we just weren’t able to fit everything into the magazine.”

He added the magazine will “hopefully spark dialogue and interest in those things we need to recognize and take pride in.”

The publication will be featured in this Sunday’s edition of the T-R and additional copies will be distributed at numerous locations throughout the community.