Kudos to Karen Poth, the Executive Director of Mobile’s National Maritime Museum of the Gulf. She is setting a new course, overseeing the museum's transformation to include two new, extraordinary, groundbreaking educational exhibits. Linda and I recently visited with Karen to see what’s in store.‍

This is a difficult yet very important story. Tragedy, in whatever form it takes, is an unfortunate part of life. The recent floods in Texas remind us that tragic events can and do happen frequently, turning our world upside down in unimaginable ways. We hope this story will be helpful and inspirational for those dealing with loss, and possibly, help someone avoid extreme sorrow.

When Armand DeKeyser responded to our Scenic 98 Coastal Reader Survey and was chosen to receive a Scenic 98 coastal hat, I spoke to him on the phone. I learned, among other things, that he is the Board Chair for a nonprofit program called Shepherd’s Place. I then googled Shepherd’s Place to see what it is all about. It is a program that offers caregivers of cognitive-challenged family members a break from around-the-clock caregiving.

I first heard about Hope Community in 2021 while working on another local publication. The article quoted Shawn Graham, vice president at the time, “It's not about race when we speak of diversity. It's about the contribution of all people to our community.” I was delighted to hear about an organization dedicated to understanding, communication, and a future for all of its citizens, but the skeptic in me couldn’t foresee how this concept could be effectively implemented. Boy, was I wrong! 

In the interest of full disclosure, I confess to being Sandy Stimpson's childhood neighbor and lifelong friend. Later, I met Jean, Sandy’s wife, in Tuscaloosa as students at the University of Alabama. To say that I’m an admirer of both would be a severe understatement.

Most people traveling along U.S. 98 probably breeze through the little town of Lillian with little more than a passing thought, but Curry Weber isn't like most people. The audio engineer and archaeologist moved to this community on Perdido Bay nine years ago, and he's determined to find out as much as possible about its past.

Gulf Shores Out-of-Town Volunteers Join Forces with Eco Clean Marine for Coastal Cleanup in Gulf Shores!

If Kathy Hicks had better vision, we might never have gotten to see the stunning images of what she sees on her nature walks. And it would certainly be our loss.