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.

Well, summer break is winding down. The kids are probably tired of going swimming. All the camps are over, and school is just around the proverbial corner.

If you’ve been driving or strolling around the towns and hamlets of Alabama, you may be suddenly and delightfully surprised by murals just about everywhere you look.

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.

The young track and field athlete, son of sharecroppers and the grandson of slaves, stood with his feet at the line, ready for his first competition in the long jump. He was in Nazi-ruled Berlin, Germany. It was 1936. He was an African-American surrounded by a sea of Caucasian faces.

If you’ve ever attended a civic function on the Eastern Shore, you’ve probably run into Skip Jones. He may be the most civic-minded man I know. His interests run wide and deep. He is also an ‘Old Salt’, an endearing term for someone who knows their way around the waterfront.‍