County Road 5

Close Encounters

Traveling has gotten a lot more expensive the last few months...so close-by vacations, weekend getaways, and day trips seem like a good idea. Meteorologist Jere Hough thinks they're a great idea...because of where we live. more »

Jul/10/08 3:04 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by rmseek1234: Thank you for this article. As a long time resident of Mobile, you tend to get immune as to what there is to do. I am actually leaving in about an hour… view »

Driftwood Art

It is said Michelangelo could look at a block of marble and see the statue inside. One Gulf Coat artist can look at very ordinary objects and see them as...well, see for yourself. more »

Jun/13/08 12:45 PM

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By Jere Hough

Purple Martins

For literally hundreds of years, Americans have been inviting them into their neighborhoods. They sound good, they look good, but most important...they have big appetites. They're purple martins, of course. more »

Jun/10/08 3:34 PM

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By Jere Hough

Zoo Story

Between Hurricane Ivan and the Animal Planet Network, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo has received a lot of attention. Now it's working toward a major move...to higher, drier, and much bigger ground. And through it all, its residents continue to delight, impress, and generally entertain. more »

May/28/08 3:05 PM

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By Jere Hough

Stilts, Part 1

Hurricane Katrina has been declared a once-in-five-hundred-years' event. That means statistically, a storm of equal size and intensity would affect the same area only two times in every millenia. Those "comforting" odds aside, Coastal Mississippi is looking ahead with a whole new view. more »

May/20/08 2:17 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by BamaBob: I was a teenager in ‘69. Me and some buddies went to Biloxi for one last blow out before returning to school. We were staying in a little… 2 Responses »

Stilts, Part 2

In an effort to reduce hurricane losses in Coastal Mississippi, new codes required houses in flood zones to be elevated on stilts or pilings. That can involve a lot of stairs to climb just to get to the front door. So a new household "accessory" is becoming very popular. more »

May/20/08 2:16 PM

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Square Dancing

Around the world countries seem to have their own folk dances...passed town from generation to generation and enjoyed especially in rural areas. For the United States, our folk dance is probably the square dance...but it's moved to the city! more »

May/2/08 3:20 PM

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Better Mileage in a Bottle?

The price of gas, green cars vs. gas guzzlers, dependence on foreign oil...subjects that provoke never-ending discussion. But what if there were a simple way to make all combustion engines use less fuel? A local man is sure he can do just that. more »

Apr/28/08 9:52 AM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by carl: Sounds like they changed the color of slick50 and are pushing it again,doesn’t it? I’m waiting for HADACOL to come back so I can get another… view »

Fiesta Barbershop Chorus

There seems no end to the variety of modern music, but some kinds from simpler times still have great appeal. For example, lend an ear to the Fiesta Barbershop Chorus just down County Road 5. more »

Apr/24/08 2:35 PM

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By Jere Hough

Wood Flowers

A house made from blocks of snow is called an igloo. Boots made from rubber are called galoshes. So what do you call flowers made from wood?How about "interesting, durable, and attracive?" more »

Apr/8/08 1:51 PM

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By Jere Hough

Students Pay It Forward

Four churches, six retirement facilities, and twelve other schools, charities, and public service groups have all gotten a helping hand the past few months. You might be surprised to learn whose hands did all that helping. more »

Apr/3/08 3:24 PM

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By Jere Hough

Government Str Methodist Church

Its nickname is "The Bee Hive" suggesting sending out swarms that create new colonies, or rather, congregations, in the community. It's a Church that's been a bee hive of activity for over 150 years. more »

Apr/1/08 3:08 PM

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By Jere Hough

Kite Flier

Being told to go fly a kite would be an insult to most of us...but there are some of us who think that is a great idea, especially if the wind's up. more »

Mar/28/08 10:34 AM

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The Mennonites

You have probably not noticed them, but for over two years they've worked countless hours along the Gulf Coast, living their motto...to "respond, rebuild, restore." Now, they are just about finished and ready to move on. more »

Mar/17/08 2:09 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by magnoliasouth: Mennonites are very good Christian people and it is so wonderful to see such selflessness. We could all learn lessons in their giving. We should do something… 1 Responses »

More Than Just Beaches

In television talk you live in a double market...a viewing area dominated by two cities, Mobile and Pensacola. They are similar in many ways, but each has many special features uniquely its own. Pensacola has spectacular beaches...and much more. more »

Feb/29/08 4:11 PM

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By Jere Hough

Fairhope, Alabama

Fairhope celebrates it centennial in 2008; that's when the Municipal Government was formed. But the town was organized and named in 1894...in Des Moines, Iowa. It was only later that the Coastal Alabama site was chosen for city. more »

Feb/22/08 3:39 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by mrsfrog: I see what you are saying, but I do live in Fairhope and not everyone who lives there is a business owner or rich. As a matter of fact, a lot of… 2 Responses »

Visiting Mobile’s Spring Hill

Some call it simply "08," referring to its zip code. Realtors call it, "highly desireable." But for the 10,000-plus people who live there, it's just Spring Hill...two words. It's been a nice place to live for a long time more »

Feb/15/08 3:54 PM

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By Jere Hough

Krewe of Goats

Although the Krewe of Goats is based on an old Mardi Gras tradition, there are many non-traditional aspects to this group. more »

Feb/1/08 3:34 PM

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Mystic Mutts of Revelry

Is Mardi Gras going to the dogs? Yes, fortunately. A canine Carnival parade raises thousands of dollars for a local animal shelter. more »

Jan/25/08 4:46 PM

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By Jere Hough

Mardi Gras Horses

A traditional part of Mardi Gras is the squad of parade mashals. These are members of the parading Society who ride in fancy outfits atop beautiful horses which have their own fancy accessories. Most of the horses are supplied by a stable which has to prepare the horses for the challenges of riding through thousands of screaming parade goers. more »

Jan/22/08 2:38 PM

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By Jere Hough

Dressing for a Parade

There is a business side to the celebration of Mardi Gras. Some local shops depend on Carnival to keep the doors open all year...or for a hundred years! Here's a century-old establishment that is still supplying the bright costumes of the season. more »

Jan/19/08 3:35 PM

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By Jere Hough

Clothier to Kings and Queens

The spectacular outfits worn by Mardi Gras Royalty at their coronations are all hand-made by a very few local designers...designers who are, truly, highly skilled artists. more »

Jan/17/08 12:48 PM

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By Jere Hough

Mardi Gras Mounted Patrol

Mobile's Mounted Patrol has been so successul, law enforcement from around the State and the Country now come here to be trained. It turns out we have the perfect training ground...Mardi Gras. more »

Jan/17/08 12:16 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by lawyers kid: The Mounted Patrol do a wonderful job every year at the various events needed. Sure the patrol officers are allowed breaks, but what about the horses. … view »

Mighty Marching Tigers

A few years ago a Mobile man had an idea about kids and music...not the sort they download to iPods, but the kind they could actually play themselves. It turned out a lot of youngsters liked the idea...hear for yourself. more »

Jan/17/08 12:04 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by tpmaddox: I think this is a wonderful endeavor. How do I contact Mr Sank about getting involved? view »

Mardi Gras Museum

Mobile's Mardi Gras goes back to the middle 1700s and it is still growing! There are now about 80 mystic societies, orders, and krewes, with some 30 parades. And that's just in Greater Mobile. Two years ago there was another major addition to the celebration...the Mobile Carnival Museum. more »

Jan/17/08 11:16 AM

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By Jere Hough

Melted Bead Art

We all know recycling is a good idea, but sometimes it takes creative thinking...which is how a Gulf Coast lady recycles Mardi Gras beads! more »

Jan/16/08 4:17 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by goldwinger: Happy Mardi Gras! I enjoyed the segment about the Mardi Gras bead art and would like to purchase an item from Mrs. Barrett. Could you please let me know… view »

The Saddle Maker

A saddle is a complicated device...it has to keep both the rider and ridden comfortable. Loey Wassam taught himself how to make saddles that not only serve horse and rider well, but can be works of art. more »

Jan/4/08 3:02 PM

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By Jere Hough

A Lot of Long Marriages

A family gathering in West Mobile County included eight brothers and sisters, all married or widowed, with no divorces. The total number of married years for the siblings was 464...an average of 58 years per couples. We meet them and hear some reasons why their marriages have been so successful. more »

Dec/26/07 12:54 PM

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By Jere Hough

Bird Photographer

Steve Neitzel is a real estate agent in Coastal Baldwin County. His hobby is photographing birds, especially the many temporary migratory species. He sometimes takes hundreds of shots of the same bird just to find the one perfect picture. And many of his pictures do seem perfect. One was selected for a National Calendar; his osprey picture illustrates August 2008 more »

Dec/17/07 4:40 PM

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By Jere Hough

Uganda Beads

On a trip to Uganda, Darlene and Richard Winter of Citronelle came across a woman selling beautiful beads. The woman owned an home for AIDS orphans, and supported the fifty children by selling the beads they made. The Winters realized they could help sell the beads in the U.S., and now import the jewelry and return all the money they make. more »

Dec/6/07 4:26 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by nancy: I would love to purchase some of those beaded necklaces so as to help those orphans get a good education and to help get them electricity and a well. Let… view »

Cancer Rider

Fred Kelley has pictures of himself with President Bush, Congressman Jo Bonner, and Governor Bob Riley. He's met them mostly because of "Peddlin' for a Cure." He started the fundraiser in 2004 to help Monroeville's Relay for Life...an annual event to raise money by the American Cancer Society. He vowed to ride the 92 miles from Monroeville to the Battleship Alabama in Mobile if $1000 were pledged to Relay for Life. By noon there were $5000 in pledges. The Peddlin' for a Cure ride is held every spring now, and has raised a third of a million dollars...so far. more »

Dec/5/07 3:35 PM

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By Jere Hough

Def Chef

Naman's Catering actively seeks hearing impaired employees. The person who showed them you don't have to hear to cook is Chef Tony Marcopulos, born deaf, but a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He heads a crew consisting of hearing and hearing impaired workers. more »

Nov/26/07 6:41 AM

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By Jere Hough

Animal Cracker

After being a "human" chiropractor for many years, Dr. Lance Cleveland retired, then promptly went back to school and became a Board Certified Animal Chiropractor. Today he has a full book of patients all across the Southeast. more »

Nov/9/07 4:04 PM

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By Jere Hough

Robert Butler

Robert Butler is an internationally known painter. He paints landscapes to document their beauty for future generations. Recently he documented the ancestry of a Mobile woman who was of African and Choctaw descent. He views that all Americans share diversity in their heritage, and that makes each of us an American Original. more »

Nov/5/07 3:30 PM

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By Jere Hough

The Clock Lady

Lottie Caraway loves clocks. She has a collection of over 1400, gathered just in the last dozen years or so. Most of the wall space in her home is covered with clocks of all sizes, shapes, sounds. more »

Nov/2/07 12:42 PM

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By Jere Hough

Heritage Homestead

James and Joan Malone have a country getaway...kind of. It was built in 1993, but was constructed like country houses from an earlier era...before electricity and running water reached rural Alabama. The style is "dog trot," named for the breezeway that separates the two rooms of the house. Not only does their extended family enjoy the house, but it has become a venue for a major public education program. more »

Oct/26/07 1:47 PM

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By Jere Hough

Great Grandma Rides a Bike

Arlene Vester is a great-grandmother who loves to ride her bicycle. In fact she rode over 3000 miles this summer on the trip of a lifetime. more »

Oct/24/07 3:06 PM

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By Jere Hough

The Flag

Horace Luckey arrived on Iwo Jima the day after the Marines landed. He was on LST 779, the first LST to the beach. Also on board was a flag, recovered from a ship sunk at Pearl Harbor. It happened to be a "Sunday Pennant," a particularly large flag used for special occasions. As it turned out, that flag was used for something very special. Luckey recalls what happened. more »

Oct/22/07 3:24 PM

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By Jere Hough

J. D. Crowe

J. D. Crowe is political cartoonist for the Mobile Prress-Register. And if his job is to provoke laughter, discussion, and sometimes anger...he does his work very well. We watch him draw a little and hear him talk a lot about where his ideas come from. He also shares some of his favorite past cartoons. more »

Oct/9/07 1:57 PM

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By Jere Hough

Who Says 96 Is Old?

Jim Backes took up skeet shooting when he was about 60. A year later he beat the reigning Alabama champ by hitting 100 flying targets in a row. At 96, he's still shooting. more »

Oct/2/07 2:41 PM

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By Jere Hough

WW II Remembered

A conservative estimate is that over 35 million soldiers and civilians died in World War II. A major documentary series about the war features the stories of some of your neighbors on the Gulf Coast. Meteorologist Jere Hough introduces you to two of them. more »

Sep/21/07 2:59 PM

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By Jere Hough

Cattle Egrets

A Mobile County family discovers their property is home to hundreds of cattle egrets...white birds almost two feet tall. The fly in every night and roost as a huge flock in several small trees. At sunrise, they all fly away for the day. more »

Sep/17/07 2:03 PM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by shrimpfire: post some pictures 1 Responses »

Portier House

The Portier House is named for the first Bishop of Mobile who purchased the house in 1834 for his residence and office. It is in remarkable condition still, and in the process of restoration to find new life as a kind of Catholic Museum and as a venue for private parties. more »

Sep/5/07 3:05 PM

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By Jere Hough

Mr. Andy

Andy Bryant started his job as a waiter at a downtown Morrison's Restaurant in 1961. He still works same job at the main Morrisons, now at Springdale Mall. He still enjoys his work after 46 years! more »

Aug/24/07 3:03 PM

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By Jere Hough

A Tour of Brewton, Alabama

At one point in its history, Brewton claimed to be the richest small town in America. Seeing the spectacular homes that the "Timber Barons" built around 1900 certainly supports that claim. But there is much more to the community. more »

Jul/27/07 12:32 PM

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By Jere Hough

A Tour of Milton, Florida

it's hard to imagine there is any florida town that has only 7000 residents...especially when you see it. water views abound. and although this city was established before the civil war, most of that .... more »

Jul/20/07 3:07 AM

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By Jere Hough

A Tour of Saraland, Alabama

Saraland is a relatively new city in this area. It was incorporated in 1957. It has also become one of the fastest growing areas in Mobile County. more »

Jul/13/07 2:07 AM

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By Jere Hough

Man Counting to One Million Because…

jeremy harper is counting out loud to one million..live, on the internet. he says, "i'm on the web cam twenty four hours a day, eating, sleeping, counting and everything." there are cameras in the liv.... more »

Jul/10/07 5:07 AM

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By Jere Hough

A Tour of Atmore, Alabama, Part 1

Atmore may be the quintessential small southern town. It has a long history with timber and railroads, well kept old neighborhoods, and a main street still full of local businesses. And clearly, the residents of Atmore love their town. more »

Jul/6/07 11:39 AM

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By Jere Hough

Comment by mvdukes: I was so looking forward to the Atmore coverage, having lived in Atmore all my life - fifty years, but I was very disappointed to the point of sadness. … view »

A Tour of Atmore, Alabama, Part 2

Atmore is a small town where the citizens seem to like it just the way it is. There are some major economic developments underway that may change things some. more »

Jul/6/07 10:00 AM

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