Twenty years is a long time, but it doesn’t seem so long for some of us. In 1996, I was already writing a column for the newspaper and found that it was something that I really enjoyed.

During the month of April during that year, a couple was sentenced after being convicted of the capital murder of the man’s ex-wife. Later in the month they received their sentence of life in prison without parole.

Mercury was found in some local county fish but the level was not dangerous to most people-only certain people had to be careful and not eat local fish.

We have to be so careful about the things we put in our mouths. It seems as if more and more things will harm us and most of it is probably our own fault.

I guess everything got straightened out about the mercury in the water. At least I haven’t heard of any problems lately.

It is not so unusual to hear of log trucks turning over, specially those whose cargo shifts when they come across the railroad tracks. There was also a report of a log truck spilling its load on Hwy. 4, but the driver wasn’t hurt.

It was getting closer to the time of the Blueberry Festival and the Chamber of Commerce was requesting entries for recipes for the blueberry cookbook. It was the year of the 16th Blueberry Festival.

In a little over a month, it will be time for the next festival.

Diane Rowell of Brewton was named Teacher of the Year at Century Elementary School and Mary Jane Young, the art instructor at T.R. Miller High School was named Teacher of the Year.

It was announced that law enforcement officers were to be out in force watching those driving on Prom night.

Sad to say, but every year there are deaths that occur on this particular night. Most teens think they are indestructible, but sadly, they are not.

CSX Railroad sold Hart Station to the City of Brewton for the price of $1, after the train had been discontinued from stopping in Brewton. Its too bad. I remember very well when the train began its latest train stops in Brewton. Some of the dignitaries went to Evergreen and boarded the train to come to Brewton for the stop. It seemed as if everyone in town turned out to see the train make a stop in Brewton for the first time in many years. There was lots of cheering and flag waving. I always thought those people on the train must have thought we never saw a train before because we made such a fuss about it. Too bad it didn’t last. I don’t know if I would ever have taken a ride on the train, but if I had wanted to, I could. That is not the case anymore.

One last note was the announcement of Jerry Caylor that he was running for the office of tax collector.