Welcome to 1998. There were new tag laws requiring everyone to have a copy of the tag receipt in the vehicle at all times. Failure to obey this law could result in a $50 fine.

I try to keep my receipt in the car. I guess the best thing to do is to put it in the glove compartment on the day you buy the tag. I have to admit I haven’t been caught without it, but one year I just forgot to buy the tag. I only found out when I did try to buy it later. Turns out that I had also forgotten to pay the car insurance. That must have been my crazy year, the only crazy one I’ve had.

The first baby born in 1998 in Atmore did not show up until 9:16 a.m. on New Year’s Day. His name was Jaquan Lamer Travis and he weighed seven pounds, one and a half ounces.

Dorothy Brazzell brought her oversized turnips in to be photographed. She said one would make a fine mess of greens.

That made me wonder about people and their overly large vegetables. I guess I would be proud of them too, but it just seems a little bit strange. And where did the saying “mess of greens” come from?

With the first of the year came another change. Paper food stamps were no longer valid. Instead of paper they will now come as debit cards making it easier for those using the cards and also easier for the grocery stores that cash them.

Judge Bradley Byrne denied bond for Leigh Ann Lucas. She was to remain in jail until her trial in March. She and her husband were charged with capital murder in the death of her two year-old son. When we get to March, I will be sure to check and see what happened at the trial.

A wreck near Nokomis resulted in the death of three people. A pick-up truck and a van loaded with workers coming home from work collided. The van belonged to ECATS and both drivers and a passenger in the truck were killed.

Weird weather brought three days of drenching rain, with six inches falling in one 24 hour period on top of nearly two inches which had already fallen. It caused many problems around town including so much water on the streets that cave-ins occurred on some of the streets. Some streets had to be closed until they could be repaired.

The Escambia County Commission listened, and agreed, to the plea of citizens to leave Little River State Park alone rather than to develop it.

Godwin Cemetery in Bratt was vandalized and two headstones were taken.

I think God has special plans for someone who would stoop to do something like this.