As a young boy, Bill Campbell was thrilled to visit his grandmother's house when she would bring out all of the jewels collected from her father’s and his great-grandfather’s travels. When Bill graduated college, he went to work as a manager for his family’s hardware and supply businesses. After twenty years of working with his family, the two businesses were sold and Bill was finally able to follow his dream of owning his own fine jewelry store.
The Seaside Institute will award this year’s Seaside Prize to Senator Bob Graham. The Seaside Prize is awarded annually to individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the quality and character of our communities.
The ceremony will take place as part of the Seaside Prize weekend events, which will be held on the first weekend in February in Seaside, Florida.
The Souh Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC) has named MC and Stella Davis as its 2012 Van Ness Butler Hospitality Award recipients. This award was first presented to Van Ness Butler Jr. in honor of his visionary leadership and the continuation of his family's legacy in making South Walton a premier tourist destination.
Local artist Andy Saczynski is far from an overnight success, but he's garnered much attention lately. His career just got a huge boost when he was revealed as the 2013 "South Walton Artist of the Year", at the South Walton TDC's annual meeting at the Sandestin Hilton.
The "Artist of the Year" program is in its eleventh year. The South Walton TDC selects a new artist in residence each fall. Artists are chosen based on their medium and how well they capture the nature, heritage and beauty of this coastal community.
Some forty years ago a tall, skinny hippie kid left a Missouri commune to search for a jug band in order to hone his skill as a washboard player.
Franko “Washboard” Jackson began playing in 1974. He turned professional after answering an ad in a New Orleans newspaper for a washboard player. He thought there would be a line of people out the door but “was the only who showed up.”
Franko has long been a member of local favorite band Hubba Hubba which has just completed recording its first CD, “Live at the Red Bar.”
Chandler Williams has had a camera in his hands since he was a senior in high school. It was a 35-millimeter camera and while he still loves film, he works more with digital now.
“Film is just not an option time-wise when doing production work,” he says.
Chandler didn’t plan a career in photography, but he was the one to take family photos and document travels. When he bought a house and learned he and wife Jessica were expecting twins, he realized he needed to make money.
The South Walton TDC has announced the addition of several new employees over the past few weeks.
Seaside Community Development Corporation (SCDC), has announced the hire of Lori Leath Smith as director of public relations and marketing. Lori is well known to the SoWal staff and we're so happy for her and know what a great person Seaside has on board.
Lori will focus on the planning, development and implementation of SCDC’s destination marketing strategies and public relations activities, both external and internal.
Upstairs in the Grayton Beach loft, there’s a stockpile of old musical instruments, rusty lawn tools and disassembled light fixtures. Vintage drawer knobs, bottle caps, and pieces of scrap metal fill up crates and drawers, waiting to be reassembled into something new.
Twenty-one years after opening Shades in Seaside, Billy McConnell is back where he began his South Walton adventure, in the same building which now houses the Great Southern Café.
Shades was the hub of the busy Central Square in Seaside for many years until it moved to Inlet Beach in 2006.
“Everyone says I’ve come full circle,” Billy says.
