Travel

ABOVE PHOTO:  Clearwater Beach  (Photo: Andy Lidstone / shutterstock)   By Renée S. Gordon In 1528, Spanish explorer Panfilo de Narvaez came to the Pinellas peninsula and probably stepped ashore in Clear Water Harbor, named for the now nonexistent springs, in the bay. There he encountered the Tocobaga Indians who inhabited the area for thousands…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Tunica’s Gateway to the Blues Visitors Center and Museum   (Photo: Renée S. Gordon)   By Renée S. Gordon “The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.”  — Maya Angelou The…

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By Marcia Dunn ASSOCIATED PRESS SCHAUMBURG, Ill.– If you think five straight days of Lego are for the kiddie set, think again. Brickworld Chicago is a convention aimed at adults. Teens are welcome. So are tweens. But better nab a grown-up, boys and girls, if you want to hang with this Lego-obsessed crowd. Children under…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  B.B. King Museum (Photo: Renée S. Gordon) (Including the towns of Greenwood, Meridian, Cleveland, and Hattiesburg)   By Renée S. Gordon “As a form, the blues is an autobiographical chronicle of personal catastrophe expressed lyrically.”         –Ralph Ellison At the time of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson’s untimely death at 27, he…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Albany Tubman Museum  (Photo: Renée S. Gordon) By Renée S. Gordon “Find a way to get in the way.”  — Georgia Congressman John Lewis Georgia is widely considered the homeland of the Civil Rights Movement. From the moment enslaved Africans landed in the Americas, there have been those who fought for both civil and…

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By Sally Carpenter Hale ASSOCIATED PRESS HOOD RIVER, ORE. –The Columbia River Gorge is a marvel of nature known for spectacular waterfalls, scenery and hiking. But it’s also famous in the world of wine. The region’s geology has given rise to a wine industry that’s growing in both number and reputation, with more than 40…

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By Renée S. Gordon April 4, 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis. The single shot did not erase the legacy of the dreamer or the end of the dream. Although he traveled worldwide, Georgia was his home and has embraced him as its most honored…

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NEWSUSA Florida may be best known as a winter- and spring- break getaway, but savvy travelers will tell you that the Sunshine State is most certainly a summer destination as well. It is home to many diversions perfect for lazy summer days, especially when you head inland and away from the crowds. Streamsong Resort, located…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Gov. Ross Mansion, Seaford DE   (Photo: Lee Cannon / shutterstock) By Renée S. Gordon John Legend’s television series “Underground” dealt with the harsh realities of slavery, the courage required to become a freedom-seeker and those who operated the Underground Railroad at incredible risk to themselves and their families. The series revolves around…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Cape Leveque in North Western Australia is a stunning landscape of red cliffs against the blue ocean.  (Photo: bmphotographer / shutterstock)   BPT Let your soul experience one of the most stunning and pristine places on earth, Western Australia’s Kimberley. Its coastline is so unspoiled, dinosaur footprints still smatter the rocks. Its oceans…

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