With the arrival of June always comes memories of the earliest days of Discover, The Essence of St. Clair Magazine. It was in June 2011 – 14 years ago – that we transformed a simple idea into the pages of this magazine.

 As newspaper veterans, we surely knew how to tell a story – plenty of them. But creating a full-fledged magazine from nothing more than the notion that telling local stories had an unrivaled allure was a bit daunting.

Call it naivete or just dumb luck, but it turned out we were right. It was a commodity you couldn’t get anywhere else.

So off on this journey of ‘build it and they will come’ we went. We took the road less traveled, and indeed, it has made all the difference.

Each issue is but another chapter in our travels, and we thank you for coming along and discovering it all with us. Our readers and advertisers, many of whom have been with us from the very beginning, are owed a debt of thanks. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for encouraging us. Thank you for sharing your stories.

As we embark on year 15, we savor the memories made along the way and look forward to the memories yet to be made.

One such story is that of Jessie Homes, whose self-described troubled youth led him away from his years lived in Odenville to years of self-discovery “off the grid” in Alaska and a feat the world celebrates.

In late March, Holmes won the grueling Iditarod, the longest dog sled race in Alaska’s history. It was the 53^rd running of the event and covered 1,129 miles and took more than 10 days. He made history more than once, reportedly becoming the first champion from below the Mason-Dixon line.

History is being made in Springville these days by preserving it. Just ask Frank and Carol Waid, who are at the heart of a number of projects by the Springville Preservation Society aimed at restoring landmarks, like the Rock School and Presbyterian Church, as well as growing a museum and genealogy and research center.

It’s not so much history but new beginnings for Pell City’s Gaston Williamson, who transports puppies all over the country to settle in their forever home.

Also in this issue, we’ll trace the footsteps of Les Johnson, whose found a home in St. Clair County, Alabama, after moving from his longtime home in St. Clair County, Michigan.

We’ll take you inside the long awaited arrival of Outback Steakhouse, which officials welcomed to Pell City in April. And we’ll take you on a tour of a quartet of other new eateries adding to the diversity of the city’s restaurant scene – Kami Sushi and Asian Fusion, Jamaican Spice Restaurant, Porky Pirate Barbecue and Coosa Creamery and Cafe.

It’s all here and more in this issue of Discover. Turn the page and discover it all with us!

Carol Pappas
Editor and Publisher