March came in like a lamb and left like a Lion.  It seems that the mild weather in the first of March has brought April flowers to Orange Beach with beautiful bouquets of azaleas everywhere.

Hope each of you celebrated Easter at the church of your choice.  We are certainly blessed with choice of churches in Orange Beach.  Choice in Orange Beach is a vital element of living in paradise.  Choice of activities such as:  “LA Clay” Exhibit featuring potters Charles Smith and Abby Leach at the Coastal Art Center. Also up is the LA Gumbo Fest April 11-13 at The Wharf which will include music, food and art,

Orange Beach Elementary School PTO sponsored Casino Night at the Events Center at The Wharf on May 3 with tickets available at Wildflowers and Back to School both located on Canal Road. Waves of Wine is coming to Caribe and Cobalt. On June 2 is the Miram’s VIP Viewing Party for Thunder on the Gulf at Turquoise. Contact Tori at 251-550-5002 for $50 tickets.

A skateboard ride in memory of Hunter Sorenson is being organized now. Hunter was killed in a tragic accident on March 10.

And lastly, the Crimson Caravan with Nick Saban is May 22 at The Wharf with tickets available at www.rolltide.com .

Wow, choices continue in Economic Development.  The Orange Beach brand as a family oriented beach town is evident in its marketing, its events and in economic development priorities.  Orange Beach City Council is addressing vulgar and lewd retail T-shirts sales so attend council and committee of the whole (COW) meetings at 5 p.m. four Tuesdays a month at the council chambers.  Economic Development is the topic for the Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber’s First Friday Forum for April 5 at LuLu’s.  The chamber is planning an Economic Development Summit.  If you are NOT a member it is past time to get involved.  

So what is economic development in Orange Beach?  There are agencies that provide economic development services to our area?  Do you know them?  How does the Economic Development plan that is currently being developed affect you?  

Your opinion is important and the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber is conducting a survey at www.alagulfcoastchamber.com  and click on branding project.  While at this website make your reservations for First Friday Forum.  

Choice of better education for students of all ages is available in OBA.  Recent reports show that Alabama’s education system has much to be desired but it does not cover the areas of improvement, according to Larry Lee, the Alabamian who led the study “Lessons Learned from Rural Schools,” states “in 2012 five Alabama schools received the designation of Blue Ribbon schools by the U.S. Department of Education. This is the highest honor a school can receive.  

Alabama’s total was the same as Georgia’s, even though the Peach state has nearly 1,000 more schools. The last National Assessment of Educational Progress report showed Alabama as No. 2 in the country in gains in fourth-grade reading scores. Alabama had the greatest increase in fourth-grade reading in the U.S. during the last eight years.

Also island schools have an influential peer helper program that is partially supported by the Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation located here in Baldwin County, Rosetta Stone foreign language program, and digital renaissance.  

Choice of restaurants is expanding too with Hurricane Wings at Palm Pointe Shopping Center and Cayman Grill coming to Canal Road.

Yolanda Johnson’s column on life in Orange Beach appears in The Islander twice a month.