Journal Entry 070212-B: It's Great to think of The Mobile Bay Area as the Seattle of the South.

Friends,

It's Great to think of Mobile and the Mobile Bay Area as the Seattle of the South.

30 years ago give or take a few years the "Natural Gas" discovery and proposed production of that natural resource was thought out loudly in our local news media and among the public as the beginning of a major growth spurt for our metropolitan area that would propel us past Houston, Texas.

In many ways it has; in other words the natural gas industry has benefited our area greatly with the exception of the "oil spill" year before last. Lord was it last year?

It sure seems that way at times but I guess would be three years.

I know this will be the third year since I was at Gravine Island swimming to an oil boom from the boat beached on the Island.

I could ask where the money or in other words where the revenue has gone but thats another story all together.

The bottom-line is regardless of some of negative talk you hear on the street due to the effects of eights years plus now of war and what I would call a depression that came to a climax almost Five years ago things are looking pretty good for the Gulf Coast from Baton Rouge to Destin.

I-10 yesterday was bumper to bumper from west of Woolmarket to Daphne!

Pascagoula has a new Carrier they had a billboard advertising as well as one that also advertised the "Predator" being built somewhere to Mobile with Tyssenkrup and "Now" the realization of Mayor Sam Jones and members of the business and political community of the what once was just a dream of building "Air-Ccraft in Mobile at Brookley field a dream realized.

Both Mobile and Baldwin County will benefit greatly from the hard work and long hours and trips to Europe and other points on this Planet Mayor Jones and his team, friends whatever word you want to use that have produced such fantastic results.

I salute Mayor Jones for his efforts specifically because he has endured much personally but please understand others most likely have as well.

Again I have to salute Mayor Jones.

The opportunities that will be made available by The University of South Alabama being an integral part of this period of growth and expansion for our area by the expansion of educational opportunities in the area of engineering mentioned this morning in Fox-10's broadcast of tge ceromonies are as well fantastic for the young people of the area.

I hope the people of Mobile and Baldwin Counties in all areas of parenting and education will prepare our "young people" by whatever means neccessary to take advantage of not only what The University of South Alabama offers but also every institution of higher learning.

I have lived in this community 46 years and the future has never looked brighter especially as you cross the bay and see Austal expanding and the Maritime museum coming together on a downtown Mobile thats Skyline is hard to imagine not growing in stature itself over the next few years.

God bless, Peace, Love and Knowledge!

Floyd Clifton Wooley