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John Hewitt

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Paradise found in Mozambique

View of Indian Ocean from Paradise Magoo deck. Photo by John Hewitt
As we departed Kruger National Park in South Africa with its flourishing animal and plant life, my travel partner, Johann Carstens, told me that once we crossed into the Republic of Mozambique we would see a stark difference. He was correct. A primit...

Jamaica’s celebration of 50 years of independence makes for a great excuse to visit

Overlooking downtown Montego Bay. Photo by John Hewitt
Only a short plane ride from Atlanta sits the fifth largest island in the Caribbean. The indigenous people of the island named it Xaymaca, meaning the “Land of Wood and Water.” Now the island, Jamaica, is celebrating 50 years of independence from...

Thrills and spills aplenty just over the border

Those looking for a weekend of wilderness adventure can find a near-perfect location only a couple of hours from metro Atlanta, straddling the Georgia/Tennessee border in the Ocoee River basin area of the Cherokee National Forest. Traveling north tow...

Shots ring out at Stone Mountain funeral service: two confirmed dead

Two confirmed deaths are a result of a shooting that occurred June 7 during a funeral service held at Victory for the World Church in Stone Mountain. Rev. Kenneth Samuel said he had just finished the last rites of 19-year-old Ryan Guider when shots r...

Business concept combines passion for history with principles of leadership

Decatur-based entrepreneur Matt Spaulding is combining two of his passions into a creative approach for business development. Spaulding, president of Spaulding Communications, a strategic communications consulting firm in Decatur, is also a regional ...

Exploring the history and natural beauty of northern Arizona

Montezuma’s Castle
Less than two hours north of, and on average 30 degrees cooler than, scorching hot Phoenix is Sedona, Ariz. The town known for its amazingly beautiful red rocks, vortex tours and pink Jeep safaris is one of the top tourist destinations in the state. ...

The Bird has landed in downtown Decatur

Atlanta’s underground, hippy-culture newspaper on display at DeKalb History Center. Photo by John Hewitt
Atlanta’s underground, hippy-culture newspaper on display at DeKalb History Center Many who grew up in or around the Atlanta area during the ‘60s and ‘70s probably remember the iconic weekly counter-culture newspaper The Great Speckled Bird. F...

Religious and cultural history abound at San Antonio’s missions

Mission Conception. Photo by Travis Hudgons
In the heart of San Antonio’s cosmopolitan downtown area sits one of the most famous images of American history—the mission Alamo. Within a few miles of downtown San Antonio and the Alamo are four additional missions, all of which at one point we...

Gatlinburg : Year-round adventure

Many resort areas are season-specific and while most do offer off-season activities, the main season is typically a narrowly defined window of three to four months. However, this is not the case in Gatlinburg, Tenn., where a wide variety of family-fr...

Experience authentic ranch life in the Texas Hill Country

Technically, the hill country of Texas extends from just north of San Antonio, northward past Austin and encompasses a swath of land approximately 120 miles in width. The aptly named area is characterized by large rolling hills, arid conditions, pric...