I spent many Friday nights on the football field at Morgan Academy in Selma, Alabama, covering the hometown Senators.

This will be the first year where Florida residents are legally – and I stress legally (meaning not using offshore sports books) – allowed to bet on the entire college football and NFL seasons.

I’ve worked in three different states during my journalism career, covering education in all of them.

There have been very few times in my life where the world has stopped and everything else has seemed to matter so much less.

Thursday, Aug. 1 was one of those days.

It’s not a secret that I’m probably the biggest sports fanatic out there.

I know there are many people who would challenge me on that, and that’s fine. But I rarely can get enough sports talk, and I enjoy watching just about any athletic event, though nothing beats football on the weekends.

We’re about to hit the campaign season stretch run, as things get a little extra crazy heading into the Aug. 20 primary in Santa Rosa County.

It’s almost over, and then we can all take a deep breath until November.

Several years ago, while working in LaGrange, Georgia, the newspaper covered a horrific story.

A cooler was found on the side of road, and a dead newborn was inside, leading to a 14-month investigation. A 19-year-old woman was eventually arrested and charged with murder.

A few nights ago, I was up late, sitting on the couch, watching TV.

I was trying to take my mind off the stresses of the world at a too-late hour, well beyond the time I should’ve been in bed.

In the Lion King, there’s a memorable scene where Mufasa, king of the Pride Lands, stands with his son, Simba, overlooking Pride Rock. Speaking of the future, Mufasa explains that at some point, his time in the circle of life will end, and it will be Simba’s time to rule.

Development in Santa Rosa County is certainly a hot-button issue, and I understand why.

Once a quaint county where you could take Highway 90 for miles without running into a stop light – or so I’ve been told – there are now new homes, restaurants and stores popping up all over the place.