DAPHNE, Ala.- 1. Life cut short

Residents were stunned when they learned the half-naked body of Brianna Parish, 21, was found Nov. 14 in woods near the Daphne Utilities sewage plant.

Parish-a Daphne High School graduate who had two weeks prior moved back to south Alabama from Texas-was last seen around 1 a.m. Nov. 14 at the Bay House Pub.

The Daphne Police Department, after five weeks of an ongoing investigation, arrested Troy Robert MacDonald, 43, of Daphne, on a capital murder charge. Police early on had named MacDonald as a person of interest.

Though some may feel relieved that an arrest was made in this case, a court will decide whether police's information from investigation precludes MacDonald's presumption of innocence.

No matter the outcome, it won't change residents' initial reaction-and perhaps altered perception of this once small town-following such tragedy.

James White, someone close to Parish, had said of the crime: “I got a call saying that they (found) the body and … I can't believe it.

“… It's a peaceful little town, and stuff like that's not meant to happen.”

2. Innocence lost

When Daphne police in March investigated reports that Daphne Middle School students had exchanged nude photos of themselves by cell phone, residents learned about a new trend among the youngest of those technologically savvy.

Three sixth-graders and a seventh-grader-two boys, two girls-were suspended for five days for trading pornographic photos.

The case was a first for the school system, according to Baldwin County schools spokesperson Terry Wilhite said, who said it was a striking example of why the school board banned cell phones.

Though a psychologist told the Daphne Bulletin that the cell phone transmission among youngsters is natural and is this generation's way of “playing doctor,” such actions are high stakes; trading child pornography between children could carry the sex-offender label for some of our youngest, police have said.

3. Thank you for (not) smoking

The City Council in February limited public smoking with an ordinance that allows smoking in 30 percent of hotels, in private clubs and homes and in bars with at least 65 percent of sales coming from alcohol. Smoking also is allowed on smoking patios and 20 feet from public entrances. Any other place is a smoke-free zone.

The council apparently felt it was time to clear the air, as the council voted 6-1 on the ordinance. Then-council president, Greg Burnam, cast the lone dissenting vote, citing that a law that truly protected citizens' health would also ban poisonous automobile emissions and any other health risks.

Daphne's action followed the efforts of surrounding cities such as Foley and Gulf Shores, which have enacted similar ordinances.

4. Daphne 'thinks Small.'

Residents decided-for the most part-to stick with reigning leadership as incumbent Fred Small won an Oct. 6 election runoff by 283 votes over three-time mayor Harry Brown.

Brown-Daphne mayor since 1992, unseated by Small in 2004-edged the incumbent in the Aug. 26 election but not enough for an outright win.

The City Council's makeup mostly stayed the same.

District 2 incumbent Cathy Barnette defeated Kathy Ebbitt; District 3 incumbent John Lake won over Pina Witherington; District 4 incumbent Greg Burnam defeated Greg Reyes; District 5 incumbent Ron Scott remained in position over challenger Willie Robinson; and Councilmen Bailey Yelding and August Palumbo-District 1 and District 7, respectively-each took additional terms, having run unopposed.

District 6's Derek Boulware, however, defeated incumbent Eric Nager.

Brown, a commercial real estate agent and managing broker, campaigned for financial stability - promoting a business-leaders coalition and rethinking the business license ordinance and fees; full-time leadership and an “open door” policy; and quality of life projects such as street resurfacings, environmental stewardship, traffic management and recreation facilities.

Small campaigned for a council- and citizen-led “visioning process” that would lay the groundwork for a city-wide strategic plan; finding a balance between aesthetics and commerce; and creating a comprehensive road resurfacing plan.

5. Decades-old problems find solutions

The Lake Forest watershed has had its share of problems in the past 30 years. Sedimentation has built up so much, its effects can be seen from space.

But help is on the way.

The D'Olive Bay/Lake Forest Watershed Working Group and the Mobile National Estuary Program held two meetings Sept. 17 to address concerns over erosion and sedimentation problems in D'Olive Bay, D'Olive and Tiawasee creeks, Joe's Branch and Yancey Branch.

Congressman Jo Bonner joined Mayor Fred Small and a group of environmental planners and engineers in a tour of the affected watershed, one of many efforts aimed to boost awareness-and promote correction-of the problem.

A timetable has been set, with bids for engineering studies to begin in January.

The first step in solving the watershed crisis is performing an in-depth study. A cost analysis is imperative for fixing the area.

Stay posted for further developments in these efforts.

Pick up the Dec. 27 Daphne Bulletin for Daphne's sixth through 10th top stories of 2008.

Staff Writers Sasha Heller, Thomas Boni and Contributing Writer Jessica Jones contributed to this report.