When the late kicker Tom Dempsey caused a buzz (April 6): It’s difficult to overstate the importance of former NFL kicker Tom Dempsey, who died April 4 of the coronavirus, in the lore of the city of New Orleans.
Dempsey, who was born with no toes and no fingers on his right foot and hand, respectively, is famous for the 63-yard field goal he kicked in Tulane Stadium to win a 1970 game for the woebegone New Orleans Saints over the playoff-bound Detroit Lions. The kick set the NFL record by an astonishing seven yards, breaking a mark that had held for 17 years. … In the Crescent City, that kick stood as the single best moment in the first 20 years of a Saints franchise that had never boasted a single-season winning record.
Mobile Mayor Stimpson shows servant leadership in a crisis (April 15): To see how a local official can handle the coronavirus crisis well, look to Moible, Ala., Mayor Sandy Stimpson.
Six days a week, Stimpson holds a press conference. And six nights a week, around 9:30, Stimpson sends an email message to thousands of citizens of this 193,000-person city, updating people about the latest numbers and developments, outlining any new steps the city is taking to combat the contagion, and relaying encouraging stories about how individuals and businesses are pitching in to help the public effort.
Stimpson also explains his thinking, asks for feedback on new proposals, and expresses faith both in God’s mercy and in the community’s ability to transcend the current challenges….
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Nungesser does apologies right (April 13): The political world would be a much better place if all public officials knew how to apologize for mistakes the way Louisiana Lt. Gov. Bill Nungesser did on Easter Day….
Actress Ashley Bratcher follows through on pro-life scholarship promise (April 16): Actress Ashley Bratcher continues to show an admirable dedication to not just pro-life, but full-life, principles…. She is partnering with Heartbeat International, an anti-abortion pregnancy resource network, to begin a scholarship program so women with unplanned pregnancies can afford to continue their educations so as to make better lives for themselves and their children. (Women can apply for the scholarships here.)….
