Local kids are graduating from college

Lots of local kids are graduating from college

For anyone who isn't aware, today is the 134^th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Since the Derby's inception, there have been 120,000 mint juleps poured at the Churchill Downs track the weekend of May 3. There have been 25,000 nut and chocolate derby pies served. There are 554 roses in the winner's garland, and 100 of the 133 Derby winners were born in Kentucky since 1875, the first time the race was run.

Old Kentucky boy Jim Ross said he will have one hand over his heart when the Run For the Roses is telecast and as "My Old Kentucky Home" is played.

Seagrove's Didon Comer and Hank White are in California for two weeks, but they plan to attend a derby party with family and friends in the mountains of Lake Arrowhead.

Tom and Dana Saffel normally have a derby party the first Saturday in May but had to pass this year. They are in Atlanta for their son's graduation from Georgia Tech.

Price and Kelly Rainer, who live in Bay Magnolia, have invited 66 folks to their home in Point Washington for their first derby party. They will have lots of yummy traditional Derby food prepared by Chef Phil McDonald and mint juleps. Kelly said they attended derby parties in New Orleans for many years with her mom and decided this year to start their own tradition.

Mary Francis and Mark Proctor of Gulf Breeze and Seaside will attend the derby. Mary Francis picked up two hats at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas a few weeks ago to wear to the festivities.

Congratulations to Mary Kathryn Wells for her major job promotion as the new director of marketing for Town Square, Turnberry's new 1.5 million square foot premier outdoor lifestyle center on the strip in Las Vegas. Friends celebrated the promotion and Mary Kathryn's 30^th birthday April 25 at the Emerald Grand in Destin. Congrats, MK!

Freeport's Debbie Weant-Lane has been in Andalusia visiting her "great baby." While there she also caught up with her yard work and got it whipped into shape. She's back at work now and her middle child, York, is here helping her get organized.

Debbie's youngest, Meg, will graduate from FSU in May and they are taking a graduation trip to San Francisco.

Seaside's Vickie Miller has been on a more exotic excursion recently, to Dubai.

Eastern Lake Estate's Lane Rees is back home from traveling again, this time to Biloxi.

Eileen West's brother, Hodge O'Neal and his wife, Lettie, arrived last weekend to meet with builders about building a beach house. Franko and Eileen have submitted their order for a bedroom in a nice shade of chartreuse.

Former Grayton Beach artists Eddie and Sally Powell have moved back to Atlanta, but are continuing to sell their art on 30A, as well as Birmingham and Atlanta. Sally and her hat ladies will be featured in Southern Lady Magazine's July issue. Eddie is doing a lot of landscapes for the Atlanta and Birmingham crowds and he still does the famous Western Lake scene for South Walton lovers. The couple will celebrate an anniversary on May 5.

I hear that David Seering has hired a new chef. Rumor has it that he was formerly at Flamingo Cafe.

I hear that Verd•able has moved into a new storefront at The Market Shops at Sandestin, Suite 27-A.

Happy birthday to Seaside's Charlie Modica, Jr. tomorrow, and Simple's Laura Granberry on Tuesday.

Party Line Talk appears weekly in The Walton Sun. Deborah Wheeler is the arts and entertainment reporter for The Sun. She may be reached at (850) 267-4555 or e-mail debbie_wheeler@link.freedom.com.