In May, the Jupiter Lighthouse in Palm Beach County was given the federal Outstanding Natural Area designation. This means the historic lighthouse and its surrounding park has the same protection as a federal monument.

And what's so great about that?

For starters, it's only the second lighthouse in the country to have this designation — Yaquina Head lighthouse in Newport, Ore., is the first. And, not to mention, it's really, really hard to get this federal stamp of approval.

So check out the Sunday News Illustrated page highlighting the Jupiter Lighthouse's features and history.

And coming soon, an updated multimedia gallery showcasing seven of the state's lighthouses, including Jupiter's.

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The Olympics is just around the corner. Athletes from around the world will test their skills in Beijing. But with all the excitement surrounding the games, China's relationship with Tibet has become a big issue. Protests have sprung up around the world and human rights leaders and journalists have been detained.

The News Illustrated takes a look at the history behind the conflict. You can download it here.

You can find out more at freetibet.org.

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Oh great! Recent news confirms Broward County lost some residents since 2006, but what about the other counties?

Check out this Flash graphic we did earlier this year that shows Florida's population in more detail. Click on any county you want to learn more about its population change between 2006 and 2007.

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May 14 marks the 60th anniversary of Israel's creation, so the Sun-Sentinel shared the stories of local survivors of the Israeli War of Independence in Sunday's Outlook section.

My contribution was a large historical map and timeline showing how much land Israel gained from 1946 (when the first plan to create an Israeli and Arab state emerged) to June 1949 (end of the war).

Yet, while the end result may look simple, rest assured this was a beast to put together. I had a book of historical maps as my source material, with a goal to fit 12 maps into one. But what is the best way to compact nearly 3 years of history and still make it look good?

I went through about three or four sketches before coming up with my final one, but even then I spent a week tweaking, editing and redesigning the page to make the story flow correctly.

My biggest concern was repeating too much information. For example, is it important to include a mini map of Israel's current boundaries? Or do I add them in the big map to show context but keep it subtle (I eventually chose this option).

The moral of my story is that even with your best planning, the end result doesn't always turn out like the final sketch. See for yourself by comparing my sketches with the final page:

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May 1 is Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is a national day of commemoration to remember the World War II victims. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. is responsible for leading the country in the May memorial, and they even have a handy calendar that marks every holiday until 2016. However, this is not to be confused with the international holiday that is celebrated in January, with yearly events organized by the United Nations.

So to commemorate, I'm offering you a copy of the 2005 News Illustrated page I worked on to coincide with a special project about 13 Holocaust survivors who live in South Florida and shared their survival stories. My full-page graphic shows where the concentration camps were located and the number of survivors after the war.

Also, we ran a four-week series a few months later on the history and future of Israel and even put together a multimedia package that encompasses both series. This includes audio of the powerful stories told by the 13 Holocaust survivors themselves.

And since the 60th anniversary of Israel's statehood is coming up on May 14, check out our special coverage in this Sunday's Outlook section. The same reporter, Tim Collie, who did the Survivors and Judaism series, interviewed local veterans of the Israeli War of Independence. And I built a News Illustrated that shows how Israel fought six Arab armies to claim most of the land they have today.

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Let's talk mysteries, shall we?

Forty years ago, there was a high profile shooting of Rev. Martin Luther King and authorities were confident they caught the bad guy, James Earl Ray. Fast forward about 25 years to 1993 and Ray gets a mock trial on HBO that was arranged by his lawyer and King family friend, Dr. William F. Pepper.

Interest builds and next thing you know, two guys connected to the original case pop up. One says he knows who the real assassin is then eventually goes back to knowing nothing. The other was an FBI agent who says he took some papers but didn't realize how important they were.

Who do you believe? TheJustice Department took matters into their own hands and investigated the claims in 1999. Pepper wrote two books, Orders to Kill and An Act of State, both of which you can find at the Broward County Library.

And if that's still not enough conspiracy for you, then check out CNN on Thursday, April 3 for their show "Eyewitness to Murder," which promises to be an in-depth documentary into the case.

Meanwhile, check out my News Illustrated to learn the basics of the case. Just remember not to take my word for it.

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Check out this Flash graphic I did last year for the Rev. Martin Luther King's National Memorial that's being built in Washington, D.C. You can check out what it will look like through artists renderings and video. By the end of 2007, it had received more than $93 million in donations. Visit the memorial's official Web site, where you can make a donation. It is scheduled to completed sometime in 2009.

King assassination: Conspiracies still surround MLK's death 40 years later
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination, I have a graphic coming out in Sunday's Outlook section that revisits the crime scene. You'll find a 3D model of the Memphis neighborhood that illustrates the Lorraine Motel (where King was shot) and the boarding house where police say the assassin fired his weapon. I've highlighted key shops and buildings that play an important part in the case. And pay attention to the details because they eventually weave into the tales of key players who came forward in the early 1990s with new evidence. If anything, you'll at least learn some interesting conspiracies about King's murder.

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