Educational Foundation Sponsors Interviewing Seminar for GSHS Seniors

Photo & Article by Clayton Wallace

Seniors at Gulf Shores High School received pointers on how to interview Jan. 8 during a presentation sponsored by the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Educational Foundation. Foundation 1st Vice President Nick Wilmott, a real estate broker, was the presenter.

“No matter where you’re going after high school, you’ll have to interview for it,” Wilmott told the students. “Whether it is college, a real estate company or the military, you’ll have to interview for the position you want.”

Approximately 50 percent of the students said they had been the subject of at least one interview already. Wilmott told them that when they go in for an interview, first impressions are very important. He likened to meeting the parents of a new boyfriend or girlfriend. “When you meet the parents of a boyfriend or girlfriend the first time, you want to make a good first impression,” he said. “You want to work as hard during an interview as you do for those parents.”

Wilmott had several more pointers for the students, including the importance of being “comfortable but professional” in their appearance, asking questions of the interviewer, eye contact during the interview, elaborating on answers to avoid one word answers and one more he considered of the utmost importance. “Never be late for an interview,” he said. “That’s a big turnoff.”

Wilmott used several members of the foundation to illustrate how not to dress for an interview. “I know we are casual down here, but t-shirts, big earrings, shorts, flip-flops and Crocs should be avoided at all costs,” he said, as Foundation members Jimmy Ryall and Mindy Stringfield casually walked through the gym wearing just those garments. He also used Foundation members Lance and Krista Alexander to illustrate appropriate clothing to wear in an interview.

Wilmott told the students that after graduation, they have the chance that comes along few times during a lifetime. “Just because you have a certain reputation in high school doesn’t mean it has to follow you,” he said. “Take this opportunity to reinvent yourself. Find out what you like and really enjoy. Then go for it.”

The Foundation is comprised of area educators and volunteers who work to raise money and otherwise assist public schools, students and teachers in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to enhance the educational opportunities afforded them by our county Board of Education. This is accomplished through scholarships, awards and seminars.

For more information on how to become a member of the Foundation, see their website at www.agcaef.com, or call President Steve Jones at 609-5292.

Board approves new GSHS football coach - Baldwin County NOW

Board approves new GSHS football coach - Baldwin County NOW - A Gulf Coast Information Source for South Alabama: "GULF SHORES, Ala. — The school board unanimously approved the hiring of Mark Freeman as the new athletic director and head coach at Gulf Shores High School during a special meeting held Tuesday morning."

Freeman, who will be the third head football coach in school history, was not present at the meeting.

He led Bessemer Academy to four AISA state championships and two state runner-up finishes in a six-year span from 2001-2007.

Along with four state championships, Freeman led the Rebels to seven straight area championships and coached 12 players who were finalists for the Alabama Sports Writers Association Player of the Year award.

He was named the AISA Coach of the Year and ASWA Coach of the Year four times.

Christmas Boat Parade Winners

January 11, 2009-- Orange Beach / Gulf Shores, AL-- The 23rd annual "Nautical Night of Lights" Christmas boat parade, sponsored by the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce, featured 17 decorated boats. The parade route began at LuLu's at Homeport Marina to the Intracoastal Waterway to Zeke's Landing Marina in Orange Beach.

Each boat was judged on a combination of creativity, lighting, theme, music and crew attire.

Following the parade, participants and guests gathered at the Down Under Seafood and Oyster Bar at Zeke's Landing for the post-parade party and awards presentation.

In the "Power Boat 33 feet and Above" division, first place was awarded to Capt. Craig Kayda and crew aboard the Independence. Second place was awarded to Capt. Mark Mallet and crew aboard the Bama Lady. Third place was awarded to Capt. Seth Wilson and crew aboard the Rip Tide.

In the "Power Boat 32 feet and Under" division, first place was awarded to Capt. Mike Authemant and crew aboard Da Boat. Second place was awarded to Capt. Mike and Capt. Lori DeAngelis and crew aboard the Dolphin Queen. Third place was awarded to Capt. Bob Pitts and crew aboard Hurricane.

In the Sailboat Division, first place was awarded to Capt. Adam Langston and crew aboard On Call. Second place was awarded to Capt. Robert Clark and crew aboard Leave A Message. Third place was awarded to Capt. John Bozeman and crew on Caddy Wampus.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce, established in 1981, is a 1,000-member strong business organization serving Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan.

Requests for aid increasing on island

Layoffs, pay cuts hit workers during holidays
Friday, December 26, 2008
By GUY BUSBY
Staff Reporter

While shoppers filled stores in the last hours before Christmas, services agencies were experiencing another holiday rush, and business for them was booming.

With more residents laid off and some still with jobs facing cuts in employment hours, requests for help along the Gulf Coast have doubled from the same time last year, said Linda Chappell of the Christian Service Center. The center, a United Way agency, operates year-round, but requests have been heavy this season, she said.

Mobile Press-Register

Former D.A. Arrested

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More City Lay-offs

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State Auditor Stacey Pickering announces more Katrina fraud arrests

Peter Howard, 48, and Robert Smith, 52, were indicted on charges of Home Repair Fraud. Howard lives in Gulf Shores, Ala. and Smith in Theodore, Ala. After being arrested by the State Auditor’s Office, both were processed by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Bond was set at $10,000 each. Howard and Smith were doing business as Pelican Bay Custom Homes. The complaint filed states that Pelican Bay Custom Homes was paid $284,188 to construct a modular home on property in Pascagoula. The owner claims that the modular home was delivered but never assembled. Howard and Smith were both arrested by the State Auditor’s Office in June 2008 for felony false pretense after taking a deposit for a modular home that was never constructed.

Click here for the full article.

Alabama Grown at Lulu's

Monday, December 01, 2008
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

GULF SHORES — Getting local seafood was never a problem for Lulu's at Homeport Marina.

And since this spring, the restaurant has bought its beef from a family farm near Clayton, Ala. Now, Lulu's management is thinking about how it might acquire produce from Alabama's fields.

Each year, for example, the restaurant buys about 61,000 tomatoes — 39,000 green, 22,000 red — at a price of about 65 cents apiece, general manager Johnny Fisher said. That works out to nearly $40,000 worth of tomatoes.

"So," he wondered, "would that be enough to get someone to build a hothouse and start growing tomatoes?"

"I would say so — yes," said Don Wambles, director of the Farmers Market Authority, a state agency charged with promoting Alabama-grown foods.

For the last two years, the agency has pursued an initiative to match farmers with chefs. It now helps about 40 restaurateurs find locally grown ingredients.

Mobile Press-Register

Cheeseburger in paradise

A sizzling experiment that could help save Alabama's small farms (And it tastes good)

Sunday, November 30, 2008
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

CLAYTON, Ala. — In January of last year, the phone rang at Boutwell Farms, an upstart family operation near the Georgia line, specializing in organic grains, free-range pork and grass-fed beef.

On the line was Johnny Fisher, general manager of Lulu's at Homeport Marina, the well-known, 450-seat Gulf Shores restaurant.

Fisher, wanting to wean Lulu's off of the nondescript patties at the center of its most popular menu item, was searching for beef that was tastier, healthier and regionally produced. And he needed enough of it each year to make more than 70,000 cheeseburgers.

Mobile Press-Register

Rare Tiger Cubs Visit South Baldwin Regional Imaging Center

Nov. 26, 2008 - Gulf Shores, AL -- Apata & Yeti, Snowy White Bengal Tiger cubs, paid a brief visit to the South Baldwin Regional Imaging Center in Gulf Shores yesterday. Courtesy of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo (The Little Zoo That Could).

Click here for more photos, to read about these beautiful & rare tigers and to learn how you can have your own "Tiger Encounter".

Gulf Coast, Ala.: A mecca of food, water, quiet beaches

By Christine Tibbetts

Water, water every which-way around Alabama’s Gulf coast gave my October beach vacation more dimensions than imagined.

Going to the beach generally offers up an inter coastal waterway as well as an ocean but this stretch of Alabama also has five bays plus the big Mobile Bay, several lakes and a lagoon named Little which looked pretty big to me.

Want to stay on the water? Better be specific when you book a condo or rent a house since there are so many kinds of water to enjoy.

Best I could tell, they all lend to sitting and staring, strolling and resting up to get ready for the next meal. The food is every bit as abundant as the waters and even though I concentrated on seafood every lunch and dinner, I saw plenty of beef choices on the menus.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are the big town names in Alabama’s enormous Baldwin County; Magnolia Springs is the tiny treasure and I never got to Foley to check it out.

I did get out in the waters, looking at the Gulf and bays from two of the many boating options.

Full article in the Tifton Gazette

Ala. coast summer room revenue about equal to 2007

By GARRY MITCHELL , 11.24.08, 10:20 AM EST

Alabama Gulf coast tourism officials are bracing for the effects of the financial meltdown on next year's vacation season, but were grateful this year's summer lodging revenue held close to the 2007 record.

They also don't expect to see a significant drop-off in "snowbird" arrivals this January.

About half of the visitors to Alabama beach resorts this summer came from the Southeast - more than a third of them from Alabama - and, despite high fuel prices on the drive down, they spent about the same on lodging as last summer.

Full Article on Forbes.com

Wind Power on the Alabama Coast

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Gulf Shores council hires new city administrator

Steve Garman's previous jobs include city manager posts in Pensacola and Decatur, Ill.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

GULF SHORES — By a unanimous vote Monday, 66-year-old Steve Garman, a former city manager in Pensacola and Decatur, Ill., was hired as the city's next administrator.

Garman said Tuesday that he will arrive in Gulf Shores today to begin looking for a place to live while he sells his home in central Illinois. He will report to City Hall on Oct. 1 and spend a month learning the ropes of his new job, taking over the day-to-day management of Gulf Shores when the next administration assumes office in early November, said Councilman and Mayor-elect Robert Craft.

"I'm very pleased the council asked me to join them," Garman said. "I'm excited to get started."

Mobile Press-Register

Beach school boards will disband for now

Hollinger, Craft say resolution paves way for reconciliation
Friday, July 25, 2008
By JOSH BEAN
Staff Reporter

LOXLEY — The appointed school boards in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach will be dissolved, according to a resolution approved Thursday by the Baldwin County Board of Education, and the countywide system affirms the cities' ability to restart the city panels at some point in the future.

The two municipal school boards could be disbanded by the end of August, said Gulf Shores Councilman Robert Craft, who has been intimately involved in negotiations with the county school system over the last 15 months.

"I think this is the end of the Island School System," Craft said Thursday night.

Mobile Press-Register

Three gill nets hauled from Little Lagoon

Officers charge Foley man with illegal fishing
Saturday, June 07, 2008
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

State conservation officers this week confiscated three gill nets in Gulf Shores' Little Lagoon, where the practice is banned, and charged two men with illegal fishing, authorities said.

Conservation enforcement officer Mark Phillips said Friday that the local Marine Resources office was tipped off about a gill netter plying Little Lagoon early Tuesday. When one officer spotted a truck belonging to the suspect parked along the estuary, others put their boat in and went searching for the fishermen at about 4 a.m.

"We eased the boat down to the west end and we saw the boat's spotlight," Phillip said.

Four people — three men and a woman — were aboard a 20-foot skiff tending to a 1,500-foot-long gill net, Phillips said. The officers made them haul in the net and pluck the fish — mostly croakers — from it before they were apprehended, Phillips said.

Mobile Press-Register

Beach cities search for administrators

Orange Beach expects to interview next week, Gulf Shores' consultant culling candidates
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

More than 50 people have applied to become Orange Beach's next city administrator, and Mayor Pete Blalock said elected officials hope to begin interviewing the top applicants as early as next week.

Meanwhile, in Gulf Shores, Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III said city officials are waiting on a consultant they've hired to bring them a docket of qualified candidates to vet for that city's administrator job.

On Monday evening, the Orange Beach City Council met in executive session to discuss some of the more promising prospects to replace Jeff Moon, who left last month to take a city manager's position in the Atlanta suburb of Woodstock.

Moon was hired by Orange Beach in 2001 after holding ad ministrative posts in Riverdale, Ga., and Daleville, which is near Dothan.

Blalock said the council was still whittling down the field of applicants and would probably choose five or six to interview.

The Orange Beach mayor said the City Council may hire someone before the Aug. 26 municipal elections, if the right person is available. But, Blalock said, if elected officials complete the interview process and no one stands out, they may turn to a headhunting firm, as neighboring Gulf Shores has, to cull candidates.

Mobile Press-Register

The Hangout harks back to pre-condo days at Gulf

By KATHY JUMPER
Real Estate Editor

Developer Shaul Zislin wanted to bring back the beach the one before condominiums lined the Gulf, when one-piece swimsuits were sexy, the only beer served was root beer, burgers were 25 cents, the DJ was a jukebox and cars had muscles.

His latest venture, The Hangout on the beach at Alabama 59 and 182, pays tribute to the original, open air Hangout that graced the Gulf Shores beach scene in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

"You can't believe all the calls I've had from people who remember The Hangout," he said as he pointed to a worn, red buoy on the wall given to the restaurant by one of the original lifeguards. There's even a Hangout reunion scheduled there next weekend.

The 17,000-square-foot restaurant, which sits on 2.5 prime acres, opens Friday. The restaurant will employ 250 and features three outdoor bars, a 50-foot tower with a large movie screen for nostalgic beach movies and an outdoor stage for live entertainment.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Food Detective: Lulu's Signature L.A. Caviar Fits Her Restaurant To A Pea

Food Detective: Getting recipes from area restaurants for your favorite dishes

[Lulu's At Homeport Marina, 200 East 25th Ave., Gulf Shores, 251-967-5858.]

An e-mailed request turned the Food Detective's attention to south Alabama in search of a recipe for a black-eyed pea dip.

The quest was prompted by an unsigned note from a reader who told about his family's recent "wonderful weekend in Gulf Shores" when they had "a chance to go to the new Lulu's location along the intracoastal waterway."

"I know it's been there for a couple of years now, but this was the first time for us, and we couldn't have had a better time," he wrote. "I couldn't get enough of the L.A. caviar, so simple, but so delicious. "Do you happen to have the recipe for that? I would be most grateful."


As luck would have it, Lulu's owner, Lucy Buffett, was willing to share the recipe for one of her eatery's signature items that she often makes at home.

Click here to read the full article from the Birmingham News.

Spring Breakers in Gulf Shores

Video from WKRG-TV5...

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City wants annexation lawsuit dismissed

Lawyers want case dropped or November settlement enforced
Thursday, April 24, 2008
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

BAY MINETTE A lawyer for Gulf Shores has asked that the Fort Morgan Civic Association's suit against the city be dismissed after the group has twice sent representatives to court-ordered mediation sessions without giving them the authority to approve a settlement.

The city and Fort Morgan residents have been in court since 2003 when the Civic Association and three individuals sued to overturn the city's annexation of the 19.3-mile state-owned right of way that bisects the peninsula. The plaintiffs have argued that the move violated their right to have a say in the development of the property around their own, and that city zoning laws will allow for the overdevelopment of the slender spit of sand.

In December, the Gulf Shores City Council unanimously approved an agreement drawn up by three city officials and a trio of Fort Morgan residents during the last round of mediation talks that would have created a special zoning district for the ecologically fragile peninsula. But the 400-member Civic Association voted down the deal in March.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Board rejects beach-community medical center

Pleasure Island Ambulatory Surgery Center plans to appeal ruling on certificate of need

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

The state Certificate of Need Review Board has rejected a bid by a group of Baldwin County doctors and a subsidiary of Pensacola's Sacred Heart Health System to build a $9.4 million outpatient surgery facility in northern Gulf Shores.

Supporters of the project, including the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, had figured the project would go forward after an administrative law judge last month issued a 120-page ruling in favor of Pleasure Island Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC's proposal.

Instead, the CON board sided with Mobile's Infirmary Health Systems and Foley's South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, which have fought to keep their Florida-based competitor out of the lucrative beach market.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Grand opening day approaches for The Hangout

Restaurant at public beach to open May 2

Monday, April 21, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

GULF SHORES -- A year ago the privately owned land at the city's public beach, called Gulf Place, was a vacant plot cordoned by a chain-link fence -- looking much as it had since the last wind-blown buildings, tattered by 2004's Hurricane Ivan, were demolished.

As recently as January, all that marked the property were a few frayed palms and dozens of round wooden pilings.

Now, however, there is a swarm of activity as workers put the finishing touches on a 17,833-square-foot restaurant in advance of its planned May 2 opening.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Gulf Shores bank robbed on Tuesday

The Gulf Shores branch of Bank Trust was robbed Tuesday afternoon.

The robber walked into the bank on Alabama 59 at 3:10 p.m., slipped a teller a note saying he was armed and asked for money, Gulf Shores police said in a news release.

The robber was described as a small-framed white man weighing about 130 pounds and standing between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall. He is believed to be in his 50s and was described by police as having a sunken face.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Gulf Shores Officer Arrested

By Debbie Williams Reporter

Published: Wed, April 09, 2008 - 5:45 pm
Last Updated: Wed, April 09, 2008 - 7:02 pm

Debbie Williams

He's been stripped of his freedom and fired from his job. Now a "former" Gulf Shores police officer sits in a Monroe County jail cell charged with stealing four-wheelers.

Gulf Shores police officer Jason Terry is used to throwing people in jail, now he's the one who sits in a Monroe County jail cell charged with theft according to Monroe County Sheriff, Thomas Tate. "This involves his alleged theft of four wheelers which occurred in the fall of 2006 and the fall of 2007."

According to investigators, Terry stole items from hunting camps in North Monroe County. "Various equipment, farm related, sports related equipment no firearms have been reported at either location that we are presently working on," says Tate.

This all came to light when a stolen four wheeler was recovered two weeks ago on the Mexican border. It's sale traced back to the now former police officer Jason Terry.

"I understand he is a Gulf Shores Police Officer or was, I don't know that he is now," says Tate.
In fact, as soon as Gulf Shores police chief Arthur Bourne was notified of the arrest, Terry was fired. Bourne calling the arrest "shocking and unfortunate". He says the former officer would have to "suffer the consequences of his actions and the department would move on."
Terry is charged with two counts of theft of property and remains in jail on 150 thousand dollars bond.

He has previously been an officer with the Monroe and Baldwin County Sheriff's offices and the Foley Police Department before accepting the position in Gulf Shores last August.

Click here to watch the video on WKRG-TV5.

Dissolve phantom boards

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

DORMANT SCHOOL boards in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach aren't really hurting anything, but they aren't doing much good, either.

The appointed school boards are the last vestiges of Pleasure Island's failed attempt to create a separate public school system from that of Baldwin County.

Just over a year ago, voters emphatically turned down a 7.5 mill property tax increase that would have been used to start and pay for the separate school system.

The controversial issue of a Baldwin County school system split was thoroughly researched and debated before the vote took place. When the election was held, 72 percent of the voters in Orange Beach and 68 percent in Gulf Shores turned the proposal down.

In other words, it wasn't even close.

The message should have been clearly understood by the proponents of the school split.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

School boards sit in limbo

Beach cities won't have their own school system now, but fate of the boards of education that were created is still being debated
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
By JOSH BEAN
Staff Reporter

More than a year after voters in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach turned aside efforts to create a new school system there, the appointed school boards in the two cities remain intact yet inactive.

For now.
The Baldwin County Board of Education wants the city boards to be abolished, but the cities remain unsure about the legal fallout of such a move. The crucial question: Could the beach cities restart the school boards in the future if they're dissolved now?

Attorneys for the two sides -- Mobile's Matt McDonald, representing the county board, and Birmingham's Carl Johnson, representing the beach cities' boards -- agree that nothing in state law prohibits a city school board from forming, disbanding and restarting.

In fact, Johnson cited the 1985 Marshall County Board of Education v. City of Albertville case, in which the state Supreme Court affirmed Albertville's right to re-form its city school board. Albertville had a city system before 1945, when it consolidated with the county system until it wanted to break away in 1985, according to the court ruling.

Based on such legal opinions, why would the beach cities be wary of eliminating their school boards? Orange Beach Mayor Pete Blalock and Gulf Shores Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke said the cities need assurance -- most likely a formal agreement -- that the county board would not oppose reviving the city boards in the future.

The one-sided nature of the March 2007 referendum votes indicated that there's little public support for the city school boards. About 70 percent of voters opposed higher taxes to support a breakaway school system.

Still, the mayors said that local voters might favor independent city schools in the years ahead.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

School bands to perform spring concert Thursday

by Teri Westbrook

Gulf Shores school bands will perform their annual spring concert Thursday at the Erie H. Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and music is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The free concert is presented by the city of Gulf Shores as the opening event of Gulf Shores Outdoors & In 2008 series. Complete schedules are available throughout the area, as well as online at www.cityofgulfshores.org.

The Gulf Shores Elementary School band is composed of sixth-graders who have studied musical fundamentals and have been chosen to participate. Directed by Ryan England, students are ready to show off their musical knowledge.

Under the tutelage of Jeremy Willis, the Gulf Shores Middle School band competed in February at a district band assessment. On a scale of one through four, with one representing "superior," the middle school band scored a one for "Courage" by Larry Clarke, a two for "Quicksilver Overture" by Anne McGinty, and a one for "Declaration in the Blue" by Robert W. Smith.

Many of the middle school musicians participate with the Gulf Shores High School band, led by Tim Brannan. At district assessment, the high school band received all superior ratings.

From football games, pep rallies, assemblies and local parades, the combined Dolphin band represents Gulf Shores schools and supports local athletic teams, as well as winning awards for their musical skills.

Over the past two years, Gulf Shores High's band has been rated superior in all of the marching and concert competitions in which they have participated. This includes last year's Dynamic Music Festival in Orlando, Fla. This has led to an invitation to represent the state in 2009 in Honolulu for Hawaii's 50th anniversary of statehood.

For the annual spring concert, the Gulf Shores High School band will present four numbers:

"Flight of the Thunderbird" by Richard Saucedo

"Amazing Grace" by Frank Ticheli

Highlights from the Broadway musical, "Wicked" music by Stephen Schwartz; arrangement by Michael Brown.

"Train Blues" by Christopher Norton.

For more information about this or other Gulf Shores Outdoors & In 2008 free concerts, call the special events information line at 968-1172 or visit www.cityofgulfshores.org.

Search continues for missing boat

Crew includes man from Gulf Shores

Friday, March 28, 2008

By GUY BUSBY

Staff Reporter

U.S. Coast Guard crews continued searching the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday for two boaters -- one of them from Gulf Shores -- and their vessel missing since the weekend.

The 35-foot sailboat, Fly Away, was reported missing Monday by the wife of one of the two men, according to Coast Guard reports.

The men were identified Thursday as Thomas Edwards, 68, of Gulf Shores and Charles Daggett, 66, of St. Petersburg, Fla., according to Coast Guard reports and public records.

Click here to read the complete article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Search continues in Gulf for missing sailors

Coast Guard crews are continuing to search the Gulf of Mexico today for two boaters and their vessel missing since Sunday.

The search for 35-foot sailboat, Fly Away, and its two occupants, Thomas Edwards, 68, of Gulf Shores and Charles Daggett, 66, of St. Petersburg, Fla., has been expanded west to Corpus Christi, Texas, Coast Guard Petty Officer Thomas Blue said today.

The boat was scheduled to arrive in Panama City on Sunday before continuing on to Corpus Christi, Blue said. The men left Clearwater, Fla., on Saturday, according to Coast Guard reports.

Click here for the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Gulf Shores Man Missing on Sailboat in Gulf of Mexico

March, 26, 2008- Clearwater Florida - Coast Guard rescue coordinators are asking boaters to be on the look out for two overdue sailors aboard the 35-foot sailboat, Fly Away, scheduled to have arrived in Panama City, Fla., Sunday.

The sailors, one 68-years old of Gulf Shores, Ala., and the other 66-years old, of St. Petersburg, Fla., were reported overdue Monday by the wife of one of the missing men after she hadn't received a scheduled phone call from her husband. The two men, whose names are being withheld pending next-of-kin notification, were reported to have left Clearwater, Fla., Saturday morning and were expected to arrive in Panama City Sunday night.

The vessel is a 35-foot Pearson sailboat with the Alabama registration number AL1644AG. The boat has a maroon hull with white superstructure and white sails. If anyone has any information on the boaters' whereabouts, they are asked to call Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, at 727-824-7506 or on marine VHF radio channel 16.

"We are searching an area spanning from Clearwater to Apalachicola, Fla.," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Phillip Peacock, a rescue coordinator at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. "Because of the size of the search area, we are asking mariners to be on the lookout for any possible signs of boaters in distress, which includes a disabled vessel, radio broadcasts, flare sightings and debris in the water."

The Coast Guard Cutter Coho, from Panama City, the Coast Guard Cutter Hawk, from St. Petersburg, an HC-130 search plane and HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, an HU-25 Falcon search jet, from Coast Guard Air Station Mobile, Ala., along with rescue crews from Coast Guard Station Panama City, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Air National Guard, Ala., Civil Air Patrol, Ala., and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, are searching the Gulf of Mexico and Intracoastal Waterway for the boaters.

Controversial development in Gulf Shores

Matt Barrentine

The life blood of Gulf Shores is tourism and city officials want to keep it that way by strengthening zoning laws for short-term rentals. But residents say that change could create more problems.

“Who do I call? When I'm up at midnight because there's people out there ‘yahooin'. They just go off their night shift," said one resident.

More speeches like that were made at a packed city council meeting Tuesday afternoon. And it was just one project that brought all this attention.

The concern started with a home on West Fourth Street. It's a home that has 18 bedrooms. Residents say it's going to be used not for tourists but as a boarding house for seasonal workers. Packed two to a room 36 people may live there. And under the proposed zoning law, meant for tourists renting vacation homes, it would be legal.

“We’re going to create a ghetto in our own neighborhoods and it's not going to happen overnight, it's going to happen gradually over time," said Jim Rayfield, a resident who is leading the opposition to any zoning law that wouldn't curb these developments.

Click here to read the full article and watch the video from Fox 10 News.

Gulf Shores Concert series

by Teri Westbrook

The Gulf Shores Out & In 2008 concert series is gearing up for an active season, sure to be packed with special performances by favorite and familiar artists, as well as new and exciting acts, organizers said.

Concerts are presented at 7 p.m. on select Thursdays, beginning April 10, at the Erie H. Meyer Civic Center or, for outdoor shows, in the backyard amphitheater.

The schedule includes:
April 10: Gulf Shores Middle and High School band at the Civic Center
April 17: Brent Burns in the backyard amphitheater
May 22: Cool Change in the backyard amphitheater
May 29: Bay Area Strings Community Orchestra in the Civic Center
June 26: Shane Tucker's "Elvis Remembered" in the backyard amphitheater
July 10: Doug Breau "Boom!" in the Civic Center
July 31: The Classics in the Civic Center
Aug. 7: Doug Breau "Country Roads" in the Civic Center
Aug. 28: Brent Burns in the Civic Center
Sept. 11: Cool Change in the backyard amphitheater
Sept. 25: Mithril in the backyard amphitheater
Oct. 2: Clark & Company in the Civic Center
Oct. 16: The Baldwin Pops in the backyard amphitheater
Oct. 23: Pensacola Sound Chorus in the backyard amphitheater

The series is presented by the city of Gulf Shores Special Events Division. For more information, call 968-1172 or visit www.cityofgulfshores.org.

Is It Really Grouper?

WKRG-TV5- Back in February, we tested 10 samples from Gulf Coast restaurants and markets. Only one D-N-A tested as real grouper. Read on to see what we reel in this time!

When Wintzell's Oyster House in Mobile put up signs like "Got Grouper. We do" and "G the Grouper Get it here," it was an open invitation to test. Bob Omainsky says he figured we would test his fish eventually. "I thought you would have tested us the first go round when you did your original sampling." So, we bought an entr-e and sent it to the lab. It turns out, Wintzell's grouper did D-N-A test as the real deal. Omainsky says they trust their supplier. "It's a reflection of our character. It's a reflection of who we are as a restaurant."

News 5 also found real D-N-A tested grouper at Boudreaux's Seafood Market in Gulf Shores. Randy Boudreaux was thrilled we picked his place! "I knew I wasn't the bad guy this time. That's why, when you did it the last time I was like I wish she would have came in here." He goes on to say that it might cost less to substitute but it's not worth it to him. "To save a little money, I could have bought a fish 4 or 5 dollars cheaper per pound and fooled 95 percent of the people."

Click here to read the full article and watch the video on WKRG-TV5.

Fort Morgan Civic Association votes down settlement

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

The Fort Morgan Civic Association has refused a proposed settlement with Gulf Shores that would have ended a long-running legal dispute over construction controls along the Fort Morgan peninsula.

The settlement called for special zoning for the peninsula and obliged the city to hire a consultant of both sides' choosing to draft a development plan for the slender spit of sand.

Paul Barefield, the Civic Association president, said that the 400-member group voted Monday night, after considering the proposal for about three months. For every member in favor, 10 were opposed, he said.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Bonner staffer to make county stops

by Nancy Wall

A staff member from the office of U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile, will make three stops in Baldwin County on Wednesday.

The representative will be available at the following three sites:

• Bay Minette City Hall, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
  
• Fairhope City Hall, 11 a.m. to noon
• Gulf Shores City Hall, 3 to 4 p.m.

The purpose of the visits is to meet with any constituents who may be experiencing difficulties with the federal government and who are seeking Bonner's assistance in resolving these problems.

"I certainly hope anyone experiencing problems with the federal government will take the opportunity to come meet with my staff," Bonner said. "I want to do all I can to be of assistance and hope the public won't hesitate to contact me whenever they need any help."

For more information on this visit, contact Bryan Parker, Bonner's district representative, at 943-2073 or 800-288-8721.

Click here to visit Rep. Bonner's website.

Gulf Shores to start administrator search

Council plans to approve contract with firm to corral candidates

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

GULF SHORES -- Having decided that they will seek a city administrator, elected officials said this week they plan to enlist a consulting firm to help find the right hire.

The City Council first interviewed Robert Slavin, president of Slavin Management Consulting, three years ago and selected the Norcross, Ga.-based firm to lead its nationwide search for an administrator. But Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III promoted Economic Development Director Ernie Smith to the position before the search began.

Smith returned to his old job last fall after 2½ years as city administrator. Previously Tony Rivera had held the city's top non-elected post for 13 years.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Long launches her re-election campaign

District 5 incumbent touts experience on board and in classroom

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Staff Report

Margaret Long, the District 5 representative for the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area, announced last week that she will seek re-election as a member of the Baldwin County Board of Education.

"Having been a teacher in the county, I love Baldwin County and I love education, and I feel like I bring a lot to the board," Long said.

Long, who was first elected to the board in 2002 and has since served as chairwoman of the Policy Committee, is running as a Republican.

The seven members of the board serve six-year terms and earn $4,200 annually.

District 5 includes Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan, as well as parts of Elberta, Lillian and Perdido Beach.

The GOP and Democratic primaries for county and statewide offices are set for June 3, according to the Baldwin County Probate Court's Web site. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 4.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Local company makes New York Time Travel Section

A Place to Park That Million-Dollar RV

About 8.3 American households currently own an RV, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. It seems only fitting that the luxury RV crowd — some of whom may have paid upwards of $2 million to purchase their mobile homes —prefer lots a bit spiffier than your average roadside campground.

Although private gated communities for RVs exist, starting this spring the country will have its first national chain. Called Bella Terra, the chain will open its first resort, above, in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Click here to read the full article from the New York Times.

Click here to visit the Bella Terra Resort Website.

Alabama beaches gear up for spring break- USA Today

By Garry Mitchell, Associated Press Writer

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Alabama beach resorts posted record visitor spending on lodgings last year, bouncing back three years after Hurricane Ivan left widespread wreckage on the coast.

Tourism officials hope high gas prices and a slide in the national economy won't reverse those gains this year.

March heralds student spring break frolics and the kickoff of get-to-the-beach tourism.

Click here to read the full article from USA Today.

Oil company seeks permit for seismic tests off coast

(Click image to right for larger view.)

Compressed air blasts would stretch from Gulf Shores to Dauphin Island

Thursday, February 14, 2008

By BEN RAINES

Staff Reporter

An oil exploration company has applied for permission to conduct a 400-square-mile undersea seismic survey in Gulf waters from Gulf Shores to the west end of Dauphin Island.

The survey area includes the mouth of Mobile Bay and coastal waters from the shoreline to 14 miles offshore, including shallow, nearshore waters.

More than 200,000 blasts of compressed air from 36 high-pressure air guns at a time will yield a picture of what lies beneath the seafloor, down to a depth of 31 miles, according to the application.

Click here to read the full story from the Mobile Press-Register.

Replica of the Columbus Nina Ship to dock at Lulu's

(Click on image to right for larger view.)

The replica of Columbus' ship that's been cruising the coastal waters as a floating museum will be docked at Lulu's Homeport Marina from February 20th through the 24th. The ship will be open for tours from 9 to 5 daily. Prices for the tours are as follows: $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for children, free for children under 5 years old.

Three Reasons to visit the Nina
Written by John Malcom, Niña crew member.

* To see a near perfect example of a type of sailing ship-the caravel- of such clean, sculptured, honest design that it was produced for upwards of 125 years. with its Scandinavian style bow and midsection and its combination square and lateen rigging it was probably the best open water sailing vessel of its time- that pivotal time referred to as the ' Great Age of Discovery'.

* To, in some small way, enter that age, to perhaps get a feeling for Columbus himself, that enigmatic and flawed human being, who, admire or despise him, is one of perhaps only three individuals in all of our long past who, by themselves, for good or ill, personally altered the course of Western history.

* To stand on the sloping deck of the Niña, as true a replica as will probably ever be built. It was Columbus' favorite ship, the one he very nearly died on in 1493, upon which he ultimately logged more than 25,000 miles.

For more information visit the Nina Website.

Click here to view the Upcoming Events on The Orange Beach Community Website.

Alabama Beach Resorts Post Record Lodging Spending In '07

By Associated Press

GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) - Alabama beach resorts posted record visitor spending on lodgings last year, bouncing back three years after Hurricane Ivan left widespread wreckage on the coast.

Tourism officials hope high gas prices and a slide in the national economy won't reverse those gains.

Next month will usher in student springbreak and an ad campaign promoting beach tourism.

Click here to read the rest of the story from NBC13.com.

Click here to read a more complete related story from the Mobile Press-Register.

Feds close firm accused of illegal workers on Alabama coast

2/8/2008, 2:42 p.m. CST The Associated Press

GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) — Federal immigration officials have shut down a Gulf Shores-based labor firm that authorities contend had supplied some 300 illegal workers for area employers.

Some of the workers lived in a Gulf Shores trailer park owned by Gerald Jones, identified in court records as the owner of the firm, Skyline Services. Jones was not charged.

But an employee, Roberto Pereida-Dias, 25, of Brazil, pleaded not guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Mobile to allegations that he made fake identifications in connection with that scheme.

Click here to read the rest of the article from AL.com.

Click here to read a related article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Business owner sues city

Ike Williams says city won't let him rent personal watercraft after saying he could

Friday, February 01, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

A prominent south Baldwin County businessman has sued Gulf Shores, claiming that officials in City Hall illegally shut down his personal watercraft rental business last summer.

Ike Williams, who has run Ike's Beach Service for the past two decades, filed the suit earlier this month in Baldwin County Circuit Court alleging that city officials in July ordered him to stop renting personal watercraft months after he had started doing so.

And he claims that before buying the property at 800 W. Beach Blvd., then-Code Enforcement Officer Frank Breaux and Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III told him the property's zoning allowed him to rent personal watercraft.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Sweetheart 5K Run Benefits Local Organizations

Runners from all over the country are preparing to take to the streets of Gulf Shores Feb. 16 for the 7^th Annual Sweetheart 5K Run and Walk. Sponsored by the L.A. Fleet Feet Running Club, the event raises money for several worthy causes in the area.

Since its inception in 2002, the Sweetheart 5K has raised approximately $50,000 for various civic, charitable and athletic organizations in the area, according to Lee Echols, a current Fleet Feet member and one of the originators of the Sweetheart 5K. Groups such as the Association of Retarded Citizens of Baldwin County, Gulf Coast Arts Council, Boy Scout Troop 49 in Gulf Shores and the Gulf Shores High School and Foley High School track teams have benefited from the proceeds of the race.

“Some runners take it seriously, but the majority of the people come out for the fun and to help raise money for various organizations that depend on community support,” Race Director Bruce Bankston said. “Each year we have been able to continue building the race into major regional running and charity event.”

Trophies will be awarded in numerous age categories ranging from 10 and younger to 75 and older. “It’s a great event for the entire family. We have events for people of all ages,” Bankston said. Previous editions of the race have drawn more than 400 runners from 27 states and Canada, according to Bankston.

In addition to the race itself, there will also be a lively post-race party which will include live music from local favorites Brent Burns and Don Stafford. The post-race party will also include a wide variety of free food and beverages for all who register for the race.

In addition to the 5K race, there will also be a 5K race/walk, and a 1-mile fun run, according to Bankston. “Couples can compete for the sweetheart award based on their combined race time,” he said.

Bankston said along with entry fees, the primary funding source for the grants the group awards are sponsorships. There are three levels of sponsorship ranging from $250 for bronze level to $1,000 for gold level. “We have a limited number of sponsorships still available,” he said. “A sponsorship will get your business name and logo on all race t-shirts and race promotional material. Last year we had approximately 450 people show up on race day and they all were exposed to our sponsors names, products and services numerous times throughout the day.”

The 5k race will begin promptly at 8 a.m. The start/finish line will be located at 200 East First Ave. in Gulf Shores.

Registrations postmarked by Feb. 11 are $15 and should be sent to: L.A. Fleet Feet/Sweetheart Run, P.O. Box 3584, Orange Beach, AL 36561. Late registration will take place on Feb. 15 from 5 until 7 p.m. at the race site, 200 East First Ave. in Gulf Shores. Late registration fee is $20. Bankston said participants may sign up the day of the race from 6:30 until 7:30 a.m. at the race site for a fee of $25.

For more information please contact Bankston at 968-2055 or Club President Billy Thomason at 968-5611. E-mail inquiries to sweetheartrun@aol.com.

Chamber ushers in new year, leadership

Despite slow economy, chamber added about 175 members in 2007

Monday, January 21, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH -- At its annual meeting Friday at the Perdido Beach Resort, the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce honored a longtime park superintendent, a local publisher and two deceased members. It also ushered in its leadership for 2008.

The event -- the 1,000-member group's 27th -- was attended by about 500, chamber officials said. Though the national economy flagged in 2007, particularly the real estate sector, which is arguably south Baldwin County's biggest industry, the chamber added 175 members over the year, said Membership Director Jana Davis.

"A lot of people are saying we're going through a little bit of a downturn, people are talking about how we might be getting into a recession," said chamber President Mark Berson. "But this area is still one of the best undiscovered areas in the country, and I kind of feel it's like the last frontier, really."

Click here to read the full story from the Mobile Press-Register.

Lorrie Morgan to join Entertainment Series

Submitted by Teri Westbrook

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Members of the Gulf Shores City Council unanimously voted Monday, Jan. 14, to award a performance contract to country music star Lorrie Morgan, pending approval of her management agency.

Morgan, who was the first female country singer to have three consecutive albums certified platinum, will perform her many hits Feb. 12 and 13 at the Erie Meyer Civic Center as part of the city’s Entertainment Series ‘08.

“I’m really looking forward to having Lorrie perform in Gulf Shores,” Gulf Shores Mayor Billy Duke said. “To get a first-rate singer like her on short notice is evidence of what a great job our Special Events Department does on a daily basis.”

“We are delighted to be able to present an artist of Lorrie’s stature to residents and winter visitors of Gulf Shores,” Special Events Director Patsy Hollingsworth said. “She is a second-generation country music star who has almost 30 years of performing to her credit.”

Born Loretta Lynn Morgan on June 27, 1959, she grew up the daughter of Grand Ole Opry star George Morgan. She spent many nights backstage at the Opry, and made her debut there at 13.

Her father died when she was 16, and she was singing professionally a year later. By 21, she was opening shows for George Jones. She performed at Opryland USA, sang demo sessions for country publishing giant Acuff-Rose and became a member of the Opry in 1985.

Although Morgan charted her first single, “Two People in Love,” in 1979, her career took off with the 1989 release of “Dear Me,” a Top 10 hit that coincided with the death of her husband Keith Whitley.

Over the following decade, Morgan released three No. 1 singles — “Five Minutes,” “What Part of No” and “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” Her other hits include “Out of Your Shoes,” “Watch Me,” “Something in Red” and “Except for Monday.”

Recognized as a creative force in music videos, Morgan charted eight No. 1 videos at CMT. Praise from her peers and fans followed, and Morgan earned nine industry awards including four wins as Female Vocalist of the Year (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998).

She made countless appearances on major network television shows including “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Good Morning America,” among others.

Doors for Morgan’s performances will open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30.

Pam Tillis was originally scheduled to perform on these dates but, according to a Tillis spokesperson, emergency surgery has left the performer physically unable to perform. Tickets for the Tillis concerts will be accepted at the Morgan concert. “If you bought tickets for Pam Tillis, your tickets are still good for the same night and the same seat for Lorrie Morgan,” Hollingsworth said.

Additional tickets are available at the Civic Center box office Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. while supplies last. Call (251) 968-1172 for information.

Fest, shrimpers remain at odds

Monday, December 17, 2007

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

GULF SHORES -- Every October, more than a quarter million people descend upon this city's main public beach for the National Shrimp Festival in a four-day rite of fall nearly 40 years running.

Across Mobile Bay, in Bayou La Batre, the hard-luck headquarters of Alabama's seafood industry, a $1.2 million effort to promote locally caught shrimp has been under way since late 2003.

A sensible pairing perhaps. But while the two have flirted, attempts by some parties to marry the "Eat Alabama Wild Shrimp" campaign and the nationally renowned festival have failed.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Red Tide Cells Remain at Alabama Beaches

November 16, 2007

The Alabama Department of Public Health cautions the public that water samples collected this week on Baldwin County beaches indicate the presence of red tide cells and persons with respiratory problems or those experiencing symptoms of nose, throat or eye irritation should avoid the mist.

Red tide results from a massive build-up of certain species of microscopic sea organisms known as dinoflagellates. These organisms produce a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish so they are paralyzed and cannot breathe. At high concentrations, the organisms may produce a discoloration of the water. Red tides are often referred to as "blooms." The species (Karenia brevis), isolated from Gulf Shores waters, may produce toxins that also cause skin irritation and respiratory problems in humans. Health Department officials advise:

- Avoid the area if you are susceptible to respiratory problems such as asthma or emphysema.

- Leave the water if you experience skin irritations while swimming or boating and rinse immediately with fresh water.

- If you experience nose, throat or eye irritation when exposed to the gulf mist, avoid the mist.

The Alabama Department of Public Health will continue to monitor gulf and bay waters for the presence of red tide cells.

Unfortunately, the presence of red tide cannot be predicted to be at a certain location at a certain time. The effects depend on many variables such as temperature, salinity, direction of the wind, and how concentrated the organisms are at a given location.

Gulf Shores Fire Victim Has Fake Identity

By Debbie Williams Reporter
Published: November 09 2007 - 5:13 pm
Last Updated: November 09 2007 - 5:55 pm

After Thursday's fire that burned down the Italian restaurant Nick's at Gulf Shores, the community really reached out to Nick and Cathy Cascario with offers of a place to live and a place to re-open their business according to restaurant manager Mike Loria. But, News Five has learned the people the community offered it's charity too are not who they say they are.

News Five received phones calls and e-mails from as far away as Washington State and as close as Atlanta, Georgia about Cascario. It seems they are well known, just by another name.

Their real names are Richard and Judy Morrell. According to court documents obtained by News Five, Morrell changed his name to Cascario after leaving California during a Mortgage and Real Estate fraud trial in 1982.

He was convicted of 24 counts of fraud and forgery and was on the run fro almost 12 years until his capture in Tennessee in 1993. After his release from prison he started a printer cartridge company called Holiday Ink. The Federal Trade Commission called it a scam. A class action lawsuit against the company ended last year with plaintiff's being awarded 14 million dollars. That case is being appealed.

Another interesting note, Cascario and Tommy Lunceford, the owner of the building that burned, are scheduled to be in court next week in a dispute over back rent and eviction.

Click here to read the full story and watch the video on WKRG-TV5.

Restaurant Fire Called Suspicious

Published: November 08 2007 - 12:21 pm
Last Updated: November 08 2007 - 12:48 pm
By Jamie Burch

The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating an overnight fire at Nick's at Gulf Shores. The Italian food restaurant is located on Hwy 59 in Gulf Shores.

The fire started around 3:30 a.m. A Passerby saw the flames and called 911.

Nick's just opened 11 weeks ago. The owners, Nick and Cathy Casserio, lived in an upstairs apartment. They barely made it out. Their 12 year old dog did not.

Investigator's say someone shut off the building's sprinkler system before the fire started.

Click here to watch the story on WKRG-TV5.

Code-built houses can resist storm damage

By Kym Klass
kklass@gannett.com

The next time a hurricane strikes Alabama, the homes in the city of Gulf Shores should be spared considerable damage.

A recent Louisiana State University study shows that incorporating just three wind-resistant features into residential buildings in Alabama could reduce hurricane damage and economic losses by as much as 87 percent -- assuming buildings were built to the 2003 International Residential Code building standards.

In the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, they are.

Click here to read the complete article on the Montgomery Advertiser website.

Effects of Tornados & Heavy Rains in South Alabama

Irvington picks up after tornado

Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By KATHERINE SAYRE and RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporters

Large chunks of the roof of Robert Morrison's boat shed, just south of his brick house on Irvington's Memory Lane, lay in piles on the grass Tuesday.

"What's left of it -- the rest of it went that way," Morrison said, pointing to the northern end of the street, where a twister blew through Monday.

As residents of southern Baldwin County dealt with the effects of flooding from heavy rainfall, the residents of Memory Lane and Walker Road in Mobile County continued to clean up from the tornado that tore through their enclave, damaging between 15 and 20 homes and properties in the area, emergency officials said.

In southernmost Baldwin County, municipal employees continued to address flooding that plagued certain areas.

Kit Alexander, Orange Beach's director for engineering and environmental services, said low-lying spots such as Bear Point and the neighborhood around Cotton Bayou fared the worst, particularly in older subdivisions that were built upon filled wetlands.

In response, city workers were using pumps to move water from deluged streets and yards to nearby canals and studying the flooding to figure out where to install new drainage systems next year, she said.

In Gulf Shores, city employees continued around-the-clock to pump water from the East 21st Avenue neighborhood -- where some homes were filled ankle-deep with water on Friday -- and clear out clogged drainage ditches and culverts, Public Works Director Mark Acreman said.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Red tide affects Alabama oysters

Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By BEN RAINES, Staff Reporter

Oyster beds in Bon Secour Bay were closed Tuesday after tests by the Alabama Department of Public Health revealed the presence of the organism that causes red tide.

The organism builds up in oysters as they filter water, making them unsafe to eat, sometimes for weeks after the red tide is gone.

Fish kills reported along the Gulf beaches between the Florida line and Fort Morgan over the last few days were also attributed to the red tide bloom, according to state officials.

Click here to read the rest of the article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Orange Beach Red Tide Update- Sun, Oct. 21, 2007

October 21, 2007 - Orange Beach, AL - The last official Red Tide advisory for Orange Beach was published on Thursday, October 18th, from samples taken on Tuesday, October 16th. This advisory was published by the City of Orange Beach.

As of this report today, no new official updates for the Red Tide in Orange Beach are available. Any new updates about the Red Tide will be published on this page and on the home page of The Orange Beach Community Website as soon as they are received.

Below is a list of links to assist residents of and visitors to Orange Beach with information about the Red Tide.

Click here to see a Google Search for Orange Beach Red Tides.

Click here to view more information about Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) & Red Tides from the NOAA website.

Click here to view an interactive NOAA Map where reports of HAB have been found.
(Please note, the current map only shows HAB found on Perdido Key, and in other locations in Florida. It is not clear why this map does not show the evidence of HAB found in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.)

Click on the following links for information about Red Tides from the associated source: Wikipedia, WHOI, WHOI Photos, Florida Fish and Wildlife, Florida Fish and Wildlife Current & Historical Maps.

Local Gulf Shores Businessman Makes National News

October 19, 2007
The Orange Beach Community Website

John McCombs, a Gulf Shores, AL businessman, was in a telephone interview on Fox & Friends this morning talking about his anti-Citgo billboard on Highway 59. The newsworthy billboard (right) shows a picture of Hugh Chavez holding a Citgo logo, and reads: "Don't by gas from this Ass". Citgo is a petroleum company owned by the government of Venezuela and Hugo Chavez.

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Hoss Mack followed McCombs in the interview and said that he has not received any calls complaining about the billboard.

Click on the above image for a larger view.

Click here to see video of WKRG TV5's coverage on this story.

Click here to see the follow-up story on WKRG TV5.

Click here to read the AP story on FoxNews.com website.

Click here to see all of the online media who have picked up on this story from Google.

Gulf Shores offers more than just spring break party destination

By MARGARET LITTMAN
For The Tennessean

The Gulf Shores area is actually a composite of three distinct areas — Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach — nestled on the white sands on the Gulf of Mexico 450 miles south of Nashville. These quiet sugar-sand beaches are dotted with multi-million-dollar resort communities featuring breathtaking sunset views, chef-driven restaurants that take advantage of access to fresh-from-the-water fish and golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer.

If you're looking for a more high-end beach vacation, now is the time to plan a Gulf Shores trip for a romantic, grown-up getaway.

Click here to read the full article from the Tennessean.com .

Gulf State Park plans millions in upgrades

Sunday, September 23, 2007

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

GULF SHORES -- From its Gulf fishing pier to stands of longleaf pine, a series of projects are planned at Gulf State Park to repair lingering storm damage and update facilities.

What will make most of the work feasible is an anticipated $8.4 million in federal money doled out as part of the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which distributes oil and natural gas royalties among fossil-fuel-producing coastal states.

Alabama and its two coastal counties stand to receive more than $51.1 million to spend as part of the project, and according to an early budgeting plan a substantial portion of that -- more than 16 percent -- is slated to be spent on Gulf State Park.

(Pictured above left to right, Phillip West, City of Orange Beach & Hugh S. Branyon, Alabama Gulf State Parks Superintendent.)

Click here to view the rest of the story from the Mobile Press-Register.