February 7, 2012, Gulf Shores, AL (GSA)– The Hangout Music Fest, which was recently awarded “Best Festival of the Year” honors by leading concert industry outlet Pollstar, is proud to announce its highly anticipated 2012 lineup. Scheduled for May 18-20 on the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, the Fest will feature main stage headliners Dave Matthews Band, Jack White, and a soon-to-be-announced third act, along with dance tent headliner Skrillex.

General Admission, VIP, Super VIP and Big Kahuna festival tickets are on sale beginning at 12 noon EST/11 am CST/10 am MST/9 am PST on Fri., Feb. 10 at www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets. Fans should act quickly, as demand is high for the event -- the limited number of “Early Bird” passes sold out within three hours of going on sale in November, and 2011’s festival sold out well in advance.

February 6, 2012 NEW YORK (OBA)-- A group of Gulf Coast musicians and Flora-Bama owner Joe Gilchrist are taking New York City by storm, or perhaps more accurately, by song.

Leslie Wyche, from New York City District 9 Council Member Inez Dickens office, read a proclamation naming “Joe Gilchrist Day” in Harlem. Gilchrist was also presented with a Congressional Declaration by U.S. Representative Charles Rangel’s Chief of Staff, Geoffrey Eaton.

Letters of appreciation and support from Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon were presented to the New York officials, echoing Gilchrist’s sentiments that the citizens of the Gulf Coast have not forgotten the sacrifices made on 9/11.

February 1, 2012 Gulf Shores, AL (GSA) – Feb. 13, 2011 Gulf Coast Family Chiropractic is hosting educational events on Heart Health throughout the month of February.

Through our revolutionary advanced talk, Maximized Living will teach you about how everyday decisions affect your body, and give you seven steps to prevent heart disease altogether. Join Dr. Alicia Farrell on Feb. 13 for the “Heart Health” workshop, located at 3865 Gulf Shores Pkwy Suite 5, Gulf Shores at 6:15 PM. The evident cause of heart disease is inflammation triggered by sugar, acidity, free radicals and an improper ratio of omega fatty acids.

“Heart disease may be common, but it is absolutely not normal,” said Dr. Alicia. “At Maximized Living, we always search for the true cause of disease in order to find the solution."

February 1, 2010 - Orange Beach, AL (OBA) -The Library is pleased to host author Bob Buckley on Wednesday, Feb. 8th at 3 p.m. in the meeting room.

Many of you know Bob from his previous library programs featuring Geocaching, but this event will introduce you to his skills as an author.

January 21, 2010 - Orange Beach, AL (OBA) - The 19th Annual AL Lifestyles EXPO, a free public event, will be held at Caribe Resort in Orange Beach on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The exhibitors represent companies that provide products and services that will improve your quality of life and make your trip to the Gulf Coast more enjoyable.

The Caribe Resort, overlooking Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, has covered parking with easy access to the exhibits. Attendees can also drop passengers off at any one of the three exhibit hall entrances. In addition to door prizes and numerous giveaways, $100 will be awarded at 2 p.m., and you do not have to be present to win. The EXPO is popular with seniors, but it offers something of interest for all ages. Exhibitors provide upbeat information and promote healthy living and quality of life programs for people over 50.

The extensive range of services and information offered, includes free health screenings, sampling from restaurants and hands-on exhibits of all kinds. Food and drink are available at the Cobalt Restaurant, located next to Caribe Resort. The Alabama Lifestyles Retirement EXPO is sponsored by the Alabama Advantage for Relocation, Caribe The Resort, the City of Orange Beach and the Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce.

January 16, 2012 - Orange Beach, AL (OBA) - What started as a joke between friends Debra Rosenfield and Sharon George grew into a real fundraiser that has benefited many women throughout the county. These women from Fairhope made a calendar featuring the pink fire truck from Orange Beach, motorcycles, and local women- many breast cancer survivors or those with family and friends effected from breast cancer. These calendars have been sold over the last several months at many events throughout Baldwin County. The proceeds are being given to local foundations that benefit Baldwin County women fighting breast cancer. Pictured here are some of the women who made this calendar presenting a check to the Pink Heals Foundation in Orange Beach. Left to right: Michele Bringuier, Debra Rosenfield, Asher Michon, Sharon George

January 10, 2012 - Gulf Shores, AL (GSA) - Ann Motes, Special Events Assistant at the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce, has been named Director of Special Events for the Chamber.

Ms. Motes, who has been with the Chamber since 2009, will be responsible for directing the staff activities for the National Shrimp Festival and other Chamber events, and will work with the Shrimp Festival Committee leadership and volunteers in planning and executing this important signature event for the Chamber.

She will also be responsible for staffing other Chamber events, including the Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, the Shrimp Festival Restaurant Challenge (formerly known as the Shrimp Festival Chef’s Challenge), and others.

“We are so excited that after an rigorous search that resulted in some extremely highly qualified applicants, Ann emerged as the candidate with the most direct and recent hands-on staffing experience not only with the festival, but with other Chamber events,” said Chamber President Ed Rodriguez in making the announcement. “Ann has developed terrific relationships with our volunteers, vendors, and leadership and she has the technical and people skills we need to help ensure the future of what is one of the world’s greatest festivals.”

January 6, 2012 - Orange Beach, AL (OBA) - In late January, Orange Beach Public Library will host a number of programs exploring ecosystems in Alabama.

On Jan. 25 Philip West, Coastal Resources Manager for the City of Orange Beach will present After the Fire: The Backcountry Trail. His presentation will discuss the damages and after effects of the Gulf Coast State Park Fire of June-July 2011 on the Backcountry Trail.  His presentation will be held at the Senior Activity Center at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended and may be done online at the events calendar at www.orangebeachlibrary.org.

December 8, 2011 -- GULF SHORES, Ala. (GSA) -- The Gulf Shores Garden Club will celebrate their 21st Annual Spring Garden Seminar on Feb. 8.  

The doors will open at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Program at 10.  A light lunch, along with opportunities to win floral arrangement doorprizes, round out this fun-filled morning. Our guest speaker is Marie Harrison, with her topic, “Reaching New Heights in Floral Design”.

This year, for the first time, the Garden Seminar will be held at the Erie Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores to accommodate the growing number of guests attending this very popular event.

Tickets of $15 each, sold in advance, cover the cost of lunch and prizes, with the proceeds supporting the Gulf Shores Scholarship Fund. Tickets may be purchased at the Gulf Shores Library after Jan. 3, or contact Diane atdinowicki606@yahoo.com or (251)974-6606 for Tickets.

December 6, 2011 - Gulf Shores, AL (GSA) - On December 12th the Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will break ground on a new laboratory and administration building for the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores. The Marine Resources Division is responsible for the management of Alabama's marine resources and the Claude Peteet Center has contributed to that mission for over thirty years with its research into marine and estuarine ecology.

Krebs Architecture & Engineering teamed with Lord Aeck & Sargent to provide architectural and civil engineering services on the 31,500 square foot project. The laboratory houses tanks and open raceways that hold over 100,000 gallons of water for fish, fry, algae, and zooplankton. Infrastructure to support these marine environments includes modifications to the salt water pipeline from the Gulf of Mexico and the brackish water pipeline from the intracoastal waterway."

November 26, 2011 -- Pensacola, FL (OBA) – It is Christmas time in Tuna… Texas, that is! Tuna is the third smallest town in Texas, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.

With only 24 hours before Christmas, all comic hell is about to break loose as Theatre West presents “A Tuna Christmas”. This mad-cap comedy consists of two actors and twenty-four hilarious characters.

The show has some of the quickest costume changes, biggest hair-do’s (and hair don’ts) known to man and is guaranteed to put a jingle in your sleigh!

November 10, 2011 -- ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (OBA) -- The 2011 Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival presented by the Flora-Bama has something for everyone!  One of a series of special events planned is a Songwriting Showcase for Teens from 11 a.m.-2 p.m, Friday, Nov. 18.

The event was organized by LuLu’s at Homeport Marina and the Frank Brown Foundation For Music, the 501(c)3 organization that coordinates this Top 20 Southeastern Tourism Event. The luncheon/seminar will bring together select students from Foley High, Foley Middle, Elberta Middle and Daphne Middle Schools and industry professionals to discuss the art and business of songwriting.

The professional panel will include powerhouse songwriting duo Hal and Rachel Newman.  Among Hal’s many recorded songs is George Strait’s “Baby Your Baby” from the movie Pure Country. Also on the panel is CJ Watson, songwriter and author of The Everything Songwriting Book (copyright 2003, Adams Media); John Briggs, CEO of Briggs Entertainment and former Vice President of ASCAP; and singer/songwriter Karen E. Reynolds who heads up an independent record label and is Host and Program Director of “Writer’s Block” a radio program and concert series showcasing independent artists.The highlight of the seminar is the teen stars of tomorrow that have been selected to perform their original songs for this prestigious panel. Among those selected are:

Brittany Cole, a 14-year-old freshman at Gulf Breeze High School. Brittany began playing guitar when she was 7 and began writing songs at the age of 10. Her music style is Contemporary/Pop. Brittany says she “writes songs that encourage and inspire”.

November 4, 2011 -- Pensacola, Fla – It is not unusual for a mother and daughter to stay home on a Saturday night, spending time with each other, getting a manicure, and chatting.  But something is different about this night.

At the beginning, the daughter makes an off-handed, yet surprising, announcement that becomes the driving force behind Marsha Norman’s powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning play. “night, Mother” is a revealing look at the lives of two women, a mother and a daughter, who live together but know virtually nothing about each other.

The daughter, Jessie, played by Allison Winschief, is a 30-something divorcee who finds herself with a life full of failure. Epilepsy has kept Jessie hidden away, unable to hold a job or conduct a social life of any kind. And if that weren’t enough, Jessie’s drug-addicted son has turned to a life of crime and Jessie has given up hope for his future. In fact, Jessie has given up hope, period.