GULF SHORES, Alabama — Folks started lining up early in Baldwin County for the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach parades.

Mardi Gras celebrations began at 10 o’clock on Fat Tuesday.

There are no barricades keeping parade goers away from the floats making Pleasure Island parades a little different from all the other parades.

ORANGE BEACH – To bridge or not to bridge, that may be the question. And it may not be.

The Orange Beach City Council will consider a resolution at Wednesday’s meeting concerning a change in the 2006 agreement between the developers of Phoenix West II and the city. But it’s likely the issue will tabled for further discussions.

Click here to view more... Orange Beach pedestrian bridge issue may be tabled for further study – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: Local News.

BP Plc (BP/), Transocean Ltd. (RIG) and others involved in the operation of the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a worker injured in the blast.

Click here to view more... Fuel Fix » BP settles with injured Deepwater Horizon worker.

SUMMERDALE, Alabama — After a recently hired officer was seriously injured in a single-vehicle accident Saturday morning, the town is setting up a fund to help pay for the patrolman’s medical bills, officers said.

Click here to view more... Summerdale raising funds for severely injured patrolman – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: Local News.

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — When the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce holds its quarterly breakfast in Bay Minette this week, it will do so with U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner serving as its keynote speaker.

NBCC Executive Director Margo Allen explained that the event, which is set for 8 a.m. Thursday in the Bay Minette City Council Chambers in City Hall, will prove informative for north Baldwin County residents.

Click here to view more... Bonner to speak in Bay Minette – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: News.

BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Legal bills have surpassed $40,000 for county officials involved in an FBI probe to determine the intent of  audio and video recording devices placement in the county’s courthouses and administration areas.

Click here to view more... Baldwin County legal fees mounting in courthouse ‘bug’ probe – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: County News.

BALDWIN COUNTY, Alabama — For the town of Elberta, Arbor Day has been celebrated for a number of years thanks in large part to Alma Doege.

A former councilwoman, Doege can’t recall just how long she’s been the town’s chairman for the tree-based day’s events.

Click here to view more... Arbor Day events set throughout Baldwin County | al.com.

In less than two weeks after going on sale with an all-star line-up that includes headliners Dave Matthews Band, Jack White and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Hangout Music Fest has already sold out of all general admission tickets for 2012.

Click here to view more... The Hangout Music Fest Sells Out of General Admission Tickets | WKRG.

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) – SNOWBIRDS FLOCK

There were bands, floats, beauty queens, beads, and MoonPies.

But the Gulf Shores Mardi Gras parade is different. You can tell by just one look at the crowd.

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WALA) – A CELEBRATION OF SURVIVAL

Some said when you’re celebrating surviving some very hard times, Mardi Gras parades are more than just parades. That was the case at The Wharf in Orange Beach.

“It’s great! I didn’t expect all of this,” Darryl Roberts, one of The Wharf’s original tenants, said.

Click here to view more... Mardi Gras kicks off at The Wharf | Fox10tv.com.

BP Plc (BP/), operator of the Macondo well that caused the U.S.’s worst oil spill, may reach a settlement for the disaster this week after a partner agreed on fines, an Oppenheimer & Co. analyst said.

Mitsui & Co. (8031)’s MOEX Offshore 2007 LLC will pay $90 million to the U.S. and five states to settle pollution violations related to 2010 spill. While BP will probably have to accept different terms as the operator, the settlement suggests that BP would pay $585 million for violations, less than 20 percent of what the company has provisioned, said Fadel Gheit, an analyst at Oppenheimer in New York. BP rose to the highest since March in London trading.

Click here to view more... Fuel Fix » BP spill deal possible this week after Mitsui, analyst says.

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Want to ride a mountain trail? How about challenge some of your gym buddies to cycling competition?

Or perhaps you’d like to add a video game to your workouts.

Click here to view more... Gulf Shores exercise equipment goes online – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: Local News.

GULF SHORES, Ala. – In a unanimous vote to thunderous applause, the Gulf Shores City Council approved a resolution to give nearly $1 million to help fund a local schools initiative.

Click here to view more... Gulf Shores votes to give nearly $1 million to schools in city – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: Local News.

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. –This year's Treasures of the Isle King Bayne Bridges and Queen Connie Baker.

The Treasures of the Isle is celebrating its fifth year and recently had a luncheon at Café Grazie to honor the King and Queen.

Click here to view more... Treasures of Isle king and queen for 2012 announced – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: Community.

The public can tour and even fly in some historic World War II-era aircraft beginning in March.

The Wings of Freedom Tour will be at the Pensacola Aviation Center at Pensacola International Airport from March 5-7.

Click here to view more... Historic aircraft coming to Pensacola | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com.

FOLEY, Alabama — Following a plan to research rainfall in all the county’s 15 watersheds, commissioners agreed to move forward on a grant application this week to study the Bon Secour Bay and Wolf Bay watershed area.

Click here to view more... Baldwin plans second watershed study for Bon Secour, Wolf Bays | al.com.

DAPHNE, Alabama  — The next mayor won’t have a car allowance and the City Council’s compensation will stay the same, council members decided Monday.

Click here to view more... Daphne City Council pay won’t change | al.com.

GULF SHORES, Alabama — As the lunch crowd fills King Neptune’s restaurant, owner Al Sawyer is already thinking about what he’d like to order. “I hope the weather holds out for a good spring break.”

This winter has been well, winter for retailers. “Spring and summer is your big thing,” says Colton Wallace at Blonde John’s Surf Shop. “Everybody makes their money off that and does there own thing through the winter.”"

A Summerdale police officer remains in the hospital after being injured in a car accident over the weekend.

Terry Fent is at USA Medical Center in Mobile in stable condition. Fent broke his back in two different places after he swerved to avoid hitting an animal Saturday morning.

Click here to view more... WEAR ABC 3 :: Top Stories – Injured Officer Recovering.

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Christian Service Center volunteers are already cooking for the 11th Annual Spaghetti Dinner to be Feb. 27, from 4:30-7 pm, in Building B at the Gulf Shores United Methodist Church (Winn Dixie Shopping Center).

Click here to view more... Christian Service Center spaghetti dinner – GulfCoastNewsToday.com: Church News.