GULF SHORES, Ala. — Beach safety officials say the National Weather Service should know when lifeguards post a red flag to warn swimmers about the high risk of rip currents at the beach.
“The majority of the time they are saying it's low risk of rip currents,” said Scott Smothers, beach safety supervisor in Gulf Shores. “We want to have a cooperative effort between the beach safety folks and the weather service so we can give real-time data.”
Even if you’re not a redneck, you will want to go to the Alabama coastline when you read Harvey H. Jacksons III’s new book, The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera. The Redneck Riviera, as geographically defined by Jackson, is Mobile Bay in Alabama to St. Andrew Bay in Florida and includes places like Panama City, Gulf Shores, Destin, and Orange Beach.
GULF SHORES, Alabama — A Q&A with Gulf Shores/Orange Beach tourism officials:
How has tourism been so far this spring?
According to Herb Malone, president/CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, businesses along the Alabama Gulf Coast have seen a healthy number of guests throughout the spring season.
GULF SHORES, Ala. — Kaiser Realty, Inc. had an excellent showing at the 2012 Relay for Life in Orange Beach this past weekend by exceeding their yearly fundraising goal by more than 50 percent.
Originally setting a $5,000 goal, the Kaiser Realty, Inc. team set up various fundraising events during the past months to bring the community together, raise awareness for the need of cancer research and ultimately, to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program.
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama — What a difference a year makes in condominium sales.
A three-bedroom, gulf-front condo unit in Orange Beach's Phoenix 10 sold for $384,000, a jump from $330,000, according to Tina Maynard of REMAX of Orange Beach.
“That's really good news for the sellers,” she added. “I keep telling my buyers that the bottom has gone.”
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama — There’s really no reason you can’t get a little sand between your toes while you sip your way through a wine festival.
The inaugural Waves of Wine festival in Orange Beach proved the point last year, drawing about 600 attendees to Caribe Resort & Marina. Organizers say they’re already on track to beat that number for this year’s event, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6.
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – If you’re looking for a way to beat that summer traffic and want to combine it with a scenic boat ride, Ray and Debbie Dyal may just have the answer.
The couple has been working since October on getting a new business lined up to provide water taxi service in the Orange Beach area. With two boats already in service, they are currently running a fixed route Wednesday through Sunday and are taking reservations for special trips.
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The city of Orange Beach is asking the Alabama Department of Transportation to do a traffic study at the intersection of Cotton Bayou Drive and Orange Beach Boulevard.
Also, the city’s Business Advisory Committee, is moving forward with plans to beautify city entrances and plant palms along Orange Beach Boulevard.
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) – The Baldwin County Drug Task Force revealed Monday they were very busy last week. In a county-wide sweep, they said they arrested 14 individuals and need your help finding three more.
Charges include unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, trafficking methamphetamine, manufacturing a controlled substance and in one case, chemical endangerment of a child.
LILLIAN, Ala. (WALA) – Baldwin County authorities say the search for a 33-year-old man who was reported missing around the KOA campground in Lillian has been called off. Authorities say they do not believe David Dill is in danger.
The search of Perdido Bay and surrounding areas for David Dill has been discontinued.
It was found that David Dill caught a ride to the Foley Wal-Mart at around 6:30am on April 30, 2012. Mr. Dill bought several items and then left the store. Mr. Dill told the couple that gave him a ride that he was going to backpack to California.
Mr. Dill had left a note telling his wife he was going for a swim.
IT’S REASSURING to know that Alabama’s Sen. Richard Shelby, a Republican from Tuscaloosa, will be looking out for Gulf Coast interests by insisting that the RESTORE Act remain in the federal transportation bill.
ELBERTA, Alabama — Elberta police arrested two men after finding more than a pound of marijuana following a traffic stop on U.S. 98, Police Chief Stan DeVane said.
Grady Taylor Robinson, 22, of Elberta was charged with two counts of first-degree possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Richard Levi Green, 24, of Elberta was charged with second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, DeVane said.
GULF SHORES, Alabama — The Alabama Supreme Court has voided the city’s annexation of 19 miles along Ala. 180 on Fort Morgan in a ruling Friday that favored the Fort Morgan Civic Association in its eight-year battle to stay out of the city.
“We’re excited,” said Paul Barefield, president of the 400-plus member association. “We wanted better control over the zoning as far as the issue of density and height regulations. We had worked so hard with the county on zoning and we didn’t want it overturned” by the city.
GULF SHORES, Alabama — If lifeguards post a red flag to warn swimmers of high-risk rip currents at the beach, the National Weather Service should have that information, according to beach safety officials.
LILLIAN, Alabama — The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office and other agencies are searching the waters around the KOA campground in Lillian for 33-year-old David Dill, who was reported missing this morning by his wife, according to a news release.
BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Alimireo Felix English was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of trafficking in cocaine, Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon said today.
English, 36, of Bay Minette was also sentenced to 40 years on a charge of distribution of cocaine.
BAY MINETTE, Alabama — A Baldwin County grand jury and investigation by the county’s Drug Task Force resulted in the arrests of some 14 suspects including one man growing a crop of marijuana indoors in Elberta. Authorities were searching for three others in the drug sweep.
MAGNOLIA SPRINGS, Alabama — On a bright April morning, with mourners overflowing the chapel, the funeral for Summer Moody took place Monday at Pine Rest Funeral Home near Magnolia Springs.
If you're thinking about visiting Orange Beach, we have a list of Daytrip Ideas for you. This list of ideas is great for places to go on daytrips from the Orange Beach area.
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