Monday, November 27, 2006

According to the order U.S. District Judge Kristi DuBose signed a day after the lawyers' Oct. 27 motion, proceeds from the sale are to be placed in escrow pending the outcome of any appeals.

Brown surrendered his one-third interest in the beach house to the government as part of a plea agreement, but Russo and Sutley still each own one-third shares of the property. That includes the remaining principal and interest due on a $1.75 million mortgage they obtained with Brown in July 2004 to buy the 100-foot-wide property and build the home.

Lawyers asked in the joint motion that Gulf shores Kaiser Realty list the house.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George May told the Press-Register he wasn't sure how Kaiser was selected for the sale, but said that the company's pitch included a "reasonable commission" of 5 percent.

The 8,300-square-foot home with a pool and elevator was listed by Brown's wife, Mona, a real estate agent, for $3.2 million prior to the indictments.

May, who is handling forfeiture proceedings in the case, said that unlike other assets the government seeks, cash is better than the beach house because the home must be maintained to hold its value.

Prosecutors won't try to sell other assets - including a BMW sedan and undeveloped Orange Beach lots that jurors concluded Russo bought with bribe money - until after the outcome of appeals.

Should the convictions stand, third parties, such as banks, would be able to stake their claims on seized assets and the remainder would be divvied up among government funds, May said.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Craft of gulf

R.C. Craft, who in a more than 50-year career in south Baldwin County turned a small gladiola farm into successful sod, golf and real estate businesses, died Monday. He was 78.

Craft, a veteran of World War II who lived in Gulf Shores, moved to Baldwin County from Florida in 1954. In a 2003 interview, Craft said he and his wife, Jane, realized that the region had great potential.

"We felt like this was a prime area for development since we moved here from Fort Myers and saw how similar this area was to down there and how popular that area had become," he said. "I felt like at some time in the future, that would happen here."

Craft was a founding member of the Gulf Shores Golf Club, and served as the chairman of the Gulf Shores Utility Board.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jane Wingo Craft of Gulf Shores; son, Robert Craft; a sister, Janie Johnson of Fort Myers.; and two grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Pine Rest Funeral Home in Foley. The funeral is set for 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Andrew by the Sea Community Church in Gulf Shores.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Holiday at Gulf Shores

When most people think of gulf shores, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to gulf shores than just the basics.

Katrina was a Category five as it approached the shoreline, just as it was about to hit it was downgraded, why? Well the eye-wall was reforming as they often do along the way. Many Christians attributed to their prayers for the City of New Orleans, the Hurricane then slightly jogged to the right or Eastward. This helped in two ways, one minimized the direction of flow and duration of the storm surge into the inlet area in the direction of the lake.

Still the Hurricanes size and time over the City caused weakening of the levee system, which was eventually breached in multiple places, one more than 100-yards wide and water poured into the city. Islamic Radical Terrorists cheered claiming that they have been praying for America to be destroyed and that Allah had answered by attacking the Gulf Coast. While Christians prayers were said to be immediately answered and it looked as if New Orleans was spared, the engineering marvel of 350-miles worth of levees had been weakened by one of the worst storms ever to hit our Nation.

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about gulf shores. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

Luckily now the Army Corp of Engineering has a plan it will soon execute to temporarily fix the breach for now, and then use the pumps to slowly remove the water for clean-up. The plan should work and we must hope that we are not hit with back to back storms like last year along the Gulf Shores as FEMA crews and Team USA shows us what we are really made of as Americans. So, you see although the damage is substantial, our early warning saved tens of thousands of lives thanks to NASA, TV Media, and the President’s Team to get the word out. It could have been so much worse.

There's no doubt that the topic of gulf shores can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about gulf shores, you may find what you're looking for in the next article.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Its my vacation!!

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about gulf shores to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from gulf shores experts.

The Gulf Coast is relaxation defined with outdoor activities aplenty. Gulf Coast retreats provide the opportunity to catch your breath and let the stress of life melt away.

Gulf Coast Retreats

Finding retreats that are located on the Gulf Coast of the United States is easy, if you know where to look. This area of the country is full of relaxing and beautiful resorts and getaway spots. You can pick from Gulf Coast retreats located in Florida, Alabama or other states in the South, all guaranteed to create a memorable and enjoyable vacation.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on gulf shores now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.

One of the retreats available on the Gulf Coast of Florida is the retreat at the Marriott Bay Point Resort. The Marriott Bay Point is located in Panama City Beach, Florida, and has just recently been renovated, allowing for a new, updated experience for your rejuvenation vacation. This resort has named itself the newest of the health retreat resorts available in Florida, and with 356 guest rooms, 78 golf villas, 36 holes of golf and other recreational activities, this resort is definitely a tourist destination. It offers massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and hair services, as well as rejuvenation packages. All of these wonderful delights take place in a beautiful Panama City Beach setting, overlooking St. Andrew's Bay.

Another of the Gulf Coast's great retreats is located in Alabama. The Spa of Eden, located on Pleasure Island off of Gulf Shores, Alabama, has three locations available for your rejuvenation treatments. Spa of Eden offers many different facials, from the standard European-type facial to different specialty facials depending on your needs. Also available are different types of massage, body treatments such as mud and other wraps, and salon services. Spa of Eden offers packages too, for travelers looking for a full day of beauty and relaxation. The retreat even offers some other services, such as yoga classes on the bayou and hydrobiking classes, for people who'd like a little fitness with their pampering.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about gulf shores.