Gulf Shores Vacation

Gulf shores Alabama or orange beach is an ideal vacation places

2008-12-22T01:18:00.000-08:00

If you planning for your summer vacation, Gulf shores Alabama or orange beach is an ideal vacation places for you and your family to escape the hot weather in town. Alabama Gulf shores is one of the best seaside resorts. Besides of its beautiful white sandy beach and the green water its also offers many interests places to visits such as Gulf state park, Fort Morgan, Dauphin Island and the lake Shelby. Alabama never forget the golf players, it has nice golf courses where you can enjoy the afternoon game while your children playing with the cool water in the water park.

During night time explore the beautiful cozy bars which open till the wee hours. See the girls dancing while you enjoy the cold beers or a glass of red wine. Good restaurant serving western and Chinese crusine. Seafood are very fresh with chef specialist sauce. Along the roads there are many shops selling souvenir and gifts for you to take home.

A week vacation in gulf shores in Alabama Gulf coast and orange beach

2008-07-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

A week vacation in gulf shores in Alabama Gulf coast and orange beach was not enough for our whole family. The beautiful scenery, the white sand along the mile stretch beach and the clean, and crystal water make your day at beach and in the water a wonderful passed time. Sometimes if you are lucky enough you can watch celebrity shooting picture or famous model doing modeling. Rest in the hotel arm chairs on the sand under the shape of an umbrella watching kids playing and beautiful ladies in fancy and colorful bikini strolling by.

Further up there are state parks where you can explore the nature beautiful park like the Bon Secore National wildlife refuge. Listening to the beautiful sound and the colorful of the bird. Over to there you can do some hiking or even you can rent a line to do some fishing. At the Minamac wildflower Bog which is open to all tourist you can smell the flower or admire the beautiful flower.

In the lovely towns you can rent a bike or a roller blades and explore the whole town and get a souvenir back home for remembrance or a gift to your love one or friends. If you are hungry just pop in to one of the restaurant and get your favorite food items. At night have a few glass of beers at one of the lounge watching young couples dancing or enjoy your favorite song plays by their club band. Most of the lounge is open until the wee hours.

Gulf shores Alabama is an ideal place to have a vacation

2008-04-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

Gulf shores Alabama is an ideal place to have a vacation or to escape the busy life in big city and town. Gulf shores as described by many as a pleasure Island which is well renowned of its white soft sand and its warm water. When sunset arrived you can watch the beautiful colors of the sky and shorebirds flying home to their nest.

Finding a place to stay may it be a hotel or a condominiums it was not much of a problem as Gulf shores Alabama or Orange beach has many condominiums for a big family or small family of four to five. The rates of rent condominium depends on the seasons with kitchen to cook your food. Multi story hotels alone the beach where you can book through internet online or through your home tourist center. Most tourist company are giving package tour for a small family or even a group tours.

If you love shopping, there are many shopping centers where you and your family can spend endless time buying your favorite items. Places such as Bayon Village offers a lots of shopping items and arts. Night fall drop in to any bars with a cool nice beers open till the wee hours. If you are beach lovers Gulf shores Alabama or Orange beach is the choice of most tourist and locals.

A vacation at Gulf shores, Alabama

2008-02-28T23:57:00.000-08:00

Gulf shores, Alabama is one of the best places if you planned for your honeymoon vacation or a vacation with your family for holidays or relaxation. Gulf shores has many attraction places for your whole family or you can set out for a adventure sports. If you like the sound of the waves, Gulf shores, Alabama is the right place for you and your family. There are miles of white sands alone the coast and the water are crystal clear and warm.

There are many beautiful hotels and condo along the beach for you to stays. During the low seasons the price of the room rate or a condo for your family is quite reasonable and cheap. The hotels offer to their guest gym room and game room for the children. You can walk down the street to get some souvenir home as a remembrance or a beer at night at the lounge. Gulf Shores has everything you need for a memorable and exciting holidays.

Gulf shores an ideal place for a family vacation

2007-11-12T02:08:00.000-08:00

Gulf shores a place for relax after a year hard job. It is consider one of the best holiday vacation in USA with its beautiful white sandy beaches. There are many big and beautiful hotels along the beaches with the price depends on the seasons. If you do not like to stay in the hotel you can rent a condo or a big apartment for your family.

In the afternoon you can relax on a armchairs and under the shape of colourful umbrella supply by the hotels. Enjoy the cool breeze and watching children running and playing on the sand and inside the sea, ladies with beautiful shape and colourful bikini strolling by. If you like fishing there are many marinas which will take care for you and your family with all fishing and boating equipment. If you are hungry just drops into a sandwich shop or one of the restaurant.

Gulf shores a beautiful place for vacation

2007-09-18T02:15:00.000-07:00

Gulf shores a beautiful place for vacation and relaxzation, Gulf Shores also has many intriguing lodging options. You can book a luxury condos with three bed rooms, dinner, living room and also a kitchen which you can cooked your own foods if you are holiday in group or with your family and relatives or friends. Other you can rent apartment just for your family or a hotel with your wife.

Gulf shores are famous for its beautiful sandy white beaches and a place for holidays makers during weekends. There many good restaurant which served western and chinese crusine and a variety types of wine to suit your food. If you like seafood very much there many good restaurant serving the best seafood that you will never resist. If you like shopping there are many place, along the roadside or shopping complex selling a varity of things that you can take home as soviernor.

Alabama a paradise place for tourist

2007-07-18T02:36:00.000-07:00

Gulf shores is one of a tourist vacation in USA. Gulf Shores is the only two resort cities with has a large beach, Alabama is one of the city of a seaside resorts which the place is devoted to beachfronts hotel, condominiums, vacation houses for tourists, shopping complex and with beautiful restaurants. On the north side town located on the highway 59 is Jack Edwards Airports.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach both host a sizable population of "Snowbirds" primarily from the upper midwestern states. The Alabama Gulf Coast beach is renowned for its bright, "sugar white" sand. Gulf Shores is well known for an abundance of gulf coast seafood dining, excellent fishing, watersports and an unpretentious, deep-south culture. During the summer the gulf shores of Alabama was full with tourist, locals and beautiful models. The beach is beautiful with colourful of umbrealla mushroom up. Girls with pretty bikini and children playing with sands.

gulf shores a vacation to remmember

2007-06-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

South beach resourts which is rich in heritage and situated along the gulf shores. A special place for vacation where families, holidays makers and people will gather around every time during long holidays, spring time or on a special occasion and carnivals. Take a nice pictures in the morning and evening during the sunrise and sunset of the gulf shores.

During day time you past your times on the beautiful shores or watching people swimming, children playing with sand or beautiful ladies strolling along the beach with their best bikini. There are many restaurant serving good foods, from western food, fast food to asian foods. Night falls spent it at the bars or lounge and most of this bars are open to wee hours.

When you're at The Beach Club or shopping complex enjoy the convenience of on-property shopping. From groceries, gourmet deli items, beer, and wine, skincare products and shops selling children, baby, ladies and gents dresses and if you are jewellery, perfume or glasses lovers there are many shops that can sue your hobby.

A day tour at Gulf Shores

2007-05-11T01:39:00.000-07:00

Gulf shores Alabama offers holiday makers a high quality and beautiful beaches. Its also had a handful of fun game such as volley ball and beach bum for the children and the youngsters to play while the adults can enjoy them playing when relaxing on the beach chairs under the shape of a beach unbrella. The youngster has more things to enjoy, there got places where you can consider renting a bike and ride around the small town or roller blades for them to ski.

For those who like fishing, along the shore of gulf shores there are few shops that will take care of your fishing equipments or you can hire a boat to do your fishing. There are many intresting places waiting for you and your family and friends such as Bon Secore, A National Wildlife Refuge a place where you can admire the beautiful birds or hike up the mountain. For flowers lovers the Minamac Wildflower Bog is open to everbody where one can admire the beautiful thousands of difference kinds of flower and plants.

Gulf Shores also has many intriguing lodging options. Quaint beach front houses and luxury condos make excellent alternatives to standard hotel accommodations. If you feel hungry there are many good restaurant offer you Asian, Western and fast food to serve you.

Planning to stay in Gulf Shores, Alabama

2007-04-05T02:39:00.000-07:00

If planning to move, Gulf Shores, Alabama is one place to consider as its many high rise tower condos overlooking the beautiful sandy stretches beach, the sparkling white sand, emerald-green water in Gulf Shores, Alabama and beside it has many recreational adventures recreational adventures. Gulf Shores is a best place for relaxation and family entertainment. The the cost of living is reasonable, and the soothing sounds of the surf will make your sleep sound in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

Staying in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach you will find it a wonderful place to called home as the crime is very low and even education problem for your kids are not to be worried as its University in southern Alabama and school in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. Down to town as its take a few minutes drive, you can enjoy many types and kind of food and some night club opens until wee hours. Shopping and buying as there are many department store and shops complex

Gulf Shores your next holiday vacation

2007-02-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

Planning your holiday vacation, Gulf Shores is one of the ideals holiday vacation with your family. If you can walk miles of sugar white sand nestled against an emerald green expanse of glistening water along the Gulf Shores, Alabama is definitely the place for you. You can swim and wet yourself in the nice cool water or even enjoy yourself under the shape of umbrella along the white sandy gulf shore.

If you a golf lovers If can prefer to stay in the southern part of Alabama, the Gulf State Park is as far south as you can get in the state. Located on the Gulf Shores of Alabama, this facility offers two miles of beaches on the Gulf, as well as access to an 18 hole golf range. There has also a fresh water lake for those who's prefer fishing. Gulf Shores is also a home to every imaginable waterfront activity, including swimming, boating, surfing, fishing, and sunbathing on a sparkling, sandy beach.

With the coming big scale projects under ways like the big restaurants, shopping complex, theatres and playing arcade, Gulf Shores will be one of the best place for planning your next holiday vacation.

Gulf Shores Rentals

2007-02-13T00:14:00.000-08:00

If you can image miles of sugar white sand nestled against an emerald green expanse of glistening water and your heart begins to beat a little faster, then Gulf Shores, Alabama is definitely the place for you. Offering unparalleled beauty along its coast and an abundance of activities and attractions around every corner, you can soak up every exciting second with a convenient and spacious Gulf Shores vacation rental.

Gulf Shores is home to every imaginable waterfront activity, including swimming, boating, surfing, fishing, and sunbathing on a sparkling, sandy beach. As the main attraction in the area and the reason most individuals flock here for a weekend or weeklong getaway, the most convenient accommodations are those that make it easy to enjoy a day of strolling along the shore or swimming in the surf. Fortunately, there are numerous Gulf Shores vacation rentals located along this magnificent shoreline so you can experience the beachfront vacation you always imagined.

While easy access to the fun and excitement of the area is an important part of your accommodations, the little extras can make all the difference between a typical vacation and an enjoyable, restful retreat. With many of the Gulf Shores condo rentals, you have access to resort-like amenities that will keep everyone in your family occupied during those times when you need a break from the exhausting activities and attractions. Enjoy gulfside pools, hot tubs, video arcades, and fitness centers where you can participate in more restful pursuits and rejuvenate your senses before heading out to Fort Morgan or the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

vacation on gulf shores Alabama

2007-01-27T02:45:00.000-08:00

Planning yourself and your family a nice week end vacation and if you prefer to plan your holiday in southern part located on the

Where to stay? Southern or Northern part?

2007-01-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

If you are planning to visit the state parks located in the northern part of Alabama, there are quite a few clustered close together to make this trip a bit easier. The biggest of these parks is the Joe Wheeler State Park, located just two miles west of Rogersville, Alabama (off of US Highway 72). This park offers RV campers a variety of amenities, as well as being a great place to enjoy the atmosphere of camping in the South. A marina located within the park offers outdoorspeople a place to go boating and fishing, and Joe Wheeler Park offers fishermen many different tournaments and other activities to enjoy the water.

As one of the best places to stay is located in a state park, the Joe Wheeler facilities, offer RV campers many amenities and useful utilities for their stay. 110 of the campsites (there are 116 total) offer full hookups, which include electric, water and sewage. The campsites are large and level, perfect for your RV, and there are also river views available. Each area has its own modern bathhouse with showers, and the campground itself offers campers a convenience store, for those little things they may have forgotten. Camping supplies are also available, as well as firewood.

If you would prefer to stay in the southern part of Alabama, the Gulf State Park is as far south as you can get in the state. Located on the Gulf Shores of Alabama, this facility offers two miles of beaches on the Gulf, as well as access to an 18 hole golf range and a freshwater lake for fishing. The camping here is available in two types, primitive (without hookups, usually used by tent campers) and full featured, for those who want their electricity.

Our Goal

2007-01-09T00:46:00.000-08:00

By 2006, the beach was, for the most part, back and ready for tourists, and, measured in lodgings tax revenue, amounted to 92 percent of 2004's high.

"Our goal for'07 is to increase by 15 percent over'06," said Mike Foster, vice president of marketing for the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It's a huge challenge, but it's one, as we look forward, we think we can do. We've got a lot of very, very positive factors going for us."

Among those: the anticipated opening of three major commercial developments that will add millions of square feet of retail and restaurant space, a record-setting 1,346 condo units and hotel rooms hitting the rental market, and an advertising campaign that is expected to top $1 million.

The restaurants, movie theaters, shops and other attractions that are planned as part of the large commercial projects under way -- The Wharf and Bama Bayou in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores Colonial Pinnacle at Craft Farms -- will help lure more-affluent visitors and give them places to spend their money.

2006-12-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

Three of his four grown children, Kim, Michelle and Joey, will continue working in real estate. His son, Steve, works in the landscaping business.

Ward started his career in 1960 running the companies owned by his aunt, Erie H. Meyer, who passed away at 93 in 2001. She and her husband, George C. Meyer, helped build and establish the city of Gulf Shores. The companies were Meyer Properties, Inc., Gulf Shores Realty Corporation, Gulf Land Development, Sea Mist and The George C. Meyer Foundation.

Ward sold his interest in Meyer Real Estate in 1981 to concentrate on development, and opened Wade Ward Real Estate. Ward has developed more than 40 subdivisions including Wedgewood, Gulf Shores Golf Club Estates, Laguna Key, Heritage Woods, Cypress Park, 200 Clubhouse and Uptown on 20th Avenue.

2006-11-27T00:10:00.000-08:00

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.

Craft of gulf

2006-11-16T22:29:00.000-08:00

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.

Holiday at Gulf Shores

2006-11-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

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.

Its my vacation!!

2006-11-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-10-29T23:45:00.000-08:00

Imagine the next time you join a discussion about gulf shores discount package. When you start sharing the fascinating gulf shores facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.

Now that you have an account to put all of your saved money in, you will have to determine what is important to you. Is that cup of Star Bucks coffee worth having to drive to Gulf Shores for your vacation? Doesn’t a trip to Hawaii sound better? Now cutting out your Star Bucks won’t pay for your vacation to Hawaii, but it will pay for the plane ticket. If you are getting a cup of star bucks 5 days a week at $4 dollars a day that equals $20 a week. Which turns into a savings of $1040 dollars a year. Is that cup of coffee that good? Remember you don’t have to cut back completely you could only get Star Bucks two days a week and over a year you would save $624.

So far, we've uncovered some interesting facts about gulf shores discount package. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

If you go out every weekend to see a movie, you can save a bundle by cutting back. Instead of going to the movie, rent the movie at the video store. If you rent a movie instead of spending $8.00 on a ticket and spending $10.00 on popcorn and drink, you spend only $6.00 on a movie at video store. If you have to see a movie in the theatre, choose to go once a month. Whether you cut back or rent you will save $12 dollars a week or $624 dollars a year.

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

Planning our vacation at gulf shores

2006-10-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

Planning our vacation at gulf shores.

When planning vacation activities everyone seems to have an opinion on what they want to do, but everyone is sure to agree on beach fun in the sun. So this time I plan to fly to Aussie...haha...Gold Coast!

I heard there are lots of beautiful chic and machos by the beach or shores. Wow!

Sitting along the shores of the Gulf Coast and enjoy the beauty and wonder of this area. Swimming, water-skiing or fishing by the shore. Imagine that I am relaxing and playing on the two miles of sugar white beaches and enjoy the surging waves, bird watching and shell collecting.

Wow, just can't wait to be there soonest possible.

Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals

2006-10-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Gulf Shores does have nature tours to take part in, shopping districts, golf courses and recreation centers, but don’t feel that you must see or do any one thing. The theme of this trip is “go with the flow,” so after consulting your inner barometer, see what the future holds. It may be to put on your shoes and hit the town, grabbing an ice cream cone with the kids and pausing to listen to a folk singer. Or, it could be to create an intimate atmosphere at “home” with the people you love the most. The backyard grill, the spacious kitchen, and the screened in porch will all encourage a fun and casual meal to take place, you know, the kind you’re always trying to create on regular days.

You’ll find that achieving lofty goals like family togetherness, relaxation, and getting a good night’s sleep will come pretty easily here. The power of high ceilings, walls of windows, tons of closet space and added bonuses like DVD players, washers and dryers, and board games can’t be underestimated. These small delights mean all the difference between a regular trip and a truly privileged one.

Gulf Shores Academy in trouble

2006-10-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for some inside information on gulf shores? Here's an up-to-date report from gulf shores experts who should know.

Gulf Shores Academy, a troubled Houston charter school system with a powerhouse basketball program, has been ordered by the Texas Education Agency to shut its doors.

Commissioner Shirley Neeley's decision — delivered to school leaders on Tuesday — marks the first time the state has forced a Texas charter school to close mid-school year, officials said.

The court order stated that Texas Commissioner of Education Shirley Neeley cannot take any action to close Gulf Shores until a full hearing is held Monday. The state cannot seize property, prevent Gulf Shores from educating students or initiate communication with any student, vendor or staff member concerning Gulf Shores' potential closure, the ruling says.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

"For the time being, their course of instruction is not going to be disrupted," said Gulf Shores attorney Ron Wilson, a former state representative.

The Texas Education Agency has been fighting to close Gulf Shores for several years. Last week, the state hand-delivered a notice saying it won't renew the school's charter, a contract that was granted in 1998. It cited a poor academic record and severe financial mismanagement, including a roughly $8 million debt to the state for overreporting student attendance in past years.

Gulf Shores' violations of state rules have been "pervasive, serious, and on-going, as have its problems adhering to generally accepted accounting standards of fiscal management. It is not in the best interest of GSA's students for the commissioner to renew the charter," according to an August ruling by the State Office of Administrative Hearings, which prompted Neeley's decision.

When word gets around about your command of gulf shores facts, others who need to know about gulf shores will start to actively seek you out.

explore the natural beauty

2006-10-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of gulf shores is certainly no exception.

Located just west of Gulf Shores on the Alabama Gulf Coast, Fort Morgan is the ideal vacation destination for anyone looking to commune with nature, soak in history, and relax on some of the beautiful beaches that surround this area. While most individuals think of Gulf Shores when they imagine vacationing on the coast, Fort Morgan is a viable alternative for those who want a more peaceful and serene atmosphere during their stay. Whether the white sand has drawn you in or the simple beauty was simply too much to resist, you certainly will not be disappointed with any part of your Fort Morgan vacation.

The actual fort from which Fort Morgan draws its name is rich in history and certainly worth a visit. Visitors can explore the grounds and learn how the Spanish used the fort in the 1500s and rebuilt it in the 1800s to protect themselves from the Native Americans in the area. The fort also played a part in the American Civil War when, in 1864, Union and Confederate armies fought for control of this strategic port entrance and the Union army eventually won control after besieging Fort Morgan. The living history program is conducted daily, however, the candlelight fort tours on Tuesday nights are a worthwhile adventure for children and adults alike.

If your gulf shores facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don't let important gulf shores information slip by you.

When you are ready to get back to nature and explore the natural beauty that abounds off of Alabama’s Gulf Coast, make your way to the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach. The four-mile Pine Beach trail is worth a wander with its towering live oaks, gorgeous palmettos, and vibrant Spanish moss. There are also a variety of birds and other wildlife to catch sight of as you meander through the forest, journey past Gator Lake and Little Lagoon, traverse a scenic ridge of dunes, and finally end at a pristine beach that is ripe for rest and relaxation. Although the adventure may be slightly demanding, the path and the end result make the exertion well worth the effort.

If fishing is on your itinerary, then trolling the waters of Gator Lake is a great way to not only reel in a big one but to also appreciate the beauty of the outdoors in Fort Morgan. Only canoes and small boats with electric trolling motors are allowed on this small, 40-acre freshwater lake, however, the calm of the water and the noticeable songs of the birds will make the day pass quickly and leave you relaxed and content. Bass, bluegill and bream are common in this lake, while the nearby Little Lagoon is teaming with trout and flounder.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

One great wreck scuba diving destination

2006-09-27T22:28:00.000-07:00

The following article presents the very latest information on gulf shores. If you have a particular interest in gulf shores, then this informative article is required reading.

In fact, there are so many Florida wreck scuba diving spots available, you'll have plenty of difficulty choosing which ones to dive. Hurricanes, coral reefs, shoals and pirates all help sink the ships that are often quite near the shores.

During the Spanish colonial period, the Florida Straits were the most frequently used passage for ships to access the Gulf Stream to get the boost of these fast-flowing currents for their trip home across the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these ships were never to return safely home but were trapped into one of the many tragedies that happened to the then ill-equipped vessel when challenging Mother Nature. Many of these unfortunate victims of the sea have been excavated and are awaiting your arrival.

One great wreck scuba diving destination is Pensacola in the Panhandle of Florida. There are lots of ships within a small area. In Pensacola Bay, eleven ships were to become victims of a hurricane during 1500. The colonists that were becoming settles on the shore at what is now known as Pensacola Bay were unloading vessels when the massive storm overtook them. Of course, there were no storm warnings like we have today and they were taken unaware. The result of the loss of the eleven ships was to soon become the demise of the colony which only lasted 60 years.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to gulf shores than you may have first thought.

Right now it is all a guessing game as these weather systems interact since they are making their own weather. What is quite possible is that all this energy from the break up of Emily’s organization and the storm it is heading for, could re-unite and re-organize causing a huge tropical storm with the possibilities of becoming one of the larger Hurricane’s we have seen in this decade. Additionally with all that open warm water ahead it could threaten just about any point it might reach landfall, including all the destruction and flooding you might expect from such a perfect storm. Emily could also give us two-Hurricanes sending one into Belize or Southern or Northern US Gulf shores and the other any place the larger system pushes it, until the next storm system coming up from the Atlantic or Caribbean push it up North or West.

Everyone should watch as these storms interact, as we will learn a lot about Hurricane weather from studying Emily’s passive and aggressive behavior. Perfect little Emily is growing up in an imperfect world with a dual personality. She will be needing some psycho analysis to understand.

As your knowledge about gulf shores continues to grow, you will begin to see how gulf shores fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

gulf shores that located at middle of side beach

2006-09-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with gulf shores.

But gasoline prices are already too high, as well as diesel and jet fuel prices and this is beginning to take its toll on American families and industry. We also know from the 2005 Atlantic tropical hurricane season which broke all records and quite a few oil platforms and refining facilities that hurricane season will also drive up prices the first time a large category hurricane hit the Gulf Shores.

Having a war with Iran during hurricane season is a dumb idea so we either need to attack Iran's nuclear weapons facilities now, as there is only one month until hurricane season or wait until after November or perhaps the December and do them on Christmas for Jesus. Some would say this is wild speculation, indeed it is, however we must consider it, as when fighting a war, there are other variables to be considered.

If you find yourself confused by what you've read to this point, don't despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Now that you have an account to put all of your saved money in, you will have to determine what is important to you. Is that cup of Star Bucks coffee worth having to drive to Gulf Shores for your vacation? Doesn’t a trip to Hawaii sound better? Now cutting out your Star Bucks won’t pay for your vacation to Hawaii, but it will pay for the plane ticket. If you are getting a cup of star bucks 5 days a week at $4 dollars a day that equals $20 a week. Which turns into a savings of $1040 dollars a year. Is that cup of coffee that good? Remember you don’t have to cut back completely you could only get Star Bucks two days a week and over a year you would save $624.

If you go out every weekend to see a movie, you can save a bundle by cutting back. Instead of going to the movie, rent the movie at the video store. If you rent a movie instead of spending $8.00 on a ticket and spending $10.00 on popcorn and drink, you spend only $6.00 on a movie at video store. If you have to see a movie in the theatre, choose to go once a month. Whether you cut back or rent you will save $12 dollars a week or $624 dollars a year.

That's the latest from the gulf shores authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

beauty of gulf shores

2006-09-21T23:43:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for some inside information on gulf shores? Here's an up-to-date report from gulf shores experts who should know.

Located on the bottom tip of Alabama, Gulf Shores is one of only two seaside resorts with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. Home to such notable interests as Gulf State Park, Lake Shelby, Fort Morgan and Dauphin Island, golf courses, outlet shopping, water parks and more, the sandy white beaches and emerald green waters are sure to be calling. You’ve had a the yearning for a warm and sunny getaway, but weren’t sure where to go, so why not unwind and discover the charm of a Gulf Shores vacation.

We all know you didn’t plan to spend your vacation staying in an overcrowded unexciting hotel, so why not stay in a vacation rental that can help facilitate your desires. When planning vacation activities everyone seems to have an opinion on what they want to do, but everyone is sure to agree on beach fun in the sun. After a long day of swimming, parasailing, boogie boarding and building sand castles, walk across the boardwalk and be steps from your front door. You’ll love the convenience of the fully stocked cabinet of beach and bath towels and the plethora of beach toys.

Sitting along the shores of the Gulf Coast, Fort Morgan, Alabama is the perfect place to escape from the crowds that occupy Gulf Shores and enjoy the beauty and wonder of this area. While the beaches are always the main attraction in this part of the country, the vibrant history and the other attractions of Fort Morgan simply add to the allure of an already breathtaking city. Whether you seek sun, sand, history, or outdoor adventure, a vacation in Fort Morgan is sure to meet your expectations and surprise you in ways you could have never imagined.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and gulf shores experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to gulf shores.

Imagine waking up to the sounds of the waves crashing ashore, then slowly making your way out to the deck with your fresh brew so you can catch the morning light bouncing off the water. There are no distractions, no unwanted disturbances such as neighbors talking loudly or kids running through the sand. This is your perfect paradise as you soak in the refreshing sounds of the water and the birds singing around you. In Fort Morgan, this can be your reality when you stay in a vacation rental that is ideally situated on a white sandy beach of the Gulf of Mexico. Life is peaceful again as you surrender yourself to the serenity and quiet beauty that engulfs you and beckons you to forget the hectic lifestyle that you left behind.

A short drive from your vacation rental will take you to Gulf State Park. Enjoy hiking along the wooded trails and discovering all the nature and wildlife. Explore several trails and see where your adventure takes you. Swim, water-ski or fish on Lake Shelby, stretching over 900 acres. Relax and play on the two miles of sugar white beaches and enjoy the surging waves, bird watching and shell collecting. Golfers will be excited to learn that an 18 hole championship course located close by. While staying near the beach is an absolute necessity, there are other attractions you are bound to want to visit during your stay. Visiting the fort from which Fort Morgan takes its name is easy and convenient when you stay in a vacation rental since your car is just steps away from door, allowing for easy loading of your day’s supplies. After you make your way to the fort, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach is a short drive away and perfect for hiking and viewing the abundant bird and wildlife of the area. And once

your day of outdoor adventure is complete, you have the rare vacation luxury of choosing between a cozy meal on the deck of your vacation rental (with the ocean as a backdrop) or a more formal dinner out with the family.

That's the latest from the gulf shores authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

So what is gulf shores really all about?

2006-09-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

So what is gulf shores really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about gulf shores--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

Located just west of Gulf Shores on the Alabama Gulf Coast, Fort Morgan is the ideal vacation destination for anyone looking to commune with nature, soak in history, and relax on some of the beautiful beaches that surround this area. While most individuals think of Gulf Shores when they imagine vacationing on the coast, Fort Morgan is a viable alternative for those who want a more peaceful and serene atmosphere during their stay. Whether the white sand has drawn you in or the simple beauty was simply too much to resist, you certainly will not be disappointed with any part of your Fort Morgan vacation.

We all know you didn’t plan to spend your vacation staying in an overcrowded unexciting hotel, so why not stay in a vacation rental that can help facilitate your desires. When planning vacation activities everyone seems to have an opinion on what they want to do, but everyone is sure to agree on beach fun in the sun. After a long day of swimming, parasailing, boogie boarding and building sand castles, walk across the boardwalk and be steps from your front door. You’ll love the convenience of the fully stocked cabinet of beach and bath towels and the plethora of beach toys.

The actual fort from which Fort Morgan draws its name is rich in history and certainly worth a visit. Visitors can explore the grounds and learn how the Spanish used the fort in the 1500s and rebuilt it in the 1800s to protect themselves from the Native Americans in the area. The fort also played a part in the American Civil War when, in 1864, Union and Confederate armies fought for control of this strategic port entrance and the Union army eventually won control after besieging Fort Morgan. The living history program is conducted daily, however, the candlelight fort tours on Tuesday nights are a worthwhile adventure for children and adults alike.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole gulf shores story from informed sources.

A short drive from your vacation rental will take you to Gulf State Park. Enjoy hiking along the wooded trails and discovering all the nature and wildlife. Explore several trails and see where your adventure takes you. Swim, water-ski or fish on Lake Shelby, stretching over 900 acres. Relax and play on the two miles of sugar white beaches and enjoy the surging waves, bird watching and shell collecting. Golfers will be excited to learn that an 18 hole championship course located close by.If fishing is on your itinerary, then trolling the waters of Gator Lake is a great way to not only reel in a big one but to also appreciate the beauty of the outdoors in Fort Morgan. Only canoes and small boats with electric trolling motors are allowed on this small, 40-acre freshwater lake, however, the calm of the water and the noticeable songs of the birds will make the day pass quickly and leave you relaxed and content. Bass, bluegill and bream are common in this lake, while the nearby Little Lagoon is teaming with trout and flounder.

If you've picked some pointers about gulf shores that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

what do you think of gulf shores?

2006-09-19T01:46:00.000-07:00

The following article presents the very latest information on gulf shores. If you have a particular interest in gulf shores, then this informative article is required reading.

There are some scenic routes in the South for cyclists indeed and Alabama has quite a few of them. Alabama has it all. There are the beaches and ocean in Mobile, Gulf Shores and Daphne, AL that are simply breathtaking places to ride. Then there are all the rivers in Alabama to ride along, which can be a cyclist’s paradise as well.

For instance; the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers and the many highways, which intersect and run along them. The Tennessee River is also spectacular in the North Western side of the state and lets not forget the Chattahoochee River along the Eastern Border of Alabama and Georgia too.

Tuscaloosa and Alexander City also have rivers and lakes and many water features worthy of recommendation for the novice or serious bicyclist. Cycling along these rivers, lakes and ocean areas is fun and exhilarating indeed and there as so many worthy routes to keep a cyclist busy for months planning day-long trips around the state or even touring all of them.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about gulf shores, keep reading.

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.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of gulf shores. Share your new understanding about gulf shores with others. They'll thank you for it.

When most people think of gulf shores.

2006-09-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

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.

"We knew we had to get one more with it being 14-7, and we knew if we could just get the ball to Shawn everything would be OK," Williamson coach Bobby Parrish said. "My hat's off to Gulf Shores, though. They played a heck of a ballgame."

Spencer led the Lions (1-2, 1-1 5A Region 1) with 70 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries, and also caught six balls for 86 yards. Quarterback Broderick Powell completed 8 of 17 passes for 73 yards, including a 13-yard scoring strike to tight end Nick Fairley.

The Orange Beach School Board, which joined the interview process, is expected to hire Williams during a meeting Monday at the Orange Beach City Hall, according to Jeff Moon, member and city administrator.

Now that we've covered those aspects of gulf shores, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

The Gulf Shores board also agreed to allow its president, Joe Tucker, to negotiate a contract with Mobile-based MDI Media Group, which would be charged with performing public relations duties for the school boards.

The Lions' front five did the rest, and Kermit Gould had two interceptions to pace Williamson defensively.

"We told the kids that games are won in the trenches, our offensive line versus their defensive line and vice versa," Parrish said. "We challenged them at halftime to come out and play tough defense. They did that, and we're just happy to get out of here with a win."

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Unique of gulf shores

2006-09-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

When you think about gulf shores, what do you think of first? Which aspects of gulf shores are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

A Gulf Shores restaurant has been accused of illegally showing a boxing match three years ago without paying for commercial broadcast rights.

The lawsuit, filed this week in Mobile's federal court by California-based Garden City Boxing Club, seeks $200,000 plus court costs and attorneys' fees from Mud Bugs and proprietors Kamil Miarka and Sharon Miarka.

"Piracy of intellectual property has become one of the largest theft crimes in the United States," said Andy Nelms, a lawyer representing Garden City. "This is nothing short of piracy."

"Defensively, I thought we played solid," said Gulf Shores coach Wing Brett. "Offensively, we knew that Spanish Fort didn't have a go-to player that could hurt us unless we made mistakes. When we did a better job on our blocks tonight, we had better digs. I thought we passed well too. We had only seven passing errors in three games so that's a lot of points that they had to earn. That's what we wanted to do coming into the match."

Overall, Gulf Shores had 33 kills on the evening with only 19 errors.

The information about gulf shores presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about gulf shores or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Spanish Fort coach Barclay Kercher said her team wasn't at its best.

"We had 14 kills as a team," said Kercher. "We didn't mix up our shots enough. We hit the ball right into Gulf Shores' defense tonight and they picked up every ball. Gulf Shores played with much more ball control than we did."

Gulf Shores will now host Fairhope today at 5:30.

"The story is still the same," said Brett. "We just have to make sure we have ball control and serve well. We will get some hits but we have to make sure we give the other team an opportunity to make a mistake. Volleyball is a game of errors. On most of the points in a game, there's a mistake. We just try to reduce our mistakes. We don't have a 6-foot-1 kid who will just punish you."

The Lady Dolphins will then head to Montgomery on Saturday to participate in the annual Trinity Lady Wildcat Invitational.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on gulf shores.

gulf shores: Prank puts Gulf Shores school in lockdown

2006-09-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

GULF SHORES, Ala. Two Gulf Shores High School students are in a lot of trouble after faculty and students mistook firecrackers for gunfire.

The raucous created a panic that injured at least two students and put the school in a lockdown mode for about a half-hour.

Baldwin County public schools spokesman Terry Wilhite said yesterday's (Tuesday) prank occurred six months after two teens were accused of planning a mass shooting at the school.

Gulf Shores Police said a 15-year-old was arrested shortly after the incident which occurred about 10 a-m. The juvenile was charged with making a terrorist threat, a felony and was ordered held in the Baldwin County Juvenile Detention Center in Bay Minette.

He is also charged with reckless endangerment and Wilhite said the teen will be expelled.

A second 15-year-old was also arrested and charged with menacing. That teen was released into the custody of his parents.

Police said a student required several stitches for a cut on her face and another had a sprained ankle.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

gulf shores: New projects

2006-09-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Construction is under way on Plantation Lakes off Alabama 59 in Summerdale, where homes will range from $189,000 to $275,000, according to Cowen Developers of Pensacola, Fla. The lots start at $40,000 and lake lots are $55,000. So far, 12 of the 43 lots in the first phase have been reserved, and there will be a total of 90 lots. The second phase will have multi-family units and commercial space. The amenities include a clubhouse, swimming pool and landscaped lakes. The Real Estate House is marketing the project.

Construction is under way on 114 condominium units at Jubilee Ridge on Baldwin County 64, east of U.S. 98 in Daphne, and the first 8 units should be done by the end of the year, according to Anthony Kaiser of Realty Executives Gulf Coast, one of the developers. The units start at $199,900. Cynthia McAllister of Realty Executives Bay Shores is co-marketing the units.

The 71 lots in The Mead ows at Point Clear on Section Street and Dairy Road in Point Clear have presold to builders for a total of $6.5 million, according to B.T. Roberts of Roberts Brothers Commercial & Property Management. He and Richard Rowan are developing the community, which will have $500,000-plus homes on the interior lots and $1 million dollar homes on the large lots.

The eight-unit Laguna Breeze condominiums on the north side of Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores have presold, according to developers Nick Wilmott and Sam Gates of Weichert Realtors Sea-N-Shore in Gulf Shores. The four-plex units were priced at $197,650. The contractor is Motes Construction and the units should be finished by next March. The units have lagoon views but are not on the waterfront. The developers are looking at building additional units there.

gulf shores: UMS, Gulf Shores, Bayside win openers

2006-09-08T01:01:00.000-07:00

Mobile Christian scores first AHSAA victory in any sport
Friday, August 25, 2006
By DAVID LEE

Sports Correspondent
DAPHNE -- Class 5A UMS-Wright and Gulf Shores, both ranked in the first prep volleyball poll of the season, won their openers Thursday.

No. 4 UMS-Wright outlasted Daphne 25-18, 23-25, 25-19, and No. 6 Gulf Shores beat the Trojans 25-20, 26-28, 25-19.

First-year UMS coach Mike Tucker said he thought his team -- which lost five seniors after going to the 4A state finals last season -- looked good.

"I was pleased," said Tucker, who also coached at UMS in the mid-1990s and took the job again earlier this summer, without benefit of a team camp.

For the Bulldogs, Mayte Perez had 22 assists and Erin Danneker added nine kills.

For Gulf Shores, Haley Hopkins had 10 kills, and Erin Brett and Stacey Brantley 10 assists each.

Daphne will be in action again today in the Juanita Boddie tournament at Spain Park High in Birmingham, Gulf Shores will play in the Briarwood Christian Invitational in Birmingham tonight, and UMS plays Saturday in the St. James tournament in Montgomery.

-- SPANISH FORT, ranked No. 10 in 5A, opened the season with a tough 25-11, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 victory over Satsuma. Felicia Smith had 11 kills and Elisa Galey 11 service points for the Toros, who play tonight in the Mary Montgomery Invitational.

-- BAYSIDE, ranked No. 1 in 2A, knocked off Robertsdale 25-14, 13-25, 25-16, 25-21 to open the season. Caroline Gill had 23 kills and Kersten Reed added 32 assists. The Admirals play tonight in the Juanita Boddie tournament at Spain Park High in Birmingham.

-- BAKER bounced back to beat Theodore 23-25, 25-2, 25-14, 25-11 to open its season. The Hornets' Krista Rodden finished with 15 aces and 13 digs, and teammate Monica Meadows had 15 assists and nine kills. Theodore starts play in the Mary Montgomery tournament at 4 p.m. today against Murphy.

-- MOBILE CHRISTIAN recorded the school's first Alabama High School Athletic Association win in any sport by defeating Leroy 25-8, 25-10, 25-10. Samantha Catlett and Laura Callaway each recorded eight kills for the Leopards, who previously competed in the AISA. Lucy Mitchell contributed 17 assists. Mobile Christian plays Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Escambia County.

-- ST. PAUL'S opened its season with a 25-8, 25-15, 25-12 victory over Mary Montgomery. Morgan Johns recorded seven kills and five aces, and Nancy Taylor turned in 20 assists for the Saints, who begin play today in Birmingham at the Briarwood Christian tournament.

-- MCGILL-TOOLEN opened its season by sweeping Fairhope 25-2, 25-7, 25-11. Sarah Scott had 10 kills and seven digs, and Virginia Drago 15 assists. The Dirty Dozen plays in the Juanita Boddie tournament in Birmingham tonight.

-- WILLIAMSON opened the season with a 25-18, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20 victory over Vigor. Jamarcia Brown had five assists, four kills, one block and one ace to lead the Lions, who will be at home Tuesday against B.C. Rain.

gulf shores: Turnovers doom Gulf Shores

2006-09-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 02, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter

GULF SHORES -- Robertsdale's defense turned six Gulf Shores turnovers into 14 second-half points, and the Golden Bears snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 14-6 victory over Gulf Shores at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium on Friday night.

Chris Eubanks' 22-yard scoring reception with 1:44 left in the third gave Robertsdale a 7-6 advantage, and Vance Gossett's 16-yard interception return with 2:15 remaining sealed the deal for the Bears (1-0), who were 0-10 a year ago.

"They did a great job stuffing the line and limiting Lakefer's (Hunter) yards, but we maintained our composure and made some big plays," said first-year Robertsdale coach Scott Phelps. "We never gave up. Our defense played great tonight. They got the job done."

Nathan Wells completed 8 of 15 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown to lead Robertsdale, while Hunter carried the ball 25 times for 63 yards. Eubanks caught three passes for 63 yards and the go-ahead score.

"We haven't won since 2004. It was about time," Eubanks said.

Gulf Shores (0-1) had plenty of chances to tie or take the lead late in the game, but a string of interceptions kept the Dolphins out of the end zone. Lawrence McMillan had two first-half picks to lead the Bears' defense.

Gulf Shores quarterback Evan Stringfellow finished 12-of-28 passing for 101 yards and five interceptions, while Joey Moxley scored the Dolphins' lone touchdown on a 5-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.

"We just made too many mistakes," said Gulf Shores coach Duane Davis. "We didn't execute. We didn't do things right. We need to go back to the drawing board offensively."

gulf shores: Bayside dominates Fairhope tourney

2006-09-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

Lady Admirals cruise through event without losing a game

Monday, September 04, 2006
By JOEY WARNER

The Bayside Academy Lady Admirals defeated Gulf Shores in the championship match and dominated Fairhope's Back to School Volleyball Bash tournament on Saturday.

The No. 1 ranked 2A team in the state cruised through the tourney without losing a game and were unchallenged before defeating Gulf Shores 25-12 and 25-17 in the finals.

"I thought we played well and we have been working on not giving up consecutive points," Bayside coach Ann Schilling said. "I think a lot of people did a great job offensively."

Tournament Most Valuable Player Caroline Gill of Bayside slammed 38 kills and rejected 15 blocks while Kersten Reed served 95 assists. Marlo Walker contributed 19 kills and 10 blocks and Patricia Sirmon collected 16 kills, 13 blocks, and 10 aces. Lauren Reidy had 12 aces and Emily Allen added 9 for the talented group of Lady Admirals.

"Caroline (Gill) did a great job and Marlo (Walker) is getting better each week," Schilling said. "Emily (Allen) and Patricia (Sirmon) did a great job serving and Kersten (Reed) played outstanding."

On the road to the championship, Bayside (11-3) defeated Vigor 25-7 and 25-8; Daphne 25-12 and 25-13; Baldwin County 25-13 and 25-8 before eliminating Robertsdale 25-13 and 25-20 in the semi-finals.

Gulf Shores (8-5) beat Williamson 25-11 twice; Satsuma 25-16 twice; Fairhope 25-11 and 25-17 before outlasting Mobile Christian 27-25 and 25-18 in the semi-finals.

Beth Ogletree led the Lady Dolphins with 27 kills; Julie Key had 19 kills, 14 aces and 9 digs while Haley Hopkins added 9 digs and Stacey Brantley recorded 34 assists.

"We played hard and got to the finals and played the best team and thought we did pretty well," Gulf Shores coach Wing Brett said. "Our players played well but Bayside does not have 11 state championships because people give them to them."

In Pool A play, Fairhope defeated Citronelle 25-22, 25-18 and lost to Mobile Christian 11-25, 21-25 before being eliminated by Gulf Shores.

In Pool B play, Daphne defeated Vigor 25-14, 25-12 before losing to Bayside and being eliminated by Robertsdale.

In Pool C play, Baldwin County defeated Theodore 25-21, 25-17 before losing to Robertsdale and Bayside. Robertsdale defeated Theodore 25-17, 25-9, Baldwin County 25-13, 25-23, and defeated Daphne 25-15, 20-25, and 16-14 before being eliminated by Bayside.

Mario Walker of Bayside, Julie Key of Gulf Shores, and Christine Ousley of Robertsdale were named to the All-Tournament Team.

gulf shores: Animals live it up at ‘pets resort’

2006-08-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

By Sheryl Marsh
DAILY Staff Writer

Before Melissa Wallace heads to Gulf Shores for vacation, her furry family members check into a "pets resort" known as Osborne Animal Clinic in Decatur.

Wallace of Hartselle said her pooches, Taz and Esme and her cat, Suki, are always excited about their vacation.

"They seem to actually know where the animal clinic is," Wallace said. "When we're headed there, they get to jumping around and wiggling their tails because they associate it with a pleasant experience."

Americans spent $34 billion on pets last year, and Wallace is one of hundreds of people in the area who give their pets a vacation when they leave town.

Osborne Animal Clinic houses from 80 to 90 pets during peak season. The capacity is 118.

"Our biggest boarding time of the year is around Thanksgiving and Christmas," veterinarian Steve Osborne said. "Our other busiest time is on the weekends. During the summer, we have more weekday boarding when people go on vacation."

When owners are vacationing, back at the "resort" the furry ones are playing, relaxing and enjoying most of the amenities they have at home.

"Some of them bring their blankets and toys," said Osborne, who has seen the philosophy of boarding change.

"Now, most are residents at their homes and when brought here we go the extra step to mimic their lifestyle at home."

Contrast that lifestyle with the past when owners kept dogs in pens at home and used them mostly to hunt. Now when pets are accustomed to king-size beds and flat-screen televisions, it's more difficult, said Osbourne.

Recreation is a big part of their stay.

"We hire a bunch of young students who are there for no other reason than to play with the dogs," Osborne said. "They walk them, play games with them, just like their family would do at home."

James Craig says it's a home away from home for his Saint Bernard, Roxie, and his cats, Golden Flake and Butterbean.

"Normally when we're going out of town we board them with Dr. Osborne," said Craig. "It's really nice getting them to bathe Roxie before we pick her up."

"Certain ones who are allowed snacks get them, and if they require certain diets we accommodate them," Osborne said.

Pets have individual kennels.

"There is a science to the way we house them," said Osborne. "They don't face each other for intimidation reasons, and they can't breathe on each other for medical reasons."

Each kennel is stainless steel and sanitized. Trained staff is there for the animals' medical needs.

Other veterinary clinics in the area board animals, also. Some have limitations.

"We board smaller dogs and cats," said Frances Cobb of Pearson Animal Clinic in Hartselle. "We don't take any dogs over 60 pounds."

Dishman Animal Clinic in Decatur does not have a weight limit but boards mostly dogs and cats.

"We do house birds and gerbils, if they bring their cages," said Rhonda Kruger. "We can house 81 animals and our kennels are usually full for the whole summer, and of course during the seasonal holidays."

Osborne Clinic boards all kinds of pets.

Lima Jane, a pot-bellied pig, is a regular boarder.

"Her folks go off about every Thursday during football season, and she stays here quite a bit," said Osborne.

While there, many of the pets get spa treatment, including pedicures.

"They get bathed, a haircut and their toenails trimmed," said Kari Hallman.

Boarding rates are from $10 to $18 per day. Grooming costs between $30 and $35.

Osborne said that about 85 or 90 percent of his clientele are regular boarders.

During their stay, the dogs communicate in their own language, barking. The clinic employees understand them well.

"They get more accustomed to it over time," Osborne said. "They look forward to their walks and because there are so many of them they have to go in shifts. Each one wants to be first and they talk to us about it."

gulf shores: 3 teens die in wreck after driver falls asleep on beach trip

2006-08-09T00:52:00.000-07:00

By DON JACOBS, jacobs@knews.com
August 4, 2006

Two teens from Knoxville and one from Clinton died in Alabama Wednesday when a 16-year-old Clinton boy fell asleep while driving to a beach getaway, authorities said.
Kristopher Hope, who was driving the 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe, and his 15-year-old brother, Matthew Hope, survived the 7:55 p.m. (CDT) crash, said Fort Payne, Ala., Police Chief David Walker.

Walker identified the dead as Chase Carroll, 17, of Knoxville; Merry Katherine Prince, 19, of Knoxville; and Michael Rowe, 17, of Clinton. All were declared dead at the scene alongside Interstate 59.

"To me, it looked more like a plane crash than a car crash," Walker said. "It was that bad. You couldn't tell it was a Tahoe."

Officials said Prince was a 2004 graduate of Bearden High School. She was a sophomore at Pellissippi State Technical Community College. Carroll attended Bearden High School last year but was not enrolled for the upcoming school year. Rowe attended Clinton High School.

Officials in Clinton said Matthew Hope was enrolled as a sophomore at Clinton High School. He was slated to pay fees and get his class schedule today during Dragon Day at the school.

There was no record of Kristopher Hope being enrolled at Clinton High School this year.

Walker said the 2000 Tahoe owned by the Hopes' mother, Susan Keathley, was southbound on I-59 near the Georgia state line when the vehicle left the right side of the road. The Tahoe leaned sharply to the passenger side as it ran down a slight embankment, the chief said.

As the Tahoe ran down the embankment, it slammed into a tree. The passenger side suffered heavy damage. The driver's side of the vehicle was spared the most violent trauma.

Because of that, Kristopher Hope sustained minor injuries in the crash. He was walking at the scene and talking to police, Walker said.

Matthew Hope, who was seated behind his brother, suffered more serious injuries, Walker said.

"We were able to talk to the driver, and he said he thought he fell asleep," the chief said.

The driver's brother, however, was unable to speak with investigators.

Walker said authorities determined that the Tahoe brakes weren't applied until after the vehicle left the interstate, which has a speed limit of 70 mph.

"That also supports the driver's story that he fell asleep," the chief said. "The rumble strips probably woke him, but by then, it was too late."

The chief said he was unsure if all the occupants were using seat belts.

"There was evidence of seat-belt use, but it didn't matter in this one," Walker said. The impact ripped one passenger and the seat that passenger was sitting on from the vehicle.

Walker said the Hopes were taken by ambulance to DeKalb Regional Medical Center in Fort Payne and then airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. Matthew Hope was listed Thursday in critical condition, while his brother was listed in fair condition.

The group was en route to Orange Beach in Alabama, near the Gulf Shores resort area, the chief said.

Walker said there was a vehicle behind the Tahoe, but the driver was too far back to see exactly what happened. He said there were no reports before the wreck of an erratic driver on the interstate.

Walker said he was unsure if any charges would result from his agency's probe. The chief said he ordered blood tests for the Hopes and autopsies for the dead as part of the investigation.

Walker said there was no indication of alcohol or drugs at the scene of the crash.

Don Jacobs may be reached at 865-342-6345. Staff writer Tom Benning contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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gulf shores: Father of Shoals boy struck by lightning talks to WAFF 48 News

2006-08-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

Aug 2, 2006 10:55 PM

Only on WAFF 48 News: A remarkable story about a young man who beat the odds.

His vital signs showed he wouldn't make it.

But 16-year-old Adam Bradford was determined to fight death after being struck by lightning in Gulf Shores.

Lightning directly hit his left shoulder exiting through his feet, which were ankle deep in water.

Today he is playing the guitar and hopes to ride his motorcycle soon.

Doctor's call him a living miracle, a power higher than medicine.

Adam has come a long way since July 6th when he was vacationing with his mother in Gulf Shores.

Adam was hit directly by lightning.

Adam's mother immediately started CPR.

His father Tim said, "Two EMT's came out of nowhere, they were on vacation and took over, kept him alive til the ambulance got there."

But Adam had endured so much shock, that he flat-lined twice.

After receiving multiple shocks in a Baldwin County Hospital, Adam was back but was still in a coma.

A triangular burn mark covered his left shoulder, from his knees down, red and purple.

But eight hours after the trauma....

"The doctor came back in, checked his feet and his shoulder where the lightning supposedly entered and exited and there were no marks on him they were gone."

Saturday, Adam woke up.

"Why do you think he's here?" we asked Tim.

"I don't know. I don't have a clue but I'm glad there's that reason. "

After a week of rest and prayers from across the country to missionaries in Brazil... Adam was back at home in Elgins Crossroads.

His father said, "He's my whole life, everything I've done has been with him."

The odds of survival were not on Adam's side, but to this father, words can't describe his appreciation for the two EMT's on the beach that hot July day.

"I couldn't repay him but from what I hear that's not what they're there for anyway."

Adam still has some nerve and muscle damage to parts of the left side of his body, which doctors say should heal on its own.

Friday he was dismissed from physical therapy because he reached all the goals set for him. They say the rest is up to him.

gulf shores: Koziol joins coaching staff at Gulf Shores

2006-08-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 06, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter

A new school year and a new sports season means new faces for many schools in the area, and the hiring of former Robertsdale coach Jay Koziol as Gulf Shores' new defensive coordinator highlights a short list of newcomers to south Baldwin County's two public high schools.

Koziol, who was transferred from his post as Golden Bears head coach back in February, joined the Dolphins' staff around the time of their May 12 spring game against Madison Academy. Since then, he has played an integral role in what has likely been Gulf Shores' most successful summer ever.

"I'm extremely happy to be here," said Koziol, who will also coach boys golf at Gulf Shores. "I have the utmost respect for (GSHS Principal) Eddie Tyler and his staff, and that filters on down to coach (Duane) Davis and the rest of the coaches here.

"What it came down to for me is that Baldwin County's my home. I didn't feel comfortable moving, and I always felt comfortable coming down here. It's definitely going to be a challenge this year, but I'm excited to see what we can do on the football field. I think we've got a lot of good players."

Davis said Koziol's presence has been felt in many ways. His experience and leadership abilities have already impacted players and coaches alike, said Davis.

"Any time you can get a guy who's been a head coach for eight years, it's great. That kind of experience, you just can't get," Davis said. "Coach Koziol brings a lot of knowledge of the X's and O's to our staff, and he brings a lot of enthusiasm, too.

"What I really like is that he's constantly teaching and coaching," Davis added. "He's worked well with the kids so far, and we're very happy to have him here."

Also joining the Dolphins' coaching staff this fall are Anthony Kummel, Rhett Tranchina, Amy Galemore, Martin Sepic and Thad Akins, who joined the staff last spring as the new girls basketball coach. He will also help coach the freshmen football team this fall.

Kummel will coach running backs and head the boys basketball program, while Tranchina will coach defensive backs and coach the boys soccer team. Galemore will coach the boys and girls swimming teams, and Sepic will coach girls tennis.

Up the road at Foley High, several new coaches have joined the Lions' pack.

Tatum Saltz has been tapped to coach boys soccer, while Jeremy Borchardt will coach the JV boys soccer squad.

Ricky Smither will take over for Russ Moore as boys track and field coach after assisting with the football team as defensive line coach. Peter Bezeredi has also been brought on board to be an assistant baseball coach and help with the freshmen football team.

The Lady Lions' volleyball team is currently without a head coach, as school officials are waiting patiently for the Baldwin County Board of Education to approve that hire at the next board meeting.

In the meantime, Mark Mueller has stepped up to spearhead a group of volunteers who will guide the team through the first few weeks of practice. Foley Principal Kenneth Dinges said Thursday the Lady Lions should have a coach in place by mid-August.

gulf shores: Stupiansky wins WAGA Stroke Play

2006-08-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Jillian Stupiansky of Birmingham fired a 1-under-par 71 on Wednesday to secure a wire-to-wire victory in the Women's Alabama Golf Association's 16th annual Stroke Play Championship at Cypress Bend at the Craft Farms Resort in Gulf Shores.

Stupiansky finished with a 54-hole total of 7-under-par 209 after opening with 69-69.

Auburn golfer Jessica Lovell was the only other player under par for the tournament, closing with a 70 that left her at 5-under 211.

Daphne's Carolyn Cochran was the best finisher among the local contingent, tying for sixth with 74-224.

Foley's Laurie Strite won the second flight with 77-243, Lisa Graham of Orange Beach was third in the third flight, and Rita Durham of Gulf Shores was third in the fourth flight.

-- AGAINST THE WORLD: Robby Shelton of Wilmer, plus Gabi Oubré and Alex Moore, both of Mobile, competed in the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships over the weekend at the famed Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C.

Shelton posted 74-71-76 on Pinehurst No. 5 to tie for 19th in the boys' 10-year-old division, which had 115 players.

Oubré carded 80-80-82 to finish tied for 23rd in the girls' 12-year-old division, which had 65 players. Moore, also competing in the girls' 12 group, had 87-109-99 to tie for 56th.

Nearly 1,000 junior golfers, ages 4 through 12, from 32 countries competed in the World Championships.

-- BATTLE OF THE BAY: The Jimmy Green Summer Junior Tour will wind down its season on Sunday with the annual Battle of the Bay matches, pitting the best juniors from Mobile County against the best from Baldwin County.

The teams will play in a Ryder Cup-style format, a fun finale for the top point winners on the summer-long series of tournaments at area courses.

Here are the point leaders in each division and the players who will be competing in the Battle of the Bay: Boys' 15-18: Will Phillips, Cameron Smith, Michael Ulmer, Blaine Henderson and Leland Dunning; girls' 15-18: Gabi Oubré and Laura Dudley; boys' 13-14: Zachary Hughes, Wilson McDonald, Rory Nelson and Brandon Shelley; girls' 13-14: Carolyn Backes and Elena Hall; boys' 11-12: Connor Elders, Richard Pipkins, Robby Shelton and Sheldon Statkewicz; girls' 11-12: Haley Mize and Alex Moore; boys' 10 and under: Steven Setterstrom, Alex Green, Drew Mathers and Jack Courtney; and girls' 10 and under: Emma Fontenot and Olivia Brantley.

-- Gareth Clary

gulf shores: Retired Baldwin County DA takes job as Gulf Shores city attorney

2006-07-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. - Former Baldwin County District Attorney David Whetstone is back in public office after a brief foray into retirement.

The Gulf Shores city council voted unanimously this week to retain the national law firm Adams & Reese, where Whetstone is employed, the Press-Register reported in an online story Tuesday.

Whetstone retired from his district attorney post in March and his new position as the city attorney for Gulf Shores became effective immediately after the council's vote on Monday.

The firm has an office in Mobile and is planning another one in Foley.

State Sen. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope, is also employed at the firm.

Whetstone spent 22 years as a county prosecutor and handled the case against former Gulf Shores Mayor Steve Russo, who resigned in January amid allegations of public corruption and drug possession.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information from: Press-Register, http://www.al.com/mobileregister

gulf shores: Gulf Shores team does well at match

2006-07-25T01:16:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Submitted by Pete Lee
The Gulf Shores Swim Team scored 18 total wins in the Junior Championships at Orange Beach on July 8.

"We had a wonderful showing at the Junior Championships," Gulf Shores coach Brooke Monroe said. "I was extremely pleased with how well our swim team raced. The kids are showing great improvement in their times and stroke technique."

It was a long meet for all of the swimmers as the competition started at 9 a.m. and lasted about five hours.

Individual winners from the Gulf Shores squad included Haley Montgomery, Kristy Santa Cruz, Sarah Meehan Long, Taylor Shannon, Sammi Jo Daily and Nathan McGee, who combined for all 18 total wins for the team.

With the final meet of the year scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Fairhope, Monroe said she is looking forward to another solid performance from her continually improving team.

gulf shores: Tennis camp serves up some summer fun

2006-07-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

Gulf Shores boys tennis coach Ryan Moss ran two free events last week in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores
Sunday, July 23, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter
GULF SHORES -- Despite the sweltering heat and typical Gulf Coast humidity, a handful of kids from the Gulf Shores-Orange Beach area braved the elements last week and took to the courts for a series of free tennis lessons.

It was hot, yes. It was humid, for sure. But it was loads and loads of fun.

"Oh, we're having a great time," said Ryan Moss, who coaches the boys tennis team at Gulf Shores High School. "We had about eight kids come to camp (Tuesday) in Orange Beach and we've got 17 here (in Gulf Shores). I think word started to spread and that's great."

Tuesday's camp was held at the Orange Beach Tennis Center, while Wednesday's camp was held on the tennis courts behind the Bodenhamer Center in Gulf Shores.

Moss, who got help from several of the Dolphins' varsity tennis players, said the camp's focus was simple: learn the basics.

"We're trying to teach them the fundamentals and techniques of tennis," said Moss. "Most of the campers are beginners, so we're trying to start with the basics. The earlier they learn the basics the better they're going to be, especially if they want to play at the high school level."

Moss said campers were instructed in the proper grip and how to hit ground strokes, serves, lobs and overheads. They also learned how to volley and how to score a tennis match in addition to playing a few fun games.

Last week's tennis camps were part of a summer-long series of free camps being offered to local youths by the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

In all, a baseball, basketball, softball and volleyball camp was held in each city earlier this summer. A two-day football camp recently wrapped up in Orange Beach.

GSHS coaches and city officials said the first year of free camps were an overwhelming success and they plan on offering a similar set next summer.

gulf shores: Baldwin athletes excel at

2006-07-18T01:21:00.000-07:00

Despite South squads going winless, locals made mark in Huntsville
Monday, July 17, 2006
By MIKE HERNDON
Sports Reporter
The athletes who represented the southern half of the state in last week's Alabama All-Star Sports Week in Huntsville may not have claimed outright victories in any of the event's seven sports, but those from Baldwin County left their mark on the games nonetheless.

Overall, the South went 0-4-3 on the week, splitting the baseball and softball doubleheaders and earning a tie in girls soccer, while falling to the North in volleyball, boys soccer and both boys and girls basketball.

But several Baldwin County athletes were among the week's standouts.

In baseball, Gulf Shores' D.J. Jones was the South Most Valuable Player, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs in the two games and driving in the game-winning runs in the South's 6-3 opening-game victory with a two-run triple. Robertsdale's Logan Ramage and Travis Waddle also did their part, as Ramage was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the doubleheader and Waddle was 1-for-3 with one RBI and a run scored.

In girls soccer, Fairhope's Mandie Martin set up the South's only goal of the game, chipping the ball over a defender to Auburn's Sarah Schwartz for the score. Martin's Fairhope teammates, Baley Murphy and Sidney Morgan, also contributed to the South's first-ever non-losing effort in the girls soccer competition.

In boys soccer, Fairhope's Brian Keyser, Andrew Dolan and Steven Pearson helped the South play a tighter game than the final 3-0 score indicated, with Keyser firing two of the South's seven shots on goal.

In softball, Gulf Shores' Carolyn Manolakis went 1-for-4 at the plate in the South's doubleheader split.

In volleyball, Bayside Academy's Kersten Reed and Caroline Gill were standouts for the South as Reed led the South in assists with 17 and Gill made 10 kills and led the team in blocks with five. Robertsdale's Whitney Jones also played well, contributing one kill, two assists, two digs and a block.

And in boys basketball, Robertsdale's William Cowan was one of the South's top rebounders with seven boards. He also chipped in two points.

"It was a learning experience," Cowan said of the week. "I learned what I've got to do. It was an honor to be here."

Several Baldwin County coaches also participated in last week's games. Bayside Academy's Doug Leffard coached the South baseball team, Fairhope's Patty Etheridge coached her final volleyball game before retiring and Fairhope's Paul Stroud and newly hired Steve Morisani led the boys and girls soccer teams, respectively.

"It was a great experience for everyone -- for the players to the coaches to the families," Leffard said of the weeklong event. "Everybody enjoyed it."

gulf shores: Little zoo on higher ground

2006-07-11T00:38:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 10, 2006
AMONG THE flurry of donations flowing to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo since Hurricane Ivan turned it into "The Little Zoo That Could," a recent one stands out.

It's the one Gulf Shores businessman Clyde Weir and his daughter, Andrea Weir Franklin, gave last week ? 25 acres so the zoo can move to higher ground.

The zoo, a financially struggling nonprofit that has been an attraction for schoolchildren and tourists since the late 1980s, gained national publicity two years ago when directors evacuated nearly all the animals -- 267 of them -- as Hurricane Ivan approached. It was the first full-scale evacuation of an American zoo.

The hurricane flooded the zoo grounds with a surge several feet deep, and winds ripped the buildings. The extensive damage closed the attraction for more than a year.

The national publicity, though, caught the attention of cable's Animal Planet, and the zoo got its own prime-time series. "The Little Zoo That Could" documented the Ivan evacuation and later evacuations for Hurricanes Dennis and Katrina. The show also followed zoo personnel as they rebuilt the zoo and brought home their tiger, the rare black-spotted leopard, a python with sinus trouble, and Umba, a baboon who loves ice cream, among other residents from the animal world. The show was a hit.

As a consequence, attendance more than doubled, fans sought zoo workers' autographs, and donations ? always the lifeblood of the zoo ? have been generous.

Ranging from a few dollars to a $25,000 cashier's check, the donations received so far have made it possible for the zoo to thrive. Now the animals can have a new, safer home, thanks to Mr. Weir and Mrs. Franklin.

The 25 acres in north Gulf Shores are worth several million dollars and sit far enough from the coastline that future evacuations may not be necessary. The new zoo grounds also will allow the governing board to expand exhibits and build hurricane-secure housing for the animals.

The zoo board still must raise funds to construct the new facility. That's where local residents can help. Donations can be mailed to the Zoo Reconstruction and Relocation Fund or can be made online at the zoo's Web site.

Indeed, with the help of their fans, the wonderfully exotic animals of Gulf Shores' little zoo that could can be part of south Baldwin County for many years to come.

gulf shores: Gulf fisheries require vigilant protection

2006-07-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

Thursday, July 06, 2006
/drop/3/tPROTECTING THE Gulf of Mexico's fish population will require much more vigilance than federal and state agencies have shown so far.

The importance of the resource can hardly be overstated. It forms the foundation of the Gulf's commercial fishing industry as well as a substantial part of its tourism.

"It's time to follow the science and put Gulf fisheries on the road to ecological and economic recovery," Chris Dorsett of Austin, Texas, who works for The Ocean Conservancy, told The Associated Press. "We can and must be better stewards of our coastal ecosystem." He's right.

Ironically, Congress passed legislation in 1996 directing federal agencies to rebuild diminishing fish populations, but it has been poorly implemented.

Four species -- red snapper, red grouper, greater amberjack and vermillion snapper -- are being overfished in the Gulf of Mexico, meaning they are being harvested faster than the fish species can reproduce. Other species of grouper are at risk, too.

Unless aggressive steps are taken to limit fishing of these species and others, restore wetlands, and protect estuaries from pollution and encroachment, the Gulf will lose them.

Granted, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and its related regional councils contend plans are in place to protect these at-risk species. But a recent study concludes most fish resources remain in poor shape a decade after the 1996 law went into effect.

Andrew A. Rosenberg of the University of New Hampshire's Ocean Process and Analysis Laboratory told the AP that recovery plans instituted by NOAA have been delayed, managers have failed to revise plans that aren't working, and monitoring remains inconsistent or absent.

Those are damning conclusions.

Overfishing isn't a speculation; it's a fact. Worldwide, fish once popular on dinner plates are virtually gone from the oceans. The populations of many are less than 10 percent of what they were five decades ago.

Nationwide, NOAA says 54 fish stocks of specific species and complexes are overfished. (A complex is a grouping of different species that are similar.)

As the population along the coasts continues to grow, pressures on fish populations will intensify. There are an estimated 153 million residents living along the U.S. coastlines, and more are moving to the nation's edge on the sea every day.

Federal and state agencies need to step up their efforts to protect fish populations of the Gulf. Otherwise, red snapper, grouper and other popular fish will disappear from dinner plates, Alabama's fishing industry will dry up, and deep-sea fishing will cease to be a favorite tourist attraction for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

gulf shores: Gulf fisheries require vigilant protection

2006-07-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

gulf shores: Baytown duo takes top prize in tourney

2006-07-03T00:50:00.000-07:00

By Richard Kotrla
Correspondent

Published July 3, 2006

TIKI ISLAND — Rainy skies proved to be an expected challenge for fishermen competing in the Redfish Nation Series Redfish Tournament, which ended today with the Baytown team of Tim Young and Jason Catchings walking away with the $15,000 first prize.

Their combined weight total for two days of fishing was 26.77 pounds.

The tournament, which was sponsored by Academy Sporting Goods, had 38 entries that competed over a two-day period for the prize money and the right to compete in the Redfish Nation Series national tournament in September at Gulf Shores Alabama. The tops teams from this tournament earned the right to compete in that event.

Todd Casey of Galveston and his partner, Joe Lindeman of South Padre Island, placed with fourth with a two-day total of 21.11 and will advance to the national event.

“The rain definitely had a negative effect on the fishing,” said Bob Sealy of Redfish Nation Magazine, who sponsors the series. “Fish just behave differently when it’s raining, and it makes it hard for the fishermen to figure out their feeding patterns.”

There were several fishermen from the Galveston area who fished in the tournament, which Sealy calls the “semi-pro division” of the popular Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup series that is featured on ESPN’s “Saltwater Sunday” television series. That tournament made a stop in Kemah last month.

“This particular tournament series is designed for those fishermen who want to learn to fish in tournaments,” Sealy said. “This gives them a chance to decide if they can or want to compete in the Redfish Cup.”

In conjunction with the tournament, the popular Berkley Strike Team appeared at the Galveston Academy Store. Visitors to the store during the tourney weekend had a chance to have their rods refilled with free fishing line, saw product demonstrations and had a chance to engage in fishing video game.

gulf shores: Guest Columnist of the Month: Mark Lent

2006-06-30T01:08:00.000-07:00

By Mark Lent
June 2006

I have a real affinity for the beach. I make the four-hour drive to Gulf Shores, Alabama pretty regularly, and one of my favorite things to do is to simply sit down in the sand and close my eyes. It awakens my senses—I can hear the waves pound the beach, the seagulls chirping and the faint laughter of children playing off in the distance. I can smell the pungent, salty air wafting through my nose and feel the gentle southern breeze meeting my face. It's an extraordinary experience for me. My wife learned early in our relationship that I was meant to live on the beach. She is more of a mountain person, yet embraced my dream of owning a home on the beach, so a few years ago, we purchased my little slice of heaven, a condominium in Gulf Shores. My wife Kristi is an amazing woman, and I thank God for her daily.

When I'm at the beach, my whole disposition changes, and I think that this is reflected in my photography. I love shooting costal scenes and look forward to time on the gulf to go out in the early morning or late afternoon and find interesting "things" to shoot. I never set out with an agenda, or specific place—I just wander. Sometimes, I'm lucky, sometimes not. But like the old saying goes, a bad day of shooting on the beach is better than a good day anywhere else. One of the items that struck me most about the beach is that there's life everywhere, and I find all of it amazing.

I became keenly aware of shooting on the beach after Hurricane Ivan made a direct hit on Gulf Shores. 175 mph winds—so strong that a six-inch chunk of wood embedded four inches into the vinyl siding of my home there. Even more remarkable is that a 50 pound sheet of wire-reinforced glass flew over two other buildings and hit one of my bedroom windows—a full 150 yards from where it was originally located. To say that the force of a Hurricane is brutal is an understatement. 50-foot dunes that followed the costal water disappeared in a matter of hours. Large boats were found 5–10 miles from their moorings and cars were blown a full mile from where they were last parked, and all were "sandblasted" to a shiny metal base.

I was able to get into Gulf Shores 10 days after the storm passed. As a photojournalist, I had a real desire to document what I was seeing and shot hundreds of images in and around my property. I was nervous about straying too far from my home simply because the National Guard was patrolling the streets with loaded M-16's with patrol helicopters flying 200 feet above the ground, and I didn't have press credentials. I can only imagine an active war zone looking similar to the total destruction that was all around me. Dune's drifted up to 20 feet on the roadways and large earth-movers were scooping up truckload after truckload of sand. The carpet in my unit was ruined and mildew started setting in to the walls almost immediately, so for the next five months—without water and power, I went down weekly and camped out in my unit, fixing all of the problems and laying 1000 square feet of tile.

When I was able to get out and move up and down the cost line, I noticed that there were areas that I was able to explore and photograph that were unavailable to me earlier. Some of the cost line revealed itself and has in some instances gone from plain to spectacular. Reclaiming the land has given the area an opportunity to redesign, so to speak, and allow the natural life that thrives in the area to be given greater accommodations. The up side of this is that, between the varied wildlife refuges and the work being done on the costal areas, I see many more photographers than I did a few short years ago. Currently, there are over 80 marked habitat areas for costal birds in the Baldwin County and Mobile County areas, allowing photographers to make images ranging from bald eagles to the common finch. Additionally, Baldwin County and Mobile County have six different wildlife preserves.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Reserve in Gulf Shores is also a hidden gold mine for image making. Either walking on the miles of paths and seeing deer, alligators and plant habitat or signing up to work as an assistant during sea turtle hatchings (something that I would like to eventually do), the diversity of this reserve is difficult to match anywhere else. And of course, there's nothing wrong with simply sitting on the beach for a sunrise either. Lighting, either very early in the morning or in the late afternoon "golden hour" can be breathtaking, so if you're in the neighborhood anyway, make an extra effort with your images and chances are you won't be disappointed.

gulf shores: Beach cities seek health care system designs

2006-06-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 26, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter
ORANGE BEACH -- In February, Pensacola's Sacred Heart Health System took the first step toward building a planned outpatient surgery center in southernmost Baldwin County by filing a "letter of intent" with the state board that permits health care facilities.

To aid the request's arduous trek through Alabama's "certificate of need" process, Sacred Heart executives asked the city councils of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores to endorse their proposal, municipal officials said. About the same time, other regional health care providers were being alerted to Sacred Heart's designs and, according to city officials, some expressed their desire to also enter the lucrative market on Baldwin County's beaches.

"There are a lot of people wanting to go with the local person (Sacred Heart) and some people wanting to go with someone else and we just thought it was best to open it up," said Orange Beach Councilwoman Joni Blalock.

To that end, leaders in both cities agreed to jointly issue a request for proposals -- much as a city would if it were looking for an architect or a consulting firm -- from companies interested in building health care systems on Baldwin County's beaches.

At present Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are served by a few doctors' offices, but the nearest hospitals are South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley and four institutions, including Sacred Heart, in Pensacola.

"What we're hoping is someone will come in and do an overview of what the existing health care facilities are in the two cities, tell us what their plans would be for the next three years, the next five years, the next eight," Blalock said. "The ultimate thing that we want is a local hospital and that's what we're working toward."

The Orange Beach City Council passed a resolution last week entering into the two-city agreement and Gulf Shores council members said they expect to do the same at their meeting this evening. From there, the cities will solicit proposals from health care providers throughout the Southeast, narrowing the plans down to three or four. Interviews with the chosen companies will then be conducted before picking one to formally endorse before the state Health Planning and Development Agency's Certificate of Need Review Board, city officials said.

"We're trying to have a say," Orange Beach City Administrator Jeff Moon said. "We realize that to some extent it's beyond our control, but before we jump in and start cheerleading or lobbying for someone we wanted to see who maybe has the most to offer our residents."

The cities had formed a group looking into ways to bolster health care options in the growing resort cities, Moon said, but each will likely have to assemble its own panel consisting of elected officials and local health care experts to review the proposals.

Blalock, who is spearheading the effort for Orange Beach, said that besides being advertised locally, five metro areas will be targeted. Birmingham, Atlanta, Nashville, Tenn., Mobile and Pensacola will all see advertisements soliciting the proposals in local publications, she said.

gulf shores: Woman killed in Gulf Shores collision

2006-06-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 22, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

GULF SHORES -- Dorothy Berger, 50, was killed Wednesday morning when the Jeep Cherokee she was driving collided with a dump truck on Alabama 59, authorities said.

Berger, a Gulf Shores resident, was pronounced dead at the scene, Baldwin County Coroner Huey Mack Sr. said.

The dump truck's driver, 43-year-old Grand Bay resident John Hebert, was taken to South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley for treatment, according to Gulf Shores police.

According to Mack and police, Berger was traveling north on Alabama 59 at 11 a.m. when she turned left toward Baldwin County 6. It was then that her car and the dump truck, which was southbound on 59, collided, authorities said.

"The question is who had the light and who didn't; who had the right of way," Mack said. "That's a question (police) will have to sort out."

Though the intersection is equipped with left-turn signals, the arrows are not always a part of the lights' rotation. Motorists wanting to make a left from Alabama 59 onto Baldwin County 6, which is also known as Oak Road West, are instructed by signs to yield on green.

Berger, according to Baldwin County Probate Court records, owned a home in the Martyn Woods at Bon Secour subdivision, which is off Baldwin County 6 and about 2½ miles west of the crash site.

gulf shores: Gulf Shores volleyball camp is a hit

2006-06-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 16, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter

GULF SHORES -- Volleyball may be a fun sport, but according to Gulf Shores coach Wing Brett, it certainly isn't easy.

That's why Brett and the rest of the Dolphins' coaching staff hosted a series of free volleyball camps this week in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The first two camps were held Monday and Tuesday at the Bodenhamer Center in Gulf Shores, while the second two were held Wednesday and Thursday at the Orange Beach Recreation Center.

Brett said Tuesday the camps were designed to expose local youths to the game of volleyball and teach them the basic skills they'll need in order to become successful players in the future.

He said every participant had positive attitudes and appeared to be having a good time while running through the many drills that emphasized passing, setting, spiking and the like.

"I think they all had a lot of fun," said Brett. "They're learning the sport at their own skill level because we're modifying each drill to fit each person."

Each camp had about 20-plus participants, which Brett said allowed the coaches and counselors to offer each camper a little one-on-one instruction. He said most of the youngsters showed considerable improvement from the beginning of each session to the end, and from each day to the next.

"A lot of it's learning the form," said Brett. "Once you learn the correct form your skills will improve."

Next month, Brett will host the annual Gulf Shores High School Volleyball Camp for fifth- through eighth-grade girls. The camp will take place July 17-20 and run from 8:30-11:30 a.m. The cost is $60 per camper.

For more information, contact Brett by phone at 377-6285 or by e-mail at wbrett@bcbe.org.

gulf shores: 23 charged in Internet child-sex sting on Alabama coast

2006-06-13T01:14:00.000-07:00

Associated Press
GULF SHORES, Ala. - Police began rounding up 23 men in Alabama and three other states who have been charged in an undercover Internet probe targeting child-sex predators.

Gulf Shores Police Chief Arthur Bourne said a Baldwin County grand jury indicted each suspect on a single count of soliciting a child for sexual purposes by computer.

One was arrested at his job in Tuscaloosa Tuesday night while others arrested live in Baldwin, Mobile, Elmore, Chilton and Wilcox counties. Three others live in the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana and Georgia.

Under Alabama law, the charge is a Class B felony, which carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years.

The indictments allege the men used computers to set up sexual contacts with teens, ages 13 to 14. But Bourne said those teens turned out be undercover police officers in a sting operation.

"We would go into a chat room, like an Alabama chat room, and within four or five minutes they would send us an instant message and contact us," Gulf Shores police lead investigator Tommy Green said Wednesday.

About 150 people contacted the undercover officers in the last two months.

Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb said some of the suspects sent nude photos of themselves or other pornographic material to the person they thought was a teen.

The indictments stated that suspects attempted to solicit sex from people who they thought were "13-year-old Maggie," "14-year-old Jessica" and "14-year-old Mark."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information from: Press-Register, http://www.al.com/mobileregister

gulf shores: Investors buy land for hotel in Gulf Shores

2006-06-13T01:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Local investors bought 2 acres on West Commerce Avenue off Alabama 59 in Gulf Shores for more than $1 million, and plan to build a four-story, 96-room Holiday Inn Express , according to Robbie Jaeger and Eric Nelson of Meyer Real Estate , who represented the buyers. The land was part of 10 acres owned by Leonard Kaiser of Kaiser Realty . He plans to build a new office there and develop the rest as a business district, according to Kaiser.

A Dauphin Island house that has its front pilings sitting in the Gulf of Mexico was purchased for $525,000 by Gadsden investors who plan to move the house back from the water about 50 feet, according to Daniel Prickett of Prudential Cooper & Co. Realtors , who represented the buyers. The 2,200-square-foot house in Audubon Place received minor damage during Hurricane Katrina , Prickett said. The buyers plan to renovate the house on the 300-foot lot and resell it, he said.

Local investors bought 39 acres on Wortel Road, one mile east of Baldwin County 95 in Elberta, for $497,500, according to John Flynn of Yance, Inge & Associates .

American Auto Paints bought 2 acres on the east side of the Beltline Highway just north of Moffett Road for $90,000 and plans to build a showroom/retail center; a warehouse and distribution center; and a training facility, according to Nancy Stone of White-Spunner & Associates .

Mobile Bar Pilots LLC purchased a quarter-acre lot at Jackson and St. Anthony streets in DeTonti Square for $75,000 and plans to build its headquarters there, according to Diane Horst of Dauphin Realty , who represented the sellers. David Dexter of Grubb & Ellis/Peebles & Cameron worked for the buyers.

Addicted to Dogs , a dog grooming salon, has leased 1,000 square feet in Baker West Shopping Center at 9120 Airport Blvd., and Inner Strength Martial Arts has leased 2,500 square feet at the center, according to David Stein of Stein Investments . Both businesses will open in June.

A business named i-Tans will open in June in 1,750 square feet in Palmetto Place at 960 S. Schillinger Road, according to Angela McArthur of Prudential Cooper & Co. Realtors commercial division. Langan Development Co. owns the center.

City officials are considering buying the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission building at Church Street and Washington Avenue, according to Mobile Mayor Sam Jones . The 11,500-square-foot building is for sale for $1.15 million, said John Peebles of Grubb & Ellis/Peebles & Cameron, who is working with the city and the property owner. The city would like to move some city departments from leased space in the AmSouth Bank building on Royal Street to the SARPC site, Jones said. The city also wants to move its last occupant, the city's main frame computer, out of City Hall North at 350 St. Joseph St., and put the building up for sale. The proposal will soon be presented to the City Council.

Sterling Resorts of Destin, Fla., has been hired to manage operations and on-site rentals at The Beach Club , a resort with 600 condominium and cottage units, a European spa, restaurants and retail on Fort Morgan, according to the Head Companies of Point Clear. Head and W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Co . will retain ownership of The Beach Club and continue with development there, according to David Head Jr .

gulf shores: Late-summer alligator season looking good for state hunters

2006-06-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Huntsville Times
Board may approve season at its final meeting Saturday

Alabama's Conservation Advisory Board will hold its final scheduled meeting of the year Saturday in Gulf Shores, a fitting place since just up the road a short jaunt is where the state's first alligator season will be held if a proposal to have one is approved.

Conservation Department officials formally presented the plan in February. It would entail a seven-day season in late summer with a draw-system for permits, a minimum length requirement on gators and a quota necessitating check-in of all gators killed by hunters.

Hunts would be in the Mobile Delta, which has more gators than anywhere in the state. Officials could expand the area to other locales, but right now their sights are set on starting small in the Delta.

If the advisory board approves the season, and indications are that it will, and all the ducks are in the rows with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, then we'll join Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Lousiana with seasons. Quite a good move, I believe, since the population here and the Southeast obviously can support the taking of a number of these critters.

Mississippi jumped into the gator fray last year with resounding results. Georgia's seasons have been quite successful. Even with limited numbers of permits available, each state had thousands of applications.

Why? Because it's pretty dadgum cool to try something new and then be able to tell your pals you either killed a gator and it's at the taxidermist, or you missed and a gator almost ate your flatbottom boat. I doubt many guys will be hitting the Delta in sleek bass boats at night.

- Other advisory board topics expected to be discussed include the proposed 2006-07 hunting regulations and the possibility of moving dove season up a week in the North Zone.

Hunters for years have asked for some kind of shift from the traditional Sept. 15 opener to about Sept. 8 (or thereabouts). Birds are here then, they're gone then, they were here years ago, and on and on. Discussion was held at the March meeting and a vote could be taken Saturday.

The bottom line on doves is they're migratory, just like waterfowl. It doesn't matter what you plant or how much wheat you spread out for them. They're fickle critters dependent on the weather.

gulf shores: Opp man charged as child predator

2006-06-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

By Special to the Star-News
Friday, June 9, 2006 8:19 PM CDT

The Opp Police arrested a resident of the Country Estates Trailer Court in Opp on the charges of soliciting a child for sexual purposes by computer and transmission of obscene material to a child by computer on Tuesday afternoon as the result of a multi-agency investigation.

Winston Leroy Henley, 35, was taken into custody Tuesday at the request of the Gulf Shores Police Department for outstanding secret grand jury warrants.

The Gulf Shores Police Department in cooperation with the Baldwin County District Attorney?s Office and the Mobile F. B. I. concluded the two month internet child predator investigation, code named ?Operation Child Safe,? in which undercover police officers posed as 13-and 14-year-old children on the Internet.

As the result of the operation, 23 individuals have been indicted by a Baldwin County Grand Jury for soliciting a child for sexual purposes by computer and/or for the transmission of obscene material to a child by computer.

At least 12 of the individuals indicted came to the city of Gulf Shores to meet with the person they believed to be a 13-and 14-year-old child and who were contacted by the suspects for the purpose of committing sexual acts with what they believed to be children. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by the undercover officers.

Arrests were also made in Summerdale, Tallassee, Foley, Tuscaloosa, Eight Mile, Camden, Gulf Shores, Robertsdale, Fairhope, Mobile, Birmingham, Jemison and Dothan as well as McDonough, Ga., Thibodaux, La., and Pensacola, Fla.

Cpl. Green thanked the Opp Police Department investigators Nicky Carnley, Junior Anderson and Mark Kyser, along with officers Phillip Joyner and Jeramy Jones for their assistance in making the Henley arrest.

Henley was taken to the Covington County Jail where he remains on hold for the Baldwin County authorities.

gulf shores: Orange Beach, Gulf Shores appoint school boards

2006-06-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 23, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter
On Monday morning, the Orange Beach City Council appointed a former teacher, an orthopedic surgeon, a one-time elementary school principal, a retired health care executive and the city's administrator as the first members of its recently created board of education.

Later Monday, in Gulf Shores, that city's council named a lawyer who works as a consultant for the Alabama Department of Education, a retired chief financial officer and three Parent-Teacher-Student Organization members: a chiropractor, a financial consultant and a real estate agent as the first members of its new school board.

The five-member bodies, which were authorized in February, will work to break the cities' campuses away from the Baldwin County Public Schools System, and later manage what local leaders hope will be the most well-funded schools in Alabama. The county school system has opposed the break.

The new school board members, who won't be paid, are appointed to staggered terms. The boards will work together because, while the cities have their own elementary schools, they share a middle and high school.

Elected leaders of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach together have studied the feasibility of breaking away from the county system for the past three years.

In Orange Beach, the council voted unanimously in a special morning meeting to appoint:

Jeff Moon, the city administrator since 2001, to a one-year term.

Missy Tyler -- who's taught in Trussville and Birmingham and volunteered at schools in Warsaw, Poland; Wellington, New Zealand; San Francisco and Orange Beach -- to a two-year term.

Rick Blevins, who's worked as a teacher, athletic coach and principal in the Selma area and now works as a surveyor in Pensacola, to a three-year term.

Dean Mason, an orthopedic surgeon, to a four-year term.

gulf shores: Gulf Shores comes up short

2006-06-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 22, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter
MONTGOMERY -- Gulf Shores softball players, coaches and supporters are feeling those familiar mixed emotions today -- pride over another awesome season, but disappointment over another near miss.

A sixth straight trip to the state tournament yielded similar results for the Lady Dolphins' softball team, as Gulf Shores fell just short of the Class 4A state title after dropping two gut-wrenching games to St. James in the championship round Saturday.

The victories awarded St. James its second straight state title, while the setbacks handed Gulf Shores its second runner-up finish in three years.

Though the Lady Dolphins have made it to state six years in a row, this was truly the first time they'd come to Lagoon Park as the odds-on favorites to bring home the Alabama High School Athletic Association's blue state championship trophy. That fact certainly made the Lady Dolphins' second-place finish and resulting red trophy even harder to accept in the delicate moments following the last loss.

Despite the heartache and the disappointment, the Lady Dolphins still held their heads high. They consoled each other and hugged their fans, they thanked seniors Kristen Lambert and Whitney Harris for everything they'd given to the program the last few years and they set the forward-looking goal of returning to Lagoon Park next year for a chance at a little unfinished business.

And while they may not have won the state title this year, the Lady Dolphins' remarkable season -- in which they went 56-12-1 and reached No. 1 in the state rankings -- will undoubtedly go down in the annals of Gulf Shores High School history. It was a stellar season and an experience no Lady Dolphin will ever forget.

"It's nothing to hang their heads about," Gulf Shores coach Karen Collins said of the second-place finish. "These kids have set some personal bests and some school bests this year. It's an awesome ball club."

For awhile, it looked like this was going to be the year. The Lady Dolphins struggled to put the bat on the ball in two games Friday and an early game on Saturday, but they somehow found a way to win and rolled into the championship round with a sparkling 3-0 record.

Needing only one win to wrap up the crown, the Lady Dolphins dueled it out with St. James for five scoreless innings. Then, in the top of the sixth, Katie Pauk launched a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Lady Trojans a 2-0 lead. The game was far from over at that point, but Pauk's dinger clearly took a little wind out of the Lady Dolphins' sails.

And they never really got it back.

gulf shores: Beaches expect a busy summer

2006-05-29T23:50:00.000-07:00

Friday, May 26, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter
GULF SHORES -- Until Hurricane Ivan struck in September, the summer of 2004 was the busiest ever on Baldwin's beaches.

Occupancy rates for condominiums along the beach peaked at 90 percent that July; 92 percent of hotel rooms were rented that same month; and more than $329 million in retail sales were registered June through August in Foley, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, according to Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau data.

Now, heading into Memorial Day weekend and the start of the tourist season, rental companies are reporting reservation rates that exceed those they had prior to the start of that watershed summer two years ago.

"It's looking like it's going to be great," said Convention and Visitors Bureau President Herb Malone. "With what we've been through the last two years, we're ready for a great weekend and a great summer."

Hurricane Ivan put a quick end to the beach season in 2004 and caused enough damage to carry over into the summer of 2005. That season was further dampened, and reconstruction efforts slowed, by a succession of four evacuation-forcing named storms.

More than 13,000 condominium units and hotel rooms are ready for rent on the beach this season and, weather permitting, those in the tourism business are predicting that most will be filled throughout the summer.

Marie Curren, director of marketing and reservations for Brett/Robinson, said each of her firm's 1,841 condos is spoken for this weekend and, as of late Wednesday, the real estate conglomerate's two Gulf-front hotels had about 20 unreserved rooms between them.

Most of the 200 or so condos that Bender Realty rents have been claimed through June, which is a good indicator of how the rest of the summer will go, owner Bill Bender said.

"I would say that by the end of June, we'll see 80 percent occupancies," Bender said. "In July, we should exceed 90 percent."

The high occupancy rate extends beyond the beach into Foley, where at least two new hotels are planned or under construction and the eight there now are booked for most of the summer, said James Wood, manager of the Holiday Inn Express on Alabama 59.

© 2006 Press-Register. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

gulf shores: American Land Lease Buys Gulf Shores Area Community For $5 Mln - Quick Facts

2006-05-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

Friday, May 26, 2006; Posted: 04:16 PM

(RTTNews) - American Land Lease, Inc. (ANL | charts | news | PowerRating) said Friday that it has purchased The Grove, an age-restricted manufactured home community, for about $5 million.

The Grove, a 425 home site community in Foley, Alabama provides residents with a lifestyle near boating, fishing, and Gulf Shores activity areas and easy access to the Gulf of Mexico beaches, less than 10 miles away.

The gated community contains 91 occupied home sites, an additional 74 home sites that are fully developed, and additional 260 home sites to be developed.

Copyright(c) 2006 RealTimeTraders.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

gulf shores: Investors buy land for hotel in Gulf Shores

2006-05-25T02:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 14, 2006
Local investors bought 2 acres on West Commerce Avenue off Alabama 59 in Gulf Shores for more than $1 million, and plan to build a four-story, 96-room Holiday Inn Express , according to Robbie Jaeger and Eric Nelson of Meyer Real Estate , who represented the buyers. The land was part of 10 acres owned by Leonard Kaiser of Kaiser Realty . He plans to build a new office there and develop the rest as a business district, according to Kaiser.

A Dauphin Island house that has its front pilings sitting in the Gulf of Mexico was purchased for $525,000 by Gadsden investors who plan to move the house back from the water about 50 feet, according to Daniel Prickett of Prudential Cooper & Co. Realtors , who represented the buyers. The 2,200-square-foot house in Audubon Place received minor damage during Hurricane Katrina , Prickett said. The buyers plan to renovate the house on the 300-foot lot and resell it, he said.

Local investors bought 39 acres on Wortel Road, one mile east of Baldwin County 95 in Elberta, for $497,500, according to John Flynn of Yance, Inge & Associates.

American Auto Paints bought 2 acres on the east side of the Beltline Highway just north of Moffett Road for $90,000 and plans to build a showroom/retail center; a warehouse and distribution center; and a training facility, according to Nancy Stone of White-Spunner & Associates .

Mobile Bar Pilots LLC purchased a quarter-acre lot at Jackson and St. Anthony streets in DeTonti Square for $75,000 and plans to build its headquarters there, according to Diane Horst of Dauphin Realty , who represented the sellers. David Dexter of Grubb & Ellis/Peebles & Cameron worked for the buyers.

Addicted to Dogs , a dog grooming salon, has leased 1,000 square feet in Baker West Shopping Center at 9120 Airport Blvd., and Inner Strength Martial Arts has leased 2,500 square feet at the center, according to David Stein of Stein Investments . Both businesses will open in June.

A business named i-Tans will open in June in 1,750 square feet in Palmetto Place at 960 S. Schillinger Road, according to Angela McArthur of Prudential Cooper & Co. Realtors commercial division. Langan Development Co. owns the center.

City officials are considering buying the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission building at Church Street and Washington Avenue, according to Mobile Mayor Sam Jones . The 11,500-square-foot building is for sale for $1.15 million, said John Peebles of Grubb & Ellis/Peebles & Cameron, who is working with the city and the property owner. The city would like to move some city departments from leased space in the AmSouth Bank building on Royal Street to the SARPC site, Jones said. The city also wants to move its last occupant, the city's main frame computer, out of City Hall North at 350 St. Joseph St., and put the building up for sale. The proposal will soon be presented to the City Council.

Sterling Resorts of Destin, Fla., has been hired to manage operations and on-site rentals at The Beach Club , a resort with 600 condominium and cottage units, a European spa, restaurants and retail on Fort Morgan, according to the Head Companies of Point Clear. Head and W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Co . will retain ownership of The Beach Club and continue with development there, according to David Head Jr .

gulf shores: Gulf Shores boys team finishes fourth at state

2006-05-25T02:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 14, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter
It was a historic season for the Gulf Shores boys tennis team, which capped its most successful campaign ever with a fourth-place finish at state.

The Dolphins' No. 4 finish at the Class 4A state tournament, held May 1-2 at the Mobile Tennis Center, was the program's best showing ever and tops in the state this year for a 4A public school. Perennial powers UMS-Wright, St. James and Trinity -- all private schools -- finished 1-2-3 at state this year.

As a team, Gulf Shores finished with 23 points at the state tournament, as Matt Slaughter, Andrew Petrovics, Volkan Barim, Michael Mickelson, Paul Morgan and Jono Ratliff all took part in the two-day event

Slaughter, the Dolphins' No. 1 singles player, and Mickelson, their No. 4 singles player, both reached the second day of competition for the first time.

Slaughter beat Michael Birchfield of Moody (6-0, 6-0) and Brian Ingram of Jacksonville (3-6, 6-4, 6-4) to advance, then lost to eventual champion Colin Perry of UMS-Wright (6-1, 6-0) in the semifinal round.

Mickelson beat Emit Shamsutdinov of Brooks (6-1, 6-2) and Daniel Pilgrim of West Point (6-1, 6-4) to move on, then lost to eventual champion Cullen Wallace of Trinity (6-1, 6-2) in the semifinals.

Gulf Shores went 10-3 during the regular season and finished as the 4A Section 1 runner-up behind UMS-Wright.

Coach Ryan Moss called this year's team "a great team, a young team," and said they hope to make a run at the state title next year.

Rounding out the Dolphins' roster this year was: Caid Rivers, Chase Childress, Ryan Salter, Will Haggard, John Tanner, Jared West, Gary Peed, Roe Collins and Ryan Adams.

Gulf shores - Turtle Beach - Home

2006-05-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

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Events, restaurants, movies, music, concerts, theater, TV, arts, books, travel, living and entertainment in Palm Beach, Treasure Coast and South Florida ...
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Official site. Community, recreation, government, comments, and news.
Source: www.ci.cocoa-beach.fl.us

The Beach (2000/I)
The Beach - Cast, Crew, Reviews, Plot Summary, Comments, Discussion, Taglines, Trailers, Posters, Photos, Showtimes, Link to Official Site, Fan Sites.
Source: www.imdb.com

Gulf shore - Brett-Robinson Vacation Rentals > Golf on the Gulf Coast

2006-05-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

Beach Alabama - beautiful golf courses and vacation rentals with condos and beach homes for a Gulf Shores Discover the South s most acclaimed courses and sink into luxurious beachfront accommodations
Source: www.golfshores.com

Local Weather Forecast for Gulf Shores, AL - weather.com
Local Weather Forecast for Gulf Shores, AL. Todays weather plus a 36 hour forecast and doppler radar.
Source: www.weather.com

Home Page
Gulf Shores Middle School. 450 East 15th Avenue. Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542 (251)968-8719. Gulf Shores Middle School, home of the Dolphins, has developed a tradition of excellence in education over the
Source: www.gulftel.com

Alabama Gulf Coast vacation travel guide to Orange Beach & Gulf Shores
An area guide to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. Information about beach front accommodations, charter fishing, golf and restaurants.
Source: www.gulfshores.com

Condo rentals and beach house Rentals in Gulf Shores Alabama and
Gulf Shores AL condo and beach house rentals and vactions;Orange Beach AL condo rentals, condo rentals gulf shores
Source: seascapevacations.com

gulf shores: Lady Dolphins advance to second round of sub-state playoffs with shutouts

2006-05-19T01:40:00.000-07:00
Thursday, May 11, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter
GULF SHORES -- One sub-state series down, one to go.

The No. 1-ranked Gulf Shores softball team moved one step closer to the state tournament in Montgomery with a two-game series sweep of visiting Geneva in the first-round of the Class 4A sub-state playoffs Tuesday at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

The Lady Dolphins (52-10-1) will host sixth-ranked Rehobeth on Saturday in a best-of-three series scheduled for noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., if necessary. A series victory over the Lady Rebels would qualify Gulf Shores for state tournament play for the sixth straight year.

"We're taking it one step at a time," said GSHS coach Karen Collins. "This was one step, and now we're on the next rung of the ladder."

From a five-pitch first inning in Game 1 to a four-run first inning in Game 2, Tuesday's series was flat-out dominated by Gulf Shores. In posting 18-0 and 12-0 victories, the Lady Dolphins outscored the Lady Panthers 30-0, outhit them 25-5 and allowed only one runner to advance as far as third base.

The series victory also marked the third straight year in which Gulf Shores has swept Geneva out of the sub-state playoffs.

Haley Hopkins (28-6-1) tossed a two-hitter with five strikeouts to lead Gulf Shores to victory in the series opener, and Whitney Harris (24-4) came on to complete the sweep with a three-hit, five-strikeout performance in the second game.

At the plate, Gulf Shores got big contributions from just about everybody.

Kristen Lambert had five hits and six RBIs in the series to pace the Lady Dolphins, while Hopkins had three hits and seven RBIs and Stephanie Ivie had five hits and four RBIs.

Lisa Ybarra also had four hits and three RBIs for Gulf Shores, while LaDaire French, Harris and Rachel Williams all chipped in two RBIs apiece and Carolyn Manolakis had two hits and scored five runs.

"Our pitching speaks for itself, and today we just came out and hit well behind them," said Collins. "The bottom of our lineup got some key hits and we really haven't seen that in awhile. That makes a big difference."

In the first game of the series, Gulf Shores scored four runs in the first inning to grab the early lead then put 12 on the board in the third inning to take complete control. The Lady Dolphins sent 18 batters to the plate in the third, tallying nine hits and knocking in 10 RBIs.

In the second game, Hopkins smashed a three-run home run over the left field fence to give Gulf Shores a four-run first-inning lead. The Lady Dolphins later added three runs in the fourth and four in the sixth to stake their second blowout victory of the series.

"We haven't faced anybody that hit like that all year," said Lady Panthers coach Rudy Free, whose young club finished the season with a 14-19 mark. "It seemed like they put the ball in the holes every time they hit it. Our pitchers weren't throwing too bad, they were just hitting it. That's the best hitting team I think we've faced all year."

Tabitha Jenkins had two singles in Game 2 to lead the Lady Panthers at the plate, while Jasmine Wiggins, Theresa Johns and Tabitha Coleman tallied the other base hits.

Leannah Brinley (6-13) suffered setbacks in both games for Geneva, allowing four runs on one hit in the first inning of Game 1, and 12 runs on 10 hits in six innings of Game 2.

gulf shores: Dolphins lose defensive-minded spring game on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds left

2006-05-19T01:37:00.000-07:00
Monday, May 15, 2006
By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter
ORANGE BEACH -- The 2006 spring football game came and went for Gulf Shores High School, and according to Dolphins coach Duane Davis there were plenty of positives and only a handful of concerns.

Gulf Shores, fresh off a school-best 5-5 finish in 2005, played remarkable defense for much of the game, something Davis said is typically "unheard of" for the Dolphins' seventh-year program.

Unfortunately, one little slip-up late in the game cost Gulf Shores the victory, as Madison Academy's Lance Clark found a crease in the secondary and hauled in a game-winning 49-yard touchdown reception with 16 seconds left on the clock.

The heartbreaking 7-0 setback had many of the players down after the game, but Davis eased their worries with a solid post-game speech that harped on the positives and should help send the Dolphins into the offseason with some much-needed confidence.

Overall, Davis said he was pleased with the effort he saw Friday at the Orange Beach Sportsplex, especially from the Dolphins' defensive unit.

"I thought the defensive guys really stood out tonight," he said. "For 47 minutes and 44 seconds we had a shutout and that's almost unheard of. A lot of the times in the spring you don't see defensive games, you see offensive games.

"I'm excited," he added. "I think with a good offseason and with a lot of hard work we can come in with the right attitude and maybe win some games. I really believe that. I believe this is going to be a good group."

On offense, quarterbacks Evan Stringfellow and Gary Johnston played well but had difficulty dealing with constant pressure from Madison Academy's front line. The two were sacked on several occasions and tackled for losses on several more, but they also made some people miss and completed enough passes to keep the Dolphins moving.

The running game struggled at times as well and the receiving corps dropped a few passes, but neither group did anything to diminish the overall feeling that this year's spring game was a success.

Especially, and surprisingly, on the defensive side of the ball.

gulf shores: Guidelines for encounters between developers and elected officials would mirror that of Orange Beach

2006-05-19T01:36:00.000-07:00
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter
GULF SHORES -- City Councilman Robert Craft asked his colleagues Monday night to consider adopting guidelines for meetings between developers and elected officials similar to those approved in March by neighboring Orange Beach.

Craft said he would like to see a set of rules in Gulf Shores governing encounters with those bringing zoning and development matters to the body. He suggested "the kind of formula for which we, as council people, can meet with developers: only during business hours, at City Hall, and only after they've met with staff."

All three of those conditions are part of the rules Orange Beach approved shortly after former Mayor Steve Russo, City Attorney Larry Sutley, developer Jim Brown and Joe McCarron, a former councilman, were indicted on public corruption charges in January by state and federal prosecutors. Another developer, Ken Wall, was also later charged and all five men have pleaded innocent.

Also, according to Orange Beach's policy:

Elected officials must be accompanied by one of their peers or an appropriate city employee, such as a planner or building official, when meeting with developers.

Phone calls to elected officials from developers must be limited to scheduling meetings under the conditions set out in the guidelines.

Any deviations from the rules must be reported at the council's bi-weekly work sessions.

"I think it makes sense and it takes me out of the position of giving poor advice," Craft said. "I'm much more comfortable sitting in a group, knowing that they've gone through staff recommendations and that's what Orange Beach did and I'd like to see us do the same."

Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III said he was indifferent about adopting the rules, but would provide a copy of Orange Beach's policy to council members for their consideration.

"It doesn't matter to me one way or another," Duke said, adding that he'd support such a policy if council members and city planning staff favored it.

Councilwoman Carolyn Doughty said she liked the idea of adopting the rules because, like Orange Beach officials have noted, they would prevent "he-said, she-said" disagreements when building plans or rezoning matters are brought to the council or Planning Commission.

In a few instances leading up to Orange Beach's approval of the rules, developers had claimed that elected officials endorsed their plans in informal meetings that took place prior to the official approval proceedings, though the officials said to have given the thumbs up often had different stories.

Gulf Shores Planning Director Steve Foote said that he'd be "more than glad" to see adoption of the rules, which would force those with building plans to work with his office prior to seeking support among elected officials.

"Sometimes we're not sure what's going on with a project and I think it'd be helpful," Foote said.

The soonest the policy could be voted on is the council's next regular meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday.

Buying a stereo system

2006-05-15T10:59:00.000-07:00
Buying a stereo system can be one of the most daunting tasks undertaken by an audio enthusiast or a casual buyer just looking for a good set of speakers. A glut of technologies has filled the market with dozens of items that leave the uninformed clueless as to what equipment is quality, cost-effective, and even necessary.
The first step to buying a stereo system is deciding what exactly you need for yourself. For example, do you prefer listening to music at high volumes or low? Do you have a lot of CDs, or only a few? Do you need a stereo system that can play music and sound from your computer or television? How much money are you willing to spend? These questions are crucial to narrowing your options down to a reasonable few without requiring a great deal of thought or effort on your part. If you can answer these questions, you are well on your way to making a buying decision.
The volume you listen to music at is critical because most people think they need much bigger speakers than they actually do. Many buyers empty their wallets for huge speakers that they will never even turn up to a quarter of their capacity. The large floor speakers that cost $300 or more each are not necessary for most home users. Think of it this way: in a confined area it only takes four to six such speakers to blast deafening music for a party of several hundred people. This makes them a wasted investment for most people. Even large home stereo systems only need about 300 Watts total among their speakers.

The number of CDs becomes critical when deciding how big of a CD changer to purchase. Most one-piece stereo systems come with a two to five changer built in, which is adequate for many owners. However, buyers who own over a hundred CDs may want to seriously consider purchasing a larger CD changer. There is not much of a price difference between the massive 300 CD changers and the basic 5 CD changers, so need should be more of a factor than price in this case. One feature to watch out for with CD changers is the ease of inputting the names of CDs. Large CD changers are used to permanently store all of the owner's CDs. If it is difficult to input the titles of the CDs, then it can be a nightmare finding specific albums among the dozens in the changer.

The ability to receive input from TVs, computers, or other sources can also be very important in deciding what to purchase. One-piece stereo systems rarely provide inputs for external sources, making them undesirable for those who wish to hook the stereo system up to either their computer or TV. If this is the case, a buyer would do better to purchase a receiver and separate speakers. These systems tend to be more reliable overall because individual components can be replaced if problems arise.

Price can be the deciding factor in many stereo purchases, but most buyers are hard pressed to distinguish between bargains and cheap junk. A bit of simple research can clear up many of these issues for buyers. Magazines such as Consumer Reports often run issues on stereo equipment that outline which brands are high quality and which cost way more than they are worth.

Buying a stereo system can be quite an ordeal, but remembering to narrow down options with simple questions and rules of thumb can greatly reduce the frustration and hassle involved with purchasing a stereo.

FAQs: This site is published by PageWise

AIG Loudspeaker Reviews

2006-05-13T00:16:00.000-07:00
I first heard this system, Totem's first dedicated home theatre system, at a CEDIA show a couple of years ago. And it wasn't just that designer Vince Bruzzese was playing Ray Montford's music through it that impressed me so much. The sound was clean, dynamic, spacious, and very involving musically. I don't know whether it was a case of demand, but it wasn't until this spring that I could coerce a review sample out of Totem.

Beautifully finished in "a variety of exotic real wood veneers inside and out", according to the brochure, the Dreamcatcher is very compact and elegant, comprised of the four identical satellites, a centre channel, and a very compact bandpass subwoofer that is ported at rear. The largest driver is the 6" one in the sub, the other woofer/midranges all 4 1/2", mated with metal dome tweeters. Having heard them in a large open space at the show, I wasn't prepared for the bass performance of this system, but that's something I'll elaborate on below. And, before I forget, the "inside and out" veneers are part of designer Bruzzese's philosophy that even invisible veneer inside the box walls has sonic effects, reducing structural resonances and increasing cabinet rigidity, as well as making the wood laminate less prone to warpage from internal stresses over time.

The Dreamcatcher system is designed to be as simple to set up as possible, even the subwoofer having minimal controls, with just a level control and a +/-180 phase toggle switch, with RCA line inputs only. I had it up and running in a matter of moments, and setting levels all around was a pretty straightforward process.

Though I usually measure speakers with grilles on, in this case I followed the Totem recommendation against doing so, "if you wish maximum performance". Also, I think most users will prefer the nicely veneered front baffle surrounding the drivers naked (I prefer all my reproducers naked, but that's another story I haven't yet told my grown children).
As can be seen, the Dreamcatcher system measured very well, with an appropriate midrange dip for a system designed for relatively small rooms. The top traces are for the satellites at 0, 15, and 30 degrees off axis. We see a little upper bass warmth and excellent treble smoothness and extension, the tweeter just starting to roll off at 20 Hz, and not showing any resonances below that frequency. Many metal domes have quite a large peak in the 25 kHz area, something that may only interest your dog, but it doesn't seem likely here.

The centre channel curves are just below, and, again we have a little midrange reticence, but it can be seen that response is smoothest at 30 degrees off axis, something that may please the kids at either end of the couch; anyone closer to centre will also be closer to the centre channel, all this contributing to very good dialogue intelligibility at virtually all listening positions. On axis we also see a rising top end, which may make dialogue a little more crisp, though I did not really notice this in extensive listening with movies and music. Looking to the left, we see the subwoofer's response at full, middle, and minimum crossover settings. Its performance is quite amazing for its size, coming close to that of the Sunfire subs at a fraction of the price (the little bump at 10 kHz is a computer artifact, probably based around monitor operating frequency leakage). The real indicator of this subwoofer's capabilities is the flatness of frequency response in the lowest setting, +/-2 dB from below 30 Hz to about 70 Hz. I had set it in listening experiments at about 1/3 rotation, which would give a little more bass up to the 100-Hz area. And I noticed that it sounded quite a bit cleaner that way than when operated flat out; the satellites, and the centre in particular with its two woofers, have good bass extension into the 50-Hz range, so I would recommend such a lower crossover setting on this excellent subwoofer.
Looking at impedances and related phase angles, it is clear that you don't want to use this system with your average $699 receiver, but why would you want to do that? Impedance drops into the 5-ohm range on the satellites in the bass, the dual woofers on the centre keeping it higher. In both cases, the phase angle through the crossover region in the midrange is quite benign, which accounts for the extremely good imaging specificity, and very natural sound on voices and musical instruments.

I drove the Dreamcatcher system with Bryston HT components and with the NAD L70 DVD receiver. In both cases, the synergy was exceptional, the satellites and centre with as much as 150 watts per channel, or as little as 45, respectively. In both cases, there was plenty of detailed, dynamic sound, with especially good definition from all corners, and broad, clear soundstaging between any two speakers. The L70 has more current capability than many receivers in its power category, and seemed very comfortable driving the Dreamcatcher system. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these speakers, whether listening to music, or getting into the cinema experience. Not only do they work superbly together with seamless timbral integrity, and very quick and natural dynamics, but they are also complemented by a first rate subwoofer that produces astonishingly tuneful and powerful bass, especially for its modest size.

There are many excellent home theatre speaker systems available in the $2000 price area, but this very well engineered and beautifully styled system from Totem Acoustics stands out among those selling for as much as $5000.

by Andrew Marshall

Gulf Shores: Events

2006-05-12T18:36:00.000-07:00
For your next vacation, take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy a taste of Southern hospitality! Whether you're planning to visit in the Spring, Summer, Fall or even Winter, Gulf Shores, Alabama has plenty for your entire family to see and do.

Spring/Summer

Memorial Day Bar-B-Q
May 24, 2002 - May 27, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
The 2002 Gulf Shores Memorial Day Bar-B-Q will be held at the American Legion. Featured menu items include Bar-B-Q sandwiches, coleslaw, and seasonal vegetables.
For more information call (251) 948-6119

4th Annual Low Country Boil at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
June 6, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
Enjoy Southern Cajun cooking buffet-style and visit your furry friends at the Gulf Coast Zoo. Picnic proceeds go towards Zoo improvements.
For more information call (251) 968-5731

America's Junior Miss Finals
June 15, 2002 - June 30, 2002
Mobile, AL
America's bourgeoning young talent and beauty is showcased in this nationally televised pageant. Finals will air live on PAX and will be available locally on WALA FOX-10.
For more information call (251) 438-3621

Sail Mobile - A Salute to the Sea
July 3, 2002 - July 7, 2002
Mobile River Harbor, AL
Celebrate Independence Day with a trip to the Harbor and visit the impressive gathering of brigs, sloops, and schooners as they sail into the mouth of Mobile Bay from North and South America.
For more information call (251) 342-4386

Fireworks on the Beach
July 4, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
A free music and a pyrotechnics show to memorialize the 4th of July at the Gulf Shores Public Beach.
For more information call (251) 968-1172

4th Annual Watermelon Seed Spittin' Tournament
June 6, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
Souvenirs, gifts, live entertainment, local arts and crafts, and a Watermelon Seed Spittin' Tournament, to boot! Visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo to participate in this unique annual event.
For more information call (251) 968-5731

Labor Day Bar-B-Q
August 30, 2002 - September 2, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
The 2002 Gulf Shores Labor Day Bar-B-Q will be held at the American Legion. Featured menu items include Bar-B-Q sandwiches, coleslaw, and seasonal vegetables.
For more information call (251) 948-6119

Fall/Winter

Greek Fest
September 26, 2002 - September 28, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is hosting the 39th annual Greek Fest featuring food, dancing, and gifts.
For more information call (251) 438-9888

The Cellular South Pensacola Seafood Festival
September 27, 2002 - September 30, 2002
Pensacola, FL
Recognized as a Top 20 Event in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, the Seafood Festival features dishes ranging from shrimp to fish and other regional fare. Visitors will also enjoy arts and crafts merchants as well as continuous entertainment.
For more information call (850) 433-6512

8th Annual Mobile Bayfest
October 4, 2002 - October 6, 2002
Mobile, AL
Located in the heart of downtown Mobile, this three-day festival features over 100 musical acts.
For more information call (251) 470-7730 or visit www.bayfest.com

31st Annual National Shrimp Festival
October 10, 2002 - October 13, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
Enjoy music, local entertainment, and Gulf Shore Seafood at the Gulf Shores Public Beach.
For more information call (251) 968-6904 or visit www.nationalshrimpfestival.com

10th Annual Boo at the Zoo
October 24, 2002
Gulf Shores, AL
Carnival games, treats, a costume contest and the Haunted Zoo Path are all featured at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
For more information call (251) 968-5731

18th Annual "Christmas at the Fort"
December 7, 2002 - December 8, 2002
Dauphin Island, AL
Located at the Fort Gaines Historic Site, Confederate soldiers celebrate Christmas in 1861 with you and your family.
For more information call (251) 861-6992

Magic Christmas in Lights
November 29, 2002 - December 30, 2002
Theodore, AL
The natural beauty of the 65 acre Bellingrath Gardens will be transformed by the brilliant lights that capture the ambiance of the holiday season.
For more information call (251) 973-2217

http://www.gulf-shores-al.com/events/index.html

Gulf Shores: Things To Do

2006-05-12T18:30:00.000-07:00
Forget the history books and the classroom chalkboards, experience history first-hand along Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast. At the Orange Beach Indian and Sea Museum, delve into the past with exhibits focussing on early explorations and settlements of Native American tribes and Spanish explorers.

Later...sidle up to a uniform-wearing re-enactor and listen closely as you explore the grounds of historic Fort Morgan. Guides and enactors will explain how the Spanish used Fort Morgan in the 1500s, then rebuilt it in the early 1800s as protection against Native Americans. Standing atop the fort with a view of the once-embattled bay, visitors today can imagine the summer of 1864 when Confederate and Union naval forces fought for control of the harbor entrance. You may even hear the echo of Admiral David Farragut’s immortal words, "Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead!"

Eight miles across the bay on Dauphin Island, more history was written at Fort Gaines, which also battled—and was overtaken by—the Union. A ferry shuttles across the bay during the day, linking the two fortresses once joined in a common cause.

Rich in fun, rich in beauty...rich in history, we invite you to learn more about our area and enjoy the living history we treasure.

http://www.gulfshores.com/things-to-do/history/

Gulf Shores Alabama Vacation Travel Guide

2006-05-12T18:20:00.000-07:00
Something magic happens when you visit the Alabama Gulf Coast. The moment you arrive, the world starts to fade away. Maybe it's the sound of waves gently lapping the shore or the smell of coconut oil. Perhaps it's our white sand beach and sparkling emerald water. Suddenly building sandcastles moves to the top of your "to-do" list. You remember just how much fun your spouse is. You find yourself laughing at your son's "knock-knock" joke, even though you've heard it a zillion times. You linger over a succulent, fresh seafood dinner where nobody rushes to get away from the table.

A great getaway is closer than you think. A visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offers the perfect balance of non-stop activity and lay-around-doing-nothing time. Putter around a bit on one of our championship golf courses. Cast your line for deep-sea adventure on a charter fishing trip. Travel back in history with a visit to Fort Morgan, the site of the Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay. Commune with Mother Nature as you hike through one of our Alabama wildlife areas and gaze at gators and shorebirds.

Whether vacationing with family, escaping with the one you love, attending an annual convention or corporate retreat, you can choose from national hotel and motel chains, top-notch condominiums or a variety of beach house rentals.

Gulf Shores - Orange Beach is a place where you can slow down, let loose, rediscover yourself and savor your loved ones. It's Alabama's Gulf Coast and it will cast its spell over you.

Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau
http://www.gulfshores.com/

Roulette: The game of remarkable comebacks

2006-05-10T00:37:00.000-07:00
In casino gambling, sometimes even the most knowledgable players turn to blind luck to make it through their day. Of course, luck can never be relied on; either things will go the right way for you or they won't. The great thing about casino gambling is that luck has to be with you for only a moment to make a difference in what could've easily been a bad day.

Roulette is, in my opinion, the best game to play where you can turn blind luck into a great casino story to tell your friends.

Recently, my family dragged me down to the casinos of Atlantic City. I'm not going to lie to you - I wasn't feeling very lucky and would've much preferred to stay home. Since I was 'forced' to go, my goal was to go into hiding, play slow and steady, kill time and grind it out until my folks were ready to come back home. I thought I had everything covered.

Well, I spent a little time at the $10 craps tables, but mostly I played $20 pai gow and then some $15 blackjack. I couldn't for the life of me get anything going and instead of treading water, I was bleeding money the whole afternoon. After about 4 hours I was down $435, which could've been worse but it was obviously far from the result I wanted.

I was close to broke and ready to go home as I met back up with my family. Suddenly I had a crazy idea. "I have to do one more thing before we go. I've gotta go to the roulette table." My family gave me an indifferent shrug and followed, as they're mostly slot players and all table games are Greek to them.

The plan was to throw down a few more bucks and try to get back all the money I lost in one shot. I went over the math in my head as I walked over to the roulette table. I was down $435, so I knew a $40 bet at 11-1 could get me back to even. Hopefully.

I found a roulette table and gave $40 to the dealer, to which she handed me 8 red nickels. I reached and put all the chips on '28 Street'. (It's a three number bet - either 28, 29 or 30 would win for me.) The dealer spun, I stood near the roulette wheel, and prayed!

The ball slowed down and bounced around the wheel for several tense seconds as I rooted for one of my three numbers. It popped into number 2 and stayed there for a moment - and then dropped into the number two slots over.

Number 28, black, even.

I went absolutely crazy! I screamed and pumped my fists, hollering and running up and down the aisle as the dealer paid me $440 on my $40 bet - eleven to one - and the floor supervisor tried in vain to get me to calm down. My family was in as much disbelief as I was that I had such a dramatic comeback.

Just like that, I got my money back! I tipped the dealer $5 leaving me with exactly as much money as I came with. I'll take a draw over a loss any day! On that note, we left and headed home. Dinner that night was on me.

It'd be irresponsible of me to recommend you try something like this on a regular basis. American roulette has a house edge of 5.26%, so over the long run this move will lose you more money than you'll win - theoretically 5.26% of what you bet. Roulette's not the best game to play if you plan on sticking around the table for hours and hours because of this house advantage. For a single spin, however, it's pretty much a given that you're relying on luck, so house edge really doesn't matter as much.

If you do choose to try this out the next time your back's against the wall, here are some recommendations:

It's better to bet in a way so that you get just enough to be even for the day as opposed to trying to hit a home run, so to speak. If you're down $350, try betting $10 on a number straight up for a possible 35-1, or $45 on a corner (4-number) bet which would pay 8-1. Sure, you could win more if you bet, say, $25 straight up on one number and it hits, but the odds of it happening are a bit on the long side, and you'd be down that much more money if the play didn't hit.

Consider this type of play a last resort. If it doesn't work the first time, don't try it again! If you do, you could easily be caught in the trap of chasing your money, where your bets would get bigger and bigger with the hopes of hitting just once. Rarely does a bank-chasing situation have a happy ending.

A blind-luck roulette play could very well get you through your next day at the casino, but here hoping it doesn't come down to all that.

Until next time, take care and good luck in the casino!

by Shawn Tinling

gulf shores: 16-year-old drowns off Gulf Shores

2006-05-08T00:11:00.000-07:00
GULF SHORES, Ala. - A 16-year-old Baldwin County boy spending Sunday afternoon with family at a Gulf Shores public beach drowned in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fernando Juarez of Loxley drowned off the beach at the end of Alabama 59, said Baldwin County Coroner Huey Mack Sr. He went missing shortly before 4 p.m., before the drowning was discovered, Mack said.

An autopsy was planned.

Information from: Press-Register, http://www.al.com/mobileregister

gulf shores: Gulf Shores seeking lifeguards

2006-05-08T00:08:00.001-07:00
GULF SHORES -- With summer weather having arrived well ahead of the summer months, city officials are scrambling to make sure the popular public beach at the end of Alabama 59, called Gulf Place, is patrolled by lifeguards.

A shortage of lifeguards early in the season hasn't made that easy, said Harold Samples, director of the Department of Gulf Shores Parks and Recreation. On Friday, for example, no one was available to work so the beach, crowded with spring-breakers, went unpatrolled.

On Sunday, despite lifeguards on duty and little surf, a 15-year-old drowned, highlighting the need for rescuers even on days when the Gulf of Mexico is calm. Last week, in an interview, Samples pointed out the importance of lifeguards at the public beach where, prior to Sunday, only one person had drowned in his 19 years with the city.

There are eight lifeguards on staff, though some are college students and can't work until their various campuses break for the summer, Gulf Shores Athletics Director Jeff Hopkins said. Even with all eight available, the city would be short staffed when Memorial Day arrives May 29 when guards work every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Samples said.

"There's just more and more people on the beach and we need as many guys as we can to watch as many people as we can," Samples said. "We'd love to get about six more."

Gulf Shores' lifeguard staffing has traditionally been cyclical, he said. A group of guards will be hired and work summers together until they graduate from college and move into their careers, leaving the city to find replacements, Samples said.

Work days are 10 hours long and if the city can hire enough guards before summer starts, each would work five days a week. The pay is $10.35 an hour, Samples said, but because the job is seasonal, overtime is not paid for hours worked over 40 a week.

Guards must be at least 18 and hold driver's and boating licenses. They also must have lifeguard, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first-aid certification, which the Red Cross offers, Samples said.

If the city has enough applicants who are otherwise qualified, it could offer its own lifeguard training. Also, at the beginning of each summer, representatives from the U.S. Lifesaving Association help teach local lifeguards and firefighters on open water rescue techniques in the Gulf.

Todd Knight, a paramedic who works part time as the city's beach patrol supervisor, said the main thing for potential applicants to possess is the ability to swim 500 yards.

Gulf shores: Gulf Shores students selected for annual Boys State Program

2006-05-08T00:08:00.000-07:00
Submitted by Richard Carmack
Gulf Shores American Legion Post No. 44 recently selected five boys from Gulf Shores High School to attend the 70th annual Boys State program, May 28 through June 3, at the University of Montevallo.

Those selected are Judson "Ben" Locke, Levi Gardner, Kyle Stewart, Derek Gunter and Casey Rasinen.

The purpose of Boys State is to educate high school juniors in the duties and privileges of citizenship.

Boys State is an opportunity for students to participate in the functions of American government. During the event, numerous college scholarships will be available to participants.

According to Post Commander Charles Rankin, the Boys State fees and expenses for each high school junior have been sponsored by local businesses. They include: Robert Malone of ERA.com Realtors; Richard Carmack of Carmack Marine Industry Service, Inc.; Ray Hix and Hames Snedeker of Hix & Snedeker, LLC; Brad Patterson of Patterson Engineering and Scott Nugent of Elite Fire Protection.

Gulf shores: New flag system for Orange Beach

2006-05-05T07:53:00.000-07:00
ORANGE BEACH -- A five-flag beach warning system used along the neighboring Florida Panhandle was adopted by the City Council on Tuesday evening.

Orange Beach will manage the flagging system at the three state-owned beaches within its city limits and implement it on public beaches that developers have promised to give to the city, according to local officials.

"In the past, it was always, 'It's a state park, let them do it.' I'm not sure we have the luxury of continuing that in the future," City Administrator Jeff Moon told council members last week.

Like neighboring Gulf Shores, Orange Beach has traditionally used only a single red flag to signify dangerous swimming conditions.

Gulf Shores will also consider switching to five flags, Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III said Tuesday afternoon.

"We need to all get on the same system so there's not any confusion," Duke said, adding that he would be discussing the change with his parks and recreation department and Orange Beach.

Three years ago, Gulf Shores made it illegal to swim off public beaches when a red flag was flying. At that time, lifeguards said they were regularly having rescuing Gulf swimmers who had ignored danger warnings.

Dauphin Island beaches on the western side of the Alabama coast don't use a flag system to alert people to hazardous conditions.

Under the system that Orange Beach adopted, the five flags are:

Green, which signifies calm conditions.

By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

Gulf shores: Gulf Shores' Ybarra signs with Millsaps

2006-05-05T07:44:00.000-07:00
Gulf Shores point guard Kristi Ybarra has signed an academic scholarship and will play basketball for Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.

She will join a Lady Majors team that went 8-17 last year under sixth-year coach Robin Williams.

"I really like the way they play," said Ybarra. "They're very good fundamentally, and that's really what I was looking for. The only thing they lacked was a point guard, so that was a big plus."

Ybarra averaged 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game this past year in leading Gulf Shores to a 10-16 record. Last year, she was instrumental in the Dolphins' school-record 20-win season that landed them in the Southwest Regional tournament for the first time as a Class 4A school.

Ybarra plans to major in international studies and minor in either Spanish or French. She some day hopes to coach college basketball.

-- Derek Belt

SOFTBALL -- SATSUMA 4, FOLEY 2: Melissa Chastang and Courtney Finley each had three hits for the Gators (21-17). Angela Cassady was the winning pitcher, striking out six.

--PLEASANT HOME 1, ANDALUSIA 0: Jessica Johns scored the winning run in the first inning as Pleasant Home topped Andalusia 1-0. Katie Wiggins earned the win, allowing only one hit with no walks and eight strike outs. Andalusia (31-18) hosts the area tournament beginning Thursday.

--EXCEL 13, SWEET WATER 3: Justine Hamer (12-4) and Courtney Addison combined on a four-hitter for Excel. Hamer was 3-for-4 with 3 runs, a 2-run triple and an RBI double; Alyson Fitzhugh was 3-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs, and Emily Lloyd added a 2-run double. Excel (22-7) plays in the 2A sectional at 9 a.m. Saturday in Flomaton.

http://www.al.com/sports

Tom Phat

2006-05-05T02:45:00.000-07:00
That whup, whup, whup noise you hear is the sound of the world spinning faster. Our lives getting fuller. Our fragile grip on what makes living fun - smelling the roses, kicking the footy, breaking bread with the one we love - slip, slip, slipping away.

We graze alone. We rush from one appointment to another. Intimacy is reduced to passing kisses and snatched moments. It's as if the process of living is getting in the way of actually living.

This could make Brunswick's Tom Phat either an oasis or the most annoying place in the world. Especially as those crossed-legged young women sitting on the wide, low, padded bench by the window lounge for hours, looking as if they haven't got a care in the world. Bloody students, probably - or even worse, dole bludgers - judging by the ragtag and bobtail outfits that look as if they've been assembled by a colour-blind, op-shop granny.

"Breathe," says the woman I love, "you're just jealous." And she's right - I've always reckoned I'd look good in mismatched florals and Thai fisherman's pants.

She pushes a plate of corn fritters my way as consolation. Crunchy little buggers loaded with kernels, with the occasional caramel edge. They are very good dredged through the decent (bottled) sweet chilli sauce. Equally fine are the crisp wontons stuffed with a steaming, moist mix of tofu, shitake and spring onions. These are commendable highlights in a meal at this 18-month-old cafe, with its trendy Thai menu and rather well-made Coffee Supreme coffees.

The decor is roughly polished concrete, compact wooden tables, matched stools and a ceiling panelled with rush matting, from which green-metal industrial lights dangle. You'll find a blackboard list of specials on the '70s-looking panel opposite, painted in 17 tones of mushroom. Perhaps wraps filled with Thai fish cakes or marinated chook, or something more substantial such as salt-and-pepper silken tofu or pork belly with chilli caramel.

The normal menu comes in a retro, padded folder with groovy type. A page of freshly squeezed juices is followed by dishes for breakfast, which is very popular here and doesn't start until 9am, naturally. The rest of the menu generally treads the south-east Asian backpacker trail.

We order a very presentable beef curry in a mild peanut sauce with sweet potatoes, eggplant and broccoli, topped with fresh beanshoots and a little sweet-vinegar cucumber salad, which gives it some kick.

There's also tempeh, which comes smothered in sweet-molasses Malaysian kecap manis, the sticky soy-ness of which works well with the accompanying Asian coleslaw. The salad is a bit lacking in the promised Asian herbs but has a fresh crunch - something that's missing in another, chilli-hot salad of green papaya batons, peanuts and tired-looking green bean pieces. No faulting the perfectly cooked, blanched prawns that come with it though.
This isn't Longrain - but then, we aren't paying Longrain prices, either.

What Tom Phat does is make a fair fist of light, bright, generally fresh-tasting Thai-style food in a funky cafe oasis. No wonder so many locals seem to love it, or that by the time we leave, the sound of whup, whup, whupping has dimmed to a slow whisper.

By Matt Preston

The Top Five Costly Hurricanes in the U.S.

2006-05-04T01:50:00.000-07:00
One of the deadliest and the most costly storms in American history occurred during the 2005 hurricane season. This Category 5 storm caused a disaster when a huge storm surge which flooded up to 80% of the major coastal cities. Louisiana was hit the worst and accounts for most of the damage. Hurricane Katrina claimed the lives of 1,604 people making it one of the deadliest in history.

2. Hurricane Andrew (FL, LA) 1992 Category 5, Estimated Damage $45,000,000,000

Striking southern Florida and raging through the Miami area Andrew was one of the most destructive hurricanes on record second only to Katrina. Andrew made a path through Florida and then entered the Gulf of Mexico where it fed off of the warmer waters before striking Louisiana with renewed force. In addition to being rated as one of the costliest Andrew is also on the top 5 list for most intense hurricanes. Fortunately the death toll was fairly low considering the damage it caused.

3. Hurricane Charley (SW FL) 2004 Category 4, Estimated Damage $15,400,000,000

Charley made landfall in Florida on August 13, 2004 just north of Fort Myers with winds of up to 150 mph. Charley was the second tropical storm to hit Florida that day as tropical storm Bonnie hit the northern panhandle near Apalachicola. The storm loosely followed the path of Interstate-4 before leaving land near Daytona Beach. The storm then moved up the east coast of the United States before breaking up. Ten deaths in the United States were attributed to Charley.

4. Hurricane Ivan (AL, NW FL) 2004 Category 3 Estimated Damage $17,700,000,000

Ivan made its first landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama and moved north-east through the southern United States. Ivan then looped around and crossed back through Florida to cross the Gulf of Mexico a second time and moved onto hit Louisiana and Texas. With winds of 130 miles per hour Ivan claimed the lives of nearly 92 people. During its path across Florida the storm caused several large tornadoes with tore several cities apart and caused 14 of the deaths.

5. Hurricane Hugo (SC, NC) 1989 Category 2, Estimated Damage $15,600,000,000

Making landfall in South Carolina on September 21, 1989 and moving in a northern direction to rage through North Carolina, Hugo was one of the most destructive on record. The storm claimed the lives of approximately 70-100 people and an accurate number cannot be determined since there were several mass graves dug on St. Croix and accurate records were not kept. Most heavily hit were the coastal areas of South Carolina.

David Stone is a regular contributor of articles to many online publications. Find more great information at http://my-hurricane-guide.info

March Brings More Vacation Rental Home Options to RentJillsHouse.com!

2006-05-04T01:48:00.000-07:00
April 11, 2006, Virginia Beach, Virginia -- RentJillsHouse.com and affiliate RJHresorts.com, the ultimate online solutions for locating over 15,000 vacation rental homes and resort rentals, were pleased to welcome 13 new vacation companies to the website in March. RentJillsHouse.com and RJHresorts.com make it easier for vacationers that are seeking a more inclusive, complete vacation experience with activities and resources all in one location. The site is free, user-friendly and caters to travelers who are seeking the ultimate vacation experience, while continuing to provide them with "A Better Way To Stay." These clients represent more than 875 vacation rental homes in eleven states! RentJillsHouse.com is pleased to offer even more variety in vacation rental options for travelers searching their vacation destinations online.

RentJillsHouse.com and affiliate RJHresorts.com welcomed two resorts in very different locations! Thousand Hills Golf Resort in Branson, Missouri, offers a premier golf vacation for visitors to their cabins and condos. The Ocean Club Beach Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, also known as The OC Beach Resort, has private beach access and is nestled in one of the most popular Florida golf areas! Search RJHresorts.com for a {A HREF=" http://www.rjhresorts.com/search/beach-resorts" TARGET="main"}Beach Resort or Golf Resort to find these latest additions to the many vacation resorts currently available!

Bed and breakfasts are a unique alternative to vacation home rentals and vacation resorts, and two of March's new clients are excited to bring the comfort and care of home to travelers using RentJillsHouse.com: Whistlewood Farm Bed and Breakfast of Rhinebeck, New York, and Stebbins-Swayne House of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Rhinebeck, famous for its fall foliage, is located in a beautiful area with many historic New York bed and breakfasts! Stebbins-Swayne House is a Georgian-style inn originally built in 1842. Each city is a new addition to the RentJillsHouse.com travel destinations.

It's never too early to begin planning your beach vacation! Escape to the beach in one of RentJillsHouse.com many beach vacation rentals! If you prefer the Atlantic Ocean, visit Oceanfront Cottage Rentals in Tybee Island, Georgia, or Seacoast Homes & Villas in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Prefer the cool waters of the Pacific? Try one of Monterey Bay Property Management's's many options for a California vacation, or - for even more adventure - one of Hawaiian Rental Vacation's luxury Hawaii vacation!

Torn between two oceans? Compromise, and visit the Gulf of Mexico! Gulf Coast Online Rentals in Panama City Beach and Charde Group Rentals in Marco Island are two new vacation home rentals companies offering Florida vacation homes! Kaiser Realty offers vacation homes and beach houses in the extremely popular beach destination Gulf Shores, Alabama. And finally, RentJillsHouse.com is pleased to offer Galveston vacation rentals Galveston, Texas, featured by the Castaways Group.

RentJillsHouse.com and RJHresorts.com invites travelers to come explore the new vacation rental options offered on the website. For more information about RentJillsHouse.com and RJHresorts.com, call toll-free 866-369-8611 or visit RentJillsHouse.com or RJHresorts.com. RentJillsHouse.com and RJHresorts.com are part of Trader Electronic Media's family of over 15 websites, which includes TraderOnline.com.

Alison Kirch is the Media Contact for RentJillsHouse.com and RJHresorts.com, part of Trader Electronic Media's family of over 15 websites, which includes TraderOnline.com.

Officials ID teen who drowned at Gulf Shores

2006-05-03T09:18:00.000-07:00
Authorities have identified Sunday's Gulf Shores beach drowning victim as Fernando Juarez, a Mexican teenager who was staying in Loxley with extended family members.

Juarez was initially thought to be 16, but the Baldwin County coroner's office reported that he was still 15, his birthday not occurring until this summer.

Juarez's parents live in Mexico and it was not clear Monday whether he was visiting relatives in Loxley or had moved to the area, said Darrell Franklin, an investigator with the Gulf Shores Police Department.

Youths his age from Loxley normally would attend Robertsdale High School, but Juarez was not enrolled there, officials said.

Attempts by the Press-Register to locate family members Monday were unsuccessful.

Franklin said Juarez was at the city's main public beach at the end of Alabama 59, called Gulf Place, with his uncle and cousins Sunday when he vanished in the Gulf of Mexico waters at about 3:15 p.m. Sunday.

"He had went out in the Gulf on his skimboard and he was floating on it," Franklin said. "About 15 minutes later, they saw the board floating without him on it."

Family members alerted lifeguards to his disappearance. Soon after, police and firefighters joined in the search. Orange Beach marine officers were also called to the scene in their rescue boat.

About 45 minutes after Juarez disappeared, his body was found by rescuers in the water a short distance from where the skimboard had been spotted, Franklin said.

The surf was calm all weekend at the beach and severe rip currents were not reported, although those may occur at any time.

"One of the family members said he couldn't swim," Franklin said. "We feel like he slipped off his board and panicked."

Juarez's body was sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile to confirm that drowning was the cause of death, authorities said.

By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter

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Jones steps down at Gulf Shores

2006-05-03T09:12:00.000-07:00
GULF SHORES -- Coaching high school basketball, teaching elementary school P.E. and trying to be an accessible and supportive father was just too much for David Jones to handle at one time.

After a single year as coach of the Gulf Shores boys basketball team, Jones has decided to step down in order to focus on his teaching assignment and his son's future as a baseball player. He also said not being able to spend the day on campus with his players was a key factor in his decision.

"I may regret it in a couple years, but right now it's the right decision for me," said Jones. "I found as the year went along how difficult it was for me to be the head basketball coach at the high school and still do what I needed to do and what was expected of me at the elementary school. I really have felt this year that I've been pulled real tight in two different directions. You want to do your best (at the high school) and you want to do your best (at the elementary school), and I've felt like I didn't do either institution justice.

"I really don't want to change my teaching assignment. I love the elementary school and I love the kids and the people I work with. I just think the high school basketball program needs a coach that's going to be on campus all day long."

Jones stepped in just prior to the 2005-06 season and guided Gulf Shores to an 8-18 record. The Dolphins finished tied for third in 4A Area 1 with a 1-5 area record and lost to No. 6-ranked Escambia County in the first round of the area tournament.

Jones will still put the Dolphins through spring drills, but will step aside as soon as the GSHS administration decides on a new coach.

Jones said he did not come to this decision easily, though he admitted things became a lot more clear once the Dolphins' hoops season came to a close and his son's baseball season got under way.

"I know it's the right decision at this time, but I'm obviously leaving with mixed emotions," said Jones. "I've been coaching basketball for over 20 years, it's just in my blood. I'll miss the practice time with the kids and I'll obviously miss coaching the big pressure games. I mean, if you love to coach you love to coach in those. When 'The Tank's' full and it's rocking, there's nothing like coaching a team to a win in a situation like that.

"I took my time with it, but I didn't want to take too much time because I wanted the school to be able to make the move and get the new guy in here," he added. "I'll support whoever it is 100 percent because I love this school and this community and this program. I feel like a weight's been lifted off, but at the same time I'm sure when basketball season rolls around I'll miss it."

Jones' son, D.J., is currently a junior at Gulf Shores and a pitcher/center fielder on the Dolphins' baseball team. According to Jones, he has already been contacted by several Division I schools and will spend the entire summer traveling the country and playing baseball.

By DEREK BELT
Sports Reporter

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Alabama gulf coast - RV Update: Places, products, clubs, & activities you can enjoy in your RV - Gulf State Park Campground

2006-05-02T03:36:00.000-07:00
Those visiting Gulf Shores, Alabama, should consider staying at one of 468 sites at Gulf State Park Campground. All campsites provide water and electricity, with over half providing sewer hookups. Each has a standing grill and picnic table. The park accommodates 40-foot rigs and slideouts. Some sites are on Middle Lake, while others are wooded. Most offer shade. A naturalist conducts programs year-round. At the activity building, campers find aerobics, crafts, and weekly church services, plus a camp store and laundromat. Eleven shower houses are scattered throughout the campground. The park's hotel has a lounge. Its restaurant serves three meals a day, has seasonal luaus with hula girls on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a seafood buffet Saturday evenings. Other park facilities include an 825-foot dock extending into the Gulf, freshwater lake fishing, 18-hole golf course, boat launch, hiking trails, and picnic areas. Pets are allowed on leash. Rates range from $14 to $25, depending on the site. For information, call (251) 948-6353.

...The Red Sea Riviera has something for everyone

2006-05-02T03:01:00.000-07:00
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Hurghada offers a wide variety of international cuisine and is famous for its excellent fish restaurants. During the night, this city comes alive with bustling bars, restaurants and clubs, and attracts a younger clientele, although revelers of all ages certainly won't feel out of place. El Gouna Built on small islands and surrounded by lagoons and the Red Sea ,, El Gouna is a complete holiday destination offering all the amenities required for a relaxing holiday. This resort city offers great shopping, health treatments, and an excellent selection of restaurants, bars, clubs, beautiful beaches and uninhabited islands -- all within a 30-minute drive north of Hurghada.

In El Gouna, you can enjoy an unparalleled underwater paradise, travel through the desert, or take a hot-air balloon to experience some of the most beautiful scenery Egypt has to offer. It also has beautiful reefs with a good combination of hard and soft corals.

The city has three beautiful Red Sea beaches: Mangroovy, Zeytoona and Marina Beach. Although they do not have much underwater vegetation, these beaches are very beautiful, and swimming in them is a great experience. El Quseir To the south of Hurghada lies El Quesir --a remote, un-commercialised coastal resort. Treasured for its peaceful location, it has become popular among holiday makers keen to experience the historical charm of Egypt yet relish in its slow pace. Inhabited since ancient times, this resort was an important commercial port in Roman times and later again as part of the spice route from India to Britain. It was also an important stopover in the pilgrimage from Egypt to Mecca. The ancient port still remains north of the town, and an Ottoman fort has also been recently restored.

Nuweiba Nuweiba is a perfect destination for people looking for a quiet resort away from the main tourist areas. It is a small, peaceful area, situated on the shores of the Red Sea , giving easy access to the whole length of the Sinai coastline. This resort offers wonderful golden sandy secluded beaches and coves, stunning mountain scenery and a relaxed way of life. Nuweiba is an ideal place to learn to dive - with beautiful coral reefs and gardens teeming with life. The area is a haven for photographers as the cerulean waters allow them to focus on the smaller species such as multi-coloured nudibranches. If you are lucky, you may encounter one of the several types of seahorse varieties when diving. Taba and Taba Heights

Overlooking Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia, Taba is a paradise for active holidaymakers and outdoor types who enjoy the diving, surfing, sailing and catamarans, as well as walking or motorbike tours in the mountains. Recently, this city has experienced a growth spurt on its coastline and is now home to a number of leading hotel chains that have built luxurious resort hotels around a new luxurious resort called Taba Heights , which is 15km south of the border. Once completed, Taba Heights is expected to have 20 hotels, an 18-hole US Championship level golf course, a casino, a marina, as well as a full range of activities and water sports.

Darren Panto sales & marketing Peltours - the UK's leading tour operator to Egypt and the Red Sea. For more information on Taba Heights and the major resorts of the area visit http://www.peltours.com/tabaheights/index.html Alternatively, for a full and comprehensive Egypt holiday search visit http://www.peltours.com.

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The Red Sea Riviera has something for everyone...

2006-05-02T02:59:00.000-07:00
Famous for its endless sandy beaches, scenic mountains and rich coral reefs, the Red Sea Riviera provides an exquisite destination for an unforgettable holiday.

Located on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, Africa, the Red Sea Riviera consists of a number of resort cities lying on the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and along the eastern shore of mainland Egypt, south of the Gulf of Suez. Choose from any of the listed popular destinations and enjoy your vacation with Pel Tours this season! Sharm El-Sheikh Nestled between the calm shores of the Red Sea and the national park of Ras Mohammed, Sharm el-Sheikh is the jewel of the Sinai Peninsula. For many visitors, the most striking scenery of this region is underwater in the colourful reefs encircling the peninsula. At this most extraordinary diving destination, you can snorkel or dive into an underwater playground of shipwrecks, coral gardens and azure-blue waters.

A multiplicity of hotels, restaurants, shops and bars lend Sharm El-Sheikh a cosmopolitan character. Naama Bay, with its hotels and diving centres, is the main tourist spot, while the resorts of Ras Um Sid, Ras Nasrani, Sharks Bay and Nabq Bay are also popular. Local excursions include diving courses and trips, desert safaris, and trips to Mount Sinai and the St Catherine's Monastery.

Sharm El-Sheikh also offers great diving trips at the Ras Mohammed National Marine Park, which offers spectacular views of marine life and corals as well as shipwrecks for divers of all standards. Dahab Dahab, the Arabic word for gold, truly describes its sun-bathed beaches, which are a combination of soft sand, gorgeous blue water, and a luxuriant strip of palm trees spread all over. Almost 5 miles from town is the famous diving centre - Blue Hole. Towards the Israeli border is the Island of Coral, where the crusaders built a fort and the remains of which can still be seen.

Dahab has grown from a bustling village to an ideal retreat for holidaymakers and divers, wanting to escape from the chaos of everyday life. A 90-minute drive north of Sharm El-Sheikh, this holiday destination is an ideal resort for beginners and advanced divers, providing both shores and boat diving.

Assalah, the most developed part of Dahab, is an assortment of palm trees, campgrounds, shops, hotels, bars, and restaurants that lie along the shore of Ghazala Bay. This Bedouin village has a distinctly bohemian feel, and has some of the most spectacular, unspoiled and pristine dive sites off the Sinai peninsula. Hurghada

One of Egypt's foremost resorts, Hurghada has some of the finest underwater corals in the world surrounding the shoreline, making the area a haven for divers and holidaymakers alike. Diving in Hurghada is an excellent experience, and it is an ideal location for advanced divers and those wishing to further their technical diving skills. From tiny nudibranchs to giant whale sharks, this area has it all for a perfect Red Sea diving holiday: hard and soft coral, turtles and dolphins, mantas and moray eels, napoleons and tuna, and much more, including the wreck graveyard at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas. Other activities include para-sailing, viewing the multi-coloured sea life from glass bottom boats, and deep-sea fishing.

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Alabama gulf coast - RV Update: Places, products, clubs, & activities you can enjoy in your RV - Gulf State Park Campground

2006-05-01T22:39:00.000-07:00
Those visiting Gulf Shores, Alabama, should consider staying at one of 468 sites at Gulf State Park Campground. All campsites provide water and electricity, with over half providing sewer hookups. Each has a standing grill and picnic table. The park accommodates 40-foot rigs and slideouts. Some sites are on Middle Lake, while others are wooded. Most offer shade. A naturalist conducts programs year-round. At the activity building, campers find aerobics, crafts, and weekly church services, plus a camp store and laundromat. Eleven shower houses are scattered throughout the campground. The park's hotel has a lounge. Its restaurant serves three meals a day, has seasonal luaus with hula girls on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a seafood buffet Saturday evenings. Other park facilities include an 825-foot dock extending into the Gulf, freshwater lake fishing, 18-hole golf course, boat launch, hiking trails, and picnic areas. Pets are allowed on leash. Rates range from $14 to $25, depending on the site. For information, call (251) 948-6353.

Gulf breezes: discover the coastal playgrounds of Mississippi and Alabama

2006-05-01T22:33:00.000-07:00
TO ESCAPE THE SUMMER CITY heat and yellow fever epidemics in the 1800s, New Orleanians and Mobilians flocked to the breezy Gulf Coast. Today they're still coming to the shores of Mississippi and Alabama, along with vacationers from everywhere in the USA.

Thirteen casinos (and more to come) with their high-rise hotels have transformed Mississippi's Gulf Coast into a year-round Las Vegas of the South. Aside from round-the-clock gaming and fresh seafood served at mega-buffets, several casinos are destinations in themselves. The Beau Rivage in Biloxi, for example, pampers guests with spa treatments, a boutique shopping mall, and star entertainment. Work progresses on the Beau Rivage's Fallen Oak golf course, built amid pecan orchards and live oaks adjacent to the DeSoto National Forest. When finished, it will join more than 20 courses along the Mississippi coast.

The sidewalks of Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian, east of Biloxi, invite strolling past classic Gulf cottages, galleries, and restaurants where everyone seems to know everyone. This smalltown neighborliness extends to Long Beach, where an enormous live oak was only a sapling when Columbus discovered America. Legend says that those who stand beneath the shade of the Friendship Oak (its branches spread over 151 feet) will remain friends for life. Near Bay St. Louis, the John C. Stennis Space Center offers free tours. Shuttle vans depart from the Mississippi Welcome Center at I-10 near Louisiana's state line.

Nesting seabirds shelter amid dunes along Mississippi's 26-mile-long, manmade beach. Kiosks rent beach buggies, umbrellas, chairs, and Hobie-cat sailboats. In Gulfport a new community sail training school is being built next to the Ship Island ferry. The school is part of the Mississippi Sound Historical Museum, which opened last year.

Gulfport's Lynn Meadows Discovery Center--three stories of educational challenges and activities--is a hit with hyperactive youngsters. Another family favorite is the Marine Life Oceanarium next to Gulfport's Banana Port and Grand Casino, where dolphins splash front-row viewers during performances.

- C. Thornton

...Best Florida Beach Vacations

2006-05-01T09:49:00.000-07:00
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Cocoa Beach Cocoa Beach has beautiful sandy beaches and a great pier that is available for fishing, dining & dancing. There is a large promenade leading to the beach with an observation deck overlooking the ocean, perfect for romantic walks. While you're on the Space Coast you can visit the Kennedy Space Center, go deep-sea fishing, surf, windsurf, rent a jet ski, golf our take a take a river tour. At night there is lots of nightlife and great dining for you to enjoy.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Relaxing

New Smyrna Beach New Smyrna Beach is a laid-back beach town without the crowds, noise or pollution, which gives visitors a relaxing beach experience. Although the northern beach is accessible to cars, the majority is traffic free, allowing for peaceful sunbathing and strolls along the beach. New Smyrna has a small town feel in its architecture and atmosphere. There are no high-rises along the beach, only low-rise buildings and these accommodations range from bed and breakfast inns, family-size condominiums or oceanfront motels.

Sanibel Island Sanibel Island is one of the unique barrier islands of the world, having an east-west orientation when most islands are north south. This gives the island great sandy beaches with plenty of shells. Check out Bowman's Beach for peach and quiet, you won't find any hotels here. You can park and walk over a bridge to secluded white beach. There are barbecue grills in the area so it is a great spot to have a picnic and enjoy the beach.

Punta Gorda Punta Gorda is located about 30 miles north of Fort Myers. There is plenty of waterfront in this town, and a very nice riverfront beach area. Here you can enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking and walking in the woods, it is a great place to get away from the crowds. The town of Punta Gorda has street art, water views and interesting murals that enrich the historic downtown district that also has cobblestone streets and gaslights, and many fine shops and restaurants.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Golf

Sarasota Sarasota is a sophisticated resort town near the Gulf of Mexico. For beach lovers there is Sarasota's 35 miles of fine, pure, sparkling white sand beach to enjoy. As far as golf is concerned there are 32 golf courses in the Sarasota area and almost 20 more if you include the surrounding cities of Bradenton and Venice. You will find one for every level of ability available for your golfing pleasure.

Jacksonville Jacksonville has twenty miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches and lots of nearby state parks to explore. You will find lots of things to do and lots of beaches to explore in Jacksonville. For golfers there are over 25 golf courses in the area. Several championship golf courses are located nearby; many of which are ranked among the top in the country offering challenges for players of every skill level, ranging from top ocean side resorts to popular public courses.

Naples Naples, located on a stretch of southwest Florida that is not bordered by barrier islands, has seven miles of silky, white sand beach that overlooks the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There is plenty of shopping and dining in the area once the sun goes down beachfront. There are also dozens of excellent golf courses in the area. From May through October, the golf courses are not as crowded and you can pick your tee time and be assured of a leisurely round. Also, many private courses are open to the public during these months.

This is only a sampling of some of the great beaches located along the shores of Florida. There are many more that can fill your Florida beach vacation needs year round.

Jolana Klobouk is a former travel agent who has traveled extensively for work and vacations with her family. For more travel information, visit her travel websites: http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com

Best Florida Beach Vacations...

2006-05-01T09:43:00.000-07:00
Why choose a beach vacation in Florida? One good reason is because wherever you go in Florida, you're never more than 60 miles from the beach!

Florida is also easy to get to, the temperature is pleasurable year round, it offers good value for your money and that's just for starters. So whether you are looking for a family vacation, a romantic vacation, a relaxing vacation or getting in some golf time, there is a Florida beach vacation area for you.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Families

Siesta Public Beach Siesta Public Beach in Sarasota makes a great family beach because of its gradual slopes, shallow waters, lifeguards on duty, fine white sand and tranquil waters. It has won awards for best beach based on sand, water quality and facilities. The beach facilities include picnic areas, rest rooms, concession stands, playground, trails, and tennis and volleyball courts. If you enjoy collecting shells, try Turtle Beach, at the south end of the island.

Tampa Bay Area - St. Petes/Clearwater Located on the West Coast of Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico, the Tampa Bay area is a waterfront heaven! Miles and miles of white sandy beaches along the Gulf Coast offer unlimited options for a fun and relaxing vacation. When you need a break from the surf and sand, there are plenty of nearby activities to keep the kids amused including the Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Lowry Park Zoo.

Daytona With twenty-three miles of sparkling white sandy beaches and beautiful blue-green waters there is no shortage of beach fun for whole family. The beach is up to 500 feet wide at low tide and is perfect for castle building, cycling, jogging, fishing or just relaxing in the sun. The Atlantic Ocean is great for swimming, especially during the spring and summer when water temperatures range from 74 to 80 degrees. And you are only an hour's drive from Orlando if you are so inclined.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Romance

Miami Beach A Miami romantic vacation has everything from relaxing on the beach by day and dancing by night. There are lots of art deco and interesting hotels on South Beach. A short drive west will bring you to the Everglades, where you can take a Scenic Boat Tour and see plenty of wildlife, including alligators. You can shop at the ritzy Bal Harbor shops, and at night choose from plenty of dance clubs or mellow jazz bars and restaurants.

Marco Island Marco Island is located at the southern tip of Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast at the western entrance to Everglades National Park. The island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and natural wilderness on the other. There are miles of white-sand beaches, lavish real estate, shopping, dining, nightlife, attractions and lots of outdoor activities. Your recreation choices include swimming, sunbathing fishing, golf, tennis, and more. Enjoy the subtropical ambience that exists in Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast.

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...Alabama Gulf shores

2006-05-01T08:31:00.000-07:00
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At this point in its landscape transition, the Alabama Gulf Shores can't make up its mind if it's a city or country, ritzy high-rise living or earthy backwater adobes leaning on stilts, D.C. snobby or don-home funky, Jaguar flashy or muddy backcountry four-wheel shift, sushi-mooshy or the classic Gulf Shore plate of fried snapper, hush puppies, slaw and cheese grits.

Driving the Alabama Gulf Shore, a captivating 32-mile stretch on Highway 180 along the Gulf from Orange Beach near the Florida border to historic Fort Morgan at the tip of the peninsula, and the mouth of Mobile Bay, it's easy to see the changing landscape. The contrasts are particularly keen on the 22-- mile section of Fort Morgan Road and Highway 180 West, bordered on one side by the Gulf of Mexico, and on the other by Mobile Bay.

by Carroll, Richard

Alabama Gulf shores

2006-05-01T07:55:00.000-07:00
BOATING, BIRDING AND BEACH LIFE GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Alabama Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, also known as Alabama's Gulf Coast, tucked away at the southernmost tip of Alabama, 50 miles southeast of Mobile and 35 miles west of Pensacola, Florida, with its long stretched of misty white beaches, imposing sand dunes churned by a feathery wake of hungry grills, enchanting sunsets and equally magnificent backwaters safe from the capricious waters of the Gulf, is experiencing an earth shaking transition. Environmentalists are alarmed, developers delighted and long-time residents dismayed. They say the old, relaxed, southern lifestyle of the Alabama Gulf Shores is fast disappearing, and only flitting memories remain. But the extraordinary mix of attractions makes this region one of Alabama's most popular destinations with an emphasis on family fun. The old southern lifestyle, both friendly and elegant, is evident at every bend of the beach, and is a special travel bonus.

Intrepid RVers, always on the cutting edge of travel, and often the firt to truly enjoy an undeveloped region, have long been delighted with the charms of the Alabama Gulf Shores. Ever since the first road was cut through the trees, they have been drawn here, as are thousands of new visitors who are pulled in by the snazzy beachside resorts, meandering golf courses and miles of sandy beaches.

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3 Amazing Tips To Successfully Persuade Anyone

2006-04-28T21:59:00.000-07:00
Read this.

See?

I've 'persuaded' you to read.

Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important
abilities to possess to get anything you want in life.

Why?

We need the support and cooperation of other people to help
us in reaching our goals. The saying "No man is an island" is
an undeniable truth.

Here are some 3 hot tips to effectively influence and persuade
anyone you desire.

1) Enter their world.

You must understand the situation according to their point of
view. Set aside your personal interests and concentrate on them.

Just pretend that if you are them, what would you do? What
would be your opinion? Then take the appropriate action that
would be beneficial to them.

Copy them. Observe how they act, how they speak, and how
they think. If they rub their forehead while they think,
act like them. If they speak at a clear and slow pace, try
to do the same thing. This is called mirroring.

In due time, the people you're mirroring will subconsciously
feel more comfortable with you. It's as if they see
themselves in you.

However, you must proceed with caution. Do not let them be
aware that you are copying them. They might interpret it as
mockery and you'll just get into trouble.

3) Provide them with compelling evidence.

Explain to them how your ideas or suggestions could be the
most effective techniques to implement. Show them undeniable
proof that you have the best product by way of testimonials,
before and after scenarios, and detailed comparisons against
your competitors. Just make sure that all your claims are
true and verifiable. Always maintain a good reputation.

4) Meet their existing needs and desires.

People are self-centered. They are initially concerned with
their own well-being before others. If you can prove that
your proposal will provide more advantageous benefits to them
than to your own, then they will probably accept it.

If you could focus more on their interests, desires, needs,
and expectations, then you would satisfy their cravings for
attention. Moreover, it would show that you really care
about them. Mutual trust and respect would be established.

This is the most important thing to remember when persuading
anyone. No matter how close you are to becoming like them or
how overwhelming your evidence is, if it does not satisfy the
"What's In It For Me?" test, your persuasion efforts will not
produce satisfactory results. Always bear in mind how they
will benefit from your actions.

Warmest regards,

Patric Chan
CEO, eSuccessMastery.com

*How To Become Successful By Spending 15 Minutes A Day?*
Click Here To Find Out.

==

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motivation

it's been a while since I wrote

2006-04-28T21:56:00.000-07:00
It's been a while since I wrote to
you, hasn't it?

The main reason is because I was
away traveling in Australia for the past
10 days for business.

But I'll promise to write to you again
when all of the dust is settled. Ton's of
workload is sitting on my computer
right now.

The other long-term reason is that
I've been busy reinventing and remodeling
www.esuccessmastery.com to provide more
valuable content. At the same time, I'll
be developing products to help you to
become successful.

From the next email onwards, you'll not
be receiving emails with the subject
"esuccessmastery" anymore, but
starting with the initials "YCDI".

"YCDI" is a short form for You "Chan
Do" It Personal Achievement System.

In a nutshell, a lot of good stuff is
coming to you.

By the way, if you have not visited
Australia before, do consider to go
there for a vacation. It's a beautiful
and clean place. I like it. People there
are also very warm and friendly. I think
you might like it as well.

I'll write to you again soon.

Warm regards,

Patric Chan
Founder of The "CHAN DO"
Personal Achievement System

--
motivation