Developers of the multi-million dollar Gulf Highlands and Beach Club West resorts condominiums will find out in January whether their building proposals will be accepted.
At issue is the question of building in what is considered critical habitat for the endangered Alabama beach mouse. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced this week that it was preparing a ruling that could permit the developments to proceed.
If approved, the developers will be able to develop the properties without legal liaibility for incidental damages to the endangered beach mouse or its habitat.
It's official. The record swordfish caught off the Alabama Gulf Coast is officially a record. Del Sawyer's 448-pound swordfish surpasses the previous record swordfish by nearly 100 pounds. The previous record had been only 1 year old.
The trophy swordfish was caught 100 miles due south of Mobile and about 50 miles west of the edge of the DeSoto Canyon. The DeSoto Canyou is a geologic formation which forms the continental shelf for Mississippi, Alabama and West Florida.
A lot of people don't know that we have swordfish here in the gulf. It used to be that nobody went fishing for them. People don't realize it, but you could catch a swordfish every single night, year round.
We have mentioned this here before. These little beach mice are endangered. The Government and the Gulf Coast states are working together to ensure key habitat is not disturbed so that the species can come back.
View articles related to the plight of the Beach Mouse.
Habitat set up for beach mouse
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on Thursday published a final ruling that will designate nearly 6,200 acres along Alabama and Florida Panhandle beaches as critical habitat for three endangered beach mouse species.
Joint efforts by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel and the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources to promote tourism have resulted in a 14% growth in Alabama tourism this year.
We should also give some credit to Mother Nature for keeping the storms away from the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Alabama tourism grows more than $1 billion
49,000 workers added to industry over 4 yearsAlabama's tourism industry grew by 14 percent, or more than $1 billion, during the fiscal year that ended October 1, Gov. Bob Riley said Wednesday.
The growth caps a four-year increase of 33 percent in spending by travelers in the state.
Gulf Shores is considering a ban on smoking in public places. They've taken the usual step of asking restaurateurs and bar owners what they think about it.
The standard answer from these establishments is a general concern that people will take their business to more smoker-friendly communities. Business will be lost.
What they will ultimately find is that the die-hard smokers will be replaced by non-smoking people who would not have otherwise visited their establishment. Insurance and upkeep costs decrease. Overall, the impact is increased profitability due to level, and even sometimes increased revenue, and lower costs to do business.
It's been over two years since Ivan rumbled through and rendered the Gulf State Park Hotel and Convention Center uninhabitable. Now that the insurance matters are finally settled, the building will finally be demolished. Its remains will be hauled off shore and deposited on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico where the resort will become a resort of sorts for the fishes.
Resort to sleep with the fishes
GULF SHORES -- After 30 years of hosting tourists at one of Alabama's most popular state parks, and two years of decaying as a testament to the strength of Hurricane Ivan, the Gulf State Park Hotel and Convention Center will find new purpose in attracting fish.