Destin Florida News

Get Low Fares for Okaloosa Regional Airport

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Okaloosa Regional Airport now has a watch dog on their website – an airfare watch dog. This added feature continuously searches the web for the lowest airfares from the Okaloosa Regional Airport to many destinations across the country. “The airlines regularly adjust their airfares throughout the day due to competition and often without advertising them. This feature allows you to see reduced fares to select destinations and dispels perceptions that other airports are always cheaper than VPS”, noted Airports Director, Greg Donovan.

Once you see a destination that interests you simply click on it. You will be taken to the airfare watchdog website where you can see the specific data on the flight such as how many advanced booking days are required or if there are specific days of travel. If you don’t see a flight that interests you, don’t get discouraged. Airfarewatchdog.com works hard to assure the most up to date and lowest fares are posted.

Please remember, unless otherwise noted, the fares listed do not include all taxes and fees, which are calculated when you confirm your reservation. Airfares can be changed by an airline up to three times a day during the week, and once on weekends. So sometimes a fare that is listed may have changed between the time you saw it and the time you tried to book it.

Visit www.flyvps.com today to see your low airfare postings from the Okaloosa Regional Airport (ORA). ORA passengers are up over six percent for the year, compared to Pensacola which was up just over two percent, and March alone showed increases of over three percent. For more information, contact 850-651-7160.

Destin Hot Spot: Fat Clemenza's

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you haven't had the chance to visit Destin's new favorite Italian "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant, Fat Clemenza's, stop everything you're doing and go right now!

The first time I ate was by recommendation of my parents, who said the food was as good or better than our favorite little spot back in Miami. Although I didn't believe them at first, my wife and I ate their two nights later.

Since our first time eating at Fat Clemenza's, we have come back nearly twice a week to enjoy what is by far the best "real" Italian food along the Emerald Coast. There's a lot of "plastic Italian" restaurants in the area, but if you're looking for a real New York or Chicago-style Italian spot, this is the place for you.

To start, their brick-oven pizza is as good as any I've had in Brooklyn or Little Italy. The quality of the mozzerella and pepperoni is fabulous. Their daily dinner specials are some of our favorite dishes now and their everyday entrees are fantastic.

For dinner, you can expect to pay between $12-20 for your entree. Also a great place for lunch, featuring many great sandwiches for $6-8 and rarely busy during lunch time.

So if you haven't already, go down to Fat Clemenza's for dinner. But get there early! It's packed every night (which means it's good). Enjoy the fabulous Italian couisine and the friendly owner, Dominique, who'll most likely visit your table.

Destin Plays Host to Sizzlin' Summer Events

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Destin and the Beaches of South Walton have planned the best summer yet! Many new venues and talents grace our events calendar this season.

Experience why Southern Living readers voted Destin favorite family vacation destination and of course... best beaches in the South.

The extremely popular cobia tournaments begin in April. At least 15,000 cobia fanatics hit Destin’s fair waters searching for that ‘monster’ fish. Marlin and tuna trips are also a summer favorite. Destin’s world famous and unprecedented charter boat fleet heads 150 miles offshore. This is definitely not for the squeamish or weak of heart!

ArtsQuest kicks off May 4-11 for a weeklong extravaganza of art, fashion, and beach culture. Sunset celebrations on Grayton Beach, champagne shopping tours along beautiful 30-A and South Walton County, private-preview galas at Baytowne Wharf and a couture fashion show at Santa Rosa Beach Club are amongst the highlights.

Relative newcomer to the area -- Sinfonia enhances our region’s cultural vitality. Enriching and expanding the traditional orchestra experience through unique artistic disciplines and collaborations, Sinfonia offers an array of talent. Classical masters and creative geniuses will harmonize for a sophisticated yet modern summer calendar.

Destin and the Beaches of South Walton are also home to some of the most beautiful Golf courses you’ll find. Winding through sand dunes and palm trees, and enjoying 343 sunny days a year, each season gets better and better. Tournaments for all ages and handicaps are scheduled for the summer season. Check out the Destin Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament on April 23 at Indian Bayou Golf Club or the Harbor Docks caddy shack classic in August.

Come home to Destin this summer season and experience more than just the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Big Names Coming to Bigger Destin Commons

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The future of one of Destin’s most popular retail hubs took shape Thursday night. Executives from Destin Commons appeared before the Okaloosa County Planning Commission to seek approval for its second phase, expected to break ground this spring. Approval was granted by the commission in less than 20 minutes and recommendations on the development were forwarded to the County Commission which will have final say in issuing the project’s development order.

The second phase of the Commons will see the popular outdoor shopping mall moving southwest toward the intersection of U.S. 98 and Danny Wuerffel Way. Plans include the construction of more than 160,000 square feet of additional retail and restaurant space, a four-story parking garage and a six-story building that will house a 192-room hotel and convention space.

Darin Grigg, general manager of Destin Commons, said the second phase of the project will be anchored by the hotel and four “high profile” restaurants. Grigg said the names of the restaurants and the hotelier could not be released and added that it could be as late as May before a tenant list for the second phase is released.

He was able to confirm that they were “big names.” “This is going to be a thrill for all of us to see this take off. It’s going to be a really spectacular presentation,” he said.

The beginning of the expansion will be the end of the road for at least one Commons mainstay. During a quasi-judicial hearing for the second phase of HarborWalk Village Monday night, Legendary CEO Peter Bos told the Destin City Council that the Destin Commons clock tower would soon be demolished as the shopping center prepared to begin moving dirt for it’s second phase.

Legendary and Aventura, Fla.-based Turnberry Associates co-developed Destin Commons and opened the shopping center in 2003. Since that time, the Commons has become one of Destin’s most popular destinations and last year the shopping center saw more than 11 million visitors, Bos said at the hearing. When adjusted for employees and other regular visitors, traffic at the Commons in 2007 was between 6 and 7 million.

If approved by the county commission, construction is expected to begin this spring and Grigg said a large portion of the shopping center’s southernmost parking lots will be permanently closed, bringing into use the shopping center’s brand new multi-deck parking garage which opened late last year.

Grigg said Phase Two is expected to be completed in Fall 2009.

Destin Captains Are Happy to Keep Their Snapper Season

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A most unusual sight could be seen Thursday afternoon in Panama City Beach — fishermen giving state regulators a standing ovation.

Such was the scene at the end of a nine-hour meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Board of Commissioners Thursday at the Bay Point Marriott. Regulators discussed whether the state would follow the lead of the federal government and clamp down on red snapper in its waters.

The FWC board heard hours of public testimony from area elected officials — including Destin City Councilors Dewey Destin and Capt. Kelly Windes and Destin Mayor Craig Barker, who read a resolution passed by the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners and a letter of his own — and gaggles of fishermen. It then voted unanimously to uphold the current red snapper season (April 15 - Oct. 31) in the nine nautical miles under its jurisdiction.

The conference room was packed to the rafters with captains from Panama City, Appalachicola, Mexico Beach, Pensacola and a large contingent, numbering more than 50, from Destin. All had made the trek to Panama City Beach to speak their piece and urge the sevenmember commission not to make a move that they feared could be the beginning of the end for their generations-old fishing industry.

When called upon to speak, Capt. Brad Biggers of Destin summed up what was on the line for all those in the room who made their living from the sea. “On behalf of me, my wife, my kids and my grand kids, keep us in the Gulf. Let us fish, Let us have our season,” Biggers said, drawing a large round of applause.

The state of Florida, many of the captains said, would be foolish to follow the lead of the federal government, who they believed based their management policies on data that was wildly inaccurate. The data suggests that the red snapper fishery is overfished and the only way to replenish it would be through drastic cutbacks in the total allowable catch and a shorter season for both the recreational and commercial sectors. Not so, said many of the fishermen who testified.

“The red snapper fishery is as strong as it’s been in 25 years,” said Capt. Kelly Windes, a remark that drew thunderous applause from the crowd of more than 200. Most believed that the fishery needed accurate data and not the computer modeling the National Marine Fisheries Service relied on in creating management plans. “We want our fish counted,we want logbooks, we want the truth to come out, whatever that is,” said Capt. Mike Eller.

Some members of the commission, it appeared, had similar contempt for the data that many characterized as being “fatally flawed.” “I’ve questioned the federal data from day one,” said commissioner Kathy Barco. “Just because we’ve been doing it one way for 20 years doesn’t mean that we can’t do it a different way and get it right,” said commission chairman Rodney Barreto. “We’ve gotta get this data done right.”

Captains had to make a large concession to keep their season. The commission voted to cut the bag limit from four fish to two and eliminated the bag limit for captain and crew aboard for-hire vessels. The new regulations go into effect on April 1.

“I don’t want to, but I can live with two fish, I can’t live with a shorter season,” said Capt. George Eller. Though filled with passionate and sometimes pointed testimony, the meeting lacked the tension and downright disdain that was palpable when the captains made their case before federal regulators in Point Clear, Ala., last year.

“I’d like to thank you all for taking the time to come here today. I’m proud of the fact that we came to you. It was important for us to hear what you had to say, and I’m proud of the level of professionalism shown by everyone in this room. What it shows me is that we made the right decision by coming here,” Barreto said.

The FWC’s decision Thursday could also affect the red snapper season in federal waters. National Marine Fisheries Service officials have made it known that if Florida didn’t make their regulations consistent with theirs that harsher regulations may be necessary to get the stock to mandated levels by 2010. NMFS is required by the Magnuson Stevens Act to end overfishing of all species by 2010.

Business and community leaders declare it ‘The Beach’

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After 13 months of planning, the previously unknown Coastal Vision 3000 Committee unveiled a plan to unify and strengthen the identity of Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. Committee chairman Buddy Runnels presented the committee’s proposal for “The Beach” at the Feb. 6 Walton Area Chamber’s Power of Business luncheon at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

Runnels is founder and chairman of the board of Sterling Companies and Cornerstone Development. Last year, he said, business leaders met to try to attract more airlines to this area. Airlines operators indicated this is a fractured area, with no strong identity, therefore it was hard to market the communities to travelers.

“Southwest Airlines wanted something with 20 letters or less for its billboard advertising and the commercials with ding! … ,” Runnels said. The airlines also said with so many different communities and leaders, it was hard to who the decision maker was at each entity.

Members of the business community decided it was time to join forces, and the result is Coastal Vision 3000.

“Coastal Vision 3000 is an unprecedented effort to bring together business leaders from Northwest Florida coastal counties to grow our market to everyone’s benefit,” Runnels said. “For too long, we’ve all tried to go it alone. By working together, we will be able to forge a strong regional identity and of Northwest Florida’s wonderful beach destinations. “We are joining together to accomplish common objectives that we could never accomplish alone,” he said.

Members of the business community, identified as founders and stewards, have contributed money to fund the program.

At the conclusion of the presentation, individuals and business owners were encouraged to become involved by making contributions ranging from $500 to $15,000.

“How does it define us?” Bea Reynolds, owner of Bea’s Interiors, in South Walton, asked. ”There are a lot of beaches in Florida, just saying ‘The Beach’ could mean Daytona Beach or Miami Beach.”

Lane Rees, a Walton County resident and owner of Human Resource Solutions also in South Walton and a former Walton County commissioner, said he had questions about the proposal, but his initial reaction was to the color chosen. The logo “The Beach” is white on an orange background.

“Our beaches aren’t orange,” Rees said.

Bay County Airport & Industrial District Completes $312 Million Package

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Panama City – Bay County International Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) announced that documents were finalized today that complete the Airport Authority’s $312 million financial package for the new airport in western Bay County. With the financing complete, the airport now holds all permits, approvals and funding to start construction, which would have begun this week but for the temporary stay recently issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Court in New York.

In completing its financial package for relocation, the Airport Authority has received payment of $56.5 million in escrow for the sale of the current airport site to a subsidiary of Leucadia National Corporation. In addition to the $56.5 million, the transaction also calls for transfer fees over a 90 year period from the sale of future properties developed on the current airport site. The current airport is on approximately 700 acres adjacent to North Bay in Panama City.
With the financing package complete and all permits in hand, the Airport Authority has approved, but not issued, a full and unrestricted "Notice to Proceed" to general contractor Phoenix Construction. However a federal court in New York City granted an emergency stay halting construction to Friends of PFN, a group of local general aviation pilots who oppose the relocation of the airport.

The Airport Authority and the Federal Aviation Administration filed emergency motions earlier this week asking the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Court in New York to vacate the stay or hold a hearing on the merits of the case.

The stay sought by the recreational pilots groups unless lifted will consume at least one month prior to the requested hearing. According to the Airport Authority’s counter-motion filed with the court, it will cost a minimum of $1.2 million to grant the delay in the hearing.

In its response to Friends of PFN’s motion for a stay halting construction, the Airport Authority told the court:

[Friends of PFN] lacks standing even to pursue this motion. FPFN is not an environmental organization, and lacks any expertise or legitimate interest in the issues presented by this appeal. FPFN basically is a small group of general aviation pilots who do not want the inconvenience of relocating their airplanes to an airport that is further away. FPFN complains that “50 + additional [round trip] driving miles will eliminate the recreational advantages of owning an airplane.”

Putting aside the inaccuracy of this allegation, such recreational inconvenience does not establish the sort of injury protected by either the National Environmental Protection Act or the Airway and Airports Improvement Act, which declares that: “It is the policy of the United States – that the safe operation of the airport and airway system is the highest aviation priority.”

In its response to Friends of PFN’s motion for a stay, the United States Department of Justice on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration argued to the court:

…respondents FAA and Marion C. Blakey (FAA’s administrator) demonstrate that Friends’ emergency stay motion must be denied because Friends have demonstrated no likelihood of success on the merits and the allegation of irreparable harm absent a stay is groundless.

“In considering the relocation of our airport over the past ten years, hundreds of public meetings have been held, and the Airport Authority has received 18 approvals and permits and coordinated input from 22 federal, state and local agencies,” said Bill Cramer, vice chairman of the Airport Authority. “We believe the tremendous regional transportation, economic and environmental benefits resulting from the relocation far outweigh the claims of our opponents. This delay is like grounding the space shuttle at T minus 5 seconds,” said Cramer.

“I want to reassure the public at large, businesses in our region, businesses actively seeking to come to our region, local and state environmental organizations, local construction crews, military leaders at Tyndall AFB and Eglin AFB and others who share our optimism for the future, that the Airport Authority is doing everything possible to resolve the issues pending in New York so that we can begin construction”, said Cramer.

The airport is to be built in the 75,000-acre West Bay Area Sector on 1,300 acres of a 4,000-acre site being donated to the Airport Authority by The St. Joe Company.

Once airport construction begins, work will also begin on an unprecedented environmental preservation effort designed to help protect the entire West Bay watershed, an area considered one of Florida’s environmental jewels. Relocation of the airport triggers the creation of the West Bay Preservation Area, a conservation area that will permanently protect approximately 40,000 acres around West Bay, including 33 miles of undeveloped shoreline and an additional 44 miles of creeks and tributaries. Without the airport relocation, the West Bay Preservation Area and the West Bay Sector Plan both evaporate.
About the Relocated Panama City – Bay County International Airport
The Panama City – Bay County International Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) is nearing completion of a ten-year process to relocate the Panama City – Bay County airport. The relocated airport is expected to be the first new airport built since September 11, 2001.

In late 1980s the Airport Authority began an effort to address significant deficiencies at the existing airport, including non-standard runway safety areas. When local environmentalists and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection objected to extending the existing runway system into Goose Bayou, a particularly environmentally sensitive part of St. Andrews Bay, the Airport Authority began considering relocating the airport.
After working with the FAA to complete a feasibility study in 2000 and a site selection study in 2001, the Airport Authority identified a new site for the airport in northwestern Bay County (West Bay) on land owned by The St. Joe Company.

Following the FAA’s selection of the site, the Airport Authority partnered with the State of Florida, Bay County and The St. Joe Company in an innovative planning process authorized by Florida law known as “optional sector permitting and planning.” The process included dozens of public meetings, data gathering, analysis and visioning for the future. The plan was approved by Bay County and the State of Florida in 2002 and detailed specific area plans were also approved in 2003. Its policies will guide future development and conservation of the West Bay area.

One of the most innovative elements of the plan, in addition to the airport and economic development provisions, is the proposed West Bay Preservation Area. The West Bay Preservation Area was designed by local and state environmental leaders to preserve the health and habitat of West Bay forever. This watershed scale plan will preserve approximately 40,000 acres and, when fully implemented, include the provision of habitat corridors, open space and estuary protection.

In 2004 the FAA began preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement considering two-dozen alternatives for addressing the deficiencies at the existing airport. In May 2006, the FAA issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement, identifying relocation to the West Bay Site as its Preferred Alternative. In September 2006, the FAA issued its Record of Decision recommending and approving relocation of the Panama City airport to the proposed site in West Bay.

Simplified, the objective of the West Bay Preservation Area is to maintain West Bay in its present, pristine state forever. Its vision, especially when compared to the development that has occurred on Florida’s other bay front lands, holds the potential to be one of the most significant conservation measures in Florida history. The plan has won statewide praise including the “2007 Promising Practices Award” from the Council for Sustainable Florida this month.
In August 2007, after extensive review, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Section 404 permit, the final permit necessary to begin construction of the airport.

Under the Airport Authority’s current schedule, the new airport is expected to open in 2010.

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties Receives Awards

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We are pleased to announce that Newman-Dailey Resort Properties has won the 2007 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics awarded by the Better Business Bureau Foundation of Northwest Florida for District II.

This award was created by the Better Business Bureau to gain public recognition of businesses and non-profit organizations that maintain a solid commitment to conducting their business practices in an ethical fashion. It attests to the fact that the business insists on exceptionally high standards of behavior in dealing with customers, vendors and employees. Newman-Dailey not only meets these standards, but strives to consistently exceed our customers expectations. Special thanks to Greg Garms for putting together an amazing application portfolio to submit to the BBB for this award. Congratulations and Great Job to everyone at Newman-Dailey.

Newman-Dailey has also recently been named “Best of the Emerald Coast” for its Vacation Rental Services in 2007 by the popular annual ranking co-sponsored by Emerald Coast Magazine and the Destin YMCA. Each year, the organizations name the “Best Of…” in service and product categories ranging from restaurants to dentists. The award is given to the top-rated individual or organization in each category based on the results of an annual local survey. “I am thrilled that our friends and neighbors think so much of us and the services we provide,” said Jeanne Dailey, founder and president of the company. “I know our staff works really hard to be the best at what they do, so it feels great to know that our neighbors in the local community can see this as well.”
Also receiving recognition is Kerbi Ancona, Newman-Dailey Rental Office Manager. Kerbi has received one of the first-ever “Above and Beyond” Hospitality Award from the Walton County Tourist Development Council! Kerbi has been with the Newman-Dailey family for ten years and exemplifies excellence in customer service. Congratulations and thanks to Kerbi for her dedicated service.

Property Manager Lisa Morgan recently won the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Hope Award. A limited number of these awards are given out each year in the state of Florida and recognizes outstanding volunteer contributions in Cancer Control in the area of prevention, early detection, or patient services. The recipients are selected for their exemplary & continuing volunteer service that enhances the quality of life for patients and their families. Lisa has worked with the Relay for Life since 2003 and is the Destin Relay for Life Event Chair for 2008. Way to go, Lisa.

All of us at Newman-Dailey are looking forward to a great 2008 by continuing to provide excellent customer service and staying in touch with our customer’s needs. Each and every one of you is important to us, and we are looking to the future with excitement and anticipation. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Newman-Dailey office if we may be of any assistance or you have any questions. Newman-Dailey is a full-service real estate sales, vacation rental and property management company. Please visit us on our websites, DestinVacation.com, DestinSales.com and DestinManagement.com.

Voted Best in Southeast by Southern Living Readers

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the most celebrated town in Northwest Florida. Welcome to Destin! Located along the panhandle of Florida, Destin is quickly becoming one of the top vacation locations in the world. Once you have walked through our powder-white sand, taken a swim in our emerald-colored waters, and experienced our breath-taking sunsets you will fall in love. It’s to no surprise that the readers of Southern Living voted Destin the best destination in the southeast. .

Destin has a lot more to offer than beautiful beaches and amazing views. We have exceptional accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping. Not to mention an exciting calendar of events all year round. So, when should you book your next dream get-a-way? Take a look and see.

Are you looking for excitement? Then you’re looking for the Destin World Cup Classic. Be a part of the biggest, loudest, and fastest powerboat race on the Gulf of Mexico. This extreme- extended weekend event will include impressive local entertainment, parties, and the best in offshore racing. So, if you’re in town October 29th through November 4th and feel the need for speed, come down to the Race Village at Destin Commons and get ready for action.

Perhaps you’re looking for something a little more relaxed. From September to January, Seaside has started their sunset serenade concert series. Every Tuesday night from 6-8 give ears to the gifted musicians of the Emerald Coast as they lure you into a maze of melody. Bring a blanket, enjoy a glass of wine, and unwind.

Pick up the pace in October when people will come from all over for the 29th annual Seafood Festival. Come down to the Morgan Sports Complex, October 5th through the 7th for some family-oriented fun. You can shop at over 100 arts and crafts booths. Enjoy delicious seafood, live music, and the very popular Kid’s Zone. Voted “Best of the Best” in entertainment, you will not want to miss this event.

So, stop dreaming and start planning to spend your next vacation with us. Take a trip to Destin, Florida and see what the celebration is all about.

Federal, State & Local Leaders Voice Strong Support for Airport Relocation

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Panama City – Bay County International Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) announced today that it had received expressions of strong support for its airport relocation project from federal, state and local officials. The new airport will be located in western Bay County north of County Road 388 and east of State Road 79 on land being donated by The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE).

Earlier the Airport Authority announced the project was entering the construction phase after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued a Section 404 permit for the project.

“We are very gratified our community’s airport relocation project has received support at the federal, state, regional and local level,” said Airport Authority Chairman Joe Tannehill. “The new regional airport has already started to stimulate economic development, ground transportation improvements and environmental preservation in the region. We continue to achieve the milestones established by previous leaders in our region who unselfishly volunteered to help make these accomplishments a reality. We will complete our task of constructing this regional airport amidst an unparalleled preservation area, both of which will benefit our region long beyond the lives of anyone currently living.”

The Airport Authority released the following expressions of support for the project, made in response to issuance of the final permit.

Governor Charlie Crist:
“The project provides an important opportunity for the region to compete for better and more competitive air service, as well as to attract new businesses and jobs to grow and diversify the local economy. The Panama City-Bay County International Airport and Industrial District Project has the potential of becoming a strong economic development platform for Bay County and the Panhandle as long as it continues to be coupled with a real commitment to protecting the natural attributes that make the area so special.”

Former Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham:
"The West Bay Sector Plan is the kind of long-term planning combined with environmental protection that we need more of in Florida. It avoids the piecemeal approach, carefully considers the environment and as a result accomplishes a level of conservation and connectivity of our ecosystem that cannot be accomplished with other planning techniques. Opportunities like the West Bay Sector plan are rare in Florida - what makes this opportunity even more rare is the ability to protect a substantial portion of a nearly self-contained watershed, a watershed that is almost entirely owned by a single landowner. As Governor this was the type of planning that I had hoped that the Growth Management Act would inspire. Perhaps this will serve as an example to Florida's other large landowners - for Florida's sake I hope so."

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson:
“Construction of the new airport will bring many jobs to Northwest Florida and provide a boost to the local economy. It also should lead to more competition and airline choices for travelers – preventing them from having to drive to Jacksonville or other airports in search of cheaper airfares.”

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez:
“With the issuance of the final permit needed from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the effort to relocate the Panama City – Bay County International Airport enters the construction phase, which is good news for everyone living in or traveling to Northwest Florida. The new airport will benefit the entire Panhandle, providing the opportunity to compete for better air service, to attract new businesses and jobs to the region, and it will initiate the creation of the West Bay Preservation Area, a sixty square mile conservation area that will help permanently protect the entire West Bay watershed. The project has been thoroughly reviewed for nearly seven years. It’s a great day for the citizens of Bay County with permitting now complete and construction soon to begin. The FAA, along with dozens of local and state reviewing agencies, has worked tirelessly on this project. We will benefit from their hard work for decades to come. Airport relocation and the West Bay Sector Plan will prove to be a great example of the benefit of large-scale, long-term planning. Bay County’s local leaders, business community and environmentalists have worked together to realize a vision that will benefit the entire region.”

U.S. Representative Allen Boyd:
"After literally months of study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the way is now cleared for construction of the airport. Once complete, the airport will significantly strengthen the region's transportation needs and generate new opportunities for economic development in Bay County. Additionally, the creation of the West Bay Preservation Area-a 41,000-acre conservation area-will provide vital protection to the entire West Bay watershed. The FAA and dozens of local and state agencies have thoroughly considered this issue and recommended a course of action designed to meet our air service needs for many years to come."

State Senator Don Gaetz:
“Today we are in an overpriced, underserved market for competitive air travel. Our region, with all its promise, is now reduced to a remote stop on a branch line. That isn’t just an inconvenience – it holds down our economy and inhibits our quality of life. The new airport will open a skyway between Northwest Florida and the world. We will become a point of origin and a destination for international as well as regional flights. Certainly, our tourism and second home industry will benefit. Even more important, the nation-wide and international reach of the airport will help us compete for new businesses bringing higher paying jobs. The implementation of the West Bay Plan, of which the airport relocation is a critical element, will also result in an unprecedented level of environmental protection. The West Bay Plan calls for protecting sixty square miles around the bay, including thirty-three miles of shoreline and forty-four miles of tributaries and creeks.”

State Representative Jimmy Patronis:
“This airport, combined with implementation of the West Bay Sector Plan, is vitally important to the future of Northwest Florida. First and foremost, it offers the opportunity to attract better, more competitive air service. Airport relocation also initiates the creation of the West Bay Preservation Area. This 41,000-acre conservation area will provide unprecedented environmental protection to the entire West Bay watershed. In the process, we will be creating and preserving one of the most beautiful outdoor recreation areas in the world. It is truly a unique opportunity. The investment that the State of Florida is making in this new facility will be repaid many times over in the decades ahead. The federal government is matching the state’s investment, which means we’re going to get tremendous bang for our buck. Not only is this regional airport going to benefit our local travelers, tourists and business travelers, it will also prove to be an invaluable asset to the military bases in Northwest Florida.”

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos:
"The Florida Department of Transportation is proud to be a partner with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Airport Authority in bringing this needed transportation improvement to the citizens of Northwest Florida. The new airport will provide tremendous benefits by moving people and goods in this growing region of Florida."

Additionally, several regional business organizations voiced strong support for the airport relocation project, including:

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Steve Southerland II:
“This is an historic day for Bay County. With the permitting process now complete, we are one step closer to more competitive air service, greater economic development opportunities, and permanent protection for West Bay. We look forward to groundbreaking this fall – and more importantly, we look forward to the day the airport opens, making Bay County a better place to live, work and play.”

Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce Chairman David Powell:
“With permitting now complete, we are one giant step closer to having an airport that will not only allow us to compete for additional air service, but will also give us the opportunity to attract new businesses and attractions to our area. This is a tremendous economic development opportunity for the entire region, and we intend to work closely with Bay County officials to use this new airport to help expand and diversify our local economy. In addition, the creation of the West Bay Preservation Area, which comes as part of the relocation plan, will provide permanent protection to wetlands and wildlife habitats in the West Bay area. We are very pleased the project is moving to the construction phase and we look forward to groundbreaking.”

Bay County Economic Development Alliance Executive Director Ted Clem:
“Our new airport will greatly improve transportation to and from our region and provide a strong boost to our economic development efforts. There has been tremendous interest in our new airport, and as we move closer to groundbreaking and a construction timeline, companies will start taking a very close look at Bay County and Northwest Florida. Transportation is the lifeblood of so many businesses. Having a greenfield airport puts us in a very strong competitive position to attract new business and new jobs.”

Walton County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Dawn Moliterno:
"The relocation of the Panama City - Bay County airport is very important to Walton County, and we are pleased the Airport Authority has now completed the permitting phase of the project.
Air service in our region has been overpriced and we've been underserved for too long. This new airport will give us a competitive boost and put us in a position to win low cost air service for the region. There will be tremendous economic development opportunities too, and we will have to work hard to expand and diversify our local economy. We are please to see the project move on to the construction phase."

Beaches of South Walton Executive Director Kriss Titus:
"The new airport-and more competitive air service-will be a real boost for tourism across the entire region. Visitors to Beaches of South Walton and the region have been limited in their transportation choices in the past, and we believe the relocation of the airport and added air service will fulfill a critical need, providing travelers direct access to Northwest Florida."

Relocation of the Panama City – Bay County International Airport

The Airport Authority is nearing completion of a ten-year process to relocate the Panama City – Bay County airport. In late 1980s, the Airport Authority began an effort to address significant deficiencies at the existing airport, including non-standard runway safety areas that do not meet FAA safety standards. When local environmentalists and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection objected to extending the existing runway system into Goose Bayou, a particularly environmentally sensitive part of St. Andrews Bay, the Airport Authority began considering relocating the airport.

After working with the FAA to complete a feasibility study in 2000 and a site selection study in 2001, the Airport Authority identified a new site for the airport in northwestern Bay County (West Bay) on land owned by The St. Joe Company.

Following tentative approval of the site by the FAA, the Airport Authority partnered with the State of Florida, Bay County and St. Joe in an innovative planning process authorized by Florida law known as “optional sector planning.” The process included dozens of public meetings, data gathering, analysis and visioning for the future. The plan was approved by Bay County and the State of Florida in 2002 and detailed specific area plans were also approved in 2003. Its policies will guide future development and conservation of the West Bay area.

One of the most innovative elements of the plan, in addition to the airport and economic development provisions, is the proposed West Bay Preservation Area. The West Bay Preservation Area was designed by local and state environmental leaders to preserve the health and habitat of West Bay forever. This watershed scale plan will preserve approximately 41,000 acres and, when fully implemented, will provide for habitat corridors, open space and stream protection.

Simplified, the objective of the West Bay Preservation Area is to maintain West Bay in its present, pristine state forever. Its vision, especially when compared to the development that has occurred on Florida’s other bay front lands, holds the potential to be one of the most significant conservation measures in Florida history. The plan has won statewide praise including the “2007 Promising Practices Award” from the Council for Sustainable Florida.

In 2004, the FAA began preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement considering two-dozen alternatives for addressing the deficiencies at the existing airport. In May 2006 the FAA issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement, identifying relocation to the West Bay Site as its Preferred Alternative. In September 2006, the FAA issued its Record of Decision recommending and approving relocation of the Panama City airport to the proposed site in West Bay. There is currently a judicial challenge to the FAA’s ROD; however, the ROD remains in force.

The Airport Authority has secured the necessary federal and state funding for the project. The sale of the existing airport site will complete the major elements of the funding framework for relocation.

Bay County International Airport Receives Final Approval

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Panama City - Bay County International Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) announced today that its airport relocation project is entering the construction phase now that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued the final necessary federal permit, completing the permitting process. The new airport will be located in western Bay County north of County Road 388 and east of State Road 79 on land being donated by The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE).

"With the permitting process now complete, we have entered the construction phase of the project," said Airport Authority Chairman Joe Tannehill. "We intend to move expeditiously to a groundbreaking."

"The receipt of this permit marks yet another major milestone in the decade long effort to bring better air service to Bay County and all of Northwest Florida," said Tannehill. "We have moved a giant step closer to providing this community the opportunity for better air service and more competitive fares; the opportunity to attract new business, industry and jobs to our region; and the opportunity to protect West Bay and preserve tens of thousands of acres for public use and enjoyment."

Under the terms of the Section 404 permit, The St. Joe Company is providing a conservation easement on 9,609 acres for the mitigation of airport construction impacts. The land, located southeast of the airport site, will become part of the West Bay Preservation Area. This easement will become permanent upon the commencement of construction of the airport. St. Joe is also donating 4,000 acres for the new airport site.

All Major State and Federal Permits for Airport Relocation Now in Hand

"We have now completed both the state and federal permitting process, and we have honored our commitment to protect and enhance West Bay as part of the airport relocation process," said Tannehill.

Previously, the Airport Authority had received all necessary permits from the state of Florida, selected a project construction manager and secured financial commitments from the state of Florida and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Airport Authority has received bids for the first phase of airport construction and will select a contractor shortly. In addition, the Airport Authority is working to complete negotiations for the sale of the existing airport.

Rigorous Process Ensured Net Environmental Benefit

In evaluating the Airport Authority's permit application, the USACE was required to consider 1) what cumulative impacts the project would have on the environment if the permits were approved, and 2) if practicable alternatives that would impact fewer wetlands exist.

In issuing the Section 404 permit, the USACE concurred with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (FDEP) analysis. In its analysis, FDEP cited a number of net ecosystem benefits that will result from the project, including:

• The conservation and permanent protection of significant contiguous portions of the West Bay region, including bay shoreline, wetlands, streams, uplands and the overall watershed;

• A wetlands function lift significantly in excess of that needed to compensate for functional losses (impacts);

• A mitigation plan that significantly exceeds both state and federal requirements for all possible current and future impacts; and

• An effort to restore a large contiguous tract of uplands and wetlands to approximate historical conditions more suitable for dependent species native to the area.

Environmental Protection is a Key Benefit of Airport Relocation

"Local environmental groups and the State of Florida opposed expansion of the current airport in the mid-1990s because of the threat it presented to the St. Andrews Bay system," said Tannehill. "They sought to create a 'win-win' plan for the future by protecting the bay and relocating the airport. Their objective became the Airport Authority's objective. And by working together, West Bay, one of the most pristine bays in Florida, will have important permanent protections in place to ensure future generations will be able to enjoy it, as we have."

Dozens of public meetings and many hours of dedicated work by local citizens, local and national environmentalists, the Bay County Commission and the State of Florida produced the West Bay Area Sector Plan, one of the largest land plans of its kind in the United States. During the years of planning, the Florida Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, the Bay Environmental Study Team (BEST), 1000 Friends of Florida and Florida Wildlife Federation and other local environmental leaders and organizations participated in creating a plan and policies for the sector plan that will protect the water quality, habitat and scenic beauty of West Bay forever.

In addition to the sector planning process, the Airport Authority entered into an Ecosystem Management Agreement (EMA) with the FDEP. The EMA includes a comprehensive mitigation plan for the environmental impacts of the relocation and construction the airport.

The EMA was reached using Florida's innovative Ecosystem Team Permitting approach, a process whereby environmental impacts associated with the airport relocation were avoided or minimized, and a comprehensive mitigation plan was developed through consensus building between the Airport Authority, regulators, and other stakeholders, including local environmental organizations.

The ecological portion of the mitigation plan is also the result of an interagency comprehensive regional planning effort in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Northwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, The St. Joe Company and the Airport Authority participated.

Relocation of the Panama City - Bay County International Airport

The Airport Authority is nearing completion of a ten-year process to relocate the Panama City - Bay County airport. In the late 1980s, the Airport Authority began an effort to address significant deficiencies at the existing airport, including non-standard runway safety areas. When local environmentalists and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection objected to extending the existing runway system into Goose Bayou, a particularly environmentally sensitive part of St. Andrews Bay, the Airport Authority began considering relocating the airport.

After completion of a feasibility study in 2000 and a site selection study in 2001, the Airport Authority identified a new site for the airport in northwestern Bay County (West Bay) on land owned by The St. Joe Company.

Following the FAA's selection of the site, the Airport Authority partnered with the State of Florida, Bay County and St. Joe in an innovative planning process authorized by Florida law known as "optional sector planning." The process included numerous public meetings, data gathering, analysis and visioning for the future. The plan was approved by Bay County and the State of Florida in 2002 and detailed specific area plans were also approved in 2003.

The sector plan incorporates approximately 78,000 acres and of particular significance is that the boundary of the plan includes an entire bay system (West Bay) thereby allowing unprecedented planning to protect an entire watershed. The purpose of the plan was to ensure that appropriate land uses were placed near the airport and that appropriate environmental protection measures were built into the plan. The plan is conceptual and guides future development and conservation.

One of the most innovative elements of the plan, in addition to the airport and economic development provisions, is the proposed West Bay Preservation Area. The West Bay Preservation Area was designed by local and state environmental leaders to preserve the health and habitat of West Bay forever. This watershed scale plan will preserve approximately 41,000 acres and, when fully implemented, will provide for habitat corridors, open space and stream protection.

Simplified, the objective of the West Bay Preservation Area is to maintain West Bay in its present, pristine state forever. Its vision, especially when compared to the development that has occurred on Florida's other bay front lands, holds the potential to be one of the most significant conservation measures in Florida history. The plan has won statewide praise including the "2007 Promising Practices Award" from the Council for Sustainable Florida.

In 2004, the FAA began preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement considering two-dozen alternatives for addressing the deficiencies at the existing airport. In May 2006 the FAA issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement, identifying relocation to the West Bay Site as its Preferred Alternative. In September 2006, the FAA issued its Record of Decision recommending and approving relocation of the Panama City airport to the proposed site in West Bay. There is currently a judicial challenge to the FAA's ROD; however, the ROD remains in force.

Destin Gets Voted Best Destination

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

While we know that Destin is a fantastic vacation destination and home-town, it seems everyone else is catching on too! The June issue of the Birmingham Parent magazine awarded Destin the winner of the favorite "Out of State Destination" category, beating out Walt Disney World, which was voted runner-up.

We are very excited to be the recipients of this designation. Destin has so much to offer -- world-renowned golf courses that keep even the pros coming back, award winning restaurants with fabulous chefs, and some of the most beautiful and clean beaches in the entire world. Hollywood stars and everyday people are proud to call Destin home.

The warm sunshine and southern class make Destin distinctive and we're pleased that our visitors keep coming back to our lovely beachside community.

Experience the charm of Destin first-hand by staying in one of our vacation homes this Summer. Visit DestinVacation.com to find out more about this favorite "out-of-state destination" -- including local news, events and hundreds of vacation rental properties.

The Boeing Championship Hosted by The Raven Golf Course

Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Proficiently combining meticulous attention to detail with a consistent level of exceptional service has awarded this course the honor of being part of the Raven family. To achieve such status, a golf facility must pass a comprehensive annual 136-point inspection. It is required to be memorable and playable while at the same time providing a challenging tee to green experience.

Each Raven course offers its players a course unique to their environments and The Raven at Sandestin sets the bar high in natural appeal and climate. Robert Trent Jones Jr. constructed this visually stunning course 6900-yard par 71 into what he hails “a true modern traditional”.

Voted best new course in Florida in 2000 by Florida Golf News, the Raven presents drama and strategy, winding through pine trees and marshes. Kirk Laszewski, a former Florida State competitor says: “It’s a technical course that presents a refreshing challenge for your short game”.

The 2006 Boeing Championship was an incredible success and Sandestin and the local community are thrilled to host this prestigious event once again. On the books for May 28 – June 3 2007, the Boeing Championship will be comprised of a three-day, 54 hole competition preceded by a two-day pro-am and a day of able practice rounds. The purse is set at 1.65 million and new comers to the tour include Mark O’Meara, Nick Price, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and John Cook.

Check out www.theboeingchampionship.com for an extensive player commitment list, directions and ticket prices. To find Destin vacation accommodations for the upcoming tournament, visit www.destinvacation.com.

Big Kahuna's Opens -- Offers New Favors for Locals

Sat, 05 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

As of today, Destin’s Big Kahuna’s Water and Adventure Park is open for the 2007 season, it’s 21st anniversary. The park, which offers 40 water attractions, mini golf, thrill rides, Super Speed Raceway and more spread out across about 25 acres, will open at 10 a.m. today with special grand opening celebration activities offered until noon.

The park is now open for weekend business only. Starting May 18, it will be open every day. With a new year comes new additions to the park, most noticeable being its latest icon — a 12-foot-wide, 12-foot-tall, 180-degree rotating, two-faced tiki head scheduled to arrive next week. It’s giant red eyes flash and smoke protrudes from its ears and mouths. “It’s our new icon,” said General Manager Tom McEvoy. “People will say, ‘Go to the place where you see the big, giant tiki head.’” It replaces Big Kahuna’s former icon of 10 years, a B-25 WWII bomber that is now retired to the Jimmy Doolittle Air and Space Museum in China.

For the locals who regularly utilize the park, Big Kahuna’s offers new deals this year. The cost for seasonal passes has decreased. A gold pass, which includes unlimited weekends and weekday afternoons after 2 p.m., is $49.99. Cost for a platinum pass is $79.99, which offers unlimited use during normal operating hours. Anyone, regardless of their residence, is welcome to purchase the passes.

Seasonal pass holders will be given a photo ID, which they can use throughout the season. Once the park closes in mid-September, pass holders may take their Big Kahuna’s ID to area participating businesses, such as Fudpucker’s, Chickfil-a and Jersey Mikes, and receive discounts or upgrades throughout the winter. It’s called the Locals’ Club, and it’s a new feature this year. “It’s our effort to give back to the local community,” said Merry DiSalvo, director of sales and marketing.

About 90 percent of Big Kahuna’s summer business comes from tourists who visit mainly Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Therefore, for those looking to visit the park during the slower times, DiSalvo recommends weekends — the time when tourists are either coming or going — and weekdays after 2 p.m. — the time when most leave the park to begin evening plans, she said.

Also new this year, swimmers are allowed to wear eye goggles, alcoholic beverages — including beer, wine, margaritas and daiquiris — are served, and numerous new cabanas are available for rent offering patrons the option to “host your own event.”

General admission for an adult is $34.99; a child is $28.99.

Beach Restoration Begins this Weekend

Sat, 05 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

At long last, beach restoration in Destin is ready to begin. City engineer Chuck Meister said that after a Wednesday morning meeting with Great Lakes Dock and Dredge — the contractor of the $28 million Destin/Walton beach restoration project — he was told dredging would begin this weekend.

The dredge Liberty Island arrived in Destin on Friday afternoon and Meister said dredging was expected to begin immediately, maybe as early as Friday evening. The project will start at the eastern Destin city limits, near the Okaloosa/Walton County line and Capt. Dave’s on the Gulf restaurant and work its way east, pumping sand onto two miles of Destin beach, east of Henderson Beach State Park.

Meister said the project will take about 60 days to complete. “We hope to be done by the Fourth of July if all goes well,” Meister said.

Controversy and beach restoration have almost become synonymous on the Emerald Coast and this weekend’s restart of the Destin/Walton beach restoration project is no exception. A handful of Destin Gulf- front property owners have requested the assistance of Sheriff Charlie Morris in arresting and prosecuting beach restoration work crews for trespassing on their property.

A letter written to the sheriff by Shannon Goessling of the Atlanta-based Southeastern Legal Foundation, on behalf of those property owners, asked the sheriff to arrest any workers or representatives from Great Lakes or the city on their property. “...Our clients may be calling on you for assistance regarding the imminent trespass on their private property by employees, agents or other person associated with Great Lakes Dock and Dredge Company or with the City of Destin,” the letter reads. “Our clients would like any of these persons arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible under the law.” However, no arrests will be made.

In response to Ms. Goessling’s letter, James Murray, attorney for the sheriff, said the sheriff’s office would not find itself in the middle of this dispute and would arrest no one for trespassing. “Because this matter is in the civil court of appeal, the Sheriff’s Office will not insert itself into the controversy of making criminal arrests out of the very issues before the court,” Murray’s letter reads. Murray did say that deputies would respond and document any dispute between the property owners and the city of Destin and would file a report with the State Attorney’s Office.

City Manager Greg Kisela wrote a letter to all interested parties, including Ms. Goessling, stating the city’s position on the matter. “In order to complete this project, the city of Destin has found it necessary to exercise its police powers to provide Great Lakes access to certain upland properties within the project beach fill area,” Kisela wrote. “To avoid claims for damages, we encourage you not to delay Great Lakes completion of this work.”

Kisela said the city will do what it has to do to complete the project. “Those property owners will call the sheriff to file a formal complaint so they have record of it so they can say that we trespassed and I understand that,” Kisela said in an interview. “We are trespassing and if we damage their property while we’re trespassing then we’ll come back and fix it, but giving them free sand is not damaging their property.”

While some property owners are clearly unhappy with beach restoration beginning again in Destin, some of the community’s leaders are trumpeting the return of the dredges. Mayor Craig Barker said the project will bring much needed relief to the eroded beaches of Destin. “The beach is Destin’s best asset and unfortunately a half decade of tumultuous storms has eroded the sand away to the point where our once expansive dunes are almost nonexistent,” he said. “The time is past due that we return our beaches to their award-winning form so we’re all very anxious to get this restoration project completed.”

The Destin leg is the last part of a joint project with Walton County that, when completed, will have restored 5 miles of South Walton beach and 2 miles in Destin. The Walton County portion of the project was completed in January. When finished, the project will have added 80-100 feet of sand to those two miles of Destin beach.

The restored beach was designed to protect upland structures from hurricanes and tropical storms as strong as a Category 3 hurricane, which generates winds of 111-130 mph and storm surge of 9-12 feet. The original cost of the project was $22 million but is now expected to cost about $28 million due to delays.

Emily Kaltz to reign over 2007 Destin Fishing Rodeo

Wed, 02 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Emily Kaltz, a 16-year-old junior at Fort Walton Beach High School, was crowned Miss Destin 2007 Saturday night at the Miss Destin Pageant. Standing with her eight fellow contestants on stage in front of an audience of more than 200, Kaltz was all smiles and tearyeyed as master of ceremonies Christian Garman announced her as the judges’ choice.

Kaltz, daughter of Mark and Susan Kaltz of Destin, was presented with a Miss Destin 2007 sash, a sparkling tiara and a bouquet of roses. “I’m shocked. This is a huge honor, and I’m so excited. I can’t wait,” Emily said after the crowd filtered out of the community center.

Emily’s selection marks the second Kaltz child to win the pageant. Emily’s sister, Meredith, who’s a sophomore at the University of Georgia, was Miss Destin 2004. “We’re so proud of Emily,” said her mother, Susan Kaltz. “She’s very ... everything. She’s very smart, very sweet, very pretty.”

Kaltz’s selection includes a $3,500 scholarship from the Destin Cobia Tournament, Destin Fisherman’s Coop and Destin Fishing Fleet Marina. She will also receive Zoom! Teeth Whitening from Destin Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, a $200 gift certificate from Destin Commons, and a $50 gift certificate from Silver Sands Factory Stores.

Kaltz was one of nine girls vying for the Miss Destin title. During Saturday’s pageant, which was themed Fly Me to the Moon, the contestants participated in a formal gown presentation, mystery questions, and a fashion show sponsored by the Belk department store at Destin Commons. Kaltz will become the most photographed person on the docks during October’s Destin Fishing Rodeo. Miss Destin traditionally poses with each fish brought in to the weigh-in station at AJ’s restaurant.

The Miss Congeniality Award and the Miss Photogenic Award were given Rachael Williams, daughter of Bruce and Nina Williams. First runner-up in Saturday’s pageant was Kelsey Kurth, daughter of Barry Denman and Kim Kurth. Second runner-up was Emily Barton, daughter of David and Amy Barton. Other Miss Destin contestants were Hope Corcoran, Chelsea Whitfield, Jami Morgan, Heather “Stacey” Summers and Kristen Blanton.

Miss Destin was chosen based on criteria, such as communication, poise, community involvement and grades. Each contestant received $50 from Capt. Mike Eller of the Fish-N-Fool, who said, “It’s not in the winning; it’s in the trying.”

The Miss Destin 2007 judges were Miss Destin 1996 Amber Hill of Joe Young Constructors, Dennis Lichorwic of Destin Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, Rhonda Braden of White Sands Development and Realty, and Rick Hord of Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Destin City Beach Restoration Days Away

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Relief for a stretch of Destin’s beaches is on the way. Greg Kisela, Destin city manager, met Wednesday with representatives from Great Lakes Dock and Dredge, the Chicago-area contractor of the $28 million Destin/Walton County beach restoration project, to discuss when restoration would begin on 2 miles of Destin beach east of Henderson Beach State Park.

Kisela said Great Lakes has told the city that the dredge Liberty Island would arrive in Destin on Friday or Saturday of next week and that pipes and other construction equipment would be mobilized next week in anticipation of the dredge’s arrival. The Liberty Island was used at the onset of the project a year ago, before it was stopped by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following a fourth sea turtle death, exceeding a governmentmandated quota on sea turtle deaths.

Great Lakes completed the 5-mile Walton County portion of the project in January but had to leave the area shortly thereafter to construct another project the company had previously contracted for in South Florida. Kisela said having a restored beach in Destin will be worth the wait. “It has been a long time coming but we are excited about restoring the eastern portions of our critically eroded beaches,” he said. “Once restored, the renourished beach will provide enhanced protection to the upland private and public properties in time for the upcoming hurricane season.”

Though many residents will be excited to see a dredge pumping sand onto beaches in Destin, some members of the Destin City Council voiced concerns that the restart date was dangerously close to two important dates: the May 1 beginning of sea turtle nesting season, and hurricane season, which begins June 1. The restoration project is expected to take 45-50 days and will add 80-100 feet of new beach. The restored beach is designed to protect upland structures from storms as strong as a Category 3 hurricane, which can generate winds of 111-130 mph and storm surge of 9-12 feet.

A portion of the original $22 million cost of the project has already been paid. Upon completion, the total cost of the project is expected to exceed $28 million.

Marketing Research Update to Newman-Dailey

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 09:30:00 GMT

Based on a marketing research study conducted by Majority Opinion Research, guests staying with Newman-Dailey in Beaches of South Walton properties during the summer of 2006 were extremely satisfied with their vacation experience and plan to return again next year. In fact, 98% gave an overall positive rating of their vacation and most plan to return next year with a record three out of four saying they “definitely will return.”

This high degree of satisfaction is specifically seen in Newman-Dailey’s guests giving higher ratings for the destination being a good place for a family vacation and a pleasant place to relax and unwind. Additionally, the beach experience for Newman-Dailey guests exceeded the overall area with higher ratings given for clean, well maintained beaches, scenic beauty and good ocean swimming. Newman-Dailey guests also rate their accommodations higher, on average, than those staying elsewhere and have benefited from the FUNtastic Recreation Program as evidenced by higher ratings offered for activities other than the beach, interesting places to shop, golf, cultural events/festivals and spa resorts. All of this has resulted in Newman-Dailey guests reporting a higher value for the travel dollar and increasing their word of mouth referrals among family and friends.

Amidst these extremely positive findings, there are currently more than 14,500 units (houses, condominiums and hotel rooms) available for rent in the Beaches of South Walton, which represents a 209% increase or nearly 10,000 units over the past 10 years.

For purposes of target marketing, visitors to the destination have been classified into specific clusters based on their demographics, lifestyles, needs and wants and this learning has been used to find and attract new visitors. These targeted households are among the wealthiest in the nation and as a result are accustomed to a high standard of living and tend to be earnest users and early adopters of technology.

To maintain current rates or achieve higher rates and to not lose occupancy to newer units which have been and will continue to be built, it is important to make sure that older units are updated to present-day appearance and functionality. Additionally, since the core targets for the destination tend to be early adaptors, reasonable investments in electronics such as flat-panel televisions, DVD players and wireless Internet should also pay off in this competitive market.

Fortunately for Newman-Dailey and the owners they represent, guests staying at Newman-Dailey properties are very satisfied with their vacation experience and rate their vacation higher than other vacationers on many important offerings including value for the money. If owners and management work together to continue to offer an exceptional vacation experience, financial success will result even with the high level of competition.

Report produced by:
Majority Opinion Research
6010 Georgetown Park Drive, Norcross, GA 30071

Shark Tourney Best of All Ideas

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The fate of the Destin Deep Water Shark Tournament could be decided as soon as next month.

Dr. Timothy Holcomb, president of the Destin History and Fishing Museum’s board of directors, said when the board meets on March 13, the topic of the hotly contested shark tournament is bound to come up.

Members of the museum board met Tuesday with South Walton businessman and conservationist M.C. Davis and representatives from the regional and national offices of the Humane Society of the United States to discuss the future of the tournament.

While the tournament yielded no definitive answers regarding a 2007 shark tournament, Holcomb said his vote is in favor of a shark tournament this year. “I am not speaking for the Destin History and Fishing Museum or the board but after listening to the facts and suggestions of the Humane Society, my vote is a positive for the Destin fishing industry and associated businesses,” he said in an email to The Log. “At the present time, having the shark tournament seems to be the best of all ideas presented.”

The chief proposal from Davis and the Humane Society was that Destin host a festival or similar event that would celebrate sharks instead of killing them. Holcomb said this is not a realistic option for the museum, who uses the shark tournament as a fund-raiser.

“Since we already have a seafood festival, I personally do not see where these ideas (a shark festival) would be economically feasible or advantageous for the fishing community.”

Another option the Humane Society presented during the meeting was to turn the shark fishing industry into a cottage industry, where tourists would be taken out on boats to shark watch, similar to whales. Holcomb said this idea is not only unrealistic but potentially dangerous.

“Their idea to have shark boating trips to replace the tournament, by chumming the waters to bring sharks to the surface is inherently dangerous to swimmers and other tourists. I do not think that idea has been thoroughly evaluated,” he said.

Last year’s tournament, held in September, was Destin’s first shark tournament in more than a decade. Over the course of the threeday event, 11 sharks were weighed in and reportedly more than 700 sharks were released.

Holcomb said he believes that for the board to consider canceling the tournament, the Humane Society will have to provide more concrete evidence that the tournament itself has a detrimental effect on local shark populations.

“The Humane Society will have to show more research that defines the take of 11 sharks had any negative input into the overall ecosystem,” he said. If the tournament is held this year, Holcomb said the museum board is certainly open to rule changes and other ideas that would make the tournament more ecofriendly.

“I am sure we will work with scientists, the fishing fleet and other experts to try to please as many folks as we can. We will do what it takes to be both good citizens, sportsmen and as ecofriendly as possible,” he said.

If the Humane Society is successful in thwarting the shark tournament, Holcomb fears more of Destin’s fishing tournaments could find themselves in the Humane Society’s cross-hairs. “I do believe their motive is to start with the shark tournament, then mackerel, cobia, billfishing and finally to try to stop our annual fishing Rodeo. This is their first step,” he said.

Shark Tournament Uncertain

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 09:33:00 GMT

A shark tournament in Destin in 2007 is not a done deal and the director of the event’s sponsor said its future is “uncertain.”

On Tuesday, South Walton businessman and conservationist M.C. Davis, representatives of the regional and national offices of the Humane Society of the United States met with members of the Destin History and Fishing Museum’s board to discuss the future of the tournament.

John Grandy, senior vice president of the Humane Society, said the meeting at the museum was aimed at preventing an adversarial relationship between the museum, which stages the tournament, and environmental groups opposed to the event, chiefly the Humane Society. “We’re prepared to go to war but we don’t want to,” Grandy said.

At the meeting, Grandy premiered a public service announcement he said would air across the state stating that global shark populations were on the decline and in need of protection and he asked for the museum’s support of the PSA. The museum board did not take any action to endorse the commercial. For about 20 minutes, Davis and company made their case that shark populations were imperiled and that Destin would be better served by an event that celebrates Destin’s heritage as a fishing community, not one that kills sharks.

Meg Nelson, Davis’ project manager at Nokuse Plantation, Davis’ 53,000-acre preserve in Walton County, said a festival celebrating biodiversity and the important role sharks play in the ecosystem would be beneficial to everyone involved. “This would be a win for the community and a win for the animals,” she said.

Grandy and Davis said they would support the creation of such an event, both financially and organizationally. But a discussion about an event of that nature was not discussed further. Various museum board members said they felt the tournament was being unfairly targeted given the relatively small number of sharks weighed in last year (11).

Helen Donaldson, museum board member and executive director of the Destin Fishing Rodeo, said she couldn’t, in good conscience, support something that she believed would hurt the Destin fishing fleet. “The fishing industry in this town is the reason this community exists. We’re a fishing community,” Donaldson told the group. “This tournament generates a lot of business for those guys. We’d be putting some families in a position they don’t need to be in if we canceled the tournament.”

The meeting lasted less than an hour and while no firm resolutions were made, the future of the tournament, for the moment, is up in the air. It was the first time that Davis, representatives of the museum and the Humane Society had met. After the meeting, museum executive director Jean Melvin said the future of the tournament was “uncertain.”

Last year’s shark tournament, held Sept. 13-17, was the first such tournament in Destin in more than a decade. The tournament had been discontinued in the 1990s as a result of increased government regulation on the shark fishery. The tournament drew crowds in the hundreds over the weekend and raised less than $10,000 for the museum.

The event generated emails and letters of protest to the museum, to Mayor Craig Barker, to City Hall and to the City Council. The tournament also drew the ire of the Humane Society and a few protesters who stood along U.S. 98 with picket signs. By tournament’s end, 11 sharks were weighed in on the docks at the Destin Fishing Fleet Marina and more than 300 released after they were caught in the Gulf.

Several days after the event, the declared winner of one of the divisions took a lie detector test to determine once and for all that she actually caught shark.

Florida Legislators Pass New Insurance Legislation

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:24:00 GMT

In a special session of the Florida Legislature under the leadership of Governor Charlie Crist, a 167-page bill was passed this week that should lower insurance premiums between 5% and 40% and provide other insurance relief to property owners in all areas of the state. This new legislation affects millions of Florida property owners in a positive way.

A key element of the new legislation allows for non-homestead properties (vacation homes) to be eligible for coverage under Florida’s joint underwriting pool, which is Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, starting March 1, 2007.

“This legislation is far-reaching and will have a positive affect on our coastal real estate market,” says Helen Spohrer, owner of Prudential Resort Realty. “It creates premium roll-backs, more coverage for vacation home owners and some relief for commercial property owners.”

Below please find a summary of the legislation provided by the Florida Association of Realtors.

Lower Rates:
• Allow property owners to exclude windstorm coverage from their policies;
• Allow policyholders to exclude contents coverage;
• Remove the requirement that Citizens Property Insurance Corporation charge the highest premiums in the state;
• Repeal Citizens’ Jan. 1, 2007 rate increase and freeze rates at the Dec. 31, 2006 level.
• Eliminate the cap on deductibles so a homeowner can choose a deductible other than the standard 2 percent, 5 percent or 10 percent in current law. However, the policyholder must execute a written statement demonstrating understanding and intent, and must obtain approval by a mortgage or lien holder if the deductible is over 10 percent on a home valued under $500,000.
• Allow non-homestead properties to be eligible for Citizens coverage effective March 1, 2007;
• Authorize Citizens to write multi-peril policies in the windstorm pool, which will result in a direct decrease in premiums for at least 110,000 policy holders.

Protect Policyholders:
• Require all Florida-only insurance company subsidiaries to have a surplus of at least $50 million in liquid assets to help ensure that policyholders can receive payment when they need it;
• Require insurance companies to evaluate the hurricane-security of a structure rather than the date of construction when determining risk and establishing premiums. Age of the home may not be used as the sole reason for rejection of coverage;
• Require insurance companies to give at least 100 days written notice, or written notice by June 1, whichever is earlier, for any non-renewal, cancellation or termination of a homeowners policy that would be effective between June 1 and Nov. 30;
• Require insurance companies to expedite payment of claims following a storm. Insurance companies must pay or deny a property insurance claim within 90 days of notice of the claim with an exception for factors beyond the control of the insurer. Violation is subject to penalty under the Insurance Code, subjecting the insurance company to disciplinary actions against its license;
• Prohibit excess profits by property insurers.

Expand the Market:
• Require any insurance company that writes homeowners policies in other states and writes auto insurance in Florida to sell homeowners insurance in Florida effective Jan. 1, 2008;
• Allow Citizens to write statewide commercial insurance policies and to determine policy limits and premiums;
• Allow Citizens to sell traditional homeowners policies to 350,000 customers who currently buy only windstorm coverage from Citizens;
• Enable insurance companies to purchase additional backup insurance from the state’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund at rates lower than on the private reinsurance market;
• Repeal a law that had called for insurers to pay extra into the fund to build up its reserves;
• Allow state regulators to waive a deposit requirement for foreign-based reinsurance companies. The idea is to lure more worldwide reinsurers to sell coverage to Florida companies, raising the possibility they'll be able to find additional cheaper reinsurance.

Beach Restoration Complete for Western Walton County

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 11:27:00 GMT

After seven years in the making, the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) announces the completion of the Western Walton County Beach Nourishment Project. This project was vital in providing upland protection from future storm surge and for the economic vitality of the county through tourism. The project restored 26,200 feet of beach over five miles in Western Walton County, adding 75-100 feet of beach in these areas.

"It is important to note that this project is a result of a small group of tourism leaders along with the Walton County Commission who had the foresight in 1999 to enact an additional one cent of tourist occupancy tax to be earmarked for specifically for beach nourishment activities, eliminating any financial burden on the county," said Kriss Titus, executive director of the Walton County TDC.

The project was a joint effort between Walton County and the City of Destin, and the overall cost of the project was proposed at $27,733,399 of which Walton County's responsibility was $19,136,045. The Walton County portion of the project was paid for using bed tax collections, state grants, and a loan that is pledged against future bed tax revenue. Bed tax is paid by visitors on short term rentals.

Now that the project has been completed, many find it hard to believe that it took so long. The process began in 2000, after Hurricane Opal and Hurricane Georges, at which time the beaches in Western Walton County were deemed "critically eroded" by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and qualified for state funding for a large scale beach restoration project. In the same year, the TDC hired a full-time coastal scientist, Brad Pickel, to take the county through the scientific process.

After the completion of a sand source investigation in 2002, which identified quality sand of the same color, size and composition at Destin's East Pass, the TDC partnered with the county to have Taylor Engineering create a plan for the nourishment of Western Walton County beaches. In 2003, the permitting process began. Moving through this laborious task of gaining permitting, the county faced some unplanned delays. In 2004, a small group of homeowners who opposed the project filed an injunction and began a lawsuit to stop the project. While this was tied up in the legal system, Hurricane Ivan rolled through in 2004, and Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Dennis in 2005.

The project finally mobilized in January 2006 and was slated for a 150-day construction timeline. Unfortunately, the project was further delayed by several turtle takings, which shut down the project in May.

After getting the permit reinstated in August, it took several months to identify an available dredge through Great Lakes Dredge and Dock. After remobilization in November, the Western Walton County portion of the project is finally completed.

The Dodge Island Dredge will now depart the project in order to complete previously committed project work on the East Coast. Great Lakes Dredge and Dock plans to mobilize the original dredge, the Liberty Island, to begin the Destin portion in April, which they anticipate to be completed in 45-50 days.

"Through all the permitting challenges and project delays, the community has been wonderful to work with and we are happy that Phase I is complete. Numerous individuals worked to bring the project to fruition and I am proud to have been part of such an excellent team," said Brad Pickel, director of beach management with the Walton County TDC. "We'll now be focusing on the Phase II project for beaches along the 30-A corridor."

The process began for the beaches along the 30-A corridor after Hurricane Dennis in 2005, when DEP deemed 9.3 miles of beaches along the 30-A corridor as "critically eroded." Taylor Engineering recently completed the sand source investigation. Now these beaches must be resurveyed in order to finalize the design and create the necessary permitting documents. Permit applications will be submitted to the state and federal agencies by the end of May 2007. While it is unclear how long the permitting process will take, county officials are hopeful that permits will be granted within 12 months. Other factors that will impact the project timeline include funding, and the case before the Florida Supreme Court.

The economic vitality to the region is heavily dependant on the area's beaches, and research shows that the beaches are the number one reason people visit the area. Last year, Walton County's beaches attracted 2.5 million visitors, who spent approximately $684.9 million in Walton County. Tourism supports more than 10,275 jobs and generates approximately $257 million in local income annually. A recent study by the Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University revealed that beach nourishment also protects the value of upland properties. Single family properties upland of nourished beaches increased more than 30 percent, twice the increase in properties upland of beaches that had not been nourished.

For information regarding Phase II beach restoration project along the 30-A corridor, please visit our website:
www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com, or call Brad Pickel, director of beach management, at (850) 267-1216.

Destin Commons Draws Millions

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:00:00 GMT

More than 11 million people, more than the populations of Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee combined, visited Destin Commons in 2006 — and that number might be a little low.

Traffic count statistics from the 2006 calendar year show an estimated 11,282,242 visits to the shopping center at U.S. 98 and Danny Wuerffel Way, up more than 2 million from 2005. Destin Commons opened with great fanfare in November 2003.

Darin Grigg, general manager of Destin Commons, said the shopping center has traffic counters at each entrance. Every time a car rolls over a cable, that car is recorded and its passengers are counted in the center’s visitors statistical database. The exact number of passengers in a vehicle is not known, but statistical data from the International Council of Shopping Centers is used to arrive at a passenger count.

“It’s a pretty smart tool,” Grigg said. “You can download the statistics to your computer and we can monitor them by the hour or by the minute.” Grigg said that during fall and winter, they figure 2.5 visitors in each car. From March to July, they bump it to 3.5 visitors per car. During the busier summer months, the estimate of 3.5 visitors per car is probably an underestimate, Grigg said.

“We are a family tourist area and the people that are coming onto the property are not coming in a convertible by themselves, they’re coming in a van with seven people. The numbers we use are pretty conservative,” he said.

The increased number of visitors shopping, dining and finding entertainment at Destin Commons reinforces recent decisions to grow and expand, Grigg said. “What this truly does is solidify our decision to progress and grow the property,” he said. “It has always been in our master plan to expand but it’s been so wildly successful that it allows us to grow further and faster than we’d planned. But the success isn’t just the number of people coming in, it’s what they’re doing while they’re here. When you look at the sales at the stores, it confirms our decision to grow.”

Construction has begun on a five-level parking garage and office building that will hold more than 900 parking spaces and more than 90,000 square feet of office space. It’s set to open later this year, and Grigg said the construction of more restaurant and retail space at the Commons is imminent.

Shane Moody, president and CEO of the Destin Chamber of Commerce, said the impact of Destin Commons on other local businesses cannot be underestimated.

“One of the great benefits of 11 million visitors is that Destin becomes a showcase for those visitors,” he said. “While the Commons draws them, visitors also see all of the other great amenities the Destin region has to offer, and that brings people back again and again. It affects more than just the city limits, it reaches much further and deeper than that.”

The potential impact that similar shopping centers have had on their respective economies is well-documented and substantial. According to statistics from the International Council of Shopping Centers, in 2005, shopping centers nationwide did a whopping $2.12 trillion in business and generated $114.4 million in sales tax revenues and employed more than 12 million people.

Moody said the business generated by the Commons spills-over to the rest of the area’s economy. “11 million visitors obviously have a major economic impact. Those visitors spend money, which pays salaries and generate tax dollars, which turn over five or six times within the community,” he said. “That’s the kind of impact you only see in larger cities and communities. It (Destin Commons) is a big-city attraction in a great, small community.”

The anchor stores at Destin Commons are Belk and Bass Pro Shops. In addition to a 14-screen Rave Motion Pictures theater, the center has restaurants, upscale men’s and women’s clothing stores, and numerous other high-end retailers.

Destin Commons is a partnership of Legendary Inc., based in Destin, and Turnberry Associates, based in the South Florida community of Aventura, near Miami.

Grand plan: Around the world in 65 days?

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:57:00 GMT

From the outside, the Earthrace boat looks like a 78-foot-long futuristic machine that just stepped out of “Star Wars” as it sits in the water behind Harbor Docks in Destin. Its wave-piercing technology allows it to continually pierce straight through waves at high speed rather than riding over the top of them. From the inside, it’s just a boat. And a cramped, hot, dark, smelly boat at that.

The bunks are small. There are very few ways to catch fresh air. It’s essentially blind driving for the captain, who can’t see much of the water ahead of the boat out of his cockpit windows. And the galley is nothing more than a microwave oven and a shelf for food that lines the narrow avenue that links the bow to the stern. “It’s crazy,” said Ryan Heron, documentary film director and crew member aboard Earthrace. “It’s really hot, and it’s really noisy. It’s not nice being in such small quarters with a bunch of sweaty men.” Yet in these accommodations, Heron is ready to cruise the world in record-breaking time.

It’s an adventure. And it definitely makes for a cool trip, he said. That’s enough of an incentive for him to volunteer his time and effort for a three-year project to promote renewable fuels and raise awareness of sustainable resources.

On March 6, Heron, the skipper and Earthrace Owner Pete Bethune of Auckland, New Zealand, and two other volunteer crew members plan to depart in Bethune’s $3-million boat from Barbados, travel 24,000 miles around the globe, and return to Barbados in 65 days breaking the current record of 75 days.

They will stop just 12 times for two-hour breaks to refuel, deal with medical issues, receive food, swap out their fifth, paying guest, and take care of other chores. It will mark the first time in history that an official UIM Powerboat record will be attempted using just renewable fuel.

What makes it even more of an adventure is the crew. No one aboard the Earthrace is a boating expert. Heron and Bethune took a 10-week nautical course last year, and the first long-term boat trip either has taken was this past summer when they took Earthrace from its home in New Zealand to Vancouver to begin its North America promotional tour. The trip was a rough three weeks in which the crew experienced food poisoning after some bad seafood pizza.

Yet the crew is ready to give it their all for the cause they believe in — they’re racing around the world for a better planet. If this boat can successfully make the longest trip in the world on 100 percent renewable fuel, why can’t the rest of the world use the same fuel in their automobiles? It’s a trip that Earthrace is destined for.

Bethune, 41, formerly worked as an oil exploration engineer and was sent around the globe to find oil. It became apparent to him that the world would eventually run out of fossil fuel and another source must be used, said Devann Yata, a young woman who handles the public relations for Earthrace.

Therefore, Bethune envisioned Earthrace. It took 15 months to build the boat, and it was christened in February 2006. Today, he still owes $1 million on the boat. “He lives on the edge of life,” Yata said. “He doesn’t follow rules. If there’s a hard way of doing things, he’ll do it.”

Yet the around-the-world trip will happen only if sponsors are found to fund the trip. Earthrace is a non-profit organization.

Today, the boat sits along the dock behind Harbor Docks where Sea Tow dropped it off Sunday evening after it ran out of fuel coming from Pensacola. The crew of volunteers were on their way to Destin to take advantage of free lodging that was offered to them by a Destin resident who works for a biodiesel company.

For a $5 donation per guest, the boat was opened to the public Tuesday for tours, and it plans to head for Jacksonville tonight. It’s part of Earthrace’s promotional tour around North America that started in Vancouver in July. The tour is designed to promote renewable fuels such as biodiesel, raise awareness about sustainable use of resources and search for sponsors for the round-the-world trip. They will continue their educational tour until they reach Barbados in March and prepare to circle the globe.

Holiday Isle - Wildlife Team Examines Whale

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:51:00 GMT

It’s been a busy couple of months for the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge’s Marine Stranding Team. In early November, a 17-foot bryde’s whale beached itself in Walton County. A week later, a dolphin was found floating dead in the waters around Joe’s Bayou.

This time it was a 10-foot pygmy sperm whale that had beached itself on Holiday Isle Thursday morning. Amanda Wilkerson, executive director of the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, said the whale, estimate to be an adult or close to an adult, was dead when the team arrived on the scene late Thursday morning. “When we got there to do the necropsy, the poor thing was still warm,” she said. “We think it probably beached itself at night and died in the early morning.”

Wilkerson said the 1,000-pound whale showed no signs of human interaction but “definitely had a lot of parasites.” The direct cause of death will not be known until tests are run on samples of the animal’s blood and organs sent to a National Marine Fisheries Service laboratory.

Wilkerson said these types of whales are usually “mass stranders” and encourages anyone walking along the beach who sees anything unusual in the water to contact the refuge. “We want to be able to help them as soon as possible,” she said. “With these types of whales, where there’s one, there’s eight. This one just left the pod to beach itself.”

Pygmy sperm whales, Wilkerson said, are deepwater whales who ordinarily only come into shallow waters to beach themselves.

Hundreds of Snowbirds to sign up

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:48:00 GMT

Up to 600 Snowbirds from across the country were expected to come to the “Roost” at the Destin Community Center Tuesday afternoon to sign up for winter fun along the Emerald Coast. It was figured to be the Destin Snowbird Club’s biggest registration of the year and was the last chance to sign up for some of the club’s leagues.

“Everybody should be down now,” Destin Snowbird Club publicity director Jeanne Boyd said. “If they don’t sign up now, they can’t participate in many of our activities because of the leagues.”

Tuesday was the last date to sign up for the new 9-Hole Golf League, which starts Thursday in Shalimar, and the last day to sign up for the next regular golf scramble to be played today at Sandestin Baytowne. Sign-ups for bowling, tennis, casino bus trips and more also was planned.

Snowbird registration will also be held today from 10 a.m. to noon at the community center, on Stahlman Avenue. The club’s next scheduled general meetings will be 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Tuesday of next week. Entertainment will be Michael J Thomas and Jabbo. Door prizes will be awarded.

Association Management Agreement with Harbor Landing

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:33:00 GMT

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties Association Management Division is pleased to announce an Association Management Agreement with Harbor Landing, a new eighty-two unit Destin development.

Harbor Landing is the newest star in the Destin skyline. This private, gated community is located at 725 Gulfshore Drive and features a deep-water marina and majestic views of both the Destin Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico.

Developed by Steve Bennett in partnership with Willis C. Merrill and Dick Dickerson of Pensacola, Harbor Landing was meticulously designed by DAG Architects and constructed by the Roy Anderson Corporation. Buildings A and B are complete with a total of 82 units. Both hardscape and landscape were designed with extensive greenspace and open vistas in mind by William H. Smith and Associates of Destin.Their attention to the most infinitesimal details such as the nautilus shell accents at the pools and fountains makes Harbor Landing stand out above the rest. Harbor Landing features access to the gulf shore line, covered parking, two hot tubs and three pools (including a children’s wading pool), a meeting room and exercise area and nine gracious floor plans for every taste. Mr. Bennett noted the “importance of recognizing that this project is the result of the hard work of a very dedicated team of professionals and the individual unit owners.”

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties Association Management Division is extremely pleased to add Harbor Landing to its’ management portfolio, bringing the total of managed Associations to twenty one. "Newman-Dailey's team of Association Management professionals continue to meet their goals and customer expectations," said Jeanne Dailey, President of Newman-Dailey Resort Properties."

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties is a full-service real estate sales, property management and vacation rental company, which has been in business on the Emerald Coast for more than twenty years. Newman-Dailey’s main office is located in Fountain Plaza off U.S. Highway 98 in Miramar Beach. For more information, please call 1-800-225-7652, (850) 837-1071 or visit us on the Association website at www.DestinManagement.com.

Beach Restoration Resumes

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 20:28:00 GMT

The Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved contract language changes and cost proposal from Great Lakes Dredge and Dock for the immediate restart of the Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project.

The Walton County Tourist Development Council as directed by the BCC late last month approached City of Destin and Great Lakes Dredge and Dock to negotiate the immediate restart of the project. Negotiations progressed rapidly with all parties agreeing on the common goal to complete the project as quickly as possible and prior to turtle nesting season and storm season. On Monday, the Destin City Council unanimously approved the contract changes and to move forward immediately with the project.

An initial conversation with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock earlier this week indicated that once they receive notification of acceptance of contract changes they would begin mobilizing the project immediately, and equipment should begin arriving on the beach before Thanksgiving.
Weather permitting, construction of the remaining 6,500 feet of beach in Walton County is expected to take approximately 45-50 days to complete and an additional 45-50 days to complete the two miles in the City of Destin.

The overall cost of the project is proposed at $27,733,399 of which Walton County's responsibility is $19,136,045. Walton County has paid
$11,673,921 to date, and the remaining balance will be $7,462,124. Walton County is underwriting its portion of the project through bed tax collections, state grants, and a loan that is pledged against future bed tax revenue. Bed tax is paid solely by the visitors to South Walton County. No monies have been derived from Walton County Ad Valorem taxes.

The public is invited to learn more about the status of the project by visiting www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com. The Web site was specifically created as an informational tool regarding beach updates.

Merrick Powerboat World Cup

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 12:09:00 GMT

Neon yellow plastic palm trees that light up at night, an inflatable pool, two tractor trailers, two 50-foot powerboats and a staff of nurses, chiropractors, chefs and models -- this is John Haggin’s traveling circus.

Haggin, 49, is the owner of AMF Offshore Racing and owns two of the more than 80 boats expected to hit the waters off Destin for this week’s Merrick World Cup Classic offshore powerboat races, which begin with the first race this afternoon and run through Sunday. Haggin employs a team of more than 60 people, specializing in a variety of vocations from mechanics and drivers to chefs, nurses and chiropractors and even an official photographer/videographer. One member of Haggin’s entourage is Ken Warby, the world water speed record holder and a celebrity in certain circles.

On Oct. 8., 1978, on Blowering Dam in New South Wales, Australia, Warby broke the world water speed record, when he traveled 317.60 mph in his jet-powered hydroplane boat -- a record that still stands to this day. When asked how it feels to travels at a speed that few can fathom, Warby said it’s not that different from someone driving a car to work. “It was just another boat ride on a nice day,” Warby said.

Traveling for 32 weeks a year, Haggin said the life of a powerboat racer, team owner or crew member is one of constant change. “We’re a lot like carnies,” he said. “The only thing that matters is that we have one heck of a good time. We get up in the morning and giggle about what we get to do everyday.”

Marc Granet is the driver of the Platinum Princess, a Haggin-owned 51-foot, turbine-powered boat capable of speeds in excess of 180 mph and has raced everywhere from Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to Puerto Rico to the waters of Ontario. Granet said often times he is torn between his life on the road as a powerboat driver chasing his dream and his sense of responsibility to his family.

“A lot of times you’re crossed between your family and your life and your passion and what you love to do,” he said. “On one hand you have this passion, racing boats and on the other hand you have your responsibilities and your family, you know, the important things.” Haggin said his home life in Wellington, Fla. is much quieter than the one he lives for more than half the year as the owner of a powerboat racing team.

“My wife loves me to death but hates this business,” Haggin said. “When I’m not entertaining 3,000 other people, I go home and basically become a hermit.” Still, Haggin said the race coming to Destin this week is the first of its kind, one in which all of the three major factions of offshore powerboat racing (the Offshore Super Series, Pacific Offshore Powerboat Racing Association and Offshore Performance Association) will come together to participate in one event.

“It’s good that we’re trying to unite the tribes and bring everybody together,” he said. “All that matters is that we show the fans a great time.” The boats were expected to be in the water testing Tuesday in anticipation for the start of the event, but rough water conditions in the Gulf could affect the plans of some teams. Haggin said his team isn’t worried about choppy seas. “I say the rougher the better,” he said. “I want to see fiberglass flying everywhere. We’re rough water guys and this is supposed to be a gladiator sport.”

Destin Fishing Rodeo

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 12:02:00 GMT

The 58th annual Destin Fishing Rodeo is in the books -- and looks to have been a major success.

Helen Donaldson, executive director of the Rodeo, said the month-long event, which closed for the year Tuesday night, drew crowds that solidified the Rodeo as a community mainstay, despite a couple days of nasty weather. “Finally this year has proved what I’ve been saying for a couple of years now and that is that the Rodeo is a spectator sport,” she said. “Despite three or four bad weather days, we had crowds down here every single night. People have come down here like never before and enjoyed it.”

Rodeo weighmaster Bruce Cheves said the people involved with the Rodeo, his 16th as full-time weighmaster, helped make it what it was. “We had a good volume of fish and an excellent volume of people,” Cheves said. “People and fish is what makes this whole thing.” At the end of Monday night, more than 800 fish had been strung up and weighed in by Cheves (816 to be exact), a number that was certain to increase on the Rodeo’s last day Tuesday.

Donaldson said she expected this year’s fish count to exceed the 852 weighed in last year. The success of the Rodeo went beyond the fish tossed onto the barge at AJ’s for Cheves to weigh. Donaldson said she believed this year’s merchandise sales went above and beyond what anyone had anticipated. “The numbers aren’t all in but I will venture to say that this will be our most successful year ever,” she said.

The boom in sales allowed the Rodeo to offer merchandise at 50 percent off on most items for the last four days of the event. Donaldson said based on recent sales, she believed there would be little merchandise left to carry back to the Rodeo warehouse. Kayla Killian, Miss Destin 2006, said the Rodeo helped to forge bonds and helped make memories that would last a lifetime. “I met new people, made some friends and had a wonderful time, which makes the Destin Fishing Rodeo something I’ll never forget,” Killian said.

Donaldson said that as the Rodeo closes, she comes to miss the hustle and bustle of October down on the docks. “I miss the everyday excitement of the Rodeo,” she said. “But all-in-all, it’s been a good year.” Cheves said he didn’t expect to be sad when the Rodeo closed, instead choosing to look ahead to 2007. “There’s always next year,” he said.

The Rodeo formally concludes at the Awards Dinner Saturday night at AJ’s.

South Walton Hot Spot: Gulfplace Town Center

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:08:00 GMT

Gulfplace is a local delight unlike any other with it’s eclectic design decked with southern class. Located a little outside of Sandestin at the intersection of 30 A and 393 just off Hwy. 98, it’s a quaint yet completely unique hot spot.

Nestled in the heart of the town square are the charming local artist huts. There are no two things alike from wildlife paintings to glass design, you can find that unique gift you’ve been looking for.

Miss Lucille’s Gossip Parlor is another one-of-a-kind place that will keep you talking . This little coffee shop abounds with southern charm and humor. They’re known for their hilarious cards, magnets and towels. And the comfort food that Lucille offers…whew! Have a smoothie and catch up on all the gossip after a hot beach day or relax with a latte and brownie after a grueling day of shopping …er…working. There’s even ice cream and board games for the kids. Either way you’ll leave with a smile on your face and a very happy tummy.

Amidst all the colors and fun, there are several couture shops offering high end fashion and the latest trends. Soho Beach and Hepburns carry adornments for all ages and likes. They also regularly have great sales for all the bargain hunters out there.

Gulfplace hosts an entertaining Sunday concert series filled with great artists every week. There is nothing like listening to a great band on a beautiful lawn with a glass of wine. Check gulf-place.com for listings and current events.

It’s directly across from the beach and right next door to the well manicured Santa Rosa Beach Gulf Club and restaurant. There are condos and houses available for rent if you need a get away, and there are all the necessary conveniences to make your stay comfortable.

So be sure to check out this South Walton Hot Spot. Gulf Place is THE place!

A Plate of Destin Seafood

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 10:41:00 GMT

There’ll be corn dogs, Italian ice and sweet plantains. There’ll be chicken cooked anyway you wish — jerk chicken, curry chicken, grilled chicken. McGuire’s Irish Pub and Brewery will make you a root beer. Java Joz will serve coffee. And Ted Roberts will prepare funnel cakes.

Yet, with a name like “Destin Seafood Festival” many expect to see ... well, seafood.

In recent years, frozen, bagged seafood cooked by out-of-town vendors, such as from North Carolina, has been the norm when it comes to fish. And festivalgoers have noticed. “What we’ve all heard is that they don’t have any seafood at the seafood festival,” said John Karagas, director of operations for the Southern Restaurant Group. “It’s a lot of carnival-like food,” said John Comer, CEO of the Southern Restaurant Group.

Therefore, this year’s festival promises to be different: Let there be Destin seafood at the Destin Seafood Festival. That’s what Comer, Karagas and the rest of the Southern Restaurant Group say. All five of the group’s local seafood restaurants — Fisherman’s Wharf, Louisiana Lagniappe, the Back Porch, Cafe Grazie and Pompano Joe’s — will be set up cooking fresh seafood on site at the festival. It’ll be Oct. 6-8 at the Morgan Sports Center.

“We decided to participate this year because it seems like the local restaurants have turned their backs on the seafood festival,” Comer said. “To be the Destin Seafood Festival, there needs to be local seafood. And the local seafood should be that seafood that is served in the local restaurants.”

For the past two months, the Southern Restaurant Group has planned for the festival, including preparing menus, setting up site and scheduling employees. Karagas said they purchased $7,000 worth of equipment to prepare the seafood directly at the festival. “We’ll have a complete kitchen set up with grills and fryers,” Karagas said. “We’re doing it fresh like we do it at the restaurant. I want people to smell it, feel it and taste it.”

The Destin Area Chamber of Commerce has been aware of the lack-oflocal-seafood problem at the festival, and the chamber contacted the Southern Restaurant Group this year for assistance. “As long as I’ve been a part of the festival, which has been several years, we’ve tried to get the seafood back to the festival,” said Karen McCarthy, seafood festival board liaison. “We didn’t want the so-called ‘carni food’ either, but we didn’t have much of a choice.”

The Destin Seafood Festival was originally held on the Destin harbor, in close vicinity of several seafood restaurants. However, when construction along the harbor and other factors moved the festival to the Morgan Sports Center several years ago, it became more difficult for local restaurants to transport food to the site and provide the additional staff to man their booths, said Shane Moody, Destin Area Chamber president and CEO.

“There were logistic issues, and we understand that,” Moody said. “It’s not that the restaurants don’t want to participate, they just can’t.” For that reason, the chamber and the festival committee are certainly appreciative of the Southern Restaurant Group,

“What better way to serve the community than to give them what they’ve asked for for so long,” McCarthy said. “This is the beautiful Emerald Coast, and we want local seafood. That’s what it’s all about. I’ve seen the menu, and it’s wonderful. People are going to be very excited about it.”

Karagas said he hopes to help the chamber make the seafood festival a worldclass event, and their plan is to simply try to break even financially. “We’re not making any money on this event, and we’ve designed our menus accordingly,” Karagas said. “We just want to have fun and put something back into the community.”

Comer said, “We want to help the chamber make the festival as good as possible, and we’re trying to assist them in providing the seafood aspect of the festival and make it an event that everyone can be proud of.”

Yet even though the restaurants are expecting to earn minimal money at the festival, there may be longterm advantages, such as what Deborah Hannah experiences each year. Hannah, owner of Caribbean Café, a local catering business, has set up a booth at the seafood festival for 10 years, serving a variety of seafood, including coconut shrimp, calamari, fried seafood platters, and a shrimp and sausage vegetable medley. The exposure she receives each year makes the effort worth it.

“A lot of people take my information, take my card and I’ll cater parties for them in the future. It’s always been very good for my business,” Hannah said. Moody said between 25,000 and 27,000 people are expected to attend the seafood festival. That many people offers great publicity, he said. And with about 100 local arts and crafts vendors and entertainment such as Dave Mason and Kansas, this year’s event promises to be better than ever, he said. The stage area and the speaker systems have even been upgraded.

Destin Shop Spot: The Destin Commons

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 09:02:00 GMT

“The Commons” is a perfect name for this Destin shop spot, because regardless of age, gender, or any other factoid about yourself, you will have something in common with The Commons. (Okay so that’s not really what “commons” means but well... wait and see... it just might.) There is virtually something for everyone at this open air mall.

If you like to shop for clothing and accessories for all styles and ages there are roughly 40 different shops to suit you. From classic Lillie Rubin and Ann Taylor Loft to trendy Frock Candy, you won’t be disappointed. However, say you don’t like to shop for clothes and accessories... what about fishing and hunting accessories? Aha! There is a huge Bass Pro Shop adjacent to The Commons. Finally men aren’t obliged to just sit on a bench and wait! And good news mom, they can take the kids to see the giant fish tank inside while you shop.

Wait, you don’t hunt or fish? Rave motion pictures is smack in the middle of The Commons. Rave features stadium seating, state of the art sound systems and buttery popcorn. What? You don’t like going to the movies? There are 12 different restaurants on site to fill all your taste buds’ needs. Now if you don’t like to eat... well... you can always run through the dancing fountains with all the kids at The Commons because you’ve got to be CRAZY!

It’s even nice just to walk around and enjoy the beautiful palm trees and music in the air. There are even open air concerts showcasing a variety of artists. And there’s Build A Bear. Or a duck or cat or any other animal you like.

There really is something for everyone at The Destin Commons. So come enjoy the ocean breeze, have a glass of wine, and you’re sure to find common ground.

For a full directory of stores and attractions visit www.DestinCommons.com.