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New Birth Center to open at Thomas Hospital
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JUNE 7, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com |
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Hotel Indigo opens in Orange Beach Hotel Indigo Orange Beach, the first upscale beachside boutique hotel on the Alabama Gulf Coast, has now opened for business. Located at 22843 Perdido Beach Boulevard, the hotel is nestled between the white sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and the natural beauty of the Gulf State Park. For more information about this new attraction, turn to Page 27.
SUBMITTED BY GULF STATE PARK
The updated map released by Gulf State Park includes the new trails recently opened by the park.
Gulf State Park opens new trails By CRYSTAL COLE crystal@gulfcoastmedia.com
Gulf State Park officials have happily announced the addition of new trails that have been added to the park’s existing trail system.
The Gulf State Park Project with the University of Alabama helped identify new areas where trails could be added to enhance and improve access to different areas of the park. The new trails include
the Lake Crossing Trail, which offers visitors views of Lake Shelby and connects the Gopher Tortoise Trail to the picnic area, and the Beach Mouse Bypass, a mile-long boardwalk near the Middle Lake that offers people
a chance to observe wildlife and alligator watch. Ally McLaughlin with Gulf State Park said visitors have responded positively to the new trails. “People are loving it, especially the Lake Crossing Trail at Lake Shelby,”
McLaughlin said. “It’s a new opportunity to enjoy and see new areas of the park.” McLaughlin said the new trails also help highlight the extraordinary SEE TRAILS, PAGE
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Protest at Perdido Pass
Short snapper season angers locals, visitors It’s time for turtles! Orange Beach finally got its first sea turtle nest Wednesday, May 31, to the delight of many local residents. To find out more about the nest that was found, head to Page 25.
DEATHS
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Gary W. Atkins Nellie Wavolene Clopton Jessie David Frames Patsy Davis Henshon Richard Michael Howard Patricia M. Johnson Mary Alice Mathis Jeffrey L. Odom
By CRYSTAL COLE crystal@gulfcoastmedia.com
Early Sunday morning out at Perdido Pass, several dozen boats came out to stage a protest against the historically short federal red snapper season for recreational fishermen. The protest began at 5:30 a.m. with just a few vessels, but soon grew to at least 25 boats lining one side of the pass. Boats from the Orange Beach Police Department, Alabama Marine Police and Coast Guard were also on hand to make sure other vessels could make through the pass, including several charter fishing boats that were still allowed to fish for the red snapper.
The protest was the brainchild of the Saltwater Finaddicts group on Facebook, which helped organize the event. Orange Beach Councilman Jeff Boyd said he and other city leaders had considered staging a protest themselves, but chose to take what he called “the executive path” in dealing with the snapper season situation by sending a letter to President Donald Trump and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We just wanted our voice heard,” Boyd said. “We came to the agreement that we’d be better served going the executive path. We’ve had Congressman Byrne get some elected officials from Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana
to sign his letter to the Secretary of Commerce. Luther Strange, our current senator, and Gov. Kay Ivey have both sent letters as well.” Boyd said he was hopeful that some good news would be coming soon on the snapper season. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard some news shortly that at least something is going to change,” Boyd said. “There definitely has been forward motion. We feel pretty confident. We’re banging pots and making noise, but we’re doing it executively, talking to the guys who can actually control it.” Tom Steber, president of the Alabama Charter Fishing Association, said SEE PROTEST, PAGE
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PHOTOS BY CAPT. MARK ROBINSON/GCM CORRESPONDENT
Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo always a great catch Last weekend, the Flora-Bama Yacht Club played host to the annual Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo, a three day tournament and beach party that included a fish viewing area, live music, amazing food and the legendary Flora-Bama hospitality. For more photos from this event, turn to Page 2 or visit our website at gulfcoastnewstoday.com.
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TV LISTINGS, 14-17
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