My Perdido

1800 Military Time/ 31Aug Gustav Update

The parking lot at Palacio is full of license plates of our friends from Louisiana and in many of the other condos' parking lots I can see from my 15th floor vantage point it is the same.  We are full of compassion for their plight and saying our prayers for them and what they left behind.  It is heartbreaking to those of us who lived through Ivan and we can't imagine the devastation to our souls to live through it again as they might be facing this evening.

Here is my take on the latest we are hearing about the effect Gustav will have on Perdido Key.  I have little to report about current conditions. It is cloudy, overcast mostly, but no thunderstorm clouds nor any rain since earlier this afternoon.

We are being told and can confirm on several web sites that we will see 2-4 feet of storm surge on Perdido. Orange Beach is expecting 4-7 feet according to the folks I have spoken to over there.  This is all dependent upon the track remaing the same but as we know an east bound swerve at the last moment before landfall is possible. They are actually evacuating some areas of south Baldwin, mostly to the south of Ft. Morgan Rd, Plesch Island and such vulnerable spots in low lying areas in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.  The majority of the concerns I hear from our AL neighbors centers on their water craft.  Many of my friends with boating experience and expertise are helping each other move and/or secure boats that cannot be removed from the water.

Here are some charts to show you the situation as we see it.

The warning and watches are shown here. This may give us a false sense of well being because the worst areas "stop" at the FL border but hurricanes don't know state lines.  I have been watching the computer projections and they are extremely consistent so I do think we will be spared the worst and will likely experience 25-30mph winds and heavy rain.  See this next chart to see that Pensacola is in the Green/Blue area.

I can say at  1830 military time on the 31st that  we are not seeing anything locally that would be considered Tropical Storm like.  In fact people are out on the beach but wisely staying out of the heavier than normal surf.  Red flags are out.  It is definitely dark to our south in these waning hours of sundown.  Gustav is there without question. 

I have not made mention of this but in this case and in subsequent weather events ( we know there will be more) I will use this blog to inform.  I will also try to answer any questions or respond to any comments you make to these postings.  Just click on the "comment" link below and I will receive it. Please understand that my response will depend upon information I have and on the situation in which I find myself. For instance I don't expect to be forced to evacuate  but I will if required.  I should have power and internet wherever I remain or run to safety but it might take time to respond. Please be patient.

To those in harms way our prayers are with you.  To those who are associated in any way with the possible effects of this storm we are concerned and compassionate and we are trying to give you what we know from our perspective on Perdido Key.  We invite you interest and your comments/questions.

Gustav Approaches

As Hurricane Gustav approaches I will go more into the storm report mode and try to keep my audiences up on the latest.

For now, Sunday morning...surfs up.  We are seeing significant surf from the southeast as you would expect but other than some breezy conditions it is a beautiful day.  I have one bit of information for you.  Check out this web site: http://www.bearpawsweather.com/tropical/index.html

I think it has the widest set of graphic representations of weather data I have seen.  I will continue to give you on site observations as I can.  If they evacuate Perdido I am not sure where I will go yet but I will report from there and stay in touch with anyone who is on closer proximity to give you what I know.  I also will be one of the first back if it comes to that because I am involved with the disaster response team that will operate out of the PB Community Center.  I should have a good vantage point form there and we have emergency power and eventually  communications in place, ready to react to the community's needs.

Stay tuned.

More stuff to do around Perdido this weekend

Eco Tours at Big Lagoon State Park

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays, Aug. 9, 16, 23 and 30, Big Lagoon State Park, 12301 Gulf Beach Highway. Activities will include exploring shells, guided walks through the park, catching and learning about local marine species. Participants should bring lunch, drinking water and be prepared to get wet. Reservations required. Details: 492-1595.

Scott Faubel Fund Raiser

Mrs. Faubel is a much loved teacher at Hellen Caro Elementary and a friend to many of us. Her husband Scott was involved in a recent accident that has left him with a spinal cord injury. To help with hospital expenses there will be a fund-raiser THIS Saturday, August 30th, at Jim Bailey Middle School from 10:00 - 2:00. Hot dog lunches, $4.00 a plate will be served, there will be a bake sale and a car wash for donations.

Some weekend events

This weekend, San Roc Cay, 23700 Perdido Key Drive, Orange Beach, Ala., will be the site for the San Roc Arts and Crafts Festival. Set for noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, the festival will exhibit more than 30 local artists in many mediums and styles.

In addition to a plethora of arts, festival-goers will enjoy wine tasting on Saturday, live music both days and San Roc's many boutiques. When dinner rolls around, feast at Reds Seafood Restaurant, Café Grazie or Louisiana Lagniappe.

The festival is free. Details:          (251) 981-5423        , or visit www.sanroccay.com.

'Odyssey's Shipwreck'

Sunday, the Baldwin County Heritage Museum, 25521 U.S. 98, Elberta, Ala., will open the exhibition "Odyssey's Shipwreck! Treasures from the SS Republic," the greatest shipwreck treasure of the Civil War era along Mobile Bay.

This installation will take museum visitors on a 1,700-foot journey to the floor of the Atlantic through high-resolution video footage, to the wreck of the historic ship. Visitors will be able to get up close to recovered authentic artifacts, including gold and silver coins.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for children ages 2 to 12. Details:          (251) 986-8375        .

Mullet Festival

This Labor Day, the town of Lillian, Ala., will celebrate the mystique of the mullet with its 22nd annual Mullet Festival. Aside from endless mullet to eat, festivities include a fun run, silent auction, bake sale, live music, games for the children, clowns and plenty of vendor booths. Other events in the works include a car show, yard sale, a dunk tank and more.

The event also includes the "Run for the Mullet 5K Race" at 7 a.m., followed by a mullet toss. There will also be a dance party from 7 to 11 p.m.

All money raised will be returned to the community through the Optimist Club of Perdido Bay.

Admission is free. The festival takes place at the Lillian Community Club, 34148 Widell Road. Details: Bob Schaefer,          (251) 961-3502        .

Election Results- I am not surprised

Although I am not politically connected I try to stay informed about the local politics especially as it applies to Perdido Key.  I was not surprised to see this morning that the results of the primary turned out several incumbents.

Here are a brief few paragraphs lifted from the Pensacola News Journal:

Wilson Robertson trampled District 1 Escambia County Commissioner Mike Whitehead in Tuesday's Republican primary election. He won with 4,744 votes to Whitehead's 1,126.

"I really didn't expect it to be that big of a margin. It was the runoff I didn't have four years ago," Robertson said after hearing the results at his campaign headquarters near Ellyson Field. "I feel like I have been vindicated now from that."

Four years ago, Robertson lost his comeback bid to Whitehead by 43 votes, and he vowed not to let it happen again.  Robertson faces Democrat Stephen M. Davidson in the Nov. 4 general election. The winner will serve a four-year term and earn an annual salary of $74,188.

There is going to be a new sheriff in Escambia County.

David Morgan, 55, who owns a private-investigations firm, upset incumbent Sheriff Ron McNesby in Tuesday's Republican primary. Morgan received 13,550 votes to McNesby's 10,343 votes.

Morgan will go on to face Larry Scapecchi, a retired Escambia County Sheriff's Office lieutenant, in the Nov. 4 general election.

Although Dave Murzin was re-elected to the FL legislature 2 other incumbents in Escambia were replaced by new faces for a total of 4.  The voters were few unfortunately with only 1 in 4 eligible voters casting a ballot but it was conventional wisdom that the electorate was not happy with the status quo.  Slowly but surely they are turning against the "good ole boy" network so common in local politics. In short the people of the Pensacola area are pretty disgusted with government as usual.  Gene Valentino's election a few years back was a precursor to what many expect to be a complete reshaping of the political landscape.  The Pensacola Young Professionals have had a very successful membership drive and are a force to be reckoned with.  Although they don't endorse candidates they do command appearances at YPY events and ask the tough questions.  They also get out the vote in that demographic and so are a catalyst for change.

There are great expectations for the water front development downtown Pensacola and the delays and insider haggling has exacerbated the growing dissatisfaction with the way public business is handled around here.  Perdido residents and residents in general on the west side are just about finished with business as usual.  They have been the brunt of bad government for some time and thus the election of Gene due greatly to the voters of the west side. The upcoming general election should be very interesting if these latest results are any indication.   

La Serena hosted lunch today

It is a quiet day on the Key today as we anticipate the coming holiday weekend.  It was perfect time for some of the local real estate folks and business people to get together and tour the newly decorated units that are for sale at La Serena.  The Coldwell Banker folks were kind enough to host a lucheon at their site with southwestern fare catered by the Cactus Flower Cafe' .  They just just opened a new location a few miles up the road on Gulf Beach Highway, just before Navy Blvd.  Next time looking for a good meal it is worth a try.

Our hosts were Danielle Benedetti and Polly Myers from the Coldwell Banker United office that represents La Serena for the Developers from Opus.

I would say they had about 40 people come by and enjoy the food and get a tour of the units for sale at La Serena.  Polly and Danielle did double duty by decorating the new "model" set up in #202.  If you want a good look at La Serena you can go to their web site http://www.laserenacondos.com/ or see my web site http://www.perdidopete.com/MyHomeDtl.asp?lstPages=5&HomeID=391827

Here is the crowd chowing down on the free food with 2 of the usual suspects at these occasions, Jeff Boll of Southern Escrow and Title and Danny Head of ResortQuest Real Estate. 

It is election day.

Don't forget to vote today.  You may feel you don't know enough about the candidates that are in this primary or it is such a small slate why bother.  Please go to the polls in any case and cast a ballot. It is a great practice for the upcoming general election to make sure you  are registered and you know where to go to vote.  Some changes in the last year could surprise you.  Not only is it important to the Perdido Key area to be counted ( "we are ignored" seems to be a common complaint ) but this could save your vote in November.

Property tax forums set in Baldwin County, AL

State revenue commissioner said events designed to face questions, frustration 'head on'

Monday, August 25, 2008

By CRAIG MYERS

Staff Reporter

State Revenue Commissioner Tim Russell, former mayor of Foley, will be back in Baldwin County this week for what he knows will be a not-so-friendly homecoming as he plays host to a series of forums on property appraisal, valuation and taxation. Russell will be joined by Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Phil Nix and members of the Baldwin County legislative delegation and County Commission in the informational sessions in Gulf Shores, Fairhope, Robertsdale and Bay Minette.

All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. No registration is required.

Russell said he knows the natives are restless in Baldwin County after bills went out this time last year with dramatically higher property valuations, leading to a record number of appeals to the county Board of  Equalization. That panel just recently wrapped up hearing a record 15,000 cases. "We decided to hit it head on," Russell said. "We want questions.  I would envision the majority of time would be spent on questions and answers. The best way to educate is to address people's specific questions, using their situation.

"The most important thing is to educate people. Then if they still want to be mad at us, that's fine."

Russell took over the state Revenue Department in February, after it had moved in to oversee Nix's office citing an inequitable and incomplete appraisal process. Nix decided not to seek reelection, saying he had been treated unfairly in a state takeover designed to milk more revenue from Baldwin County. Teddy Faust Jr. was elected county revenue commissioner and by law will take office in October 2009. Faust will attend the forums as well, organizers said.

Russell said he expects the state staff will leave Nix's office within the next few months. He said early indications are that appraised values are on a downward trend and when tax bills go out in November, they shouldn't reflect the same level of increases as last time.

"We want citizens to understand we are all trying to work together to achieve what is fair and equitable," Russell said. "We're united to do what is right and fair. They may still be upset by annual appraisals and if they want to try to get that changed in the Legislature, they can."

But Russell said Alabama's property tax system is still under the authority of a federal judge, based on a lawsuit filed in the 1970s, and annual appraisals are recommended as the best method for dealing with inequities. State officials have been unable to get released from the court's oversight, Russell said. Annual appraisals should eventually benefit property owners by achieving more stable and predictable tax bills than a multi-year cycle, he said.

Russell invited everyone to attend a forum in their part of the county.  "We're not afraid of any question," he said. Al Thompson, who as chairman of the Board of Equalization was on the forefront of the tax turmoil, said the forums are a great idea and believes they will help cool the debate. Thompson said he hopes they result in property owners understanding how homes and land are valued for tax purposes and their own responsibilities under the law.

"We found throughout the appeals process that there was a gap in proper information getting to the property owners," Thompson said. "Property owners were not getting clear information at the beginning on when the value they were receiving was set on their property.

"Most of the time the value on that notice was based on a period more than a year earlier, but they think it's the value of their property today."

The forum in Fairhope will be particularly interesting because that was one area of the county with wildly varying property valuations, he said. Some neighborhoods there had not been properly assessed for eight years and owners experienced tax bill increases of 200 percent or more, he said. "Mass appraisal is not a perfect science, no doubt about it. Appraisal is an art and mass appraisal even more so," Thompson said.

Thompson also hopes citizens will learn they are required to report changes to their property that affect its value, whether positively or negatively.

For example, if someone adds on to their house and it isn't discovered by appraisers for several years, owners could be charged back taxes, Thompson said. Likewise, if something happens to lower a home's value, appraisers might not discover that for a while.

"People like to at least have an atmosphere of openness and transparency. They may disagree with the Department of Revenue and Board of Equalization, but at least if they know what basis their property is valued and assessed, there are no secrets," he said. "I still believe honest, good citizens can agree to disagree."

Fay really is not through yet.

We woke this morning with the roar of wind and driving rain against the condo windows.  What a difference a day makes.  Compare this shot taken 24 hours after the one in my post from yesterday.          

Now that is an agree sea.  You can see the cloud cover too and rain in the distance.  It was was not distant at 5AM.  The literal freight train noise made it sound like a tornado but with light breaking I could not see any damage so it was just rang between buildings.  Palacio is close to Perdido Sun of course and we have heard winds squeezing through the structures before.  It must have been blowing pretty strong to make that kind of noise.  Really surprised me especially after yesterday was such a nice breezy but dry day.  It is drizzling now and heavy clouds are all around.

Here are other shots to compare to yesterday's.

Visibility is good right now but the rain came in sheets this morning and you could not see across the street from this location.  The dense cloud structure is evident in these pictures.

The weather guys say that we are going to get heavy rains and possible flooding but you and I have heard the hype before.  The point is that Fay leaves circular bands behind its wake.  Because the storm center (it is now a tropical depression and on its way to a low pressure system).  If you look at the radar it is obvious what  is happening.  The areas to the east of us are getting hammered and it is expected we will experience some of that weather later today and even through tomorrow.

As I mentioned yesterday I did not expect I would have much to say today about Fay  but I was wrong.  I am now wondering what will happen as the low pressure system is picked up by steering winds and heads north as predicted.  I understand the center will continue towards the MS/LA/AR border intersection and then go north.  I hope it dumps lots of the needed rain across the drought areas in north AL and GA although the heavy wind this morning was a shock I hope does not repeat through those southern pines.

Eco Tours at Big Lagoon State Park

The Gulf Coast is known for its white sandy beaches and picturesque sunsets, but there are hidden beauties of nature to be found around every corner. For example, take an eco-tour at Big Lagoon State Park and you may find yourself staring into the eye of a baby seahorse or holding a baby shrimp in your hand.

The Big Lagoon Eco-Tours will be conducted every Saturday throughout the month of August. The tours, which last approximately two hours, are both educational and fun, with emphasis on the fun. This past Saturday a group of excited youngsters became the 11,000th group of children to receive certificates and badges as part of the Junior Ranger Program, sponsored by Big Lagoon State Park and Friends of Big Lagoon/Friends of Pensacola State Parks.

Marion Williams, retired Escambia County School District administrator and one of the co-founders of the Eco-Tour program at Big Lagoon State Park, is the tour guide for the event.

"These tours are special," Williams said. "We wanted a program that would teach our kids, in a fun way, to conserve and be respectful of nature. This area is a breeding ground or nursery for all of the area's marine life. Everything starts out here and we teach the children to have fun in the water, but still be respectful of the creatures that live here."

But, the eco-tour isn't just for the children. Adults also enjoy the event.

"This is great," said Olivia Neal of Pensacola. "This is so much fun. My husband, Michael, is very interested in marine life and he thought this would be educational, but still fun for our son, Joshua. I'm so glad we came. This is fascinating."

Big Lagoon State Park Ranger Amy Slusser said the tours are fun for people of all ages.

"The parents often bring their children here thinking it is something just for young people," said Slusser. "They soon find that they are having as much fun collecting shells and looking for baby shrimp as their kids are."

On this particular eco-tour, participants discovered a wide-variety of marine life including a large, green pipefish. A pipefish has the thin body of a snake and the head structure of a seahorse, according to Williams.

"This particular pipefish is green from the algae and grasses present in the water," Williams said. "This pipefish can now hide easily from predators. He is now wearing his own camouflage vest I guess you can say. One small fact about the pipefish is that the males produce the babies."

In addition to the pipefish, tour participants discovered baby flounder, baby shrimp, frog fish, oyster clusters, blue crabs, hermit crabs, sea quirts, sea worms, jelly cones and many seashells including the argot, razor clam and conch.

"Weather permitting, we will also hold some tours in September and October," Williams said. "If the weather is nice that is our goal."

Kathryn Thomason and Park Ranger Amy Slusser remove small shrimp, crabs and other small marine life from their dip nets. (John Hill/Pelican correspondent)

Want to go?

- WHAT: Big Lagoon State Park and Recreational Area

- WHERE: 12301 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola. The recreational area is located approximately 10 miles southwest of Pensacola on Country Road 292-A (Gulf Beach Highway).

- WHEN: Saturdays through August.

- DETAILS: (850) 492-1595.