Sat, 11 February 2012
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:The Emerald Coast offers romance! With breathtaking sunsets and menus to satisfy every taste bud, the Emerald Coast is a great place to celebrate Valentine's Day. Many restaurants will offer specials for the romantic evening. The Solaris will offer a Valentine's Day dinner cruise on the Choctawhatchee Bay on February 11th and 14th. The cruise will include a four course meal, live music and great views of the bay. Reservations are required! Visit www.sunquestcruises.com for details. The Destin 50 Beach Ultra Marathon is soon! A weekend event on Destin beaches and surrounding areas will offer running enthusiasts a lot to run for. The event will take place February 18-20. The event will include a 5-mile run on Saturday, 50-mile and 50k Ultra Running Races and a 50-mile relay on Sunday. Monday will consist of a runner's social. The benefit will support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Visit www.destin50.com for details. Gumbo contest in the Baytowne Wharf! The Annual Sandestin Gumbo Cook-Off will take place February 18th at noon in the Village of Baytowne Wharf. Gumbo lover's will get the chance to taste the best gumbo on the Emerald Coast. Local businesses and restaurants will compete to when the cook-off. Tickets will cost $15 in advance and $25 the day of. Visit www.sandestingumbofestival.com for tickets and event info. Vision Airlines discontinues flights. Vision Airlines will no longer offer air service out of Northwest Florida Regional Airport. February 29th will be the last day of flights. Travelers have till February 26th to book flights. Vision Airlines had a positive impact on the local economy. The Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council spent more than $485,000 in advertising the Emerald Coast in the 22 cities Vision offered service to last spring and summer. An estimated $139 million impacted the local economy from more than 155,000 total passengers on Vision Airlines. It is not determined yet if Vision Airlines will continue service out of Northwest Florida Regional Airport. Alternative energy systems in Destin! The Destin City Council recently voted in favor of alternative energy systems. A proposal ordinance would allow for the use of smallscale energy generation systems such as solar panels and wind turbines as an accessory use in all zoning districts. Destin currently has no regulations. The city defined small-scale solar systems as, a solar collection system consisting of one or more roof or ground mounted solar collector devices and solar related equipment. The system is considered small-scale if it supplies electrical and thermal power solely for onsite use. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Homemadesoul of the Emerald Coast with their song With My Lady Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music?
Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sat, 14 January 2012
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:The 30-A Songwriter's Festival is back! The beautiful beach route of 30-A hosts the Songwriter's Festival that is growing in popularity. The festival will take place January 13-15. The three day event will feature more than 125 musicians and over 250 performances in venues ranging from small intimate rooms to outdoor amphitheaters. For 2012 the lineup will include the Indigo Girls, Rodney Crowell, The Bangles, Shawn Mullins, Sam Bush Band, Matthew Sweet and many local favorites! To find tickets, music lineups, venues and accomodations visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com Snowbirds are on the Emerald Coast! The winter visitors are increasing in numbers this month. The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the 2012 Winter Guest Fest on January 13th at the Emerald Coast Convention Center. The annual trade show is sponsored by ResortQuest and will take place from 8 a.m. till noon. There will be hundreds of vendors along with entertainment and food from local restaurants. More than 2,000 people have attended in past years. Casino may come to Sandestin. Recently, members of the Sandestin Owners Association attended a meeting at the Sandestin Town Hall to hear the idea of a casino in Sandestin. Tom Becnel, owner of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, presented his ideas to the homeowners to determine whether or not a small entertainment-based gaming facility along Hwy 98 west of the Marriot Courtyard would be supported. Currently, there is a bill before the Florida Legislature to create a State Gaming Commission with a possibility of licensing up to five gambling casinos. Miramar Beach local publishes cookbook. Robert Medina is a Miramar local whose roots stretch to New Orleans. Medina once worked as a firefighter in New Orleans where he would often cook for the firehouse. Medina's father, brother and uncle were also firefighters that carried out the cooking for the same firehouse. The cooking experience Medina picked up at the firehouse later inspired his recent cookbook titled, If You Can't Stand The Heat... a New Orleans Firefighters Cookbook. The book is on sale at local bookstores along the Emerald Coast. Visit www.Fireitup.tateauthor.com for more info. Beach restoration to resume on Okaloosa Island. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has issued a final order to approve the permit to restore the beach on Okaloosa Island. Okaloosa County now has permission to complete the $12 million restoration of 2.9 miles of public beach. The project would add about 913,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from the Gulf of Mexico to the beach. The permit is good for five years. County commissioners will decide to move ahead with the project on January 17th. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Reed Waddle of Destin with their song The Beast Within Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sat, 31 December 2011
How To Listen:
Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Mean Street Riders of Miramar Beach with their song High on the Hog. Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sat, 24 December 2011
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:Some local favorites will be open for Christmas! On big holidays when most prefer to cook a big dinner, there are still some people that prefer to dine out. There will be several restaurants open in Destin for Christmas. Local favorites like, Beach Walk Cafe, La Famiglia, Marlin Grill, Sandcastles Restaurant, Hog's Breath and Ocean Club will be open! Harbor Docks will not be open for Christmas for 2011, which will be the first time in many years. An anonymous man payed off layaways at Destin Wal-Mart. All over the U.S. there have been stories of generous people paying off presents that are on layaway. In Destin, a man called up to the Destin Wal-Mart asking how much it would cost to pay off all the layaway items. The gentlemen came in to the store with a check for $2,700. The check covered layaway items for 20 different customers. The man remains anonymous except to a few Wal-Mart employees. Christmas Eve may see good beach weather! The forecast for the Emerald Coast is looking mild throughout the holidays. Christmas Eve is forecasted to be sunny with a high temperature of 68*F. Christmas Day is not looking to bright with showers in the forecast. Locals and visitors may have a few opportunities over the holidays to soak up some rays of sunshine. Bonita have been seen schooling off the beaches along with Sheepshead. The jetties are best spot for beach fishing. Destin is up for Best Beach in Florida! U.S. News and World Report is giving voters the opportunity to select Florida's Best Beach. Destin is in the running against Sanibel Is., Naples, Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Key West and Ft. Myers. Destin is in the lead with 3,178 votes. Ft. Lauderdale is in second with only 593 votes. Go to http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Florida_Beaches/ and vote for Destin! Okaloosa Gas prices decrease in 2012 Okaloosa Gas customers may start saving on gas bills come January 1st. Currently, gas customers pay $0.475 per therm for the cost of gas, and the new rate will be $0.45. The delivery rate for residential use of $0.4898 per therm and customer charge of $10.80 remains the same. The typical customer can expect an average monthly svings of $0.88 based on an average use of 35 therms per month. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Forrest Williams Band of Destin with their song Touched By Your Grace
Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sun, 11 December 2011
How To Listen:
Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Michael J. Thomas of Destin with their song City Beat.
Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Tue, 11 October 2011
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:The Destin Seafood Fest was a success! The Destin Seafood Fest had a record turnout this year. Festivalgoers got to experience great weather, food, art, music and scenery. The festival was free to the public this year, which may have been the result for the great turnout along with the harbor as the venue. The seafood festival kicked off the fishing rodeo that takes place the entire month of October! The Destin Fishing Rodeo is on! The Destin Fishing Rodeo takes place from October 1st through the 31st. The festival has many events like the mullet toss, an exotic car show and a bike rally that take place. There is over $100k in cash prizes for 2011! The first and second place winners on the board of each division at the end of the rodeo will be entered in a drawing for $15k! Visit www.destinfishingrodeo.org Baby J's is now in the Gulf of Mexico. Baby J's was once a popular bar among locals on the Destin Harbor. The vessel had to relocate when it did not might building codes. Owner Alan Laird looked for a new location for Baby J's, but could not find a new home. The 75-foot, two-story boat is now on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Laird thought it would make a great artificial reef for marine life. The site of the reef will be called Rick's Memorial Reef, in memory of Kerry Rick who recently passed. Deluna Fest is coming up! The oil spill in 2010 brought a lot of attention to the coastline. There were many beach concerts that took place. Deluna was the largest that attracted thousands from all over! For 2011, the festival is back on Pensacola Beach with a great lineup. The bands performing include, Jane's Addiction, Weezer, The Shins, Cake, Big Boi, Mutemath, The Dirty Heads, Cut Copy and many more. Tickets are still on sale! Visit www.delunafest.com for tickets and event information. Destin Festival of the Arts is soon! The 16th Annual Destin Festival of the Arts will take place at Henderson Beach State Park October 29th and 30th. There will be over a 100 juried artists from around the U.S. competing for $8,200 in cash prizes. Many different styles and mediums will be present. The festival will also have strolling performers, a bistro food court, continuous entertainment and festival merch. Visit www.mattiekellyartsfoundation.org for more information. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Long Reef of Emerald Coast/Australia with their song Can't Live Without Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sat, 1 October 2011
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:The Destin Fishing Rodeo takes place all of October! Fall weather brings cooler temperatures that spike up the fishing along the Emerald Coast. There are many different fishing divisions that range from inshore species like flounder to amberjack and other large offshore fish. Shark Saturday will take place every weekend. The largest shark caught each weekend will receive prize money. The stand-up paddle board division is new addition to the rodeo for 2011. The Destin Seafood Festival is at HarborWalk Village. The festival is back in its original location for 2011 and is free to the public! There will be arts and crafts, 21 food vendors and 15 music stages. Many local bands will perform as well as 15 songwriters from Nashville. Along with the music stages, there will be a chef stage where area chefs will show off local flavor. Visit www.destinseafoodfestival.org for more details. Thunder Beach Bike Rally in Panama City Beach! From Sept. 28th- Oct. 2nd, bikers from all over will be on the Emerald Coast. Thunder Beach will have several venues that will have a variety of vendors that will offer products and services to motorcycle enthusiasts. The bike rally will include live music, a poker run, stunt shows, miss thunder beach pageant and a bike parade. Visit www.thunderbeachproductions.com for event information. Derelict boats are increasing in local waters. The economy has forced many people to give up boats they can no longer afford. In Okaloosa County, there are 15 boats labeled derelict. There is a total of 30 in the area that are just sitting. Removing derelict boats is expensive and not easy. Officials try to track down owners of abandoned boats first before charging them with a simple misdemeanor or a serious offense such as felony dumping. The Santa Rosa Sound is where most boats are being left. The Emerald Coast still has many foreclosures for sale. The area market does not look to be changing in the near future. Distressed homes are at high numbers still. From January 1st to September 22nd of 2011, 4,610 properties were sold in the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors coverage area of Okaloosa and Walton counties and parts of Navarre. Of the 4,610 properties, 1,967 properties were distressed. Currently there are 1,304 distressed properties on the market. Now is a great time to look for deals on the market. Justin Myers is a local realtor with a lot of experience with the foreclosure process. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Nothing Short of Pure of Panama City Beach with their song Beachside Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Mon, 19 September 2011
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:Labor Day weekend was a rain out. Tropical Storm Lee came ashore during the last busy weekend for the Emerald Coast. Lee brought lots of rain and wind to the area that flickered lights and shook signs. Area bars, restaurants and shops were still very busy! Many beachgoers occupied beachfront restaurants to observe the stormy conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. The coastline did experience a lot of beach erosion due to the high surf. Lobster Fest at Schooners on Panama City Beach! The 22nd Annual Lobster Festival and Tournament will take place at Schooners on Panama City Beach Sept. 15th-18th. Divers will compete to bring in the largest lobsters that include the Spiny Lobster, Shovelnose Lobster and Big 6. Lobster lovers will be able to enjoy lobster prepared in a variety of ways. The festival will also include live music, raffles and sandcastle sculpting contests. Lobster weigh-ins will be from 3-6 p.m. Visit www.schooners.com for event details. Marine Life Center on Okaloosa Island. AquaGreen is a non profit group looking to build a marine life center on a portion of the old Island Golf Center on Okaloosa Island. AquaGreen will make a presentation to the Okaloosa County commissioners Sept. 20th. The proposa calls for 30,000-square-foot interactive aquarium that focuses on aquaculture and the concepts of conservation and restoration. The Okaloosa County Marine Life Center would also include 50,000 square feet of hatcheries, nurseries, classrooms and labs. There are leading aquaculture experts helping to the develop the project. Dancin' Iguana and Lucky Snapper close The HarborWalk Village has had many restaurants close over the past two years. Recently, both the Dancin' Iguana and Lucky Snapper closed. The Dancin' Iguana closed due to lack of business. Owner A.J. Tuso, was not hitting numbers like his other restaurants. The Lucky Snapper was up this year in sales by 25 percent. The closure was due to the lease expiring. Bed tax collections are up! Tourist development agencies in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties all have recorded their highest bed tax collections in July. In Okaloosa County, bed tax collections were up 85 percent compared to 2010. Okaloosa County collected $1.1 million in taxes on short-term rentals in July. Fishermen are a possible threat to sea turtle populations. Fishing nets and hooks claim a lot of sea turtle lives. Federal estimates show such deaths fell 90 percent from 1990-2007. Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast shrimp trawls account for up to 98 percent of all sea turtles caught by people fishing for other species. Scientists say that fewer than 1 percent of trawlers carried observers to count turtles "by catch". Calculations conclude that more data is needed to show just how much sea turtles are being affected by trawlers. Music selection for this episode is Destiny Reggae of Destin with their song Hail Him. Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music?
Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sat, 27 August 2011
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:Labor Day for 2011 is looking great! The june grass that was present along the coastline is clearing out just in time for Labor Day weekend. The holiday weekend is expected to be busy beyond past years. Hurricane Irene may force east coast beachgoers to choose the Emerald Coast for Labor Day weekend. The business that has already been seen for the 2011 season is a strong indicator that Labor Day weekend will be very busy on the Emerald Coast. YOLO was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine. Stand-up paddleboarding has become a popular hobby and sport on the Emerald Coast. Local SUP company, YOLO, is a great example of how well the industry is succeeding. Entrepreneur Magazine featured the company in the August issue. The YOLO's sales for the first quarter of 2011 are double the sales of the first quarter in 2010. YOLO has a solid branding on the Emerald Coast. Snapper and grouper fishing limits and season may change. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council could bring better science to the Gulf of Mexico. During a recent meeting the council agreed to increase the daily bag limit of red grouper from two to four. Stock assessments will be conducted in 2012 and 2013 to give better understanding of how the red snapper population is doing. Snapper season is from June 1st to July 18th. Gag grouper have a shorter season now. The season is from Septemeber 16th to November 15th. Fishing regulations have become tighter due to a concern in fish populations. National Geographic rated the Emerald Coast in the top 10 fall travel destinations! National Geographic put Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island in its description of the Emerald Coast. The area was rated in the top 10 along with locations in Germany, Switzerland and Tanzania. Golf and fishing were a couple of the main attractions listed that draw visitors to the Emerald Coast. Home sales are up in Okaloosa and Walton counties! Many visitors to the Emerald Coast would love to have a second home or condo by the beach. Now is the time to be looking on the Emerald Coast for a great buy while interest rates are low. Okaloosa County had 305 single-family homes that sold in July. The average price for a condo/townhome in both Okaloosa and Walton counties is around $290k. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Heritage of Destin with their song My Way. Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music?
Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
Sat, 30 July 2011
How To Listen:
Some Of The News Covered:Vision Airlines is offering more flights! Many people are making first time visits to the Emerald Coast because of Vision Airlines affordable fares. Many locals are loving the cheap flights to Orlando and Miami. Starting November 14th, Vision Airlines will begin air service to Grand Bahama International Airport. The flight will have a layover in Ft. Lauderdale. Prices are expected to start around $149 one-way from Northwest Florida Regional Airport to the Bahamas. Seaside has a new stage! The amphitheater in Seaside is a popular place for both locals and visitors to enjoy music and other entertainment. A new stage has been in progress for the past six months. The new stage is being built with 700 pieces of coral. The stage will have great lighting with the addition of 41 LED lights. The town center may also see the construction of an observation tower. People will have a birdseye view of the community from the tower. The tower has been in the building plans for about 30 years. It is yet to be determined when construction will begin for the tower. FDA sets new sunscreen regulations. The main attraction on the Emerald Coast is the beach. Everyday people are exposing their skin to the merciless sun. Sunscreen is highly recommended for every visit to the beach. Consumers will see new labels on sunscreen bottles in the future. Sunscreen will no longer be called "sunblock" for which none of the suns rays can be fully blocked. Nor will sunscreens be able to claim "sweatproof" or "waterproof". The new regulations will go into effect in 2012, and all companies will be required to follow FDA regs by 2013. Visit www.fda.gov/sunscreen for more info. Gulf Power may raise rates. Locals and second homeowners may see a higher electricity bill in 2012. The Gulf Power Company has asked the Florida Public Service Commission to approve an increase in the base rate for electricity. The request would increase the total bill for a residential customer buying 1,000 kilowatt-hours by $12.15 per month. If approved, the new rates will take effect in April 2012 Beach restoration may resume on Destin beaches. There has been an ongoing battle between Okaloosa County and a few homeowners over beach restoration. Some homeowners say the extended beach will no longer be considered private. Other homeowners are concerned that the sand may not be consistent with the already existing sand. Recently, an administrative law judge ruled that the Destin beach restoration project may proceed. Okaloosa County must obtain a permit first and obtain 31 written authorizations from all 31 property owners along the stretch of beach. Links From This Episode:Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at: Music selection for this episode is Kelsey Anna of South Walton with their song Dive Deep Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music? Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com |
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