The Associated Press • July 15, 2010 NEW ORLEANS — A tightly fitted cap was successfully keeping oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico for the first time in three months, BP said Thursday. The victory — long awaited by weary residents along the coast — is the most significant milestone yet in BP's effort to control one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. Kent Wells, a BP PLC vice president, said at a news briefing that oil stopped flowing into the water at 2:25 p.m. CDT after engineers gradually dialed down the amount of crude escaping through the last of three valves in the 75-ton cap. "I am very pleased that there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, I'm really excited there's no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico," Wells said. The stoppage came 85 days, 16 hours and 25 minutes after the first report April 20 of an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 workers and triggered the spill. Now begins a waiting period to see if the cap can hold the oil without blowing a new leak in the well. Engineers will monitor pressure readings incrementally for up to 48 hours before reopening the cap while they decide what to do. Though not a permanent fix, the solution has been the only one that has worked to stem the flow of oil since April. BP is drilling two relief wells so it can pump mud and cement into the leaking well in hopes of plugging it for good by mid-August. BP has struggled to contain the spill and had so far been successful only in reducing the flow, not stopping it. The company removed an old, leaky cap and installed the new one Monday. Between 93.5 million and 184.3 million have already spilled into the Gulf, according to federal estimates.

Published: Monday, June 28, 2010, 5:00 AM Lawrence F. Specker, Press-Register As Brian Philips, the president of the CMT cable music channel, picked up the phone for an interview, he was distracted by a news alert about the latest setback at the well spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico. "How much more bad news from BP can people take?" he mused. "This just hit, and I sent it to Jimmy." The remark hinted at an ongoing whirlwind of communication between CMT, superstar Jimmy Buffett and other parties involved in putting on a Thursday beach concert in Gulf Shores. "It is minute-to-minute," Philips said. Philips' channel will carry a live, commercial-free, 90-minute broadcast of the event, which will star Buffett and special guests Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown. The concert is a sure blockbuster: More than 1 million people sought the 22,500 free tickets that were snapped up in an instant through Ticketmaster,up in an instant through Ticketmaster, and beach rental companies are dangling another 12,500 tickets as incentives to lure tourists. But it's also a monumental challenge to put the show together on short notice. "To give you the exact timeline," Philips said, "we literally made the connection the night of the CMT Awards, which was June 9." That meant that the day after CMT staff members put on "the biggest production of their lives," he said, they were being turned on a dime for the Buffett show. "We're sending everybody," Philips said. "It takes an army to make a show this big." A.J. Niland of Mobile-based HUKA Entertainment said he expects that by Thursday, the ranks of event workers will have surpassed 700, maybe 900. That includes those managed by HUKA, which is in charge of the site and infrastructure; the contingent from CMT; Buffett's touring entourage; and a sizeable security team. Niland said the show owes a lot to the recent Hangout Beach, Music & Arts Festival, which HUKA also produced. That experience, he said, helped HUKA convince Buffett's team that the Gulf Shores beach was a viable location. "Shows on the beach are very, very rarely done anywhere," Niland said of large-scale events like the Hangout fest. "It's not an ideal venue. We made it an ideal venue." Niland, like Philips, described Buffett as being extremely selective about where and when he plays. "It's important to them that the fans get the best Buffett experience," Niland said. "We're creating Margaritaville on the beach, for sure." Mike Foster, marketing manager for the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Buffett's emphasis on quality was a major factor in determining how many concert-goers could attend. The stage and sound system can only be so big, he noted. Niland speculated that if the show were open to all, 200,000 fans might have tried to jam in. But a crowd that size would require video and sound production far beyond what was possible, to say nothing of the safety and traffic issues. "It has to be a safe, enjoyable experience," he said. He said he hopes that fans won't try to crash the show or hang around the outside of the perimeter fence. "We really, really recommend that if they don't have a ticket, they watch it on TV," he said. According to organizers, Marine Police and other agencies will enforce a 500-foot no-boating zone adjacent to the concert grounds on the day of the show. CMT's broadcast will start at 7 p.m. Thursday. It will then rebroadcast an edited version at 6 p.m. Friday; 8:30 p.m. July 3; 1 p.m. July 4; and 10:30 a.m. July 5. The concert will be carried live on Radio Margaritaville, which can be heard via Sirius and XM satellite radio and at www.radiomargaritaville.com. CMT will also stream video of the show at www.CMT.com. The Buffett concert will also be shown on a 20-foot-by-16-foot screen at a beach block party in downtown Foley, according to information provided by that city. Foley and Riviera Utilities are presenting the free event from 5 to 9 p.m. in Heritage Park. The fun will feature a variety of attractions, including music, children's activities and a manmade beach area.

Published: Thursday, June 24, 2010, 5:00 AM Updated: Thursday, June 24, 2010, 9:21 AM Lawrence F. Specker, Press-Register Hundred of fans line up for tickets to the free Jimmy Buffett concert Wednesday, June 23, 2010, at Gold Mine Pawn Shop in Daphne, Ala. Tickets to the July 1 concert ran out soon after they became available at 10 a.m. Wednesday, leaving many fans frustrated. Share A daylong gusher of disappointment and upset erupted at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday on Alabama's coast, as the supply of free Jimmy Buffett tickets evaporated within minutes, if not seconds, of becoming available. Buffett, who grew up in Mobile, will star in a recently announced show July 1 on the public beach in Gulf Shores, in an event intended to promote tourism and raise local spirits amid the oil spill. Special guests include Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown, and CMT will broadcast a portion of the music. Organizers said 35,000 free tickets would be up for grabs via Ticketmaster at 10 a.m., with a limit of four per transaction. Fans who lined up at Ticketmaster outlets or waited expectantly at their computers discovered that the tickets were taken at astonishing speed. Soon after 10, in fact, sellers were hawking tickets on eBay, Craigslist and other web locations, with asking prices usually over $100 each. By midafternoon, eBay and Craigslist had clamped down on the scalping. Dozens of aggrieved Buffett fans aired their dissatisfaction at www.al.com. Many felt that the ticketing system had cheated locals, and many were angry that scalpers stood to profit from the oil spill woes. A few hours later, the subject came up during a public forum in Orange Beach, when Mayor Tony Kennon told constituents about a plan to host a series of concerts at the beach and The Wharf to lure vacationers. The mayor hadn't heard about the Buffett ticket scalping until audience members told him. "Now 30,000 of them are on eBay," one man said. "Thirty-thousand on eBay? Hmmm. The secondary market," the mayor said. "That's the way America works." At www.cmt.com and Buffett's main business site, www.margaritaville.com, bland statements noted the enthusiasm for the tickets but not the aggravation. Brian Philips, president of CMT, said in an interview with the Press-Register that CMT didn't have anything to do with the mechanics of the giveaway. But he didn't buy the argument that anything wrong, corrupt or illegal had occurred. Tickets for the July 1 free concert in Gulf Shores, Ala., featuring Jimmy Buffett were being offered for auction Wednesday on eBay. Buffett and Chesney are two of the biggest draws in the concert touring industry, Philips said, and Zac Brown is one of the hottest newcomers. "If we could put 500,000 people safely on the beach, we would," Philips said. "I guess I'm looking at it as, well, I'm glad we were able to get 35,000 people in, I'm glad we were able to make the broadcast available to an additional 90 million households via CMT." On July 1, the cable channel will show the concert live for 90 commercial-free minutes, he said. Rebroadcasts through the weekend are certain, but details haven't been worked out, he said. "No one is paying us to make this show," he said. "This is our gift to our audience, and I would hope to the Gulf and to Alabama." Janet Eberly, co-owner of coastal business Alabama Dolphin Cruises, said the ticket shutout she suffered was an insult added to the injury of the spill. "My glass has been half-full since April 20, and people are trying to drink out of my glass," she said. "This was the first day I cried." "I think any ticket given out today should be negated," she said. To her mind, she said, tickets should be given out to locals and particularly business owners, who could then use them as a bonus to draw patrons to the coast. Despite it all, she said, she was going to find a way to listen to the show, which she said would take place within walking distance of her home. "I want my Jimmy Buffett," she said. "But instead of having to crash the party, I want to be a part of the party." (Press-Register Reporter Ryan Dezember contributed to this report.)

Jimmy Buffett plans beach benefit show Updated: Sunday, 20 Jun 2010, 9:40 PM CDT Published : Sunday, 20 Jun 2010, 9:40 PM CDT Renee Dials Photographer: La-Keya Stinchcomb GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) - The oil washing up on Alabama's shores have been hurting tourism and fishing. Alabama beaches could get a much needed boost thanks to an announcement from Jimmy Buffett. Buffett is planning a benefit concert in Gulf Shores next month in hopes of getting folks back on the beach. It looks like a perfect day at Gulf Shores, beautiful sand, calm waters, and plenty of sunshine. The only thing missing are the crowds of people who normally pack the public beach during summer weekends. John Johnson says right now it's the negative image, not the oil that's killing the economy in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. "And, that's the biggest thing that's hurt us so far," said Johnson. Johnson is hoping Jimmy Buffett's upcoming concert can turn things around. "I think it's going to be pretty good for the gulf coast. Big names coming down here doing a concert and stuff like that," he added. Debbie Booth is down from Tennessee. She agrees a big name concert could draw the crowds back. "I think so, I would come and see Jimmy. But, I like the beach too so we'd come," Booth said. A look at the Perdido Beach Boulevard gives you an idea of how the area as been affected. It's the middle of June and the main highway is usually bumper to bumper, but it's not. Frank and Karen Bell are visiting from Ohio. They say people across the nation are scared of what they're seeing in the news. Bell says they're missing out. "We've been down here probably a dozen times over the last eight or nine years and we really expected a lot more. I'm guessing there's less than a third of the number that would normally be here, but I think perhaps the news media has scared them off. And I really think that if they would come down they would find that it's just a nice a place as they could ever go to," said Frank Bell. A lot of folks are hoping Jimmy Buffett will get that message across at a time when it's really needed. "Honestly, I think it's great. Anything is going to help at this point," said Gulf Shores resident Zach Warner. The concert is scheduled for July 1, 2010. The location has not been announced.

Gulf Front Condo For Sale in Orange Beach, Alabama
The Broadmoor #704... 
This 2 bedroom 2 bath condominium offers panoramic unobstructed Gulf views, a HUGE master suite with sitting area, a large master bathroom, upgraded tile, beautiful granite, plantation shutters, wet bar, covered parking and of course, an incredible Orange Beach location. Don't miss this one! See the splashy beach décor in the photos below.

Click here to see a video of Broadmoor #704 on Youtube.com

#704 Broadmoor is a non-rental and in pristine condition.

The condo market in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL is very favorable to buyers. There has never been a better time to invest. Condos are 40-50% off what they were several years back. In some cases you can get a condo at 2002 prices! We have gorgeous beaches, golf courses, fishing, tennis, boating, shopping, sailing, jet skiing, diving, terrific restaurants, parasailing... and the list goes on and on. Join us! The Alabama Gulf Coast attracts the investor who is looking for all of this and more...

Something magical happens when you visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. The moment you arrive, the world starts to fade away. Maybe it's the sound of waves gently lapping the shore or the smell of coconut oil. Perhaps it's our white sand Gulf Coast beaches and sparkling emerald water. Suddenly building sandcastles moves to the top of your "to-do" list. You remember just how much fun your spouse is. You linger over a succulent, fresh seafood dinner at one of the waterfront restaurants in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, where nobody rushes to get away from the table.

The Alabama Gulf Coast is more than you may realize. It is more than just a beautiful place, more than just the friendly people who live and work here. It is more than sand and sun and waves rolling onto 32 miles of sugar-white beach. The Alabama Gulf Coast is all these things and more. Taken together, these unique attributes create a region with a welcoming sense of place, perfect for families, investors, retirees and growing businesses. The Alabama Gulf Coast has been a family destination for many generations. Ask both visitors and residents, and you'll find that most folks down here have memories of the Alabama Gulf Coast that stretch back to childhood. Many parents recall visiting area beaches with their parents. Now they want to share that same fun with their children. As the area grows, the same family-friendly atmosphere that makes the Alabama Gulf Coast such a special place to visit makes the region a desirable permanent home. The past decade has witnessed significant growth in our area. As upscale residents and business owners relocate to the region, they bring with them increased services, commercial opportunities and a growing sense of community pride. From schools that continually score above the state averages to investors who pump dollars back into the local community, the Alabama Gulf Coast offers the best of all worlds. Come visit us. When you realize all that Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offer, you'll want to stay forever....

If you are interested in owning a beach condo in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, I would be happy to speak with you.  My experience, training, market knowledge, contacts and enthusiasm can help you accomplish your objectives, should you be considering the option.

Want to come to the area to have a look? Rent our Beach Club condo here.

Want to be updated about deals?

WASHINGTON - Nov. 5, 2009 - The $8,000, first-time homebuyer tax credit has not yet been extended beyond its Nov. 30 end date, but it's very close to gaining a longer life.

The extension was added as an amendment to an existing bill, HR 3548, that extends unemployment benefits. The U.S. Senate passed that bill on Wednesday and, after debate, the U.S. House passed HR 3548 this afternoon. It now needs only President Obama's signature to become law, and the White House has indicated it will sign it, perhaps as early as tomorrow.

Until the president signs the bill, however, it is not law.

In addition to extending the tax credit for first-time homebuyers under the current rules, the bill adds a smaller tax credit for move-up homebuyers who have lived in the house for five of the past seven years. The bill also increases the income limits of homebuyers from $75,000 (single) to $125,000; and from $150,000 (married) to $225,000.

Florida downpayment assistance

After the president signs the bill and extends the tax credit, the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program - a downpayment and closing costs assistance program relating to the federal tax credit -automatically gets extended too. The state still has about $28 million available for homebuyers. The money is essentially a loan to first-time buyers; they receive it upfront, use it for a downpayment or other costs, and pay it back once they get their federal refund.

For more information on the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program, visit the Homebuyer Center on floridarealtors.org: http://www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/homebuyercenter/index.cfm

Also check floridarealtors.org for updates as they're released; and, after the tax credit extension becomes law, details on the new program.

© 2009 Florida Realtors®

 

Alabama Gulf Coast Condominium Market Update...
The condo market in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL is very favorable to buyers. There has never been a better time to invest. Condos are 50% off what they were several years back. In some cases you can get a condo at 2002 prices! We have gorgeous beaches, golf courses, fishing, tennis, boating, shopping, sailing, jet skiing, diving, terrific restaurants, parasailing... and the list goes on and on. Join us! The Alabama Gulf Coast attracts the investor who is looking for all of this and more... 

CLICK HERE to receive WEEKLY UPDATES of Gulf Shores, AL and Orange Beach, AL foreclosures.  I offer updates for condo buyers looking for Alabama Gulf Coast real estate.

Alabama Gulf Coast Beaches....
Something magical happens when you visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. The moment you arrive, the world starts to fade away. Maybe it's the sound of waves gently lapping the shore or the smell of coconut oil. Perhaps it's our white sand Gulf Coast beaches and sparkling emerald water. Suddenly building sandcastles moves to the top of your "to-do" list. You remember just how much fun your spouse is. You linger over a succulent, fresh seafood dinner at one of the waterfront restaurants in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, where nobody rushes to get away from the table.

The Alabama Gulf Coast is more than you may realize. It is more than just a beautiful place, more than just the friendly people who live and work here. It is more than sand and sun and waves rolling onto 32 miles of sugar-white beach. The Alabama Gulf Coast is all these things and more. Taken together, these unique attributes create a region with a welcoming sense of place, perfect for families, investors, retirees and growing businesses. The Alabama Gulf Coast has been a family destination for many generations. Ask both visitors and residents, and you'll find that most folks down here have memories of the Alabama Gulf Coast that stretch back to childhood. Many parents recall visiting area beaches with their parents. Now they want to share that same fun with their children. As the area grows, the same family-friendly atmosphere that makes the Alabama Gulf Coast such a special place to visit makes the region a desirable permanent home. The past decade has witnessed significant growth in our area. As upscale residents and business owners relocate to the region, they bring with them increased services, commercial opportunities and a growing sense of community pride. From schools that continually score above the state averages to investors who pump dollars back into the local community, the Alabama Gulf Coast offers the best of all worlds. Come visit us. When you realize all that Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offer, you'll want to stay forever....

If you are interested in owning a beach condo in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, I would be happy to speak with you.  My experience, training, market knowledge, contacts and enthusiasm can help you accomplish your objectives, should you be considering the option. 

Want to come to the area to have a look? Rent our Beach Club condo here.

Thanks!
Scott Myrick
Re/Max of Orange Beach
251-269-3114
www.tinsleymyrick.com
Scottmyrick@yahoo.com