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Comment by Tripatini on July 14, 2010 at 5:01pm

Comment by Tripatini on July 14, 2010 at 5:00pm

Comment by Tripatini on July 14, 2010 at 2:24pm

From Facebook page of Florida's Emerald Coast CVB (Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Mary Esther, Cinco Bayou), July 14:

Dave Davis "A little cloudy here on Okaloosa Island this morning. No oil/tar balls, just a little seaweed. The oil spill trajectory forecast still has us looking good and out of the uncertainty area." 5 hours ago

Comment by Tripatini on July 14, 2010 at 2:19pm

From Pensacola News Journal, July 14:

"Pensacola Beach was clear of new oil today, but BP cleanup crews were out scooping up tar balls lingering in the sand from previous impacts.

The crews are preparing for a possible new onslaught within the next two days, based on the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s forecast predicting a slow eastward movement of oil near shore and off shore through the end of the week. A plume of oil is 61 miles from Pensacola.

Pensacola Beach Public Safety Supervisor Bob West said beach and water conditions are good today. Yellow flags are flying because there is small surf and small risk of rip currents."

Comment by Tripatini on July 14, 2010 at 10:16am

From Houston Chronicle, July 13:

"Biloxi Quieted by Spill Anxiety
by Ken Hoffman

...Fear of the BP oil spill has caught Biloxi in a stranglehold. It's choking the biggest parts of Biloxi's economy — tourism, seafood and casinos.

Biloxi is the gambling capital of the Redneck Riviera. It has the longest man-made beach in the world. The sand is snowy white. Biloxi is home to the best-tasting fried oyster sandwiches. Biloxi swears you won't find any better recreational fishing anywhere.

There's a lot of fun in Biloxi. Now hope is on hold while the BP oil spill shakes the local economy. Casino action is down, the beach is empty, restaurants are laying off waiters and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality says it's not safe to fish off the coastline.

It's anybody's guess how long Biloxi will reel from the oil spill. Sure, hurricanes — like Camille in 1969 and Katrina in 2005 — shook Biloxi. But strong people rebuild from a storm. BP's oil spill may put Biloxi on the ropes for nobody knows how long.

Every morning federal and state safety officials inspect fresh fish, shrimp and oysters coming to market from nighttime fishing trips. The seafood is safe to eat. My seafood platter was terrific. Yet people, tourists and natives alike, are reluctant to buy it.

Burger business is booming in this beach town that calls itself the "Seafood Capital of the World."

With that unrelenting deep-water gusher, even gambling is risky business. Upscale hotels are still doing well. I couldn't get a room at the Beau Rivage or Hard Rock, but I pretty much had the run of the Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel. I played penny slot machines surrounded by women and seniors smoking cigarettes, drinking and eating, all at the same time.

One bright afternoon, I walked along the sand from the Treasure Bay to the Beau Rivage. I'd like to think it was a few miles, but it's probably shorter. I didn't pass one person swimming, playing Frisbee, soaking up the sun or looking for buried treasure with a metal detector.

The beach was dead empty. No people. No tar balls or oil, either.

If you didn't know that a monster oil spill was looming offshore, you never would have guessed it. The only thing that looks weird was no people.

That's what is so frustrating to Biloxi business owners. Biloxi doesn't sit directly on the Gulf of Mexico. It is protected by the Mississippi Sound. There are outer islands and reefs that kept the BP oil spill at a distance, so far, for the most part. The TV news talks about families changing their Gulf vacation plans from Biloxi and heading to the other side of Florida or Disney World. There is a swimming advisory, but nobody will stop you if you want to swim or boogie board in the surf."

Comment by Tripatini on July 14, 2010 at 8:34am

From WLOX TV, Biloxi-Gulfport, July 13:

"...The NTA and the world renowned public relations company Edelman ... hosted a free seminar in Biloxi on Tuesday to share expert advice on how to build business during this oil crisis and how to use the media as communication partners.

'We're suggesting that we get the right information out to the rest of the country, to understand that there's plenty to do on the gulf coast. There are many, many areas that are not affected by the oil spill,' said Cathleen Johnson, an Edelman executive.

But many in the tourism industry say it's tough to overcome images of tar patties and clean-up crews canvassing the beach.

'It's just eerie. I can see how it can definitely scare somebody that's not from around here,' said one seminar participant.

'Our mission is to make people aware that tourism is still happening here and visitation is something that they can consider, because the beaches are beautiful and there are lots of things to do besides the beaches,' said NTA President Lisa Simon.

The next challenge is trying to keep the positive stories going when the oil well is capped and the media leave the state.

'We want them to leave here communicating the fact that this is a very vital vacation region," said Johnson. "We don't want them to kind of swoop back out of the area, leaving everybody with a negative perception of what's happening here.'"

Comment by Tripatini on July 13, 2010 at 3:17pm

From Facebook page of Florida's Emerald Coast CVB (Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Mary Esther, Cinco Bayou), July 13:

Dave Davis "I really feel for the Condos, restaurants, beach attendants, etc. which are really down because the national news has Florida covered with oil. Except for one day last month our beaches and Gulf water have been oil-free. So…if you’re local or a tourist coming down, now is the time to support our local restaurants an...d attractions---you’ll find no waiting lines like you normally would during a typical summer. And when you go to the beach, you won’t have any trouble finding that perfect spot to put your chairs and umbrella..." 5 hours ago

Teresa Goforth Langley: "I was alomost scared away by the media, but then I started checking this page daily and we decided to come anyway. We spent the week there last week, and it was just as wonderful as ever! We come almost every summer and I am so glad we didn't listen to the news!" 4 hours ago

Comment by Tripatini on July 13, 2010 at 3:12pm

Comment by Northeast News on July 13, 2010 at 1:41pm

Mississippi coast update:

• The state government, in conjunction with local officials, has closed the sand beach in Hancock County from Nicholson Avenue, west to the Silver Slipper Casino. The beaches are closed to public use until further notice. Security to ensure non-essential personnel stay off the beach is being provided by local law enforcement.
• The beach advisories for Jackson and Harrison counties remain in effect. The following areas had significant amounts tar mats and tar patties on the shoreline:

o Harrison County: from Third Avenue in Pass Christian to Azalea Avenue in Biloxi.
o Jackson County: Main Street in the Belle Fountain area west to Seashore Avenue.
o The public is asked to avoid contact with oil-related materials and stay out of the water if these materials are visible.

Comment by Tripatini on July 12, 2010 at 2:09pm

From Florida's Emerald Coast CVB Facebook page, July 12:

Susan McKeen Bruno: "Just got back from a week down in Destin. Beach is beautiful and I didn't see any tarballs. The water had lots of sealife and we even rode the Seablaster dolphin tour out of AJ's and saw lots of dolphins. Very lucky to have had those conditions down there!" 56 minutes ago

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