1. The resurgence of the Alabama Gulf Coast tourist industry in 2011 following the disastrous summer of 2010, which was tainted by oil spilled from a BP well in the Gulf of Mexico, was a welcome and much-needed development. A record $154 million in summer lodging revenue, an 18 percent ($24 million) increase over the previous benchmark year of 2007, was collected this summer. Lodging revenue dipped 47 percent in 2010. Retail sales figures in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan also saw record-breaking numbers at $235 million during the summer. This was a 51 percent increase over the oil-stained summer 2010 and 7 percent better than 2007.

2. A wildfire started on June 25 near the campground area in Gulf State Park. What followed was about three days of anxious moments as firefighters from Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and the Alabama Forestry Commission worked to contain a potentially dangerous fire. Volunteers firefighters came from all over south Alabama, Florida and all over Baldwin County. All houses and neighborhoods imperiled by the fire were remarkably spared. 

“I don’t know if you can draw up a worst-case scenario,” Howard said. “I don’t know if I have ever seen a back burn that big. I have never seen that much fire in the sky in my life. That’s a lot of fire. (The plan) worked perfectly. That’s what’s so good about it.

Most officials believe, in the end, the fire was a good thing for the park to help burn up old timber and “fuel” on the forest floor from past storms, particularly Hurricane Ivan.

3. Pleasure Island residents were given the convenience of 24-hour medical care at the South Baldwin Urgent Care Center. The center began the new service Sept. 1. The South Baldwin Regional Medical Center’s Urgent Care Center in Gulf Shores, located on Alabama on Alabama 59 just north of the Fort Morgan Road intersection also has a variety of imaging procedures available. Residents can get those services there instead of driving to the main hospital in Foley.