EDITORIAL FROM THE DESK OF
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE MILLICAN
As Summer Kicks Into High Gear, Alabama Families Look For Places To Keep Cool
By the calendar, the first official day of summer was last weekend. The
longest day of the year is June 21, and it marks the beginning of the summer
season.
According to the thermometer, we’ve already been in summer for quite some
time in Alabama. It has been hot and humid for weeks. When the temperature
starts to get in the high 90s, and it doesn’t get below 70 at night, we know
the long hot season is here to stay for some time to come.
How to stay cool becomes topic number one for families. Summer vacations are
usually built around where to go to beat the heat. The beaches of our gulf
coast were the number one destination for Alabama families. From Orange
Beach to Dauphin Island, the beaches were a refuge from the summer doldrums.
Now, the BP disaster is threatening those beaches every single day. The
destination that has been a favorite for many has become less of an option.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has issued a swimming advisory in
gulf waters off Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, and in bay waters
immediately adjacent to Fort Morgan, in Bayou St. John, Terry Cove, Cotton
Bayou and Old River. A swimming advisory means that individuals are
discouraged from swimming in affected waters.
The beaches have had some oiling, and the cleanup turnaround time has
reportedly been improved, but it is hard to keep cool when the water is off
limits for the foreseeable future. Right now you can get great deals on
Alabama hotels and other amenities at the coast, yet for families looking
for the same experience as before will not find it this season.
Families do have other options to keep cool this summer without leaving
Alabama. The state is blessed with hundreds of lakes and rivers that provide
a wonderful refreshing place to take a dip, and a great place to vacation.
From Florala state park along the shore of Lake Jackson way down on the
Florida state line, to Lake Guntersville State Park in the Tennessee Valley,
there are wonderful state facilities where some of the best swimming can be
had, and at a great price.
The Alabama State Parks have more than just great places to keep cool, they
also have golfing, fishing, boating, camping, hiking, nature craft, biking,
horseback riding, family fun, and as the website says, “just plain ole'
relaxin'.” State parks are in the mountains, down in the Wiregrass, and
everywhere in between. There are state parks with great lakes in every
corner of the state, and they provide an excellent way to beat the heat with
the family this summer.
State parks are a great family resource, and are something we can be proud
of. To find out more about the parks, and to make reservations on cabins or
camp areas, point your browser to
www.alapark.com, or call 1-800-ALAPARK (1-800-252-7275).
Alabama has a great 2010 state vacation guide. The guide lists many smaller
campgrounds and resorts, along with special events and deals for your family
to keep cool this summer. There is help for event planning and even vacation
packages listed through the state website. Go to
www.Alabama.gov, and click on the
tourism and travel link. You can download the vacation guide online, or if
you want a hard copy sent to your home, just call 1-800-ALABAMA, and one
will be mailed to you.
Our state is taking a hit on the gulf coast, both to our tourism industry
and the things that are supported by it like our schools. When we find
another in-state destination to keep our families cool, we help keep the
Alabama economy growing and keep our hard earned dollars working for us
locally.
The summer heat is going to be with us for a while. It is nice to know that
there are affordable local places to go for a swim and forget the
thermometer for a while.
Contact Information
State House: Room 128
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7768 Home: 995 Country Estates Drive
Hamilton, AL 35570
Home Phone:
FAX:
(205) 921-3214
(334) 353-3350
Email: mike.millican@alhouse.gov