Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce

Alabama plans to buy the Foley Beach Express Bridge and eliminate tolls to drive across it. The Alabama Department of Transportation plans to purchase the bridge from the Baldwin County Bridge Company for $57 million. The thoroughfare is a private toll bridge that provides an alternate route to state beaches.

Autism Awareness Month is in full swing across the nation, including here in Alabama, and a city on the Gulf Coast is offering modified experiences for all abilities. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that can impair communication and interactions. It varies from person to person in its presentation.

The Mobile County Health Department and its Family Health locations are among the facilities closing today because of the threat of violent weather. Forecasters with the National Weather Service are predicting severe storms, with wind gusts of up to eighty miles per hour. There’s also the possibility of tornadoes as strong as EF2’s. Other governmental offices and schools are responding as well.

The Gulf Shores area continues to be filled with families with spring break season underway. City officials are reminding locals and visitors alike of beach safety tips during the vacation period.

Promoting sustainability practices and helping to reduce waste is giving Alabamians the chance at free tickets to Hangout Music Festival. The iconic Gulf Shores music event is taking place from May 17 to May 19. Headlining artists include Zach Bryan, Lana Del Ray and Odesza.

The number of people with sexually transmitted diseases is on the rise in the U.S. Alabama ranks sixth in the nation. The biggest increase is syphilis. That’s a disease the medical community thought was almost eliminated twenty years ago. New data from Alabama Public Health shows the syphilis rates have more than doubled across the state since 2020. Here’s more on the trend and what residents can do about it. And a note to our readers, this story contains content of an adult nature.

Numerous schools and colleges around Alabama and across the country are out for the spring break holiday this weekend. Beaches along the state’s Gulf Coast are top destinations during the vacation period. This means the coastline along the Yellowhammer State is seeing an uptick in visitors.

March marks Women’s History Month, a time set aside to celebrate and uplift women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Alabama joins the nation in this annual observance.

The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) is offering workshops for people interested in joining the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN), an initiative created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to document and save stranded sea turtles in several U.S. states, including Alabama.

Oyster lovers are preparing for the return of a festival centered on the shellfish. The Fort Morgan Oyster Fest will be back in south Alabama for February 24 and Feb. 25. This is the second year the festival is happening.