‘Magic Surfer’ hearkens back to island’s glory days
| | | |

‘Magic Surfer’ hearkens back to island’s glory days

There was a time, not too long ago, when the vibe on St. George Island was much different than it is today. The island was populated for the most part by people who were there year round, who could afford to live in their homes without renting them out for weeks or even months at…

County prepares push to reopen bay
| | | |

County prepares push to reopen bay

A large audience greeted Franklin County’s two legislators in Tallahassee when they came last week for the annual delegation meeting, and a large number of issues of concern were presented to them. But none was bigger and more important than the matter of reopening Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting in January 2026. State Sen. Corey…

Apalachicola expands Mardi Gras to two-day party
| | | | |

Apalachicola expands Mardi Gras to two-day party

The Mystic Krewe of Salty Barkers will be celebrating Mardi Gras Apalach-style bigger and better than ever this year, with a two-day party for dogs and their people.  The celebration includes a lively street festival and of course the 14th annual Mardi Gras Pet Parade and takes place on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21 and…

Law enforcement ramping up in Franklin County
| | |

Law enforcement ramping up in Franklin County

At age 77, Eastpoint’s Jackie Sukkau is on limited income and her knees are not as strong as they once were. She recently bought a new trailer that is twice as high off the ground as her old one, and getting in and out is a challenge. “The other trailer had three steps, this one…

Warmth marks Dr. King holiday
| | | |

Warmth marks Dr. King holiday

During a week that started out cold, there were plenty of warm hearts in celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. In Apalachicola, organizer Dolores Croom and her committee moved the event to Sunday afternoon, Jan. 19 so as not to conflict with the inauguration at noon on Monday. During the program at…

Tillman’s sweeps Butts & Clucks
| | | | | |

Tillman’s sweeps Butts & Clucks

Tillman and Amy Nelson drove for the third straight year 500 miles up from Margate to attend the Butts and Clucks Cookoff on the Bay BBQ event in Apalachicola. It turned out to be a charm. “We had been working at doing this for 13 years and now that I brought my electrical engineer wife…

Batty Sisters win rainy cookoff
| | | | | |

Batty Sisters win rainy cookoff

It was a case of making the most of a bad situation, as Apalachicola’s annual fundraiser for its volunteer fire department was beset by water and it wasn’t from its hoses. In anticipation of what organizers knew would be a late morning and afternoon rain Saturday, organizers made sure they had plenty of tent space,…

Wade stepping down as Apalachicola city manager
| | | | |

Wade stepping down as Apalachicola city manager

After about 29 years working in Florida government posts, the last four years as Apalachicola’s city manager, Travis Wade is stepping down at the end of next month. “I weighed it out with stress levels and time, as much as it consumes my life, and I decided I’m ready to be a private citizen,” he…

Restoration work ongoing at Chestnut Cemetery
| | | |

Restoration work ongoing at Chestnut Cemetery

Trip Advisor lists Chestnut Street Cemetery as #4 out of 22 things to do in Apalachicola, just after the Orman House, recently closed for renovation; the Raney House, whose exterior was recently restored; and St. Vincent Island, which has a limited number of tourist visits. Cemeteries, especially old ones, are big tourist attractions. The city…