The Brotherhood Ride & Honoring all First Responders/Emergency Personnel of Franklin County

The Brotherhood Riders organization, a nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity, consists of Firefighters, Police Officers and EMS personnel who ride bicycles to honor emergency first responders who died in the line of duty. Their mission is to provide emotional and financial support to the families on or near the anniversary of their death. Their team has traveled on bicycles over 7,100 miles through sixteen states including SC, TX, NY, FL, TN, VA, PA, NJ, CT, and MA and are very proud to have donated over $359,000 to families left behind.  The 2016 ride left Naples, FL on Saturday, July 23 and will end in Ft. Walton, on Friday, July 29, 2016.

They are scheduled to arrive in the City of Carrabelle on Wednesday, July 27, around 4:00-5:00 p.m., and depart Carrabelle Thursday, July 28 at 8:00 a.m.  The Carrabelle Christian Center, at 142 River Road in Carrabelle, have volunteered the use of their Fellowship Hall for overnight accommodations. C-Quarters Marina, The Moorings Marina, Carrabelle Boat Club, and Sunset Isles RV & Yacht will be providing the riders with the opportunity to shower before their evening meal. The Legion Riders from American Legion Post 82 will host dinner for the riders that evening at the Christian Center.

The morning of Thursday, July 28, Hog Wild Bar-B-Q will host breakfast at 7:00 a.m. (volunteers please arrive at 6:30 a.m.) at the Christian Center (142 River Road, Carrabelle) and riders will be on the road at 8:00 a.m., heading to their next stop in Panama City.  The breakfast will be FREE and open to all active and retired Franklin County Law Enforcement, Emergency Personnel, FWC, Cities and County dignitaries of Franklin County.  The invitation is also open to family members who have lost a First Responder, whether or not in the line of duty. We request all active Emergency Personnel to be in uniform, if possible. The Brotherhood Riders will be served first, then the local emergency personnel, then all the dignitaries.

We would like to ask all City & County dignitaries to volunteer to serve breakfast  to the riders and Franklin County emergency personnel. Then the dignitaries will be served by our volunteers. We are also requesting the Mayors or ranking official of each community, and the ranking official of each branch of Law Enforcement and Emergency Service to say a few words in honor of these men and women.

Please let me know as soon as possible if and how you will be able to personally participate. I would appreciate a call from the Leader of each group invited to the breakfast letting me know how many of their organization will be attending to insure enough food for everyone! Individuals can show their support by lining up on U.S. Hwy 98 in front of the IGA as they riders enter Carrabelle Wednesday, around 3:45 till… and Main Street in Apalachicola Thursday, around 9:00-9:30 a.m. If your organization flies an America Flag outside,  it would be another show of respect for our fallen heroes to fly it at half-mast these two days (if possible). I would also appreciate any ideas and assistance to make this event really special.

The Carrabelle Dollar General has donated small American Flags for us to distribute. Anyone wanting to donate items from the list below can bring them to the Carrabelle Chamber before 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 27.

Lisa Munson

Executive Director

Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center

105 St. James Avenue (Hwy 98)

PO Box DD

Carrabelle, FL 32322

(850) 697-2585

chamber@nettally.com

www.carrabelle.org

List of items that can be donated:

Apalachicola Regional Summit to Ensure Equitable Community Impacts of BP Oil Spill Settlement Funds

The Apalachicola Regional Summit to Ensure Equitable Community Impacts of BP Oil Spill Settlement Funds will be held on July 29, 2016, at the Historic Holy Family Senior Community Center, 203 Dr. Frederick S. Humphries Street, Apalachicola, Florida from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 pm. 

The goal of the “summit” is to develop strategies to ensure African-American and minority communities, citizens, businesses and educational institutions have the opportunity to contribute to the recovery and long-term economic development of Apalachicola and the panhandle region of Florida through equitable distribution of oil spill settlement funds. 

The leading federal and state entities have been invited to provide updates to the community at-large in a morning session followed by an afternoon planning session led by an array of local and regional community organizations.  The summit is free and open to the public.  Interested parties can register on-site the day of the event starting at 9:30 a.m.

For additional details, please contact Van W. Johnson, Sr., Mayor of The Historic City of Apalachicola, Florida our host and organizing committee member.

Address:

The Mayor Van W. Johnson, Sr., Recreation & Community Service Complex

192 Coach Wagoner Blvd., Suite 1

Apalachicola, Florida 32320

Telephone:

Office: (850) 653-1017

Cell: (850) 323-0602

City Hall: (850) 653-9319

Internet:

Email: van@mayorvanjohnson.com

Website: www.mayorvanjohnson.com

Summit Agenda

Remembering the Apalachicola River Maroons of 1816

The Digitally Reconstructed Landscape of Project Bluff 1816

The Apalachicola Center for History, Culture and Art (AHCA) located at 80 Water Street in Apalachicola will be hosting at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, August 13, 2016, Professor Uzi Baram, Dr. Ed Gonzalez-Tennant, and Vickie Oldham, which will be discussing the history of anti-slavery resistance in Florida, an incredible story of freedom-seeking people. From the Apalachicola River to Tampa Bay, people of African heritage battled for their freedom, sought refuge, and fell back in a southern movement that ultimately led some to Andros Island in the British Bahamas and the others to the Florida interior, where they and their descendants fought in the Second Seminole War.  Admission is free and open to the public and there’s no registration required.

2016 marks the bicentennial of the destruction of the Negro Fort on the Apalachicola River in 1816. Attend the event to learn the significance of that community and its people, known as maroons, Black Seminoles, African Seminoles, and freedom-seeking people.

The event will highlight the archaeological insights into the history for the fortification at Prospect Bluff, as well the community known as Angola on the Manatee River, and will unveil new virtual reconstructions that help us better understand all of the early 19th century maroon communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The destruction of the Negro Fort on the Apalachicola River in 1816 was followed by the Battle of Suwannee in 1818 and then the destruction of Angola and the other maroon communities south of Tampa Bay in 1821. It is a history of tragedy, but also of survival. More information on the project can be found by clicking HERE.

For additional information, please telephone Barbara Clark, Florida Public Archaeology Network at (850)877-2206.

Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Please click on the link below to access additional information.

Maroon Landscapes - Apalachicola August 2016 Presentation

Paulette Moss, Director

Apalachicola Center for History, Culture and Art

Apalachicola School of Art

86 Water Street, Apalachicola, Florida 32320

www.historicapalachicola.com

1-855-APALACH (855)272-5224

Big Weekend Hoop Tourney at The Matchbox & ABC School Gym

This Saturday and Sunday Starr Athletics out of Pensacola, Florida will be hosting the Forgotten Coast Classic 2016, an exciting and action packed youth basketball tournament in Apalachicola. Games will be played simultaneously throughout the weekend at both the City of Apalachicola Youth Center (The Matchbox) and at the Apalachicola Bay Charter School gymnasium (ABC School).

Teams from as far away as Alabama and Georgia along with Florida teams from Port St. Joe, Bay County, Gadsden County, Pensacola, and the Apalachicola Sharks will be participating in the tournament.  Tip-off time will promptly commence at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 23rd at both locations and will conclude on Sunday, July 24th with the semi-final and the championship games also played at both locations.

Each of the Apalachicola Sharks teams will play two games on Saturday.  The Sharks Girls team will play at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., both games will be played at the ABC School. The Sharks 11 and Under Boys will play at 9:00 a.m. and at 5:00 p.m. at The Matchbox. The 14 and Under Boys will take to the court at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the ABC School and the Sharks High School Boys team will play at 12:00 p.m. at The Matchbox and 3:00 p.m. at the ABC School.

Starr Athletics, LLC, is a small company in the radio broadcasting stations industry that also host competitive basketball tournaments throughout the Southeast in the AAU, YBOA, high school and recreation league divisions. The company has hosted such tournaments in New Orleans, Atlanta, Mobile, Panama City, Pensacola and now Apalachicola thanks to the collaborative efforts of Helen Willis-Escobar, Manager of The Matchbox and Allyson Speed, an Apalachicola native and resident of Philadelphia.

The daily gate fee to enter the tournament is $10 and a weekend pass only $18. For kids 7-12 the fee is $6, and kids 6 and Under can get in free.

Click below to access the online tournament brackets, complete with participating teams, age groups, times and locations.

Forgotten Coast Classic 2016

Apalachicola receives $100K check for new playground

(L-R) City Commissioners Frank Cook, Brenda Ash, Mitchell Bartley and
Jimmy Elliott, along with Joshua Hodson, Florida State Park Manager,
Mayor Van Johnson and City Administrator Lee Mathes.
Photo by Pam Lewis

The Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners received a $100,000 check from Joshua Hodson, Park Manager with the Florida Park Service during the commission special scheduled meeting and workshop held Wednesday night.

The check was the result of a successful grant written by former City Administrator Betty Webb to the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP). The purpose of the grant is to fund the construction of a new playground; complete with playground equipment, benches and a splash pad near the main entrance of the City of Apalachicola Project Impact After-School and Summer Enrichment Program. Located at the Mayor Van W. Johnson, Sr., Recreation & Community Service Complex. With the check in hand the city can now begin the design and construction of the new playground, which should be completed and placed into service by the summer of 2017.

Thanks also goes to the Franklin County Legislative Delegation, which consists of State Senator Bill Montford and State Representative Halsey Beshears for assisting the city obtain the grant, which will provide more outdoor recreational opportunities for both the residents of Apalachicola and visitors alike.

Apalachicola City Commission to hold Special Meeting & Workshop

The Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners have scheduled a Special Meeting and Workshop for 6:00 P.M. EDT, Wednesday, July 20, 2016, inside the Battery Park Community Center at 1 Bay Avenue – Apalachicola.

The special meeting was set during the July 5, 2016, regular City Commission meeting  to tentatively adopt the millage rate for fiscal year 2016/2017.  Also, on the agenda is a presentation from Carter Middlemas & Kevin Heath – Acentria Insurance – Liability/Property/Worker Comp provider, along with the consultant agreement between the City and BTW Services, Inc., and the travel lift agreement between the City and Mike Thrasher d/b/a Apalachicola Marina.

The workshop is to review and discussion the City’s personnel policies and procedures.

You can click the link below to access and view the full agenda.

As always the public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings of the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners in order to stay informed concerning the operation of city government.

July 20, 2016 Special Meeting & Workshop Agenda

Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Releases New Documentary

~Short film portrays the importance this productive estuary~

Apalachicola, FL - Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) has released a new film entitled “Apalachicola River & Bay: A Connected Ecosystem,” view-able online and at its Nature Center. This 12-minute documentary portrays the river-to-bay-to-gulf watershed of the Apalachicola estuary, one of the most productive estuaries in the United States. The film depicts a 542-mile journey down the watershed from the Georgia headwaters of the Chattahoochee River to Florida’s Apalachicola Bay. Produced by award-winning videographer Elam Stoltzfus and Nic Stoltzfus of Live Oak Production Group, the film raises awareness about the inter-connectivity of the Apalachicola River system.

“Apalachicola River & Bay: A Connected Ecosystem” can be viewed below or on Apalachicola NERR’s Facebook page or on its YouTube channel.

The Apalachicola NERR Nature Center is located at 108 Island Drive, Eastpoint, Florida 32328. For more information, contact the Apalachicola NERR at 850-670-7700.

"Spill the Water!" - A mosquito prevention campaign for kids

The Florida Department of Health is educating Florida's youth on mosquito bite prevention and enlisting their help in the fight against mosquito-borne illnesses in a new campaign that encourages kids to "Spill the Water!"

With the help of state and local partners, the department is educating Florida kids on the dangers of mosquito-borne illnesses, teaching them to spill standing water around their home this summer and cover up their skin with clothing and repellant before they head outside to play. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as one teaspoon or one bottle cap of water so eliminating sources of standing water is critical to keep mosquitoes from multiplying.

To help educate Florida's kids and involve them in the fight against mosquito-borne illnesses, the department has launched SpillTheWater.com, which is full of resources tailored to students, parents and teachers.

Visit www.SpilltheWater.com for more information.

The Matchbox Was Abuzz with Activity on Saturday

The City of Apalachicola Youth Center a.k.a. The Matchbox was abuzz with activity yesterday resulting from an all-girls basketball clinic and scrimmage conducted by Coach Marty Stubblefield out of Tallahassee.  Coach Stubblefield, is the founder and director of the Tallahassee Storm Middle and High School Girls AAU Basketball Program. He is also the Director of Financial Institutions at the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. 

Coach Stubblefield was brought in at the behest of Helen Willis-Escobar to hone the basketball skills of the Apalachicola Sharks girl’s youth basketball teams. Willis-Escobar operates the youth center under a partnership-agreement with the city, which allows her to develop and oversee programs at the facility.

“Coach Stubblefield is a good friend. When he built the Tallahassee Storm Program, after the first year, he had so many girls at the same age group as our wanting to join, that he decided to create three teams instead of one”, said Willis-Escobar.

The coach traveled to Apalachicola and The Matchbox on Saturday with his traveling girls’ basketball squad to conduct the clinic and to scrimmage against the Apalachicola Sharks girls team.

“The clinic was an excellent opportunity for our girls and a huge success… Coach Stubblefield taught them a range of skills.  Four players from his team last year, accompanied him to Apalachicola to help mentor our girls as well”, Willis-Escobar said.

“The hope is to continue doing these sorts of clinics several times throughout the year”.

In March of this year Willis-Escobar brought in World traveled Nike Skill Development Trainer and Workout Director, Ganon Baker, to work with both the girls and boys at The Matchbox.  Baker had previously worked with NBA greats such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Vince Carter.

As of late, Willis-Escobar have been in talks about Apalachicola and The Matchbox with Dennis Gates, FSU assistant basketball coach and head recruiter. As a result of their conversation, Coach Gates expressed an interest in visiting Apalachicola to donate some time, and become involved in the program at The Matchbox, to an extent in which the NCAA will allow. Gates is nationally recognized as one of the top recruiters in all of college basketball.

Seahawks Head Basketball Coach Mackenzie Williams, Building Championship Program for the Future

Seahawks Head Basketball Coach Mackenzie Williams with son.

At the Franklin County K-12 School in Eastpoint, Seahawks Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach, Mackenzie Williams has a vision for the future that entails building a championship basketball program from grade school up.

Coach Williams and Tydron Wynn, his assistant varsity boys and head JV boys coach are fresh from a June 3rd - June 5th coaches clinic held in Deerfield Beach, Florida, by World traveled Nike Skill Development Trainer and Workout Director, Ganon Baker. 

Baker is the workout coach to NBA stars Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Vince Carter, and he has taught a coaches certification class for last nine years, which has been attended by grade school, high school, college and professional coaches from across the world.

“About twenty-four coaches from as far away as Australia, Canada, New York, Oregon, Washington State and Baltimore attended the June clinic.  Tydron and I were the only two in attendance from Florida. We gained a lot of knowledge and brought back a ton of information on how to coach and teach the game”, said Coach Williams.

 “With that knowledge, we are going to turn around the Seahawks by bringing back the type of lingo that college and NBA players talk. The type of conversation that you don’t often hear on the high school level. We are going to implement that, so our players can gain a greater understanding of the game. Also, we’re going to implement basketball homework for our team, just like their regular homework assignments. We have to advance their basketball knowledge to be more successful on the court, and to gain an upper hand on our opponents.  Our guys have to know the game… so we are going to start with our middle school guys, our JV guys and our varsity guys, we are going to start assigning homework for them to study and learn the game”, Williams said.  

Head Coach Mackenzie Williams, in the middle wearing a light orange shirt, and 

Assistant Coach Tydron Wynn, in the far left wearing black. The two are pictured

with the class of the June 3rd-June 5th 2016 coaches clinic.  

This summer, Williams also kicked-off the “Mackenzie Williams Youth Basketball Summer League” operating out of The Matchbox. The intent of the co-ed program is to teach basic basketball skills and work ethics to participates that are in grade and middle school. So that by the time each age group reach high school, they will be ready for a state championship run.

“We will be teaching summer league participants the concept of the game, the pick and roll, moving without the ball and playing team defense”, Williams added.

Williams is receiving help with his youth summer league from volunteer coaches and some of his players from the Franklin County Seahawks boys varsity basketball team. He is also working towards putting together a second grade traveling team for next summer.

“We are focused on building the basketball culture back up in Franklin County, beginning with age 5”, said Helen Willis-Escobar, manager of The Matchbox.

“I’m excited about it!  I just want to see these kids grow to love the game and possibly get a free education out of it”, Williams concluded.

When asked to predict, based upon the programs he has put into place, how long it would take before the Seahawks can walk away with a state title.  Williams responded, “within three years”.

A state championship title for the Seahawks varsity boys and girls basketball teams in three years could actually become a reality. Especially, as Williams youth summer league gains momentum.  Also, when adding his recent training into the mix, it could all very well be the making of a Franklin County High School basketball dynasty in North Florida.

Saturday Marks First Full Year for Apalachicola Farmers Market

This Saturday July 9th marks the one-year anniversary of the Apalachicola Farmers Market at the Mill Pond Pavilion happening every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

You'll find a bounty of summer vegetables from at least four regional farmers plus the Apalachicola Community Garden, and Amber's Bay Organics along with delicious homemade breads and baked goods, honey, jams and jellies and local seafood right off the boat when the catch is good.

Come view the hand tooled jewelry, art, and fine artisan crafts while you enjoy live performances by the talented singer songwriters Jenny Odom and Charlie Sawyer.

Join your friends, neighbors and visitors this Saturday for the one-year-old Apalachicola Farmers Market under the shade of the live oaks by the working harbor at Apalachicola's Scipio Creek Boat Basin.

For more information about the Apalachicola Farmers Market, email Holly Brown at greengardenss@gmail.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE: City of Apalachicola residential garbage pick up delayed this week

The employees of Waste Pro, the City of Apalachicola contracted waste hauler were off Monday, July 4, 2016, in observance of Independence Day. As a result, the pick up of residential garbage in the City of Apalachicola will be delayed until Thursday, instead of the customary Wednesday pick up date.

Thank you for understanding. 

Interpretative Displays Will Now Grace City’s Historic Squares

City Square Interpretative Display

Interpretative displays unveiled at last month Apalachicola City Commission regular meeting that document the history of the city’s six squares are now being erected.

In a continuous effort to document the rich history of the City of Apalachicola, Cindy Clark, owner of Bay Media Services, who also serves under contract as the city planner, unveiled six new interpretative signs at the June 7^th city commission meeting.  The displays are going up now at each of the city’s historic squares. (City, Chapman, Franklin, Gorrie, Madison, and Washington Squares)

City Administrator Lee Mathes assists Cindy Clark with Interpretative

signs presentation before City Commissioners at June meeting.

The new signs will complement the nine interpretive displays that are currently located and installed at city owned properties and parks along the waterfront. The design and construction of both the waterfront signs and the new historic square signs were funded through a Visit Florida grant.

Clark oversaw both projects, but collaborated with several history-minded residents, which donated their professional services on the city squares project.    Also involved is the Forgotten Coast Conservation Corps, which have been tasked with installing the signs at all six city squares.

As with the initial nine interpretive displays, each of the six new signs features historic images, interesting narrative about the specific square and a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone that link back to the City of Apalachicola website where additional and detailed information about each square can be obtained.

5th Annual Independence Day Eve Celebration Best and Largest

By all accounts the 5th Annual Independence Day Eve celebration held Sunday in Apalachicola will go down in history as the best with the largest number in attendance to date.

The celebration was filled with fun activities starting with the Red, White and Blue golf cart parade, the free ice cream social, the live entertainment and the camaraderie and fellowship between patriotic Americans.

The celebration was enhanced this year with the signing of the Tobacco Road Band out of Tallahassee as the headline entertainment and the playing of patriotic music in the background during the award winning fireworks show. 

The anticipated fireworks commenced on cue, after a boisterous crowd arose to their feet in silence to pay homage to old glory during a beautiful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner by Jhaki Davis, a local resident and minister from the Love and Worship Center Church. As the fireworks display concluded, the energetic crowd cheered and chanting USA, USA, USA.

The number in attendance far exceeded the 5,000 anticipated and reported to Apalachicola City Commissioners at their regular June meeting by Jim Bachrach, Chairman of Historic Apalachicola Main Street Board of Directors.

The large crowd created a traffic jam as they began exiting Riverfront Park after the fireworks show had ended. According to Apalachicola Police Chief Bobby Varnes, traffic was backed up to a point where a police office had to be dispatched to direct the flow of traffic out of town.

“Traffic leaving Apalachicola traveling east on U.S. 98 was backed up and at a standstill from 12^th Street to the bridge and from the bridge all the way to Eastpoint”, said Chief Varnes.

The annual celebration is panning out to be a much-needed economic boost for the merchants and businesses of Apalachicola and a fun time for locals and visitors alike.

All thanks to Historic Apalachicola Main Street, their volunteers, supporters and community partners. The outcome of their effort is irrefutable evidence of what can be accomplished when a community work together in true partnership.

Elinor Mount-Simmons honored by City on retirement

Elinor Mount-Simmons receives standing ovation and a Board Resolution from 

Apalachicola City Commissioners on her retirement after 36-years as an

Educator with the Franklin County School District: Photo by Lee Mathes

Elinor Mount-Simmons, a retired educator from the Franklin County School District after a 36-year stellar career was recognized and honored by the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners at their June 7, 2016, regular meeting.

Commissioners presented Mount-Simmons with flowers and a board resolution for her work with students in the City of Apalachicola Project IMPACT After-School and Summer Enrichment Program, as well as for her exceptionalism as a classroom teacher.

During her career as a Franklin County School District Educator, Mount-Simmons had the distinction of being selected three times Who’s Who Amongst America’s Teachers and Teacher of the Year at Chapman Elementary, Franklin County School’s East Campus, and at the Franklin County School in Eastpoint.

She’s also credited with creating, coordinating and teaching the Academic Recovery Program at both the former Apalachicola High School and at the Franklin County School, which has been instrumental in assisting countless of students meet the requirements to graduate high school.

According to Mount-Simmons, her success with students was due in part to her ability to teach, motivate and direct students while maintaining their interest.

“I’m an expressive communicator that was able to effectively interact with a diverse populations of students at all levels and I consistently maintained a positive relationship with the students, their parents, the faculty, staff, the administration and the community”, said Mount-Simmons.

Mount-Simmons work as an educator went above and beyond the classroom, she also served as Statistician for the Boy’s High School Basketball teams, as the GED Test Examiner, as the Public Information Officer at the Franklin County School, and as an officer and member in both the Apalachicola Sharks and Seahawks Booster Clubs.

As a community activist she serves as the current president of the Hillside Coalition Of Laborers for Apalachicola (H’COLA), and she once wrote a column for the Apalachicola Times Newspaper.

Apalachicola Geared up for Another Spectacular Independence Day Eve Celebration

Both residents of Apalachicola and visitors alike are all geared up and ready for another spectacular Independence Day Eve Celebration and fireworks display this Sunday, July 3rd at Riverfront Park in Historic Apalachicola. 

In its 5th year the celebration and fireworks display are hosted by Historic Apalachicola Main Street with assistance from a host of hard working and dedicated volunteers and community partners.

Beginning at 5:00 - 11:00 p.m., the celebration will consist of live entertainment, a low country boil, wings of freedom, hero hot dogs and beverages will be served.

This year’s entertainment will include, Jhaki & The Gang, a local group performing patriotic music at 5:00 p.m., followed by McCall Chapin, a 16-year-old singer/songwriter from Tallahassee at 5:30 p.m.  Headlining the entertainment will be the Tobacco Road Band at 6:30 p.m. Tobacco Road is a four-piece hard rocking country band formed in Tallahassee in 2010 by CMT touring artist Eric Durrance.

At 6:00 p.m., the lineup for the 12th Annual Red, White and Blue Parade will commence at Lafayette Park. This year the parade will honor Elgin Emerson “Big Red” Sizemore as the Grand Marshall. Sizemore served with the 1275th Small Craft Division in the Navy during World War II, where he escorted American and British ships through the Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean. After returning to Apalachicola from the war, he joined his father in the family business at Sizemore’s Hardware store.

The parade’s start time is 6:30 p.m., so grab your bicycles, wagons, golf carts, sneakers, whatever your mode of transport, and join your friends as they parade down Avenue D, and under the bridge at Battery Park and down Water Street to Riverfront Park for a free Ice Cream Social at 7:00 p.m.

Both the parade and ice cream social are provided by Franklin’s Promise Coalition and the Crew of the Conservation Corps of the Forgotten Coast. Franklin’s Promise will also be handing out streamers and balloons for everyone to decorate and placards for participants to display the name of their honored veteran. For questions about the parade, decorations and ice cream social, contact Joe Taylor, Executive Director of Franklin’s Promise Coalition at (850)323-0176.

At 8:30 p.m. there will be a Veterans Tribute, with retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, Mark Milliken as the guest speaker. Admiral Milliken is a 1975 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He commanded the aircraft carrier USS Independence and served as Deputy Commander of the US 5th Fleet, with responsibility for command of NATO Maritime Forces and US Naval Central Command during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His last assignment was as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for International Programs. Admiral Milliken and his wife Elizabeth Zingarelli-Millken moved back to Apalachicola one year ago, after almost 32 years serving our country around the globe.

At 9:00 p.m. the best and award winning fireworks show on the Forgotten Coast will commence. Get ready, because this year will be even greater! Historic Apalachicola Main Street announced earlier, plans for an enhanced fireworks show with a patriotic music soundtrack.

Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners to meet in regular session on Tuesday

The Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting at 6:00 P.M. EDT, Tuesday, July 5, 2016, inside the Battery Park Community Center at 1 Bay Avenue - Apalachicola.

Topping the agenda under recognition of visitors is J.P. Barber with a proposal to donate the Lady Louise, a Gulf shrimp boat to the city for use as a possible future museum. Following Barber is a report from Misty Berryman concerning the Franklin County mitigation assistance plan and Anita Gove to discuss the installation of Drains to the Bay Plaques, along with a host of other business to be brought before the commission for consideration.

You can view the full agenda along with the city commission meeting documents by visit the official website of the City of Apalachicola at www.cityofapalachicola.com or by clicking the link below.

As always the public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings of the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners to stay informed of the operation of your city government. Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting.

July 5, 2016 Meeting Agenda and Documents