New big blue signs in SoWal

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

Was it Bill Campbell's column that you're thinking of?

That's it. I've already been pm'd by a couple of folks that used to enjoy him. To each his own, I guess.

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

I'm really thinking about writing a letter to the editor about this. The column bothered me because what you guys did proved that any community can change something it doesn't like. If he was busy organizing people to get the treatment plant under control instead of this rant, maybe he could get something bothersome in his area changed as well.

The sewer relocation plan involved moving it to Eglin land, and that, I kid thee not, involves going one step short of an act of Congress in order to get a lease approved. There were at least 3-4 times I can remember where Eglin told the county that the lease was going to get approved by someone in DC Real Soon Now and it kept getting pushed back and pushed back by the Pentagon. They're nothing like dealing with state/county officials.

As for Daily News columnists, the last one I read regularly was Julie Nichols. Just don't find the rest of them very interesting.

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

The sewer relocation plan involved moving it to Eglin land, and that, I kid thee not, involves going one step short of an act of Congress in order to get a lease approved. There were at least 3-4 times I can remember where Eglin told the county that the lease was going to get approved by someone in DC Real Soon Now and it kept getting pushed back and pushed back by the Pentagon. They're nothing like dealing with state/county officials.

As for Daily News columnists, the last one I read regularly was Julie Nichols. Just don't find the rest of them very interesting.

Thank you. I knew I had heard of it but wasn't sure what its status was. You seem to be more informed than Mr. Stone according to his column.

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

I usually do as well SN. I think it was a small scent of hypocrisy in this article that bothered me. He says in one breath that the people against the signs were somehow trivial for organizing and stopping a government entity from running roughshod over a neighborhood and then in another breath complained about something in his, he has to drive by and smell, but is willing to do nothing about. Why complain or minimize someone who is willing to take a stand, when you are not?


But then again, maybe, I need more coffee and I will be less irritable this morning

I can kind of see where you are coming from on this comment, but are you sure that the part in the second half is serious? I don't think he's seriously complaining. He mentioned the bad smell but said "authorities are wondering what to do," rather than something like "authorities still haven't done anything." In fact to me the second part seemed a lot like the first part, making a satirical statement that there are bigger issues to worry about. But maybe I'm reading it wrong.

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

Yeah, that news story killed my old relationship pretty quick.

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

I was thinking about this thread a little while i exercised on our beautiful 30-A..not so much the article itself because i enjoy satire and irony as much as the next guy, but it seemed to me like kind of a red herring...and I can't help but feel like if he really thinks that, then he doesn't know us very well. The guy obviously resents the area...and i must agree that there is some gross excess...but on the whole..SoWal (which he is writing directly about IMHO) is so much deeper than that. If that's how he sees it fine, but the real SoWal, and why it is so unique is that we are truly, for the most part, a big melting pot middle class from all over the place. We are average folks who happen to share a common love for this area. He may be surprised to find that most of us aren't super wealthy or extravagant. We have a grayt middle of the road population here from servers to restaurateurs, artists, teachers, incredible musicians, modest business folks. We tend to share an esthetic for beauty (which is why the signs were not a fit) Anyway...i never really enjoy negative cynicism...maybe i'll just press my ignore button when I see his name on a column...;-)

Re: Del Stone on the Big Blue Signs

I was thinking about this thread a little while i exercised on our beautiful 30-A..not so much the article itself because i enjoy satire and irony as much as the next guy, but it seemed to me like kind of a red herring...and I can't help but feel like if he really thinks that, then he doesn't know us very well. The guy obviously resents the area...and i must agree that there is some gross excess...but on the whole..SoWal (which he is writing directly about IMHO) is so much deeper than that. If that's how he sees it fine, but the real SoWal, and why it is so unique is that we are truly, for the most part, a big melting pot middle class from all over the place. We are average folks who happen to share a common love for this area. He may be surprised to find that most of us aren't super wealthy or extravagant. We have a grayt middle of the road population here from servers to restaurateurs, artists, teachers, incredible musicians, modest business folks. We tend to share an esthetic for beauty (which is why the signs were not a fit) Anyway...i never really enjoy negative cynicism...maybe i'll just press my ignore button when I see his name on a column...;-)

I couldn't agree more!

BTW, I drive a minivan.

Call me clueless...


I didn't know about the TDC decision until I belatedly picked up this weekend's Walton Sun today.

Wow! Talk about the power of community action.

Sincere thanks to all who worked to organize and present the case, and to those at the TDC board with the wisdom to accept it in the constructive spirit with which I know it was presented.

I really regret not having the opportunity to join in on this issue, due to an oppressive work and travel schedule. Next time!

Wouldn't it be great if organizing and tackling the sign issue shows us the way to work on other pressing SoWal issues like public/private beach, dune lake preservation, and high rises on the north side of the bay?

Again, sincere thanks to all.

Call me clueless...


I didn't know about the TDC decision until I belatedly picked up this weekend's Walton Sun today.

Wow! Talk about the power of community action.

Sincere thanks to all who worked to organize and present the case, and to those at the TDC board with the wisdom to accept it in the constructive spirit with which I know it was presented.

I really regret not having the opportunity to join in on this issue, due to an oppressive work and travel schedule. Next time!

Wouldn't it be great if organizing and tackling the sign issue shows us the way to work on other pressing SoWal issues like public/private beach, dune lake preservation, and high rises on the north side of the bay?

Again, sincere thanks to all.

i agree here with TF...if we SoWal are the major tax base wouldn't it seem that we should be in the fight for that side of the bay to keep the height limitation to the standard set on 30a? I know this is off on a tangent but..a point of interest!:scratch: as a person whom looks north from our home....i wouldn't want to be looking at some big ol' condo's. "unless they had blue signs on the top of them"

We have not thrown anything out the window. The TDC has thrown this money out the window. They will say that they held meetings and workshops prior to the signs that no one showed up for and therefore is our fault. However, they made the decision with little to no public input and then act shocked that the public might get a little mad at these ugly monsters.

No dawg here.

Video of the TDC meeting in full is here if not seen already
http://www.sowaltv.com/play.php?vid=93

interview
http://www.sowaltv.com/play.php?vid=89

these signs SUCK! they're so ugly.

"Off-Toopic"

Andy A.

My use of the "Mission Accomplished" analyis was not clearly explained. I am very aware of the exact meaning of the Banner, who requested it, who place it on the ship and how many uninformed use it as a battle cry for an end to our involvement there and to try and embarass our Commander-In-Chief for political gain.

I should have continued to state that many simply read the headines and form their opinion on a subject from the headline.

Many posts concerning the "Blue Signs Are Coming Down" after the TDC meeting would cause some to believe that victory was complete that the job was done. It is not ! This issue must now be approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

I served two tours in a "police action" in a far away county. I can assure you that I support our military and our "Commander in Chief" 100%.

I will explain my use of "current events" more caefully.

Admittedly "Off topic" again. Puppetmaster, I was not refering to your post per se, only the misunderstanding of the banner in general. Thanks for your succinct clarification. I, too, spent two tours in a combat situation, but IMO, it was a "war" not a police action. When over 58,000 are lost it is more than a "police action". Neverthelessl, thank you for your service. NOW BACK TO THE SIGNS. I notice they are still up, EVERYWHERE!!

NOW BACK TO THE SIGNS. I notice they are still up, EVERYWHERE!!

:roll:...hold your horses...I just arrived in town and only own one screwdriver. These things take time.

:roll:...hold your horses...I just arrived in town and only own one screwdriver. These things take time.

WELCOME BACK!!! And if you'll tell me where you're going to start, I'll bring my only screwdriver!

I was just in a business on 30-A, and another customer started ranting about how so much time and money had been spent on these signs, and how a few "whiners" wanted them to come down. Then I was told by an employee that they have to give out directions to tourists so many times a day, and what a hassle that is for them, so they loved the signs.

Hello- we live in a tourist town! People are going to ask for directions and everything else, and the presence of signs is not going to help. The businesses that complain about tourists asking directions should be thankful that warm bodies walk through their doors, and a pleasant attitude might get them a new customer and good word of mouth advertising.

I almost said something to the big jerk, but he was much bigger than me (although pretty old) and pretty scary looking. I did tell the employees that I personally loved the signs, and when the new signs go up, they will look great, but don't count on any signs to lessen the number of people that will come in and ask for directions.

I agree......they'd get lost on gps auto pilot. Signs aren't going to help them get around....and when they do ask for directions...be very friendly and helpful...they DO remember and will come back. Hopefully they will know where they are going at this point.

We could tattoo a map of Sowal on some people and they would still be lost and asking directions.

Ask anyone in a tourism related industry and they can tell you some hilarious stories about folks not seeing the forest for the trees. :roll:

Some all time favorites from Redd:

Does the water go all the way around the island?

Does the sun set every night?

If it's cloudy does the sun still set?

Commissioner Moss Berg definitely does not support these signs.

BIG BLUE SIGNS COME DOWN!!!!!!!!!
Couldn't belive my eyes today when I saw work crews removing the "Welcome to Seacrest Beach" sign at Camp Creek Lake. As I drove down 30A I saw that all of them had been removed - at least as far as Watercolor. Congrates to everyone involved with this effort and to the TDC for the rapid response.

tsutchi, did you get lost without having signs, or did you feel unwelcomed? Earlier today, I was reading the Seaside Times, and there were plenty of letters to the editor regarding people's dislike for the private property signs everywhere in Seaside. Just thought those signs were an interesting contrast to the former signs at each end of Seaside saying, "Welcome to Seaside."

SJ - Yea, I had to pull over and get my bearings as I just couldn't remember where I was. It was all so disorienting without help from the signs. Feel sorry for that Spouter in the Dailey News who has been here 25 years and found them useful to get around!!!!! Makes you want to weap sometimes.

those signs were fugly in my humble opinion, and then my wife arrived at the same impression all on her own.

It was actually kind of scary seeing them, because we were looking to invest in SoWal, and had recently come down to check on her charms, and were a bit spooked that maybe South Walton had taken a serious turn for the worse...

what a relief. thanks to the efforts of the many involved in getting these blue monsters down - sincerely.

did anyone get pix of the removal of the signs...I hope

Driving home at night is so much more peaceful without the big blue monsters looming around every turn. I always thought they were ugly, but I kind of tuned them out after a while. Their negative subliminal effect was more powerful than I realized... It really is remarkable how much more of a pleasant drive it is without them there!

Bravo to everyone who took part in their removal.