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Spring Break 2014 - South Walton

Teresa avatar
SoWal Guide
9,803 views1
Posted today on Walton County Sheriff's Office fb page. Gotta be Old Hwy 98 near Pompano Joe's, Whale's Tail stretch....

The Sheriff's office is reporting quite a few arrests for underage drinking. KIDS, please be advised that the Sheriff's office is cracking down again this year in South Walton, Florida.

WCSO operations for spring break began Sunday. 72 individuals, under the age of 21, were arrested for possession of alcohol. 10 individuals were also arrested on Saturday for the same charge.





The Walton County Sheriff’s Offices toughened their policy on dealing with underage drinkers for this year’s spring break after deputies noticed students treating their notices to appear as almost a badge of honor in recent years.

Under the sheriff’s office’s current policy, spring breakers under 18 will be given a notice to appear in court and their parents will be called. Spring breakers between 18 and 20 will be arrested. nwfdailynews.com

Panama City News Herald:

The week of March 10-14 will be the busiest week of the season, with an estimated 2.7 million U.S. college students out of school. March 17-21 will be another big week, with about 1.4 million students on Spring Break.

U.S. college students on Spring Break by week:
- March 3-7: 664,357
- March 10-14: 2.7 million
- March 17-21: 1.4 million
- March 24-28: 681,745
- March 31-April 4: 179,367



PCB Spring Break on this past Sunday| News Herald photographer Heather Leiphart


Replies

47
Teresa avatar
SoWal GuideAuthor
#27
Well, the good news is, we only have a week or so of SB to go.
momof2kids avatar
Beach Fanatic
#28
Well, the good news is, we only have a week or so of SB to go.

I don't know if I can handle driving to seaside for pick up in the afternoon for another week or so.
Ive never seen traffic so backed up at 3:00 driving into seaside.
Beach Fanatic
#29
One man's opinion, but this is exactly what is wrong in our nation today. You only enforce the laws you agree with or which you consider not "stupid". Fortunately, our country was not founded on such principles.

If you don't like a law, change it or repeal it! The legal drinking age when I was young was 18. And we had the draft at 18. To me, saying ignore the law if you disagree with it is not only ludicrous, it is a way to put our county on the road to ruin as we have known it.

Andy, i won't take the bait and debate you about whether our nation is "stupid" today; following laws on the books may well be stupid, but in hindsight I wasn't much for slavery, jim crowe, or many other laws, that were changed in great time. I'm not sure this one rises to the level of need for demonstrations etc., so it will continue to be half ass enforced, and laughed at until we think about it philosphically as to its real effect on people's respect for law. It appears you'd prefer we carry on with this ludicrous drinking age of 21 years old. It's a freaking farce IMHO. Canadians are prudes, and their drinking ages are 18, and 19. At 21, everyone just laughs and says this is silly, and to some extent learn the lesson that some of our laws are stupid.
Beach Fanatic
#30
/
Beach Fanatic
#31
If we don't enforce the laws, eventually we will see toddlers peeing on piles of beer cans in turtle nesting areas in plain sight of law enforcement officers.

... get rid of cable, switch to direct TV. Don't have toddlers pissing on piles of beer cans on turtle nests. and remember, we must periodically enforce ridiculously high drinking ages.
Beach Runner avatar
beats on hood
#32
I have seen so many crazy things happen. Teenagers driving A CAR down the bike path near Eastern Lake, and others driving street-legal golf carts down the bike path at full speed. We have seen kids riding their bikes full speed at night through the parking lot at Seaside (with total disregard of the fact that they could be killed by a vehicle whose driver didn't have time to see them when backing out of a parking spot due to the bikes coming out of nowhere). We have also encountered both adults and kids walking through that parking lot with no apparent understanding that they can be killed when they just step out in front of a vehicle without making eye contact with the driver. Then I'd say that 50% of the bikers we've seen roll through the 395/30A intersection WITHOUT STOPPING AT ALL.

I mean, 25 mph is too fast for a vehicle to drive with all of these reckless human beings.

That being said, I think that the county should install speed limit signs that flip down to change the speed to higher than 25 in the off-season when there is virtually no traffic and the people on the bike path are mostly residents/owners or mature adults who are not reckless. That would be much cheaper than electronic signs.
Kurt avatar
Admin
#33
The inside info is that things are mellower this year. Occupancy is down due to snow days and/or people traveling further south because their winters were so severe they want to make sure it's HOT! WCSO clears folks off Seaside beach at 11 pm and checks bags - if you are underage and have alcohol you go right to the mobile booking station. The word is getting out. Watch for kids to start gathering at other beaches (look out Rosemary Beach).

Next week is most of Atlanta which is usually the biggest spring break week.
Beach Runner avatar
beats on hood
#34
The inside info is that things are mellower this year. Occupancy is down due to snow days and/or people traveling further south because their winters were so severe they want to make sure it's HOT! WCSO clears folks off Seaside beach at 11 pm and checks bags - if you are underage and have alcohol you go right to the mobile booking station. The word is getting out. Watch for kids to start gathering at other beaches (look out Rosemary Beach).

Next week is most of Atlanta which is usually the biggest spring break week.
I can see that reasoning. It's true that I haven't heard of kids dancing on tables or on the bar at Pizza Bar. Thank you, WCSO, for all you have done to deter underage drinkers.

Hubby just drove through Rosemary. It was the most crowded that he's ever seen. The greens were covered with kids.
Leader of the Banned avatar
Beach Fanatic
#35
I like those lighted speed limit signs that raise the speed limit depending on how fast I'm going. Like if I'm going 45 it lights up 45. If I go 50, it says 50 (I think it starts flashing too which is really cool). I like to get it to flash blue by doing 65. Adaptive speed limit signs are awesome!!
seabythegrove avatar
Beach Fanatic
#36
Interesting points of views between tourists, part timers and locals.
Living here 24/7/365 allows you to be both bothered and tolerant.
It is what it is - not necessarily what I signed up for, but I'm not leaving...
carson avatar
Beach Fanatic
#37
Agreed, or we could go to really odd speed limits like Watercolor.
carson avatar
Beach Fanatic
#38
This is the absolute best idea ever. Right now I can seriously type on my computer, read a book, clean my backseat off going from 395 to Lakewood.
Kurt avatar
Admin
#39
I like those lighted speed limit signs that raise the speed limit depending on how fast I'm going. Like if I'm going 45 it lights up 45. If I go 50, it says 50 (I think it starts flashing too which is really cool). I like to get it to flash blue by doing 65. Adaptive speed limit signs are awesome!!

:lol:
Matt J avatar
SWGB
#40
It's almost over and it really wasn't that bad. I predict next year will be better as the word will be out that law enforcement is present and working. I realize that some feel it wasn't enough or was overbearing, but just doing SOMETHING will deter the trash next year.
Jdarg avatar
SoWal Expert
#41
It's almost over and it really wasn't that bad. I predict next year will be better as the word will be out that law enforcement is present and working. I realize that some feel it wasn't enough or was overbearing, but just doing SOMETHING will deter the trash next year.

Big Atlanta is next week.
Matt J avatar
SWGB
#42
I'm sure the Sheriff's office is ramping up for that onslaught.
Teresa avatar
SoWal GuideAuthor
#43
dang, how many Atlanta weeks do we have?
Beach Runner avatar
beats on hood
#45
dang, how many Atlanta weeks do we have?
These are counties/cities in counties adjacent to Fulton County where Atlanta is, along with their spring breaks:

Cobb, Forsyth, Marietta, Cherokee: this week
Atlanta, Fulton County, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Clayton, Fayette, Coweta, Douglas: next week
Carroll County: the week after next
Kurt avatar
Admin
#461
Welcome Spring Breakers!

140401-seaside-009.jpg
Matt J avatar
SWGB
#47
Maybe the Chrisley's will make an appearance.
Beach Runner avatar
beats on hood
#48
I'll be glad when they leave. 99% of the girls are so skinny. They make me feel so fat and old. And it's so nerve-wracking to drive through Seaside and Seagrove. I don't want to hurt anyone's son or daughter as a result of them being reckless or for any reason.

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