So, BP has finally succeeded in capping the Deepwater Horizon well … While that is great news, there will still be little mention in the media of the fact that our beaches here along the Emerald Coast are oil and tar ball free. Over the past two weeks, Terri and I have traveled by boat from Perdido Key to Port St. Joe. The only oil we have seen is called Banana Boat or Coppertone or No Ad, etc etc … And it was most definitely smeared all over the beachgoers, locals and tourists alike.
The cable news networks have been bad enough in their irresponsible coverage of this event, but what about the print media!!! My God!! With huge declines in readership and shrinking ad dollars, some of the print media has been the most reckless and desperate of all. Photos of sludge on the beach at Grand Isle Louisiana with headlines indicating it to be Florida??? Criminal!!
Even more criminal is the fact that BP is NOT paying reasonable claims as they would like to have everyone believe. Dragging their feet and digging in their heels, these Keystone Cops are going to deny the majority of legitimate claims. When BP says “We are going to make this right”, it really means “If you don’t like it, sue us”.
After nine consecutive months of increased sales transactions over the previous year, the month of June fell flat. That is because there is a 30 – 60 day lag between cause and effect in real estate sales. The impact of April and May will be felt in June and July. Over time, the public will come to realize that all is well and that life is still good on the Emerald Coast. Most Gulf Coast regulars are already aware but had already cancelled their plans for this year. So business-wise, fall and winter will most likely be fairly normal. By spring, business should be much improved. Time will tell. It always does.
