Immigration Attorneys in Apalachicola, FL

Thanks to Florida's geographical position, the Sunshine State harbors some of America's most beautiful towns. Aside from world-class beaches and delicious seafood, Florida is also home to numerous adorable small towns brimmed with historic landmarks, festivals, and shops. This article will explore 2024's top 11 most adorable small towns in Florida.

Mount Dora

Starting the list is Mount Dora. You may be familiar with this town, as it landed a spot in the 13 prettiest towns in the US earlier this year. With more than 1,400 lakes in the area, few towns have as many bodies of water as Mount Dora does; hop in the refreshing waters at the scenic Dora Canal while kayaking amidst cypress trees. Several agencies offer rental and tour services related to kayaking and paddleboarding, including Adventure Outdoor Paddle and Get Up And Go Kayaking - Rock Springs. To break a sweat, trek the lush Mout Dora Trail, offering outdoor enthusiasts five enchanting trails to bike and run while enjoying the fresh outdoors. Finally, discover the Mount Dora Historic District, Modernism Museum, and Mount Dora History Museum to learn about the town's history. The latter was originally a firehouse and jail center but now showcases the area's local history through exhibits and artifacts as a museum.

Apalachicola

This small town is known as the "Oyster Capital of the World" and was responsible for 90 percent of Florida's oyster harvest. Since Apalachicola sits on the shores of Gulf of Mexico, visit the Scipio Creek Boardwalk to observe Florida's famous wetlands and the diverse wildlife it houses. Alternatively, experience how people lived two centuries ago during the cotton trade by touring the Raney Hous Museum inside a cozy 18th-century home. Finally, see why Apalachicola received its nickname by treating your taste buds to some delicious oysters at the Apalachicola Seafood Grill Restaurant, the town's premier diner. If you're in the area during fall, take advantage of the annual Florida Seafood Festival in the first two days of November. The festival features a parade, music, and an oyster eating contest.

Seaside

Seaside is a getaway town for Floridians with a friendly beachfront community. To see why visitors flock here, uncover the E Ruskin Beach Pavilion and enjoy its crystal-clear waters amidst the snow-white sand, with tons of amenities to provide a comfortable experience. What's more, the beach is known to give the best sunset views in the area, so be sure to bring your camera alongside you! When you're finished at the beach, stroll through the town center, where you'll find a variety of shops and restaurants. One popular spot is the Seagrove Village Market, known for its seafood, fresh fish, and other local specialties. Another perk of visiting Seaside is the many events hosted, including the weekly Sounds of Seaside in July, hosted every Saturday featuring live music from local artists at the Seaside Amphitheater.

Fernandina Beach

Located just 35 miles from Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach boasts stunning natural beauty and landmarks to roam. Kickstart your visit at Main Beach Park and catch some waves for surfing. Alternatively, enjoy the park's wooden boardwalk, take a stroll and explore the nearby restaurants. Fernandina Beach is much more than just a seaside town, as it played a significant role in the Civil War; investigate the famous Fort Clinch State Park to see the fort's numerous chambers, exhibits, and surrounding landscape. Finally, take a decompressing hike at Eagons Creek Greenway Trail, sitting on over 300 acres of protected land. The grassy-covered park is perfect for biking and spectating wildlife from a distance.

Dunedin

This town is the primary gateway to Caladesi Island State Park and the Honeymoon Island State Park. The first location features world-class beaches and nature trails and is popular among kayakers. The latter provides similar attractions and is ideal for swimming, fishing, hiking, and, as the name suggests, romantic honeymoons. After exploring the nearby islands, grab a bite on the downtown's Main Street, home to numerous shops and eateries. Two notable restaurants worth visiting are the Miggs Craft Kitchen and The Black Pearl, which consistently deliver excellent fine-dining experiences and have garnered impressive 4.8 and 4.7-star ratings on Google Reviews.

Micanopy

Love the outdoors? Micanopy is perfect for you. This town is near one of Florida's premier campgrounds, the Puc Puggy. Open year-round, Puc Puggy offers several scenic lakes and a secluded campground amidst dense trees for added privacy. Whether your forte is fishing, hiking, biking, or bird-watching, this place offers an enjoyable activity for every unique person's taste. Not too far away lies the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, consisting of 23,000 acres and 30 miles of trails. Before you start exploring, consider a visit to the visitor center for up-to-date information, and while you're there, climb the observation tower to see unforgettable panoramic views. To learn about the town's history, visit the Micanopy Historical Society Museum and discover what life was like for its earliest inhabitants and its role as a key trading post in the 1800s and onwards.

Tarpon Springs

Tarpon Springs has the luxury of a prime location as it sits in the middle of everything. To the east, the Gulf of Mexico stretches out, while to the south lie several parks and the world-class Copperhead Course golf course. Start your journey at Fred Howard Park, an idyllic 155-acre beach sitting on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, with all the white sandy beach you need to relax and soak in the sun. After a lovely day at the beach, take a leisurely stroll at Craig Park, offering mesmerizing views of the Whitcomb Bayou while being minutes away from several top-rated restaurants, including Madeline'sMadeline's Falafel & Shawarma and Mr. Souvlaki. Less than 15 minutes away, the Key Vista Nature Park provides a relaxing atmosphere away from all the noise of town, with secluded nature trails and a boardwalk to immerse yourself in the environment on more than 100 acres of green space.

Cedar Key

Cedar Key is one of two island towns on this list. This hidden gem of a town brings a modest 12,000 visitors annually. Whilw Cedar Key is relatively unknown, it boasts a wide array of exciting attractions waiting to be discovered by readers like you. One such landmark is the Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail—it takes 11 minutes to complete and provides access to picturesque forests with stunning views of the water. Another well-known attraction in town is the Cemetery Point Park, a 1,200-foot boardwalk, providing access to Florida's lush tidal marsh and, if you get lucky, wildlife. Finally, conclude your journey with a visit to the Cedar Key Museum State Park, offering a blend of history and nature with peaceful trails and paved paths.

Winter Park

Art lovers, prepare to be captivated by this town. Begin your journey at the Morse Museum, home to the biggest collection of works done by legendary artist and designer, Louis Comfort Tiffany. Here, you can observe esoteric-looking ceramics, paintings, jewelry, art glass, and more. Less than three miles away takes you to the Orlando Museum of Art, featuring several galleries, monthly events, and different collections. Additionally, another notable attraction here is the Mead Botanical Garden, which flaunts a scenic butterfly garden, boardwalk, bike path, and other amenities, including an amphitheater, sitting on more than 47 acres of land. Wrap up your trip by reliving the past at the Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, known to locals as "Happy House." The facility is a museum but is also used as a wedding and music venue for live performances.

Venice

Known as the "Shark Tooth Capital of the World" for the copious number of fossilized shark tooths on its sandy beaches, Venice provides several attractions and landmarks to explore. Kickstart your visit with Aristakat Charters, a scuba tour agency where you can choose from numerous dives, such as the Megalodon & Fossil Trips; the four-hour trip takes four hours to complete, taking patrons 10ft to 30 feet underwater to see unparalleled views of shipwrecks, fossils, and sea life. As an alternative, trek Caspersen Beach, the town's premier go-to beach to dip your toes in the soft sand and soak up the sun. Whether it's the paved paths, picnic spots, or scenic overlooks, Caspersen has it. And not too far away, the 700-foot Venice Fishing Pier located by Brohard Park provides all the space you need to reach your daily step count, in addition to nearby coffee shops, beachfront restaurants, and other amenities.

Anna Maria Island

Many towns have bought into modernist architecture and high-rise buildings, but not Anna Maria Island. This charming small town banned high-rise buildings to preserve what made it adorable in the first place. To see the architecture, take a brisk walk in its downtown core and enjoy a plethora of mouth-watering eateries—the best part? They're all unique restaurants, as Anna Maria Island banned chain establishments from operating. Among many restaurants to consider, Beach Bistro, Harry's Grill, and The Waterfront Restaurant stand out for their exceptional food, with the latter featuring beach views as a bonus. Another prominent landmark worth checking out is Bean Point Beach, a popular spot for swimming and catching calendar-worthy sunset views during dusk.

In conclusion, visiting these charming Florida towns will ensure that you never get bored. Whether you embark on an unforgettable dive in Venice to see what lies beneath the surface, or catch a breathtaking sunset picture at Anna Maria Island, these towns and their diverse landmarks are bound to leave you with a memorable trip to remember for a lifetime.

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By Jim Saunders Jun 18, 2024 ©2024 The News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE — A legal battle is moving forward over a plan to drill for oil and gas in part of rural Northwest Florida.

The environmental organization Apalachicola Riverkeeper is challenging a draft permit that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection approved in April for a company to drill an exploratory well in Calhoun County. The challenge was sent Monday to the state Division of Administrative Hearings, where a judge will consider whether the project should advance.

Louisiana-based Clearwater Land & Minerals FLA, LLC, plans to drill a well in an unincorporated area of Calhoun County, between Tallahassee and Panama City. But Apalachicola Riverkeeper contends that the project threatens the Apalachicola River and would be in the river’s floodplain.

“The drilling site is not consistent with the relevant Department (of Environmental Protection) rules and statutes, which require applicants to locate projects to minimize impacts to sensitive areas and environments,” Apalachicola Riverkeeper’s petition for an administrative hearing said. “Instead, the drilling site selected by the applicant (Clearwater Land & Minerals FLA) is in a sensitive area and environment.”

But the department’s draft permit pointed to safeguards planned for the project.

“The permit application includes well control procedures, preventative measures and contingency plans for responding to potential accidents and spills,” the draft permit said. “Best management practices will be employed to reuse or dispose of drilling fluids, cuttings and formation water. Test fluids and gas will be recovered, sold, flared or hauled to permitted out-of-state facilities.”

While relatively unusual for Florida, companies have long drilled for oil around the Santa Rosa County community of Jay and in parts of Southwest Florida. Also, a document filed at the Division of Administrative Hearings said the planned project in Calhoun County is at a site that was previously permitted for drilling but was never drilled.

Environmental conditions in the Apalachicola River, however, have long been a high-profile issue. The river is part of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, which starts in northern Georgia, crosses into Alabama and ends in Apalachicola Bay in Florida.

In the petition for an administrative hearing, Apalachicola Riverkeeper made a series of arguments, including that the drilling project would be “in a sensitive environment or sensitive area as it is in the floodplain of the Apalachicola River, which is an Outstanding Florida Water and an ecologically diverse natural area with state, national and international significance.”

A state Outstanding Florida Water designation can offer special protections to water bodies.

Also, the petition cited concerns about the project being exposed to the “foreseeable risk of flooding from the Apalachicola River and the foreseeable likelihood of pollution from the site being carried away to the surrounding area and beyond by floodwaters, thus affecting this sensitive area and environment.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, an administrative law judge had not been assigned to the case, according to an online docket.

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The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced that it intends to allow a Louisiana company to conduct exploratory drilling for oil in the environmentally fragile Apalachicola River floodplain.

DEP on Friday issued a notice of intent to grant a permit for Clearwater Land & Minerals FLA to drill at the site, which is located in rural Calhoun County in between the Apalachicola and Chipola rivers and near the Dead Lakes.

An exploratory well was built at the site by another company, Cholla Petroleum of Dallas, Texas, and permitted by DEP in 2019. Cholla, however, opted not to drill in 2021. According to DEP documents, Clearwater intends to drill to a depth of about 14,000 feet from a limerock drilling pad located within a 3-acre bermed area on land owned by Teal Timber, LLC.

The drilling proposal sparked opposition from the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, the Franklin County Commission, the National Wildlife Federation and more than 700 residents and nonprofits. They cited the potential for catastrophic harm to the river and bay, which is still trying to recover after the collapse of its oyster industry.

In a letter sent Monday to DEP, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Cameron Baxley expressed “profound disappointment” in the decision and asked the agency to reconsider. She said the Apalachicola River basin supports a diverse array of wildlife, including threatened and endangered species, and that the move by DEP “demonstrates a disregard” for its long-term health.

“In addition to the environmental risks, the approval of the Clearwater drilling permit sets a dangerous precedent for the future of Florida,” Baxley wrote. “By prioritizing the potential short-term economic gains of an oil company and landowner over the protection of our natural resources, the DEP sends a message that profit for a few trumps environmental stewardship and sustainable economy for the many.”

Democratic officials and candidates took to social media to blast the decision, which will become final in mid-May unless a legal challenge is filed. State Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried called water and the environment “the lifeblood of our state” and said “Republicans are hell bent on destroying it.”

State Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, summed up her feelings in three words. “This is atrocious,” she wrote on Twitter/X.

DEP said Clearwater’s application included best management practices to reuse or dispose of drilling fluids, cuttings and formation water. The agency said test fluids and gas will be recovered, sold, flared or hauled to permitted out-of-state facilities. Drilling operations will use water from a nearby well, which requires separate authorization.

“The permit application includes well control procedures, preventative measures, and contingency plans for responding to potential accidents and spills,” DEP said in its notice.

With DEP's action, Clearwater is required to file notice in a local newspaper, which sets in motion a 21-day period for citizens or nonprofits to challenge the permit application in administrative court. The Apalachicola Riverkeeper had no comment on its next steps or whether it intends to take legal action.

If no petition is filed, the agency will issue a final permit allowing exploratory drilling, said Brian Miller, DEP press secretary, in a Monday email. Miller noted that the permit would not allow commercial production.

"This permit requires the pad be constructed to meet design requirements for extreme weather conditions as well as be inspected and certificated to ensure the pad (including the surrounding protective berm) was properly constructed prior to commencement of any drilling operations," Miller said.

The Calhoun County Commission voted in favor of drilling in December. Local leaders say that if oil were discovered, it could bring badly needed revenue to the county, which saw its main industry, timber, wiped out by Hurricane Michael in 2018.

Clearwater is the third company to search for oil in Calhoun and Gulf counties over the past few years. And while Cholla exited before drilling began, another company, Spooner Petroleum of Ridgeland, Mississippi, conducted exploratory drilling in Calhoun and Gulf counties but found nothing of commercial value.

The Apalachicola River is the state’s largest river by volume and has the biggest and most environmentally sensitive undisturbed floodplain ecosystem in Florida, according to the Riverkeeper. The river nourishes a 144,000-acre floodplain, which supports one of the last unbroken bottomland hardwood forests in the nation, according to the nonprofit group Earthjustice.

“The Apalachicola River is an outstanding Florida water and it is designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve," said Earthjustice attorney Bradley Marshall. "It’s foolish to consider drilling for oil there, especially at a time when we know we need to be moving away from fossil fuels and towards the future, which is clearly renewable energy."

The Apalachicola Riverkeeper urged residents to send comments and concerns to DEP Administrator Gerry Walker at Gerald.A.Walker@FloridaDEP.gov and to include their name and address.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.

APALACHICOLA, Fla. (WMBB) — People in Franklin County are voicing their opposition to an exploratory oil well drilling request in the Apalachicola River Basin.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will decide Monday whether or not Clearwater Land & Minerals Oil Company can do exploratory, or “wildcat,” drilling in the river basin. It’s not the first time companies have drilled in that area. None of them found any oil.

“It has been drilled before in these same areas, they’re using the same sites, but they’ve come up dry before. Their whole thing is if they’ve been dry before, why would they have oil now?” Franklin County Commissioner Ricky Jones said.

That’s not the only reason commissioners and residents are giving the state for rejecting the drilling permit request.

“If something does go wrong, it’s going to be in the water. That’s going to affect everything. It’s to be in the water. Period,” Jones said.

Jones said he thinks the project is an attempt to create more jobs in the area.

“If we do something here that creates 15 or 20 jobs, that’s the same as 200 jobs in Tallahassee. I mean, it’s the same impact because we’re so small,” Jones said.

But Jones fears the potentially negative environmental and economic impacts outweigh any positive impacts that come with job creation.

“Oysters not only are part of the economy and heritage of Franklin County, but they’re also, the job that the oysters have is they help keep the water clean. They are a water filter. It’s hard to know for sure that nothing bad is going to happen,” Jones said.

The state closed oystering in Apalachicola Bay for 5 years to give experts time to restore the oyster beds. That oystering moratorium runs through 2025.

To learn more about the Apalachicola River Basin drilling proposal, click here.

The collapse of the Apalachicola Bay oyster fishery changed a way of life in the Florida Panhandle.

For decades, the bay was renowned for its oyster harvest, an industry that supplied 90% of the oysters in Florida and 10% across the nation. In 2012, those populations collapsed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association issued a disaster declaration the next year, and in 2020, the State of Florida imposed a wild harvest moratorium.

Now, through the work of the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative, or ABSI, there is a plan to help restore one of the country’s great fisheries.

Scientists from Florida State University’s Coastal & Marine Laboratory, or CML, lead ABSI’s work. Research is the foundation of ABSI, but stakeholder engagement is a critical component of the project. The initiative’s Community Advisory Board, or CAB, which includes stakeholders from various groups that rely on the bay, developed a consensus-based restoration and management plan for Apalachicola Bay. Triumph Gulf Coast, an organization established by the Florida Legislature to manage funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, funded the bulk of the work through an $8 million grant. FSU contributed $1.5 million toward the project, with additional support from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

After four years of bi-monthly meetings, in January 2024, the board released the Apalachicola Bay System Ecosystem-Based Adaptive Restoration and Management Plan , which contains a series of recommendations to restore the ecosystem that allowed oysters and the local seafood industry to flourish. The report is now in the hands of state policymakers who can use it to inform future management.

“We hope that this document creates a path for bringing back the Apalachicola Bay ecosystem, including the fishery,” said Sandra Brooke, a CML researcher and ABSI’s principal investigator. “This is a roadmap. If the regulatory agencies take it and continue to interact with the community and continue to listen to the science, there will be a pathway for them to bring back what used to be an incredibly productive and economically and culturally valuable resource.”

PATH FOR RENEWAL Oysters had been a major driver of the region’s economy for decades. The loss of the fishery was a major blow to an industry estimated to have been responsible for $134 million in annual economic output before the collapse.

“It seemed like the oysters had always been there, and everybody assumed that the oysters would always be there,” Brooke said. “Unfortunately, things deteriorated to the point where there are no remaining natural oyster reefs in Apalachicola Bay. The habitat condition was that bad. That’s where we started.”

The ABSI Community Advisory Board identified five overarching goals for restoring Apalachicola Bay:

Meeting those goals would mean not just a return of the oyster harvesting industry, but a healthy ecosystem that can sustain the industry over the long-term, provided that resources for reef replenishment are made available and appropriate monitoring and management occurs.

The report also includes various strategies to help reach the goals. One crucial strategy is rebuilding oyster habitat, said Chad Hanson, a science and policy officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts. Oyster larvae are free-floating and must attach to stable material. The shell of a wild oyster that lives and dies in the bay becomes material on which later generations can grow. But if that same oyster is harvested, its shell usually ends up in the trash.

“That’s maybe not that noticeable in the short term, but in the long term when there are other changes, such as salinity going up, temperature going up and removal of habitat — all those things start compounding on each other, and that’s when the declines really start to occur,” Hanson said. “You get to a tipping point.”

Experiments by CML scientists have shown limestone to be a good material for rebuilding reefs. Limestone rocks up to eight inches wide provide a stable base and hiding places to avoid predators. Scientists have observed market-ready oysters appearing after 14 months of growing on these reefs. Another crucial tool is the expansion of shell recycling programs.

“The work that that the ABSI scientists have been doing with their experimental reefs gives real reason for optimism,” said CML Director Joel Trexler. “We are all very optimistic that if federal, state and local communities invest in restoration efforts, they will pay off and we foresee — not as fast as anybody would like — but we don’t see any reason why the reefs can’t be recovered to a level that could sustain an economically viable fishery.”

Other strategies required for successful restoration include consistent monitoring of oyster populations, limiting the harvest based on monitoring, standardizing and improving harvest regulations, enforcement of regulations against illegal harvesting, using farmed oysters to restore wild reefs and more.

“There’s going to have to be a gradual approach to opening the fishery, and it really relies on how well that habitat is being recovered and restored and what its durability looks like over time,” Hanson said. “The real challenge is going to be matching what’s available in the habitat to how we set the fishery management levels appropriately.”

The Community Advisory Board plan tells agencies what ingredients would help to restore the bay’s ecosystem, but it doesn’t prescribe exactly how to implement them or balance competing uses for the ecosystem.

But follow its strategies, and the ecosystem that supported the oyster fishery has the best chance of recovery, Trexler said.

“Our work and work by the state show that over time, this can be recovered as a valuable natural resource,” he said. “It’s going to take an investment and effort, but if that is put into place, it will pay off in the long run.”

A COMMUNITY-CENTERED PLAN Community input was crucial for developing a plan that represented the various stakeholders in the bay’s future, including the seafood industry, recreational fishing, environmental groups, and local and state government.

Shannon Hartsfield, an oyster harvester from Eastpoint, served on the CAB since its founding. He sees the improving ecosystem as promising but fragile.

“The bay is starting to show life,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of good stuff out there, but we’re just waiting to see the management side of it now. I really hope the management agencies will take what we’ve worked on and try to figure out how they can use it. When the harvest opens back up, it’s really going to have to be managed well, because it will not take much for it to turn back around the other way.”

Community input will be essential to the long-term success of the restoration and management of the bay, said Anita Grove, a City of Apalachicola commissioner who represented the city on the CAB.

“You must have long-term buy-in from the local community, especially the oyster harvesting community, to ensure success,” she said.

A successor community group, The Partnership for a Resilient Apalachicola Bay, will now take the lead in working with stakeholders and providing input to natural resource management agencies.

Grove was previously the executive director of the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce. In that role, she saw firsthand the importance of the multi-million seafood industry that was the foundation of the area’s economy. Her hope is that the plan offers a guide to restoration and management of that resource for long-term benefit and a way for the local community to play an active role in the future of the bay.

“It is essentially a blueprint for the future,” she said. “It will have to be adapted over time, but it is a guiding document that will help the restoration and management of the oysters moving forward.”