March 19, 2010 9:36 AM                                    

Walton Sun

The Friends of Scenic 30A invite families and friends to celebrate a day of fun and education on March 26 and 27 for Scenic Highway Day.

Bill Freeze, chairman of the Friends of Scenic 30A, said 30A is the only county road in the state to receive this designation.

“This is a pretty prominent designation,” he said. “The people here are privileged to have such a beautiful, natural area to live in.”

County Road 30A first earned its designation as a Florida scenic highway in May of 2008, since then the friends have been working to maintain and improve the overall traveling experience along the corridor. In celebration of its designation, the friends will be hosting an opening ceremony for the celebration March 26 from 6-8 p.m. at the Walton County District 5 office on Logan Lane.

 “We want to make it a fun and educational day and celebrate being part of the state scenic highway system,” said Vivian Shamel, citizen planner for Walton County.                           

The opening ceremony will include a short documentary on coastal dune lakes, followed by a brief presentation about the Florida Scenic Highway program.

The following day visitors can ride on a free trolley that will take them to 26 various spots along the scenic corridor, making stops from Topsail Hill State Park to Rosemary Beach.

In addition to the trolley ride, local businesses will be offering specials and discounts to Scenic Highway Day participants.

Freeze said the friends plan to make Scenic Highway Day a yearly event.

“The event is free of charge,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for the family to come out and enjoy themselves.”

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Come visit our area and take a day to explore Scenic-30A.

Garrett Realty Services, Inc. has a vacation rental waiting for you to Rent & Relax!!!

Florida Freedom Newspapers   

Sunday January 3, 2010

SEAGROVE BEACH — Avid photographer and bird lover Jamie Conley ran out of her office recently to try to photograph two bald eagles in Western Lake.

Conley, business manager and marketing representative for Davis Properties, had purchased a new camera and was in her office when “one of the sales guys came into the office and said he’d just seen two bald eagles over Western Lake.”

“He wondered if I was interested in trying to get some photos,” Conley said. “I told him ‘you bet’ and ran out the door with my brand new camera in tow.”

Conley drove down County Road 30A to Grayton Beach and pulled to the side of the road.

“It was about 3:30 or 4ish,” Conley said. “It was a beautiful, blue-sky afternoon, just a wonderful day after so many days of recent rain and overcast skies.”

“This is the first time that I’d photographed a bald eagle,” she said. “So I guess I just got lucky.”

The bald eagle population in Florida has increased over the past few decades, and the birds now breed in 62 of the state’s 67 counties, according to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Bald eagles are not uncommon in Walton County,” said Janell Brush, an avian research scientist at the FWC’s Gainesville office. “There are actually four known nesting territories in the county.”

“If you are in this area, you would definitely have a good chance of seeing a few bald eagles,” added Brush, who helps put together the state’s bald eagle management plan.

Brush said there are about 9,000 bald eagles in Florida.

Bald eagles were removed from the federal threatened and endangered species list in August 2007. They are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald Eagle Protection Act.

But as far as Conley is concerned, “I was just in the right place at the right time.”