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FORBES - MOBILE POISED FOR RECOVERY - JUNE 13,2009
Forbes magazine: Mobile poised for recovery Saturday, June 13, 2009 By CASANDRA ANDREWS Staff Reporter Mobile has been named by Forbes magazine as one of the "Best Cities in America for Recession Recovery." The rankings take into account the projected gross domestic product, unemployment figures, incomes and affordability. "We've been saying that all along," said Don Epley, director of the University of South Alabama's Center for Real Estate Studies, which has been tracking the local economy for two years. He said that he has published reports indicating that the recession would be slow to hit Mobile, and "we will be fast to recover." Huntsville was also included on the Forbes list. "This is a great mention for our city," Mobile Mayor Sam Jones said in a written statement. "Though it's good to be mentioned as one of the best cities to rebound from the recession, we do so with caution, realizing that we must continue to be very conservative with our spending." City Council President Reggie Copeland said the ranking by the business magazine is a testament to the cooperative working relationship of local and state leaders. "How proud we are," Copeland said Friday afternoon. "Anytime we get an honor like that, it's awesome. I'm proud for the mayor." Last year, Forbes magazine named Mobile as the fastest-growing mid-size city in America. Mobile has also been recognized as a "Top 50 Place to Live and Play" by National Geographic. Forbes examined GDP data from Moody's Economy.com; unemployment and employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; affordability information from the National Association of Homebuilders; and population statistics from the Census Bureau. Forbes reported, however, that it did not factor home prices into the ranking, since economically healthy cities were typically spared severe harm from the U.S. housing market collapse. The Forbes story said that Seattle and Boulder, Colo., with their high-tech capabilities, could experience rapid recovery in coming months. The other cities and metropolitan areas named by Forbes that are poised to bounce back quickly from the recession are: the Austin-Round Rock area in Texas; Fayetteville, Ark.; San Antonio, Texas; the Dallas-Forth Worth-Arlington area in Texas; the Washington DC- Arlington-Alexandria, Va. area; and the McAllen-Edinburg area in Texas. Leigh Perry Herndon, vice president of communications for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, said rankings like these are important. "It reinforces to our community that the work the chamber is doing in partnership with others is having an impact nationally and internationally," she said. For the past decade, Herndon said, local leaders and agencies have sought to diversify the Mobile area's economic base "so we are not dependent on one industry for the success or failure of the region." That focus, she said, includes shipbuilding, aerospace, oil and gas exploration, transportation distribution, health care and manufacturing.

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The Blake at Gulf Breeze and Malbis
June 13, 20009 Welcome to our email newsletter. We plan to keep you current on all our upcoming events as well as new programs and developments. We have several new developments to share with you today! Andrews Institute Rehabilitation and Therapy Center. Andrews Institute is gearing up to provide therapy and exercise programs for our residents, as well as individuals from the surrounding area. The doors are scheduled to open later this month. Having therapists from Andrews at The Blake will be an excellent benefit for our residents and for our neighbors in the Gulf Breeze, Midway, Holley and Navarre areas. Wellness & Fitness. In addition to our regular aerobics classes, we have added Tai Chi, Warm Water Arthritis and Chair Yoga. Our residents can also enjoy all the amenities offered at The Club Fitness Center for only $1 a visit. In addition, our Nintendo Wii games provide opportunities to actively and safely participate in competitive sports, such as bowling, golf and tennis. Memory Enhancement Classes have kicked into gear in our Media & Theater room and prove to be a fun and challenging way to maintain and improve brain function. We encourage our residents to participate in one or all of these great activities to maintain and improve over-all health and fitness. Invite your friends and make it a regular fitness date." Last Chance Spring Move-In Specials. Our spring move-in specials will expire on the first day of summer, which is June 21st, 2009. This will be the last opportunity for you to take advantage of the lowest rates that will ever be offered by our community. Apartment reservations must be made before the first day of summer and the move-in must occur by July 1st, 2009 to take advantage of these low rates. Contact Brooke Hicks at 850-934-4306 for more information. Father's Day at The Blake. Come join us for our Father's Day Cookout in our courtyard on Sunday, June 21st from Noon to 2:00pm. Family members, friends and guests need to RSVP with our concierge no later than June 15th. The Blake wins top honors at Taste of Gulf Breeze Expo! Come enjoy our award winning cuisine prepared and supervised by Jason Hall. We look forward to seeing you at The Blake at Gulf Breeze. ________________________________________ 4410 Gulf Breeze Pkwy., Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 " phone: 850.934.4306 www.blakeliving.com