Smog Tsunami Hits Peninsula
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March 24, 2011 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 75¢ Reeves is Rotary’s Smog tsunami hits peninsula Citizen Prescribed burn in National Seashore forces road closures of Year BY SCOTT PAGE Gulf Breeze News ■ Leader respected [email protected] for his vision, activism The thick blanket of smog that know no bounds that covered Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach on March 18 following a prescribed burn at BY VICI PAPAJOHN Gulf Breeze News the Naval Live Oaks [email protected] Reservation has prompted U.S. Park Service officials to reeval- Gulf Breeze Rotary on uate the already strict burn Tuesday honored James J. parameters. Reeves as its Citizen of the Year, “The important thing from recognizing a man known as an our perspective is public safety “out-of-the-box thinker” for a and minimizing the impact of lifetime of regional impact and our burns,” said Dan Brown, unfailing vision. Superintendent of Gulf Islands Reeves, a char- National Seashore. “We execute ter member of the each burn within very strict Gulf Breeze club, parameters. We will review reacted with obvi- those parameters and potential- ous emotion to the ly adjust them.” award. Though no confirmed Reeves “You can say injuries were caused by the negative things smog, the impact on surround- about me. You can say positive ing communities was anything things about me,” he said. “But but minimal. Near-zero visibili- the one absolute truth you can Joe Culpepper/Gulf Breeze News ty forced closures of U.S. 98 say is that I love this club. This is from Gulf Breeze Hospital to an amazing honor, and it means a Bayshore Drive, Bob Sikes lot to me.” Bridge from Gulf Breeze to Known for his cool, powerful Pensacola Beach and the negotiating techniques, Reeves Pensacola Bay Bridge – strand- was cited for the regional view ing some motorists for hours •See CITIZEN, Page 2A and causing an 18-wheeler to jackknife. Amateur photographers in Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Boardwalk Beach scrambled to snap pic- tures of the eerie scene. By late gunfire Friday morning, many of those photos had made onto lands couple Facebook profiles. References were made to a “smoke and fog in jail tsunami.” Road closures associated Lisa Newell/Gulf Breeze News ■ Woman was holding Steve Clark/Special to Gulf Breeze News with low visibility continued along U.S. 98 for at least the a baby during the fight; TOP: Smoke billows high into the sky above the Naval Live Oaks area following four days, March 19- no one was injured in the Gulf Islands National Seashore on Thursday afternoon as Park 22. Monday morning, Gulf Service officials begin a prescribed burn in east Gulf Breeze. Breeze High School issued an BY SCOTT PAGE ABOVE LEFT: On Sunday morning, officials from the U.S. Park automated voice call out to Gulf Breeze News notify parents and students that [email protected] Service, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Gulf Breeze Police Department block smoke- and fog-shrouded U.S. 98. The roadway was the roadway was open. A Pensacola man accused of closed in the predawn hours of Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and The effects of the smog went firing a gun on the Portofino Tuesday, forcing traffic to be rerouted over Garcon Point Bridge. beyond the roadways. Boardwalk at Pensacola Beach •See SMOKE, Page 3A ABOVE RIGHT: The early stages of last week’s prescribed burn gave remained in jail nearly one week little indication of the complications that would come in the nighttime. Related story after the incident. ■ Letter to Editor: Reader Joshua Allen, 18, was being John Pinzino/Special to Gulf Breeze News LEFT: Smog envelopes Pensacola Beach on Friday morning. unhappy with closures, 6A held under $502,000 bond at Escambia County Jail for aggra- vated assault, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, discharging a firearm in public Walmart Market gets Council’s blessing to open in 2012 and resisting arrest. tatives struck a deal paving the the store, which is slated to and renovated exterior design Sanders. “It is going to be a An Escambia County BY VICI PAPAJOHN way for the grocery and retail open in March of 2012. on the front and rear of the much better project for it.” Sheriff’s Office report says Allen Gulf Breeze News [email protected] giant to open a Walmart Walmart offered numerous building. After Walmart showed a allegedly fired the gun around Market in the Gulf Breeze concessions including land- “(City Manager Buz) Eddy Power Point detailing the 3:30 p.m. on March 16 during an After months of give and Shopping Center. scaping and lighting changes, and his staff have held our feet design changes and improve- altercation with Krista Bill, 18, take, the Gulf Breeze City The Council approved six brick and iron fencing at the to the fire since the first day,” ments, Gulf Breeze resident •See Gunfire, Page 2A Council and Walmart represen- variances to clear the way for front of the shopping center, said Walmart counsel Karl •See MARKET, Page 2A Five-sport athlete keeps busy Beach deaths mar Break Reefs honor memories Gulf Breeze High Break. He competed Two people at Pensacola A pair of honor Pat sophomore Austin in three different lost their lives in Beach during new man- Doman and Droogsma (right) was sports in a six-day apparent water- the Spring Break made reefs in Yancy Spencer. home! very busy over Spring span. Page 1C related incidents week. Page 1D the Gulf will Page 8A your INSIDE ON NEWSSTANDS NOW WEEKEND Weather-plus Calendar . .2A GB Arts Festival . .8A Classifieds . .2D GB History . .4A Community . .2-7A Military Brief . .5A Crossword . .3B Obituaries . .3A FRI 3/25 SAT 3/26 SUN 3/27 MON 3/28 Entertainment . .2-3B Opinion . .6A A Sports . .1-8C Call 932-8986 today SUNNY PARTLY CHANCE CHANCE Fire Reports . .2 CLOUDY T-STORMS T-STORMS Gardening . .4D Talk of the Town . .7A hi 77/ lo 63 hi 77/ lo 58 Enjoy your community paper hi 75/ lo 62 hi 76/ lo 56 mailed directly to “Mailing Statement on Opinion Page” rain: 40 % rain: 0 % rain: 20 % rain: 40 % FOUR SECTIONS, 24 PAGES | VOL. 10, NO. 12 | MARCH 24, 2011 GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2 A March 24, 2011 GULF BREEZE NEWS This MARKET: Store will be rendering shows how allowed to sell liquor much of the old Bruno’s Thursday, March 24 Parkway, Gulf for relief from a required mini- building will Breeze Continued from page 1A Santa Rosa County mum of parking spaces, accept- be occupied by the new Commission Regular 9 Wednesday, Nancy Douglas said she was in ing Walmart’s promise to obtain Walmart a.m., County Administrative March 30 favor of the change. an easement for 75 off-site spaces Market Center, Commissioner's from the surrounding shopping Gulf Breeze “This all sounds real good,” develop- Board Room, 6495 Caroline she said. “We don’t want an center. They also authorized a Street, Milton Toastmasters ment, which noon, Fellowship empty shopping center. The gro- variance to accept the size of the SRC Commission Special is slated to Hall, First Baptist cery store (Delchamps) down current loading dock, and waived be open for Rezoning 6 p.m., County the highway is deteriorating requirements for an expanded Administrative Center, Church of Gulf business in Breeze, 555 rapidly, and we don’t want that loading zone area. Commissioner's Board March of Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Council cited the effective- Room, 6495 Caroline Street, in the city.” next year. Breeze The store was granted the ness of the existing storm-water Milton Submitted photo same provisions to sell liquor as system when it allowed a vari- Friday, March 25 Gulf Breeze City the Publix grocery store in Sea ance to relieve the company Council Executive job coming in and addressing bring the sign down to 30 feet, 2 Committee 6:30 p.m., Shell Collections. Hours of from new storm-water require- Gulf Breeze Chamber our issues,” said Councilman J. inches from the current 34 feet, Council Chamber, City ments. 2011 Gala Wrap-up operation will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. B. Schluter. “I really appreciate 10 inches. Hall, 1070 Shoreline Drive, The company agreed to Committee meeting noon, weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. that, and I’m sure the communi- “Are we required to upgrade Unique Cafe, 51 Gulf Breeze Gulf Breeze on weekend nights. No frontage enlarge existing landscaping ty does, too.” all the landscaping?” said or window signage will be islands at the front of the store, The variances passed with a Sanders. “No. But we want a allowed to advertise liquor sales. install a brick and metal fence unanimous vote, except for the building we can all be proud of, Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office Report Bay Cliffs resident Tom along U.S. Highway 98, and majority vote to allow signifi- and we know city residents do, Information provided by the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office. Naile expressed concern about improve the center’s landscap- cant changes to the street-side too. When we decided to open the noisy recycling contractor ing in exchange for a variance sign. Councilman Joe the store in Gulf Breeze, we Felonies Briar Circle, Gulf Breeze, vio- working at odd hours behind the for two aisles of parking that Henderson voted against the thought, ‘Good, we’ll change the lation of probation. store currently and asked the current code would require a variance and stated that he sign and open.’ To Mr.