Gulf Breeze News© 2021 [email protected] Commissioners As of Friday Evening, Feb
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MARCH 2021 Northwest Florida’s Art, Entertainment & Lifestyle Magazine FREE (Priceless) PONTE VEDRA March Splash! TALK OF THE ENDS LADY In this issue... DOLPHIN SOCCER ‘Jell’ it up Green Celebrate with Fish and Chips INSIDE TOWN 9A SEASON AGAIN Sports 1B NOW OFFERING TELEMEDICINE VISITS KĸĐĞƐƟůůŽƉĞŶĨŽƌŚĞĂůƚŚLJƉĂƟĞŶƚƐ͘ www.DermatologySpecialistsFL.com John H. Phillips III, MD • 850.932.1455 March 4, 2021 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER $1.00 Under new ownership Drinking City closes sale of Tiger water wells Point Golf Course, Club protected House Friday — for now BY GLENDA CAUDLE Gulf Breeze News© 2021 [email protected] Commissioners As of Friday evening, Feb. 26, Cole, Calkins and Tiger Point Golf Club and the club house are no longer the property of the City of Gulf Breeze. Parker bend to The club house, plus the 10th and 18th holes of the old west course, pressure campaign now belong to local entertainment and hospitality-focused entrepre- neur and businessman Scott Zepp, BY PAM BRANNON Glenda Caudle | Gulf Breeze News Gulf Breeze News © 2021 along with partners Jennifer Jack- Scott Zepp, new owner of the club house at Tiger Point Golf Club, and his partner, Jennifer Jackson-Keating, [email protected] son-Keating, Stephanie Sharpton promise to provide something special for the community in their new business venture. Other partners include and Tricia Horton. The team will (not pictured) Stephanie Sharpton and Tricia Horton. Santa Rosa County commissioners voted also handle all the golf course’s and hurricane ravaged 36-hole golf School System as the site of a fu- If we think we need to make any unanimously Thursday, Feb. 25, to withdraw the food and beverage, including Tiki course and club house in 2012. That ture school. The remainder of the changes down the road, we will proposed text amendment to the county’s Com- at the Turn and the beverage cart. action solved a dual problem for west course is a family-friendly make sure and get that word out prehensive Plan that would Also on Friday, Mike Pullen and the City, which wanted to continue green space well in advance.” have allowed deeper extrac- Brian Jones, owners of Capstone using the double course as spray for the com- Pullen says new golf carts will tion of dirt in the wellfield Golf, finalized the purchase of the fields and to eventually enlarge munity. be arriving in July. protection areas in East Mil- revitalized east course and took an adjacent wastewater treatment In addition, “Because of COVID, the new ton. The amendment was over management of that aspect of plant for a much lower utility cus- the old driv- carts we expected to receive in introduced several weeks the unique duo-deal on the same tomer cost than building a second ing range was March have been pushed back to ago and has been the center date. treatment plant at another location. sold months July by the factory, but we will of fierce debate, with two Following Friday’s transfer of The 2012 sale also benefited the ago to a de- have new carts then and we’ll be re- commissioners being con- ownership, Gulf Breeze Mayor multiple homeowners’ associations veloper and a furbishing the pro shop with a new sistently against the change Wright Cherry Fitch said, “I am very ex- in the Tiger Point area, since it pro- new range was Fitch roof and siding and paint.” from the first discussions: cited for Capstone, the new owners, tected their property values. Subse- constructed. Asked about additional changes Commissioner Colten Wright of Gulf Breeze and and their enthusiasm for the golf quently, the City went to work on The golf course’s new owners or upgrades, the new owner said, Commission Chair Dave Piech of Navarre. The course and for Scott Zepp and his the storm damaged east course and say their enterprise will continue to “We have a new superintendent on three commissioners from the northern districts plans for revitalizing the club house turned it into an attractive and vi- be known as Tiger Point Golf Club board and he has a great chemical had been considering approving the amendment into a family- and golf-friendly des- able 18-hole golf course that is now and they are not putting into effect and fertilizer program. We want to to the plan. tination restaurant. These visionary drawing interest from a wide range any new fees or changes in rules. analyze the strengths and weak- Commissioner Bob Cole from East Milton still plans will be of great benefit to the of golfing enthusiasts and is operat- “We are operating just as the nesses and adjust a plan, based on wanted more study done on how to be able to ex- Tiger Point and Gulf Breeze com- ing in the black. City did before the transaction,” what we learn. Our goal for right pand the property rights of pit owners going west- munities, as well as to the play- The City previously reached an Pullen said. “We want to see how now is to concentrate on improving ward, away from the wellfields, and also wanted ers.” agreement for the sale of about 45 everything goes and what needs to the greens.” to expand protections for water wells. Cole said, The City of Gulf Breeze pur- acres of the more severely damaged be changed, to see what is working “I would be glad to go back and work with peo- chased the financially troubled west course to Santa Rosa County and doesn’t need to be changed. See New owner Page 10A » ple involved in this issue and also work with the Gulf Breeze city manager and Fairpoint Water to come up with some additional protections for our wellfields and well heads. The late John Broxson Home2 Suites taught me a long time ago that the art of sitting up here in this seat is to help people come to an equi- table agreement between people who don’t agree. opens in Maybe we could also find some expansion of extraction of the dirt needed in areas to the west Gulf Breeze of the wellfields. But I want to let people know — there are no meetings scheduled or being held, no talks behind anyone’s back about this issue.” BY GLENDA CAUDLE Commission Chair Dave Piech said, “We have Gulf Breeze News© 2021 [email protected] a motion to withdraw the text amendment, which would end discussion on amending the Comp Gulf Breeze’s newest hotel, Home2 Plan. The current initiative will die when this Suites by Hilton, opened at 940 Gulf is approved. We have agreed tonight that this Breeze Parkway on Feb. 5 and has been amendment will not be made.” welcoming guests to the new facility Resident Jerry Couey spoke during the pub- ever since. Several of those, says Gen- lic forum, saying he had been “saddened” by the eral Manager Melissa Fleischmann, are earlier vote of commissioners to consider this guests who are undergoing treatment at amendment. “Because there is a change of heart Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics in does not mean I will forget the original vote. Gulf Breeze. The well-known facility is There is nothing more important than a reliable practically a next-door neighbor for the source of water. If you don’t believe me, ask the new hotel. folks in Flint, Mich.” He cautioned citizens “not “We work closely with Andrews Insti- to go to sleep” on the issue. “This is a great mis- tute to ensure all their patients who are sion we started in 2009. In the future this board coming in for any reason are well taken Glenda Caudle | Gulf Breeze News will be asked to stand up a water shed committee. care of,” Fleischmann says. Greeting guests at the newly opened Home2 Suites by Hilton are (from left) Executive Housekeeper Gery Girao, Director of Sales Cailyn Bodle, Front Desk Key Member Rebecca Deschene, General See Water Page 10A See Hotel Page 3A » Manager Melissa Fleischmann and Assistant General Manager Krystal Munoz. » Arrest Report . 3A THU 3/4 FRI 3/5 SAT 3/6 SUN 3/7 Calendar . 3A Mailing Statement SUNNY PARTLY A.M. SUNNY Classifieds/Legals . 3B on Opinion Page WEEKEND CLOUDY SHOWERS Crossword Puzzle. 5A TWO SECTIONS, Movies . 4A 14 PAGES Weather-plus hi 68/lo 52 hi 65/lo 52 hi 65/lo 46 hi 66/lo 48 VOL. 21, NO. 9 rain: 24% rain: 22% rain: 40% rain: 2% Obituaries . 8A Opinion . 6A MARCH 4, 2021 Sports . .1-4B 2A March 4, 2021 GULF BREEZE NEWS gulfbreezenews.com We offer 3D virtual showings of all of our listings so you can shop from home. www.keenanteamhomes.com Essay winners Jennifer Keenan, Broker Associate (850) 449-9432 The winners of the Pensacola [email protected] Beach Optimist Club essay contest gave presentations on “Healing the World With Optimism.” Judges for the contest were WE FIX YOUR AUTO GLASS Melanie Waite, Jon Brooks and Paula Burns. The timekeeper And Recalibrate Car Cameras! was Thomas Campanella, a Covid Compliant member of Pensacola Beach Essential Business Optimist Club. Winners were (from left) first place, Braydon Noack, a third- grader; second place, Chloe Ciolino, a fifth-grader; and third place, Willa Shearer, a fourth-grader. Photo courtesy Shelley Johnson GBHS student wins computer award ® Timothy Wise Financial Professional Mrs. Renfroe honored for role promoting gender equity in computing The Prudential Insurance Company of America 913 Gulf Breeze Parkway Gulf Breeze High School junior Adri- nacity in the face of barriers to access and said Lucy Sanders, CEO and cofounder of Suite 10 enne Flowers received the Southern Ala- plans for post-secondary education.