Gulf Breeze to implement Storm A W Water A R Utility D ● W I N 77AA N I N G 50¢ June 22, 2006 Park plan crosses home plate BY B.J. DAVIS in the tate! Gulf Breeze News S [email protected] Gulf Breeze News Gulf Breeze City Council Florida Press Association “Best Overall Graphic Design” unanimously approved a four- year-old Shoreline Park plan at Monday’s meeting despite an alternative proposal presented Inside in PAGE at the June 14 Executive 1B Session meeting by residents Carla and Dave Steinbach. “We apologize we have not kept up with the city initia- tives,” said Carla at the opening of her presentation which ■ Grant awarded to included a reading garden, New York-style game table area and Little Sabine Bay guarded area for kids. ■ Bishop “I definitely think this will set us apart from other cities,” rededicates Our Lady she added. Her plan sets aside portions of Shoreline Park ■ Bubba’s Beach North just west of the Gulf Breeze Library were the current multi-use football field is scheduled to relocate to develop her vision. However, other citi- zens felt the main concern was WEEKEND the kids. The Shoreline Park North plan was approved at the June 19 City Council meeting. The plan was amended to allow a 75-foot Weather “This community is getting vegetative buffer between the park and residents whose property abuts the park. THURSDAY 6/22 See APPROVAL, Page 2A6 Partly Cloudy high 90O Smith eyes County heeds low 77O Officials focus on 98’s future school BY FRANKLIN HAYES pandemic FRIDAY 6/23 Gulf Breeze News threat Mostly Sunny board seat [email protected] O BY FRANKLIN HAYES high 91 Chuck Local governments are mov- O Gulf Breeze News low 77 Smith is a ing a little bit closer to alleviat- [email protected] candidate for ing traffic and providing addi- Santa Rosa tional hurricane evacuation Santa Rosa County is plan- SATURDAY 6/24 County routes for South Santa Rosa ning to save lives from some- Iso. T-Storms School Board. County. thing even more devastating high 90O A career The Florida-Alabama than a hurricane: pandemic flu. businessman, Transportation Planning According to Kathleen low 77O Smith earned Smith Organization (TPO), a multi- DeVore-Jones, Santa Rosa his Juris county governmental body rep- County Health Department SUNDAY 6/25 Doctor in Law and is licensed resenting Gulf Breeze, Milton, Administrator, “The possibili- Iso. T-Storms to practice in Mississippi. After Santa Rosa County, Pensacola, ty of flu outbreak is not a cause O working for South Central Bell Escambia County and Lillian, for alarm or panic; but it is a high 89 Telco and AT&T at various lev- Ala., recently approved several O reason to be prepared. As a low 75 els, he founded a $7 million projects that will be submitted county we have to pick up the direct mail and computer ser- to Florida Department of pace and be ready to fight a vices company in Mississippi Transportation (FDOT) and the Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News possible outbreak at every before selling his interest in the Federal Highway Linda Figg gave a presentation to members of the Northwest level and on every front.” INSIDE firm and relocating to Gulf Administration (FHWA). Most Florida Transportation Corridor Authority June 15. The eight In 1918, approximately Breeze 10 years ago. He now importantly, the TPO approved member corridor authority is developing a master plan for 500,000 died in the United Classifieds 4-6 D works as a real estate investor a traffic study that will research U.S. 98. States from a virus known as er hurricane evacuation route well, noting a duplication of Community 4,5A and entrepreneur. the effects of widening a portion the Spanish Flu. The next pan- Smith says his platform as a of U.S. 98 from Bayshore Road for those living in south Santa effort with the Northwest Crossword/Movies 5B demic influenza virus 39 years school board member will be to at the east boundary of the Gulf Rosa. Florida Transportation Corridor later took far fewer lives as Editorial 6A ferret out administrative waste Breeze city limit to Portside In a county commission Authority. government planning and Entertainment 4,5B and redirect funds to class- Drive to six lanes. The study meeting June 8, Santa Rosa “Let’s put our bets on the Island News 1,2B rooms and teacher salary alone will cost an estimated $3 County Commissioners dis- horse that can actually win See HEALTH, Page 2A6 School News 1-3, 6 D increases. million to complete. cussed participation in two rather than the one that’s crip- Sports 1-6C “Teachers and other school In a separate resolution, the other transportation planning pled before it even gets to the district employees must be able TPO endorsed an FDOT pro- entities, the Regional starting gate,” Broxson said. Navarre Beach Talk of the Town 5A to afford to live in the district in gram referred to as the Strategic Transportation Authority (RTA) The NFTCA was created by TV LISTINGS 3B residents to pay which they serve,” Smith says. Intermodal System that includes and the Northwest Florida state legislation and is com- $1.6 mil for “Mailing Statement is He says there is potential for six-laning U.S. highway 29 in Transportation Corridor prised of eight gubernatorial on Editorial Page” children in the Santa Rosa Pensacola from the Interstate 10 Authority (NFTCA). appointees who represent the renourishment County school system to interchange to Ten Mile Road. Formed in 1999, the RTA was eight counties through which FOUR SECTIONS achieve greatness and “it’s Why is that important to resi- initially designed to include rep- U.S. 98 passes. The NFTCA BY FRANKLIN HAYES VOL. 5, NO. 22 incumbent upon the teachers, dents in South Santa Rosa? resentatives from Gulf Breeze, met at Gulf Breeze City Hall Gulf Breeze News administrators and board to Because the widening of U.S. Milton, Pensacola and their June 15. Commissioner [email protected] UNE J 22, 2006 make sure they can compete for 29 would more than likely kill a respective counties. However, Broxson was present at the elite positions.” proposal recently put forth by representatives from Escambia meeting, and again expressed In reaction to public outcry, Smith is the father of two the Escambia County County withdrew from the orga- his opinion to rely on the Santa Rosa County children, one of whom is a Commission to extend Interstate nization after a conflict with NFTCA for U.S. 98 improve- Commissioners passed the graduate of Gulf Breeze High 110 into Cantonment. Santa Gulf Breeze over six laning the ments. new and improved Navarre and the other is a rising junior at Rosa County Commissioner Pensacola Bay Bridge. “We’re currently in a little bit Beach Renourishment project Gulf Breeze High. John Broxson said he supports Commissioner Broxson of a dilemma here in Santa Rosa assessment plan June 8, giving He says the most important the I-110 option because he believes Santa Rosa County peace of mind to many home! See TPO “e” word is “enthusiasm.” believes it would provide a clos- should abandon the RTA as , Page 2A6 Navarre Beach property own- ers. “There are a lot of people your Midway Fire to offer media ride-along who have worked on this pro- ject, and they have done an BY FRANKLIN HAYES with firefight- ly check all equipment and departments in the United States outstanding job... I am so glad Gulf Breeze News ers on emer- encourage open discussion and Canada to suspend all non- we’re getting on with this, [email protected] gency calls to about firefighter safety. emergency activity and instead because we needed it desper- raise public According to a press release concentrate entirely on fire- ately,” beach resident Jane Ever wonder what happens awareness from the International fighter safety. The exercise, Johnson said. from the time a 911 emergency about safety- Association of Fire Chiefs referred to as Stand Down 2006, Over the next seven years, call is placed until authorities related stan- (IAFC), Last year 106 firefight- will focus on emergency vehicle Navarre Beach property own- Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today arrive? dard operating ers died in the line of duty in the safety - more specifically seat- ers are collectively expected to This week Midway Fire procedures. In Demeter United States; 26 of these deaths belt use and safe driving pay $1.6 million of the $17 District and Gulf Breeze between occurred in emergency vehicle- through intersections. million project that will Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy mailed directly to mailed directly Volunteer Fire Department emergency calls, firefighters related accidents and thousands Opti-Com is a system now in replace more than four miles (GBVFD) are allowing media will conduct safety training, dis- more were injured while on correspondents to ride along cuss accident reports, thorough- duty. The IAFC calls for all fire See MIDWAY, Page 2A6 See NAVARRE, Page 2A6 GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2A June 22, 2006 GULF BREEZE NEWS MIDWAY: Opticom up and running Continued from page 1A talks more about prevention, Commissioners tabled a discus- burn permits and special opera- sion to put a floor, or minimum, place that allows emergency tions,” Chief Stephen Demeter limit on funding their pension responders to operate with said. program. Today, June 22 greater assurance. The system is The Midway Fire District is “We don’t need a floor Santa Rosa County Commission Regular Meeting, Tuesday, June 27 a remote-control method of home to an elite special opera- because we’ll be over vesting.