Speed Kills on Hwy. 98 Aims to Highway 98 "At a High Rate of 98 and Whispering Pines Truck's Driver, William F
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A W A R D ● W I N N I DETAILS... N G page3B 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER August 30, 2007 PAG E 1B Lawsuit Speed kills on Hwy. 98 aims to Highway 98 "at a high rate of 98 and Whispering Pines truck's driver, William F. Harp, FROM STAFF REPORTS ■ Harry speed" when his vehicle rear- Boulevard. According to police 43, was transported to Baptist Gulf Breeze News stop tax ended a semi truck traveling in reports, a 1995 Mercury four- Hospital in Pensacola via ambu- Gowens [email protected] Park Opens the same lane. Paramedics pro- door car traveling west on 98 col- lance with serious injuries. The reform Two accidents occurred along nounced Frick dead at the scene lided with a 2002 Dodge Truck truck's passenger, Julie R. Harp, ■ Casting highway 98 last weekend – one of the accident. James A. Bush, traveling south on Whispering 39, received minor injuries but BY PAM BRANNON Nets resulted in a fatality, the other 46, of Mobile, Ala. was driving Pines Boulevard when the driver did not require hospitalization. Gulf Breeze News injured four people. the semi and did not sustain any of the Mercury, Larry G. Snook, The Snooks were not wearing [email protected] Dustin H. Frick, 28, of Fort injuries from the accident, the 60, failed to stop at a red light. seatbelts and Larry Snook was Walton Beach was killed on Aug. report said. The report also said According to police reports, cited for violation of a traffic con- A Florida mayor is suing 25 at approximately 2 a.m. as a Frick was not wearing a seatbelt. Snook, 60, and passenger Julie F. trol device. the sunshine state. WEEKEND result of a vehicular collision No charges had been filed as of Snook, 62, were both transported All four people involved were Eric Hersh is the mayor of a Weather near the Santa Rosa/Okalossa press time as police were still to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola from Navarre. Police said alcohol small city in south Florida. He county line on Highway 98. A investigating the incident. via LifeFlight helicopter due to was not a factor in the accident. says the lawsuit he filed is an THURSDAY 8/30 police report said Frick's 1999 Another accident occurred the critical nature of their All three hospitalized accident effort to stop the statewide Honda Accord was traveling Aug. 26 at 3:36 p.m. in Navarre injuries. victims were listed in good con- referendum in January on the Scat.T-Storms near the intersection of Highway The report also stated the dition as of Monday, Aug. 27. legislature’s Super Homestead O westbound in the outside lane of high 89 proposal. He also said it is not low 75O being funded by the city of Weston, near Ft. Lauderdale, FRIDAY 8/31 TPO nixes Highway 98 funding where he serves as mayor. He filed it on July 9 as a private Iso. T-Storms taxpayer and citizen. If suc- O high 90 ● Escambia County out cessful, he could at the very low 75O least get the referendum post- poned until next November. votes Santa Rosa panelists However, he is hoping to SATURDAY 9/1 “I think 98 is vitally impor- kill the referendum altogether BY FRANKLIN HAYES Scat.T-Storms tant but the problem is, it's such and send the legislators back Gulf Breeze News O an issue, it's beyond the scope to their drawing boards. That high 89 [email protected] O for us to do anything else,” said would at least postpone any low 75 Escambia County Commis- new state cuts in monies Highway 98 is not likely to sioner Grover Robinson IV in looming over the budgets of see any major capacity SUNDAY 9/2 support of Whitehead's motion. all local taxing authorities, improvements in the foresee- “It will basically encumber all See MAYOR, Page 2A6 Scat. T-Storms able future. After a 9-7 vote, O the funds that we could do any high 87 transportation officials removed of these other projects with.” O low 75 a multi-million dollar project to Florida Department of Recreation six lane a portion of U.S. 98 Transportation (FDOT) official from their cost feasible plan, Jim DeVries explained the meeting is INSIDE eliminating the possibility for removal of U.S. 98 and from the federal funding. Officials also plan would prevent the project removed two other incomplete from receiving federal funding. Sept. 18 Business 7&4A projects and one completed pro- “If it's not in the cost feasible FROM STAFF REPORTS Classifieds 3D ject from their list of priorities. plan we're not able to use feder- Community 3-5A After a lengthy and heated al dollars on that project and it Gulf Breeze News [email protected] Crossword 4B discussion at a Florida-Alabama could impact the ability to use Editorial 6A Transportation Planning state dollars on a project,” Utilizing resident input Faith 7A Organization (TPO) meeting DeVries said. through a public meeting and Island News 1B Aug. 21., a motion entered by When asked if the project survey, Santa Rosa County Lifestyles 1D Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News Escambia County Commis- was now unlikely to proceed, will create its first ever recre- Schools 7C Traffic backs up along Highway 98 during rush hour Aug. 23. sioner Mike Whitehead gath- DeVries responded: “That's Transportation officials recently cut funding to add two more ered just enough support to ation master plan. The District Seniors 2&4D 5 Recreation Master Plan will lanes to this portion of the road. remove projects from the plan. See TRAFFIC, Page 2A6 Sports 1-6&8C include the communities of Talk of the Town 5A Gulf Breeze, Tiger Point and “Mailing Statement is Midway and will provide a State approves 20% drop in tax values framework for decisions for on Editorial Page” recreational areas in the cials to show why he believed BY PAM BRANNON future. The recreational needs FOUR SECTIONS he needed to lower property val- Gulf Breeze News study was initiated by County VOL. 6, NO. 35 ues in Santa Rosa County more [email protected] Commissioner John Broxson AUGUST 30, 2007 than 15 percent. The state could when local clubs commented have refused his rolls, and told Santa Rosa County Property current capacity at ballparks him to go back to the drawing Appraiser Greg Brown got could not meet the demand. board to come up with no less some good news this week. The In addition to addressing than a 15 percent decrease. If he Pam Brannon/Gulf Breeze state finally approved his tax needs for baseball, football, had refused, the state could go News rolls, despite lowering property soccer and community cen- as far as removing him from Santa Rosa County values by 20 percent. Brown ters, the plan will incorporate office and sending someone to Property Appraiser home! said the state didn’t want him to all aspects of community Santa Rosa County to fill his Greg Brown was in lower assessments by more than recreation including neighbor- position. The state has no ceil- Navarre two weeks 15 percent. hood parks, boat ramps, picnic ing on how high property ago explaining why This year, Brown and areas, bike and walking trails, your appraisers are allowed to he challenged the Escambia County Property dog parks and recreational increase property values. state on his tax rolls Appraiser, Chris Jones, were the programs. However, just because the state this year. two last appraisers out of 67 Resident input is needed to approved his tax rolls does not counties to have their tax rolls will be on the property,” Brown Taxing agencies in the coun- determine what facilities are mean tax bills can go out right approved because they both said. “Residents have 25 days to ty usually plan budgets and fis- currently being utilized and away – even though this delays insisted on lowering property appeal that. Then we have to cal years around the tax dollars what types of recreational the process for governmental tax values by 20 percent. wait until all taxing agencies, starting to flow back in by opportunities are missing taxing agencies. Escambia County officials like the county and fire depart- November. Bills should be sent from the area. Comments will “Now we send out the value ments and cities and school out in plenty of time for that to Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today also had their tax rolls approved be collected at a public meet- notices to residents, letting them by the state this week. board have their tax hearings still happen, thanks to the state ing on Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Brown had a meeting almost know what their new property before we can certify the rolls. approving those rolls. two weeks ago with state offi- value is and what their taxes Then, tax bills can be sent out.” See PARKS, Page 4A6 Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy mailed directly to mailed directly Your family can help SAVE... Your $75 family membership can help save their family. The ZOO Join online at www.thezoonorthwestflorida.org of Northwest Florida. or dial 932-2229 to charge your membership today! GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2A August 30, 2007 GULF BREEZE NEWS MAYOR: Lawsuit may delay January vote Continued from page 1A tion ballot, according to current could be disadvantaged by the find a way to handle it on the constitutional provisions. The Super Homestead. It just is not a local ballots.