COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 4 Celebrating Black History Month PAGE 5 Gulf Coast Cancer Center The Islander PAGE 19 INSIDE FEBRUARY 28, 2018 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Baldwin County Board of Education Big waves passes resolution opposing Gulf about a Shores schools start date deck addition By CLIFF MCCOLLUM date for the newly formed The BCBE resolution added By CRYSTAL COLE Frank Brown [email protected] Gulf Shores school system that the board “has repeat- [email protected] and requests that the Gulf edly made it clear that it does Foundation for During last week’s Baldwin Shores City Board of Educa- not oppose the establishment Big Wave Dave’s is looking to add Music scholarships County Board of Education tion partner with the Baldwin of a city school system in an outdoor deck to its restaurant on In the past sev- meeting, the board unani- County Board of Education to Gulf Shores” but questioned the beach road, something neigh- eral years the Frank mously passed a resolution facilitate a smooth and orderly whether a 2018-2019 school bors aren’t exactly thrilled about. Brown Foundation for reaffirming the system’s transition to a 2019 start date year start date was truly feasi- The restaurant, opened June of under circumstances that en- ble for the Gulf Shores system. Music has developed a position that the Gulf Shores last year, is reportedly struggling school split should not happen sure that the best interest of “The Baldwin County BOE without outdoor seating for patrons. scholarship program. in 2018. all impacted school children has repeatedly expressed Jason Barje, a manager at Big Wave This program offers “The Board hereby of- are properly served,” the reso- Dave’s, spoke to the Orange Beach college bound Baldwin ficially opposes a 2018 start lution said. SEE SCHOOL, PAGE 2 City Council before a public hear- and Escambia County ing on the matter and said a deck is high school seniors integral to success as a beach res- financial assistance taurant. in pursuit of their “It’s just not a viable space with- academic careers. For Sizzlin Seafood Festival out outdoor seating,” Barje said. information on how to “We just could not compete at all apply, see page 2. without an area to sit outside. People want to sit outside and we have a gorgeous state park next to us and the Gulf of Mexico in front of us.” Linda Bradley, who has a beach- front residence, said she was sorry to have to come before the council again. “This project has been going on for 10 years,” Bradley said. “The previous approval and what is cur- rently there was all in agreements with Mr. Goldstein at the time, and it included no outdoor dining, no out- A Night on the Wild door music.” Side fundraiser Barje insisted the music requested Join the Alabama was for added atmosphere to be played through speakers as you Gulf Coast Zoo for an walk up and was something he extraordinary evening PHOTOS BY CAPT. MARK ROBINSON / GCM CORRESPONDENT would gladly get rid of if it meant as it hosts the inau- The Orange Beach Sports Association (OBSA) hosted the 26th Annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival Satur- life or death to the deck. gural A Night on the day on Main Street at The Wharf. This festival is the association’s major fundraiser to support sports-related “No live music would be played Wild Side fundraiser activities in our community. The festival was the same full day of delicious food, 95 arts & crafts vendors and ever,” Barje said. “Music isn’t what Saturday, March 3 music for the whole family that visitors and locals have grown to love. The festival included food booths, acar is important here. It’s the deck.” show featuring antique, classic and hot rod vehicles, a kids zone with climbing wall, activities and more. from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Mark Goldstein, referenced above in the Salt Air Avia- by Bradley, owns the project as it tion Hanger at Jack is now. The PUD includes Big Wave Edwards Airport. For Dave’s, a Ron Jon Surf Shop and ticket information Hotel Indigo. Another 36-room hotel is approved for the parcel. and pricing, jump to Councilman Jeff Boyd said this page 2. project has been a constant thorn for the area. “I sympathize with you on the deck, and I understand what you’re saying, and all over the city we have PAGE 17 DEATHS decks,” Boyd said. “The problem I have here is that this PUD was ap- Jean Belfield proved with a big fight and a lot of Tracy Lee Burroughs work to get where it was. This isn’t Butcher about you, this is about the history Burnice Leroy Dorman of the project. I have to respect what William Percy Manders the planning committee has done III and what the neighbors have asked Donald Stevenson Ming for.” Christina Elizabeth After the public hearing, the ap- Steed Nelson plicant asked to not have the mea- Edward J. Sweat sure immediately considered. It will SEE DECK, PAGE 34 INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 5 OUT & ABOUT, 20 Coast CLASSIFIED, 8 PUZZLES, 7 Media HEALTH, 19 SPORTS, 11 VOLUME 42 • ISSUE 10 LEGALS, 22 TV LISTINGS, 13 1 SECTION • 36 PAGES OPINION, 10 2 • The Islander • February 28, 2018 • Gulf Coast Media Frank Brown Foundation for Music Scholarship SUBMITTED beyond the presentation.” peers performed music submit an essay describ- Statistics show that pro- they had created. Perfor- ing their current career The Frank Brown grams such as this can mances were judged and plans as well as the role International Founda- benefit the students in a critiqued by a panel of music plays in their lives. tion for Music annually variety of ways, including professional songwriters A panel from the Frank produces the 34-year-old social skills, self-confi- resulting in the declared Brown Foundation for Frank Brown Inter- dence and self-esteem, winner earning a spot Music Board of Directors national Songwriters’ plus the considerable in the 2018 Frank Brown will review the essays and Festival. The festival con- benefits to a student’s Songwriters’ Festival. plans are to present the tinually brings more than Mathematic, English and In the past several scholarships during the 200 Grammy-award-win- vocabulary skills. years the Frank Brown respective school’s senior ning and up-and-coming This program is offered Foundation for Music awards ceremonies dur- performers to the Ala- at no cost to the schools. has developed a schol- ing the month of May. bama/Florida Gulf Coast. Presentations have his- arship program. This Deadline for the submis- For a 10-day period each torically been conducted program offers college sions is April 1. Essays November, thousands of during the ten days of the bound Baldwin and should be submitted to people gather in more SUBMITTED PHOTO Festival. However, sup- Escambia County high Frank Brown Songwrit- than two dozen venues for Music is “to reach into students can ask about port by the Frank Brown school seniors financial ers’ Festival Director, from Silverhill to down- schools to enrich lives the process of songwrit- Foundation has enabled assistance in pursuit of Andy Haynes via andy@ town Pensacola to hear and encourage creativity ing. Presentations include the program to now be their academic careers. fbisf.com or feel free to authors of original music through music.” To this general instruction on the extended to a year-round The program has been call 251-978-6213 for addi- perform their songs and end, the Festival offers subject, and the instruc- basis. enhanced this year by tional details. tell the stories of how an in-school outreach tor addresses the various There is also a youth generous support from Festival founder and those songs came to exist. program. These presenta- aspects of songwriting as showcase staged during the Perdido Key Chamber President, Joe Gilchrist The festival endeavors to tions bring a professional a career. the festival. In 2017, this of Commerce and offers often says, “Music makes bring these performers songwriter in to speak Per the program direc- event saw 400 students a Baldwin County senior the world a better place.” “out of the shadows and to students of all ages, tor, Karen E. Reynolds: from all over the area and an Escambia County The Frank Brown Foun- into the spotlight.” combining performance “Our goal is for the brought to the City of senior the opportunity for dation for Music and One aspect of the mis- as well as an interactive student’s excitement in Gulf Shores Cultural a $2,500 award. Songwriters’ Festival is sion statement of the question and answer seg- songwriting and writing, Center for a presentation Interested students in attempting to do so one Frank Brown Foundation ment during which the in general, to carry on where a dozen of their both counties are asked to song at a time. Enjoy ‘A Night on the Wild Side’ with the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Zoo to host inaugural fundraiser counters in the incompa- event, please contact rable setting of the Salt Tracy Holiday, direc- SUBMITTED close and personal with Air Aviation Hanger at tor of development, at some of the zoo’s most twilight. Tickets are $150 251.752.2245 or email Join the Alabama Gulf popular residents in an per person or $250 per cou- events@algulfcoastzoo. Coast Zoo for an extraor- airport hangar at sunset,” ple. The dress is a jungle/ org. dinary evening as it hosts said Catherine McInnis, safari theme. About the Alabama Gulf the inaugural A Night on event chair.