Covering all of Baldwin County, AL every Friday. Legends in concert PAGE 15 High school football The Baldwin Times PAGE 22 OCTOBER 11, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ New Bay Minette Elementary near completion Spanish Fort Fall Concert By TINA COVINGTON Sunday This time next week, stu- dents will be sitting in their Submitted classrooms at the brand-new Bay Minette Elementary SPANISH FORT — School. Construction crews The city of Spanish Fort are completing their punch will hold its Fall Concert lists this week, and teachers and Art Guild Show on will begin the move Friday. Sunday, Oct. 13, starting The grammar school has at 5 p.m. at the Spanish come a long way from its hum- ble one-room school house, SEE CONCERT, PAGE 7 to the old Scout Cabin Park building in 1903, the current school building in the early 1920s to this new facility in 2019. BRATS drops The new BMES features from Shrimp SEE NEW, PAGE 4 SUBMITTED PHOTO Festival New shuttle Officials host ribbon cutting, grand opening at Kaishan in Loxley stops announced STAFF REPORTS New shuttle stops have been announced for this weekend’s Shrimp Festival since Baldwin Regional Area Transit System an- nounced it would not service the annual fes- tivities. SEE BRATS, PAGE 6 JOHN UNDERWOOD / STAFF PHOTO Voting now The Kaishan group held a ribbon cutting with the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Oct. 4 at its new U.S. corporate headquarters open for Gulf and manufacturing facility in Loxley. Pictured with Kaishan officials are Baldwin County Commissioner Joe Davis, Rep. Harry Shiver, representing the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, and Loxley Mayor Pro Tem Kasey Childress. Coast Media’s By JOHN UNDERWOOD joined local and worldwide company’s new U.S. corporate son, president and CEO with Big Beautiful [email protected] leaders from the Kaishan headquarters and manufac- the Baldwin County Economic Baldwin’s Best group in hosting a ribbon cut- turing facility in Loxley. Development Alliance. “Any- LOXLEY — Officials with ting and grand opening on “Today is a good day for time you can bring new jobs to of 2020 contest the town of Loxley, Baldwin Friday, Oct. 4 with the Central Baldwin County and the state County, and state of Alabama Chamber of Commerce at the of Alabama,” said Lee Law- SEE OFFICIALS, PAGE 4 By WHISPER EDWARDS [email protected] Do you know which restaurant in Baldwin Blakeley director pens book on colorful years that led to Alabama statehood County has the best steak? How about By ALLISON MARLOW they may be the least explored. is not something that is easily where to go when your [email protected] Want to go? Mike Bunn’s new book, lumped into the Colonial era or car is making an ab- WHAT: Meet Mike Bunn, author of “Early Alabama: An Illustrated the Deep South plantation and If you’ve lived in Alabama “Early Alabama” Guide to the Formative Years, cessation era. It’s independent SEE VOTING, PAGE 9 long enough to visit a few local 1798 – 1826” explores that time of both of those and is where museums, you might know WHEN: Oct. 15, 6 – 7 p.m. period and how it shaped an the state really took shape. that the state had a colonial entire region. “It’s filled with interesting BALDWIN FAST FACTS WHERE: Page & Palette, Fairhope period when the French ruled “I want people to understand people and political rivalries over the region. You also might that Alabama has a pretty and the founding of towns,” he know a tad about the state’s dynamic, interesting period of said. “It’s a really interesting One in 10 Baldwin County antebellum history before the tween? From 1798 to 1826, those development that needs to be time in the state’s history.” residents holds a graduate onset of the American Civil 28 years were some of the most studied in and of itself,” said During this time period the degree, according to the U.S. War. formative years in the Yellow- Bunn, currently the director of Census Bureau. But what about the years be- hammer state, even though Blakeley State Park. “This era SEE BLAKELEY, PAGE 3 Deaths Page 8 Gulf Clinton Lewis Coast Pat Shiver Media VOLUME 129 • ISSUE 22 1 SECTION • 32 PAGES 2 • The Baldwin Times • October 11, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media The Baldwin Times Residents want Fort Morgan house size cuts 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 By GUY BUSBY bunkbeds in rooms the The change would also sity. Why not focus on [email protected] size of closets and nar- require walkways to be quality?” PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 row stairs leading to built over dunes for peo- He said that while the [email protected] FOLEY — Cutting the attics filled with similar ple walking to the beach. structures are listed as number of stories al- bedding.” The changes are homes, they’re designed Allison Marlow Classified Advertising lowed for Fort Morgan Stanton said the Oct. needed, Joe Emmerson, as rental units. Managing Editor Whisper Edwards single family homes 5 fire on Ono Island is president of the Fort “When you have a allisonm@gulfcoast whisper@gulfcoast would reduce congestion an example of what can Morgan Civic Associa- single-family residential media.com media.com and save lives, residents happen with such build- tion, said. home that sleeps 40 peo- and first-responders told ings. The fires burned “These standards, if ple, nothing good’s going Tony Whitehead Legal Advertising Baldwin County com- the structures on Ono Is- enforced will help to pro- to come from it. It’s not a Sports Editor April M. Perry missioners Tuesday. land even though the en- tect the environmental single-family residential tony@gulfcoast legals@gulfcoast The commission is tire Orange Beach Fire and historic sensitivity home. It’s a small motel. media.com media.com scheduled to vote next Department responded of our homes on the Fort Let’s be honest,” he said. Tuesday on a zoning as well as units from Morgan peninsula, while Commissioner Joe change that would Gulf Shores and Escam- also supporting the Davis said that while the Parks Rogers reduce the number bia County. public safety of our resi- homes house as many Publisher of stories allowed for “Can you imagine if dents and visitors alike,” people as a motel, they [email protected] single-family homes one of these things goes Emmerson told commis- do not have the same from 2 ½ stories to two. up? They want to put sioners. safety features. To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery At a commission work two of these side by side. Michael Ludvigsen “My big concern,” stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at session, residents said There will be 88 people said that if standards Davis said. “If you see www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in developers now use the in there that will die — are not changed, more a 12-year-old child or a the black toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for extra half-story allowed 44 per building,” Stanton three-story houses will 21-year-old lady in that how to become a subscriber, or email amber@gulfcoastmedia. to add a third story to said. be built and congestion window right there, how com. rental homes. Fort Morgan Fire will increase. do you get to them? Are ©Gulf Coast Media 2019. No part of this newspaper may be This creates buildings Chief Ernie Church said “If this continues the there fire escapes? Is reproduced without the prior written consent of the group housing up to 44 people the department’s lad- way it’s going. Nobody there water pressure to publisher or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or in what is supposed to ders cannot reach the down there will be able get there?” general columnists or those reflected in submitted letters be a single-family home, top story on some of the to build a one or two- Commission Chair- do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this resident Paul Stanton homes. story house because the man Charles “Skip” newspaper. said. “They told us to buy property value won’t Gruber said that before The Baldwin Times (USPS 040-560) is published weekly, “People who rent out a ladder truck,” Church be there,” Ludvigsen the commission makes with its office located at 901 N. McKenzie St., in Foley, AL 36535. Periodicals postage paid at Foley, AL 36535. Subscription their homes will go to said. “A ladder truck can said. “The income won’t changes, they need to rates: In-county annual, $40.00 plus local sales tax; six-month, virtually any length cost $1 million.” be there. The only way know how the new zon- $24.00 plus local sales tax; senior citizen annual, $38.00 plus to maximize bedroom The zoning change they’re going to be able ing would affect existing local sales tax; six-month, $22.50 plus local sales tax; and out- counts and sleeping would limit single fam- to do it is if everybody structures. About 200 of-county annual, $79.00, six-month, $40.00. numbers,” Stanton said. ily homes to two stories, builds three story buildings have been con- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Baldwin Times, “We have seen cots on Vince Jackson, county homes, which is just structed to the 2 ½ story 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546. top of cots in hallways, planning director, said.