Franklin County Accident Kills 1
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Thursday, July 12, 2012 XXXXX XXXXXX Six more days of snapper THEYOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1937 for Gulf anglers | B1 YEAR 74, NUMBER 39 TAR Thursday, JULY 12, 2012 ForS breaking news, visit www.starfl.com 50¢ Director: TDC at ‘launching point’ By VALERIE GARMAN “We are just at a great place to Jenkins said. “I’ve been speak- and development of long-term “There are a lot of places — 229-7843 | @valeriegarman do really great things together,” ing to our lodging partners, and loyal customers. luxury places — that have brand- vgarman@starfl .com Jenkins said. “I feel like we’re at they’re full. We have people com- Because people take the ed themselves,” Jenkins said. “It a really good launch stage.” ing in from all over.” time to choose their vacation would be a different story if we With bed tax collections on the The TDC reported a 20.86 per- Jenkins has been on board homes based on family make up were a commodity product.” rise and area hotels and vacation cent increase in bed tax collec- with the TDC for about a month and interests, Jenkins said she Jenkins said one of her goals is rentals booked solid, Gulf County tions for May over the previous and is working to develop a uni- considers Gulf County a luxury to have the Gulf County Welcome Tourism Development Council year, a number Jenkins said she fi ed brand for Gulf County and product, much different than a Center open seven days a week Director Jennifer Jenkins sees fi nds very encouraging. market the brand around three stamp-out commodity destina- by the end of the season. Ideally, an exciting launch stage rising “Our May numbers are up major goals: increased occu- tion that sells vacation packages for the agency. over last year just shy of $20,000,” pancy, increased visitor spending based majorly on price. See TDC A10 Franklin County INTO THE WILD By TIM CROFT accident 227-7827 | @PSJ_Star tcroft@starfl .com Basa got back to the water kills 1 this past Sunday. quote With dozens looking on, re- By TIM CROFT quote id searchers from Gulf World in 227-7827 | @PSJ_Star Panama City Beach released quote name tcroft@starfl .com Basa, a loggerhead sea turtle, back into the warms waters of A Highland View man the Gulf of Mexico after a three- was killed last Thursday month rehab at Gulf World. morning when a pickup After some initial confusion truck crossed the center — all the feet in the sand along line on the John Gorrie the waterline seemed to befuddle Bridge in Franklin County Basa for a time —the turtle dove and struck the truck he beneath the surf and could be was driving in the opposite seen fl apping his fl ippers as he lane. pushed into deeper waters. John Parker was killed “He, she is good to go,” in the accident. His mother, said Secret Holmes-Doug- Agnes H. Parker, of Port St. las, director of the Gulf Joe was critically injured. World Marine Institute. At She died from her injuries 75 centimeters across the Sunday in a Tallahassee shell, Basa is a teenager in hospital. the turtle world and is too According to a report young to determine gender. completed by Florida High- “He has been tagged (in two way Patrol crash investiga- ways) so we can track him if he tor Sgt. Aaron StephensJUMP and —— From Page 6A does come back.” FHP homicide investigator Basa’s trip to Gulf World and Cpl. Scotty Lolley, the colli- back to the gulf waters is a saga sion occurred at 11:40 a.m. unto itself. The 70-pound turtle ET on the bridge 1 mile was discovered distressed west of Bay Shore Drive. in the water during the A 2003 Dodge Pickup, March 30 open house driven by Robert Cream- at St. Vincent National er, 62, of Eastpoint, was Wildlife Refuge. The fi rst to spy Basa See ACCIDENT A2 — loggerheads are a threatened species — near the Indian Pass boat ramp believed the object might be a log. Soon, how- Election ever, it was evident it was Basa, raising a fl ipper as if a drowning From page 6A man raising an arm for help. books David Moody and Shelly Staies, staff biologists at St. Vin- cent, went out in a boat to re- close trieve Basa, carefully navigating the turtle to shore. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Monday See INTO THE WILD A6 By TIM CROFT 227-7827 | @PSJ_Star Photo by TIM CROFT | The Star tcroft@starfl .com Staff with Gulf World Marine Institute and volunteers carefully move the 70-pound Basa to the shoreline. An easy prediction is that this will be a busy elec- tion season in Gulf County. And Supervisor of Elec- tions Linda Griffi n is seeking Government budgets to feel pinch from property values to make voters and her offi ce as prepared as possible. By TIM CROFT trend that began last year. This year’s decline repre- based on current taxing rates. With the Aug. 14 primary 227-7828 | @PSJ_Star Going back to at least 1982, sents 7.16 percent of the Board The city maintained more fast approaching, the voter tcroft@starfl .com county property values had not of County Commissioner’s ad ground, losing 5.36 percent in registration book will close dropped in any single year until valorem revenue, based on property value while the City of at 5 p.m. ET Monday. Local governments will need 2007, two years after the height current millage rates. Com- Wewahitchka declined by just 3.98 Voters cannot register to to tighten the belt again this year of the real estate bubble when missioners have indicated dur- percent. vote or switch parties after because of sliding property val- property values exploded past $2 ing early budget meetings that Looking at the two Municipal that date, and Griffi n encour- ues, but the upside is the bottom billion with a 55 percent increase they are disinclined to raise the Services Taxing Units that fund ages all eligible voters in the appears to be close. in 2005. millage rate. the local share of the bond for county to ensure their voter Taxable property values in the However, after dropping by Gulf County Schools, which by beach renourishment spotlights registration is current. county will fall for a sixth-straight more than 20 percent in both 2009 law do not permit certain exemp- the area where the property year, though the slide of just more and 2010, the decline has steadied tions allowed by the county,Subscribe will A Freedom Newspaper See ELECTION A2 than 7 percent continues a slowing somewhat.INDEX see revenue slide by 7.21 percent, See BUDGETS A2 xxxx Opinions 4A Obituaries 4B Legals 11B to The Star Real Estate Advertising Deadline Thursday 11:00 am ET xxxxxxx Letters to the Editor 5A Church News 5B Classifieds 12-13B TABLE OF CONTENTS Display Advertising Deadline Real Estate Ad deadline is Thursday 11 Fridaya.m. ET11:00 am ET 1B SubscribeSports to The Star 10A Law Enforcement 8B Trades & Services 14B Call 227-1278 Opinion ....................................... 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B7-B8 VISIT THE STAR ONLINE AT WWW.STARFL.COM delivered to your home! 747-5020 A2 | The Star Local Thursday, July 12, 2012 BUDGETS from page A1 ACCIDENT values declined the most: gulf- president of the CCA. from page A1 front interior lots. “We’ve had so many short-sales and bank So, statewide, the market is in Gulf-front property in the coun- large measure being driven by the headed east from Apala- ty lost just 1.23 percent, but the sales they’ve become the market. It makes fallout from the real estate bubble chicola when it crossed value of gulf interior lots dropped the job difficult because there is a lack of and crash. into the westbound lane 13.5 percent. And in large measure, Colbert and struck the left front of a “We lost quite a bit at the beach arm’s-length sales. It has been a difficult noted, Gulf County is subject to the 1988 Dodge Pickup, driven interior and that is what hap- same trends roiling national and by Parker, 65. After impact, pens,” said Gulf County Property year.” international markets, be it the the right rear of Parker’s Appraiser Kesley Colbert. “The banking crisis in Europe or strife truck struck the concrete beach goes up a lot and when Kesley Colbert in the Middle East or natural and barrier wall on the north things come down it goes down a Gulf County property appraiser man-made catastrophes at home. shoulder. lot.” “We are in a situation that is Parker died in the col- Colbert and his offi ce fi nalized more global than Port St. Joe, Gulf lision. His mother was the property roll by July 1 to com- When the market declines, Colbert said the DOR could County or Northwest Florida,” rushed to Tallahassee Me- ply with Department of Revenue however, property owners can be ignore short and bank sales when Colbert said. “We are tied to the morial Hospital with criti- mandates.