Give Blood A for a Chance at a W A New Car! R D ● W I N N I N G details page 4B 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER July 26, 2007 PAG E 1B GB man Zoo clings to hope recovers ■ Airborne from bike with G Aeroshell Community pitches in with fundraisers accident ■ Bubba’s FROM STAFF REPORTS new Book Gulf Breeze News & CD [email protected] A Gulf Breeze man is lucky to be alive after being thrown from his motorcycle WEEKEND last week. Aileen Brandon, 82, of Weather Navarre was driving her 2002 THURSDAY 7/26 Buick along Highway 98 near Iso.T-Storms Whispering Pines Boulevard O on Tuesday, July 17, when high 90 she collided with James O low 75 Wilson, 62, who was driving a motorcycle. The two collid- FRIDAY 7/27 ed at 8:05 am on Tuesday Iso. T-Storms morning, when Brandon allegedly violated Wilson's high 90O O right of way at the intersec- low 76 tion of Highway 98 and Whispering Pines Boulevard. Brandon sustained no injury, SATURDAY 7/28 Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News The Zoo of Northwest Florida’s family of spider monkeys (from right: Desi, Daisy and Tiger) require a specialized diet includ- while Wilson was thrown Iso.T-Storms ing fresh fruit, vegetables and prepackaged monkey chow. Zoo officials said their diet alone costs an average of $800 to from his motorcycle. Wilson high 90O $1,000 per year. was wearing a helmet at the O munities are coming together to School (GBES) student Kaitlyn a rainy day," her mother, time of the accident and was low 76 BY FRANKLIN HAYES save The Zoo of Northwest Prezioso, 9, is one member of Heather Shearer, said. Prezioso flown to Baptist Hospital. Gulf Breeze News Wilson was listed in good [email protected] Florida. The Zoo is looking to the community who's not ready designed a bumper sticker SUNDAY 7/29 raise $1 million by the end of to see the zoological park shut fundraiser to help save the park. condition as of July 20. Iso. T-Storms Portions of the surrounding 2007 and $3 million within a down. Prezioso is putting up The GBES fourth grader said O year to keep its doors open. $300 of stockpiled allowance Giraffe dies high 90 Gulf Breeze and Navarre com- See ZOO, Page 2A6 low 76O Gulf Breeze Elementary money that she was saving "for at Zoo The Zoo of Northwest Florida INSIDE in now short one adult male Foreign workers under scrutiny giraffe. The Zoo's 10 year old Classifieds 3-4D BY LISA NEWELL the city limits that has no furni- To report a possible who rent the houses." giraffe was found dead at 8 Community 3-5A Gulf Breeze News ture except for inflatable mat- mistreatment of foreign A Gulf Breeze woman who a.m. July 17, in its exhibit tresses. A van with dark tinted didn't want to be identified said Crossword 3B [email protected] workers, call the U.S. yard where it resided for the windows sounds the horn and she isn't sure the workers have Editorial 6A Several local residents say Department of State at past eight years. they are worried about the kids the workers file out to go to electricity in their home, and Faith 8A 202-2203-77616 Zoo staff said the seeming- who are occupying houses in work, and then are returned later that she has seen inside an open ly robust, healthy animal Health 4B such as a boarding house, inside their neighborhoods. in the day. door that there is no furniture in expired sometime during the Island News 1B a residential neighborhood. One local couple reported to City Manager Buz Eddy said the dwelling. night or early morning. The "It happens every year," Schools 8C the Gulf Breeze City Council the city is investigating the The woman said she is con- giraffes, along with all other Eddy said, when seasonal work- Seniors 1D that numerous youths, who are potential code violation and will cerned for the well being of the zoo animals, were behaving ers are recruited from overseas. Sports 1-5C from foreign countries, are take appropriate action. He said workers. normally at 9:30 p.m. when "It isn't the kids who are the Talk of the Town 5A occupying a townhouse inside the violations amount to run- See WORKERS ning a commercial business, problem, it's the corporations , Page 2A6 See GIRAFFE, Page 2A6 “Mailing Statement is on Editorial Page” City lists 17 FOUR SECTIONS Bus drivers among safest in Southeast VOL. 6, NO. 30 options to BY PAM BRANNON with the least number of acci- JULY 26, 2007 Gulf Breeze News dents per million miles driven; [email protected] and the second award for the raise income best maintenance department. BY VICI PAPAJOHN Santa Rosa County School "Until April and May this Gulf Breeze News bus drivers are some of the year, our branch was the safest [email protected] safest in the nation. That's what among all branches, large and Laidlaw Branch Manager small, in that southeastern area. City officials continue to home! Bobbie Williams reported to the Our drivers in this school dis- research options for potential school board last week. Laidlaw trict drive about four million revenue in response to expect- is the national contractor pro- miles a school year, and that is a ed income loss. viding buses and hiring bus dri- lot of miles. We averaged .03 Driven by citizen demand your vers locally for the school dis- accidents per million miles, and for property tax reform and trict. that is great," Williams said. insurance reduction, the legis- Williams said he had just Williams and the school dis- lature has imposed taxation returned from a meeting in trict's transportation director limitations and proposed sig- Slidell, La. with other Laidlaw Joey Harrell gave a report to nificant tax reforms. The transportation groups from the school board members on the Gulf Breeze City Council has Southeast and Santa Rosa status of school bus routes and responded by brain-storming County's Laidlaw branch drivers for the new school year. 17 revenue-producing options. “We brain-stormed and Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today received two awards -- one for Things are in place and ready, being the safest large branch with all bus routes complete and came up with a list of ideas,” along the southeastern available at the transportation Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News explains City Manager Edwin Santa Rosa School District officials are preparing for the first “Buz” Eddy. “And council Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy seaboard, all the way to Texas, mailed directly to mailed directly See BUS, Page 2A6 day of school on Aug. 20. See CITY, Page 2A6 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 July 26, 2007 GULF BREEZE NEWS ZOO: 9-year-old pledges $300 Continued from page 1A ple. residents wanting to run a Zoo officials say they "I thought it was a good time lemonade stand and donate their switched payroll and human she wants to use her money to to have a party and a fundrais- proceeds, as well as artists and resources companies in 2006 in Thursday, July 26 Sunday, July er," Hutto said. "When people art galleries also looking to an effort to become more effi- print, distribute and sell the Books R Fun book sale stickers, which feature her call me and ask 'What can I do donate. cient. Between the two compa- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Gulf 29 design, and donate the money to to help?' I tell them to write a To put the situation in per- nies The Zoo spent over $1.15 Breeze Hospital lobby. Seeing Sea Life check [for The Zoo]." spective Akin shared a unique million, including all employee History books, children’s at Naval Live Oaks, The Zoo. There are also plans to 2 p.m. set up a website, her mother Gulf Coast Zoological look into The Zoo's financial salaries, benefits and worker's books, games and novelty said. Society board member Charles records for 2006 with some compensation. items. Full Moon Walk "I really love the animals at A. "Chuck" Emling, who serves members of local media. Akin said hurricanes in 2004 at the entrance gate the zoo and if it wasn't there I'd as president of the non profit All together, Zoo officials and 2005 caused The Zoo to Pensacola in the Civil to Fort Pickens, 8 that absorbed operations of the said they received over $2.318 close for nearly six months War at Naval Live Oaks, 10 p.m. be really sad," Prezioso said, a.m. describing her monthly trips to park in 2004, said he was very million in total revenue last year within one year, which caused a the facility with Shearer. impressed by the outpouring of and spent $2.361 million. Akin loss of $914,000 in projected Santa Rosa County Monday, July Gulf Breeze resident Patti support from the surrounding said those expense numbers revenues. In the recovery Commission Regular 30 Hutto, a member of the communities. included hurricane repairs and process officials said The Zoo Meeting, 9 a.m., Santa Rosa Commissioner's Board Miraflores Garden Club, is "To say the response has been mitigation efforts.