Gulf Shores Passes Changes to Parasail Regulations
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 19 Beyond the Garden Gate PAGE 5 Baby Expo The Islander PAGE 11 INSIDE MARCH 6, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Gulf Shores passes changes to parasail regulations By CRYSTAL COLE 100 feet, 200 feet and 300 feet is at 100 feet, so we’re having INFRA Grant funding from [email protected] from shore. The changes bring trouble with swimmers get- the U.S. Department of Trans- those markers closer to shore ting in the way of these jet portation for construction of The City of Gulf Shores re- and closer together at 30 feet, skis as they come into shore,” the State Highway 59 Capacity cently amended an ordinance 60 feet and 90 feet. Shepard said. “We had a swim- Improvements Project. regarding parasailing in an ef- Recreation and Cultural mer last year get hit by a jet The Infrastructure for Re- fort to make those operations Affairs Director Grant Brown ski because of this. So, we just building America (INFRA) Spring Vendor & Artisan safer. said the previous distances feel that bringing them closer Grant Program provides dedi- Market fundraiser The ordinance requires a were not sufficient enough to into shore will help the swim- cated, discretionary funding corridor marked by buoys to allow for safe travels. mers identify these areas.” for projects that address criti- Big Fish Ministries will be allow for visibility of vehicles Beach Safety Officer Melvin cal issues facing our nation’s hosting a Spring Vendor & going in and out of the water. Shepard explained the need INFRA grant highways and bridges. The Artisan Market fundraiser The old regulations called for for these changes. The Gulf Shores City Coun- March 30 from 11 a.m. to those markers to be placed at “Right now, the first buoy cil authorized staff to pursue SEE PARASAIL, PAGE 2 3 p.m. at South Baldwin Christian Academy in Gulf Shores. To read more about this, see page 21. Laissez les bons temps rouler Temporary closure of Boggy Point Boat Ramp for renovations will begin March 18 STAFF REPORTS The Alabama Depart- Makos Academics, Arts ment of Conservation and Athletics Club & Natural Resources / The newly-formed Ma- Marine Resources Divi- sion will be closing the kos Academics, Arts and SUBMITTED PHOTOS Boggy Point Boat Ramp Athletics Club (MAAAC) is The good times rolled on Pleasure Island all weekend long and into Fat Tuesday. Parades thrilled young and located at the end of old, local and visitor alike. Balls promised good times steeped in traditions. Mardi Gras comes a little earlier seeking help raising funds Marina Road in Orange in 2020, with Fat Tuesday landing on Feb. 25. for programs at the new Beach at 7 a.m. Monday, schools in Orange Beach. March 18 for much- To find out how you can needed renovations. help, jump to page 20. Renovations will in- clude the replacement of the existing finger piers and repairs to the parking area. The boat ramp piers need to be repaired before the busy summer sea- DEATHS PAGE 13 son due to their cur- rent condition. If left John Elbert Deloney unchecked, the ramp Sue Green likely would not have Margaret Fussell Lipham make it through a full Mary Ellen Williams Pentz summer season due to Charlene Renfro corrosion and erosion. Mary Pendergrass Rudicell Funding was not avail- Maud Elisabet vanEysbergen able until Jan. 1. Renovation activi- ties are anticipated to take place for at least two months; however, INDEX weather conditions may impact the completion BALDWIN LIVING, 5 date. Access to the site CLASSIFIED, 14 by the public will not be permitted throughout HEALTH, 11 the renovation process. LEGALS, 24 During renovations, the Cotton Bayou Boat OPINION, 3 Ramp located at 25808 PUZZLES, 4 SEE BOGGY, PAGE 21 SPORTS, 16 TV LISTINGS, 7 Gulf WHAT Coast YOU IN Media STORE VOLUME 43 • ISSUE 11 IS NOW 1 SECTION • 40 PAGES ONLINE! • Freshest Quality All Departments • Hand Selected by Our Personal Shoppers • Delivery or FREE Same Day Curbside Pickup • Beer & Wine NOW Online! Order & Pay In Store! GREERS.COM/SHOP 2 • The Islander • March 6, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media Brat Fest donations SUBMITTED PHOTO The 21st Annual Bob Gilray 2019 Memorial Brat Fest was held Saturday, Feb. 9, at Orange Beach Community Center. A total of $2,400 was donated to the three Pleasure Island fire departments. Pictured are Mike Gordee presenting a check to Fort Morgan Chief, Glenn Stevens, with Duke Schueller looking on. Orange Beach Division Chief/Fire Marshall, Craig Stephenson accepting the check from Paul Brown. Melvin Shepard, Gulf Shores Battalion Chief, receiving the check from Jim Mills. Austin D. Lesinger Gulf Shores Fire- medic and Kenn Krouse looking on. PARASAIL (4) achieve specific, mea- to apply for funding surable outcomes. through the INFRA CONTINUED FROM 1 Environmental/ Program for the “State Grants Coordinator Dan Highway 59 Capacity program is administered Bond said the city would Improvements Project.” by the U.S. Department be leveraging some of This project will increase of Transportation, and the improvements al- capacity along State will make approximately ready laid out in the 10- HWY 59 from County $1.5 billion available to year capital plan to help Road 6 to Clubhouse projects that improve get federal funding to do Drive by adding an ad- transportation infra- more improvements. ditional southbound structure and support City Administrator lane, constructing a new four key objectives: (1) Steve Griffin said be- pedestrian bridge across supporting economic cause of this there would the Intercoastal Water- vitality at the national not be any new fund way (ICW) to connect the or regional level, (2) le- matching required by north and south Water- veraging federal funding the city. way Village areas, and to attract non-federal in- “This is like money improving intersections frastructure investment, over the top of what at County Road 6, Cot- (3) using innovation to we’ve already budgeted,” ton Creek Drive, and the improve safety and expe- Griffin said. proposed HWY 59 medi- dite project delivery, and City staff would like cal facility access roads. State HWY 59 is the main traffic artery from I-10 to the economic centers The Islander of Foley, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 Baldwin County, and PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 traffic congestion is a growing problem in the [email protected] region. This project will Parks Rogers Allison Marlow be designed in coordina- Publisher Senior Features Editor tion with the $21.7M RE- [email protected] [email protected] STORE ALDOT Capacity project to increase ef- Classified Advertising Cliff McCollum ficiency from HWY 59 to Whisper Edwards Managing Editor the Foley Beach Express, [email protected] improve access to the [email protected] aviation and business Crystal Cole Legal Advertising park, improve traffic Editor April Wallace conditions on the north [email protected] [email protected] and south sides of the Retail Advertising Holmes Bridge, and co- Tony Whitehead ordinate access with the Sports Editor LouAnn Love [email protected] new State Bridge across [email protected] the ICW. The project will also improve traffic flow To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery and access to the Jack stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at www. Edwards Airport, the gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in the black Foley Beach Express, toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for how to become a subscriber. or email [email protected]. and provide alternate routes for emergency ©Gulf Coast Media 2019. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the group vehicles. The total proj- publisher or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or general ect cost is estimated at columnists or those reflected in submitted letters do not $20,000,000. The federal necessarily reflect the editorial position of this newspaper. share from the INFRA The Islander (USPS 002-968) is published weekly, with its office program is estimated at located at 901 N. McKenzie St., in Foley, AL 36535. Periodicals postage $12,000,000. The city’s paid at Foley, AL 36535. Subscription rates: In-county annual, $38.50 total match is estimated plus local sales tax; six-month, $22.50 plus local sales tax; senior at $8,000,000 consisting citizen annual, $36.00 plus local sales tax; six-month, $20.50 plus local of projects identified in sales tax; and out-of-county annual, $78.00, six-month, $39.00. the city’s 10-year capital POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Islander, 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546. plan. Gulf Coast Media • March 6, 2019 • Opinion • 3 Opinion On God’s will A most special sound By MICHAEL J. BROOKS Spring, leading into cacophony as the ground other two and is the most continuous, the smiles Someone took me to task for what I thought summer is a busy time is turned, seeds planted, special sound. If you are generated are repeated was a harmless quip. In a tongue-in-cheek of year. Even here, in the and their results har- not listening, you might many times. article about how we Baptists “steal” pastors Deep South, the earth vested. miss it. It doesn't signify The first is when from one another, I remarked that though and humankind Other pleas- the power of a golf, or the sealed jar is taken it’s a flawed system, God seems to help us are coming out ing sounds have baseball swing where so off the shelf, dusted, through it most of the time.