OUTSTANDING MORTGAGE Local pugilist WARRANTS LEAD GULF BREEZE BURNING AND on June 22 TO ARRESTS POLICE MEMORIAL PAGE 3A REPORT SUNDAY bare-knuckle card PAGE 7A SPORTS, 7B RESCUED WOMAN THANKS MIDWAY FIRE DISTRICT, PAGE 4A June 20, 2019 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER $1.00 Most favor naming Traffic bridge for Gen. James takes a toll BY GLENDA CAUDLE Gulf Breeze News© 2019 [email protected] Saturday gridlock has A Gulf Breeze meeting June 12 to residents looking for relief gather public input on naming the new Pensacola Bay Bridge – or Three-Mile BY GLENDA CAUDLE Bridge as locals refer to it – began with Gulf Breeze News© 2019 — RELATED — glowing and heartfelt tributes to the [email protected] Maybe the answer is late Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. of limiting vehicles Pensacola, the first African-American Gulf Breeze City Manager Saman- OPINION, 6A four-star general in the armed forces tha Abell says Escambia County has and the man it has been repeatedly sug- done a good job keeping the City of about solutions they envision as poten- gested should have his name affixed to Gulf Breeze updated about plans for tially helpful. the new six-lane structure being built dealing with traffic congestion on Pen- Chief among the ideas Gulf Breeze to replace the four-lane bridge connect- sacola Beach this summer. leaders discussed in advance was a ing Pensacola and Gulf Breeze. Those regular “heads up” contacts plea to make all four toll lanes clearly It ended with a bitter round of name are of definite benefit to the City, but accessible to those paying with cash. calling of the man -- and by extension the simple fact is, Gulf Breeze is not While that solution was not immedi- his family -- whose name is currently a decision maker in this issue and is at ately adopted, some other possibilities on the bridge: the late Florida State the mercy of plans made by the neigh- for dealing with the “toll troll” were Senator Philip D. Beall Sr. boring county officials. put forward by Escambia County in Derek Cosson, who writes a blog Recognizing this, Abell, Gulf Breeze hopes of simplifying and hurrying called pensacolian and who describes Mayor Cherry Fitch and Gulf Breeze along beach trips. himself as a veteran of local politics Police Chief Rick Hawthorne met with A new plan calls for allowing any and government and a recovering citi- Escambia County officials – including driver to zip through any of the four zen journalist who wants to “save and Commissioner Robert Bender and Di- lanes without stopping and paying or honor Pensacola’s history,” was one of vision Manager of Traffic Operations showing a SunPass card with the un- the last speakers to address the eight A photo from the FDOT traffic camera shows cars stacked up on the for Escambia County David Forte members of the committee who were in southbound lanes of the Pensacola Bay Bridge Saturday. – Tuesday morning, June 18, to talk See Realigned Page 2A » attendance – those appointed to make a recommendation on the bridge name to this area’s state legislators -- and to the 30 or so people who showed up for the meeting. Splash pad’s Need for A public input session was also held on June 11 in Pensacola. Cosson approached the microphone popularity City pool soon after Kirke Beall, the grandson of the late Senator, made an emotional plea to the committee to consider the brings crowds dries up compromise of a dual designation for BY GLENDA CAUDLE BY GLENDA CAUDLE the bridge name – combining that of Gulf Breeze News © 2019 Gulf Breeze News © 2019 his grandfather and James. [email protected] [email protected] Beall, who currently makes his home in Texas but says he and his wife mean The number of splash pad users at Gulf Breeze Com- The Gulf Breeze High School swim to return to his hometown of Pensaco- munity Center is growing and, soon, the area devoted team may be able to bring home the la, said Wednesday night he has been to the summertime water feature’s sitting area will, as gold in competition without direct help called a white supremacist since the well. Glenda Caudle | Gulf Breeze News from the City of Gulf Breeze, which proposal to abandon his grandfather’s Assistant Parks and Recreation Manager Kathy A family helps an infant cool off at the Gulf Breeze had been poised to provide practical Splash Pad. An influx of visitors is causing the city to assistance that went beyond an initial name for the new bridge began to be Wortham says staff at the community center walk to the regulate large groups who want to access the amenity. the subject of lo- new splash pad area adjacent to their home base and do request for simple land use. cal discussion. head counts every 45 minutes to an hour from opening from babyhood through elementary school age -- enjoy At the June 3 meeting of Gulf He suggested time at 10 a.m. to closing at 7 p.m. daily. That effort is the park. Breeze City Council, City Manager Sa- members of the primarily to make sure the number of users does not Thanks to a grant from Gulf Breeze Will Do and the mantha Abell alerted members that the naming commit- exceed the 45-person capacity permitted at the facility. generosity of Driftwood Garden Club, the area where team was losing its practice facility in tee for Escam- That number does not take into account parents or guard- parents and guardians can keep a close eye on activity Pensacola because of some repair work bia County and ians who frequently sit around the splash pad to keep an has grown from original plans and continues to do so, taking place there. She said there was a the City of Gulf eye on their children. with benches, picnic tables and shade opportunities on local effort to secure a temporary prac- tice site for the team, with members Breeze would be Most days, about 80 to 100 youngsters – primarily See Large groups Page 2A » speaking up, as he Beall of the GBHS swim team booster club was if, the same floating the idea of members purchas- accusations were leveled against their ing a four-lane above-ground practice family members in public. 32 grants augment county budget pool, provided the council would agree “It won’t hurt one soul if you leave to let the team place it on easily acces- my grandfather’s name on it and add with about a third of those using Lo- County Commission Chair Sam sible City property. BY PAM BRANNON While no official action was taken, James,” he said. “I’m sincerely asking Gulf Breeze News © 2019 cal Option Sales Tax matching funds. Parker asked how many of those you to ensure my family is left with [email protected] The morning session also covered grants use LOST matching funds Council members seemed eager to as- dignity. My dad was a World War II issues like ad valorem tax increas- and what do they cover. sist the team. veteran, shot down over Germany. He Budget is what the Santa Rosa esand Human resources expenses. Fitzgerald said, “There are at Following the session, some Coun- was so proud of his brother and his dad. County Commission is focused on Shelia Fitzgerald was at the top of least 10 of those grants that are us- cil members suggested the City might Why would you dishonor my grandfa- this week. Members are holding the agenda talking grants, since she ing LOST matching funds and those go a step beyond the request and pur- ther by taking his name off there? If we the first round of budget workshops supervises the grant programs for funds are used for park and drainage chase the pool itself, rather than rely- can’t come up with a compromise, how Tuesday morning. Among other is- the county. She told commissioners, projects.” ing on the boosters and other unofficial do you think my family will go down sues, commissioners learned June 18 “Nearly $18 million in federal and She said there is also $6 million team supporters to raise the necessary in history in Pensacola? There’s an op- that a lot of the progress being made state funding is providing these grant in outstanding grant applications funds. portunity here not to bash one family to in the county right now is the result projects right now happening within Discussion surrounding the tempo- of money coming in from 32 grants, See Beall Page 3A » the county.” See Jail Page 8A » See Pool Page 8A » Mailing Statement Arrest Report . 3A FRI 6/21 SAT 6/22 SUN 6/23 on Opinion Page ISO. PARTLY PARTLY Calendar .........3A & 5A Classifieds/Legals .......6B WEEKEND T-STORMS CLOUDY CLOUDY TWO SECTIONS, Crossword Puzzle.......3B 16 PAGES Weather-plus hi 88/lo 79 hi 88/lo 78 hi 90/lo 79 Movies ................5A rain: 30% rain: 10% rain: 10% Opinion . 6A VOL. 19, NO. 25 Sports ...............1-8B JUNE 20, 2019 2A June 20, 2019 GULF BREEZE NEWS gulfbreezenews.com Frustrated with traffic on Highway 98, beachgoers turned to neighborhood streets, preventing residents from leaving their driveways. ubmitted According to this graphic Submitted photo provided by Escambia County Public Information Officer Joy Tsubooka, all lanes will accept toll by plate, in addition to SunPass, with the cost being one dollar per pass. She told Gulf Breeze News that a new plan will asses a single $2.50 fee per car per month for the convenience.