A W A R D ● details page W I N N 7A I N G 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER September 27, 2007 PAG E 1B Gunman, standoff in Navarre ■ Corvette Show ■ Bubba’s Beach WEEKEND Weather THURSDAY 9/27 Scat.T-Storms high 85O low 72O FRIDAY 9/28 Pam Brannon/Gulf Breeze News Iso. T-Storms The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office deputies block streets around Holley-Navarre Primary School Sept. 20 for over three hours with the school in lock- high 86O down due to a hostage situation in a nearby home. low 68O himself, he didn’t realize how Navarre Primary School to stop without anyone being injured. written note saying he planned BY PAM BRANNON many lives in the Navarre com- a hostage situation and possible When Lyndal Wilkins was taken to kill his ex-girlfriend then SATURDAY 9/29 Gulf Breeze News munity he would be affecting murder-suicide. into custody he had a bag with a himself. [email protected] Iso.T-Storms that day. He put three Navarre After the ex-girlfriend sawed off shotgun in it, along Wilkins had asked his ex- O When a 38-year-old Ft. schools into lockdown mode escaped the house, police kept with several rounds of ammuni- girlfriend’s current boyfriend to high 87 Walton Beach man allegedly O when SWAT teams from two the armed man inside negotiat- tion, handcuffs, rope, gasoline, meet him in Ft. Walton Beach to low 71 decided last Thursday to attempt counties were called to a home ing for three hours until police lighter fluid, and knives, as well to kill his ex-girlfriend then kill within a block of Holley- could talk him into surrendering as matches. He also had a hand See STANDOFF, Page 2A6 SUNDAY 9/30 Partly Cloudy high 85O Residents pitch Atchison O low 69 park ideas pleads INSIDE favorite recreation improve- not guilty BY FRANKLIN HAYES ment ideas after a brainstorming Business 8A Gulf Breeze News session at Oriole Beach FROM STAFF REPORTS Classifieds 3D [email protected] Elementary School, Sept. 18. Community 3-5A Gulf Breeze News A concentration of orange, The meeting was held to gain [email protected] Crossword 3B public input for the District 5 Editorial 6A blue and green stickers showed local residents want better Recreation Master Plan, which Despite the shocking allega- Faith 7A will provide an outline for tions facing federal prosecutor Island News 1B maintenance, more land, and additional ball fields for their future county recreation spend- and former Gulf Breeze Sports Home & Garden1,2&4D parks. ing. District 5 is represented by Association (GBSA) President Obituaries 4B But what do colored stickers Santa Rosa County J.D. Roy Atchison, local Schools 7&8C have to do with park planning? Commissioner John Broxson authorities are saying there is Seniors 8C Orange stickers represented and encompasses much of the no evidence that his alleged Sports 1-5C votes for key issues, blue repre- Gulf Breeze peninsula, from the behavior had a presence in Gulf Talk of the Town 5A sented needed amenities and city itself to the intersection of Breeze. Edgewood Drive and U.S. 98 Atchison, 53, was arrested “Mailing Statement is on green represented funding Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News Sept. 16 after flying to Detroit, Editorial Page” options. That’s how approxi- near Navarre. Gulf Breeze, Tiger Point and Midway residents gather to mately 60 residents of Midway, “I really want to test your place colored stickers next to their favorite recreation Mich. to allegedly have sex FOUR SECTIONS Tiger Point and Gulf Breeze vision,” Broxson said to those improvement ideas at Oriole BEach Elementary School Sept. with a 5-year-old girl. Arresting VOL. 6, NO. 39 were asked to vote for their See PARKS, Page 2A6 18. officers said they found a Dora the Explorer Doll, earrings and SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 See ATCHISON, Page 2A6 Property appraiser audited by state K-9 attack G Calls Dept. of Revenue’s measures ‘punitive’ and ‘unusual’ teen sues BY FRANKLIN HAYES Florida Department of Revenue them every step of the way.” replied: “I’m not sure why he singled out Santa Rosa County Department of Revenue thinks that.” home! Gulf Breeze News FROM STAFF REPORTS [email protected] as the only county in Florida to Media Liaison Renee Watters Watters explained the state’s Gulf Breeze News have back-to-back in-depth said the state decision for the study, saying: [email protected] Santa Rosa Property audits. is conducting “Mr. Brown and the property your Appraiser Greg Brown was in “This is simply retaliation the study in appraiser from Escambia A lawsuit that stemmed from Tallahassee last week meeting against the citizens of Santa order to better County [Chris Jones] came to us an incident at a Valentine's with state representatives Rosa County,” Brown said. “I understand the with concerns this year about dance in 2005 finally made its regarding what he called an lowered assessments because it market condi- market changes in their areas way into court last week. “unusual demand” to conduct was the right thing to do in these tions in Santa and we want to get back over Testimony began Sept. 17 and an in-depth study of the coun- market conditions. Now, the Rosa County there and look at the market the jury began deliberations at 1 ty’s 2008 tax roles. Department of Revenue is try- and added that Brown changes that Greg Brown told p.m. on Sept. 24. Brown called the measure ing to punish me for doing what it was not us are going on over there and In the lawsuit, Gulf Breeze is right. In a time when citizen’s unusual for a county to have listen to their concerns.” High School graduate Addison Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today unusual and punitive because he said this is the second year in a personal costs are skyrocketing back-to-back audits. According to Watters, the Salter, 19, alleges two row his tax rolls have had such a out of control, I will do every- In response to Brown’s alle- state is paying roughly Escambia County Sheriff's thing I can to keep property gations that the study was a Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy review. Brown added that the mailed directly to mailed directly assessments low. I will fight punitive measure, Watters See BROWN, Page 3A6 See SUIT, Page 3A6 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 September 27, 2007 GULF BREEZE NEWS STANDOFF: Schools locked down quickly school, teachers kept the stu- near the school during the stand- brought on carts to the rooms.” Continued from page 1A dents sitting on the floor while off. He said when it was nearing turn over some of the woman’s Council Meeting, doing their studies for the rest of “We have a process we go time for dismissal, some officers Thursday, Sept. 27 6:30 p.m., Gulf personal items. Once he knew the day. through for a lockdown,” from the crime scene came over Santa Rosa County Breeze City Hall, the current boyfriend was gone Holley-Navarre Primary Hardcastle said. “It is very orga- to the school to assess the situa- Commission Regular 1070 Shoreline from the Navarre home, Wilkins School Assistant Principal nized, and we have practiced tion. They decided all students Meeting, 9 a.m., Drive, Gulf Breeze Commissioner's Board broke in the back door and came Richard Hardcastle said they during drills. Everyone has a should be taken out the west Room, 6495 Caroline into the house at the corner of received a call from law role to play. We announce over side of the building, since the Street, Milton Tuesday, Oct. Escosa and Vizcaya Drive. The enforcement to go into lock- the intercom and everyone crime scene was on the east side, School Board Meeting, 2 ex-girlfriend heard something down mode around noon, and knows what to do. Part of the and cars picking up students Blood Mobile, suspicious in the house, and hid 9 a.m., School District within 30 seconds they had exte- challenge is not frightening the should be detoured to the west Administrative Offices, 5086 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 in a large box, sending a text rior doors to the school locked, children – we do not want to go side. “Buses waited at the mid- Canal Street, Milton p.m., EPA, 1 Sabine message to the boyfriend who and all blinds into panic mode.” dle school until all car riders Island Place, was headed to Ft. Walton Beach. drawn. “At He said it was very helpful to were picked up, then they came Friday, Sept. 28 Pensacola Beach The current boyfriend contacted that time the have the resource officer from to the West bus ramp and loaded CERT Training, 6-9 Republican Club the police, and when deputies Sheriff’s the sheriff’s office come to the students. The buses ended up p.m., Holley-Navarre Senior of Santa Rosa arrived at the house she escaped Office told us school and man the radio to alert leaving late, maybe by 30 min- Center, 8476 Gordon County Monthly through the front door when the house that them as to what steps should be utes or so, but they all got Goodin Lane, Navarre Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Wilkins went into a back room the man with taken periodically during the loaded.” The Club at Hidden Uniform and Shoe Sale, Creek, 3070 PGA in search of her.