COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 4 Remembering the big picture PAGE 20 Mardi Gras parades The Islander PAGE 22 INSIDE FEBRUARY 7, 2018 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Gulf Shores provides assistance to zoo By CRYSTAL COLE the Zoo Foundation. The grant reserves when the zoo construc- “They are as follows: that the [email protected] would help secure $26,260,000 in tion is completed in 2020. This is zoo be within the City of Gulf tax-exempt financing for the pur- a condition of the approval of the Shores, that construction be The Gulf Shores City Coun- pose of relocating the Alabama bond issuance scheduled in Feb- started within six months and cil approved a measure which Gulf Shores Zoo from its present ruary 2018. completed within 24 months, that would help the Alabama Gulf location and expanding and con- City administrator Steve Grif- finished construction would be Elvis tribute Coast Zoo secure funding to structing a new zoo facility on a fin said since the last meeting, evident by the City’s issuance of move to a larger facility. At the 25-acre property off of County the measure had been slightly a certificate of occupancy, that at GSUM December 21, 2017 special called Road 6 East in Gulf Shores. The modified to help the timing to the zoo will provide certificate Elvis tribute artist meeting the council conducted $1,000,000 is proposed to be trans- close on the loan. that it will not ask the City for Shane Tucker of Foley the first public hearing on con- ferred at the conclusion of their “There were some specifics any more money until at least will be featured along sidering the appropriation of a construction to be set aside and that we wanted to articulate in with the Promised one-time grant of $1,000,000 to utilized as part of its operating the agreement,” Griffin said. SEE ZOO, PAGE 2 Land Band in a live performance at the Gulf Shores United Methodist Church south campus audito- BratFest continues for 20th year rium at 7 p.m. Mon- day, Feb. 12. For more information and to find out where to buy tickets, see page 2. FILE PHOTO Byrne PHOTOS BY CAPT. MARK ROBINSON/ GCM CORRESPONDENT Baldwin EMC recog- Snowbird clubs on the island hosted a firefighter benefit bratfest for the 20th year. BratFest started at 11 a.m. responds to nizes employees and continued until sold out. Cost was $4 per Johnsonville Brat with beverages available for extra cost. The Baldwin EMC recently Snowbird Clubs have sponsored this event for 20 years and raised more than $165,000 for our local fire and rescue departments including Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan. Clubs sponsoring the event include: Red Snapper recognized four of its Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. employees for their re- spective heroic actions decision in 2017. To read more STAFF REPORTS about the recipients, jump to page 32. Congressman Bradley Byrne has spoken out in favor of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Manage- ment Council’s approval of an exempted fishing permit pilot program for the 2018 and 2019 DEATHS PAGE 18 Red Snapper seasons in the Gulf of Mexico. The program will Elizabeth Atchison allow the Gulf states to set their Lindsay D. Cain own Red Snapper season lengths. Luther Etheridge “I want to thank the Gulf Council for their support of the Dolores Williams Freil exempted fishing permit pilot James Green program to ensure local fish- John L. Hinton Jr. ermen have an adequate Red Arthur George Hosey Jr. Snapper season for the next two Marjorie McCullough years,” Byrne said. “As I have Willard T. Phillips always said, this issue is about Therese Keller Roberts so much for than just our fisher- Jesse E. Sawyer men. A full Red Snapper season Harry Leo Williams is good news for the hotels, res- taurants, gas stations, and other small businesses in our coastal SEE SNAPPER, PAGE 32 INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 5 OUT & ABOUT, 22 Coast CLASSIFIED, 8 PUZZLES, 10 Media HEALTH, 20 SPORTS, 11 VOLUME 42 • ISSUE 7 LEGALS, 24 TV LISTINGS, 14 1 SECTION • 36 PAGES OPINION, 13 2 • The Islander • February 7, 2018 • Gulf Coast Media Memorable Elvis songs by Shane Tucker at GSUMC SUBMITTED adjacent to the audito- mances at Island View and the Promised Land of rock and roll and R&B rium from 9 a.m. to noon Casino in Gulfport, Mis- Band will provide in- style hits. Elvis tribute artist Monday through Friday. sissippi. The show will strumental backup with Further information Shane Tucker of Foley Known as Elvis at the feature Elvis numbers vocal support by Kay on the Elvis concert is will be featured along Gulf, Shane began his from the early years as Sorrells and June Hur- available by calling the with the Promised Land singing career as part well as popular hits from ston. The band, featuring GSUMC office at 251- Band in a live perfor- of a children's choir later seasons, includ- guitarist Danny D and 968-2411 or by visiting mance at the Gulf Shores in church, eventually ing such favorites as All keytar player Malcolm the church website at United Methodist Church becoming a soloist. He Shook Up, Love Me Ten- Bond from the Groovina- www.gulfshoresumc. south campus audito- became Elvis at a party der, Heartbreak Hotel, tors as well as drummer org. All concert proceeds rium at 7 p.m. Monday, and from that start has Never Been to Spain and Rob Hurston and bassist are used to support and February 12. Tickets at sung Elvis at competi- American Trilogy. Barry Shaw from Mem- broaden the music minis- SUBMITTED PHOTO $15 per person are avail- tions, concerts, parties, Keyboard artist/ar- phis, will perform be- try of Gulf Shores United Shane Tucker appearing as able at Thee Coffee Shop balls and sold-out perfor- ranger Cody Johnson tween sets with a variety Methodist Church. Elvis. Severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday begins Feb. 23 SUBMITTED the state’s 4-percent state $60 or less: - Flashlights, cords costing $1,000 or less season,” said Alabama Re- the batteries, the candles, sales tax, and in some lanterns - Battery-powered are also tax free. For a full tail President Rick Brown. the tarps,” he said. “We’re From Friday, Feb. 23, to cities and counties, local or hand-crank radio - Bat- list of tax-free items, go “The tax holiday helps Al- letting customers know Sunday, Feb. 25, Alabama taxes are waived on those teries - First-aid kits - Cell to alabamaretail.org/ala- abama consumers remem- what is included and not will observe its seventh items as well. It means phone charger - Two-way bamasalestaxholidays. ber to stock and prepare included in the tax holi- annual severe weather shoppers can save as much radios - Manual can open- Alabama’s tax holiday emergency kits to be ready day.” preparedness sales tax as 10 percent on these ers - Tarps and plastic is the earliest among the when storms strike.” Alabama Retail recom- holiday. The Alabama items in some areas of the sheeting - Duct tape - Fire four states with a severe Dan Moran, the owner mends having enough Retail Association encour- state. Last year, more than extinguishers - Tie-down weather preparedness of Rocky Ridge Hardware supplies in emergency kits ages Alabamians to re- 220 city and county gov- kits, bungee cords or rope sales tax holiday. The in Vestavia Hills, hopes his to last 72 hours following a stock emergency supplies ernments opted to waive Other tax-free items in- Texas tax holiday is in customers will take advan- disaster. For information in homes, workplaces and their local taxes as well. clude: Coolers, ice packs, April, Louisiana’s is in tage of the opportunity to on what items to include vehicles during this three- From 12:01 a.m. Feb. 23 plywood, window film and May and Virginia's is in prepare early. in emergency kits, as well day tax holiday. Certain to midnight Feb. 25, the smoke/fire/carbon mon- August. “When bad weather hits as steps to take before and emergency preparedness tax-exempt items include oxide detectors. Portable “Severe weather can or is about to hit, that’s after disasters, visit ready. items will be exempt from the following priced at generators and power occur at any time, in any when the flashlights go, gov. ZOO by wetland areas and vul- the Zoo to be a more tunities site work and hardscape need replacing. The total nerable to storm surge. regional attraction. • Financing construction projected cost of $450,000 CONTINUED FROM 1 In 2006, a 25-acre site in I would consider the of the new expanded Also approved at the is to be spread out over North Gulf Shores off of Zoo to be one of the zoo estimated to cost meeting was a request for three years reducing bud- the bonds are paid for, County Road 8 East was many attractions in $16.5 million council approval to apply get impact to $150,000 per the other parties will donated to the Zoo Foun- Gulf Shores that serves for a grant through the year. recognize that the city dation for the purpose of to promote the Gulf The construction of Department of Home- This year, the AFG has no other liabilities or a new zoo location. The Shores area as a family the Zoo will be managed land Security (DHS), As- grant has placed a high obligations for money and benefits of the new zoo lo- orientated destination.