Covering all of Baldwin County, AL every Friday. Mardi Gras recycling PAGE 12 2020 parade schedule The Baldwin Times PAGE 12 FEBRUARY 14, 2020 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ County to vote on naming ‘Buc-ee’s Boulevard’ By GUY BUSBY to direct traffic that has been drivers which lane to use to [email protected] a problem at the exit since get to the site. The problem is Buc-ee’s opened in early 2019, that the Federal Highway Ad- FOLEY — Renaming a County Engineer Joey Nun- ministration, which regulates county road for a new busi- nally told commissioners interstates, does not allow ness could be a creative way Tuesday. directional signs for private to deal with a major traffic “As y’all well know, we’ve businesses. problem at the intersection of been dealing with a lot of traf- The FHWA, does, however, Interstate 10 and the Baldwin fic issues since Buc-ee’s has allow signs for public roads. Beach Express, county offi- been built,” Nunnally said at Under the proposal, a short cials said Tuesday. the commission work session. section of Baldwin County 68, The Baldwin County Com- “Everybody trying to get into the road at the entrance to the mission will vote Tuesday, Buc-ee’s has caused backups travel station, would be re- Feb. 18, on renaming a short on the Baldwin Beach Ex- named “Buc-ee’s Boulevard.” GUY BUSBY / STAFF PHOTO section of Baldwin County 68 press, backups on the onramp, The Alabama Department The section of Baldwin County 68 behind the Buc-ee’s travel station “Buc-ee’s Boulevard.” off ramp, all the way back up of Transportation would put on the Baldwin Beach Express would be renamed “Buc-ee’s Boulevard,” The idea is not to promote to the interstate.” signs on I-10 directing traffic under a proposal to be voted on Tuesday by the Baldwin County Com- the large travel station at I-10 One solution would be to mission. The change would allow signs to be placed on Interstate 10 to and the Beach Express, but place signs on I-10 showing SEE BUC-EE’S, PAGE 7 relieve traffic congestion at the location. Alabama Death Authors Day this weekend on hold STAFF REPORT County coroner’s On Saturday Historic Blakeley State Park will office waits for larger host its annual Alabama facility and licensed Authors Day. This special celebra- medical examiner tion showcases the work to serve growing of accomplished writers throughout the state, population with an emphasis on Gulf Coast authors and By JOHN UNDERWOOD JOHN UNDERWOOD / STAFF PHOTO those who explore topics [email protected] associated with regional The 1,750 square foot facility on County Road 54 in Robertsdale is named for long-time coroner Huey A. history and natural heri- Mack Sr. and is dedicated to the memory of Mack and coroner Jim Small who was instrumental in getting SUMMERDALE — When the facility built. tage. people talk about growth in This year’s lineup in- Baldwin County, few prob- addressed members of the Cen- growth, including the need for Dyess, deputy coroners Daren cludes acclaimed Mobile ably think about the impact tral Baldwin Chamber of Com- additional staff and a new facil- Montgomery and Stephen historian John Sledge Baldwin’s growth has on death merce on the topic, “Growth ity in the near future. Street, and two office staff, with his latest book, investigations and the needs of Through the Eye of the Coro- “Baldwin County is one of Chief Administrative Assistant The Gulf of Mexico: A the Baldwin County Coroner’s ner,” breakfast meeting at the the fastest growing counties in Brandy Byrd and Administra- Maritime History; Dr. office, but it’s something Dr. 519 Event Center in Summer- the state and we have to grow tive Assistant Shanna Bonner, Gregory Waselkov, cel- Brian Pierce thinks about al- dale, sponsored by Baldwin along with it,” Pierce said. handled 479 cases over the last ebrated archaeologist most daily. County Sewer Service. Pierce and his staff, which and Professor Emeritus On Thursday, Feb. 6, Pierce Pierce addressed issues of includes Chief Deputy Troy SEE DEATH, PAGE 2 at the University of South Alabama to dis- cuss The Old Federal Road in Alabama: An Illustrated Guide; and Historical Society will host speaker Susan Stein this month accomplished photog- rapher John Dersham Submitted speaker and is a member of It is not even mentioned in position of “Historian of the with My Alabama: John Fairhope United Method- the official history book “The Grand Hotel” on March 19, The Baldwin County Histor- ist Church, Friends of the Army Air Forces In World 2018. Stein was the 2019 nomi- SEE AUTHORS, PAGE 7 ical Society (BCHS) will meet Fairhope Library, Eastern War II.” nee from the Grand Hotel for Feb. 16, at the VFW Post 5660, Shore Art Association, Stein has worked for the the Historic Hotels of Ameri- located at 950 Nichols Avenue; Friends of the Fairhope Mu- Grand Hotel, at Point Clear, ca’s “Historian of the Year.” BALDWIN FAST FACTS Fairhope. The meeting will seum, and the Baldwin County for over 33 years. Through her Stein grew up in Atmore start at 2 p.m. Historical Society. years of working at the Grand and has been a resident of BCHS is the oldest histori- Stein will speak on “The Hotel, she listened to the sto- Fairhope since 1977. She is a The median home value in cal organization for Baldwin Secret Training Mission at the ries about the Grand Hotel, graduate of Escambia County Baldwin County in 2018 was County, founded in 1923 with Grand Hotel in WWII”. “Op- gathered photos and memora- High School, Atmore, Ala- $194,825 and is projected to the purpose of promoting the eration Ivory Soap,” was a top bilia becoming the “unofficial bama, and received a degree be $221,147 by 2023 accord- history of Baldwin County. secret project kept "classified" historian”. ing to Esri. Susan Stein will be the guest for more than a half-century. She was promoted to the SEE STEIN, PAGE 7 Deaths Page 6 Gulf Debra Kay Huffer Coast Violet Maria Linden Media Marc D. Reed VOLUME 129 • ISSUE 40 1 SECTION • 24 PAGES 2 • The Baldwin Times • February 14, 2020 • Gulf Coast Media DEATH medical examiner, we’re 25 years, Pierce said. attack. No one else was being told we need a One of the biggest killed in the accident.) The Baldwin Times CONTINUED FROM 1 population of more than goals in the short term is and we need something 250,000,” he said, “we’re the passage of the Bald- in place, because it is not 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 year, an average of 1.3 very close, but we’re not win County ACT, which a question of if it is going per day. Former Baldwin quite there yet.” would turn control of the to happen, but when.” PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 County Coroner Stan Another major need Coroner’s Office over to Pierce said if there [email protected] Vinson also helps as an for the Coroner’s Office, the Baldwin County Com- were to be a mass-casu- accreditation consultant. Pierce said, is the need mission. alty event, the Coroner’s Allison Marlow Classified Advertising “We cover 2,000 square for a larger facility. “Right now, in order Office would work with Managing Editor Lindsay Walker miles with an estimated The Coroner’s Office to get something done, it the Baldwin County allisonm@gulfcoast lindsay@gulfcoast population of 212,000,” currently operates out of has to be done by an act Emergency Management media.com media.com Pierce said. “That does a 1,750 square foot facil- of the State Legislature,” Agency to call additional not take into account the ity, located on County Pierce said. “By getting assistance. Tony Whitehead Legal Advertising 6.5 million tourists that Road 54, opened in 2009. this bill passed, we can Five-year goals for Sports Editor April M. Perry visit Baldwin County The facility, named for make changes, simply the department include tony@gulfcoast legals@gulfcoast every year.” longtime Baldwin County by a vote of the County a full-time morgue at- media.com media.com One of the biggest im- Coroner Huey A. Mack Commission and I think tendant, having a total of mediate needs for the Sr. and dedicated to Mack that will free us up to six certified investigators Coroner’s Office, Pierce and Coroner Jim Small, accomplish some of our (the department now has Parks Rogers said, is the need for a li- who was instrumental in other goals.” four), and having the abil- Publisher censed medical examiner. getting the facility built, By 2023, Pierce said, the ity to perform autopsies [email protected] “Right now, it takes includes office space, a Coroner’s Office hopes to in Baldwin County. us several months to get room for evidence stor- break ground on a new Another goal for the To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery an autopsy report back age, an examination facility. The plan, he said, Coroner’s Office is to be stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at from the nearest medi- room and cold storage is to build a modular fa- able to review newly es- www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in cal examiner’s office,” that can hold up to 15 cility that could be added tablished standard oper- the black toolbar.