OUT & ABOUT: Eastern Shore Boy Scout Troops attend winter camps, PAGE 4 Beyond the Garden Gate PAGE 3 High school basketball The Courier PAGE 12 INSIDE JANUARY 9, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Fairhope police give details on ‘stranger danger’ incident STAFF REPORT Summerlake subdivision in who they thought lived at the Fairhope. location, to give her flowers. Fairhope police say they It was reported that a male After speaking to the adult have not seen any reports of and a female occupying an from the residence, the occu- Davis Fairhope native joins similar activity following an older model four-door Saturn, pants threw the flowers on the U.S. Merchant incident involving a potential gold in color, pulled up to a ground and left the area. “stranger danger” situation residence where two children This information was posted Randy Davis’ Marine Academy late last year. were playing in the yard. The on social media by another Fairhope’s own John Mar- According to a release from children ran inside and told party and since then several federal trial shall Williams was recently the Fairhope Police Depart- an adult. other postings have been made sworn in as a Midshipman ment, on Dec. 27, 2018, the When the adult came out- for similar activity, but no on bribery in the U.S. Naval Reserve at Fairhope Police Department side the occupants of the other reports have been made responded to a suspicious cir- vehicle informed her they the U.S. Merchant Marine charges cumstance call located in the were looking for a female SEE STRANGER, PAGE 2 Academy. Find out more on postponed Page 2. By THE COURIER STAFF Former Alabama Blakeley to host inaugural House Rep. Randy Perdido Bay Power Davis of Daphne might see his upcom- Squadron to host “Battlefield Blitz 5K and Fun Run” ing federal trial on boating safety class bribery charges either The Perdido Bay Power Historic Blakeley State postponed eliminated Squadron is offering its Park invites the public to be a completely following Boating Knowledge and part of the first-ever running a pleading from a co- of the “Battlefield Blitz 5K defendent. Safety Class on Saturday, and Fun Run,” scheduled for On Jan. 4, California February 2 from 9 a.m. to Saturday, January 26, 2019. business executive and 5 p.m. See more about this Held on Alabama’s largest Trina Health founder class on Page 16. Civil War battlefield in Span- G. Ford Gilbert, ish Fort, the Blitz is a unique pleaded guilty to one community event which will count of conspiracy, for benefit the park’s many spe- which the government cial programs and projects. agreed to drop six other The boom of a cannon will counts against him. signal the start of the race The government also promptly at 8 a.m. on Jan. 26. agreed to recommend a DEATHS PAGE 6 Participants will wind their sentence of six months way through a custom course of imprisonment and Marion L. Asplund along portions of one of the six months home de- George Calvin Dyson Jr. nation’s best-preserved bat- tention. Sharon Denise McInnis The case began in Forsman SEE BLAKELEY, PAGE 15 April of 2018 when a James Aloysius Gaignard federal grand jury re- Rochelle Joy Gates turned an indictment Terry Leon Lord against Gilbert, the chief executive officer Robert Joseph Meszaros Sr. The 59th Annual Dogwood Trail Pageant is this Saturday (CEO) of Trina Health, Michael Brandon Ray LLC (Trina Health)— Ruth Breisten Slater The 59th Annual Dogwood things that make Alabama Category (comprising 10% a California-based David Royce Stewart Trail Pageant and Scholar- such a special place to live. of their total scores) will be company that operates Michael Lee Styron ship Program, sponsored Pageant participants must judged prior to the pageant diabetes treatment clin- Charles Alton White Jr. by the Eastern Shore Opti- be high school sophomores by a panel of three judges. ics all over the United mist Club, will be held at 7 or juniors living on the On the night of the Pageant, States and in some for- p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12 at Eastern Shore with a 2.5 or the 12 finalists will be asked eign countries. INDEX the Fairhope Civic Center. higher grade point average. an impromptu question. The According to earlier Thirty participants are vying Participants in the 59th An- six young women with the court filings: BALDWIN LIVING, 3 for one of six slots on The nual Dogwood Pageant are highest composite scores will “The original indict- CLASSIFIED, 21 Dogwood Trail Court for the pictured below with their serve on the 2019 Court. Each ment alleged that in HEALTH, 19 2019-2020 year. names and creative introduc- will receive a $1,250 college 2014 and 2015, Trina The year's theme, “Cel- tion topics. scholarship from the Opti- Health opened three LEGALS, 25 ebrating ALABAMA 200,” is The court will be selected mist Club, as well as a period clinics in Alabama. OPINION, 23 spotlighted in the creative by a panel of five indepen- style costume to be worn dur- Soon thereafter, the introduction segment of the dent judges in the catego- ing official appearances. Ad- state’s largest health OUT & ABOUT, 4 program. Get ready to be en- ries of interview, creative ditionally, Coastal Alabama insurer informed Trina PUZZLES, 24 tertained by the participants introduction, and poise and as they bring to life all the composure. The “Essay” SEE DOGWOOD, PAGE 15 SEE DAVIS, PAGE 2 SPORTS, 12 TV LISTINGS, 8 Gulf WHAT Coast YOU IN Media STORE VOLUME 125 • ISSUE 24 IS NOW 1 SECTION • 32 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 Courier • January 9, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media Fairhope’s Williams joins regiment of Midshipmen at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Nominated by Senator Richard Shelby and Representative Bradley Byrne, Williams joins elite group of 280 midshipmen at the Kings Point, NY Academy John Marshall Wil- Military Academy at liams of Fairhope was West Point, the Naval recently sworn in as Academy at Annapolis, a Midshipman in the the Air Force Academy US Naval Reserve at in Colorado Springs and the United States Mer- the U.S. Coast Guard chant Marine Academy Academy in New Lon- (USMMA) at Kings don, Connecticut. Point, NY. Williams All USMMA graduates was nominated by Sena- earn both a Bachelor tor Richard Shelby and of Science degree and Representative Bradley a Merchant Marine Of- Byrne. ficer license, and incur The United States an obligation to serve Merchant Marine Acad- the country as an active emy is a federal service or reserve officer in the academy that educates U.S. armed forces. and graduates licensed The U.S. Flag Mer- Merchant Marine of- chant Marine — manned ficers. In addition to by U.S. merchant mari- the rigorous academic ners — is essential for and physical require- securing the country’s ments for admission, commerce in peacetime applicants must be and delivering warfight- nominated by their Con- ers, weapons and mili- SUBMITTED PHOTO gressman or Senator. tary supplies in times of in the Strategic Sealift on active duty in our na- liams will spend one federal academy where It is one of five fed- conflict. The majority Officer Program while tion’s armed forces. year training as a cadet students train on com- eral service academies, of “Kings Pointers” will working aboard U.S. flag As part of his four- aboard ocean going ves- mercial vessels traveling which include the serve as Navy reservists vessels; others will serve year education, Wil- sels. USMMA is the only around the globe. DAVIS the insurer to cover the ments to the legislator. finder’s fees. After Trina be video recorded, and indictment alleges treatments. Gilbert then “The new charges Health encountered dif- then spoke in favor of that Gilbert committed CONTINUED FROM 1 made payments and contained in the su- ficulties with the health the bill at a public hear- various acts of brib- gave things of value to a perseding indictment insurance companies, ing. ery related to federal Health that it would not legislator, former House alleges that Davis also Davis attempted to lobby “Based on these programs. Gilbert and cover the treatments of Representatives Ma- stood to gain from Trina the insurance company events, the supersed- Davis are also charged provided by Trina jority Leader Micky Ray Health’s successes. Ac- to change its position. ing indictment charges with interstate travel Health. Gilbert then Hammon, in exchange cording to the indict- When that failed, Davis Davis, Gilbert, and Con- and communications schemed to force the for Hammon working ment, during 2014 and took steps to advance nors with conspiracy to in aid of racketeering. insurer to change its behind the scenes to 2015, Davis tried to re- the bill. For example, commit bribery related The last count in the position. push the bill. Gilbert cruit investors to Trina Davis helped to recruit to federal programs. superseding indictment “Gilbert came up with also hired co-defendant Health and, as a result a sponsor, arranged for Additionally, the super- charges Connors with a plan to push a bill Martin Connors to act of doing so, he received the public hearing to seding making a false state- through the Alabama as a lobbyist on behalf ment to a federal agent.” Legislature’s 2016 ses- of the bill. Connors Following Gilbert’s sion that would require knew of Gilbert’s pay- guilty plea, however, DoThe youLeaves act fromare fearFalling or faith? prosecutors said it is ex- I wrote these words while watching for a little while.