Covering all of Baldwin County, AL every Friday. Bay Minette honors local wrestler PAGE 17 Blakeley The Baldwin Times reenactment PAGE 12 APRIL 5, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Commission Four killed when high-speed approves land purchase for chase leads to head-on collision Little River S.A.I.L. center BCSO RELEASE Office attempted to stop a run the deputy. The vehicle and stop the vehicle as it con- vehicle traveling east bound exited I-10 at the Wilcox exit tinued west bound. The sus- By CLIFF MCCOLLUM WILCOX — A high-speed on I-10 at the 49-mile marker, and reentered the interstate pect vehicle did a U-turn on [email protected] chase along Interstate 10 approximately four miles west west bound. The vehicle then the interstate and drove east Monday afternoon ended in of the Wilcox exit. The stop exited the interstate and went bound in the west bound lane The Little River a head-on collision which was for a moving violation south bound on the Baldwin at a high rate of speed. community in far resulted in the deaths of four the deputy witnessed, accord- Beach Express. The vehicle The deputy lost sight of the north Baldwin is now individuals. ing to a BCSO release issued did a U-turn on the Baldwin suspect vehicle as it continued closer to having its At approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday. Beach Express and reentered to drive into oncoming traffic. own S.A.I.L. center in Monday, a deputy with the The suspect vehicle ac- the interstate west bound. their community, as Baldwin County Sheriff’s celerated attempting to out The deputy continued to try SEE COLLISION, PAGE 3 the Baldwin County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to purchase land for the project. OWA announces $100 million+ expansion plans for Phase II County Attorney David Conner told the Additions include commissioners that a deal had been reached Gulf Coast’s largest to purchase the prop- erty for $20,000 from a indoor waterpark, local resident. resort hotel, RV Park “This is the first step in a long-going effort FOLEY — OWA, the Gulf between the Baldwin Coast’s largest entertain- County Commission ment destination, is con- and the members of tinuing to expand with the that community for a announcement of a $100 center in that area,” million investment for Phase Conner said. II. Construction is slated to According to mem- begin summer 2019 and will bers of the Little River include the Gulf Coast’s larg- community, they have est indoor waterpark, an ac- had no firm location companying 200-room resort for a center and had hotel with conference space, requested the county’s and a luxury, family-friendly help in making their RV Park. center a reality. Creek Indian Enterprises Baldwin County Development Authority Commissioner Jeb Ball (CIEDA), the economic de- said he was glad to see velopment arm of the Poarch the county moving for- Band of Creek Indians, has ward on the project. continually invested in OWA “This has been over the last three years. With something that we’ve discussed for a while, so SEE OWA, PAGE 3 SUBMITTED PHOTO it’s nice to see us mov- ing forward on a project that helps create an even better sense of community for the peo- ple up in Little River,” Fort Bowyer — the little Ball said. “This project fort that saved America SEE COMMISSION, PAGE 2 By BERT BLACKMON under their occupation, the Special to the Baldwin Times Spanish, realizing the impor- BALDWIN FAST FACTS tance of Mobile Bay, built Today, if you visit Fort Mor- Fort Condi to guard the City gan and stand on the far west- of Mobile. They also saw the Bay Minette is the county ern wall, beneath your feet need to guard the entrance to seat of Baldwin County. and many tons of brick, con- Mobile Bay. In those days, the The community became the crete and mortar is whatever only pass for large ships to county seat in 1901 when is left of an earlier installation enter the Bay circled between representatives stole the - one that is largely unremem- a sand bar and Mobile Point SUBMITTED PHOTO county records from rival bered but was of extreme im- on the eastern side of the is now the extreme end of Mo- with England commenced. In community, Daphne. portance to the United States. Bay. Therefore, they began bile Point. When West Florida was construction of a fort at what In 1812, the second war SEE FORT, PAGE 4 Deaths Page 6 Gulf John Donald Alms Coast Ernest E. Bishop Media Thomas Brian Cain VOLUME 128 • ISSUE 47 Joseph L. Faircloth Jr. 1 SECTION • 28 PAGES Michael Reynolds Martin John Sylvester Nordan 2 • The Baldwin Times • April 5, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media The Baldwin Times Silverhill native graduates from 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 U.S. Marine Corps boot camp PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 [email protected] Pvt. Logan 76 recruits in in Twentynine Palms, dale High School, and Parks Rogers Tony Whitehead Brave, 18, of Training Platoon California. graduated from Fayette Silverhill gradu- Echo 2016. Fol- Pvt Brave is the son County High School in Publisher Sports Editor ated from United lowing ten days of Duncan and Claudia Fayetteville, Georgia. parks@gulfcoast tony@gulfcoast States Marine home on leave he Brave of Silverhill, and He also was a member media.com media.com Corps boot camp reported to Camp the grandson of the of Boy Scout Troop 42 in at Marine Corps LeJeune for one late Gene Burton, and Silverhill and Troop 71 Cliff McCollum Classified Advertising Recruit Depot Brave month at Mili- Betty Burton also of in Fayetteville, Georgia Managing Editor Whisper Edwards Parris Island on tary Combat. Pvt Silverhill, and grandson finishing with a rank of cliff@gulfcoastmedia. whisper@gulfcoast March 8, 2019. Pvt. Brave Brave will be assigned of the late Mike Moore Life Scout. He attended com media.com successfully completed a permanent duty sta- of Anchorage, Alaska, both First Presbyterian 13 weeks of intensive tion following Military and Mary Hunter of Church of Bay Minette Allison Marlow Legal Advertising basic training at MCRD Occupation Specialty Fairbanks, Alaska. and Swift Presbyterian Senior Features Editor April Wallace Parris Island as one of communications school He attended Roberts- in Foley. allisonm@gulfcoast legals@gulfcoast media.com media.com To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at Baldwin County Master Gardeners hosting Garden Walk www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in the black toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for Baldwin County Mas- bourne Antique Rose Reserve April 4-6, at Old how to become a subscriber. or email amber@gulfcoastmedia. ter Gardeners will hold Trail in Foley. Tyme Feed in Fairhope, com. their Garden Walk on Gardens will be lo- the Coastal Alabama ©Gulf Coast Media 2019. No part of this newspaper may be May 4 from 10 a.m. until cated in the Magnolia Farmers and Fisher- reproduced without the prior written consent of the group 4 p.m. This event will Springs/Foley area from mens Market in Foley publisher or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or general columnists or those reflected in submitted letters happen rain or shine. the east side of Fish on Saturdays in April do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this Six home gardens rang- River to Foley. from 9 a.m. until noon, newspaper. ing from large to small Tickets are $15 in ad- at Earth Day Mobile Bay, The Baldwin Times (USPS 040-560) is published weekly, will be featured on the vance and $20 the day of and at Foley’s Earth Day with its office located at 901 N. McKenzie St., in Foley, AL 36535. garden walk in addition the walk. TheyGARDEN may be celebration. WALK For more in- Periodicals postage paid at Foley, AL 36535. Subscription rates: to the Magnolia Springs purchased atSATURDAY, the Spring MAYformation 4, 2019 please 10 AM-4 contact PM 251-978-9442 or marilyn- In-county annual, $38.50 plus local sales tax; six-month, $22.50 Arboretum and the Wil- Plant Sale at Weeks Bay RAINMarilyn OR SHINE Mannhard at [email protected]. plus local sales tax; senior citizen annual, $36.00 plus local sales tax; six-month, $20.50 plus local sales tax; and out-of- county annual, $78.00, six-month, $39.00. Tour six home gardens, the Magnolia Springs Arboretum, and POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Baldwin Times, the patienceFoley’s and efforts Wilbourne gether Antique to form a boardRose Trail“They’re good to go,” 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546. COMMISSION of the folks up there in and filed paperwork for Commission Chairman CONTINUED FROM 1 partnering with us to their 501c3 in order to Skip Gruber said at a make this happen.”Tickets $15 in furtheradvance, jump $20 start day the of tourrecent work session. has been a long time CommunityCash members or checks processonly (made of constructing out to BCMG) “They just need a place coming, and I appreciate have already come to- and operating the center. to do it.” For more information about ticket locations as well as updates on the tour please go to our website, www.baldwinmastergardeners.com Facebook: Baldwin County Master Gardeners Tickets will be sold beginning in March at: BCMG monthly meetings,March Spring Workshops, Spring Plant Sale, Earth Day in Fairhope and Foley, Old Tyme Feed Fairhope (in April), Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermans Market (Saturdays 9-12 am in April.) We look forward to seeing you May 4! **Proceeds benefit BCMG Scholarship Fund** For more information call 251-978-9442 or email [email protected] Gulf Coast Media • April 5, 2019 • The Baldwin Times • 3 Cottontail Express now running at Wales West Wales West RV Resort freshments, Miniature ets may be purchased tion to the Gulf Coast, parties and corporate and Light Railway is Train rides, Hayless Hay at the Railroad, or go to serving 25,000 train rid- events to school field pleased to announce rides, Playground and waleswest.com, for more ers annually, bringing trips for events and Sum- the fourteenth Annual the bounce House are in- information, to sign up Welch-style, 2-foot gauge mer Program.