A W A R Call 934-6200 D ● W jmillers.com I ● Gulf Breeze N ● Pensacola N I ● Destin N G 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER November 27, 2008 to be Robber’s Thankful walking identity remains Holidays even more a mystery BY JOE CULPEPPER meaningful Gulf Breeze News [email protected] Gifts ideas for her. Pg. B1 for Freeman Pam Brannon/GBN The unidentified bandit who Lane Lynchard (left) robbed the Pen Air/Members BY PAM BRANNON accepts congratulations First Credit Union on Nov. 13 from Judge Robert Hilliard. Gulf Breeze News [email protected] remains at large, and authorities WEEKEND have little to go on to try and Weather Heather Freeman’s family was identify him. Gulf Breeze Deputy Police THURSDAY 11/27 Lynchard told on April 13, 2007 that they were lucky she was alive, but the Chief Robert Randle said Partly Cloudy Monday that surveillance video O doctors did not know if they high 72 gets right could save her foot and she prob- in the credit union failed to low 56O ably would never walk again. reveal specifics about the sus- Freeman, a Gulf Breeze moth- pect’s identity. “It happened so fast,” FRIDAY 11/28 to work er of three and a very active vol- unteer in Gulf Breeze High Randle said. “He was only in Few Showers the credit union for 39 seconds, O School booster groups, had just high 75 for county survived a head-on crash on and the video shows nothing O low 54 Scenic Highway. But two weeks other than he was wearing ago, she finished her third season jeans and a dark, hooded top. BY PAM BRANNON Submitted photos Witnesses (in the bank) said he SATURDAY running the concession stand for 11/29 Gulf Breeze News Gulf Breeze High football games, was wearing a mask, but you [email protected] Few Showers and she drove herself to the stadi- Heather Freeman is really couldn’t tell what kind from the video. He was moving O um to get everything set up and thankful to be able to hold high 70 Lane Lynchard of Gulf her granddaughter, Skylar, around the room so fast that O finished the season on her feet. low 40 Breeze started his job as Santa a year after a horrific car “A few days after my surgery you couldn’t make much out.” Rosa County Commissioner accident made it unclear when my doctor stood at the foot A robber thought to be a even before he took his oath of whether she would ever SUNDAY of my bed and said how close to white male in his 20s entered 11/30 office. The week before his walk again. Heather spent normal I would get would be up the credit union on the east end Partly Cloudy swearing-in ceremonies he was months in rehabilitation, to me, I knew what I had to do,” of Live Oak Village Shopping O in Tallahassee for the Small and she relied on her high 62 Freeman recalls. “I knew God Center around 2:12 p.m. on O Counties Coalition conference. husband, Rich, and her low 43 had brought me through that Nov. 13. He went behind the “It was like a welcome and children to get through the crash for some reason, and I counter, stuffed an undisclosed an orientation for new commis- painful ordeal. knew I could not let Him, or my amount of money into a dark sioners of small counties in family – or myself – down. I had bag, pointed a weapon at a Florida,” Lynchard explained. INSIDE to fight to get back to normal as patron and fled through the “It was a good first meeting for front door. He ducked into the See WALK, Page 4A6 me to attend, since it involved nearby woods and made his get- other counties of about the Related inside away in a red-colored SUV Classifieds 3D same size as ours who are fac- ■ Joe Culpepper column: from adjacent private property. College Football 7C ing a lot of the same challenges It’s been a difficult year, but The property owner, return- Community 3-8A as we do. It was a good chance there still is plenty for which ing from an errand, encountered Crossword 3B to see how other counties are to be thankful. 6A the fleeing bandit’s vehicle on See LYNCHARD Entertainment 2-3B , Page 2A6 See ROBBERY, Page 2A6 Holiday Gift Guide 1B Island News 1D SoundWave standouts poised Obituaries 7A Opinion 6A Seniors 7A for Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Sports 1-6C Gulf Breeze News Talk of the Town 5A ance for more than 50 million Three Gulf Breeze High WHERE TO TUNE TV viewers watching the broad- “Mailing Statement School Marching Band mem- cast live on NBC. is on Editorial Page” bers have been selected to ■ What: 82nd Macy’s Jeffrey, a senior, will play piccolo. Baines, a junior, and FOUR SECTIONS march in the Macy’s Great Thanksgiving Day Sessa, also a junior, will play VOL. 7, NO. 48 American Marching Band dur- Parade trumpet and baritone, respec- NOVEMBER 27, 2008 ing the 82nd Annual Macy’s ■ When: Thursday, tively, during the parade. Thanksgiving Day Parade in Nov. 27, 8 a.m. CST Submitted photo The three are members of the The Gulf Breeze High School SoundWave Band will be well- New York City on Nov. 27. ■ Where: WPMI-TV, All-Superior Gulf Breeze High represented Thursday when they perform as members of Omari Baines, Alicia Jeffrey NBC-15, Mobile School SoundWave Marching the Macy’s Great American Marching Band during the 82nd and Marc Sessa will join stu- Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. dents from every state as mem- band under the direction of Mr. Local students include, from left: Alicia Jeffrey, Omari bers of the elite marching band. 2.5 million spectators before Neal McLeod. The trio departed Baines and Marc Sessa. The Gulf Breeze teens will be seen Stepping off from Central Park, arriving at Macy’s Herald for New York City on Saturday, home! by an estimated 50 million viewers on NBC-TV. the band will be cheered live by Square for its national perform- See MACY’S, Page 2A6 your SPORTS LETTERS TO SANTA ISLAND NEWS GBHS grads Noelle It’s time for Gulf Authorities try to Robles and Kaley Breeze children determine what Morris help UWF to write their letters caused a huge Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today reach the Division to Santa Claus. house fire last II soccer Final Four Learn how to do so Monday night Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy mailed directly to mailed directly next weekend in on Page 6A at Pensacola Tampa. Page 1C Beach. Page 1D GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2A November 27, 2008 GULF BREEZE NEWS Man, 24, found dead in front yard Thursday, Nov. 27 Mandatory Holiday Parade Participants Gulf Breeze News Thanksgiving Day, all fed- Meeting 5:30 p.m., A 24-year-old man was eral, state and local govern- South Santa Rosa mental agencies closed; Gulf found dead of unknown causes Recreation Center, 800 Breeze Area Chamber of Shoreline Drive, Gulf Sunday morning in his parents’ Commerce closed front yard on Sandy Ridge Breeze Drive in the Whisper Bay sub- Friday, Nov. 28 Tuesday, Dec. 9 division in Gulf Breeze. Gulf Breeze City Hall Santa Rosa The incident is still under closed in observance of investigation by the Santa Rosa County District 5 Thanksgiving Recreation Advisory Sheriff’s Office. Committee 3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 1 South Santa Rosa Allentown couple Vici Papajohn/Gulf Breeze News Gulf Breeze City Council Service Center, 5841 Gulf dies in Sunday blaze City Council members were honored for their 2008 service at last week’s meeting, and 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers, Breeze Parkway, Gulf Councilman Tim Hoffman was praised and recognized for 15 years of service. ABOVE: Gulf Breeze City Hall, 1070 Breeze Beverly Zimmern, J.B. Schluter, Mayor Lane Gilchrist, Tim Hoffman and Dick Fulford show Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze Santa Rosa County An Allentown couple, the wooden clipboards and the “whopping $1” they received. Santa Rosa County Marine Advisory 5 p.m., Ingram Lamar Ward, 81, Commission Special County Administrative Center, and his wife, Dorothy Rezoning 6 p.m., County 6495 Caroline Street, Milton Verburg Ward, 72, died Council raises base rate fees Administrative Center, 6495 Midway Fire District Caroline Street, Milton Commission 7 p.m., 1322 Sunday night as a result College Parkway, Gulf Breeze of a fire that destroyed ■ Sewer, stormwater energy and maintenance as fac- Drainage projects totaling Tuesday, Dec. 2 their home at 5484 Lamar tors necessitating the increases. $400,000, a Compressed Natural increases ‘necessary’ Navarre Beach Park Wednesday, Dec. 10 Ward Lane. During the meeting, the coun- Gas Compression station worth Public Workshop 6 p.m. Santa Rosa County Tourist The Wards had been cil also amended the natural gas $220,000, Fleet vehicles worth Navarre High School cafeteria, Development South End BY VICI PAPAJOHN rates. Eddy described the $233,000, Playground Equip- 8600 High School Boulevard, Committee 9 a.m., Visitors’ married for 52 years. Gulf Breeze News increase as a "flow-through" rate ment worth $75,000 and Navarre Center, 8543 Navarre Parkway, [email protected] that only compensated for sea- $115,000 for the Fire Boat were Navarre Gulf Breeze City Council sonal increases and decreases. included in place of the soccer Wednesday, Dec. 3 City of Gulf Breeze Executive Committee 6:30 unanimously approved hikes in "Those customers who use natu- field expansion project.