COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 3 Hurricane Preparedness Expo The Islander PAGE 34 INSIDE MAY 31, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Long road to retirement Volunteer fire Orange Beach police department officer to retire expands services This new arrange- after decades in law ment gives Gulf Shores a staffed fire PHOTO BY ALLISON MARLOW/ SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR enforcement CUTLINE: A North American T-28 is refueled at Jack Edwards National Airport. Currently private planes make station with advanced up much of the traffic that arrives at the airfield. Authorities hope to attract more charter flights and eventu- life support capa- ally have regularly scheduled regional flights. bilities in the grow- ing area of Huggers Landing/ Oyster Bay, Airport eyes more traffic, tourism dramatically reduc- ing average response times to calls for Jack Edwards National Airport continues to increase service. For more, see page 33. growth and attract businesses By ALLISON MARLOW tional Airport. The 7,000-foot-long runway can Senior Features Editor already accommodate large passenger jets. As the second busiest airport in the state of PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF Jack Edwards National Airport is as large, geo- Alabama, the airport currently caters mainly to ORANGE BEACH graphically speaking, as it can be. military aircraft and personally-owned aircraft. Corporal Travis Long was awarded his Now, officials there are aiming to make it the Chartered aircraft owned by sport teams or re- duty weapon and badge as part of his most popular destination for charter jets and re- sorts also utilize our facilities. retirement benefits by the Orange Beach gional passengers. That is the crowd Fuller said the airport City Council. Chief Fierro and Cpl Long Scott Fuller, airport manager, said there are were present to accept the accolades. no plans to physically expand Jack Edwards Na- SEE AIRPORT, PAGE 2 By CRYSTAL COLE [email protected] During their last council meeting, Orange Beach city council members YES, Gulf Shores can took time to honor departing Or- City partners with Mobile, USA ange Beach Police Corporal Travis Biscuit title comes Long. to Orange Beach for worker training program Long will be retiring from the Local chef Kim Orange Beach Police Department Asbury competed By CRYSTAL COLE on June 1 after 12 years with the de- [email protected] partment. in the International Long has had a 25-year career in Biscuit Festival in The city of Gulf Shores recently announced a PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA law enforcement, starting Sheffield Knoxville recently partnership with the city of Mobile and the Uni- Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson (left) and Gulf Shores from 1991 to 2001 as a sergeant and and came away a big versity of Alabama to help bring jobs to young Mayor Robert Craft (right) look on as Lynne Chronis- then as an investigator and detective winner. To see what people this summer. ter, USA vice president for research and economic in Daphne until 2005. she won, jump to The Youth Empowered for Success, or YES, development, addresses a news conference about Orange Beach Police Chief Joe Fi- their partnership. page 33. program is a pilot program which will help pro- erro said Long has been a great help vide local youths with job opportunities and a and credit to the police department. chance to develop useful work skills. nership provides a notable example of the mean- “He has been a huge asset in the “Investing in our young people by providing ingful progress that can be achieved through short period of time I’ve been with workplace training will enable them to be suc- regional collaboration.” the city,” Fierro said. “He’s one of cessful in life and will help to ensure our region Officials said the program began from Gulf our field training officers and has has the skilled workforce necessary to support Shores’ annual need for seasonal workers, Mo- been a model officer for all of these DEATHS PAGE 20 the growing needs of our businesses,” said Gulf bile’s needs to provide jobs to young people and new officers coming in.” Shores Mayor Robert Craft during a joint news Mary Virginia Branch conference held recently in Mobile. “This part- SEE TRAINING, PAGE 2 SEE OFFICER, PAGE 2 Altherr James L. McNeill Eleanor Morin Mildred Brooks Vernon By CRYSTAL COLE zoned areas at the beach and the Bauer said standalone food [email protected] Waterway Village district. trucks would not be allowed by this Food truck Gulf Shores Planning Director amendment and were not being Food trucks may soon have a Andy Bauer clarified what would considered at this time. amendment welcomed place in Gulf Shores, be considered a mobile vending Bauer said the city had been ap- as the city council voted May 22 to court for the council and crowd. proached by several people about allow for mobile vendor courts to “Mobile vendor court is defined a mobile vendor court idea, which rolls through be built within the city. as a vacant property with a mini- led to the city looking at how they The change was part of an or- mum of three mobile vendors,” could facilitate that. dinance amendment that would Bauer said. “This could be food Bauer said the approval process council allow the courts within the city trucks, this could be some other would be a conditional use permit, limits in business tourism (BT) type of portable vending unit.” SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 4 INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 5-7 PUZZLES, 12 Coast CLASSIFIED, 10-11 SPORTS, 13-15 Media HEALTH, 22-25 TV LISTINGS, 16-19 VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 23 LEGALS, 26-31 1 SECTION • 36 PAGES OPINION, 8-9 2 • The Islander • May 31, 2017 • Gulf Coast Media AIRPORT of its main tourism mar- count expands, so does the LuLu’s Hospitality are president for research kets. Those places include amount of money spent by TRAINING among the businesses and economic develop- CONTINUED FROM 1 Louisiana, Mississippi and visitors outside the airport CONTINUED FROM 1 that will employ the stu- ment at the university. Texas, which all ranked in gate. Fuller said thousands dents. “In these classes, we’re authority wants to bring to the top six places planes of indirect jobs may be the university’s hospital- The City of Mobile, in going to teach these town, and more often. originated from entering created as more planes, ity and tourism training cooperation with the Mo- young people about hos- “We want quality Gulf Shores last year. and more passengers, are program. bile County Public School pitality, and how they can growth,” Fuller said. “We Those planes will hold 50 brought in. One hundred young System’s transportation use it on the job.” want to make a good im- passengers or fewer. Fuller “The investments they’re people from Mobile, department, and the City Chronister added the pact.” said there are no plans to making are setting up the who have already been of Gulf Shores, in coop- program will provide The airport already had bring large legacy carriers airport for future oppor- selected, will undertake eration with the Baldwin other possibilities. the runway, and recently or overseas flights to Gulf tunities and investments,” FLIGHT training at South Regional Area Transit “Not only do they have completed work on a new Shores. said Lee Lawson, President Alabama’s department of System, will provide free a summer job, but they apron to park the airplanes. “Baldwin County doesn’t and CEO of Baldwin Coun- tourism and hospitality bus transportation for the may have a career path Now, Fuller and his fulltime have the population to sup- ty’s Economic Development for two weeks. After earn- students. as well,” Chronister staff of two are working to- port that,” he said. Alliance. ing their certificates, the “USA is really honored said. “We think this is a ward earning Part 139 Air- With each bump in The private jet owners students will work for a to be a part of this pro- wonderful opportunity port Certification, meaning passenger count, Jack are also the same people the variety of businesses in gram, which can become for area youth to learn they will be able to serve Edwards will inch closer alliance is hoping to reach Gulf Shores. a model locally as well as about South’s hospitality scheduled and unscheduled to earning more money with the ‘Business Where Brett-Robinson, Meyer nationally with everyone and tourism program as aircraft with up to 31 seats. from the FAA for airport You Beach’ campaign, Real Estate, Spectrum working together,” said well.” To earn the certifica- improvements. Currently intended to sway business Resorts, Kiva Dunes and Lynne Chronister, vice tion, the airport staff has the airport receives $150,000 owners who vacation here to boost their record keep- a year, minimum. Once the to make the gulf a perma- ing operations, inspect the annual passenger count nent business home. airfield twice daily as well reaches 10,000, the airport “We know that a large OFFICER Long said he just felt longer just to be able to as other daily tasks. Fuller will receive a minimum of collection of folks coming it was the best time for continue to work with CONTINUED FROM 1 said they are working on $1 million in federal money to our community are high him to be able to enjoy Fierro. making the reports digital. to improve its facilities. net worth individuals who quality time with his “I have been strug- “It’s very labor inten- At the top of the to-do are also a business decision Long said deciding to loved ones.