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Credit cards welcome A W A R D ● W I N N I N G 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER December 10, 2009 Project Grad poised to Breakfast With Ol’ Saint Nick Zoo award $10K By Lisa Newell gets One lucky ticket holder will walk away with $10,000 this Sunday after winning the Project Graduation drawing. new This year’s co-chairs, Deborah Buchalter and Michelle Sarra, devised the fundraiser as a way to raise life addition funds to cover the See PROJECT , Page 2A ■ Zoo Northwest Florida sold to WEEKEND Virginia zoo owner Weather BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News THURSDAY 12/10 [email protected] Partly Cloudy high 56O The Zoo Northwest O Florida in Gulf Breeze has low 40 been sold. It will reopen as a zoo in 2010, in late FRIDAY 12/11 winter or early spring, Showers according to zoo founder O Pat Quinn. high 56 “Everything was final- O low 49 ized last Friday,” Quinn said Tuesday. “Eric SATURDAY 12/12 Morgenson is the new owner, and he owns two Showers other zoos. He knows the O high 63 business and has been low 52O working in zoos since he Joe Culpepper/Gulf Breeze News was six years old. I have Isabella Morford confides her Christmas wish list with Santa Claus during Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church’s annual SUNDAY 12/13 known him since 1982.” ‘Breakfast With Santa’ event on Saturday, Dec. 5. Isabella, the daughter of Janet Morford of Gulf Breeze, will celebrate her 4th The Zoo has been Mostly Sunny birthday on Friday, Dec. 11. She hopes to get presents then and on Christmas Day. See additional photos, page 4B closed since August. O high 63 See ZOO, Page 2A low 50O Parade Grand Marshall DeMaria nabs Grammy nomination INSIDE to pick ‘top hat’ award ■ Soundtrack achievements in the ■ Gulf Breeze holiday in an antique car ‘Siyotanka’ up for music industry. They are Crossword puzzle 3B widely regarded as the event will honor memory during the parade highest honor Classifieds 3D and was cheered highest honor a musician Community 3-8A of late Mayor Gilchrist on by Gulf Gulf Breeze resident can earn. Entertainment 2B Breeze residents. and Pensacola musician DeMaria’s soundtrack Felonies 2A BY JOE CULPEPPER Gilchrist’s Dr. Michael Brant ‘Siyotanka’ is nominated Island News 1D Gulf Breeze News presence will be DeMaria has been nomi- for Best Native American Obituaries 7A [email protected] sorely missed, Suzie nated for a Grammy Music Album. He com- Gilchrist Opinion 6A but his memory Award and will attend the posed and performed the Late Mayor Lane Gilchrist music for Pensacola Sports 1-8C and humor live on. A special 2010 Grammy Awards had a great sense of humor and Little Theatre’s 2008 pro- Talk of the Town 5A award – the ‘Top Hat Award’ – ceremony in Los Angeles always loved the Gulf Breeze will be given Saturday to the on Jan. 31. duction of the same “Mailing Statement Holiday Parade, which returns parade entry that best exempli- Grammy Awards are name. The play, co-writ- on Editorial Page” to the streets of Gulf Breeze at fies Gilchrist’s positive spirit. presented annually by the ten by Dr. Stephen C. 10 a.m. Saturday. Lott, was inspired by a FOUR SECTIONS See PARADE, Page 2A National Academy of Gilchrist, who sadly passed traditional Lakota legend VOL. 8, NO. 50 Recording Arts and away June 12, traditionally Related inside DECEMBER 10, 2009 Dr. Michael Brant DeMaria Sciences for outstanding See DEMARIA, Page 3A sported a “top hat” as he rode ■ Parade route, 2A home! your Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy mailed directly to mailed directly GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2 A December 10, 2009 GULF BREEZE NEWS PROJECT: Proposed parking regulations Only 500 stall compromise implementation Thursday, December 10 County Administrative tickets will The new ordinance propos- discussion, and it’s often been Center, 6495 Caroline BY VICI PAPAJOHN als differentiate between park- vociferously debated here at Santa Rosa County Street, Milton be sold Gulf Breeze News ing and storing and currently City Hall and at the Rec Center Commission 9 a.m., County [email protected] Santa Rosa Island include: meetings. We are truly trying Administrative Center, 6495 Authority Committee Caroline Street, Milton Continued from page 1A ■ Recreational vehicles, to reach a middle ground.” 5 p.m., SRIA The battle between beautifi- Santa Rosa County School campers, buses, trucks and Allan Little, who has partic- Headquarters, 1 Via de cation and property rights Board 9 a.m., District $25,000 expense for the all- trailers or commercial vehicles ipated in the discussion all Luna Drive, Pensacola erupted again during the Dec. Headquarters, 5086 Canal night substance-free party that may not be stored on right of year, took exception only to Beach 2 Gulf Breeze City Council Street, Milton keeps approximately 400 grad- way areas of city streets the section regulating private City of Gulf Breeze Executive Meeting. Santa Rosa County uates safe on graduation night. ■ Recreational vehicles, property and the number of Executive Committee “I want to remind you all Commission Special This year, Gulf Breeze sen- campers, buses, trucks and trailers, boats and recreational 6:30 p.m., City Hall, that this is not a public hearing Rezoning 6 p.m., County iors will graduate on Friday, trailers parked on residential vehicles that could be parked 1070 Shoreline Drive, per se,” Mayor Beverly Administrative Center, 6495 June 4, and the temptation to parcels must be maintained on any residential lot within Gulf Breeze Zimmern counseled the audi- Caroline Street, Milton celebrate is strong. Project and appear to be in working the city. Santa Rosa Fire ence to open the discussion. Graduation provides entertain- order and must have a valid “The right of way belongs Department Executive “We are here to gather input ment, usually at a water park or license tag or registration decal to the city, and I believe my Saturday, December 12 Group 6:30 p.m., 4499 and discuss this only as a draft similar attraction, for graduates attached; property belongs to me,” Little Gulf Breeze Holiday Pine Forest Road, Milton of an ordinance that has that will keep them off the high- ■ Area under and around a said. “I own a boat and a trail- Parade & Santa Fest! 9 a.m.- evolved after over a year-and- ways and away from illegal stored RV, camper, bus, truck, er, and my son owns a jet ski. 2 p.m., Gulf Breeze High a-half of meetings some of you Thursday, December 17 substances until about 5 a.m. trailer, boat or commercial According to this, I’d be in School, 675 Gulf Breeze have attended.” Gulf Breeze Area Chamber the following morning. vehicle shall be kept clear of violation in my own front yard. Parkway, Gulf Breeze Resident Otto Prochaska of Commerce Member Only 500 tickets will be sold debris, junk, parts, castoff or I think the personal vendetta said he could not take offense Appreciation Breakfast 7 for the drawing. If all tickets are overgrown vegetative materi- (Ellie) Ackley has against her to any rulings adopted regard- Monday, December 14 a.m., Andrews Performance not sold by Friday, the organiz- al; neighbors is getting out of ing public rights of way, but South Santa Rosa Utilities and Research Pavilion, ers will delay the drawing until ■ No more than two RVs, hand. We have a right to enjoy was very offended by what he Board 7 p.m., City Hall, 1070 Andrews Institute, Gulf Breeze January. See the Web site for campers, buses, flatbeds or our own property.” saw as regulation of how he Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze City of Gulf Breeze details and official rules. other such vehicles shall be “This has been going on for Architectural Review Board The grand prize winner gets could use his own property and stored on any residential lot (or over a year, and I believe that I driveway. Wednesday, December 16 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 1070 $10,000 if present at any combination thereof); represent the silent majority Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze Hemingway’s Restaurant on “The issue here is more pri- ■ Any person in violation tonight,” Ellie Ackley, Santa Rosa County Tourist Pensacola Beach between 2 and vate property usage and of the rules shall be issued a Beautification Committee Development Council Board 5 p.m. on Sunday. If the winner rights,” he said. “I restore cars Notice of Violation and be Chair, responded. “We have 3 p.m., Visitors Center, 8543 Monday, December 21 is not present, the prize is and sometimes have multiple allowed seven calendar days to been encouraged to improve Navarre Parkway, Navarre Gulf Breeze City Council reduced to $7,500 and another vehicles that I’m working on. I conform. the look of Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa County Aviation 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 1070 ticket is drawn for $2,500. don’t see where that needs to ■ Residents be allowed to also be a part of standards Advisory Committee 5 p.m., Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze Tickets will be available up be someone else’s business.” have “designated” parking common in the 21st century.