“HEAL & PREVENT CHILD ABUSE IN SANTA ROSA COUNTY” Special thanks to A W A R D ● W I www.santarosakidshouse.org N N I `07 Corvette N Give-A-Way G ● Drawing June 2 ● Only 1,000 tickets sold! ● $100 / ticket 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER May 24, 2007 A tip of the mortarboard... Wildfires HBTS ravaging County board BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News [email protected] Recent wildfire outbreaks PAGE have local officials on their toes 1B ousted hoping that more of Santa Rosa BY VICI PAPAJOHN The Holley by the County’s forests don’t go up in Gulf Breeze News Sea (HBTS) smoke. Wildfires raged nation- [email protected] Homeowners wide as rainfall decreased local- ■ SRIA close to Association has suc- ly, prompting county officials to deciding hotel cessfully recalled its board of directors. The recall of pass a comprehensive burn ban. Tim Harrington, Laurie Gallup, Teresa Reilly and Lee Officials with the Naval Live definition Gardner was upheld by arbitrators of the Florida Oaks reserve near Gulf Breeze ■ PBES thrives Department of Business and Professional Regulation felt confident last week that the on May 10. 1,300-acre park would not fall ■ Bubba’s Unrest in the planned community came to a head victim to unwary flames. The last fall when a large number of Holley by the Sea Gulf Islands National Seashore Beach (HBTS) residents expressed that the neighborhood's park Superintendent Jerry Improvement Association Board of Directors proposed Eubanks said prescribed burns 2007 budget went too far, raising annual assessment carried out by his department in fees from $250 to $377 a year. Four-year HBTS resi- March should keep wildfires at dent and board member Neal Rogers cast the only vote bay. Eubanks said the park, against the budget residents claimed was too lavish. which is under federal jurisdic- WEEKEND "I felt that adding several capital projects was push- tion, also enacted a temporary Weather ing the line," Rogers said. "I didn't feel like that was burn ban for the Naval Live proper." Oaks reserve and the Fort THURSDAY 5/24 HBTS homeowners and residents began to organize Pickens Park. Partly Cloudy a petition for a special meeting to call a recall election. Pam Brannon/Gulf Breeze News “Should we have a fire, [the O More than 1,000 petitions were turned in to the board Gulf Breeze High's Class of 2007 Valedictorian Johnathan Lott (left) and prescribed burns] definitely high 84 Salutatorian Juliana Matthews led their class to receive diplomas last O in late September requesting the special meeting, but reduce the risk,” Eubanks said. low 67 the board of directors refused to certify the petitions, week at the Pensacola Civic Center. Johnathan has a scholarship to trav- “That’s their main purpose el to Mexico this summer, then will attend University of Florida next fall to according to signatories. No special meeting was along with protecting the area’s study political science. He is the son of Richard and Pat Lott. FRIDAY 5/25 called. natural ecology.” Sunny "When the board chose to ignore the petitions and Juliana will also be traveling with friends for a vacation to Mexico this Eubanks said there is an high 83O the request for a special meeting, we had two choices," summer and will also be attending University of Florida (UF) next fall, abundance of dead trees in the low 68O explains Jim Kizer, one of the leaders of the recall studying pre-medicine. Her parents are Larry and Paula Matthews of Gulf Fort Pickens Park on Pensacola Breeze. Beach but that both parks had See HBTS 6 , Page 2A6 been spared any fire outbreaks See related story and photos, page 5C See WILDFIRES SATURDAY 5/26 , Page 2A6 Partly Cloudy high 84O GB students clean up at Science O City Council grants low 69 Olympiad Nationals SUNDAY 5/27 liquor sales variance Partly Cloudy hours after the store opens. BY VICI PAPAJOHN O “No one is here from the high 85 Gulf Breeze News O [email protected] school system across the street, low 69 No one is here from the church- At its regular meeting es next door, no one is here Monday night, Gulf Breeze City from the police department,” Council approved a variance to challenged Wayne Wheatley, INSIDE allow liquor sales at the Publix Gulf Breeze business owner and Supermarket in the Sea Shell Pensacola Beach resident. “I think the logic behind the ordi- Classifieds 2-3D Collections Shopping Center. Jeff Peck, representing nance is to not subject children Community 3-5A Publix Super Markets, present- and churches to liquor sales. Crossword 3B GBMS Science Olympiad medal winners: Front Row: Nick Bookout, Seth Rejda, Nick Gupta, ed a power point detailing the This property is bordered on Editorial 6A R.J. Burns ; Back Row: Vincent Costers, Hunter Bradshaw, and Nick Musmansky chain’s organization and self- three sides by either churches or Faith 7A policing to the council. schools.” Wheatley’s son and Fun & Games 3B In accordance with city wife also spoke against the vari- Health 4B staff’s proposed stipulations, no ance. Island News 1B signage would be allowed Council man Dick Fulford voted against the variance. “I Military Appreciation 4A advertising the liquor store, and have to ask myself, ‘Am I doing Movies 3B no electronic signs would be allowed in windows advertising this for the community or for School News 6-8C business?’ I believe in the Sports 1-5C liquor brands or products. Publix Liquor Store hours integrity of the ordinance, it is Talk of the Town 5A would be held to no more than still a good thing today.” TV Listings 2B the hours of business of the gro- Gulf Breeze City Manager cery store, and Peck pledged Edwin “Buzz” Eddy asserted “Mailing Statement is that the variance allowing the on Editorial Page” that the liquor sales would actu- ally probably commence a few See Council, 2A FOUR SECTIONS VOL. 6, NO. 21 MAY 24, 2007 GBHS 2006 Science Olympiad Team - Front Row: coach Sue Cundiff and coach Robyn Just a test: City to Ludlum; Second Row: Alternate Rachel Harvey, Tiffany Sharar, Kelsey Campbell, Megan Schaeffner, Lauren Musick, and Will Dirschka; Third Row: Logan Rejda, Jake Conner, Ryan Henderson, Jon Villanueva, and Stewart Campbell; Fourth Row: Alex York, Kyle Finelli, Ryan hold hurricane drill Kent, Collin Burke, and Clayton Walden The City of Gulf Breeze will be hold- ing a hurricane exercise on June 5 to test City of Gulf Both photos courtesy of Pam Dirschka home! and identify all the key points used in Breeze Gulf Breeze middle and high school students teams in their division. the event of a disaster. The drill will excelled in this year's Science Olympiad national The Gulf Breeze High School (GBHS) team begin at approximately 8:15 a.m. and Hurricane Drill competition. The medal count was seven, in three included: Ryan Henderson, Ryan Kent, Tiffany will include placing the Daniel Dive your June 5 events, as Gulf Breeze Middle and Gulf Breeze Sharar, Jon Villanueva, Colin Burke, Kelsey traffic light on generator power. A flow High Schools represented Florida at the National Campbell, Jake Conner, Will Dirschka, Kyle chart of authority will be established for 8:15 a.m. Science Olympiad at the Wichita State University Finelli, Lauren Musick, Logan Rejda, Megan volunteer questions and answers. (WSU) campus in Kansas Saturday, May 19. Schaeffner, Clayton Walden, Stewart Williams, Santa Rosa County officials are also in the process of setting up Gulf Breeze Middle School (GBMS) partici- Alex York and alternate Rachel Harvey. The a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) at City Hall, located at 1070 pants: R.J. Burns, Seth Rejda, Nick Bookout, GBHS team placed 40th among the 60 teams in Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze. The VRC is a centralized volunteer Hunter Bradshaw, Nick Gupta, Nick Musmansky, their division. base managed by each community that is linked in one centralized Vincent Costers Nathan Gupta and Katie McIver, Both team’s coaches included teachers and par- location and the VRC that is set up during the drill will used as a Ryan Burke, Will Spearing, Joey Finelli, Eric ents from their respective schools. Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today recruitment tool for the Gulf Breeze area. Burke, Alyse Tack, Andrew Clark, Chau Ho, Evan Watch for more detailed information in next For more information, contact Santa Rosa County Emergency Bernard and alternates Sarah Woods and Alex week’s edition of Gulf Breeze News. Management at 850-983-5360 or the City of Gulf Breeze at 850- Williams. The GBMS team placed 27th among 60 Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy mailed directly to mailed directly 934-5100. GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2A May 24, 2007 GULF BREEZE NEWS WILDFIRES: Burn ban is in effect Burn ban Continued from page 1A ity,” Wolcott said. “The single to state forestry numbers, 4,893 in effect greatest cause in the district and wildfires damaged or destroyed Thursday, May 24 as of press time. in the state is escaped yard trash 330 structures and charred over Santa Rosa It is illegal to burn house- School Board Meeting, “Our biggest concern is fires.” 506,000 acres statewide that hold garbage (including paper County 10 a.m., School District Commission Shoreline Park,” said Gulf Wolcott said his department year. So far this year, 2,392 fires products), treated lumber, Administrative Offices, has dealt with three major fires have burned 418 structures and Committee Breeze Fire Chief Shane rubber materials, tires, pesti- 5086 Canal Street, Milton Meeting, 9 a.m., Carmichael.