COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 4
Farm tours highlight of ‘Ag in the Classroom’ Summer Institute
The Islander
INSIDE
JUNE 14, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com |
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75¢
Having fun raising funds
Orange Beach talks transit issues By CRYSTAL COLE crystal@gulfcoastmedia.com
GSPD Youth Academy The Gulf Shores Police Department is seeking interested, qualified candidates for its 4th annual Youth Academy. The program is intended for boys and girls in seventh to ninth grades or ages 12-15. For more, see page 31.
Kaleidoscope Summer Fine Arts Camp Pottery, painting, pastels, percussion, printmaking, drama & musical theater, sci-fi writing, dance and more - these are just some of the many facets of the fine arts that students who attend this year’s Kaleidoscope Summer Fine Arts Camp will have the opportunity to experience. For more on the camp, put on in part by the Gulf Coast Arts Alliance, jump to page 3.
DEATHS
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Marjorie Mae Burch Mary M. Burkhardt Billy Roy Clarke Voncil Taylor Statom Faust Lillie Myrle Flowers Harriet Lipton Theron R. Mozingo Jr. George J. Noffsinger Velma Cozette Phillips Knolton Robinson
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ORANGE BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT
Citizens and tourists alike flocked to the Orange Beach Community Center to grab some BBQ and support the city’s fire department. In its 51st year, the annual cookout fundraiser served up BBQ plates, sandwiches, bulk meat and whole butts.
Gulf Shores considers wetland preservation purchase By CRYSTAL COLE crystal@gulfcoastmedia.com
Last November, the city of Gulf Shores was awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, which was Transocean/BP penalty money, for a Bon Secour/Oyster Bay wetland acquisition project that the council could soon vote to approve. Dan Bond, the city’s Environmental/Grants Coordinator, said the contract could be a great benefit for the city and its surrounding natural resources. “This project will protect and preserve 836 acres of diverse coastal habitat located within the city limits of Gulf Shores,” Bond said. “Marshes,
maritime forests and freshwater swamps located in this area are important habitat for many species. It also plays a crucial impact in the water quality and ecology of the Oyster Bay and Bon Secour watersheds.” The total project cost is nearly $8.3 million and includes nearly $7.6 million in acquisition funds and $663,846.27 for due diligence and conservation plan development activities. “It’s a really great opportunity for the city to protect and preserve a large area of undisturbed habitat located within the city limits,” Bond said. “It will be really important for our environment moving forward.” An additional $665,275 has been set aside by the NFWF for restoration actives to be part of a future funding agreement
based on the final management plan. Mayor Robert Craft asked if there would be opportunities for public access so people could enjoy the properties that could be purchased. Bond said there would be. “As part of the management plan, we will look at incorporating some passive recreational opportunities in the wetlands in the form of nature park trails, wetland boardwalks and things like that,” Bond said. “Low-impact, passive recreational opportunities which are really good for the community and provide good educational opportunities.” Craft asked if the purchase would also preclude the properties from being developed, SEE WETLAND, PAGE
Orange Beach officials said they want to further consider their options on a potential transit feasibility study for a city trolley system, as they wait to see if ridesharing systems like Uber and Lyft are coming to the city. Councilman Jeff Silvers said he wasn’t sure the city was ready to move forward with the transit system right now. “I think we left there supportive of it, but we’re looking for the county commission’s support on it,” Silvers said. “I don’t know that if our vendors like Perdido Beach Resorts and some of our bigger venues are in support of it, so I just don’t know where we’re at. I think we need participation for this to be successful.” Silvers said the city had tried it’s own system years ago, but it did not have great success. The first system we had - it was a little bit before it’s time,” Silvers said. “Where we are with this - I don’t know. I haven’t had a whole lot of discussion with you about this.” Councilman Jerry Johnson said the planning for the proposed public transit trolley had been going on for some time and would likely come for a vote at the next council meeting. “I think what we want to do is at the next meeting have discussion, but we probably need to go ahead and vote at the next meeting,” Johnson said. “It’s going to take the city helping to stand it up.” Johnson said he wasn’t sure the trolley system would necessarily address all of Orange Beach’s traffic issues. “We have a congestion problem,” Johnson said. “We don’t have a traffic problem, so when SEE TRANSIT, PAGE
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Compromise solution floated on red snapper season By CRYSTAL COLE crystal@gulfcoastmedia.com
A possible extension of the federal red snapper season could be coming soon, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Acting Commissioner Chris Blankenship has taken part
in talks with federal officials to possibly extend the federal season for recreational fishing to Labor Day weekend. The negotiations have included leaders from across the state and other officials in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Texas, as well as officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Each state is working out how a compromise could work for its waters. For Alabama, the current proposal would create a 27day season that could begin as soon as June 17 to allow fishing in federal waters every Saturday and Sunday until after Labor Day weekend. The SEE SNAPPER, PAGE
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Gulf Coast Media
BALDWIN LIVING, 5-7
OUT & ABOUT, 22
CLASSIFIED, 24
PUZZLES, 8
HEALTH, 20-23
SPORTS, 11-13
VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 25
LEGALS, 25-29
TV LISTINGS, 14-17
1 SECTION • 32 PAGES
OPINION, 9-10