COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 4
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JULY 5, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com |
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Baldwin EMC Youth Tour Winners Visit Washington, D.C. Sunny 105.7 golf tournament generates $7500 for charity
By CRYSTAL COLE
The inaugural “Charity Classic” sponsored by SUNNY 105.7-FM radio raised $7,500 to donate to the Baldwin County Child Advocacy Center. For more, see page 2.
crystal@gulfcoastmedia.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Baldwin EMC Youth Tour winners (from left) Carter Jernigan, Ashlyn Bankston, Rizpah Sarcar and William Randall pause for a photo during their tour of Washington, D.C. in June. SUBMITTED
The Oyster CookOff & Craft Beer Weekend releases initial chef lineup and tickets on sale The Oyster Cook-Off & Craft Beer Weekend returns to Gulf Shores, November 3. The annual cook-off is one of the country’s premier culinary events, where fans can taste oysters prepared by some of the South’s best restaurants and chefs. Want to learn some tips for the kitchen? Celebrities and James Beard Award winning chefs will be demonstrating recipes and cooking techniques. For more, see page 3.
Baldwin EMC is happy to announce its selection of four local students representing the cooperative as part of this year’s National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. They are Ashlyn Bankston from Fairhope High School, Carter Jernigan and William Randall from Daphne High School and Rizpah Sarcar from Foley High School.
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Daniel Scott Ashwander
In March, these four joined students from throughout the state for a trip to Montgomery. Their experience included tours of the Civil Rights Memorial, the Capitol and the State House Judicial Building, as well as question and answer sessions with elected officials. In June, Bankston, Jernigan, Randall and Sarcar embarked upon a week-long adventure with 1,500 students
from across the nation in Washington, D.C. Their trip included visits to the U.S. Capitol, the Korean and Vietnam memorials, Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. Participants also had the opportunity to meet with their U.S. senators and representatives. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour was created to give students an SEE YOUTH, PAGE
After a long and highly contested public hearing about a more than 400-unit subdivision on County Road 6, Gulf Shores City Council voted 4-1 to approve the new development. Adventura’s PUD calls for 404 single family homes with lot sizes ranging from 6,240-15,000 square feet. The subdivision would be rolled out in three phases over ten years. With the Sportsplex and other large residential developments on County Road 6, many speaking out against the development were concerned about traffic. Steve Griffin, city administrator, said improvements were coming to the intersection of that road and Highway 59. “Now that I’ve driven hat road firsthand, I can tell you I’ve had to wait four and five light cycles sometimes to get out,” Griffin said. “At our last retreat, the council directed Cindy (King) and I to budget into our ten-eat capital improvement plans to SEE SUBDIVISION, PAGE
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New changes coming to the Beach Expressway American Roads announces efforts to speed traffic on the Beach Express to accommodate high season traffic SUBMITTED
DEATHS
Gulf Shores approves controversial new subdivision
Getting to and from the beach is about to get faster and cheaper with the new Beach Express GO! Program. Beach Express Bridge operator, American Roads, will immediately lower tolls through Labor Day week, and increase traffic flow over the bridge. The company
is also investing $5 million for long-term improvements that will further relieve traffic congestion by spring of 2018. Going into effect June 28, Beach Express GO! will cut summer toll rates by more than 20% for visitors. Some local residents will see savings of more than 70 percent below the standard rate. Designed to
immediately ease congestion on Highway 59, the program includes a plan to move traffic more freely over the bridge during periods of high demand. “After Labor Day, we will start construction for the improvements, includ-
ing adding a third, reversible lane on the bridge to accommodate two lanes of traffic in one direction, as well as widening the toll plaza and part of the southbound Foley Beach Express by the plaza,” said Neal Belitsky, CEO
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of American Roads. “Electronic tolling will further help by eliminating the need to stop for toll payment.” Summer toll rates will be reduced from $3.50 SEE EXPRESSWAY, PAGE
Gulf Coast Media
BALDWIN LIVING, 5-6
OUT & ABOUT, 18
CLASSIFIED, 7-8
PUZZLES, 9
HEALTH, 16-17
SPORTS, 22-24
VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 28
LEGALS, 25-28
TV LISTINGS, 12-15
1 SECTION • 32 PAGES
OPINION, 10-11
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