News Herald (Panama City, FL) articles from August 2011

News Herald (Panama City, FL) archives from August 2011

Volleyball: Arnold pushes past county rival Rutherford.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- If Arnold was to take a step backward this year on the volleyball court, Tuesday night's match against county rival Rutherford didn't indicate any of that. Arnold was the steadier, more...

Volleyball: Mosley veterans pave way past Bay.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- Mosley is a volleyball program with a solid foundation. Bay is one trying to find its footing. Both points were apparent on Tuesday. The Dolphins' senior-laden attack led Mosley to a 25-7, 25-7,...

Club Fusion finishes 43rd at volleyball nationals.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 31--It wasn't a finish to inspire, nor was it one to invite scorn. The Club Fusion 18-under volleyball team from Bay County fared much like the other representatives from the Gulf Coast Region in the recent 2011 USAV...

Commission has say over hospital plan.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Felicia Kitzmiller Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- As a Bay County commissioner for more than a cumulative decade, George Gainer has cast a number of difficult votes. He's given and taken away jobs and had a hand in spending billions in tax...

Bay Med seeks to go private.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Chris Segal Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- Its campus has seen changes and growth since the hospital's 1949 inception, but Bay Medical Center may soon undergo the biggest change of the organization's history. To compete in the current health...

Prescription assistance office opens in north Bay County.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Meridith Kaufman Aug. 31--SOUTHPORT -- The Bay County Health Department formally announced Tuesday its partnership with Deerpoint Lake Assembly of God at the grand opening of the county's second prescription assistance location. ...

First responders to be honored.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Randal Yakey Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- They are on the job -- day and night -- to ensure the community is safe and protected. The "first responders" play a serious role in the community, and a special appreciation is planned for...

Officer bitten on the head outside rescue mission.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Chris Olwell Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- A police officer was bitten on the head by a man who had been asked to leave the Panama City Rescue Mission after a confrontation with a staff member Tuesday afternoon. Staff at the shelter...

Man the latest shooting victim at KJ's bar.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Chris Olwell Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- A man was shot early Sunday at a bar on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Police are still investigating the incident and have not released the victim's identity, according to Sgt. Jeff Becker...

No day is typical day at the animal shelter.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth Aug. 31--LYNN HAVEN -- While Ramona Bibbs moved around the Lynn Haven Animal Shelter on Tuesday afternoon, Sugar was right on her heels. She waited expectantly by the door for her caregiver to walk through, licked her arm...

BRIEF: Road blocked by crash.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--Authorities are on the scene of a vehicle crash on Old Bicycle Road in the area of Tracy Drive, according to the Florida Highway Patrol website. One person was injured in the wreck, which was reported at 7:16 a.m., and the road is...

Varsity sports on horizon for North Bay Haven.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY -- While much of the news concerning North Bay Haven Charter Academy has been about where the school eventually will be located, little has been written about the athletic landscape entered last year by...

2011 Bay County boys/girls swimming capsules.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 31--Bay County boys/girls swimming preview capsules Boys Arnold --Head coach: Sara Patton, third year. --2010: First in District 1-1A and third in Region 1-1A while establishing 11 school records. At the...

Mosley opens regular season against talented Wakulla.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 31--LYNN HAVEN -- Mosley coach Perry Brown agreed that last week's kickoff classic against Rutherford didn't have the feel of a preseason game. Especially late in the fourth quarter when the Rams were driving to a...

Arnold has Williams in tow, still faces stiff challenge.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 31--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- First things first: Alabama verbal commitment Eddie Williams will play on Thursday for Arnold when Pace invades the Mike Gavlak Sports Complex at 7 p.m. The senior safety/wide...

Bucks rout Seahawks.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 31--SAND HILLS -- Bozeman has high expectations entering the new Rural division. Coach Loren Tillman hopes Friday showed the rest of the classification what the Bucks are capable of on the field. Bozeman scored on six...

Spurlock back, wants to go the distance for Seminoles.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 31--TALLAHASSEE -- It hasn't been forever since David Spurlock played in a game, but it sure feels like it for the Florida State senior offensive lineman. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound guard was brought along slowly...

FAU hopes for recharged offense against Gators.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 31--GAINESVILLE -- It's appropriate that when Florida football coach Will Muschamp takes the field this Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium he'll see Howard Schnellenberger pacing the opposing sideline. ...

ACC Notes: Morris to lead 'Canes in opener against Terps.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 31--CORAL GABLES -- Miami coach Al Golden said Wednesday the Hurricanes are ready to move forward after the NCAA suspended eight players for roles in a booster scandal. Miami opens the season against Atlantic...

SEC Notes: QBs can't shoulder all of the blame.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 31--Quarterbacks can be only as good as the players around them. Prototypical arm strength and accuracy are of little use when a quarterback is delivering passes to receivers and tailbacks who can't catch the...

GC women's volleyball team win home opener.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY -- Life is a lot more pleasant when it's enjoyable to go to work every day. There were smiles aplenty after Gulf Coast polished off a 25-15, 21-25, 25-22, 25-14 victory over visiting Faulkner State...

Study suggests switching to coins could save billions, but some say not so fast.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Randal Yakey Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY -- Saving $5.5 billion dollars over 30 years may not seem like much when you're talking about a country the size of the U.S. with an annual budget of $3.7 trillion. But every little bit helps. ...

PCB Optimist Club endows Troy P.C. scholarship.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Chris Segal Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY -- The first recipient of a newly endowed scholarship at Troy University's Panama City site is a single-mother of three who is looking to be a role model. The Panama City Beach Optimist Club...

New Grand Lagoon Bridge officially open.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Felicia Kitzmiller Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- More than a decade of advocacy, two years of construction and traffic tie-ups and $17.5 million in federal money culminated with the slicing of a simple ribbon Monday morning at the...

EPA seeks comments on drilling air quality.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting public comment on an air quality permit sought by a company that plans to conduct exploratory oil drilling 200 miles off the coast of...

Fire Hydrant Flush August 2011.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--The Panama City Utilities and Fire Departments will be flushing fire hydrants for the following neighborhoods between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.: --Zone 22 -- west of MLK Jr. Boulevard, east of Harrison Avenue between 15th Street and 23rd...

BRIEF: Investigators looking for man who wrote bad checks.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--The Bay County Sheriff's Office is looking for a man who cashed a fictitious check at a local financial institution for a large amount of money, officials wrote in a news release. The same man was observed at three different...

Southerland addresses criticism.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Randal Yakey Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- Congressman Steve Southerland said Monday he would continue to fight for his district no matter how much heat he took from Washington insiders. Southerland, R-Panama City, was the keynote...

Results pending in Rusty Hill death investigation.
August 30, 2011... Byline: S. Brady Calhoun Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- It's been almost two months since the president of Panama City Toyota was found dead in his estranged wife's swimming pool in the Glades Subdivision, but the cause of Rusty Hill's death...

Bay Med to seek privatization.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Chris Segal Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY -- The only public non-profit hospital in Bay County took key steps Tuesday to take the facility private. The Bay Medical Center's Board of Trustees learned Tuesday that hospital administrators are...

The News Herald, Panama City, Fla., Scene of the Crime column.(Column)
August 30, 2011... Byline: S. Brady Calhoun Aug. 30--Not a week goes by that I don't get asked about Rusty Hill's death. So, this week I wrote a second story about it just to let you folks know the status of the investigation. You can read it here. The...

Gators release depth chart for season opener.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 30--GAINESVILLE -- It's time to put names and faces to the X's and O's. Florida football coach Will Muschamp released his Week 1 depth chart Monday in advance of Saturday's season opener against Florida Atlantic...

Finch not averse to making driver changes when warranted.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 30--Landon Cassill remains the primary driver with James Finch's Phoenix Racing team, but Finch isn't hesitating to pull a switch behind the wheel when he sees the need. Mike Bliss took Cassill's place driving...

Ebro: Three-race winners top Mega Morris eliminations.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 30--EBRO -- Carl Landers and Lori Keith head into the final round of eliminations for Saturday's Mega Morris Stakes with three wins apiece at Ebro Greyhound Park. Both are Ray Thurber Kennel greyhounds and top the...

Bay Med seeks to go private.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Chris Segal Aug. 30--PANAMA CITY -- Its campus has seen changes and growth since the hospital's 1949 inception, but Bay Medical Center may soon undergo the biggest change of the organization's history. To compete in the current health...

Tyndall Air and Space Commands to remain intact.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Randal Yakey Aug. 30--TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE -- In an about-face, the U.S. Air Force will keep two operations centers separate, possibly saving hundreds of jobs linked to Tyndall Air Force Base. The Air Force confirmed it intends...

BRIEF: City dredging projects under way.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth Aug. 29--PANAMA CITY -- Work is under way on two projects to dredge Massalina Bayou and four lakes in Panama City. In Massalina Bayou the dredging project encompasses the portion closest to Fifth Street. The city-owned...

County researching plans for homeless center.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth And Felicia Kitzmiller Aug. 29--PANAMA CITY -- While a city task force is moving forward with plans to co-locate a homeless resource shelter with an emergency special needs shelter, county staff are looking at whether the...

Florida depth chart breakdown.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 29--GAINESVILLE -- Will Muschamp has turned Ben Hill Griffin Stadium into the Southeastern Conference's version of Fort Knox. It takes a pile of gold just to peek inside. Just ask ESPN, which agreed to pay the SEC...

BRIEF: Gulf Power crews among hundreds working to restore power in the Northeast.
August 29, 2011... Aug. 29--A Gulf Power storm restoration team of 65 employees began work in the Upper Marlboro, Md., outside Washington, D.C., area Sunday, helping electric utility Pepco restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. As of 7:30 a.m....

BRIEF: Team Florida posts two wins.
August 29, 2011... Aug. 29--MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Team Florida, based in Lynn Haven, rebounded from an opening loss to post a 2-1 record in pool play in the National Youth Baseball Championships pitting representatives from eight different youth baseball organizations...

The News Herald, Panama City, Fla., Sports Beat column.(Column)
August 29, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 29--No. 3 Oregon vs. No. 4 LSU -- The winner solidifies BCS credentials while the loser's national title hopes basically go into the consolation bracket of single elimination the rest of the season. Should Oregon...

FSU depth chart breakdown.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 29--TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State's starting lineup in 2011 looks a lot like it did last season. That's good for the Seminoles and bad for their opponents. FSU returns 17 starters from last year's 10-4 team. One...

ACC Championship pick: FSU over Virginia Tech.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 29--Nothing is certain in college football, but the Atlantic Coast Conference likely won't spring many surprises this season. Nationwide media tapped Florida State and Virginia Tech as the favorites in the Atlantic...

Good Will hunting: Muschamp era begins amid uncertainty.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 29--GAINESVILLE -- Deonte Thompson once was the prize catch of a Florida recruiting class in 2007 that rated among the nation's best that year. Four and a half years later, it's that word -- catch -- that follows...

SEC: Georgia may be ready for trip to Atlanta.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 29--Auburn keeps rewriting history. The Tigers are the first college football team in 20 years to win a national championship and enter the next season ranked outside the Top 10 in the Associated Press' Top 25...

Stoked at Doak: The hype is back as FSU starts No. 6.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 29--TALLAHASSEE -- Before 2010, there were a lot of quiet football seasons in Tallahassee. Those lost Saturdays could be forgotten if the Seminoles have their way this fall. The roar coming from the state capital...

BRIEF: Team Florida eliminated.
August 29, 2011... Aug. 29--MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Team Florida, a Lynn Haven-based 12U baseball team, was eliminated in the semifinals Sunday of the National Youth Baseball Championships. Team Florida had advanced through pool play with a 2-1 record in the event...

Fisher: Team staying focused for Louisiana-Monroe.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 29--TALLAHASSEE -- Blocking, tackling and evading players in similar helmets only can keep a team interested for so long. Thank goodness for game week. The No. 6 Florida State Seminoles are itching to face...

SEC schedule look-ahead: No. 3 Oregon adds to LSU woes.
August 29, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 29--Les Miles has been breaking out a lot of Plan B's lately. Miles' offseason has been tumultuous in Baton Rouge. The team was making adjustments on the fly even before Jordan Jefferson was arrested on Friday...

Plug pulled on P.C. hotel financing plan.
August 28, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth Aug. 28--PANAMA CITY -- Developers of a proposed downtown hotel have withdrawn their application for federal loan guarantees and are reconsidering their options. Lacy Curry, managing partner of Massalina Investments,...

Concert puts new Christian music on display.
August 28, 2011... Byline: Meridith Kaufman Aug. 28--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- As visitors came to Panama City Beach this weekend for the Fun Never Sets Christian Music and Film Festival, it became clear how Christian music has changed in recent years. This is...

Storm takes paraglider on dangerous ride over Panama City Beach.
August 28, 2011... Byline: Chris Olwell Aug. 28--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- Beachgoers last week watched a man above them spiral toward the water, suspended from what looked like a parachute. He splashed into the Gulf of Mexico several hundred yards offshore just...

Panhandle volunteers mobilize for Irene.
August 28, 2011... Byline: Felicia Kitzmiller Aug. 28--PANAMA CITY -- At least five volunteers from the Panhandle are on the ground helping deliver emergency food and supplies as East Coast residents assess the damage of Hurricane Irene. The storm made...

The News Herald, Panama City, Fla., Scene of the Crime column.(Column)
August 28, 2011... Byline: S. Brady Calhoun Aug. 28--Like a lot of people I believe there will be a final account in the next life. But in this life what we have is the criminal justice system. And recently, there was some accounting for two violent crimes I...

BRIEF: Women's symposium set.
August 28, 2011... Aug. 28--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- The Second Annual Women's Work-Life Symposium will be held on Sept. 23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Florida State University Panama City's Holley Academic Center. This daylong event will focus on helping women find...

BRIEF: Lawsuit against St. Joe dismissed.
August 28, 2011... Aug. 28--U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak of the Northern District of Florida, Panama City Division dismissed, without prejudice, the Meyer class action shareholder lawsuit against the St. Joe Company on Wednesday. According to the Smoak:...

BRIEF: St. Joe hires new executive.
August 28, 2011... Aug. 28--The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) has announced the appointment of veteran real estate development executive Patrick Bienvenue as executive vice president. Bienvenue brings to the company experience and expertise in strategic...

BRIEF: PCB Boil water notice rescinded.
August 28, 2011... Aug. 28--The August 26 precautionary boil water notice that included Delwood View Boulevard, Delwood Park, Magnolia Point Circle and Magnolia Beach Road has been rescinded, city officials said Sunday. A survey of water in the area has come back...

2nd prescription office to open.
August 28, 2011... Byline: Chris Olwell Aug. 28--PANAMA CITY -- The Bay County Health Department in association with the Deerpoint Assembly of God Church will open the second Prescription Assistance Program office in Bay County. The opening ceremony is...

Mosley nips rival Rutherford in classic matchup.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Pat McCann Aug. 27--PANAMA CITY -- If Mosley's 31-23 victory over Rutherford Friday night at Tommy Oliver Stadium revealed anything about this coming football season, it's that 2011 could be full of surprises. Oh, there was plenty...

Bucks rout Seahawks.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 27--SAND HILLS -- Bozeman has high expectations entering the new Rural division. Coach Loren Tillman hopes Friday showed the rest of the classification what the Bucks are capable of on the field. Bozeman scored on six...

Kodi Russ paces Holmes County past Graceville.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 27--BONIFAY -- Holmes County tailback Kodi Russ runs like he's going to hit the hole ahead of opposing tacklers. The Blue Devils' 5-foot-7 tailback sure is dangerous when he does. Russ scored three touchdowns...

BRIEF: Longerbeam pleased with Bay's effort in loss to Northview.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 27--BRATT -- The Jimmy Longerbeam era began at Bay with a performance, albeit in defeat, that pleased the new coach on Friday. Bratt Northview defeated Bay 26-17 in a kickoff classic. The varsity squads played to a...

Airport's Military Welcome Center beckons.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Pat Kelly Aug. 27--WEST BAY -- The Military Welcome Center at the airport is less than a year old and already averaging about 200 military members and their families a week, but volunteers still comb the terminal spreading the word to...

Christian Music Festival returns to PCB.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Meridith Kaufman Aug. 27--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- As Christian rock band, Petra, took the stage, fans stood up, whooped, hollered and sang along on Friday night for the first night of the Christian Music and Film Festival at Aaron...

Prosecutors respond to motion to dismiss drug charges.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Chris Olwell Aug. 27--PANAMA CITY -- The State Attorney's Office on Friday filed its response to a motion to dismiss drug trafficking charges against two men on the grounds the state's drug laws conflict with the U.S. Constitution. ...

OPINION: Economy is bad, but my brain is even worse.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Mike Cazalas Aug. 27--Are we so used to living in dire times that we are in danger of subconsciously ignoring the signs that assault us daily until it boils over internally? Ignorance is bliss, they say, but what about...

Top state officials expected for event at GCSC.
August 27, 2011... Byline: Felicia Kitzmiller Aug. 27--PANAMA CITY -- If you've ever tried to call a state agency and gotten a busy signal, a voicemail or an endless tangle of automated answering prompts, face-to-face interaction might be the key to getting...

Liberty County prevails in Chipley jamboree.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 26--CHIPLEY -- Three teams with district title aspirations clashed at Memorial Field in a preseason jamboree on Thursday. Chipley, Liberty County and Sneads tangled, with each a member of the new Rural division. The...

Blountstown has fast start, pounds Wewa in kickoff classic.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 26--BLOUNTSTOWN -- Pick a gap, any gap. Like a magician fooling an audience with sleight of hand and misdirection, Blountstown's Wing-T offense consistently deceived Wewahitchka in a 34-14 victory in a preseason...

2011 Football Preview: Graceville aims high despite small roster.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Brad Milner Aug. 26--GRACEVILLE -- Graceville football coach Todd Wertenberger admitted he didn't know much about the teams in his new district. He said he's more concerned with getting his through the season. The Tigers open 2011...

BRIEF: GC volleyball tips off today.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Jason Shoot Aug. 26--JACKSONVILLE -- The Gulf Coast women's volleyball team begins its season today with matches against Spartanburg Methodist of South Carolina and Wake Tech College of North Carolina, respectively, at the Florida...

New alliance to aid small business.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Randal Yakey Aug. 26--PANAMA CITY -- A new business alliance hopes to help small businesses strengthen and expand their horizons, as well as work smarter. The Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce announced its new partnership...

Patronis students check out school's new technology.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Chris Segal Aug. 26--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- No question had even been asked during the morning geography and mapping lesson Thursday in Amy Cunningham's fifth grade classroom, yet every hand in the room was raised to get an opportunity...

BRIEF: Couple die in apparent murder-suicide.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Chris Olwell Aug. 26--WEWAHITCHKA -- A married couple were discovered dead in their home Thursday afternoon in what authorities are calling an apparent murder-suicide. The Gulf County Sheriff's Office responded to 3052 State 71...

PCB sets date for park workshop.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Pat Kelly Aug. 26--PANAMA CITY BEACH -- The city on Thursday announced an aggressive schedule to complete Aaron Bessant Park improvements by the Jazz Fest in April and invited the public to a workshop next week to discuss issues...

Bay County gets insurance rebate.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Felicia Kitzmiller Aug. 26--PANAMA CITY -- It won't solve the budget crisis, but some local government employees are getting a little bonus in the form of a health insurance rebate. Through a deal negotiated between Bay County and...

Callaway aims to save money -- just in case.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth Aug. 26--CALLAWAY -- The Callaway City Commission is considering a budget that would increase property tax rates to allow funds to be stashed away for a rainy day. Make that a rainier day. Like most municipal...

BRIEF: Roadwork planned in Marianna.
August 26, 2011... Aug. 26--MARIANNA -- State 71 will be getting a face-lift next week as Anderson Columbia Construction Company begins resurfacing and correcting rutting issues from Whitetail Drive to the end of the four-lane at McDonald's restaurant. Though...

Census: Working age adults make up higher percentage of population.
August 26, 2011... Byline: Ali Helgoth Aug. 26--PANAMA CITY -- When Tom Clifford and Dawn Fleming moved from San Diego to Panama City, they didn't make the journey traveling interstate highways; they came via international waters. The two arrived in Panama City...

BRIEF: No beach advisories this week.
August 26, 2011... Aug. 26--PANAMA CITY -- Bay County beach water is in good shape this week, according to the weekly beach water monitoring program of the Bay County Health Department, and no advisories have been issued. The Health Department conducts...

BRIEF: Gulf Coast State College continues the name change celebration.
August 26, 2011... Aug. 26--Gulf Coast State College will keep the party going next week as it invites students at the Gulf/Franklin Campus in Port St. Joe and the North Bay Campus in Southport to celebrate the school's new identity. On Monday, a ribbon...

BRIEF: Coley earns American Cancer Society honor.
August 26, 2011... Aug. 26--MARIANNA -- The American Cancer Society for the second consecutive year has named Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, as the organization's Legislator of the Year in the Florida House of Representatives. Coley, a member of the House since...