Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 23

SECTION ON OPRAH SHOW June Barrett, wounded in an abortion clinic shooting in Pensacola, is on TV today2C JOURNALIST TESTIFIES A TV news anchor appeared before a grand jury in the Joyce Reese case2C HIGH RISE SOUND OFF They would be boon.Y say some; others say they would tax utilities, increase traffic and create hurricane risk3C News Journal Pensacola, Florida TO REPORT A LOCAL STORY 435-8535 Thursday, October 10, 1996 CLASSIFIED INSIDE fl Fk If Briefs' 32Ummn losiiiffl lose dsi 111)7 r- ft. "The bottom line to this activity is that in the last four years the home continues to operate at a loss," said Dusty Fisher, who chaired a four-member ad-hoc committee that studied the feasibility of keeping the home open. Fisher said the facility already has lost $53,982 in the first eight months of this year. He said the agency would have to borrow from other Council on Aging programs such as Meals on Wheels, if it's not closed. The estimated $186,000 in reserves the Council on Aging in--herited in 1992 after merging with the Woman's Home, has dwindled to $5,984, he said.

See WOMAN'S, 3C Scott FisherNews Journal photographer Helen Noland, 89, left, and Lillian Ellis, 83, residents of the Woman's Home, stand in the hall at the assisted living facility after learning that the' home wlll.be dosed In January: 1997. Students pitch PACE Center girls give Tippin a facelift By Lesley Conn News Journal staff writer Erin Morits won't easily forget the faded pink metallic pig on a seesaw at Tippin Park. Morits, 15, scraped, sanded and sometimes plain old banged it to prepare it for a fresh coat of paint. It's just a fraction of the work the PACE Center for Girls and a fledgling neighborhood group have done to restore the city park. Their joint effort has given the 45 girls from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties a strong sense of accomplishment, and has given the neighbors a renewed sense of community pride.

Ben Nezovich, 17, was so excited to see a group of girls painting equipment Wednesday he stopped to learn more about their work. "This is where I grew up and I love the fact that people are actually trying to make a difference," he Nezovich said. "You 7 1 1 v- i. "'i -i' 'j'. ii.T 1 1 BMW By Scott Streater News Journal staff writer Francis Keeney, 91, walked briskly under the shade of two enormous pecan trees toward a courtyard area in front of the Woman's Home assisted living facility.

Keeney can't wait to show a visitor the new black, four-tiered fountain system installed recently by a local Boy Scout troop. "I'm so proud of it," said Keeney, whose voice suddenly loses its enthusiasm. "It's just a shame we have to leave it." Keeney and the 11 other tenants at the Woman's Home will be leaving soon. V'3. about a half mile from the park.

The girls don't want to do so without the approval of Sean's mother, Robbin Cannon. They have not heard from her Robbin Cannon was burned in the crash, but has been released from the hospital. Neither she nor her mother could be reached for comment Wednesday. Sean's father, Scott Cannon, appreciated the thought. "I think which is free also," Baker said.

The office is bracing for perhaps a little confusion from people who may not realize they're in either Gulf Breeze's or Milton's city limits and, therefore, outside the sheriffs jurisdiction. Ten signs alerting drivers to the service will go up on various highway entrances in the coming weeks. Officials are trying to reach a similar agreement with the area's other cellular phone service provider, GTE Mobilnet. Escambia County Sheriffs Office Plane returns here after unusual odor A Delta plane that took off from Pensacola Regional Airport had to turn around and make an emergency landing after passengers smelled an unusual odor. The plane was en route to New Orleans about 1:30 p.m.

when pilots returned to Pensacola, said Tracey Bowen, a Delta The 40 passengers boarded another plane after a short delay, while mechanics investigated the cause of the smell. "We have no idea what caused it, but we're checking on it," Bowen said. "Everyone landed safely Council to consider plans for Port Royal The Pensacola City Council will review final site plans for the second phase of, the Port Royal waterfront development at 7:30 p.m. today at City Hall, 180 Governmental Center. The proposed development calls for a residential subdivision with 16 single family homes, and eight carriage houses (or residences built over garages) on four acres of city-owned property near the Bayfront Auditorium.

If approved, construction could begin as early as winter 1997. The developer is Port Royal Phase II represented by Keith Bullock of Spencer Maxwell Bullock Architects. The first phase of Port Royal development in the mid-1980s built the 61-unit Port Royal Condominium. Museum to dedicate Air Commando room The Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base will dedicate a new Air Commando room 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Brig. Gen. Norty Schwartz, commander of the 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, will be guest speaker. The new room includes artifacts, photos and a mini-theater with a short film on the history of Air Force special operations. Additionally, a plaque will be unveiled for the "First Lady," the first C-130 Hercules cargo plane to roll off the assembly line.

The plane was retired earlier this year and placed on display at the museum. Children's room dedication Friday The Family Counseling Center will dedicate the Sacred Heart Children's Play Therapy Room at 4 p.m. Friday at the Family Counseling Center, 218 E. Government St. In response to a grant from Sacred Heart Health System, a room has been renovated for children's play therapy, a technique used with children who may have trouble using traditional communication to address their problems.

Through educational, therapeutic and recreational toys and games, children can communicate with a trained counselor. The room was furnished with the necessary toys and games through support from the Mullet Foundation, J.H. Baroco Foundation, memorials for Regina Kier-an and Jessie Holland, and the Woman's Sodality of St. Michael's Catholic Church. Scarborough speaks at Monday meeting U.S.

Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Pensacola, will speak at a meeting of the Gulf Coast Environmental Defense at 7 p.m. Monday, at Gulf Breeze City Hall. Scarborough will offer strategic advice in the campaign against offshore drilling, focusing on actions during the final three weeks leading into the presidential elections and longer range strategy for 1997. Manley Fuller of the Florida Wildlife Federation will be present to update the group on the status of the Garcon Point Bridge lawsuit.

The meeting is open to the public. Correction A Tuesday story about the Navarre Library should have said the library had 2,493 patrons as of the end of September. The Escambia County Council on Aging board of directors voted Wednesday to shut down the south Pensacola Woman's Home, which dates back to the turn of the century. The closing date is set for Jan. 31.

"We all knew it was coming," said Keeney as she stood in the hallway outside her room, where she has lived for about two years. The end of the Woman's Home was brought about because officials say they have not been able to attract enough tenants, despite a marketing campaign. Fewer tenants mean less money, keeping the home in the red for the past four years. it's a wonderful idea," he said. "The community has been extremely kind and caring in all of this." The University of West Florida Student Government Association also had planned in July to rename the park in Sean's honor, but the effort came to a standstill because Sean's family could not be reached, said Dawn Dodge, a senator on the student relations committee.

officials are also exploring the idea, but they're battling logistical problems, since a large chunk of the county is the city of Pensacola. "We have more of a metropolis area. We're trying to figure out how to do it. We're dealing with a much heavier populated area," said Lt. Ron McNesby, spokesman for the Escambia office.

The office would be more likely to launch the program if it was able to organize it concurrently with both area cellular service providers, McNesby said. X.1 Bob Sites Bridge Planned Santa Rosa Towers Pensacola Area SRIA may buy back from developers. Beach 1 MILE Gulf of Mexico News Journal graphic SRIA may buy beach lease to end dispute By Rick Barrett News Journal staff writer PENSACOLA BEACH The Santa Rosa Island Authority might buy a $400,000 residential lease to end a dispute between residents and a developer. In return, the residents who live at Santa Rosa Dunes on Fort Pickens Road would have to resolve or drop lawsuits against the Island Authority and the development group Gulfview Partners. Those suits stem from Gulfview Partners plans for two single-family homes on its vacant beach property on Fort Pickens Road.

The compromise comes from Bill Griffith, Santa Rosa Island Author-: ity chairman. Under it, the Island Authority would buy Gulfview's 99-year lease and put the 100 feet of beach into a protected dune preserve. Gulfview would receive a fair price for its property appraised at $400,000 and would be rid of a lawsuit. Santa Rosa Dunes residents would have use of a beach without houses on it, and the Island Authority would be rid of a lawsuit. The Island Authority and Gulfview Partners represented by local Realtor Joe Endry have to agree on a price for the lease; Otherwise the deal will fait through, Griffith said.

Santa Rosa Dunes residents have to agree to drop their lawsuits. They are meeting this Saturday. The residents object to the homes because they would block beach access. "In principle, I think it's a mar-! velous idea to put the beach property into a dune preserve," said Dunes resident Ann Sanborn. "But I don't see any connection in drop-; ping the litigation against Santa Rosa Towers." i Joe Endry and Wilmer Mitchell of Gulfview Partners were not available for comment Wednesday.

Dr. Andrew Gygi, who joins the Island Authority board in November, said he has some concerns. As with Griffith, he is concerned about flaying for Gulfview Partners' ease. HOWTO CONTACT if you're a cellular phone customer In Santa Rosa County and spot a suspicious activity you'd like to report to the Sheriff's Office, dial 'SRSO. What's targeted: Drunken drivers.

Traffic accidents. Suspicious people or activities. For emergencies, callers should continue dialing 911. know that warm fuzzy feeling inside? I just got one of those." Nezovich and other neighbors have seen the park decline in recent years. Beer bottles, broken glass and trash littered the ground.

Cars drove over the ball field and grass, and the equipment needed paint. Not anymore. Playground equipment resembling animals and flowers have thick, shiny coats of green, red and yellow paint. The girls have taken creative license, adding eyelashes and maybe a bright, red mouth to some pieces. Nikki Burks, 16, helped super-, vise other students, and believes they appreciated the work more than some projects because they know it's for children.

They were overwhelmed only momentarily when they first saw the rusty equipment and broken glass, she said. "We just said, 'Oh, boy, This is another challenge. Well take it in she said. "I think we did a good job. seems to be real pleased that we're doing this." The two groups were put together by the city of Pensacola's See STUDENTS, 3C Gary McCrackenNews Journal photographer Erin Morits, 15, and April Christian, 15, scrape and sand equipment at Tippin Park.

PACE pupils want memorial to Sean Cannon Santa Rosa County sets up cellular tip line By Lesley Conn News Journal staff writer 1 The students at the PACE Center for Girls want to remember one young visitor to Tippin Park. The 45 girls, part of the Practical, Academic, Cultural Education program, want to plant a tree and install a plaque in memory of Sean Cannon, 4, who was killed July 11 when an F-16 fighter jet crashed into his Caswell Court home, which is are connected directly to a sheriff's dispatcher, and they're not assessed standard cellular user fees. "This is not an emergency line, it's an assistance line, said Cpl. Guy Baker, who spearheaded the project for the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office. What they're hoping is that people will call with tips on things that might otherwise have gone unreported like a swerving car that might be harboring a drunken driver or just a suspicious person.

For more pressing emergencies? "We'd rather they just dial By Brad Barnes News Journal staff writer MILTON Santa Rosa Sheriffs officials are hoping a new free cellular phone number will bring in more tips on things like drunken drivers and minor traffic accidents. It's a step above the emergency 911 dialing that's already free in Northwest Florida, and a move that Escambia County hasn't made yet. The system is active now, but it's only available to Cellular One customers. By dialing SRSO, callers.