Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 9

1 -i- oca Pensacola News Journal PNJ.COM SECTION PAGE 1 Thursday, August 11, 2011 Mjuimi conforaiGt OK'd Fest organizers to pay $20,000 fee for use of public beach OPINIONS Dentist does his part for justice In nearly three decades, the Florida Association of Medical Examiners has presented the Outstanding Achievement Award to only two of its members. Through his dedicated and diligent work in forensic odontology, Dr. Philip J. Levine this year. The board also earmarked $25,000 I oi tne money tor I between the Wrrirffci ton Pensacola Pavilion at Casino Beach to the eastern border of Holiday Inn ReSort.

The group also will use most of the Casino Beach parking lot. In a contract presented to the board on July 27, the group proposed to pay only $5,000, far less than the $48,000 Five Flags paid the Island Authority last year. Board members balked at the low figure, especially after it spent $5,000 of that money hunting for covered power outlets in Casino Beach parking lot for DeLuna Fest to use Kimberly Blair kblairpnj.com DeLuna Fest has cleared another hurdle that paves the way for the Oct. 13-16 music festival to use Pensacola Beach as its concert site. The Santa Rosa Island Authority board approved a revised contract with DeLuna Fest organizers, Five Flags Tourism Group, at Wednesday's meeting.

will pay the Island Authority a flat rate of $20,000 to use the public beach from the Gulfside said. "This year we will get $20,000, and we won't do any improvements." Promoter Scott Mitchell, his team members and attorney have spent hours meeting with Island Authority staff in the past two weeks to iron out contract issues. "Everyone's done a lot of work," Mitchell said. More than 60 acts are scheduled to play the festival, including Jane's Addiction, Weezer and rapper Big Boi. Organizers have yet to announce a headlining act for the four-day event.

Lee Beach Gulf Front and Holiday Inn Resort to accommodate future music festivals. The boardwalk was slated to be built this year, but is on hold until after sea turtle nesting season. "Last year we netted $18,000," W.A. "Buck" Lee, Island Authority executive director of Pensacola became FAME'S third recipient of the prestigious professional award. The retired dentist earned the honor for his "commitment to the citizens of Florida and dedication to the field of forensic odontology," say the words inscribed on the crystal tear-drop shaped trophy.

Forensic odontologists are highly experienced, rj Reginald T. Dogan rdoganpnj.com 435-8543 i 1 a A SightLine for blind returning TV, radio stations to provide service Louis Cooper lcooperpnj.com A service for blind people in Northwest Florida that was discontinued in July will be back and better than ever in September. SightLine, the daily reading service for the vision-impaired operated by Pensacola State College's WSRE television, was discontinued on July 31 when state funding for public broadcasting was eliminated. For 19 years, volunteers on the program read News Journal articles, periodicals and books to listeners. On Wednesday, WSRE announced that it will team with the University of West Florida's public radio station, WUWF, to bring back the service with 24-hour-a-day programming.

"I think it's very important for the visually impaired in our area," said WUWF Executive Director Pat Crawford. "And we have access to programs that I think will be of interest to that population, as well." WSRE ended SightLine after five people at the station, including the program's staff, were laid off due to budget cuts. Although volunteers did the reading, it took a professional producer to put the show together. While WUWF also had state funding cut, those cuts did not require layoffs. "Our mission is to inform, to See SightLine, Page 2B WANT TO HELP? Hara Cook of Documented Photography places a veil on the head of Nicole Slay after Slay and husband-to-be Chad Parker, right, were named the winners of a $75,000 wedding package during a gathering Wednesday afternoon at The Fish House in Pensacola.

BRUCE GRANERBGRANER9PNJ.C0M. Wedding bells will ring at October Gallery Night Pensacola couple win $75,000 in gifts, services specially trained dentists who use their expertise to help match unknown remains and trace bite marks to specific individuals through teeth and dental records. Positive IDs For 29 years, Levine has used his dentistry expertise to assist the medical examiner and help law enforcement to solve crimes. But nothing in his long and distinguished career prepared him for the moment when his name was called and he walked across the stage in Palm Beach Gardens in June to accept the honor. "It was such a special thing for me," said Levine, 76, the forensic odontology consultant to the medical examiner in District 1, covering Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.

"Nothing like this has ever happened in my life." Levine knew as child what profession he wanted to pursue. Growing up in Mobile, he shadowed his family's dentist. He realized then that he wanted to do something to help people but didn't want to confront life-and-death situations that doctors often faced. He began cutting his teeth on forensic odontology in 1981 when he got a call that changed his life and career path. 1 Some skeletal remains were discovered off Scenic Highway behind a closed seafood company.

Levine's good friend, the late Dr. C. Fenner McConnell, then the Escambia County medical examiner, called Levine to help with an ID. And Levine's work helped police solve the crime. Justice served Over the years, Levine has conducted hundreds of positive identification cases and bite mark exams.

He has hosted several forensic science conferences in Pensacola, which put him in close contact with thousands of medical professionals. He's become good friends with Dr. Michael Baden, the forensic pathologist who hosts HBO's "Autopsy" and contributes to Fox News Channel. Levine also developed a close kinship with criminologist Henry Lee, one of the world's foremost forensic scientists who worked on trying to solve the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Jon Benet Ramsey. As much as he enjoys forensic odontology, Levine said it takes a special person to handle the enormous pressure of making something out of virtually nothing but skeletal remains.

"When I can help the forces that be bring about justice for a wrong that's been done, I'm satisfied," he said. "That's what this is all about, bringing about justice." to win the chance. Before the announcement, couple Miles White of Sydney, Australia, and Allison Van-Growski of Milton were hopeful for a win, but the possibility of losing didn't get them down. "If it happens, it happens," White said. "If it doesn't, we're still getting married." The winning couple have known each other for 13 years, the bride-to-be said.

The couple had planned a wedding for January, on her late grandmother's birthday, but she said October would be just fine. "This is great. It's all the best businesses," Slay said. "And you don't have to find them and line up your dates. It's great." Richard McVay rmcvaypnj.com One lucky and resourceful couple will exchange vows in October with downtown Pensacola and Gallery Night as a backdrop.

Nicole Slay, 31, and Chad Parker, 34, of Pensacola amassed more than 8,000 votes out of more than 17,000 online votes to win a wedding giveaway sponsored by Pensacola businesses. The announcement came Wednesday at The Fish House in downtown Pensacola. Slay shared the couple's secret with the crowd sign-up sheets. Rather than spread fliers and trust their supporters to place their votes, Slay and Parker allowed them to sign a list, then the couple and their friends submitted them one by one. "It was a full-time job keeping up with the votes," Slay said.

"We didn't have a life for two weeks." Nearly 200 couples signed up for the contest, which promised an Oct. 21 wedding at Garden Street and Palafox Place put on with $75,000 in goods and services donated by local businesses. Organizers interviewed couples to narrow the field to just 10 couples, according to event organizer Hara Cook, who also donated photography services. The top 10 couples then solicited votes from family, friends, friends of friends and acquaintances When SightLine resumes broadcasting in September, WUWF will continue using volunteers to read the News Journal and other materials. Former volunteers from WSRE will be welcome to participate, as will those who already volunteer for WUWF functions.

Anyone else who would like to volunteer to read for SightLine should contact WUWF's director of promotions and outreach, Lynne Marshall, at 473-7428 or lynne wuwf.org. ONLINE: MORE PHOTOS AT PNJ.COM Quick Read Gulf Breeze gets rid of old Benson's Complex Shelter seeking items to beat summer heat The Waterfront Rescue Mission is seeking items to help Pensacola's homeless population protect themselves from the summer's high temperatures. Heat exhaustion, sunburn and mosquitoes are among common problems for the homeless. Among the mission's needs are: bottled water, sports drinks, sunblock, lip balm, bars of soap, hats, sunglasses, backpacks, bug repellent and deodorant. Donations can be dropped off at the mission's downtown location at 16 W.

Main St. For a more extensive list of the mission's needs, visit www.water frontmission.org or call (888) 853-8655. Pensacola to host statewide neighborhood conference Mayor Ashton Hayward on Wednesday announced that Pensacola will be the site for the 2012 Florida Neighborhoods Conference next summer. The event, scheduled for July 12-14, marks the first time the statewide conference of city and county neighborhood representatives has been hosted in Northwest Florida. "This is a tremendous opportunity for our city to shine," Hayward said.

The Florida Neighborhoods Conference gathers more than 200 neighborhood representatives and delegates from cities and counties across Florida. Conference attendees hold forums, make presentations, and discuss best practices on ways to improve neighborhoods and build communities. Vincent Andrews with DKE Marine Services Inc strips wiring and piping from the Benson's Complex in Gulf Breeze on Wednesday in preparation for the building's demolition. The half-century-old building along U.S. 98 and Northcliff Drive was once the city's signature commercial center.

The City of Gulf Breeze is paying $20,000 to have the owner of the building, Tampa-based RMC Property Group, raze the decaying complex. KATIE KINGKKINGWPNJ.COM Powerball: 1 1 -18-3641 46 PB: 38x4' Lotto: 8-3646-47-48-52x4 Fantasy 5: 7-16-19-29-34 Play 4: Afternoon Evening 0-8-0-6 3-6-8-2 Cash 3: Afternoon 5-3-0 LOTTERY Evening 7-0-4 MwJ.