"Panama City Beach Fun Fair" Ends Early
WJHG-TV-Jun 22, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH--- Driving down Thomas Drive, you may notice the "Panama City Beach Fun Fair" has come down. Thursday was the ...- WJHG-TV
Bay County rejects Panama City Beach scooter restrictions
Washington Times-Jun 21, 2015PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) - County commissioners in the Panama City Beach have voted down a plan to restrict scooter rental businesses in that ...County and City Officials are Cracking Down on Rental Scooter ...
WJHG-TV-Jun 19, 2015Explore in depth (13 more articles) Loop Road Project Could Improve Traffic Flow in Panama City Beach
WJHG-TV-Jun 18, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH-- If you're sick of the congestion along Back Beach Road, you're not the only one. The good news is travel in Panama ...Bay County planners vote down scooters ban
The News Herald-Jun 18, 2015Explore in depth (2 more articles)
Panama City Beach Man Arrested In Connection To String Of Local ...
WUFT-Jun 22, 2015Dwayne Bruce Officer, 43, of Panama City Beach was arrested after Bay County officials served a search warrant on his home and found the ...
Paddleboarder Spots Shark at Panama City Beach
WKRG-Jun 12, 201510-year-old Ella Burgess was paddleboarding along Panama City Beach Thursday, when she spotted a shark heading straight toward her.Panama City Beach: Watch as shark spotted by swimmers
gulflive.com-Jun 12, 2015Explore in depth (2 more articles)
Panama City Beach Bans Alcohol On the Beach During Spring Break
WJHG-TV-Jun 11, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH-- Another Panama City Beach City Council meeting meant another heated discussion centered around spring break.Panama City Beach outlaws beach drinking in March
Highly Cited-The News Herald-Jun 11, 2015Explore in depth (33 more articles)
Indian Motorcycles of Panama City Beach Gives Back
WJHG-TV-Jun 13, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH-- Indian Motorcycles has been around since 1901, but a new store was added to Panama City Beach just a few weeks ...Woman dies in Panama City Beach motorcycle crash
The News Herald-Jun 15, 2015Explore in depth (7 more articles)
Panama City Beach Fun Fair
WJHG-TV-May 27, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH-- You may have noticed fair rides lighting up the night close to the Hathaway Bridge. They're here for the Panama City ...
John Curci Throws Hat In The Ring For Panama City Beach's ...
WJHG-TV-May 27, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH-- Several spring break ordinances unanimously passed their first reading at Tuesday night's Panama City Beach City ...
Christ in Youth Conference Returns to Panama City
WJHG-TV-Jun 23, 2015PANAMA CITY BEACH-- Arnold High School's gym will be packed for the next couple weeks. The national fellowship group "Christ in Youth" or ...
Thursday, June 25, 2015
News Updates for June 2015
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Ft Walton Beach News Bulletin: Former Pastor James Ty Flanders Arrested Today for Murder of Marie Carlson
James Flanders
Former pastor arrested in 2011 disappearance, murder
Posted: May 14, 2015 4:40 PM CST
By Jonathan Andrews, Digital Manager
Source: http://www.fox10tv.com/story/29068783/former-pastor-arrested-in-2011-disappearance-murder
COCHISE, AZ (WALA) -
A former pastor was arrested more than 1,500 miles away from his church and home in Fort Walton Beach, suspected of a cold case murder from 2011.
Ty Flanders, 46, was arrested on Thursday for the 2011 murder of Marie Carlson of Fort Walton Beach. Flanders was charged with second degree murder.
Disappearance was mysterious
Carlson, the mother of Flanders' newborn child, was last seen on October 17, 2011, at the home they all shared with his wife.
According to the OCSO, several people got a message from Marie that said she'd left Fort Walton Beach to “do something she had always wanted to do”, but the message reportedly didn't have any more information.
Her ex-husband, Jeff Carlson, reported her missing seven days later after he couldn't contact her.
James Flanders located her vehicle at the Fort Walton Beach Airport, a day later, but there was no record that she'd rented a vehicle or flown out.
Carlson's disappearance was recently featured on a TNT show about cold cases, which brought national attention to the case.
Flanders was arrested without incident and will appear in court in Arizona.
--- end —
Former Pastor Arrested In Cold Case
Posted: Thu 3:41 PM, May 14, 2015
By: Press Release: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
After the disappearance and murder of Marie Carlson was featured on a national television show, a former local pastor has been arrested in Arizona in the case.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the U.S. Marshal led Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety announces the arrest of 46-year old James Ty Flanders for the 2011 Murder of Marie Carlson of Fort Walton Beach.
Flanders, former pastor of Calvary Chapel Emerald Coast at 407 Racetrack Road, was taken into custody at his home in Cochise Arizona by members of the Task Force and Department of Public Safety.
He was arrested in connection with an Okaloosa County Warrant of Second Degree Murder, signed by Circuit Judge William Stone. Investigators with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office are in Arizona as this case continues to develop.
http://www.wtvy.com/news/headlines/Former-Pastor-Arrested-In-Cold-Case-303802301.html
--- end ---
RECENT TV SHOW THAT TELLS ABOUT THE CASE
ANOTHER LOCAL NEWS STORY
Former pastor charged in local woman's disappearance
By KATIE TAMMEN | Daily News
Published: Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 17:18 PM.
Marie Carlson, right, and her sister Esta Bridges took this picture on Oct. 15, 2011 while visiting Alys Beach together. Marie texted the photo to her sister later that night. It was the last time anyone in the family saw Marie.
A former Fort Walton Beach pastor was arrested Thursday and charged for his suspected role in the 2011 disappearance of a local woman.
James Ty Flanders was taken into custody at his home in Arizona on a warrant for second-degree murder, according to a news release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
He is accused of killing 37-year-old Marie Jane Carlson.
He will be brought back to Okaloosa County to face the charge, but it wasn’t clear when he would arrive, according to Sheriff’s spokeswoman Michele Nicholson,
“Thank goodness! Thank God! Hallelujah!” Marie’s brother Randy Bridges said Thursday afternoon upon hearing the news. “Finally some relief.”
Marie was reported missing by her ex-husband, Jeff Carlson, on Oct. 24, 2011, after he and their daughter couldn’t reach her.
Early on in the investigation, Flanders told detectives he’d last seen Marie on Oct. 17, 2011, and that she’d been upset. He said he went out for a run after the disagreement and when he came home both she and her truck were gone.
Her disappearance was featured on the TNT show “Cold Justice” on April 17.
“What we got in April was more than I could have asked for,” said Esta Bridges, one of Marie’s sisters. “I didn’t know this was coming. This is more than I could have ever imagined.”
Before she disappeared, Marie had been living with Flanders and his wife. She had recently given birth to a daughter she conceived with Flanders.
During the course of the investigation, detectives heard several different stories about how and why Marie became pregnant with her second child.
Flanders and his wife initially said Marie served as their surrogate, but people from Calvary Emerald Coast Church told investigators the three were involved in a polygamous relationship.
The wife has not been charged in connection with the case and the child remains in her care, Nicholson said.
Flanders’ arrest was based around seven primary revelations in the course of the investigation, according to the report.
Among the items to play a role were cell phone records that placed Flanders with Marie’s truck, the fact Flanders didn’t tell investigators he and Marie had a physical altercation on the night she disappeared, that he and his wife didn’t report her disappearance and that they left the area in the middle of the night.
Detectives also cited a conversation Flanders had with a friend about needing to get out of the country about two weeks after Marie went missing.
Esta and Randy both said they’re hopeful they will finally be able to find Marie’s body and put her to rest.
“I found out at work, and after that I went straight to church to pray,” Esta said. “I want to know where she’s at.
“She deserves that. We all deserve that.”
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/former-pastor-charged-in-local-woman-s-disappearance-1.478228?ot=hmg.PrintPageLayout.ot&print=photo
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Smashing News on McElvey Road Today
Please scroll down for updates
Sometime before 9:30 am on May 13, 2015, a semi-truck smashed into a commercial building on McElvey Road gouging a hole and tearing off the large vertical metal door. Happily, no one appeared to be injured.
MAY 14, 2015 UPDATE
Today's temporary fix
JUNE 24, 2015 UPDATE
The permanent fix has begun...
Sometime before 9:30 am on May 13, 2015, a semi-truck smashed into a commercial building on McElvey Road gouging a hole and tearing off the large vertical metal door. Happily, no one appeared to be injured.
MAY 14, 2015 UPDATE
Today's temporary fix
JUNE 24, 2015 UPDATE
The permanent fix has begun...
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Beach Restoration at the St Andrews State Park
Please scroll down for updates
Working 24 x 7, it's very exciting to watch as workers widen the kiddie pool beach area in St Andrews State Park which is now open for all to enjoy! Next, according to one bulldozer driver, is beach restoration along the Gulf. Below are photos which include a couple of short videos.
GETTING READY
April 10, 2015
FIRST DAY
April 11, 2015
NEXT DAY
April 12, 2015
Found a few shells
Folks collecting seashells
AND THE NEXT DAY April 13, 2015
IT'S DONE!
April 14, 2015
A couple of the hardworking Drivers
Lunchtime and after work collections :)
PS See my I Dig the Beach blog
APRIL 17, 2015 UPDATE
APRIL 18, 2015 UPDATE
Met up with the 2 three men crews who work 12 hr shifts 24x7 at shift change. They are doing a great job and will be done by the end of the month. Granddaughter Lauren went with me today to check it out :)
APRIL 23, 2015 UPDATE
Deeper waters: Army Corps dredging shipping channel
By VALERIE GARMAN | News Herald Writer | Twitter: @ValerieGarman
Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 19:16 PM.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/deeper-waters-army-corps-dredging-shipping-channel-1.468338?ot=hmg.PrintPageLayout.ot&print=photo
PANAMA CITY — A regular maintenance project to deepen Port Panama City’s shipping channel is underway a bit sooner than expected.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting dredge work to correct several shallow areas of the channel, which guides ships through St. Andrew Pass and into St. Andrew Bay from the Gulf waters near St. Andrews State Park.
“The port was starting to get impacted,” said Corps site manager Waylon Register. “We tried to respond as quickly as we could to get the channel back to the full project depth.”
The $1.25 million project calls for the removal of about 200,000 yards of sand from the channel, which will be used to restore a portion of eroded beach at the state park.
Register said the channel fills in through a natural process called “shoaling” and is dredged about every two years — more often if a major storm affects the area. This time around, he said, sand buildup needed to be addressed sooner than usual.
The project calls for the channel to be at least 38 feet deep to accommodate ships calling the port, and the Corps dredges to about 40 to 42 feet during maintenance. Depending on the weather conditions, the Corps expects to complete the project in one to two weeks, with fresh sand at St. Andrews State Park just in time to welcome summer visitors.
“If you’ve been down there lately, you’ll notice there is a cliff,” Register said of the state park beach, which erodes more quickly than most because the jetties block the natural migration of sand down the shore. Instead, the sand builds up on Shell Island to the east.
“We’re mimicking what nature would be doing if the jetty (weren’t) there,” he said.
Port Director Wayne Stubbs said he was pleased with the Army Corps’ quick response to the issue, which diverted just one ship before port officials could notify customers about the shallow areas. The affected ship headed to New Orleans to unload some cargo and returned to Panama City with less of a depth requirement.
“The good news is the Corps was able to move their schedule around in order to get a dredge in here,” Stubbs said. “That limitation is only going to be in effect for about six weeks. As soon as they’re finished, we’ll be back to normal.”
Copyright © 2015 http://www.newsherald.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
APRIL 29, 2015 UPDATE
Army Corps of Engineers Dredging the Pass and Renourishing Beach
Updated: Thu 10:39 PM, Apr 23, 2015
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Army-Corps-of-Engineers-Dredging-the-Pass-Renourishing-Beach-301156031.html
ST. ANDREWS STATE PARK-- Tourist season is ramping up at St. Andrews State Park. You may have noticed the dredger in the Pass whenever the weather cooperates; the surf has to be under a few feet and there can't be stormy conditions.
According to Park Manager Brian Addison, the Army Corps of Engineers have needed to dredge the pass every two years lately and some aren't digging the work, since we're heading into summer.
"I understand their disappointment," Addison said. "Unfortunately, there's a never a good time of the year to do it. We try to do this in the winter time."
Port Panama City has a specific depth requirement in order for large cargo ships to pass through. That's one reason why the project is underway.
The dredger starts by gathering sand from underneath the water. The sand then goes through a pipeline and comes out a tube on the beach. A crew on land then spreads the sand around the beach. In this case, the dredging will take place along 2,000 feet of shore.
"So we're just the beneficiary here at St. Andrews State Park. Then we get it put back on our beach to nourish the beaches here," Addison said.
The length of the beach has already been tripled due to the dredging work.
Long-time resident Robert Lydick is watching this project closely. "It provides us with naturally a lot of beach front, provides for fishing, provides also for a lot of recreational activities that take place here on the beach," he said.
The renourished sand may be a little murky now, but Addison said, "[It] hasn't been exposed to the sun for maybe a couple years. So once that happens, you won't be able to tell the difference."
The Army Corps of Engineers is going to use a more natural renourishing technique this time.
"They're only going to go maybe halfway up to the dune, grade it out to a certain point, and then basically leave the sand loose in the water. [This will] let the water move the sand around naturally to where it wants to go," Addison said.
"And although it's very expensive I understand, but I think it's one of the better things that we can do here for Bay County," Lydick explained.
Addison expects the dredging to be completed in the next two or three weeks, depending on the weather.
He also says to avoid the areas fenced off on the beach where the Corps is working.
Springfield Meeting Swears in Election Winners
--- end ---
New Landscape at St. Andrews State Park
04/29/2015 01:07 PM
http://www.mypanhandle.com/story/d/story/new-landscape-at-st-andrews-state-park/28609/fqSSBxSHQ0m6NSosc8Meqw
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting their regular maintenance of the shipping channel that runs through St. Andrews Park. From pleasure boats to large cargo ships, every year thousands of vessels pass through the channel at St. Andrews State Park.
The Corps is correcting several shallow sections in the pass. In order for the bigger ships to get through the channel, the bottom needs to be at least 38 feet deep. The engineers plan on cutting 40 to 42 feet.
The sand that is being removed will be placed on the gulf side of the beach to help with erosion. St. Andrews Manager, Brian Addison says the dredge will help across the board.
“Not only does this nourishment benefit us as far as the state park goes, but it also benefits the commerce here in the local area, because now they are able to bring the larger ships from the dredging area with the cargo in and out,” says Addison.
Officials at St. Andrews State Park say that the beaches are still open during this process, but they warn visitors to be mindful of the equipment.
If weather permits, the project should be done in a couple of weeks, and once it is complete, there will be more room for visitors to enjoy the beautiful beach.
Copyright 2015 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
MAY 8, 2015 UPDATE
A few more days and they will be finished, then the shelling fun begins!
May 9, 2015 UPDATE
May 12, 2015 UPDATE
COMPLETED!
Sunday, May 10, 2015, they finished the channel dredging and beach restoration and it looks totally beautiful.
MAY 17, 2015 UPDATE
GREAT JOB GUYS!!!
Living 5 min away and working 10 min away, I buy an annual pass each year to the state park and visit often. Yesterday, my granddaughter and I totally enjoyed the kiddie pool and today I rode my bike there and walked around digging up shells and taking pictures - thanks for the great job!!!
PS A couple of photos of what it looked like before...
Working 24 x 7, it's very exciting to watch as workers widen the kiddie pool beach area in St Andrews State Park which is now open for all to enjoy! Next, according to one bulldozer driver, is beach restoration along the Gulf. Below are photos which include a couple of short videos.
GETTING READY
April 10, 2015
FIRST DAY
April 11, 2015
NEXT DAY
April 12, 2015
Found a few shells
Folks collecting seashells
AND THE NEXT DAY April 13, 2015
IT'S DONE!
April 14, 2015
A couple of the hardworking Drivers
Lunchtime and after work collections :)
PS See my I Dig the Beach blog
APRIL 17, 2015 UPDATE
APRIL 18, 2015 UPDATE
Met up with the 2 three men crews who work 12 hr shifts 24x7 at shift change. They are doing a great job and will be done by the end of the month. Granddaughter Lauren went with me today to check it out :)
APRIL 23, 2015 UPDATE
Deeper waters: Army Corps dredging shipping channel
By VALERIE GARMAN | News Herald Writer | Twitter: @ValerieGarman
Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 19:16 PM.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/deeper-waters-army-corps-dredging-shipping-channel-1.468338?ot=hmg.PrintPageLayout.ot&print=photo
PANAMA CITY — A regular maintenance project to deepen Port Panama City’s shipping channel is underway a bit sooner than expected.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting dredge work to correct several shallow areas of the channel, which guides ships through St. Andrew Pass and into St. Andrew Bay from the Gulf waters near St. Andrews State Park.
“The port was starting to get impacted,” said Corps site manager Waylon Register. “We tried to respond as quickly as we could to get the channel back to the full project depth.”
The $1.25 million project calls for the removal of about 200,000 yards of sand from the channel, which will be used to restore a portion of eroded beach at the state park.
Register said the channel fills in through a natural process called “shoaling” and is dredged about every two years — more often if a major storm affects the area. This time around, he said, sand buildup needed to be addressed sooner than usual.
The project calls for the channel to be at least 38 feet deep to accommodate ships calling the port, and the Corps dredges to about 40 to 42 feet during maintenance. Depending on the weather conditions, the Corps expects to complete the project in one to two weeks, with fresh sand at St. Andrews State Park just in time to welcome summer visitors.
“If you’ve been down there lately, you’ll notice there is a cliff,” Register said of the state park beach, which erodes more quickly than most because the jetties block the natural migration of sand down the shore. Instead, the sand builds up on Shell Island to the east.
“We’re mimicking what nature would be doing if the jetty (weren’t) there,” he said.
Port Director Wayne Stubbs said he was pleased with the Army Corps’ quick response to the issue, which diverted just one ship before port officials could notify customers about the shallow areas. The affected ship headed to New Orleans to unload some cargo and returned to Panama City with less of a depth requirement.
“The good news is the Corps was able to move their schedule around in order to get a dredge in here,” Stubbs said. “That limitation is only going to be in effect for about six weeks. As soon as they’re finished, we’ll be back to normal.”
Copyright © 2015 http://www.newsherald.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
APRIL 29, 2015 UPDATE
Army Corps of Engineers Dredging the Pass and Renourishing Beach
Updated: Thu 10:39 PM, Apr 23, 2015
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Army-Corps-of-Engineers-Dredging-the-Pass-Renourishing-Beach-301156031.html
ST. ANDREWS STATE PARK-- Tourist season is ramping up at St. Andrews State Park. You may have noticed the dredger in the Pass whenever the weather cooperates; the surf has to be under a few feet and there can't be stormy conditions.
According to Park Manager Brian Addison, the Army Corps of Engineers have needed to dredge the pass every two years lately and some aren't digging the work, since we're heading into summer.
"I understand their disappointment," Addison said. "Unfortunately, there's a never a good time of the year to do it. We try to do this in the winter time."
Port Panama City has a specific depth requirement in order for large cargo ships to pass through. That's one reason why the project is underway.
The dredger starts by gathering sand from underneath the water. The sand then goes through a pipeline and comes out a tube on the beach. A crew on land then spreads the sand around the beach. In this case, the dredging will take place along 2,000 feet of shore.
"So we're just the beneficiary here at St. Andrews State Park. Then we get it put back on our beach to nourish the beaches here," Addison said.
The length of the beach has already been tripled due to the dredging work.
Long-time resident Robert Lydick is watching this project closely. "It provides us with naturally a lot of beach front, provides for fishing, provides also for a lot of recreational activities that take place here on the beach," he said.
The renourished sand may be a little murky now, but Addison said, "[It] hasn't been exposed to the sun for maybe a couple years. So once that happens, you won't be able to tell the difference."
The Army Corps of Engineers is going to use a more natural renourishing technique this time.
"They're only going to go maybe halfway up to the dune, grade it out to a certain point, and then basically leave the sand loose in the water. [This will] let the water move the sand around naturally to where it wants to go," Addison said.
"And although it's very expensive I understand, but I think it's one of the better things that we can do here for Bay County," Lydick explained.
Addison expects the dredging to be completed in the next two or three weeks, depending on the weather.
He also says to avoid the areas fenced off on the beach where the Corps is working.
Springfield Meeting Swears in Election Winners
--- end ---
New Landscape at St. Andrews State Park
04/29/2015 01:07 PM
http://www.mypanhandle.com/story/d/story/new-landscape-at-st-andrews-state-park/28609/fqSSBxSHQ0m6NSosc8Meqw
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting their regular maintenance of the shipping channel that runs through St. Andrews Park. From pleasure boats to large cargo ships, every year thousands of vessels pass through the channel at St. Andrews State Park.
The Corps is correcting several shallow sections in the pass. In order for the bigger ships to get through the channel, the bottom needs to be at least 38 feet deep. The engineers plan on cutting 40 to 42 feet.
The sand that is being removed will be placed on the gulf side of the beach to help with erosion. St. Andrews Manager, Brian Addison says the dredge will help across the board.
“Not only does this nourishment benefit us as far as the state park goes, but it also benefits the commerce here in the local area, because now they are able to bring the larger ships from the dredging area with the cargo in and out,” says Addison.
Officials at St. Andrews State Park say that the beaches are still open during this process, but they warn visitors to be mindful of the equipment.
If weather permits, the project should be done in a couple of weeks, and once it is complete, there will be more room for visitors to enjoy the beautiful beach.
Copyright 2015 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
MAY 8, 2015 UPDATE
A few more days and they will be finished, then the shelling fun begins!
May 9, 2015 UPDATE
May 12, 2015 UPDATE
COMPLETED!
Sunday, May 10, 2015, they finished the channel dredging and beach restoration and it looks totally beautiful.
MAY 17, 2015 UPDATE
GREAT JOB GUYS!!!
Living 5 min away and working 10 min away, I buy an annual pass each year to the state park and visit often. Yesterday, my granddaughter and I totally enjoyed the kiddie pool and today I rode my bike there and walked around digging up shells and taking pictures - thanks for the great job!!!
PS A couple of photos of what it looked like before...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)