Pensacola Magazine, August 2018

ADVENTURES AFTER DARK

Ft. Pickens 3:20 am

Explore Pensacola in a Different Light

Small Towns, Big Charm.

+Receive. Rehab.

Art · History · Culture

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The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida

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Editor’s Note

On July 24, we lost a great friend, wife, mother, citizen and human being.

Glenys Erwin Ballinger was one of the nicest, funniest and biggest hearted people I’ve ever met. I loved our long office visits where we would talk for hours about everything from politics to hair color and from health issues to family gossip. Glenys had the best sense of humor and I particularly loved it when her humor tended toward the inappropriate—something about that sweet British accent and a few carefully selected words would light up my heart and send me into fits of laughter.

Glenys often spoke of her sisters and her nieces, whom she loved very much and was very close to.

I admired her dedication to staying in touch with loved ones near and far. She had scheduled phone calls with far away friends and family members weekly and always knew every detail of what was happening in their lives. She was particularly proud of her nieces and would speak of them often. My heart goes out to Malcolm and her son, Rich, her grandchildren, her sisters, nieces and all of her family and friends. The world lost a bright and shining soul and she will be missed by so many.

Rest in Peace, Glenys. I like to imagine you’re up there enjoying a nice big glass of red and a side of Brussels sprouts with Andy and Pete. I hope you have the peace and relief from pain that you so much deserve.

I’ll keep the rest of my editorial brief. This is a great issue—full of fun ways to get out and explore our town and beyond. Our cover story features ways to enjoy the outdoors at night—a great way to escape the heat, but still get your dose of nature and adventure. I’m smitten with the magnificent photo of Fort Pickens on our cover. The image was taken by Jeff Waldorff, a local fine art photographer whose portfolio boasts some really incredible astrophotography. We’ve also included features on small town getaways, local wildlife conservation efforts, Pensacola icons and, perhaps most useful, a map of local breweries to help you chill on these hot summer days. Cheers!

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

/pensacolamagazine

6 Pensacola Magazine

@pensacola_magazine

Subscription Expiration Date is printed on the address label. Renew your subscription now online at www.ballingerpublishing.com: One year $14.95 and two years $22.75.

Contents Pensacola Icons

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Gulf breeze zoo welcomes new baby rhino

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Receive. rehab.

Release.

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Brew City

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Small towns, BIG CHARM.

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make summer sweeter with fresh cherries

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adventures after Dark

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A new exhibit at the T.T. Wentworth explores the landmarks that define our city.

Conservation efforts at the Gulf Breeze Zoo lead to the birth of Southern White Rhino, Katana.

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of local wildlife.

With at least nine craft breweries expected in Pensacola by the end of the year, Pensacola Magazine created a map and guide to help you decide where, and what, to drink—responsibly, of course!

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Looking for a laid-back, quiet getaway? Check out one of these charming coastal small towns for a quick weekend respite from life in the big(ish) city.

Don’t let the heat keep you indoors all summer, get outside with these nighttime adventures in and around Pensacola.

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In Every Issue

Editor’s Letter 6 Page 10 10 Pensacola Scene 12 Play/Live/Give 37 Our Storied Past 40

Special Sections Business Climate On the Market On the cover: “Time Machine”

By Waldorff Photography waldorffphotography.com 8 Pensacola Magazine

43 57

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MAGAZINE

AUGUST 2018 Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Publisher Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Executive Editor Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Guy Stevens guy@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Bara’ah Jaraiseh baraah@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Will Isern will@ballingerpublishing.com Assistant Editor Kaitlyn Peacock kaitlyn@ballingerpublishing.com Contributing Writers DeeDee Davis Heidi Travis Rita Johnson Sales & Marketing Paula Rode, Account Executive ext. 28 paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange, Account Executive ext. 21 geneva@ballingerpublishing.com

314 N. Spring St. | Pensacola, FL 32501 850.433.1166 | fax: 850.435.9174 ballingerpublishing.com Published by Ballinger Publishing:

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NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2018

PAGE 10 with DeeDee Davis

It’s only August and already the campaign mud is slinging full force. Both sides are equally as guilty because they know the sad truth. Negative campaigning usually works. I have only known of one candidate that seems to be immune, but the rest are fair game.

Go figure. It’s just best not to get too worked up when someone says something horrible, slanderous and scandalous about a candidate you love and support because it is going to happen. Mercifully, dueling was outlawed, but hard feelings last for years.

– she was first elected in 2004 – I have seen her revert to mothering squabbling children as she intervenes in heated debates between members. She also doesn’t mind cutting off needless discussion when a topic has been exhausted.

All of this she does in her own way. No attempt at grandstanding. No rushing to the camera. Just simple, straightforward, honest talk with the public’s best interest in mind. meetings they are required to attend. Now THAT is public service.

Maybe all this seems like big bucks to Ms. Cannada-Wynn, as she was born and raised in Century where, from the time she was a Now and then, along comes an elected very small child (one of six), she picked peas official who somehow miraculously rises for 2 cents a pound. It’s not easy escaping above the fray. Someone we could all learn poverty, especially in Century where good from. jobs are few, but Jewel wanted better and the military was her ticket out. She joined Jewel Cannada-Wynn, Pensacola City the Air Force Reserves and her first career Council Member. was born. Additionally, she worked her way through college, including earning a I have watched this amazing woman over M.A. from the University of West Florida. the years and never cease to be amazed by After 20 years in the Reserves, she began a her dedication as a public servant. And it’s teaching career and currently is a dean at certainly not because she is wealthy and can Escambia High School. Her husband passed do this as a hobby. I almost laugh when I see away a year ago, but even this did not hold what some elected officials are paid. Member her back. She poured everything she had of Congress- approximately 174,000 plus into her public service- as an educator and as full benefits. Escambia County Board of a representative of the people. She has that County Commissioners- approximately kind of drive and that kind of commitment. $80,000 plus benefits. I don’t know about you, but in my book this isn’t public service. What impresses me most about her, It’s a well-paid job. The members of the however, is her style. I have sat through Pensacola City Council got a raise a couple countless hours of City Council meetings of years ago and now they make a whopping over the years. I won’t lie. It is painful. $21,000. That’s probably about 5 cents an Some members ramble on and talk just to hour. If you don’t believe it, go sit through hear themselves. Some go shrill when they one of their meetings, which usually range don’t get their way. Some obviously don’t from 3-7 hours in duration. They have to know what they are talking about. But Jewel have real jobs to make a living, and then Cannada-Wynn does her homework and for $21,000, they are on call 24/7 to their is prepared at meetings. She is calm. She constituents in addition to the marathon listens. She is approachable. Over the years 10 Pensacola Magazine

The loudest usually get the headlines in the world of politics, so many may not be familiar with her name. But she is not to be underestimated. She understands the process better than most – the good, the bad and the ugly. You wont see her campaign coffers overflowing with ridiculously high contributions from those we all know benefit greatly off political favors. She earns her votes the hard way – grassroots campaigning.

Let’s hope she stays around for a long time.

A true public servant is a rare creature.

August Birthdays 1 1 7 11 14 18 27 28 28 29

Bruce McAlpin Kathy Dunagan Cherry Fitch Jenny Noonan Corbett Davis, Jr Mary Davis Sharon Duplantis Jim Neal John Griffing Milton Usery

I join with so many others in the sad passing of Glenys Ballinger. She and her husband, Malcolm, have been fixtures at Pensacola social and cultural events for many years and she will be missed.

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7/19/18 3:10 PM

Pensacola Scene Brain Spencer for Mayor kick off reception at “The Artisan”

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1. Host Teri Levin introduces Brian Spencer 2. Nels Offerdahl and John McMahon 3. T. Bubba Bechtol and Elodie Cardon 4. Brian Spencer, Fred Hemmer and Mayor Ashton Hayward 5. Mike Papantonio and Jan Miller 6. John Ripley and Larry “Moose” Morris

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Five Flags Rotary change of Command

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1. Josh Newby, Mark Gillman and Jeff Nall 2. Ed Weddeke and Christine Williams 3. Victoria and Gerald Adcox and Diane Mack

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Pensacola Scene Seville Quarter Crab Cake Cook-Off

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3 1. Becky Hildebrand and Mallory McCutchen 2. Julie Sauer, Wayne McCutchen & Amy Emel 3. Mitzi Shanholtzer, Gene Faircloth & Tracy Steiner 4. Miko Franklin & Matt Parnell with OMG Gourmet Bakery

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Running of the Bulls at Seville Quarter

Pensacola Magazine

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Pensacola Icons: What Landmarks Define Our Cit y?

By Rita Johnson • photos by Richard Rodriguez

D

espite Pensacola’s small town feel, our city is filled with iconic landmarks and a rich history.

The “Icons of Pensacola” exhibit in the T.T. Wentworth museum, which opened July 10, tackles some of this history by focusing in on six undeniably Pensacola icons. The icons featured include three which still exist: the Blue Angels, the Graffiti Bridge and the Sailfish Sign, and three that are no longer around: the Norwegian Seaman’s Church, the Pensacola Dairy Company, and the Hotel San Carlos.

14 Pensacola Magazine

When asked about their choices of icons, the chief curator at the UWF Historic Trust, Lowell Bassett, said: “With each of these six we tried to find something that was relatable, something that you didn’t have to be a local to appreciate. It was incredibly hard to narrow it down to just six. I think we had over fifty ideas initially. We had to really look and figure out which ones offered the best look at Pensacola’s history.”

The exhibit, on the 3rd floor of the museum, will run until Oct. 31. Its arrangement is meant to give visitors freedom to engage with it in whatever way they want.

“We kind of had an open floor plan, so the idea is that when you come in, the sightlines can pull you in any direction, and you can go towards whatever most interests you,” said Bassett.

One way the sightlines could take us is towards the large portrait of a Norwegian man on the wall. His eyes seem to be following you, beckoning you to come look.

The Norwegian Seaman’s church is the most obscure icon of the six, as very few recall it in living memory. It was a prominent Protestant church and a cultural institution in Pensacola during its time of operation from the late 19th century up until it was torn down in 1934.

“The unique thing about the church was how difficult it was to find anything, any artifacts at all, relating to it. It was this massive stone building— we couldn’t even find a brick. Not one. And one of the few people we could find who recall it was a woman in her mid 80s, who recalled her grandparents attending the church.”

The church was part of the large Norwegian presence that existed at the time. It was a place where sailors could go to find literature to read via a worldwide library system of seaman’s churches, where they could socialize with other sailors, where they could both send and receive letters from home, and where they could worship.

There was a massive Christmas celebration held by the church, in which sailors would often receive Christmas gifts all the way from Europe to open here in Pensacola. Music that would have been sung at the church plays at the exhibit, performed by a Norwegian group.

Eventually however, the Norwegian population of Pensacola left, leaving few behind. Those who remained moved to what is now Immanuel Lutheran Church for their place

of worship, and memory of the church faded with the Norwegian population.

Another Pensacola icon which has faded into history is the Pensacola Dairy Company. The Dairy Bar, owned by the company, had an iconic milk bottle on the top of the building, what Bassett calls “mimetic architecture,” or architecture that signals what a place was selling. In this case, the restaurants main fare was all things dairy. Built in 1926, initially the restaurant was strictly dairy, selling ice cream, milk, and cream, as well as delivering milk; it later evolved into a drive-in style restaurant.

It was torn down in the 1970s however, to make way for the I-10 off ramp by the Bay Center.

The museum features milk bottles and bottle caps from the Dairy Bar, as well as laminated examples of the old menus, in addition to an advertisement for the sale of milk for World War II,

both of which you can pick up and read for yourself.

The Hotel San Carlos is the last of the lost icons. The tone Bassett takes when talking of it is bittersweet, it is clear how much of a loss the tearing down of this hotel was. “It was one of those things that was done to really put us on the map,” said Bassett. In its heyday there were advertisements as far north as Chicago for the Hotel San Carlos, and it was the premier destination if you were having any sort of formal event in Pensacola.

The hotel was torn down in 1993, after it fell into disrepair in the 60s and through the 70s, but is missed by many now. Bassett talked of its demolition, saying, “People really hated to see it torn down.

Even people who supported it when it was torn down are kicking themselves now for removing it, because it was one of these places that any other city would have found a way to support it, to

revitalize it. There were a lot of ideas on the table when it was torn down, but unfortunately at the time there just wasn’t the foresight to preserve it.”

The most prominent item on display for the hotel is one of the old bell-hops desks, which was restored by a member of the Historic Trust to how it would have looked in its glory days. Other artifacts, such as old keys, silverware and an ashtray with special matches are on display as well.

The most prominent of the other three still existing icons is the Blue Angels. Undoubtedly a Pensacola legend, the world famous Navy flight demonstration team is the pride of Pensacola. A video detailing the experiences of recently retired Blue Angel pilot Matthew Suyderhoud provides fascinating insight into the group and the amount of skill that it takes to be a Blue Angel.

The flight suits on display are on loan from two former Blue Angel pilots. Bassett expressed particular delight in having been able to get a flight suit helmet. “You see the flight suits all the time, but not usually the helmets. We were very excited to have gotten this one.”

The Graffiti Bridge and the Sailfish Sign are the two other existing icons that many think of as going hand-in-hand, since you often have to pass under both in order to get to the beach.

The 17th Avenue overpass, known lovingly as the Graffiti Bridge, was once thought of as a major issue. The graffiti on the bridge was regarded as projecting

an undesirable image. For many years, ramping up in the 1980s, locals tried to find a way to combat graffiti on the bridge. In 2008, it was decriminalized, cementing the bridge’s status as an ever-changing iconic Pensacola landmark. The title of an informative plaque at the exhibit says it best: “From Eyesore to Icon.”

The Graffiti Bridge display is by far the most unique one, going out of its way to catch your eye. The wall art was done by artist Poppy Garcia, and the display features pages from Rachel Pongetti’s book, “The Pensacola Graffiti Bridge Project,” where in 2011 she photographed the Graffiti Bridge every day for 365 days.

The Sailfish Sign, commissioned by the Santa Rosa Island Authority in the 1950s was originally on Palafox, on top of Escambia Motors. In 1962 it was moved to the location near the Bob Sikes Memorial Bridge, and the original sign was replaced by a new one in 2003.

On display is part of the original sign. “We have the original sailfish sign, so the pieces you see up there are the original… we’re one of the only places where you can get up close and personal with it,” said Bassett.

In the end, Bassett hopes visitors leave the exhibit with a better understanding of the interesting story of Pensacola’s history.

Pensacola Magazine

15

Gulf Breeze Zoo welcomes new baby rhino

By Kaitlyn Peacock

E

arly in the morning on Jan. 20, Gulf Breeze Zoo Lead Keeper Adrianne Leopard checked on soon-to-be mother Katie, the Southern White Rhinoceros. It had been a long 16 months of waiting and anticipation.

“I was excited,” Leopard said. “It just takes a long time. Their pregnancy is 16 to 18 months.

It’s a very long waiting period. We just wanted to make sure (Katie) was healthy and doing well.

But the waiting period was definitely a very long time.”

But early that morning, Leopard discovered the wait was over and little Katana stood as the first rhino to be born at Gulf Breeze Zoo. She is the first, but not the last, according to the zoo’s Director Jesse Pottebaum.

“Our biggest focus is to create a herd,” he said. “The more we can get a herd, the population actually seems more natural. In the natural environment, this rhino female (Katie) would be with several other cows, having calves, rearing offspring, and they go off on their own sometimes, but they usually come together. Males become bachelors. They are

16 Pensacola Magazine

always by themselves. So our goal is to simply replicate what the natural environment would be producing.”

While being a joyous occasion for the zoo, Katana’s birth also contributes to efforts to save the rhino. While Southern White Rhinos are considered to be the most populous of the five rhino species, there are less than 20,000 left in the world. In March of this year, the last male Northern White Rhino died, leaving only two females left of the entire subspecies.

Rhinos are often killed by poachers for their horns, which are made of keratin, the same substance that human hair and nails are made.

However, some cultures believe specifically rhino horn has medicinal properties, something the scientific community has denied for many years.

The poaching of these rhinos is made even more tragic by the fact that when rhino horns are broken or cut off, they grow back within two to three years. Still, the rhino population has been decimated by more than 90 percent since the 1900s. A higher demand for rhino horn starting in the mid 2000s has spurred another wave of poaching in the new century.

“Rhinos are a very large mammal, which means they fill a huge niche in the plains of Africa,” Pottebaum said. “Once you take away one of those niches, it will impact every species in that area. What we can do with conservation is develop breeding programs –they are what is

going to be the future for protecting a species. It’s only a matter of time before that 20,000 is down to 500. I would say that happens in less than a decade.”

Pottebaum said an average of three to four rhinos are poached every day.

However, there is hope for the rhinos. Katana’s birth, along with breeding programs in other zoos and wildlife preserves all over the world, help fight to keep the population steady, to keep the rhinos from extinction.

“We’ve actually brought back numerous species from extinction and it was because they were bred in captivity,” Pottebaum said.

Animals such as the gray wolf, which are still considered extinct in most of the United States, were reintroduced into the wild and now have small, localized populations, a claim to what captive breeding and conservation programs can accomplish.

While no one is considering releasing rhinos into the plains of the United States, their care and continued births in North America help to keep the global population from total decline.

“America has shown that this can work,” Pottebaum said. “And a lot of other countries are starting to follow suit.”

At the Gulf Breeze Zoo, keepers continue to do their part in the conservation effort by caring for the new baby and looking forward to future births and additions to the zoo.

“Our goal now is to create our own population here and to do some consortium work with other zoos in America,” Pottebaum said.

Katana continues to grow at an astonishing pace, nearly ten pounds a day. In a few years, she will be around 3,000 to 4,000 pounds, like her mother. Her father Robbie weighs in at around 5,000 pounds; male rhinos are the second largest land mammals behind elephants.

For now, Pottebaum describes her as a little “bowling ball” that can be seen out with her mother and playing with the other animals.

“Like any mammal, they all have play behavior,” he said. “Play is a good thing.

Play is what builds your fundamentals of your arms and legs all moving well so there is a lot of time you can see Katana out there playing while mom is simply grazing. Mom is just like “Whatever” and Katana is out there chasing rhea and other hoof stock. That’s good behavior.”

Robbie, Katie and Katana can be seen in the Gulf Breeze Zoo’s open preserve safari via the boardwalk or guided train tours. Look far into the front left corner for a glimpse of little Katana and the other rhinos, and do not forget to say hello to all her unwitting playmates as well.

A Smoking Venue

White Rhino Facts • The White Rhino is not actually white, but gray in color • The “White” Rhino comes from a misinterpretation of a South African word “wijd,” which means “wide;” the rhino was originally named after its wide lip • There are five species of rhino: White Rhino, Black Rhino, Javan Rhino, Greater One-Horned Rhino and the Sumatran Rhino • Southern and Northern White Rhinos are actually one species, however poaching and migration routes separated the herds and created the two distinct localities • As of March 2018, the last male Northern Rhino died, leaving two females as the remainder of the subspecies

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Receive, rehab, release.

Monty, 8 year-old screech owl.

by Heidi Travis Photos by Guy Stevens

ust past the Global Learning Academy on North S Street, tucked away beneath a canopy of trees and snuggled between lush greenery is a modest, one-story brick building.

Were it not for the sign proudly centered on the front lawn, it would be easy to mistake this building for a residential lot. It looks like a home and in truth, it is. For hundreds of animals including owls, hawks, eagles, turtles, opossums, raccoons and skunks this is home – if not forever, then just long enough to get back on their feet.

For 36 years the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida has run their operations out of this small building. A network of indoor/outdoor enclosures houses a wide variety of indigenous species who are either recovering from some sort of trauma or ineligible for re-release into the wild. A crew comprised of a handful of employees and volunteers care for the animals’ every needs.

This dedicated group has made it their mission not only to treat injured animals, but also to tirelessly advocate for them through educational programs and outreach.

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is a non-profit organization with permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife organizations which allows them to operate on the state and federal level. Additionally, they help put on the State Conference for Wildlife Rehabilitators in south Florida every year.

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The sanctuary’s motto is “Receive, Rehab, Release,” which is highly appropriate given that it boasts a 70 to 75 percent release rate. That is a very high percentage considering that they take in anywhere between 3,000 to 4,000 animals annually. The types of animals they care for varies greatly from season to season.

“There are more species of birds than mammals but we do any native wildlife that are injured or orphaned. The spring and summer are the busiest times for us due to more babies being born in those seasons. Of course, hurricanes, tropical storms and floods create many more problems for animals so we are quite busy with intakes when the weather is difficult,” said Dorothy Kaufmann, the sanctuary director. But who is the hardest hit? Who always gets the short end of the stick?

“Environmental changes and trying to co-exist with people seem to be a challenge. We are all sharing the same space, so we have yards and pets, we have roads and cars, we have boats and fishing gear, we use chemicals that deter pests that sometimes affect other animals, we remove trees and bushes that are sometimes their habitat.”

“Babies... baby rabbits, baby songbirds, baby squirrels, baby opossums, baby skunks, baby turtles, baby armadillos, etc.,” said Kaufmann.

The sanctuary works in tandem with veterinarian Dr. Tommy Knight from Westside Animal Hospital who volunteers his time on a case by case basis, but otherwise they treat the smaller, simpler injuries themselves. Suffice to say, this crew has its hands full.

Animals come in with a litany of problems ranging from broken bones and trauma to intoxication and bacterial infections “A lot of times it will be the juvenile birds—particularly eagles—that get blown out of a nest with storms and they’ll have fractures or that type of thing. Or they can’t get back into the nest so they go to rehab. Some of them can get toxins feeding on dead prey.

Eagles are pretty much scavengers.

Sometimes in terms of mating behavior there’s fighting and that sort of thing,” said Dr. Knight.

The biggest culprit, according to Kaufmann is us.

“Environmental changes and trying to co-exist with people seem to be a challenge. We are all sharing the same space, so we have yards and pets, we have roads and cars, we have boats and fishing gear, we use chemicals that deter pests that sometimes affect other animals, we remove trees and bushes that are sometimes their habitat. Co-existing seems to be a challenge at times,” she said.

The good news is, there’s a lot we can do to help. Donations go a long way to maintain their operations. Tax deductible monetary contributions made through Paypal are one way, but the sanctuary’s website also offers a long list of items that can be donated as well. This list includes things like food for the animals such as berries, vegetables, crickets, and meal worms, and more practical household items such as tissues, paper towels, and latex gloves. Any and all of these things support the cost of the sanctuary’s daily operations and keep all of their animals well cared for.

Prevention, however, remains one of the best methods to keep our animal friends out of harm’s way, which is why Kaufmann and her crew go to such great lengths to educate the public. The more we know about how to better coexist with wildlife, the fewer accidents they will face. Furthermore, there are many misconceptions about caring for wildlife that Kaufmann

and Dr. Knight would like to clear up.

“You can successfully put birds back in their nest. The only birds with a keen sense of smell are vultures, so it’s just an old wives’ tale that momma bird won’t take the baby back if you touch it. You can create a make-shift basket to put baby squirrel back up in the tree even if the nest falls.

“Loons on the beach look like a large duck and often sit on the shoreline. They really can’t walk well because their legs sit much closer to the back end of their body and the legs bend differently so they can swim better. This often makes them look like they have broken legs. Gently encouraging them back into the water if people are concerned they are hurt is fine but be very careful; they spear fish for a living so the beak is very sharp,” Kaufmann continued.

Kaufmann also added that baby birds should never be fed milk or bread. “Never try to feed any bird or mammal if it is cold. It’s best to put the animal in a box and cover it, then transport to a licensed rehabilitator as soon as possible,” she said.

Dr. Knight echoed these sentiments and added, “If you find a fawn that’s by itself and people think that it’s abandoned, a lot of times the mother is waiting around. Sometimes it’s best to just leave them alone. But if you come across any birds of prey, it’s best to call the FWC and let them guide you on what to do. Don’t try to handle it yourself. They’re trained. They do a really good job at the Wildlife Sanctuary. They

couldn’t do it without the public’s help finding things and notifying them but going through the proper channels is always the best way to handle it.”

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is open seven days a week from 8 am to 5 pm to drop off injured wildlife. They are open for visitations Wednesday through Saturday from 12 to 3:30 pm. If you have any questions, would like more information, or would like to make a donation please visit their website at www. pensacolawildlife.com or call them at 433-9453.

Donations Needed Here is a list of the supplies the Wildlife Sanctuary needs. You can drop off any of these items at their facility 7 days a week between 8 am and 5 pm.

• Meal Worms (live and dried) • Live Crickets (feed stores) • Latex Gloves (all sizes) • Berries (all types) and Veggies • Paper Towels • Tissues • Simple Green • Sunflower Hearts • Fresh/Frozen Chicken • Fresh/Frozen Fish • Venison/Red Meat (no pork) • Bottled Water Walmart, Lowes, Sams, Home Depot and Walgreens gift cards are always accepted.

Pensacola Magazine

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brew city de to local brews a crafty gBYuiHEIDI TRAVIS

You’ve just come in from a scorching day of tedious yard work, you’re at a get together with a bunch of your friends, it’s been a hell of a week at work and you just need a little something to take the edge off – What do you reach for? BEER, of course! Beer is the nation’s leading alcoholic beverage, with 40 percent of alcohol consuming Americans calling it the drink of their choice according to a 2017 Gallup poll.

Beer has always been a fan favorite with its genesis dating back as far as 3400 B.C. in what is now modern day Iran. The oldest evidence of beer, however, a stone tablet depicting people and gods drinking beer through straws, suggests the Sumerians were at it long before then. The Sumerian variety of beer likely wouldn’t be a crowd pleaser these days, though.

It was said to be thick as porridge with plenty of bread and herbs in it – thus the straw to filter it all out. Not particularly refreshing.

Of course, since then, beer has come a long, long way. Now beer comes in many shapes and forms not least of which is the increasingly popular craft beer, which has become a global phenomenon. The Brewer’s Association defines a craft brewer as small, independent, and traditional. This means they must produce a total of six million barrels of beer or less annually, less than 25 percent of the brewery should be controlled by

1. Spahr Brewing Company 3541 W Fairfield Dr. spahrbrewingcompany.com Number of beers on Tap: 8 Signature Beer: German Pils 2. Goatlips Chew & Brewhouse featuring The Redneck Riviera Brewing Project 2811 Copter Rd. goatlips.com Number of Beers on Tap: 6 to 7 Signature Beer: Raiders of the Last Hops, Sweet Potato (Ale in the fall), Jalapeno Cream Ale 3. A Little Madness Brewing Company (Opening Soon) 9838 N. Davis Hwy. alittlemadnessbrewingcompany.com Number of Beers on Tap: 14 Signature Beer: Lavender Iron Wit

20 Pensacola Magazine

an alcohol industry member that is not a craft brewer itself, and that the majority of its beverage volume be derived from traditional brewing ingredients. According to the Brewers Association, as of last year, there were a total of 243 craft breweries in the state of Florida alone.

Well, this little chunk of Florida is no exception. In recent years, Pensacola has seen a surge of craft breweries emerging with the promise of even more to come throughout the area. In fact, by the end of the year, Pensacola will be home to a total of nine breweries, so we are spoiled for choice here. It’s no wonder too. craft breweries are more than just businesses. It’s also about community. They are cozy clubs, a home away from home, where you and your friends can gather for an afternoon or evening and get a taste for something a little bit different. Maybe you’ll discover something new and delicious. Maybe you’ll make new friends. Maybe you won’t like everything you taste, but that doesn’t matter. With craft beer, it’s all about the journey, not the destination. Ah, but where to begin? Especially if you are relatively new to the craft beer scene, it may be hard to know where to go or what to drink. Say no more! We are here to help. We’ve created a handy dandy map to point you in the direction of the best brew for you.

4. Gulf Coast Brewery 5000 Heinberg St. gulfcoastbrewery.net Number of Beers on Tap: 23 Also have a Cigar shop and lounge Signature Beers: Karma Driven IPA, Backstabber Coffee Porter, Summer Blonde Ale 5. McGuire’s Irish Pub 600 E. Gregory St. mcguiresirishpub.com Number of Beers on Tap: 7 + 1 root beer Signature Beer: Red Ale 6. Perfect Plain Brewing Co. 50 E. Garden St. perfectplain.com Number of Beers on Tap: 12- 16 Signature Beers: Rotating beers on a month–to-month basis

7. Big Top Brewing Company (Opening Soon) 21 W. Romana St. bigtopbrewing.com Number of Beers on Tap: 24 Signature Beers: Hawaiian Lion, Big Life Tropical Lager 8. Casks and Flights 121 S Palafox St. swanneck.moonfruit.com/casksand-flights Number of Beers on Tap: Casks and Flights will offer Swan Neck mead as well as a variety of wines on tap 9. Pensacola Bay Brewery 225 E. Zaragoza St. pbbrew.com Number of Beers on Tap: 20 to 22 Signature Beer: Riptide Amber

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If you’re curious to know what all the hubbub is about but don’t want to bother with the hassle of having your designated driver take you all over town, then the annual Emerald Coast Beer Festival is the one-stop answer for you. On September 6 and 7 at Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium in Seville Quarter, several of our local brewers will be serving up their best craft beers for you to taste and all you have to pay is the price of the ticket. With over 250 beers offered by home brewing clubs, craft breweries and distributors, the possibilities are endless. Unlimited beers. One ticket! And it’s all for a good cause. The proceeds of the festival will go towards two charity organizations: The AlfredWashburn Center and the Seville Rotary Club.

Not a drinker?

If beer or alcohol is not your cup of tea, no worries! Big Jerk Soda Company’s got you covered. With a variety of unique and tasty, fizzy drinks to offer, like Ginger Beer, Lavender Lemonade and Blueberry Peach, you’re sure to find something to your taste. Big Jerk Soda Co. has two new flavors—Coffee Soda and Cherry Limeade—coming out soon and a rotating selection that changes seasonally so be sure to keep an eye out!

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Small towns.

Big charm.

While the city of Pensacola classifies as a large town with a population of approximately 53,779, these days it’s beginning to feel more like a small city. Bustling shops and streets, actual traffic issues and a bewildering number of new developments are all signs of Pensacola’s rapid renaissance and growth. While that’s great on many levels, sometimes it’s nice to get away from hustle and bustle and relax in the charm and slow pace of a small

by Kelly Oden

southern town. Whether you are interested in history, architecture, the outdoors, art and culture or delicious dining, these four small Gulf Coast towns offer all that and more. Each town has a unique character and charm all its own and most are only an hour or two from Pensacola, which makes them perfect for a weekend getaway.

Bon Voyage!

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Downtown Milton, FL Established 1844 Population 9,323 Attractions Imogene Theatre Bands on the Blackwater Veterans’ Memorial Park St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Website mainstreet milton.org

Incorporated in 1844, Milton is among the oldest cities in Florida and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Blackwater River was a major transportation route for timber, lumber, brick, naval stores and ship building industries. Unfortunately, most of the city’s commercial buildings were intentionally destroyed during the Civil War to prevent Federal troops from utilizing them. In the 1880s, Milton continued to be a transportation hub, but this time goods were shipped via the many railroad tracks that ran throughout the area. With the arrival of NAS Whiting Field in 1943, a new industry and a growing community was born in Milton and the surrounding areas.

Nestled along the banks of the Blackwater River, Historic Downtown Milton blends small town charm with natural splendor and

24 Pensacola Magazine

more than a few architectural gems. The Riverwalk Park runs along the banks of the Blackwater River in historic downtown Milton and offers a boardwalk for leisurely strolls or picnics.

At the north end of the boardwalk, Carpenters Park and Milton’s Riverwalk Gazebo are excellent spots to enjoy the river and wildlife views. The Blackwater River is one of the purest rivers in the nation and has been designated an Outstanding Florida Water Way. While Downtown Milton boasts dozens of unique historical sites, be sure to visit the Imogene Theatre, which was built as a vaudeville theatre in 1912. The Imogene has recently been restored to its original glory and regularly host events from national touring musicians and comedians to local trivia nights and kids summer camps. Another must see is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Built in

1877, renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright wrote that, “Saint Mary’s is a jewel created in the purest tradition of the Gothic Revival.

It survives today with its pure lines intact, its muted colors untouched. Purity, it is without a blemish.”

That’s quite a recommendation! Mt. Pilgrim African Baptist Church is another must see church structure.

The congregation formed after the civil war, but the church itself was hand-built

by church members in 1916 and was designed by architect Wallace A. Rayfield, an appointee of Booker T. Washington. Main Street Milton offers a self-guided walking tour map and brochure that features 27 historical sites, including the Santa Rosa County Courthouse and the L&N Depot, which now serves as a living history museum.

After your walking tour, Downtown Milton has plenty of options for refuel-

ing. Blackwater Bistro offers American fare and wine in a historic cottage while Boomerang Pizza is a favorite for locals and visitors alike.

Downtown Milton also offers many festivals and art events throughout the year including Riverwalk Arts Festival, Riverfest, First Fridays and Gallery Nights.

Defuniak Springs, FL

Established Late 19th C.

Website defuniaksprings.net

The quaint town of Defuniak Springs is a mere hour and fifteen minutes from Pensacola. The town sits on the banks of the spring-fed Lake Defuniak, which is a true rarity—one of only two naturally round spring fed lakes in the world. The other is located in Switzerland.

A collection of Victorian homes surrounds the lake and adds to the nostalgic charm.

Founded in the 1880s as a railroad stop for the L & N Railroad, DeFuniak Springs retains its old Florida look and feel. In fact, the Walton County Library on Circle Drive is the oldest library in

Nestled along the shores of Mobile Bay, Fairhope, Alabama might just win the most unique history prize among Gulf Coast small towns. Founded in 1894 by a group of 28 Iowans who believed in the single tax theories of economist Henry George, the group envisioned a sort of utopian society in which all land was community owned.

Community members leased land from the public trust and paid a single tax to cover the cost of public services.

Legend has it that the town got its name after someone commented that they had a “fair hope” of success. The City of Fairhope was established in 1908 and in the 1930s, the city became the caretaker of much of the treasured

land and landmarks, all gifts of the Single Tax Colony, which continues to have an active presence in the city to this day.

Early on, Fairhope became a popular vacation destination where visitors would come by boat and stay in small bay cottages. Over time, the scenic community drew the interest of artists, writers and craftsmen who moved to the area and helped grow its reputation as a laid back arts community.

Learn more about Fairhope’s unique past at the Fairhope Museum of History, which features exhibits on Fairhope’s earliest residents, the Native American Indians, as well as the potters who were attracted to the abundant, high qual-

ity clay, and the Single Taxers looking to create their own Utopia.

The Eastern Shore Art Center is a unique blend of gallery, studio space, arts education and community outreach.

Visit the gallery to view both local artists and artists from around the world. If time permits, take a class with one of the many talented instructors.

If you visit during the summer months, you may have the privilege of experiencing a phenomenon unique to Mobile Bay—a jubilee.

The unpredictable jubilees happen when oxygen levels are low, water temperatures are high and wind conditions are just right. The low oxygen forces millions of deep-dwelling fish,

Population 6,284 Attractions Defuniak Lake Chautauqua Vineyard and Winery

Fairhope, AL

Florida still operating in its original building. It houses an interesting assortment of antiquities, including an impressive medieval weapon collection and many first-edition books. The former L&N railroad depot now houses the Walton County Heritage Museum. The town became the winter home of the New York Chautauqua, an educational movement that attracted thousands of visitors to Defuniak Springs in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Chautauqua grounds are mostly intact the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chautauqua Vineyards, a 40-acre

vineyard located 12 miles north of Defuniak Springs offer tours and tastings of their wide variety of muscadine wines. The recently renovated, century old Hotel Defuniak and Tropicana

Club are a must see.

The hotel features vintage decor and ambience, a fitness center, gaming parlor, cigar bar and Caribbean and New Orleans-style cuisine.

An aerial view of Defuniak Lake.

Image © Google 2018.

Established 1894 Population 20,935 Attractions Fairhope Municipal Pier shrimp and crab toward shallow waters where they are easily harvested by people wading in the shallows using only buckets and nets.

You’ll have no problem finding charming accommodations, a great meal or excellent

shopping opportunities in Downtown Fairhope, which offers an abundance of dining options as well as many art galleries, studios, boutiques and plenty of cozy inns, B&B’s and guest houses.

The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival Website fairhopeal.gov

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Ocean Springs, MS

Established 1892 Population 17,652 Attractions Walter Anderson Museum The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center Website ci.ocean-springs. ms.us

Ocean Spring’s Main Street might just be the most charming of all the Gulf Coast’s small towns. Picturesque storefronts, cozy cafés, wrought iron balconies and shady oaks combine with eclectic galleries and a beachy chic style to create a unique coastal vibe.

Located across the bay from Biloxi, Ocean Springs’ small size belies its rich history and

cultural cache. Ocean Springs was founded

by French and French Canadian soldiers of fortune in 1699 and was incorporated in 1892. The town was first a French outpost and later fell under British and Spanish rule.

Ocean Springs fulfills its reputation as an artsy enclave by housing the Walter Anderson Museum, which contains an extensive collection of the works of celebrated American painter Walter Inglis Anderson and his brothers Peter Anderson and James McConnell Anderson. The town is also home to The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, the 1927 schoolhouse now houses an Ocean Springs His-

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tory Museum, art gallery, cooking café and performing arts theatre. Galleries and artist studios ill the storefronts of Ocean

Coast beaches and the stunning Mississippi portion of the Gulf Island National Seashore visitors can splash in the salt water, play on

A number of accommodations are available in Ocean Springs.

Boutique hotels and cozy cottages offer an authentic small town

Springs—from Shearwater Pottery circa 1928 to the artist run co-op, The Art House.

Nature abounds in Ocean Springs as well.

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S w r e e e m t m e r u S e k a M e h r C r i e h s s e r F h t i w S

ummer and cherries seem to go handin-hand, and using fresh fruits can help boost seasonal food and drink recipes.

Whether you use them as a snack, as a special ingredient in recipes or to inspire new dishes, Northwest-grown sweet cherries are one delightful way to celebrate the summer season.

Many grocery store shelves are full of these sweet, seasonal treats.

Ripened on the tree and generally harvested, packed and ready for sale within just one day, it can be difficult to find a fresher summer fruit.

Cherry recipes can be enjoyed outside the summer months, too – simply rinse, pack and freeze an extra bag or two of cherries to harness the sweet flavor and health benefits in your appetizers, desserts and sweet or savory sauces throughout the year.

Impress your guests this summer with this ice-cold Cherry Lavender Spritzer.

Or try Roasted Cherry Sauce for an accompaniment to your favorite barbecued meat, as an ice cream topper or paired with a cheese plate; it’s one way to have everyone asking for more.

28 Pensacola Magazine

Cherry Lavender Spritzer Servings: 6 4 cups pitted and halved Northwest sweet cherries 2 cups water 3 tablespoons lavender 2 tablespoons sugar 6 Northwest sweet cherries with stems 6 sprigs lavender blossoms In small saucepan, combine cherries, water, lavender and sugar. Heat mixture until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely. Strain and reserve liquid.

For each drink, combine 4 ounces cherry-lavender mixture and 4 ounces crushed ice in tall 12-ounce cocktail glass; top each with club soda. Garnish each drink with one cherry with stem and one sprig lavender blossoms.

Variation: To make alcoholic version, shake or stir strained cherry-lavender mixture and ice with 9 ounces vodka. Strain into 8-ounce martini glasses, top each with club soda and garnish each with one cherry with stem and one sprig lavender blossoms.

Roasted Cherry Sauce Makes: 1 cup 2 cups pitted Northwest sweet cherries 2/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper Heat oven to 400 F. On foil-lined baking sheet, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, salt and black pepper; toss to mix.

Place in oven and roast until cherries start to release juices and become soft, about 10 minutes. Cool before serving.

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ADVENTURES AFTER DARK Get outside with nighttime adventures in and around Pensacola.

by Will Isern

Summer is undoubtedly the best time of year to be outside in Florida, but boy is it hot out there. While it’s hard to beat a beautiful day spent on the boat or in the sand, the heat can be oppressive. So for those looking for respite from the summer sun but who still want to get outside, we’ve put together this list of nighttime adventures in and around Pensacola. From ghost tours to zip lines, there’s a lot to do after you’re burnt red as a boiled crab. Lather on that aloe and get out there!

Pensacola Magazine

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Adventures After Dark

Torch-lit Kayak Tours of Bayou Texar Bayou Texar is one of the best bodies of water for kayaking, especially for those who may be new to the sport. But rather than try and steer around boat traffic during the day, join the folks at Pensacola Paddlesport Rentals for a nighttime tour of the bayou’s marshes, led by torch light.

The tour begins at Bayview Park and goes under the Cervantes Street Bridge, 12th Avenue train trestle and out into Pensacola Bay. “We paddle away at dusk and we paddle out to the bay and watch the sunset and the stars come out and we paddle

back at dark,” said Pensacola Paddlesport’s Jason Custer.

Regular tours are conducted on Saturday night, launching around 7 to 7:30 pm. Private tours are available any day of the week for groups of more than five. Prices are $20 per person and that includes the kayak rental. Custer suggested paddlers show up 30 to 45 minutes early and bring a bottle of water.

You can find Pensacola Paddlesport Rentals on Facebook or at PensacolaPaddlesport.com.

Full Moon Zipline Tours For those that like a bit of adrenaline after hours, look to Adventures Unlimited for their moonlight zip tour.

Moonlight zips are nighttime versions of the popular zipline tours through the woods and over the creeks north of Milton. The tours are conducted once a month in association with the full moon.

“It’s adventurous, it’s a bucket list item for a lot of people and it’s people wanting to face their fears and it’s exhilarating,” said Jo Dee Cattrell. “When the moon is right and it reflects off the quartz sand it’s gorgeous.”

32 Pensacola Magazine

There are a couple different moonlight zip tour options, ranging from 1.5 to five hours and from $89 to $129. Riders must be at least 4 feet 6 inches tall and weigh between 70 and 250 pounds.

Visit FloridaZiplineAdventures.com or call 623-6197 for more details and booking information.

Lighthouse Ghost Tours The lighthouse ghost tour at the Pensacola Lighthouse onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola highlights the haunted history of one of Pensacola’s most recognizable icons.

“Our goal is to show you some things that you can not explain away,” said tour coordinator Rob Boothe.

Boothe said six entities inhabit the lighthouse,

including children, runaway slaves and several lighthouse keepers.

The tour is offered twice a month beginning at 7:30 pm. Dates for the summer include August 11 and 25 and September 15 and 29.

Groups are limited to 15 people and generally fill up several days ahead of the tour date, so reserve your spot early. The cost is $25 per person. The lighthouse does not recommend the tour for children under the age of 11.

photo by duncanmccall.com

The first paranormal activity on our list is not exactly outdoors, but is among the most unique experiences you can have in Pensacola.

Find more information at PensacolaLighthouse.org.

Stargazing at Casino Beach If you’ve ever wanted to get a closer look at the night sky without shelling out for your own telescope, the Escambia Amateur Astronomy Association has you covered.

On Friday and Saturday nights under the first quarter moon of the month, the Association sets up their powerful telescopes at the Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach and welcomes the public to gaze into the night sky.

A view of the moon from Casino beach.

Taken through a telescope with a smartphone camera. Photo by Dewey J Baker

Event organizer Dewey Barker said Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars can all be seen on a clear night in the Summer months.

“I think the main advantage is we’re actually giving people the chance to

look through telescopes that maybe never had an opportunity to do it before,” Barker said.

The astronomers set up about 30 minutes before sunset and stay out well into the night if the viewing is good, Barker said. Association members are on hand throughout the night to point out different celestial bodies and explain to visitors what they’re looking at.

There is no cost to look through the association’s telescopes, but they are glad to accept donations.

You can find the Escambia Amateur Astronomy Association on Facebook or can call Dewey Barker after 4 pm at 450-7767.

Pensacola Magazine

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Adventures After Dark

Sunset Walking Tours on Santa Rosa Island The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a prime area for outdoor recreation, and for a few nights in the summer park rangers offer guests the opportunity to learn about the park at night.

Sunset on Santa Rosa Island walking tours being at the old Fort Pickens Campground Store.

Rangers lead a walking to tour out to the beach and talk about the island’s nocturnal wildlife and the importance of dark skies for sea turtles.

Stargazing opportunities are available following the tour courtesy of the Escambia Amateur Astronomy Association.

“Being in the park at night, and particularity being in that park, you can see amazing stars,” said GINS Chief of Resource Education Susan Teel.

Upcoming dates include August 10, September 7 and October 20. While there is no cost to take a sunset tour, one does have to gain access to the park, which costs $20 per vehicle, per day or $40 for an annual pass.

Information about the Gulf Islands National Seashore can be found online at www.nps.gov/ guis.

Ghosts, Murders and Mayhem Segway Tours Nighttime naturally lends itself to the paranormal, and the folks at Emerald Coast Tours offer a unique way to experience some of Pensacola’s seedier past and haunted present.

Pensacola,” said owner Nic Schuck. “The interesting thing about it is all the stories we tell are based in historical events. They can be traced back to things that actually happened.”

From their Garden Street headquarters, the business leads an hour-long Segway tour through downtown Pensacola highlighting the city’s haunted spots and the stories behind them.

Tours are available every night by appointment and cost $45 per adult. Each tour begins with a Segway training session for new riders.

“There’s so many different ghost stories in downtown

34 Pensacola Magazine

Find more information and booking details at EmeraldCoastTours.net.

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36 Pensacola Magazine

play/live/give Commodore’s Cup race No.2 August 11

Race registration for the Navy Yacht Club of Pensacola (NYCP) 87th Anniversary Regatta, Commodore’s Cup Race No. 2 has been rescheduled due to weather concerns and will be Aug. 11. Registration and race information packages for the Commodore’s Cup Series can be obtained from the Navy Yacht Club through their website www.navypnsyc.org. Regatta entry fee is $35 with U.S. Sailing membership and $40 for non-member racing participants. Spectators and anyone who is interested in the racing event are invited to the Navy Yacht Club facility, which is located onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola. For the onshore regatta information, contact Jim Parsons at 384-4575 or e-mail jimparsons@bellsouth.net. For race information and docking availability, contact John Buziak, Navy Yacht Club fleet captain, at 2912115 or e-mail buziakj@cpmechanics.com.

Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical August 2, 3, 4, 5, 9. 10, 11 and 12

Pensacola Little Theater will host performances of the Mary Poppins Broadway Musical. This production is practically perfect in every way!

This family musical is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film. Original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman with book by Julian Fellowes. New songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

Theatre Thursday tickets and the Aug. 11 treehouse matinee tickets for children 12 and under are half price. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.pensacolalittletheatre.com.

SoWal Craft Beer and Spirits Festival August 3

The summer heat is no match for the SoWal Craft Beer and Spirits Festival benefitting Children’s Volunteer Health Network. The inaugural event will be held on Aug. 3 from noon to 4 pm at the Shades Bar and Grill in Inlet Beach, Fla. Cooled tents will set the stage for the outdoors event, with tables that include more than 60 craft beers, ciders, Florida distilled craft spirits, rosé wine and mimosas. Beer and spirit experts will be on-site sharing their knowledge with attendees. Ticket prices are $50 for an early entry pass, which gets you in at noon, and $40 for general admission, which opens at 1 pm.

Tickets are available at www.Shades30a.com or directly at www.bvwww.xorbia.com/e/shades30a/ shades-fest.

Civil War at Fort Pickens August 4

Gulf Islands National Seashore announced a special day of programming exploring the lives of soldiers stationed at Fort Pickens during the Civil War. Special programs will be available from 11 am to 7 pm Aug. 4 at historic Fort Pickens. The National Park Service will present musket and artillery demonstrations, civil war music, camp life displays and other ranger programs specifically geared toward the soldiers experience during the Civil War. All programs are free and open to the public. Programs can change or be cancelled without warning, particularly due to weather. There is an entrance fee for the Fort Pickens Area; the historic fort is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to sunset. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/GulfIslands, on Facebook at www. facebook.com/GulfIslandsNPS, Twitter at www. twitter.com/GulfIslands_NPS and Instagram at www.instagram.com/GulfIslandsNPS.

TEDxSevilleSq Change Your Mind, Change Your Life August 4

WSRE is hosting TEDxSevilleSq August 4 from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. The 2018 event theme is “Change Your Mind Change Your Life,” hosting a variety of 8 speakers from a Jazzprenuer to a suicide comedian. There will be a piano performance, including brunch and afternoon tea from popular local artisans. Anyone interested can find more information at www.FB.me/TEDxSevilleSq and anyone can apply as a volunteer or a speaker for future events on the website.

Limited audience tickets can be found at www.

eventbrite.com/e/tedx-sevillesq-pensacola-fltickets-45814226585.

Bushwaker 5K Run August 4

The annual Capt’n Fun Bushwacker 5K Run will take place Aug. 4 at 7:30 am to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. The race follows a 3.1-mile point-to-point course beginning in Gulf Breeze at the South Santa Rosa Recreation Center on Shoreline Drive and finishes on Pensacola Beach at the Quietwater Beach Boardwalk after crossing the Bob Sikes Bridge. Registration is $30 through August 3 and on race day. For more information, call Johnny Graves at 733-9090 or Big Brothers, Big Sisters at 433-KIDS (5437).

Movies in the Park Series August 10

Once a month during the summer, catch a movie at Community Maritime Park. The next movie will be Justice League, scheduled for Aug. 10 beginning at sunset, 7:40 p.m. Bring blankets and lawn chairs for an evening of family fun underneath the stars. Local food trucks will be at the event, so make sure to come ready to enjoy dinner and a show. For more information, visit www.cityofpensacola.com.

Sea Turtle Baby Shower August 11

Landshark Landing will host a Sea Turtle Baby Shower Aug. 11 from 11 am to 2 pm. Enjoy a family friendly afternoon of games, activities and entertainment to educate children and to celebrate the sea turtles. This event is free and open Pensacola Magazine

37

to the public. For more information, visit www. visitpensacola.com or e-mail info@pbadvocates. org.

EVH 4 Eva Rock Concert August 18

Pensacola Little Theater is pleased to support #EVH4EVA, a Van Halen tribute concert benefiting Pensacola Little Theatre and the Pensacola Community School of Music Aug. 18 at 7 pm, at Phineas Phogg’s in Seville Quarter. The concert will feature Jim Green on guitar, Charlie Wiggins on bass, Eric Stevenson on drums and Igon Flux doing vocals. Tickets will be $20 at the door, cash only. For information regarding VIP ticket and table purchases, contact the Pensacola Little Theatre box office at 432-2042.

Blues on the Bay Concert Series August 19

The annual Blues on the Bay Concert Series is still rocking the Hunter Amphitheater at Community Maritime Park. Pack your coolers, bring your lawn chairs, and enjoy a cool breeze off the bay while some of the region’s best musical talents hit the stage. The next concert will be Aug. 19, beginning at 6 p.m. and will include The Truth featuring Cat Rhodes, and Crosstown. Every concert in the series is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.cityofpensacola.com.

UWF Argos Football Season Opener August 30

Football season has arrived. See the NCAA Division II 2018 finalists the UWF Argos open the season in prime time at Community Maritime Park Aug. 30, game start at 7 pm. Tickets are $18 at the gate. For more information, visit www.goargos.com.

The End of Jack Cruz

August 31 and September 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 Pensacola Little Theater will host a production of “The End of Jack Cruz,” first showing Aug. 31 at 7:30 pm. This is a Studio 400 Production, directed by Billy Buff. The show features a postapocalyptic memoir about the last two survivors on Earth locked in a deadly struggle for survival.

This show is considered dark drama and contains strong adult language and depicted graphic violence. For a full list of dates, times or to buy tickets, visit www.pensacolalittletheatre.com.

38 Pensacola Magazine

Gulf Coast Summer Festival – Jazz Edition September 1

The third Annual Gulf Coast Summer Fest Jazz Edition will take place Sept. 1, 3:30 pm to 11:45 pm overlooking the Pensacola Bay at Community Maritime Park. It’s more than just a concert, it’s an experience on the water. Tickets are on sale now at all ticketmaster location and online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calloing 1 (800) 745-3000. Prices are currently $75, but will be $85 the day of the show. Bring your coolers, lawn chairs and umbrellas. Guests cannot bring weapons, tents, grills, glass containers or children under 18. Security is provided by Pensacola Police Department and all persons and coolers are subject to search. For more information, visit www.gulfcoastsummerfestjazzedition.com.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos The end of the season is here. Come cheer on the team and enjoy America’s favorite pastime along the beautiful Pensacola Bay. All games listed below are home games hosted at Community Maritime Park. The last scheduled game of the season to be hosted at Maritime Mark will be Aug. 28, the Wahoos vs. the Mobile BayBears.

The Wahoos’ last game of the season is scheduled for Sept. 3 at the Tennessee Smokies. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www. bluewahoos.com.

Aug. 2 – 6 Vs. Montgomery Biscuits Aug. 14 – 18 Vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Aug. 24 – 28 Vs. Mobile BayBears

Saenger Theatre Classic Movie Series As the summer comes to a close, the Saenger continues to screen six weeks of classic movies with tickets for only $5. Sit in the historic Saenger Theatre and enjoy some of the greatest movies of all times on the big screen, the way movies were meant to be seen. For more information, visit www.pensacolasaenger.com. The schedule includes: • August 4: Smokey and the Bandit • August 11: Rear Window • August 18: The Wizard of Oz • August 25: The Sound of Music

Pensacola Magazine

39

OUR STORIED PAST

Photos from a Brent Family camping trip along Scenic Highway, ca. 1900.

40 Pensacola Magazine

Rachael Pongetti Tyler’s Watch Pensacola Graffiti Bridge

330 S. Jefferson St. Pensacola, FL 32502 850.595.5990 historicpensacola.org Museum Hours: Tues. - Thurs. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fri. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sun. 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

OF PENSACOLA June 2 - October 31 On view at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, third floor galleries.

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MUSEUM HOURS: TUES – THURS 10AM to 5PM FRI – SAT 10AM to 7PM / SUN 12PM to 4PM

42 Pensacola Magazine

SPECIAL SECTION

SPECIAL SECTION August 2018

48 Whiting Field: 75 years of service Seventy-five years later, NAS Whiting Field is leading the way in Naval, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation excellence.

· OTHER STORIES ·

45 Potential Tenant Promises Profitablility for Port

This mining company could single-handedly make the Port of Pensacola profitable.

47 This Bank Just

Raised a $100 Million in a Stock Sale A $100 million cash injection has this Northwest Florida bank looking to expand.

51 UWF Reaching New

53

UWF places third in Florida Board of Governor’s performancebased university rankings.

Find out what is happening in business, government and cultural news in the greater Pensacola area and Northwest Florida.

Heights

Around the Region

Business Climate

43

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Potential Tenant Promises Profitability for Port

by Will Isern

As the City of Pensacola works to develop a new strategic plan for the Port of Pensacola, a new company is seeking to bring a $40 million initial investment to set up operations at two of the port’s vacant warehouses.

Incoa Performances Materials, a calcium carbonate mining company, is seeking to lease warehouses No. 9 and No. 10 at the port to import and process calcium carbonate from the Dominican Republic. The company processes calcium carbonate down to a microscopic size for use as an aggregate in plastics, glass, rubber and other in the works for quite a few years and it’s finally industrial applications. coming to fruition so as a company we’re excited As part of the deal, the company would be to be here and excited to work with the city of required to create 77 full-time jobs within the first Pensacola and hope to be future operators in your five years of operation. The average salary for those community.” jobs would be around $65,000.

The proposed lease would see Incoa pay roughly The port has struggled since a sharp decline in $334,000 annually for 96,000 square feet of the offshore oil and gas industry and is currently warehouse space and another $70,000 to $90,000 operating at a loss. The Incoa deal would restore for a swath of vacant land on which the company the port to profitability. Unlike other companies that have sought to operate at the port, Incoa is not would build a storage facility. Additionally, the company’s importing operations are expected to seeking any financial incentive or aid from the city.

“This investment entails us bringing in a Incoa CEO Steve Creamer resource that doesn’t currently exist here in said the quality of calcium carbonate that the company the United States. We believe it brings a great would produce would be benefit to the community by bringing in a unique in the market. resource that is superior to what is on the “This investment entails market in a lot of places.” us bringing in a resource that generate $80,000 in annual wharfage fees. doesn’t currently exist here in the United States,” The Pensacola City Council gave approval he said. “We believe it brings a great benefit tot in July to Mayor Ashton Hayward to enter he community by bringing in a resource that is superior to what is on the market in a lot of places.” into negotiations and conduct due diligence on Creamer has built several companies throughout the project. The prospect comes as Hayward’s administration is in the midst of evaluating the his lifetime, including a renewable energy holding port’s future. Hayward announced in June that the company called sPower. Creamer said he first became aware of Pensacola when sPower operations city had hired advisory firm Moffatt & Nichol to develop a new strategic plan for the port. The firm brought him here to purchase wind turbines from conducted a pair of public input sessions and is the General Electric plant on Scenic Highway.

“That’s the original reason we came to Pensacola scheduled to present its final plan in September.

If and how the Incoa deal impacts that vision was because of wind but as we searched through all the ports on the eastern seaboard and the Caribbean is thus far unclear. City administrator Eric Olson has called for a thorough review of the company’s we fell in love quite honestly with Pensacola,” he operations and finances. said.

“I certainly don’t want to put a damper on what Creamer said Incoa surveyed ports in the Gulf may be a really good deal but I think we owe the and along the East Coast and settled on Pensacola taxpayers a thorough research of what’s being put as the ideal location for their operations.

“It’s pretty exciting,” he said. “It’s one that’s been forward,” he said.

If the deal moves forward, Hayward’s administration may have to hand it off to the city’s next mayor. Hayward has announced he will not seek a third term and six candidates have filed to run for his office. Of them, both Drew Buchanan and Jonathan Green spoke in favor of the project as it was before the council.

Not all are in favor of the project. Some have said they would rather see the port developed for private use.

“We have 52 acres there at the port, if you took and made three-quarter acre patio homes there, think of how much money you could bring in and they would always be there, they wouldn’t be coming and going,” said former planning board member Leonard Swartz. “You need to consider that Pensacola has finally found its niche in this world. Palafox Street has been rated one of the finest entertainment spots in the world. Why do you want to destroy that?”

Others have expressed concern about the increased number of trucks and rail cars that would move through downtown as Incoa shipped its finished product, and the potential for fine dust to escape the facility and blow over downtown.

Creamer downplayed those concerns.

“You’re looking at less than one truck every 20 minutes at full build out, and probably about 12 rail cars a day or 24 rail cars every other day, or however we work it out with the rail to pick them up,” he said.

As for the dust, Creamer said it would be a top priority of the company that it not escape.

“We sell dust, we can’t afford for it to go into the atmosphere,” he said.

Business Climate 45

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This Local Bank Just Raised $100 Million in a Stock Sale

By Will Isern Like financial institutions everywhere, Beach Community Bank was hit hard by the financial crisis of 2008.

To make matters worse, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in 2010 devastated many of the bank’s customers, causing them to default on their loans, stretching the bank’s balance sheet dangerously thin.

Despite efforts to remain solvent, the bank was unable to pay its debts. Now, as part of a complex financial deal, the bank’s holding company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and new investors have

brought in $100 million in capital to wipe out bad assets and recapitalize the bank.

Community Bank a strong infrastructure bogged down by troubled assets.

The capital injection comes in the form of a stock sale of roughly 20 million shares, effectively selling the bank to the new investors. Along with the sale, Carl Chaney, former CEO of Hancock Bank, has been brought in to serve as chairman of the bank’s board of directors, and Chip Reeves, a banking executive from the Pacific Northwest, has been installed as CEO.

“So it had very good loan operations, deposit operations, risk management and it had great markets,” Reeves said. “When you look at Northwest Florida and the demographic projections, those look very promising. This community is going to continue to grow so we knew there were good bones here.”

The transaction restores the bank to fiscal health and opens the door for substantial lending activity, said Reeves.

“We have to be an integrated part of the communities we serve, and the best way for a bank to do that is to be an economic catalyst for the region,” Reeves said. “We do that through lending, so we’ve come out with a $1 billion lending pledge. That’s for consumers, for mortgage lenders, for small and medium-sized businesses. Through lending, a community bank becomes a huge economic catalyst for an area and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Reeves said roughly 40 investors from across the nation bought into Beach Community Bank as part of the deal.

Reeves and Chaney served as consultants throughout the transaction. Reeves said he and the investors saw in Beach

Reeves said the bank is now among the best-capitalized in the region and poised for growth. Recent consolidation among regional banks has left a niche that Reeves said Beach Community Bank can capitalize on.

“There’s been so much merger activity for community banks there’s almost no institutions between $500 million and $5 billion in size,” he said. “We think we can be Northwest Florida and maybe central Florida’s true community bank… If you look five years out, that’s what I’d love to see – a $3 to $4 billion organization headquartered here in Northwest Florida and potentially some other Florida metros, and being the leading bank in those regions and the leading mortgage provider.”

Beach Community Bank can be found online at beachcommunitybank.com.

Business Climate

47

Whiting Field: 75 Years of Service O n July 16, 1943, a new U.S. Navy airfield completed construction and was dedicated as Naval Auxiliary Air Station Whiting Field.

Its mission was to train aviators in basic radio instrument instruction for World War II. In 1974, the base would be redesignated as Naval Air Station Whiting Field, its mission shifting to pilot training.

Seventy-five years after its dedication, NAS Whiting Field continues to serve as one of the primary bases for Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation training in the country.

“The Wing (Training Air Wing Five) is training 60 percent of the primary flight students, 100 percent of the rotary flight students,” NAS Whiting Field’s Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Bowdich said.

by Kaitlyn Peacock

48 Business Climate

All aviation students for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard go through a primary flight school, either at NAS Whiting Field or at NAS Corpus Cristi. From there, students are selected for one of three advanced schools.

These schools train students to be

propeller plane pilots, jet pilots or helicopter, also known as rotary, pilots. All helicopter flight students for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are trained at NAS Whiting Field.

The legacy of generations passing through the airfield can be felt and seen in the rows and rows of students. Many helicopter pilots can trace the beginning of their training all back to the same place, and sometimes the same aircraft.

“It’s always been that way for helicopter pilots,” Training Air Wing Five’s Public Affairs Officer Lt.j.g. Kyle McCarthy, who was a rotary flight student, said. “If you talk to a helicopter pilot, they’ve come through here, at Whiting Field. My Dad was a retired Navy helicopter pilot and he was a VT-2 Doerbird just like I was. It’s pretty crazy, he’s visited a couple times and well it hasn’t changed too much since he’s been here. He’s looked in his log book and we’ve

flown the exact same aircraft down at South Field.”

Along with the main base located in Milton, NAS Whiting Field spans over 12 outlying fields, including Navy Field Holley, which was converted into a 320-cell solar farm last year. The fields span across northwest Florida and lower Alabama, covering almost 8,500 acres of land, with the base sitting on another 4,000 acres. The extra land is a huge asset to the base, as the fields can be used by aircraft other than the training aircraft NAS Whiting Field owns; the Blue Angels often use one of the outlying fields to practice certain maneuvers and the Air Force’s F-35s fly in from time to time using the fields. Last year, between the main base and the outlying fields, NAS Whiting Field hosted over one million flight operations and accounted for around 11 percent of combined Navy, Marine Crops and Coast Guard flight hours; the closest in comparison

we don’t have the infrastructure here. So there’s no one else in the United States that has the ability to do what we do.”

Since operations began, Training Air Wing Five has “winged” over 34,400 helicopter aviators.

“Winging” is the final step for all naval aviation students, conducted in a ceremony after a student graduates flight school and is given the golden wings of the naval aviation insignia,

the base frequently. The base’s students and activities accounted for over $1.43 billion for the local area in 2017, 35 percent of Santa Rosa County’s total gross regional product alone. The base also provided over 15,000 jobs between the main base and the outlying fields. From the Santa Rosa Deputy’s Office to the Pensacola International Airport, NAS Whiting Field has impacted nearly every industry in the region.

“

We have great support from Santa Rosa County. Not only Santa Rosa County but all the other surrounding communities. From up in Alabama to down in Escambia to here in Santa Rosa, the support has been tremendous. They definitely keep us viable as a location.” was Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, considered the busiest airport in the world, at close to 880,000 flight operations.

The extra land, especially land that is so close, offers the base more options when it comes to training and exercises.

“The other piece of the puzzle is the area,” Bowdich said. “The fact that we have all of the outlying fields right here in northwest Florida and the lower Alabama area. We have no other place in the country that has this many outlying fields at this close of a distance. If we are to move the helicopter training to somewhere else, the infrastructure in order to build the outlying field to give them a place to go would be tremendous. On the fixedwing side, Corpus Cristi area space cannot handle the other 60 percent of the load, just like we can’t handle the 40 percent Corpus Cristi trains up here;

15,826

employed throughout the region

1200

students per year

$

35%

of Santa Rosa County’s total gross regional product

officially welcoming him or her as a pilot. This does not include the thousands of students trained on the fixed-wing aircraft who are sent to advanced training at another base and winged there.

With around 1,200 students annually passing through Training Air Wing Five, the number of aviators coming through the base is set to increase in the next few years.

“Many bases have seen a decrease in operations in some cases, but we’re getting increased operations here,” Training Air Wing Five’s Deputy Commodore Capt. Doug Rosa said. “In the next five years, we’re going to be training an additional 50 rotary-wing pilots and an additional 30 or so tiltwing pilots. So our demands and our production requirements are increasing, not decreasing.”

“We have a great support from Santa Rosa County,” Bowdich said. “Not only Santa Rosa County but all the other surrounding communities.

From up in Alabama to down in Escambia to here in Santa Rosa, the support has been tremendous.

They definitely keep us viable as a location.”

Seventy-five years after its dedication, having been built for the needs of a world at war and having seen the empty fields of northwest Florida develop into the town we know as Milton, NAS Whiting Field continues to serve as a pillar of the community.

With new flight simulators and new aircraft expected within the next couple of years, its legacy of aviators will continue to serve the country for generations to come.

Bowdich and Rosa acknowledged that part of their success lies with Santa Rosa and Escambia counties, who partner with Business Climate

49

UWF Reaching New Heights

By Kaitlyn Peacock

The University of West Florida has broken its record in the Florida Board of Governors performance ranking, tying for third place alongside the Florida State University and the University of South Florida. The rankings began in 2014, and at that time, UWF was the lowest scoring of all the Florida schools, with a score of 21 out of 50 possible points. Now, just four years later, UWF has more than doubled its score to 86 out of 100 points.

UWF President Dr. Martha Saunders said she was happy about the results, but not surprised.

“We knew how good we are, and now it’s kind of nice that other people know that too,” she said.

“We’re up against those who have been at it longer, have more money, and we’re still winning. It feels good.”

The rankings track ten different metrics from the schools, nine assigned by the Board of Governors and one chosen by the school.

The metrics include percent of bachelor’s degree graduates enrolled or employed, average cost to student, retention rates and more.

UWF’s chosen metric is the percent of undergraduates who are aged 25 or more. The rankings are attached to state funding, which is allocated to the schools based on their place in the ranking. The higher a school achieves, the more money is given to them. The bottom three get no money, though this practice is under review by the Board.

The funding comes from each of the universities, each of which puts their own money into a pool, which is later matched by the Florida legislature. This is what Saunders called “skin in the game.” Each school is encouraged to improve since their own money is put on the line. Sine the introduction of this program, Florida schools have seen a marked improvement in nearly all of the metrics.

“Sometimes you have to sort of change the way you do things,” Saunders said. “We have gotten better and better at tracking our data and I think that is key. All the universities will tell you that. But at a university of our size, one student can make the difference of an entire point, or two. One heartbeat! And so we don’t have the resilience that some of the bigger schools do. It is more important than ever that we know who our students are, where they are and what they are doing – and we do know.”

After placing third in last year’s rankings as well, Saunders said the university is focusing on reinvesting the money they have earned to benefit the students who may be struggling to stay in school.

“Right now we are really focused on making sure that nobody has to drop out of school because of money,” she said. “And so a good bit of this money is being invested into scholarships, specifically needbased scholarships for students.

Sometimes it can be as little as $500 and a student will feel like they need to drop out because they don’t know that the help is there.

For them, it might as well be $5 million.”

The metrics race is on again for the next school year, and UWF shows no signs of relaxing. Instead, focus has shifted to a long-term plan to increase retention and graduation rates.

$36k

Median Wages of Bachelor’s graduates employed in Florida one year after graduation

51%

Graduate degrees awarded within programs of strategic importance

$15k

Average cost to the student

“We’re not going to rest easy until we are well above the state average in four-year graduation rate,” Saunders said. “That is a top priority, and of course corresponding to that is retention rate. If they don’t come back from sophomore year, the chances are they are not going to finish. Those are the two that – until we have well cleared the state average – that will be our priority. And it’s not a quick fix. I mean, on the outside it’s a four-year fix. And lots can happen to students along the way.”

Although talk of numbers and metrics dominates the conversation around the performance-based rankings, Saunders always returns to the students and the fact that these numbers reflect a change in the university to their benefit.

“We cannot not pay attention to this,” Saunders said. “I can’t foresee a day when I’m not talking to the campus about improving graduation rates, keeping our students, and making them successful.

“It’s very much a part of our culture to care what happens to our students after they leave us,” she continued. “Just getting them a degree is all well and good, but we want a good handoff to the next chapter of their lives.”

25%

Four-year graduation rate for first time in college students

Business Climate

51

A.A. Cunningham Road paving notice ... Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NavFac SE) has awarded a contract to mill and overlay A.A. Cunningham Road on NAS Pensacola. The work is scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 12 and expected to take four weeks to complete. Watch for “Road Closed” and “Detour” signs. Detour routes to facilities in the area will be Page Road to Warehouse Road and Farrar Road to Pat Bellinger Road. Drivers should observe the warning signs and proceed with caution around the work zones. The work schedule is weather dependent. For questions or more information, contact the PWD Construction Manager Bryan Moeller at 452-3131, ext. 3077.

Vol. 80, No. 35

VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com

September 2, 2016

Fallen Special Tactics Airman honored at NASP

By Capt. Katrina Cheesman Sibley’s unit. “This dedication 24th Special Operations Wing and memorial ruck is an important step for us as a brotherhood Air Force Special Tactics Air- to honor Forrest’s legacy of men dedicated a military freefall valor, and get a small bit of clotraining exercise into Pensacola sure.”

Bay Aug. 26 to His teammates Staff Sgt. Forrest escorted the famSibley, a combat ily to Sibley’s controller from burial site, wearPensacola killed ing combat ruck in action Aug. 26, sacks weighing 2015, in Helmand more than 50 Pr o v i n c e , pounds to repreAfghanistan. It sent the deployed. was the first anOnce at the niversary of Sibcemetery, they ley’s death. completed a After free round of memoStaff Sgt. falling into the rial push-ups to Forrest Sibley waters of Sibley’s honor their fallen hometown, his teammates teammate. joined family members and Sibley, 31, had served in the friends to complete a memorial Air Force as a combat controller ruck march to his final resting since 2008. In his seven years of place at Barrancas National service, he received four Bronze Cemetery (BNC).

Star Medals, once with valor for “When we lost Forrest, most heroism in combat, as well as a of his teammates were still de- Purple Heart for injuries susployed for another five months, tained in combat. and couldn’t attend any funeral “Forrest was one of our best or memorial event,” said Lt. Col. combat controllers, but he was Stewart Parker, commander of 21st Special Tactics Squadron, See Sibley on page 2

After parachuting into Pensacola Bay, members of the Air Force’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron make a memorial “ruck march,” a hike with full packs, from NAS Pensacola’s Bayou Grande Marina to Barrancas National Cemetery and the grave of teammate Staff Sgt. Forrest Sibley. Sibley was killed in action Aug. 26, 2015. He had served in the Air Force as a combat controller since For more photos, see page A4 2008. Photo by Mike O’Connor

CNATT: Make Labor Day weekend safety a priority Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Public Affairs

The Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) safety manager is reminding service members, civilian employees and their families to maintain safety awareness as they prepare for what is generally viewed as the end of summer.

CNATTSafety Manager Krystal Hancock said that Labor Day, a federal holi-

day designed to honor the achievements of American workers, includes an extended weekend, with service members and their families often electing to travel to see family and friends.

“Whether taking a long road trip or simply jumping in the car to run a quick errand, driving is inherently risky, and traffic mishaps continue to

be a leading reason for lost time, days, and lives across our force,” she said.

Hancock said the National Safety Council (NSC) predicts this could be the deadliest Labor Day weekend for drivers in eight years, estimating that more than 430 people could be killed in traffic accidents throughout the Labor Day weekend. She added that service members, often sepa-

rated from their families and travelling significant distances to visit during the long weekend, should take some simple precautions before and during their trips.

“Get enough rest before heading outsleepy driving is as dangerous as impaired driving,” she said. “Alternate drivers or take frequent breaks to ensure that whoever is behind the wheel stays alert.”

See Labor Day on page 2

‘Be There’ for your shipmates during Suicide Prevention Month 2016

By James Rosenfelder U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery public affairs

NAS Pensacola to host 9/11 commemoration ceremony ... In commemoration of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Naval Air Station Pensacola will present a ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard the base at 10 a.m. Sept. 9. The event will include a guest speaker and a musical rendition from the NATTC Choir, a traditional “two-bell” ceremony, honors performed by the NASP Honor Guard and a 21-gun volley. The public is invited to attend.

Navy Medicine recognizes September as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, which began Sept. 1.

The theme for Suicide Prevention Month 2016 is “Be There.”

Throughout the month, Navy Medicine will highlight the power of peer support and personal wellness, encouraging Sailors and Marines to be there for their shipmates.

“Action starts with prevention,” said Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BuMed).

“When a Sailor needs assistance, easy access to support resources and mental health treatment is essential, as is validation of help-seeking behaviors.”

Suicide prevention is a yearlong effort. Suicide Prevention Month serves as a reminder that building resilience and preventing suicide requires all

members of the Navy and Marine Corps community to work together.

Every life lost to suicide is one too many.

“Take action if you notice anything

out of the ordinary for a shipmate; reach out to them,” Faison said. “If you are having difficulties, seek help if See Prevention on page 2

FatAlbertis getting a facelift...Fat Albert, the Blue Angels’ C-130 cargo plane used for transporting crew and equipment to air shows around the country, is currently undergoing a chemical de-paint process at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma after corrosion was found. Once the de-paint process and sheetmetal checks for any other corrosion are complete, Fat Albert will fly to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, for full programmed depot maintenance and paint. Photo by Kelly White

Published by BallingerPublishing, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Navy. Opinions contained herein are not official expressions of the Department of the Navy nor do the advertisements constitute Department of the Navy, NAS Pensacola or Ballinger Publishing’s endorsement of products or services advertised.

52 Business Climate

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Around the Region Triumph Board Supports $8.5M for Whiting Aviation Park The Triumph Gulf Coast board of directors gave unanimous support of $8.5 million for infrastructure improvements to Whiting Aviation Park in Santa Rosa County on July 18.

“The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners and our citizens wish to thank the Triumph Gulf Coast board of directors for their support of our request to help fund the creation of the Whiting Aviation Park. This project will create hundreds of new aviationrelated jobs not only for our citizens but for employment throughout the region. As important, Whiting Aviation Park provides for sustained compatible development on a 267-acre parcel on the fence line of NAS Whiting Field, enhances military value and improves the overall efficiency of operations as maintenance of the many aircraft can be performed adjacent to the base, meaning less downtime for the aircraft,” said Commissioner Don Salter, District 3.

“This has been one of our county’s number one economic development projects for many years and it would not have been possible without the support of the Triumph Gulf Coast board of directors.”

The next step for the Whiting project is agreement on a term sheet that will be brought back to the Triumph board for approval. The site development at Whiting Aviation Park is expected to create over 200 high-paying jobs.

This project is built on the investment Santa Rosa County made to purchase 267-acres adjacent to NAS Whiting Field and an

understanding with the Navy for “through the fence” accesses for private companies. The total project cost is $17,704,975 with Triumph contributing 48 percent of those costs.

Development of Whiting Aviation Park strengthens the region’s aviation cluster with Pensacola International Airport to the west and Crestview’s Bob Sikes Airport to the east.

It enhances the region’s growing aviation industry by providing additional industrial space adjacent to an existing airfield, and it supports the regional strategic initiative of expanding the aerospace and defense industry cluster - an industry with a strong outlook for growth.

These targeted investments in the aviation and aerospace cluster are expected to drive supply chain companies to co-locate in the region.

Florida is currently second in the nation for aviation and aerospace establishments and added more than any other state in the southeast in 2017.

Under the terms of Florida’s settlement with BP, the energy company has already deposited $300 million in Triumph Gulf Coast. Further payments of approximately $80 million per year will be made from 2019 through 2033, amounting to a total of $1.5 billion. Applications have been received and are under consideration to benefit all eight disproportionately affected counties. More information about Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. is available at www. myfloridatriumph.com.

Pensacola State College Ranked Among Most Affordable in U.S. The U.S. Department of Education lists Pensacola State College as a best value among public four-year colleges and universities for the seventh consecutive year.

Pensacola State is ranked 37th on the list of 71 institutions cited for lowest tuition in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency annual report. With annual tuition listed as $2,704, Pensacola State is eighth among the 25 Florida colleges to make the most affordable ranking.

Average tuition is $8,022 for the nation’s 681 public four-year institutions, according to the report. In all, the report gives data for 2,606 four-year institutions, including private and private for-profit colleges and universities.

“We have worked hard and continue to strive to keep tuition and fees low for our students while still offering a variety of programs ranging from university transfer and workforce programs like cybersecurity, nursing, construction trades and welding,” said Pensacola State President Ed Meadows.

“Our workforce programs are designed to respond to the local employment needs.”

Computations are based on data for full-time beginning students from the fall 2016 and spring 2017 terms. The report is available online at http:// collegecost.ed.gov/catc/.

Pensacola State offers associate and bachelor’s degrees, career oriented certificates, college prep, adult education, GED prep and standard high school diplomas.

Gulf Power celebrates the renewal of conservation partnership with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Power is celebrating the five-year renewal of the conservation partnership between Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). For over 15 years, the partnership has funded more than 300 projects restoring, sustaining or enhancing more than 1.7 million acres of wildlife habitat in the Southeast.

Through this partnership, Gulf Power has supported nearly 100 conservation projects funded with $5.8 million across Northwest Florida.

This investment has benefited thousands of acres of conservation and countless species in the Gulf Power service area. Among the projects: shoreline stabilization on Bayou Grande in Pensacola; native longleaf pine forest restoration from Perdido River to Blackwater River State Forest and east through Apalachicola; recovery efforts of the red-cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise and indigo snake; and coastal and wetland restoration in South Walton County and elsewhere.

“Our work with Southern Company exemplifies the public-private partnership model we employ to generate measurable results for wildlife and habitats across the country,” said Jeff Trandahl,

executive director and CEO of NFWF. “This enduring partnership — one of the Foundation’s longest-running — reflects Southern Company’s strong commitment to the conservation of natural resources in the local communities it serves.”

Over the past 15 years, NFWF has leveraged Southern Company’s contributions to generate more than $126 million for on-the-ground conservation impact.

“Gulf Power’s support of environmental stewardship grants have kick-started or enhanced many community-involved environmental education and restoration projects that otherwise might not have gotten off the ground,” Jeff Cole, Gulf Power Stewardship coordinator, said. “These local level and regional projects benefit the area we live in by enhancing recreational areas and improving air and water quality. It’s important to be a leader by being out investing and participating in the community in which we live, work and recreate.”

Many conservation professionals credit Southern Company with being the first major private funder to invest in longleaf restoration work, helping

catalyze the historic public-private partnership known as America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative.

Vernon Compton, director of the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership, said the Longleaf Stewardship Fund grants the group of private and public landowners has received are critical to restoring the longleaf pine ecosystem in Northwest Florida, which once dominated in the Southeast.

This year’s grant of $300,000 will restore 333 acres of longleaf pine and improve an additional 55,350 acres of existing longleaf habitat, mostly in the Blackwater River State Forest in Santa Rosa County.

The grant also funds a gopher tortoise project on Eglin Air Force Base reservation aimed at preventing it from becoming listed under the Endangered Species Act. “This partnership with NFWF is very important to the restoration effort and a critical component of the many success we’re seeing on the ground across the longleaf pine range and habitat improvement,” Compton said. “Thanks to habitat restoration on these sites, they are ready for the keystone species like the gopher tortoise to be reintroduced.”

Business Climate

53

Around the Region University of West Florida partners with state and local election officials to enhance cybersecurity preparations The University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity recently partnered with the Florida Department of State and election officials across Florida to provide training for supervisors of elections and key personnel to enhance cybersecurity resiliency ahead of the 2018 elections.

During the month of June, the UWF Center for Cybersecurity conducted cybersecurity training courses in Tallahassee, Miami, Orlando and St. Augustine, focusing on an introduction to cybersecurity processes, threats, vulnerabilities, risk management, policy frameworks and incident management. Course graduates learned how to thwart attacks and to understand and implement cybersecurity standards.

“State and local election officials have taken significant steps to protect against the growing threat of cybercrime ahead of the

2018 elections,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “The recent trainings that were conducted by the UWF Center for Cybersecurity are yet another tool in election officials’ arsenal. We appreciate the valuable partnership with their organization.”

Cybersecurity preparedness is of the utmost importance in election security. The Department of Homeland Security reported that Russian hackers probed the systems of 21 states in 2016, but there was no evidence votes were altered.

In January 2017, Homeland Security designated voting systems as critical infrastructure. In May 2018, Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Office of the Director of National Intelligence spoke to Congress about the importance of preparing state and local election officials for potential cyber threats.

“We’ve seen a massive increase

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in cybersecurity awareness among election officials across the country, along with efforts to increase preparedness and resiliency,” said David Stafford, Co-Chair of the National Association of Election Officials and Escambia County Supervisor of Elections. “UWF’s Center for Cybersecurity was uniquely positioned to work with state and local election officials to design a curriculum and roll out the training, and the content and delivery of the training were outstanding.”

The UWF Center for Cybersecurity utilized the Florida Cyber Range for hands-on activities and demonstrations throughout the courses. Metova CyberCENTS partnered with the UWF Center for Cybersecurity to launch the Florida Cyber Range and deliver the training. The state-of-theart platform provides advanced training and testing solutions for academic, government, military and industry use through face-to-face or digital formats.

“We participated in hands-on exercises designed to prepare and

guide us in dealing with various threats,” said Bill Cowles, Orange County Supervisor of Elections.

“The course guided us through an analysis of our cybersecurity defenses and provided tools for implementing a layered defense consistent with recommendations in the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework.

The opportunity to exchange information and ideas in this setting is invaluable.”

Following the training, a survey indicated that 95 percent of participants considered the course to be beneficial.

“The UWF Center for Cybersecurity conducted a topnotch, in-depth cybersecurity training that was extremely valuable for local supervisors of elections,” said Paul Lux, Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections. “They did an excellent job of making sure the class was beneficial to all participants regardless of their previous IT knowledge.”

Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association announces new executive director The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association announces the recent selection of Jeff Nall as its new executive director. He succeeds Michael Doubek, who is retiring in October. Nall is responsible for working with the association’s officers and council to establish organizational strategic plans and priorities including initiatives to enhance membership, develop nondues revenue opportunities and offer robust programs and activities.

He is also responsible for the daily operations and fiscal management of the association.

“Jeff has a wealth of experience and fresh ideas for leading the association into what promises to be a bright future,” said Jodi D. Cooke, chair of the executive director search committee. “We are very excited to see what the next chapter holds.”

Nall earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas and

a master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership from the University of West Florida. He also holds a certificate in Non-Profit Management from the Whitman Center for Public Service and the voluntary professional credentials of Accredited in Public Relations, Certified Public Relations Counselor and Professional Certified Marketer.

Nall is actively involved in professional associations, civic organizations and the community.

His volunteer leadership roles include having served as state president of the Florida Public Relations Association, a statewide professional organization comprised of public relations practitioners, and president of Pensacola Five Flags Rotary. He is a graduate of Leadership Pensacola.

For more information about the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association, visit www.esrba.com.

On the Market A Real Estate Section

Smart home gadgets give customers power over their energy use

In This Section

Page 70

By the Numbers: A Look at June’s Market Highlights page 58

Good News from the Escambia County Housing Authority page 66

Bring New Life to Your Kitchen with Color page 62

Create an accessible lifestyle page 68

Pensacola Magazine

57

BY The NUMBERS a look at JUNE’S Market Highlights

1000 65

Monthly Sales

Avg. Days on Market

2700 $207k

Quarterly Sales

Median Sale Price

Market Highlights June sales were five percent over May’s and eight percent over the same month last year.

Second Quarter sales were 11 percent over the same period in 2017. At the midyear point, sales are up eight percent compared to the same period last year.

Information courtesy of Pensacola Association of Realtors

58 Pensacola Magazine

Median sale price for June soared above the $200k mark, settling at $207,125.

Average days on market (DOM) slipped one more day to 65, the new low for the year.

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Open and spacious beautiful brick home. 4 bedroom, 3 bath, walk-in closets in 3 of 4 bedrooms. 14 ft. double tray ceiling in living, 9 ft. ceiling in bedrooms. Tile and Hand-scraped acacia flooring. Corian and marble countertops. Formal dining, office, gas fireplace, large covered porch with stone flooring. Office includes built-ins. Cat 5 and cable everywhere, including porch and garage. Private nature walking trail.

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3413 is a jewel with private waterfront lot (separate parcel included with sale) that allows you access to the Bay via the stairway...a covered walkway leads to an open waterside patio where you can watch the Blue Angels fly over for their practices or the perfect spot for a garden party or wine time with friends.

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On the Market

Bring New Life to Your Kitchen with Color Just as filling your plate with colorful foods is typically good for your body, filling your kitchen with color can be good for the soul. In fact, color is an important element in interior design not only for its aesthetic value, but also because it can shape perceptions and emotions.

“Color is powerful – when you walk into a room, you can instantly feel its subconscious effect on your mood, your heart rate and even your appetite,” said color trend expert Janice Fedak. “That’s why it’s important to choose colors that ‘speak to you,’ express your unique personality and truly make you feel at home.”

The experts at Elmira Stove Works offer these design tips, which take into consideration the psychology of some of the most popular colors for the kitchen.

Red A strong, vibrant color, red is often associated with passion, pride and strength. In the kitchen, bold pops of red can command attention.

Red is a perfect hue for appliances – both large and small – and also works well in a patterned backsplash or on decorative items such as canisters and cookware. Consider red “crystal” grout instead of traditional white grout for tile to create an unexpected look.

White Associated with clarity, cleanliness and purity, this “non-hue” promotes a sense of order and can provide the ideal backdrop for other colors and design elements. For a streamlined kitchen, pair white countertops with a white tiled backsplash and cabinetry. For a more relaxed but still fresh look, introduce a few colorful kitchen accessories or paint an accent wall in your favorite hue.

62 Pensacola Magazine

Blue Soothing, calm and reminiscent of the sea and the sky, blue evokes feelings of health and wellbeing. Adding this naturally relaxing hue to the kitchen, which is often the busiest room in the home, can transform the space into your own personal retreat.

One way to bring blue into the kitchen is through 1950s-inspired appliances from Elmira Stove Works in Beach Blue, a hue that takes its cue from days spent lazing by the pool or at the seashore. From refrigerators and ranges to microwaves and dishwasher panels, retro appliances can bring a fun, welcoming vibe to kitchens.

“Color – whether bold or on the subtler side – can really make a kitchen come alive,” said Tony Dowling, vice president, Elmira Stove Works. “Appliances are a great way to introduce color while also creating the foundation for the rest of the space.”

Yellow One of the happiest colors on the spectrum, yellow is a lively hue that represents youthfulness and joy. It can inspire reflection and creativity, lift spirits and encourage optimism. Use yellow in your kitchen to bathe it in year-round “sunshine,” especially if your kitchen doesn’t get a lot of natural light or could use an extra dose of warmth and cheer.

Black Although it has a reputation for darkness and mystery, black is also associated with sophistication. Think of a black-tie affair, where the dramatic attire and decor create an upscale atmosphere. Black design elements can lend that same sense of elegance to your kitchen. Appliances are commonly available in black, but you can also incorporate black through tilework, granite or marble countertops, or an eye-catching porcelain or soapstone sink.

“Whatever colors you choose for your kitchen, the most important thing is to trust your intuition and to wrap your kitchen in hues that make you feel good,” Fedak said.

Explore more colorful ideas for your kitchen at elmirastoveworks.com.

It’s time for your Energy Checkup.

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On the Market

Good News from the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority

By Pat Lott

T

he Escambia County Housing Finance Authority serves the counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Bay and Walton, along with fourteen other Florida Counties by offering Homeownership Programs to first-time homebuyers, veterans and former homeowners (who have not owned a home for three years or more). These programs provide low interest home mortgage loans together with down payment and closing cost assistance for qualified borrowers earning not more than applicable program limits.

For the past couple of years, our down payment assistance to our borrowers has been a zero percent interest rate second mortgage loan of up to $7,500 that does not have to be repaid until the home is sold or refinanced.

In the past year, some great things have happened for the homebuyers we serve. First, the Authority added a new mortgage credit certificate program that offers qualified borrowers a tax credit equal to the lesser of up to fifty percent of the interest they pay on their mortgage or $2,000, each year their mortgage loan is outstanding. Second, HUD published new and higher income limits for affordable housing programs for the upcoming year. And finally, the Authority expanded our program offerings to include the Freddie Mac HFA Advantage Program.

Freddie Mac is a quasi-governmental agency that insures home mortgage loans for moderate income homebuyers, and the HFA Advantage program is a program that Freddie Mac has structured to serve the needs of governmental housing finance agencies like the Authority. The Freddie Mac program has turned out to be even more exciting than we expected, but not necessarily for the reason that we expected!

The Freddie Mac program generally allows eligible borrowers with higher incomes to participate, as compared to the traditional or governmental program. For instance, for a family of one to two (all limits are adjusted upward for larger families), the Freddie Mac program allows a borrower to qualify if they earn up to $78,240 per year. Our governmental program would be

66 Pensacola Magazine

limited to families earning only up to $65,200 per year, taking into account the income of all adult residents in the home. So we expected that more people with slightly higher income would participate in the Freddie Mac Program. Sure enough, our first Freddie Mac loan was for a nurse who earned just a few hundred dollars a year more than the limit to qualify for our governmental program.

What we did not expect was that Freddie Mac would roll out a new grant program for additional down payment and closing cost assistance for lower income Freddie Mac homebuyers. As of April, 2018, Freddie Mac began offering a $2,500 grant to borrowers earning less than 50 percent of area median income, or a $1,500 grant to borrowers earning between 50 percent and 80 percent of area median income. If you live in Escambia County, that means that if you earn less than $32,600 per year your grant would be $2,500, and if you earn between $32,600 and $52,160 your grant would $1,500. Area median income numbers are published annually by HUD for each county in Florida. The grant stacks with our normal down payment assistance loan, so for a homebuyer earning less than $32,600 per year, the homebuyer

could wind up with a $7,500 zero percent loan that doesn’t have to be repaid until the home is sold or refinanced, and a grant of $2,500 that doesn’t have to be repaid at all. We have seen a definite increase in demand for the Freddie Mac product since the grant program came into effect, and we are thrilled that Freddie Mac has made this available for our homebuyers.

Even more good news came out for our homebuyers as of July 1, 2018, when the Florida Legislature enacted an exemption from the Florida documentary stamp for our mortgages, saving our average homebuyer a little over $400 in recording taxes.

The Authority has placed more than $134 million in first mortgage loans for more than 1,200 workforce families since 2012. Our website, www. escambiahfa.com, offers an up to date list of our participating lenders, current interest rates and down payment assistance programs. Give us a call soon and see what we can do for you!

Pat Lott is Executive Director and General Counsel for the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority. She and her team love to make affordable housing happen.

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Sydnee Johnson Going above and beyond to find your next home.

SYDNEE JOHNSON Realtor 22A Via DeLuna Pensacola Beach, FL 32561 sydneejohnson.cbintouch.com (850) 712-6772 Cell sydnee.johnson@floridamoves.com Follow me on

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On the Market

Create an Accessible Lifestyle If you’re like the majority of the population, mobility is something you take for granted. However, once you or a loved one encounters an illness or disability that results in depen­dence on a wheelchair, your perspective is likely to change dramatically.

Mobility is a major factor in a person’s inde­pendence, but when illness or injury hinders free movement, even a simple task like running to the store becomes a challenge. Fortunately, there are numerous options you can explore to improve mobility and accessibility if you or a loved one becomes reliant on a wheelchair or other assisted mobility.

Ramps in Place of Stairs Safety is a primary concern for someone whose mobility is limited. Even minor falls can cause significant injuries, particularly for seniors whose bones tend to be more fragile. When a loved one begins experiencing trouble with the steps, a ramp is a good solution. In fact, ramps aren’t just for those who are reliant on a wheelchair or other motorized

68 Pensacola Magazine

device like a scooter.

They are also a good solution for someone who uses a cane or walker, or someone who experiences pain or difficulty maintaining balance on the stairs.

Accessible Vehicles and Parking Getting out of the house is an important way to help someone whose mobility is compromised continue to feel connected to the larger world, and practically speaking, even if they’re not physically up to social engagements, chances are that doctor’s appointments will still be a necessity. However, parking limitations cause major challenges for wheelchair users.

Not only is getting in and out of the vehicle a chore, 74 percent of people have personally seen a handicap accessible parking space being improperly used, according to a survey by BraunAbility.

As a leading manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and wheelchair lifts, its Save My Spot campaign works to educate the public about the meaning and importance of handicap accessible parking. In addition to understanding and educating others about the proper usage of

handicap accessible parking, chair users may benefit from wheelchair accessible vehicles that provide maximum maneuverability, such as the BraunAbility Pacifica, which delivers the most interior cabin space and widest doorway and ramp for ease of entry and exit.

Hand Rails and Grab Bars Hand rails add another measure of safety in the home. They can add stability and support on staircases, ramps and other walkways, but they’re also beneficial in areas like the bathroom. A rail or grab bar near the toilet can help steady someone raising or lowering to use the facilities. Similarly, rails in or adjacent to the shower can assist with safe transitions into and out of the stall. Remember to follow all manufacturer instructions for installing rails to ensure they provide adequate support and can bear the weight of the user.

Bathroom Modifications Proper hygiene goes a long way toward promoting overall wellness and independence, but a person with limited mobility may struggle using the features of a standard bathroom. In addition to safety

rails and grab bars, devices such as shower stools and raised toilet seats can provide needed support.

Depending on your circumstances, it may be necessary to consider renovations to include a roll-in tub or seated shower and a vanity with a counter at an accessible height.

Wider Doors and Hallways While it’s not always possible to widen doors and hallways, this is an important consideration for someone who is heavily reliant on a wheelchair or other motorized device. If the chair can’t clear hallways and maneuver around corners, a person’s access to the home is severely limited, sometimes to the point of needing to find new housing accommodations. When considering whether the doors and hallways will meet your needs, remember to take into account any accessories or equipment, such as an oxygen tank, that may affect the chair’s turn radius.

Find more ideas to promote independence and mobility at braunability.com/savemyspot.

Cottonwood Family Home Wolfgang Hucklenbroich Broker Associate | Realtor 911 Gulf Breeze Pkwy.

Wolfgang@kw.com C: 850.530.5133 O: 850.916.5800

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On the Market

Smart home gadgets give customers power over their energy use

By Brandi Gomez, Communications Specialist for Gulf Power

T

echnology has made it possible to do just about anything. You can video chat with a loved one across the globe, track your daily steps through your wristwatch and even lock your car with your cell phone. These rapid advancements have also given customers the power to make smarter decisions. Especially when it comes to their home’s energy use.

Through the use of smart home products and gadgets, Gulf Power customers can monitor their home energy use and even save money on their monthly energy bill.

The latest craze is all about ease of control.

“Customers are gravitating toward being able to do everything with their smart phone or tablet,” explains Gulf Power’s Jeff Hatch.

“Through app-controlled devices, you can now manage your home’s lighting, cooling and heating.”

Hatch says one of the most common smart home devices used by customers is the smart thermostat because they’re affordable and allow for control and savings. Well-known brands like Ecobee and Nest can help regulate the temperature in a home by learning a customer’s preferences, particularly their heating and cooling habits.

Many smart thermostats will

70 Pensacola Magazine

automatically raise or lower the temperature to conserve energy when no one is home. This can save money, especially in the hot summer months.

And since they are easy to install and remove, they’re good for renters, too!

Gulf Power’s Energy Select program offers customers a way to save on their energy bill through an online portal and programmable thermostat. The Energy Select thermostat, along with timers for your appliances, gives you control over your home’s central cooling and heating system, electric water heater and pool pump. And you can program much of your home’s energy usage right on your smart device to fit your schedule, comfort and budget.

Smart home gadgets that are friendly on the budget and easy to install are automatic light switches and power strips.

We all want to remember to turn lights off when we’re not in a room, if only to save some money on our energy bill. Automatic light switches have sensors that detect any movement in the room, so entering that room would trigger the light to turn on and vice versa.

Some can also be turned on via voice command or through a smartphone app.

Today’s appliances and electronics are more sophisticated than ever — they’re also in more need of protection from power surges that

can cause permanent damage.

As residents of one of the top lightning-producing states in the country, we’re all familiar with the threat of major storms and the surges and outages they produce.

There are now ways to ensure protection from power surges while also saving energy. Many of these smart power strips will automatically turn off power to any items that are not in use. Gulf Power also offers surge protection plans for as little as the cost of giving up one fancy iced coffee a month.

Customers who want to see some long-term energy savings might be more interested in hybrid water heaters. After all, the water heater is the second-highest energy user in the home with the average household using 64 gallons of water each day.

“The latest hybrid water heaters also can be controlled with a smart device,” said Hatch. “But more importantly, hybrid water heaters combine performance with high efficiency.”

EcoNet-enabled water heaters even work with a smart thermostat. For example, when the Nest thermostat is set to Away mode, EcoNetenabled water heaters will go into an energy efficient operating mode to reduce the amount of energy the water heater uses and help save money. Gulf Power even offers rebates up to $400 for switching from gas to a high efficiency heat pump.

Managing your home’s energy has become easier than ever before. You can turn lights on and off, maintain your heating and cooling and even view your home’s energy use right on your smart phone or tablet.

Gulf Power’s free online Energy Checkup report is another tech smart resource for customers.

Customers will be asked 10 simple questions about their current energy use. Once the questionnaire is submitted, they’ll then receive an instant report that breaks down individual energy usage and offers tips on how to save.

For more information on smart ways to save on your energy bill, visit MyGulfPower.com.

For 27 years, Adams Homes has built a reputation based on exceptional quality at an unbeatable value. Contact us today to learn more about communities in your area and see what makes the Adams Homes Difference!

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