The Summation Weekly Dec. 2

Summati n Weekly

USPS Publication Number 16300

THE

T h i s C o m mu n i t y N ew s p a p er is a publication of Escambia/Santa Rosa Bar Association

Section A, Page 1

Vol. 15, No. 49

Visit The Summation Weekly Online: www.summationweekly.com

December 2, 2015

The Gift of Giving

By Josh Newby With Christmas just around the corner, many people in Pensacola are likely wondering how they can spread the love and generosity to those in need. Escambia County is one of the poorest in the state, with many children who have never had a traditional holiday season replete with gifts to unwrap on Christmas morning. With just a few spare dollars, those with more in our city can enrich the lives of those with less, and there are a variety of methods to do so.

fill out the form under “Toy DropOffs” on pensacola-fl.toysfortots. org and help coordinate the local chapter to make a difference in the life of Escambia County children this holiday season.

better-known national program, the Angel Tree Project is an act of love and caring by the members of Saint Paul Catholic Church. They work each year to improve Pensacola by reaching across all boundaries and faiths to bring happiness and love to children by providing them with Christmas gifts. Volunteers can assist with making paper angels, collecting and sorting gifts, and shopping. To join the project, contact the church at (850) 4342551.

Operation Santa

Toys for Tots

The national program, headed up by the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, has been gathering together toys for underprivileged children since 1947. Since then, it has donated more than half a billion toys and other products of use to pre-teens. In Pensacola, interested donors can drop off merchandise at Toys “R” Us in University Town Plaza. Most toys for children are accepted, in addition to sporting equipment, books, backpacks, cosmetics, purses, bath gift sets, electronics, skateboards and bicycles. The only real exceptions are realistic-looking weapons and products with food. If you would prefer to volunteer for Toys for Tots, there’s ways to do that, too. Simply

Operation Santa is in its 103rd year, a program locally facilitated by FamiliesFirst Network of Pensacola, a subsidiary of Baptist Health Care’s Lakeview Center. Each year, they work to provide Christmas gifts for the children and families that they serve. You can sponsor a particular family, donate toys for general distribution, or make a cash donation to the Baptist Health Care Foundation. If you sponsor a family, FamiliesFirst Network will provide a wish list of items to purchase that will ultimately end up in the hands of that family for Christmas morning. To adopt a family, reach out to FamiliesFirst Network by calling (850) 469-3462.

Angel Tree Project

Not to be confused with the following entry’s details about the

The Salvation Army’s Angel tree

Started in 1979, this popular Christmastime program allows communities to directly impact members of their own region. The program provides gifts of new clothing and toys to thousands of children who otherwise probably would not have anything for the holiday. Children who are recipients of Angel Tree gifts are from families who have applied for Christmas assistance through the social services program of the Salvation Army.

During the application process, the clothing sizes and special needs of the children are determined and written on the application and is

then transferred to paper “angels” along with the child’s first name, age and sex. The angels are then taken to area shopping malls where they are selected by concerned shoppers who then purchase any or all of the items listed. After purchasing these items, the gifts are returned to the Angel Tree. Pensacolians can pick up angels at the Salvation Army’s local location, 1501 N. Q St.

Operation Christmas Child

Olive Baptist Church hosts this program, a local chapter of the Samaritan’s Purse initiative, to deliver shoebox gifts to children in need. Since the program’s inception in 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls have been served in over 130 countries. To volunteer or give to the program, call (850) 475-3165 or email gmitten@olivebaptist.org.

Christmas Shoebox Project

This ongoing community project, coordinated by Waterfront Rescue Mission, is an opportunity for family, co-workers, church attendees, and other groups of people to serve the needy during Christmas. Here’s how it works: participants purchase and gather together basic items found at waterfrontmission.org/christmasshoebox-project, pack them up in a shoebox, and wrap it all up as a gift for an individual staying at the Mission. Then, simply drop them off at Waterfront Rescue Mission, 348 W. Herman St. in Pensacola.

The boxes can be as large or as small as you prefer, and there is no minimum or maximum quantity.

Fallen Painting Angels into History

By Dawn Gresko

Imagine this: you’re spiraling through the air, leaving Cuban Eight contrail clouds in your wake, and the crowd below goes wild as you recover swiftly from a downward dive.

The excitement of being a worldfamous Blue Angel, a job that may sound like a dream come true for some dare devils and aspiring pilots, is tempered only by the risk involved in aerobatic maneuvers that leave no room for error.

Since the squadron was formed in 1946, 27 Blue Angels have lost their lives in the line of duty. At least 50 more have suffered injuries from

practice runs and performances.

Mark Tedrow, a history major who’s also been a fellow Blue Angel for five years, was prompted to learn more about the squadron’s past and those who were lost along the way. He discovered statistics that revealed a 10 percent fatality rate for Blue Angels pilots over the past 61 years.

“I was disappointed to find there were no memorials for those who had died,” said Tedrow, Blue Angel #5 and lead solo/operations officer.

“At the minimum, I wanted to do something that would give those pilots the recognition they deserve.

So, I began to think, what can I do?

What would be appropriate?”

A photograph of the Blue Angels as a group, still hanging on the wall of The Grand Marlin at Pensacola Beach today, inspired Tedrow’s next move.

Tedrow reached out to local portrait artist, Nina Fritz, who has created several Blue Angels paintings and posters over the past 15 years.

“I was honored when Mark approached me about painting a memorial for the Angels who had died,” said Nina, who is renowned for her portraiture as well as her Blue Angels artworks. “Mark’s time with the Blue Angels is coming to an end, and he told me every time a pilot leaves the team he leaves

something behind. This painting is what Mark wanted to leave the team. Of course, I said yes without any hesitation.”

What became dubbed later as “The Blue Angels Memorial Project” took Nina roughly a year to complete after she began creating the painting in fall of 2014.

The first step was getting headshot photos of the deceased pilots for Nina to get a sense of each Angel’s unique facial features.

Tedrow took it upon himself to research and find photos of the 27 fallen Angels using resources such as squadron archives and Ancestry. com—an online site he used to track down and reach out to family

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Children’s Home Society of Florida

The state of Florida’s adoption and fostering program receives gifts year-round to give to children within their network.

Many of these children do not even have a family or a place to call home, so holiday gifts are especially impactful and can often help them rise up out of depression and loneliness. You can donate funds on their website, chsfl.org/holiday, or check out their Amazon Holiday Wish List at goo.gl/6ajx7p.

There is so much wealth in Pensacola, and so much opportunity to improve the lives of others. It’s so easy unfortunately to become preoccupied with Black Friday sales and potlucks with family—fun, important happenings that often dominate our holiday time and resources.

So in between those admittedly self-centered happenings, let’s not forget to lean into the spirit of the season and help those with who are less fortunate and less able to take advantage of the sales or even have a family meal. members of at least eight pilots who were missing photos in the squadron archives.

Some of the photos were blurry and of poor quality, which made it difficult to render distinguishable characteristics for the portraits.

Despite the challenge presented to Nina, the finished product displayed recognizable faces of the fallen.

“During the entire process, Mark was very involved and visited my studio often to check on the progress of the painting,” said Nina.

“Near the end, I was very pleased to hear he recognized each pilot I had painted from his research. It made me more confident that family members and loved ones would recognize them, too.”

Laid out on a 46 x 36 canvas, the Blue Angels memorial painting was created using water-based oil paint. The pilots were painted in order according to the year in which they died, and each of the 27 faces are set on a background of a fading sunset on the water.

As for the painting’s frame, Tedrow knew of a friend, Justin Gonzalez, a former Navy SEAL and Leap Frog parachuter who happened to be a woodworker on the side. Gonzalez agreed to design a custom walnut frame for the painting.

The painting was unveiled as a surprise to the rest of the Blue Angels squadron on Nov. 8, after the team’s annual Homecoming Show.

Tedrow is in the process of getting smaller copies of the painting to surviving family members of the 27 pilots.

“The important thing is that we never forget those who were lost,” explained Tedrow. “It’s also important to note that because of what happened to those 27 men, we have much safer demonstrations today. From 1973 to 2015, there were not nearly as many casualties and the safety margin has become much greater.”

The Blue Angels memorial painting will find its permanent home at the Naval Aviation Museum on NAS Pensacola, where the fallen Blue Angels will find their place in history and, most importantly, where they will not be forgotten.

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December 2, 2015

News From The Bar Association

The Summation Weekly

Update on the U.S. FLORIDA FEDERAL Mock Trial District Courthouse Volunteer Judges JUDICIAL Needed NOMINATING The federal courthouse at 1 North The University of West Florida COMMISSION Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola will host its 5th Annual Argo will either be rehabilitated at a cost of Invitational Mock Trial Competition NOTICE RELATING about $31 million, or it will be torn on the UWF campus on January 16 TO APPLICATIONS down and rebuilt at the same site for and 17, 2016. between $33 million and $37 million, FOR U.S. ATTORNEY, according to U.S. Chief District Judge Volunteer judges are needed NORTHERN DISTRICT Casey M. Rodgers. The judge has been for each round. We will provide in contact with the General Services training before each round so you OF FLORIDA By letter dated Sept. 21, 2015, Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio directed the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission to begin accepting applications for the position of U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Florida. The senators directed the commission to provide them with the names of three finalists by Dec. 18, 2015.

The deadline for submitting applications for this position was Nov. 12, 2015. The Commission received one application and therefore is unable to provide the names of three finalists to the senators. As a result, the senators have directed the commission not to proceed further at this time in regard to any matters relating to the position of U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Florida.

DATED: November 23, 2015 by John M. Fitzgibbons Statewide Chair Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission

Administration, which will oversee the project. In March 2015, Rodgers sent a letter to the GSA saying the courthouse had been infested with mold for 20 years without any permanent remediation.

Rodgers credits Sen. Bill Nelson with getting the GSA’s attention about the severity of the issue. Nelson said there are several steps that need to be taken before the rehab or new construction can move forward.

do not need to have experience with mock trial. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact: Kimberly McCorkle (UWF faculty sponsor) kmccorkle@uwf. edu or 857-6198 or Ashley Condon (tournament assistant) acondon@uwf.edu

Vol. 15, No. 48

November 25, 2015

Executive Director Michael A. Doubek mike@esrba.com Member Services Specialist Michele Kelley michele@esrba.com Bar Office 216 S Tarragona St., Suite B Pensacola, FL 32502 Bar Office Phone: 434-8135 Bar Ofice Fax: 436-8822 Email: esrba@esrba.cm Website: www.esrba.com Published by Ballinger Publishing for the Escambia / Santa Rosa Bar Association.

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Editorial Offices 41 N. Jefferson St., Suite 402 Pensacola, Florida 32502 850-433-1166 Fax 850-435-9174 Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Published every Wednesday USPS Publication Number 16300, Authorized August 25, 2015 (Pensacola Fl)

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Subscription Rates $20/year (All ESRBA Members) $22.50/Year (Escambia/Santa Rosa/Okaloosa County NonMembers) $27.50/Year (other counties within Florida & all other states Non-Members) Postmaster Send address changes to: 41 N. Jefferson St., Suite 402, Pensacola, Florida 32502 The Summation Weekly 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 newspaper represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person idenitified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the ESRBA or the publisher.

This newspaper accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The ESRBA reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this newspaper does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Escambia/Santa Rosa Bar Association or Ballinger Publishing. © 2015

The Summation Weekly Blue Marlin Realty Group’s Third Annual Charity Golf Tournament Raises $16,938 for Emerald Coast Golden Retriever Rescue Blue Marlin Realty Group hosted their third annual charity golf tournament at Regatta Bay Golf and Yacht Club on Friday, Oct. 23, benefitting the Emerald Coast Golden Retriever Rescue (ECGRR). Blue Marlin Realty Group raised $16,938, which will fund the ECGRR’s efforts of finding homes for abandoned, abused, or surrendered Golden Retriever and Labrador breeds.

Over 200 members of the local community joined together to participate in the charity golf tournament as sponsors, tournament players, raffle item donors, food and beverage donors, and volunteers.

Over 100 golfers were greeted with Grayton Beer Company brews, provided by putting green sponsor, Bracken Law, P.A. as well as brunch provided by Another Broken Egg on the driving range. All golfers enjoyed lunch on the course courtesy of Lenny’s Sub Shop of Destin, beer by Landshark Pizza Co., Bloody Marys by Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Southern Comfort punch by Bric A Brac, Mimosas

by Beachwalk Cafe and Pineapple Rum Punch by Community Bank.

Henderson Park Inn sponsored the clubhouse, which hosted the after party sponsored by Ali’s Bistro and catered by Landsharks Pizza Co. Golfers and guests enjoyed live raffles, silent auction, team and individual awards. Winning bidders and raffle prizewinners went home with prizes among many, such as a BOTE and GUSU paddle boards, stays at Henderson Park Inn, sports

memorabilia and more.

Co-owners and brokers of Blue Marlin Realty Group, Johnathan Hughes and Jerry Sullivan, are beyond thrilled at the continued success of the tournament.

“It has been amazing to see how this tournament has grown within just three years,” said Hughes. “We have a great time finding ways to make each year bigger and better.”

“We continue to strive to make a difference in the local community,” said Co-broker Jerry Sullivan. “We look forward to selecting a unique local non-profit organization to benefit from each year’s tournament.”

The money raised we will be able help the Emerald Coast Golden Retriever Rescue with day to day costs and provide the funds to spay or neuter the dogs, which is currently the ECGRR’s greatest need. Special thanks to the “Big Dog” sponsors, Rodgers-Kiefer Title and Belfor Construction.

Blue Marlin Realty is a team of dedicated real estate agents that specialize in providing clients with an unprecedented level of personal attention. They have two locations to better serve Northwest Florida.

Their Destin office is located at 607 Harbor Boulevard and the 30A location is 4987 E Co Hwy 30A in Santa Rosa Beach. For more information call 850-837-7800 or go to bluemarlinrealtygroup.com.

Blue Marlin Realty Group can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blogger, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Help the JETS Soar The Jazz Society of Pensacola (JSOP) conducts two main projects that depend heavily on special donations from the membership: the Pensacola Jazz Fest and its Jazz Education Program headed by the Student Jazz Competition.

This request deals with the Jazz Education Program, under the donation title Jazz Education Team Supporters (JETS).

JSOP invites you to become a member of JETS for the current school year by making a taxdeductible donation of $100 or more to help make the society’s jazz education programs possible.

When JSOP launched its jazz education initiatives in 2010, it was a brand new effort to reach out to younger musicians as they begin their lifetime adventure with music.

The first year’s program included first Student Jazz Competition and 12 in-school workshops, presented by top musician educators who worked one-on-one with area middle and high school jazz bands.

Feedback from the band directors and the young musicians was uniformly positive and exciting.

Since that first year, JSOP has presented more workshops and continued through its fourth annual Student Jazz Competition.

Over $15,000 in monetary support awards earned by the winners went toward jazz camps, school tuition, purchase and repair of musical instruments, as well as lessons, helping these young musicians continue their development.

Encouraging these students is vital to the future of America’s

music—jazz. JSOP feels that helping students discover jazz and their place in the jazz community will serve them throughout their lifetime.

Now, as JSOP enters its sixth year of these initiatives, its main goal is to continue with the 2016 Student Jazz Competition. This will require approximately $5,000 in funding. As a member of the JETS, you will help make the next Student Jazz Competition possible. You will be recognized with a special thanks on the JSOP website, JazzPensacola.com, and in the program for the Sixth Annual Student Jazz Competition planned for Friday, Apr. 1, as the kick-off event of the 2016 Pensacola Jazz Fest, which continues on Saturday and Sunday.

Please send your special JETS donation as a check payable to JSOP to the JSOP office or via credit card by phoning the office at 850-433-8382, during office hours from 8 am to noon on Monday through Friday. Donations to the JETS are tax-deductible contributions, and any amount you choose to give will be greatly appreciated.

JSOP hopes that you will give that extra support to its jazz education programs, highlighted by the annual Student Jazz Competition, and the young jazz musicians the society seeks to encourage, develop and inspire.

See you at Jingle Jazz on Monday, Dec. 7, and thanks for supporting the Jazz Society of Pensacola.

WSRE Accepting Questions For “Legislative Review: Dialogue with the Delegation” WSRE, known as the PBS for the Gulf Coast, is now collecting questions from Northwest Florida residents for the live broadcast of “Legislative Review: Dialogue with the Delegation.” Moderated by Jeff Weeks, the show features a panel discussion with the local legislative delegation and will air from 7 pm to 8 pm on Thursday, Dec. 10 on WSRE with a simulcast on NewsRadio1620.

Questions may be submitted in advance by email to questions@wsre. org. Every question must be accompanied by the person’s name and city of residence. Questions will also be accepted by phone during the broadcast.

Participating legislators include Sens. Don Gaetz (District 1) and Greg Evers (District 2), and Reps. Clay Ingram (District 1), Mike Hill (District 2) and Doug Broxson (District 3). Rep. Matt Gaetz (District 4) is not participating due to a schedule conflict.

Florida’s 2016 legislative session begins on Jan. 12. WSRE presents a live broadcast of “Legislative Review” before and after each legislative session as a community service. Learn more at wsre.org.

WSRE, a Public Broadcasting Service station, is locally owned and licensed to the Pensacola State College Board of Trustees. Since 1967, WSRE has served Northwest Florida and South Alabama with quality TV programs, educational media and community outreach reflecting the diverse cultural, political, geographic and demographic characteristics of the coverage area. WSRE aims to help improve educational outcomes and provide access to enlightening, informative and entertaining content for all learners. Visit wsre.org to learn more.

Community

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December 2, 2015

Charles Bare Elected as City Council President The Pensacola City Council has chosen Councilman Charles Bare as its next Council President with Councilman Brian Spencer being selected as Vice President.

Charles Bare was elected to the City Council At-Large B seat on August 14, 2012. Charles represents the City Council on the Florida/ Alabama Transportation Planning Organization, the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Eastside Redevelopment Board and the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission.

Charles is active in the Florida League of Cities where he serves on the Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee and the Federal Action Strike Team. He has also completed all three phases of the Florida League of Cities’ Institute for Elected Municipal Officials (IEMO).

Charles earned both of his degrees at the University of West Florida. He completed his Bachelor

of Arts in Legal Administration in 1992 and Master of Public Administration in 1994.

Charles is the owner of the Charles Bare Company, which provides management and technology consulting services for small businesses. Charles began his working career with the US Department of Education in Atlanta where he served as both a program reviewer and criminal investigator/special agent. He moved back to Pensacola in 1997 to begin working as the Assistant Director of Governmental Relations at the University of West Florida. After two years, he was promoted to Director of Governmental Relations. He spent four legislative sessions in the state capitol advocating for the University of West Florida. In 2003, Charles was deployed in the US Army for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served both in Iraq as an Economics and Commerce Officer, and he served in Kuwait as the Director of Special Projects

for the Humanitarian Operations Center, a multi-national organization. Charles also spent a year as the District Representative for Congressman Jeff Miller.

Charles is a graduate of Leadership Pensacola, Leadership Santa Rosa, and the West Florida Leadership Academy. He is a former president of the local chapter of the American Society for Training and Development.

Charles serves as a Sunday school teacher at First United Methodist Church of Pensacola. He is married to JoEllen, and they have three children.

“I appreciate the confidence my fellow Council members have in me,” Council President Bare said. “I am honored to serve as Council President, and look forward to working with the Council to fully staff our office and address critical issues facing Pensacola.”

Council President Bare’s term of office took effect immediately.

First City Art Center’s “Hot Glass, Cold Brew” Event Set First City Art Center (FCAC) is excited to hold its Hot Glass, Cold Brew (HGCB) event on Friday, Dec. 8 from 5 pm to 9 pm at 1060 N. Guillemard St. (the corner of Guillemard and Gonzalez streets).

This event is a fundraiser that directly supports First City Art Center and its programs. There is a suggested donation of $25 for nonmembers and $20 for members.

Guests can choose to bring a cup from a previous HGCB and get $5 off. For those who sign up for a new FCAC membership on that evening, your entry will be free.

While supplies last, guests will receive a hand-blown glass or handthrown pottery cup. These collector glasses and cups are limited and go fast so come early–doors open no sooner than 5 pm. Patrons will also enjoy brews courtesy of Pensacola Bay Brewery and Escambia Bay Homebrewers; both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. A special guest chef will also cater the event.

Additionally, there will be glass and pottery demos by FCAC artists along with raffles and live music.

Phil Vinson, a guest glass artist, will demo his signature technique

in the hot shop. The event will also include the gallery opening of the second annual “The Small Show,” showcasing works from FCAC gallery artists. All pieces in the gallery will be for sale just in time for holiday shopping.

Be sure to bring the whole family because there will be children’s activities lead by FCAC instructors with special assistance from Cub Scout Pack 608. The activities will take place during the HGCB event and each child will create a fun project to take home.

Also, take part in Pensacola’s “Before I Die” project. This is an interactive public art project that invites people to share their personal aspirations in a public space. There are over 400 “Before I Die” walls

in over 60 countries and in over 25 languages.

First City Art Center will be holding its annual Holiday Art Sale in the classroom as part of HGCB. The sale will continue on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 am to 1 pm. Wrap up your holiday shopping with oneof-a-kind pieces made in various mediums. The sale will feature works from FCAC glass and pottery guild members, as well as guest and gallery artists.

Sponsored by Pensacola Bay Brewery, Escambia Bay Homebrewers and Renaissance Man, Inc. For more information, call 850429-1222 or visit firstcityart.org. *Please drink responsibly. Valid ID required for consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Victorian Holiday Tour and Reception at UWF Historic Trust Join UWF Alumni for a Victorian Holiday Tour and Reception at the UWF Historic Trust in the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center (117 E. Government St.) on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The reception will be held at 2:30 pm and tours begin at 4 pm.

Since the Historic Trust received such a great response for the Victorian Holiday Tour, they’ve decided to add an additional tour.

During the tour, you’ll get to see how the holidays were celebrated and how today’s traditions were shaped during the Victorian era.

Come before the tour to enjoy desserts, tea and coffee at the reception. All ages are welcome to attend.

Tickets are $10 per person. Spots are limited and reservations are required.

For more information, contact the UWF Alumni Association by either phone at 850-474-2766 or email alumni@uwf.edu.

Irv Miller Author Signing at Barnes & Nobles

Barnes & Nobles is welcoming local celebrity chef and Jackson Steakhouse’s own Irv Miller for an author signing on Dec. 5 from 2 pm to 4 pm.

In his first cookbook Panhandle to Pan, Miller presents 150 recipes and stories of Florida’s New Redneck Riviera, taking readers on a journey through the agriculturally abundant region, while sharing personal stories, expertise, and unique recipes from throughout the Florida Panhandle.

For more information, contact Laura Ferrer at 850-969-9554.

MANNA’S Fill the Mayflower brings in food for 60,000+ meals MANNA Food Pantries has concluded its eighth annual Fill the Mayflower food drive.

This year, Fill the Mayflower will help provide over 60,000 meals to the hungry. The food will be distributed through MANNA’s four pantries, as well as the Santa Rosa Backpack4Teens Program and Monthly Healthy Senior Food Program in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

“This year, MANNA has provided food to 20,303 people, including nearly 7,000 children,” said DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of MANNA. “This drive will provide the equivalent of over 60,000 meals for families in need. The Northwest Florida community continues to show an amazing capacity to help those in need.”

Sponsored by Coastal Moving and Storage, the longtime event is the single most important food drive for MANNA and the hungry in the local community.

“We’re so grateful to the community and our media partners, Cat Country/NewsRadio 1620, WEAR TV and everyone else who helped us get the word out on Fill the Mayflower,” said Flounlacker. “We’re also grateful for volunteers who gave 318 hours of service to make this event possible.”

Last year, MANNA Food Pantries distributed nearly 500,000 pounds of food to the hungry. The nonprofit has been serving the community since 1983.

MANNA is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to alleviating hunger in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

MANNA’s mission is to offer emergency food assistance, service the food-related needs of vulnerable populations, and engage the entire community in the fight against hunger. MANNA is designated a 501(c)(3) charitable organization by the federal government. Donations can be made through our secure website mannafoodpantries.org/donate.asp.

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December 2, 2015

Capitol News

FPL SEEKS GO-AHEAD FOR NEW OKEECHOBEE PLANT

By Jim Saunders The News Service of Florida State regulators will hear arguments Tuesday on a proposal by Florida Power & Light to build a power plant in Okeechobee County, but critics question the need for the nearly $1.2 billion project.

FPL contends the naturalgas plant is the “best, most cost-effective option” to meet a need for additional power generation starting in 2019.

The project, designed as what is known as a combinedcycle plant, would be built on an undeveloped site owned by FPL in northeast Okeechobee County. “(The Okeechobee plant) will ensure reliable service for FPL’s customers and is expected to save FPL’s customers millions of dollars … in electricity costs over the next best alternative,’’ the utility said in a filing with the Florida Public Service

Commission. “Once this new CC (combined cycle) unit goes into operation, it is projected to be the most fuel-efficient CC unit on FPL’s generation system, thus further enhancing the efficiency of an already highly efficient FPL generating system.”

But the project has drawn opposition from the state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers, the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida. At least in part, they argue that FPL hasn’t shown that the 1,622-megawatt plant is needed.

“The cost of the proposed plant is too much for FPL customers,’’ the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida said in a Nov. 3 filing. “FPL is overbuilding its generating capacity in order to guarantee

SEVEN LAWMAKERS COULD TESTIFY IN REDISTRICTING HEARING The News Service of Florida As many as seven lawmakers could be called to testify in December as part of a legal battle over the shape of the state Senate’s 40 districts, according to a document filed in court Monday. A coalition of voting-rights groups said it plans to call Senate Reapportionment Chairman Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, during a hearing scheduled to run from Dec. 14 to Dec. 18.

Lawyers for the League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause Florida also said they might ask several other legislators --- Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando; Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami; Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami; Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater; Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon; and House Redistricting Chairman Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes --- to testify, “depending on the circumstances.” Regardless, the voting-rights organizations plan to have Senate aide Jay Ferrin testify, as well as

a consultant who drew the groups’ proposed Senate maps and two expert witnesses.

Additional names on the list for possible testimony include Republican political consultants Pat Bainter, Rich Heffley, Marc Reichelderfer and Frank Terraferma, along with House aides Jason Poreda and Jeff Takacs and former Senate aide John Guthrie.

The hearing will help Leon County Circuit Judge George Reynolds decide which map to recommend to the Florida Supreme Court --- one of the maps drawn by the coalition or a plan proposed by the Senate. Reynolds will weigh the plans after a special session ended this month without an agreement between the House and Senate on a new map for the districts. The existing set of Senate districts was set aside under a legal settlement in which lawmakers conceded that the courts would likely find that the current boundaries violate a voter-approved ban on political gerrymandering.

its own profits, at the cost of a small fortune to its customers.”

The Public Service Commission on Tuesday will hold a hearing on what is known as a “determination of need,” a key regulatory step before power plants can be built. The hearing could last two days.

The Okeechobee project would be one in a series of plants built by FPL, which has moved heavily toward using natural gas to generate electricity. As an example, a new Port Everglades plant is scheduled to begin operating in 2016, and FPL has also opened new plants in recent years at Cape Canaveral and Riviera Beach.

In a document filed with the Public Service Commission, FPL said it will need an additional 1,052 megawatts of power generation in 2019, with the number growing to 1,409 megawatts in 2020 and

continuing to grow in the future. It said the design of the Okeechobee plant will be fuel efficient, which will help hold down natural-gas costs.

But the Office of Public Counsel said in a filing that the project would “needlessly increase FPL’s reliance on natural gas,’’ and the environmental groups argued the utility should instead look to use more renewable energy and conservation measures.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, for instance, said in a filing that FPL “did nothing more than pay lip service” to using solar energy as an alternative to the Okeechobee project.

But FPL disputed such arguments. “FPL’s projected need for generation in 2019 and beyond fully accounts for all reasonably achievable conservation measures and renewable energy reasonably achievable on FPL’s system,’’ it said in a filing.

SCOTT SIGNS DEATH WARRANT FOR 1983 KILLINGS The News Service of Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a death warrant Monday for Michael Ray Lambrix, who has spent 31 years on Death Row for killing two people after escaping from a work-release program.

Lambrix, 55, also known as Cary Michael Lambrix, was sentenced to death in 1984 for the murders of Aleisha Bryant and Clarence Moore Jr. According to the governor’s office, Lambrix escaped from a work-release detail in December 1982, while serving two years for violating probation. On Feb. 5, 1983, after meeting Bryant and Moore at a bar in Glades County, Lambrix invited the pair to his trailer for dinner with his roommate, Frances Smith. Lambrix was accused of attacking Moore with a tire iron when they were alone outside the trailer, then calling Bryant outside, where she was kicked in

the head and strangled.

Lambrix would later take a gold chain from Moore’s body and Moore’s car.

Smith, who allegedly helped Lambrix bury the bodies and dispose of the tire iron, was arrested three days later on an unrelated charge and told police about the two bodies.

Under Scott’s warrant, Lambrix is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection Feb. 11. Lambrix is the second Death Row inmate with an active death warrant from Scott. On Oct. 30, a day after Jerry Correll was executed at Florida State Prison, Scott signed the death warrant for convicted murderer Oscar Ray Bolin Jr. Bolin, 53, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection Jan. 7 for the 1986 murder of Teri Lynn Matthews, who was abducted from the Land O’ Lakes post office and later found wrapped in a sheet on the side of a road in rural Pasco County.

Florida’s municipalities intend to fight a proposal now before state lawmakers that would take away their ability to set local election dates and could extend the terms of some current elected officials.

State lawmakers on Thursday will look at a proposal that seeks to improve local voter turnout by requiring every city, town and village to line up their elections the same day each year.

The proposal (PCB SAC 16-04), scheduled to go before the House State Affairs Committee, would require the local elections to either mesh with statewide November general elections in even years, or be held every other year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd years.

Of Florida’s 411 cities, towns and villages, only 151 --- including Miami, Pensacola and St. Petersburg --- currently hold elections in November.

Under the proposed bill, a county supervisor of elections could also set a single annual date for all the municipal elections, something that could keep elections in the spring

but may be more easily accomplished in smaller, rural northern counties with fewer municipalities.

A state analysis of the proposal notes the measure won’t impact state finances, but could cost local governments who would have to bring their charters and ordinances in line with the proposal.

David Cruz, assistant general counsel for the Florida League of Cities, said such decisions should be left to the local governments, a principle known as “home rule.” He also said that local issues and contests could get lost on lengthy general election ballots.

“Our municipal officials are very concerned about this,” Cruz said Monday, after the league provided reporters an overview of its priorities for next year’s legislative session.

“They feel that what happens when you have a November election is that a municipal question might fall to the bottom of a ballot,” Cruz said, “There will be voter fall-off from that ballot and they won’t necessary make it to the bottom of the ballot, where you might find a municipal official running for office.”

House State Affairs Committee Chairman Matt

WORKERS COMP CASE DRAWING HEAVY ATTENTION The News Service of Florida

described as an insurance crisis. But attorneys for A Florida Supreme injured workers have long Court case challenging the argued that the changes went constitutionality of the state’s too far. Since agreeing to hear w o r k e r s - c o m p e n s a t i o n the case, the Supreme Court insurance system is drawing has repeatedly issued orders heavy interest from legal, allowing outside groups to public-safety and insurance- file briefs. The latest came industry groups. At least 16 Monday, when the court groups have been approved approved a joint request to file friend-of the-court from the Florida Insurance briefs in the case, which the Council, the American Supreme Court agreed last Insurance Association, the month to hear, according to National Association of an online docket. The case Mutual Insurance Companies involves injuries suffered in and the Property Casualty December 2003 by Daniel Insurers Association of Stahl, a nurse at Hialeah America. Those groups Hospital who hurt his back will file a brief on behalf of lifting a patient. In part, the Hialeah Hospital’s position legal dispute has centered on in the case. Earlier, the court a move by lawmakers in 2003 to eliminate a type of benefits granted requests to file briefs for partial disability. The on the other side of the case Stahl case is one of at least from groups such as the three challenges pending at Florida Justice Association, the Supreme Court to the the Florida Professional the Police state workers-compensation Firefighters, Benevolent Association and insurance laws. Lawmakers the Fraternal Order of Police. passed a major overhaul of the system in 2003 that The Supreme Court has not sought to reduce costs set a date for arguments, amid what business groups according to the docket.

LAWMAKERS LOOK AT MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL The News Service of Florida A Senate panel this week will take up a bill that would allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana, as lawmakers continue to grapple with whether to go beyond a 2014 law that approved a limited form of cannabis.

The Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled Thursday to take up the bill (SB 460), sponsored by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, that would allow marijuana for patients with terminal conditions.

A similar House bill (HB 307), sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, and Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, has been approved by one House panel

and is pending in the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. The bills come as the state continues trying to move forward with a 2014 law that allows types of non-euphoric cannabis for certain patients. The law was pushed by parents of children who have severe forms of epilepsy, but the limited cannabis has not been made available to patients because of legal and regulatory snags.

The proposals for terminally ill patients are filed for the 2016 legislative session, which starts in January.

Also looming is a proposed constitutional amendment that would make medical marijuana available to a broader range of patients.

That amendment could go on the November 2016 ballot.

‘STAND YOUR GROUND’ BILL STILL MOVING IN SENATE

CITIES PUSH TO RETAIN CONTROL OF LOCAL ELECTION DATES

By Jim Turner

The Summation Weekly

Caldwell, who offered the proposal, said he understand the municipalities’ desire for home rule, but disagrees about issues getting lost on a long ballot.

“It’s fictitious to think that ballot-fatigue, with 40-, 50-, 60-percent turnout is going to be less participation than a simple city ballot in an off-time that gets 15-percent turnout,” said Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley, president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, said the proposal appears to provide some flexibility, but the issue is a matter between the state and local lawmakers.

“This is more of a policy decision ... that probably is an issue between the cities and the Legislature,” Corley said. “Our position is we run the elections; it’s something we do as an administrative function for support to the cities.”

Of the state’s cities, towns and villages, 52, including Coral Gables, Panama City Beach and Orlando, hold local elections in April.

Another 113 municipalities, including Fort Lauderdale and Jacksonville, hold their council contests in March.

A few others ask voters to perform their civic duty in

other months.

The proposal, if it becomes law, would go into effect after the 2016 general election.

Cruz acknowledged a number of local governments that voluntarily moved to November elections did so after looking at their turnout numbers, which often are lower when not tied to state and federal contests.

“Not all cities are the same,” Cruz said. “We’d like to have that flexibility for each municipality to go ahead and analyze voter turnout and address that locally rather than being a one-size-fits-all solution coming from the state level.”

Cruz said other concerns about the election date change include forcing municipalities to undergo charter changes --- often requiring voter approval --- and that the state will be extending the current terms of some locally elected officials. For example, for cities that currently hold elections on both even- and odd-number years, some terms would need to be extended to line up with the bill.

“We’re afraid there will be additional cost associated of implementing the bill at the local level,” Cruz said.

The News Service of Florida Despite appearing to die in the House, a proposal that would change the burden of proof in “stand your ground” self-defense cases is slated to go to the Senate Rules Committee this week. If approved by the committee during a meeting Thursday, the bill (SB 344), sponsored

by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, would be ready to go to the full Senate when the 2016 legislative session starts in January. The issue stems from a Florida Supreme Court ruling that

said people who use the “stand your ground” defense have the burden of showing they should be shielded from prosecution. The legislation, backed by the National Rifle Association, would shift the burden of proof to the state in “stand your ground” cases. A House version of the bill (HB 169), filed by Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, was defeated Nov. 17 in a 6-6 vote in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee. But after that vote, Bradley said “everything is in play” until the end of the legislative session.

SCOTT HEALTH PANEL TO HEAR FROM UTAH DOCTOR The News Service of Florida Despite appearing to die A panel created

by Gov. Rick Scott to delve into the hospital industry and health-care funding will continue a series of meetings this week by hearing from a Utah doctor and a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute, a free-market think tank. The Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding’s agenda says the objective of the meeting at the Capitol is to “assess the return on investment for taxpayer funding received by hospitals.” In addressing the issue, the

commission is scheduled to receive a presentation about health-care price and quality transparency from physician Brent James, chief quality officer and vice president of medical research at Intermountain Healthcare, a St. Lake Citybased system that includes 22 hospitals. Also, the panel is scheduled to receive a presentation about hospital consolidation from Avik Roy of the Manhattan Institute.

The institute’s website says Roy has served as an adviser to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and to 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney

Business Why a Big Ego Could Be Your Downfall

The Summation Weekly

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December 2, 2015

(and Seven Tips to Help You Hone Your Humility)

We’re all hardwired for ego-based thinking...yet in the 21st century ideas economy success depends on how well we can listen, learn, and collaborate with others.

Professor Edward D. Hess explains why humility is the new key to success and why you need to start taming your ego right now.

Not so long ago, our culture really (really) admired people with big egos. We called them rugged individualists, fearless leaders, MVPs, visionaries, and go-getters.

We respected these confident and successful folks for (seemingly) having all the answers. They were all too happy to stand their ground and argue their point, and we saw this as a sign of strength and leadership.

Now, everything has changed.

Larger-than-life egos are fast becoming liabilities. Indeed, in what may first appear to be a paradox, Professor Edward Hess says that ego’s mortal enemy—humility— is one of the traits most likely to guarantee success in the 21st century workplace.

“In the tech tsunami of the next few decades, robots and smart machines are projected to take over more than half of U.S. jobs,” says Hess, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business and author of Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization (Columbia Business School Publishing, 2014, ISBN: 978-0-231-17024-6, $29.95, www.

EDHLTD.com).

“The jobs that will still be ‘safe’ involve higher-order cognitive and emotional skills that technology can’t replicate, like critical thinking, innovation, creativity, and emotionally engaging with other humans,” he explains. “All of those skills have one thing in common: They are enabled by humility.”

Skeptical? Ask yourself this: Have you ever met someone with a big ego who was really good at being open-minded? Really good at reflectively listening? At putting himself in another’s shoes? At playing well with others? At saying, “I don’t know,” “Your idea is better than mine,” or, “You’re right”?

Didn’t think so.

Clearly, if you want to be an effective leader (or even a successful employee) in our brave new workplace, you are going to have to rein in your ego and become more team-oriented. And make no mistake, says Hess: It won’t be easy.

“We’re talking about self-work that’s never finished,” he says. “For one thing, ego-based thinking is our brain’s default position—we naturally seek to reinforce what we already think we know. Also, we have to overcome a lifetime of cultural and behavioral big-ego conditioning. But if we’re to stay competitive in the Smart Machine Age, it has to happen!” NOTE to EDITOR: See attached tipsheet for a brief “big ego” self-assessment.

Here, Hess shares seven suggestions to help you hone your humility: First, know that you’ll have to work against your brain’s natural inclinations. According to Hess, quieting our egos actually goes against our very natures!

Cognitively, we humans are wired to selectively process only information that is confirmatory—and to selectively filter out information that contradicts what we “know” to be

“right.” In addition, we’re lazy, selfserving, and emotionally defensive thinkers who are driven to protect our egos.

“However, the science is quite clear that high-level and innovative thinking is a team sport,” he comments. “In order to learn, adapt, and succeed, we have to be willing to look closely at our mistakes and failures, to really listen to people who disagree with us, and to allow the best thinking and best ideas to rise to the top—which requires humility! The good news is, when it comes to resisting your thinking’s natural defenses, forewarned is forearmed.”

Seek objective feedback about your ego. You can’t troubleshoot your ego if you don’t have an accurate picture of what it looks like. Since this isn’t an area in which you can trust your own judgment, have the courage to get people who know you well at work and in your personal life to fill out a 360-degree review about you—one that focuses on your emotional intelligence and your behaviors concerning openmindedness, listening, empathy, humility, etc.

“Explain why you need honest answers,” instructs Hess.

“Emphasize how appreciative you will be if they are honest and that candor will not diminish the relationship. After receiving the data, evaluate it with a trusted other. Thank everyone who had the courage to give you honest feedback. Reflect on the picture you received and decide what you want to do with that data.”

Change your mental model of what “smart” looks like. In the past, “smartness” has been determined by the size of one’s body of knowledge. Not knowing the “right” answer was—and often still is—a big blow to the ego. But today we already have instant access to all the knowledge we want, thanks to “companions” like Google and Siri.

The “new smart” means knowing what you don’t know and knowing how to learn it, being able to ask the right questions, and being able to examine the answers critically.

“As the legendary hedge fund investor Ray Dalio said, ‘We are all dumb shits,’” comments Hess. “We are all suboptimal thinkers. Only those of us who can graciously and humbly admit that we don’t know it all will succeed in this new world. So change how you keep score. Engage in collaboration, seek out feedback, and ask for help daily. That will push you toward developing the humility and empathy you’ll need to ‘win’ in the new game.”

Learn to put yourself in others’ shoes. Research says one way to become less self-absorbed and more open to the experiences of others is to actively work on being more empathetic and compassionate.

Thinking of how others helped you and saying “thank you” on a daily basis is a positive way to begin the process. Reflecting on the people who add joy to your life helps too.

“Suspending judgment so that I can put myself in another

person’s shoes has always been a particular challenge for me,” Hess admits. “My mind always wants to jump to a conclusion instead of really considering what the other person is experiencing, thinking, or feeling. Active listening has been an important tool in helping me learn to set my ego aside. When I remind myself to focus all of my attention on what someone else is saying instead of on formulating my own response, I find that my understanding of the situation grows—and often, so does the amount of empathy I feel.

“Remember, you don’t have to fully agree with someone’s opinion or actions to still treat them with compassion,” he adds. “Disagreeing with humility still leaves the lines of communication open and allows teamwork to happen in the future.”

Quiet your mind to stay in the moment. Hess points to attentionfocused meditation as a timehonored method of calming one’s inner self-intensity. Fully engaging with your current experience (as opposed to ruminating on the past or worrying about the future) enables you to maintain a balanced, healthy perspective. Staying in and responding to the present moment is also a powerful safeguard against ego-driven misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

“Personally, I have found that meditation makes me more aware of my physical reactions—breathing and heart rate,” he shares. “I now know that when my internal motor gets running really fast I tend to revert to a ‘me’ syndrome, and that I need to deliberately slow myself down so that I can exhibit more calmness and openness to others.

I have come to understand that as a teammate and as a leader I don’t have to be right all the time or the center of attention all the time—but I do have to work with others to arrive at the best answer.”

Stop letting fear drive your decisions. We often play it safe because we don’t want to look dumb, be wrong, or fail spectacularly in front of our friends and colleagues.

In other words, we’re afraid of making mistakes and bruising our egos. Hess says being okay with being wrong is a necessary and important part of developing humility.

“Fear of failure, fear of looking bad, fear of embarrassment, fear of a loss of status, fear of not being liked, and fear of losing one’s job all inhibit the kind of learning, innovation, and collaboration that’s essential for your long-term job security,” Hess asserts. “To proceed more fearlessly into the future, you need to understand that learning is not an efficient 99 percent defectfree process—so mistakes have to be valued as learning opportunities.

“The faster and better you are at turning mistakes into learning opportunities, the less likely it is that you will be replaced by some machine,” he adds. “Having an ego that’s not afraid to acknowledge mistakes, confront weaknesses, and test assumptions is a reliable strategy for long-term success.”

Grade yourself daily. There’s a reason why to-do lists are so popular: They work! Create a checklist of reminders about the need to be humble, open-minded, empathetic, a good listener, or any other ego-mitigating quality you wish to work on. Make the list as detailed as possible.

Review it before every meeting and grade yourself at the end of each meeting. For example, if you want to work on being a better listener, your list might include the following tasks: Do not interrupt others.

Really focus on understanding the other person.

Suspend judgment.

Do not think about your response while the other person is still talking.

Do not automatically advocate your views in your first response.

Ask questions to make sure you understand the other person.

Ask if you can paraphrase what the other person said to make sure you heard them correctly.

Really try to understand the reasons the other person believes what they believe.

“If you reflect and work on managing yourself every day, you will notice a difference in your humility-to-ego ratio,” Hess promises. “To start, I advise picking two behaviors you want to change. Seek the help of trusted others in creating your checklist and ask for their help in holding you accountable. Give them permission to call you out when they see you acting in opposition to your desired new behaviors.”

The journey to becoming a more humble person will not be short. It will take persistent hard work. But Hess firmly believes that you will find the journey to be liberating and fruitful.

“With humility comes more meaningful relationships, better opportunities, and of course, an increased chance of staying relevant and competitive in the Smart Machine Age,” he says.

“In that age, individualism and internal competition will be out, and teamwork will be in. Selfpromotion will be out, and selfreflection will be in. Knowing it all will be out, and being good at not knowing will be in.

“In short, humility will be needed to maximize one’s effectiveness at thinking, listening, relating, and collaborating,” concludes Hess. “You will need others to help you outthink a smart machine! Work on yourself starting now, so they’ll want to engage with you tomorrow.”

Do You Have a Big Ego? A FiveMinute Self-Assessment

By Professor Edward D. Hess, author of Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization Many people who have big egos don’t realize it—they simply think of themselves as competitive, driven, self-assured, or something equally positive. This assessment will help you determine whether or not your ego is (to paraphrase Dr. Seuss in describing the Grinch) “three sizes too big.” Ask yourself: True or false: Do these statements describe my usual behavior?

I rarely say, “I don’t know”— especially in public.

I rarely admit my mistakes.

I rarely talk about my personal weaknesses with colleagues.

I don’t often ask for personal feedback.

I dislike compromising when I am debating.

I interrupt people when they are talking in order to give them the answer.

I like solving other people’s problems.

I rarely apologize publicly to others when I may have hurt their feelings.

I rarely ask people how they are feeling.

I always strive to be the leader.

I make sure I get the respect I am due.

I work hard at looking good to others.

I don’t enjoy talking things out with others.

Did you have mostly “trues”?

Don’t despair. At least you know you have a problem...and nothing can stop you from doing some humility-building self-improvement work right away!

About the Author: Edward D. Hess is a professor of business administration and Batten Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and the author of 11 books, including Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a LeadingEdge Learning Organization,

by Columbia Business School Publishing (September 2014).

About the Book: Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization (Columbia Business School Publishing, 2014, ISBN: 978-0-231-17024-6, $29.95, www.

EDHLTD.com) is available at Amazon.

FINANCIAL FOCUS

Holiday Spending Can Help Teach Children About Money During this holiday season, you’ll likely be spending money, in various amounts and in various ways. And you can use this experience to teach your children about money management.

Here are a few ideas for doing just that: • Stick to a budget. Tell your children you’ve set aside a certain amount of money for gifts and holiday events, such as hosting parties, and that you won’t exceed it. And if you have saved money throughout the year in a special holiday fund, let your kids know about that, too. This information should help impress upon them the importance of sticking with a

budget and saving for a goal.

• Discuss credit and debt.

Ideally, you won’t have to use your credit cards to an unusual degree during the holiday season.

If you do, though, explain to your children that using a credit card is not the same thing as “free” money, and that your goal is to pay off the card as soon as possible, so that you won’t have to pay even more for your purchases in the form of interest payments.

• Compare short- and long-term goals. Explain to your children that your holiday spending is the result of having saved for, and met, a short-term goal, but that you are also saving for long-term goals,

such as retirement. Depending on the age of your kids, you might want to go into somewhat more detail, such as describing, in general terms, the different ways you save for the different goals.

For example, for your holiday spending, you might be drawing on money from your checking account – or, as mentioned above, a holiday fund, possibly kept in a low-risk, liquid vehicle – while for your longterm goals, you might be relying in part on your employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k).

The key point to get across is that you have various financial goals in life with various means of working toward achieving them.

• Introduce your children to investing. If you’ve already brought up the topic of saving for long-term goals, why not take it a step further and give your children a doorway into the investment world?

Specifically, consider giving them a few shares of stock, possibly in companies with which they are already familiar, and help them follow these stocks. One way of giving stocks to children is through a custodial account, which can be opened under the Uniform Transfer to Minors Act (UTMA) or the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA). Keep in mind, though, that once your child reaches the age of majority – usually 18 or 21

– he or she gets full control of the money in the account. Plus, your gift is irrevocable.

• Be generous. If you’re going to make charitable gifts, let you kids know about it – or even let them help pick the charities. It will show them that one purpose of wealth accumulation is to give back to the world.

By providing some financial education to your kids this holiday season, you’ll be giving them a gift that can last long after the festivities have ended.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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December 2, 2015

Asparagus Tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 2 cups Jarlsberg cheese, shredded 1 pound asparagus 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out puff pastry into 16-by-10-inch rectangle, trimming uneven edges. Place on baking sheet. With knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch from edges to mark rectangle. Using fork, pierce dough inside markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove pastry shell from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Trim asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside pastry shell. Arrange in single layer over cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, sprinkle thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, about 20 minutes.

Tomato Gratin

8 medium ripe tomatoes 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, sliced 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 4 basil leaves, chopped) salt and pepper, to taste 2 ounces toasted pine (pignoli) nuts 1/2 pound (8 ounces) grated Jarlsberg cheese

Heat oven to 350 F. Cut tomatoes in half.

In bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; gently mix in tomatoes. Transfer to ovenproof dish, turning tomatoes cut side up before baking 15 minutes.

When tomatoes are cool enough, remove skins before returning to baking dish.

Sprinkle tomatoes with nuts and cheese.

Return to oven and bake about 10 minutes, or until cheese turns golden and bubbly.

Serve as bruschetta on sliced, toasted Italian bread or as a side dish to fish and meat.

Recipe

The Summation Weekly

Family Features This holiday season don’t let a main dish hog all the glory. Instead let guests feast on a festive spread of small plates and sides. Snack-size portions of a wide range of deli­cious dishes are the perfect solution for entertaining.

A large, heavy meal can leave guests feeling lethargic. Keep your party lively with lighter bites that guests can nibble on throughout the night.

Another advantage of a small plate menu is that guests will appreciate the chance to sample many flavors without fear of over-indulging.

Get your party planning started with these tips: • Keep dishes simple and put the focus on quality ingredients, such as naturally lactose and gluten free Jarlsberg cheese. Best known for the classic wedge available in original and smoked flavors, Jarlsberg cheese offers a mild, mellow, nutty and deli­cious taste that is perfect for any cheese board and pairing with meats of your choice.

• Give traditional vegetable sides a special boost to make them party perfect. Basic asparagus gets a fresh twist with this Asparagus Tart, which blends savory Jarlsberg brand cheese and a pastry for a pretty presentation you can cut into squares before serving.

• Plan your menu with the clock in mind. Choose foods that will taste great for the duration of your party without drying out or loosing flavor, such as this Tomato Gratin.

• Keep cold dishes chilled by setting the serving bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice (add some flair by tinting the ice or adding decorative accents).

• Use burners to keep the heat on warm dishes, or simply rotate in fresh batches periodically.

Give your holiday entertaining an extra boost this year with Jarlsberg Cheese’s Great Holiday Giveaway, which runs through Dec. 31 and offers prizes for holiday entertaining, including a DSLR camera as the grand prize and weekly charcuterie party kits. Learn more and enter (once per day) at Facebook.com/Jarlsbergusa, and find more holiday entertaining recipes at jarlsberg.com.

Sensational Platters Platters featuring savory finger foods are a flavorful and easy solution for holiday entertaining. Simply assemble ingredients, such as those listed below, on a large wooden or slate board and serve. Get creative by adding fig spreads, fresh fruit or other nibbles you enjoy, and don’t forget the toothpicks and napkins. Be sure to take the cheese out of the refrigerator at least an hour before serving to ensure that it is room temper­ature to bring out the ideal flavor.

Never serve cheese cold.

• Wedge or cubed Jarlsberg cheese • Assortment of whole grain crackers and crusty bread slices • Italian Genoa salami, coppa or your favorite charcuterie meats • Assorted olives, nuts and dried or fresh fruits

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut 1 cup Jarlsberg cheese 1 cup milk 1 container sour cream 1/2 cup butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oven to 350 F. Place potatoes in large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until tender. Drain and bring potatoes to food processor.

In food processor, add cheese, milk, sour cream, butter, salt and pepper. Process all ingredients with potatoes until smooth. Pour mixture into baking pan and cover with tin foil.

Bake 30 minutes. Uncover potatoes during last 10 minutes to allow browning.

The Summation Weekly

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December 2, 2015

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December 2, 2015

The Summation Weekly

Could you be our next cover model?

We’re looking for the perfect wedding model for the cover of Pensacola Magazine: Weddings 2016, and that model could be you!

Submit up to three of your individual wedding photos (high resolution please) to Kelly@ballingerpublishing.com, and you could be featured on the cover of the February 2016 issue. Editorial-style shots by your professional photographer are preferred.

For more information, visit www.pensacolamagazine.com or email us at the address above.

Please send us the photos by January 25, 2016.