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Independent News | April 16, 2020 | Volume 21 | Number 16

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winners & losers

outtakes

news 6

If you want to have cookies, great.

buzz

cover feature 11

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite

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13, 16 Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. © 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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inweekly.net

April 16, 2020

winners & losers

Caleb Carmichael / Photo courtesy of UWF

In times of crisis, some people and organizations stand out. Forget about the “losers,” Inweekly wants to once again recognize the all-stars in another all-winners version of this column.

CALEB CARMICHAEL The University of West Florida cross country coach Caleb Carmichael ran seven marathons in seven days to raise money for Argo Pantry, which provides food to UWF students in need of assistance, and for Feeding the Gulf Coast. The donations still can be made through Argo Pantry’s wish list on Amazon or by visiting uwf.edu/argopantry. The demand put on food banks nationwide increases each day as the unemployment rate skyrockets from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. SABAI THAI ON JEFFERSON The 2019 Best of the Coast winner provided food to the emergency room at Gulf Breeze Hospital. Little acts of kindness don’t go unnoticed by Inweekly. The ER posted on Facebook, “Pam, you are amazing and we thank you.”

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Resources and Services Administration, awarded $1.5 million to Community Health Northwest Florida of Pensacola. The health center may use these funds to help detect coronavirus; prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19; and maintain or increase health capacity and staffing levels.

GULF WINDS CREDIT UNION The

credit union has committed $100,000 through its Gulf Winds Cares Program to combat COVID-19. Gulf Winds has donated $65,000 to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola to help the hospital purchase personal protection equipment for its staff and is also donating $15,000 worth of protective equipment to first responders across its service area. The remaining $20,000 is committed to partners in Tallahassee and Alabama.

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

JAY MAY The Pensacola-area Domino’s franchisee joined other Domino’s stores throughout the Greater Mobile-Pensacola area to donate 7,000 pizzas to hospitals, medical centers, school kids and their families, health departments, grocery store workers and others in need. May said, “We want to show how much we appreciate and support those who are in need of a hot meal and those who are on the frontline, working to save lives.”

RICK SCOTT The Republican U.S. sena-

JAYER WILLIAMSON The state representative, a Inweekly Rising Star, tweeted last week that he would donate his April state paycheck, $2, 473, to boost a worthy cause. He posted, “In an effort to do my part, I commit to donating 100% of my legislative salary for April to the Santa Rosa Kids’ House. To me, it’s a small step in stemming the tide.”

Poarch's Tribal Council approved a $1 million donation to the Atmore Community Hospital that serves the city of Atmore and western Escambia County, Ala., where the Poarch Creek Tribe's trust lands are located. The donation will help the hospital meet added expenses and staffing needs associated with collecting samples for testing and caring for patients affected by the COVID-19 virus.

tor announced he would donate his first quarter salary to the University of South Florida’s new Pandemic Research and Response Fund. The funding is intended to support response and training efforts, research and the continued production of 3D printed supplies for coronavirus testing.

END OF THE LINE CAFÉ Understanding the financial impact the pandemic has had on its customers, the café, also a 2019 Best of the Coast winner, has added a “Bargain Garden” of healthy vegan choices with the slogan “Clean food with simple prices.” The items range from $2-$5. COMMUNITY HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health

DON ALLEN The Live Oak City Council member didn’t hesitate to name the source of the sudden jump in COVID-19 cases in his small town in Suwannee County—Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center in Live Oak. He told the News Service of Florida, “I don’t want to be like the place in Seattle on TV every night where they start hauling them out of there, dead.” inweekly.net

outtakes By Rick Outzen

COVID-19 HOT SPOT Escambia County has identified a hot spot for COVID-19—long-term care facilities. Unfortunately, we have few details, but what is happening may be an indicator of how undetected the virus is spreading in our community. Early during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention realized that nursing homes and other long-term care facilities for senior citizens are particularly susceptible to the virus. "Given their congregate nature and residents served (e.g., older adults often with underlying chronic medical conditions), nursing home populations are at the highest risk of being affected by COVID-19," pointed out the CDC. "If infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, residents are at increased risk of serious illness." On March 14, as evidence of wider contamination of the virus in Florida began to mount, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the suspension of all visits to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and similar sites. With the nursing homes isolated from outsiders, one would have thought their COVID-19 cases would stabilize, then decrease. Unfortunately, they haven't. The Florida Department of Health has been reluctant to offer much information as to why, but DeSantis has been forced to talk about it at his daily briefings. Last week, Live Oak City Councilman Don Allen named the source of long-term care cases in Suwannee County after he saw the number of coronavirus cases in his rural county increase to 58. As of noon Tuesday, April 14, the cases had increased to 75. Allen's disclosure pushed the governor to provide details about what was happening in the county of less than 45,000 people and how the state was dealing with it. "The Department of Health now has a strike team on-site at a nursing home in Suwannee County. There was an outbreak there emanating from staff members," said the governor in a press briefing on Friday, April 10. "So we have 51 people affiliated with this facility that have tested positive—30 of those are members of the staff."

He added, "That investigation is ongoing by the Department of Health, but they have traced the positive cases back to an employee that is working directly with the residents." Across the state, reports have popped up about nursing home employees that have been asymptomatic but infected and spread the virus without knowing it—which means we need to broaden our testing to more than those who are sick. Two weeks ago, Inweekly got a tip that a local long-term care facility was suspected of being highly infected. A day later, the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center reported to the county commissioners a Level II response team had been requested for "an ALF that has been determined to be a high risk for an outbreak, according to the Long Term Care Response Plan." The facility reportedly had two positive COVID-19 cases and four cases exhibiting respiratory symptoms. The state DOH COVID-19 dashboard showed Escambia County had eight cases involving the staff and residents of local facilities. Each day, the cases increased, but the county stopped reporting anything about the spread. DOH was also silent. With no visitors being allowed over three weeks, the source had to be a staff member—likely an asymptomatic individual who unknowingly spread the virus in our community. This week, Gov. DeSantis ordered the most extensive testing effort in long-term care facilities to date. He has dispatched 10 four-member teams, in conjunction with the Florida National Guard, to areas that have been hardest hit with infections. Teams will take samples from "all willing individuals in each facility, both staff and residents." DeSantis said, "It's critical to identify people who test positive as early as possible, and this will help us do that." Unfortunately, most of the teams have been sent to South Florida. What is our local health department doing? Those who know sadly aren't telling. As this newspaper has said repeatedly, we can't stop the spread of the virus effectively without expanding testing beyond those who are showing symptoms. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Each day, the cases increased, but the county stopped reporting anything about the spread. DOH was also silent.

April 16, 2020

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A NEW PANDEMIC: EXPERTS FEAR CHILD ABUSE MAY BE ON THE RISE By Jennifer Leigh Across the county, governors have placed stay-at-home orders keeping families at home to reduce the spread of coronavirus. In some cases, it's called a safer-at-home order. But what if you're not safer at home? The COVID-19 pandemic has created not just a worldwide health crisis but also an economic disaster and a mental health emergency. And now child welfare experts fear the next pandemic could be child abuse. In an opinion piece for the New York Times, child abuse pediatrician Dr. Nina Agrawal says during times of distress, children will often fall victim to abuse. For parents who struggle with substance abuse or mental health issues, stay-at-home orders leave no room for reprieve. "As a child abuse pediatrician, I typically see more cases in the fall because abuse that occurs during the summer often goes undetected," wrote Dr. Agrawal. "I expect that when this period of social distancing comes to an end, I'll see a similar surge." It's an issue that has been opined and reported on widely since last month with states closing schools and enforcing more restrictions. But it's just as much a local issue as it is a national or global issue. Stacey Kostevicki, executive director of Gulf Coast Kid's House (GCKH), says COVID-19 has created a "perfect storm" for abuse risk factors.

"They are having to balance demands at work (whether working remotely or going to the office) with now acting as remote teachers. This is a role many were not prepared to take on." Stacey Kostevicki "First, children are out of school. Many caregivers have their routine disrupted and struggle with ensuring that their children can remain monitored and safe. Second, caregivers are stretched very thin. They are having to balance demands at work (whether working remotely or going to the office) with now acting as remote teachers. This is a role many were not prepared to take on." And for the caregivers that are still working, they are struggling to find childcare for kids or forced to leave them home alone, Kostevicki said. "This poses, to me, one of the biggest threats," she added. "The biggest predictor for child sexual abuse is access—children 66

with unsupervised access to other children and adults." GCKH is a children's advocacy center, where all of the professionals and resources needed to investigate, treat and prosecute child abuse cases are under one roof. Compared to data last year, Kostevicki said the agency has not seen an uptick in reports, but that doesn't mean it's not happening. She said she expects to see a surge in reports one to three months after the pandemic relaxes. "Almost 20% of child abuse reports come from school teachers and guidance counselors, and with children less visible in the community, children have lost their safety net," she said. "We have actually seen a small decrease in child abuse reports, but it's not that it isn't happening. It's just not being reported."

month. Those virtual solutions ensure no appointments are missed. "This is crucial to keeping families safe as COVID-19 disrupts schedules and elevates feelings of anxiety and fear," said Cannon. "Proper mental health care is critical."

CARING DURING COVID-19

CHS Healthy Families and Healthy Start coaches and guides are also helping parents manage stress and provide a safe outlet to express frustration through virtual visits. Early childhood programs are highly effective, as nearly 100% of participating families remain abuse-free. But in some situations, counseling and coaching aren't enough. Now, as always, foster families are in demand. "The need is for new families to come to the table to serve our children who could not remain safely at home and to work with their family to return that child back to a safe environment," said Cannon. "This truly selfless way of living has changed countless lives." Protecting children is very much essential. While GCKH building is currently closed to the public, it has not stopped its mission. But there have been some changes to operations. Children and caretakers are screened for COVID-19 prior to their arrival and again after arrival. If either are symptomatic, staff takes extra precautions with personal protective equipment. Forensic interviews have been moved to a larger space to accommodate distancing guidelines. Interviews and therapy are done remotely.

Children's Home Society (CHS) is a nonprofit organization that works to help families before they are in crisis. With COVID-19, that workload has drastically escalated. "Right now, families that were already struggling to meet their basic needs are going to need support more than ever," said Lindsey Cannon, regional executive director of CHS of Florida. "Our community is experiencing job losses, school closures, loss of childcare and key support systems— all major stressors for parents." "The urgency and demand to create safer, more stable homes has never been greater," she added. "And the call for our community to be on high alert for kids in potentially dangerous situations is just as great." According to Cannon, 75% of children in the foster care system today are there due to issues such as untreated mental health challenges, lack of parental support or role models and lack of access to necessities such as affordable medical care, groceries or childcare. These issues are seemingly fixable with the right resources, Cannon said, which is why CHS has remodeled their organization to accommodate social distancing practices in order to keep supporting families. "Our partners in the community really are working creatively to bring new families into our foster care programs," said Cannon. "I have seen creative support opportunities being created through Zoom and other online platforms. To help kids, teens and parents navigate these tough times, CHS counselors, parent coaches and mentors have leapt into action to meet families virtually with HIPAA-compliant applications, understanding the need is greater now than perhaps ever before." The CHS Ashley Offerdahl Counseling Program serves an average of 400 kids each

"Almost 20% of child abuse reports come from school teachers and guidance counselors ... We have actually seen a small decrease in child abuse reports, but it's not that it isn't happening. It's just not being reported." Kostevicki

CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH

April is Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, which is typically a month of fundraisers and events to raise awareness and money to support the cause. But due to COVID-19, many nonprofits, like GCKH and CHS, have had to cancel such events. Monetary donations are needed to keep staff working, programs running and families safe. For those at home who want to learn more about child abuse prevention, you can find a lot of resource material on the Gulf Coast Kid's House website, including educational resources for parents.

Additionally, the nonprofit Lauren's Kids, from Florida State Senator and child sexual abuse survivor Lauren Book, is launching digital safety programming. Every Monday in April, there will be a new interactive program. Find them on Facebook at facebook. com/laurenskids. Protecting children takes community effort. And in the state of Florida, every adult is mandated to report suspected child abuse. Without the usual safety nets in place, the responsibility falls on all of us. You can anonymously make a report by calling 1-800-96Abuse.

"As families face unprecedented challenges with no end date in sight, community support is critical to keep families safe, strong and stable during COVID-19." Lindsey Cannon "As families face unprecedented challenges with no end date in sight, community support is critical to keep families safe, strong and stable during COVID-19," said Cannon. "If you are feeling overwhelmed, helpless, scared and in need of services, please contact us. You are not alone. If you know someone who is on the brink of emotional crisis, let them know hope is here." And sometimes, the easiest way to make an impact is just by being compassionate. "We are all dealing with this COVID-19 in different ways. Some days, we are OK— other days, we are grieving and even other times we are angry," said Kostevicki. "Offer support where you can and make sure to talk about the risks of increased abuse during stressful and isolated times." {in}

CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY

Donate to the Children’s Home Society of Florida by visiting chsfl.org/givenow. Learn more about foster care by visiting chsfl.org/services/child-welfare.

GULF COAST KID’S HOUSE

Make a donation or purchase a Child Abuse Prevention Month T-shirt by visiting gulfcoastkidshouse.org/child-abuseprevention-events. Shop the Amazon, Target and Walmart wish lists and have items shipped to GCKH at gulfcoastkidshouse.org/involvement/how-youcan-help. Find prevention resources at gulfcoastkidshouse.org/recognize-childabuse/recognizing_child_abuse.asp.

inweekly.net

April 16, 2020

Janice Gilley / Photo courtesy of Escambia County

SITREP BATTLE Under pressure from Inweekly, News Journal and NorthEscambia.com, Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley finally relented and released probably its most detailed COVID-19 daily update report—called "SitRep"—to the media on Saturday, April 11. "In keeping with Board's direction on April 2, staff and legal counsel have reviewed the COVID-19 Escambia SitRep to ensure we have the opportunity to continue the mission of protecting the public without jeopardizing the confidentiality of any health-related data that is protected by state and federal laws," said Gilley in a written statement. "We believe the information in this incident report will provide the community with more detailed updates during this extraordinary time." The report issued was for Saturday morning and appeared to have been scrubbed

for any mention of a highly-infected nursing home in the county, which had increased Escambia's positive cases in long-term care facilities from a handful of Monday, April 7, to nearly three dozen by the end of the week. The battle over the SitRep began when Inweekly submitted a question to Gilley at Commissioner Jeff Bergosh's "Coffee with the Commissioner" on April 8 that asked her to name the infected nursing home. Inweekly had learned of the troubled facility from a SitRep a commissioner had sent the newspaper earlier in the week. Gilley and her emergency management manager, Eric Gilmore, refused to name the infected facility. The next day, the county administrator released a statement that said State Surgeon General Dr. Scott A. Rivkees was the only one who could release the name of the coronavirus-infected facility in Escambia County.

Meanwhile, the News Service of Florida reported that Live Oak City Councilman Don Allen didn't hesitate to name the source of long-term care cases in Suwannee County—Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center in Live Oak. "I worry about the people. I know them. I know those who work there," Allen said. "I don't want to be like the place in Seattle on TV every night where they start hauling them out of there, dead." What happened to Mr. Allen? Was he arrested? No. Did the governor punish Live Oak? No. The media attention got the little town east of Tallahassee help from the state. Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned it in his April 10 press briefing. "The Department of Health now has a strike team on-site at a nursing home in Suwannee County," said the governor. "There was an outbreak there emanating from staff members. We have 51 people affiliated with this facility that have tested positive—30 of those are members of the staff." On Saturday, Inweekly asked the county for the missing reports for April 8-10. The newspaper was told no reports were done for those days—"(SitReps) are only produced when there is a significant update to share with the Emergency Operations Center ESFs." The next day, the EOC announced it would start issuing the reports daily. At his Monday virtual press conference, Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said Monday that he thought the local facility should be identified by county officials. He said, "I don't think this is the right decision at all." The mayor noted how the state Department of Health determined the release of such information, but said he thought identifying the facility would help alleviate fears in the community. "Certainly, everybody's on edge and it would have been better for us to identify

where this is occurring," Robinson said. "I think it's the wrong decision for us to do and I would hope we would rethink that one." Gilley responded to the pressure by issuing another press release that stated the Escambia County Emergency Management's role in the COVID-19 pandemic is to "manage and provide resources to our health care partners." The Florida Department of Health is the lead agency for this event and should be the one contacted. Gannett, owner of the Pensacola News Journals and several newspapers in Florida, has filed a lawsuit to force the state to release the names of the infected facilities across the state. Inweekly has filed a public request of the county for any records it has.

RECOVERY GRANTS Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, in partnership with the UWF Small Business Development Center, FloridaWest EDA and the Greater Pensacola Chamber, have created the Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program. The grant is intended to assist for-profit businesses located in Escambia County with their immediate cash flow needs as a result of a demonstrated economic injury due to COVID-19. The maximum grant award is $2,500 per applicant or business. The opening date to apply is 8 a.m. on Monday, April 20, with a deadline of 5 p.m. on Monday, April 27. The application is available online now, but will not be accepted until Monday, April 20. Please note that complete applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. The Florida SBDC at UWF will assist eligible for-profit businesses with applying for the grant, and UWF will distribute the appropriate funds to businesses who have been awarded grant funds. A thirdparty review board will be created to review applications, determine eligibility and approve the award of grant funding to each applicant on a case-by-case basis.

inweekly.net

Escambia County contributed $100,000 to UWF for the program. The City of Pensacola contributed an additional $25,000 for businesses within the city, with $12,500 from Mayor Grover Robinson's discretionary fund and $12,500 from District 3 Councilman Andy Terhaar's discretionary fund. For eligibility rules, applications and additional information, visit myescambia. com/COVID19Grant.

HOUSING AID As part of the Corona-

virus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the local community will receive a combined total of $1,325,041 in Community Development Block Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development—Escambia County $872,881 and City of Pensacola $452,160. CDBG funds must be utilized for activities that target low- and moderate-income households. Both local governments are awaiting further guidance from HUD regarding the funding's availability date and what activities are eligible. Community input will be solicited on how the funds can be best utilized. The City of Pensacola will also receive supplemental administrative funding for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. These funds are part of an overall $1.25 billion allocation under the CARES Act. The funds will be used for administrative expenses as well as new eligible activities, to be defined by HUD, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

INVESTIGATION SOUGHT Michael Lowery, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1395, has asked Escambia County Commission chairman Steve Barry for an investigation of COVID-19 employee safety and health concerns. Lowery represents employees with Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT), road department and landfill. The union has fought that it be mandatory for PPE (personal protected equipment) to be worn by all employees. He disputed a statement by County Administrator Janice Gilley that "ECAT drivers, the staff at ECAT and then also our maintenance employees are wearing masks." The statement was made in reply to a question submitted by Inweekly at Commissioner Bergosh's "Coffee with the Commissioner" last week. "This is simply not a true statement," wrote Lowery in the email to Barry. "There are bus operators who drove ECAT bus routes yesterday who refused to wear a mask and even gloves. This is unacceptable and threatens others from potential exposure." He added, "The workers want an investigation of the failure of management to directly protect the health and safety of the workforce and the riding public during this pandemic emergency." April 16, 2020

ONLINE SNAP GROCERIES Last week,

the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) pilot program to that would allow Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to purchase groceries online with their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. Governor Ron DeSantis said, "Allowing Florida families to purchase groceries online instead of venturing into a public store is a sound practice during this public health emergency and yet another step that will help Florida flatten the curve." Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried praised the USDA's decision. She said, "This reduces shopping risk from COVID-19, helps fulfill consumer demand and keeps Floridagrown products moving to families." The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is also collaborating with DCF to implement a program that would allow families whose children and eligible for free and reduced-price school lunch to receive SNAP benefits. For more information regarding Florida's benefit programs, visit myflfamilies.com.

NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

•Voting Requests The Florida Supervisors of Elections, the state association for election supervisors, believes the COVID-19 crisis will cause significant challenges for the August primary and November general election with polling places becoming unavailable and an anticipated loss of poll workers. The association asked Governor DeSantis to allow each county Supervisor of Election to designate additional or alternative Early Voting site locations. The group also requested that the counties be given the option to begin Early Voting 22 days prior to the elections. "While there may be additional changes necessary for the August and November elections, which will come to our attention and need your assistance, authorizing these provisions at this time will allow us to prepare for more efficient and safe elections," said Tammy Jones, president of Florida Supervisor of Elections. •LifeLock Those who received notices in the mail in January with information about signing up for a free year of LifeLock Defender services are reminded that the deadline to sign up is Thursday, April 30. While there has not been any confirmation that personal data was compromised, the City of Pensacola chose to make notifications to the public in an abundance of caution. If you received a letter in the mail from LifeLock related to the cyberattack of the City of Pensacola's network, you can enroll in the service for free using the access code that was in the letter. Anyone with

questions regarding the security breach or personal information that was kept by the city should contact LifeLock at (877) 3684457 by April 30. •Alex Andrade Every year, the influential website floridapolitics.com evaluates the legislative session after it adjourns and lists whom the website considers its winners and losers. This year, the site chose to do an all-winners version. State Rep. Andrade (R-Pensacola), an Inweekly Rising Star, made the list. The site wrote, Andrade was "the House point man for some of the highest-profile issues of Session—alimony reform, pharmacy benefit managers and transportation … He's one to watch and will likely be on the shortlist for House leadership in the coming years." •District 3 Neighborhood Cleanup Residents of Brentwood and Aviation Field neighborhoods will have the opportunity to dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge Friday, April 17, in the Brentwood/ Aviation Field neighborhood cleanup. Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected. The general cleanup area is south of West Michigan Avenue, west of Warehouse Lane and north of West Fairfield Drive. Participating is easy. Residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies. All debris must be at the curb directly in front of your residence by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Please keep tires and paint cans separate from all other debris. Do not place piles under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes. For the list of eligible items and more details, visit myescambia.com/cleanup. •College Scholarships The AHEPAPensacola Charitable Foundation, Inc. has annually awarded scholarships available for Northwest Florida (Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties) applicants open to all fields of study. Scholarships are available to persons entering or already attending a college or university during calendar year 2020. This year, scholarships applicable to medical support specialties ($5,400 total) and to studies in all other fields ($2,500 total) will be awarded to help with book and lab fee expenses. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, extracurricular participation, part-time/community work, essay preparation, recommendations and financial need. Applications can be downloaded from ahepa296.com/apcfi2020-scholarships. The deadline for submission is May 18. Past scholarship winners may reapply. {in}

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inweekly.net

By Jeremy Morrison Normally, local environmental advocates would be joining their compatriots around the planet as they headed into a busy spring season, perhaps most notably marked each year with a celebration of Earth Day on April 22. But this year, which just happens to be the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, is not normal. "It's a strange new world we're in," said April 16, 2020

Christian Wagley, who works with environmental nonprofit Healthy Gulf. With unprecedented social distancing measures in effect to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, environmentalists are having to rethink how they raise awareness about environmental issues. Global Earth Day celebrations, for instance, are migrating online. In addition

to going live on the big day, earthday.org is also posting daily actions the entire month of April to promote awareness and action. Locally, the Earth Day celebration was scheduled for the weekend following the April 22 observation. That event, obviously, isn't happening. "We've had to postpone it," said Earth Day Pensacola Director Tiffany Miller, ex-

plaining that the organization does intend to reschedule. And while actual events have taken a temporary reprieve, the environment itself may actually be breathing a sigh of relief during the pandemic. The implementation of measures meant to curb the spread the of the coronavirus has brought much of the world's 11

economic activity and energy consumption to a screeching halt, and with that is a noticeable decrease in pollution around the world. "I think there's always a silver lining in things like this," Wagley said.

ADJUSTING TO THE NEW ENVIRONMENT

Celebrating the environment, or raising awareness about environmental concerns, it turns out, involves a fair amount of public interaction. Many of those avenues are now gone. "All the great festivals, where you have tables, engage with people, all that's shut down," Wagley said. In addition to Earth Day, people will also not be gathering for events such as the annual Hands Across the Sand, during which people literally hold hands up and down the beach in an expression of opposition to fossil fuels and a push for renewable energy. And it's not just annual events occurring during this COVID season that are being impacted but also regular environmental efforts—like the Friday sit-ins staged at Pensacola City Hall by local youth activists to raise awareness about climate change. But, really, in the thick of the coronavirus fog, does anyone have an appetite for these issues, as important as they are? This is a question environmental advocates are asking themselves. "How willing are people to engage in these issues right now, because they're obviously preoccupied. I think that's still an open question," Wagley said. "We're giving people some space. It would be insensitive and inappropriate to hit people over the head with that kind of stuff." To adapt to these current circumstances, environmental organizations and causes are shifting into a virtual realm. Around the world, for example, environmentalists will celebrate Earth Day online April 22. Going forward, unable to plan for a date for a return to normal, plans are being mapped

out to incorporate the potential for an extended period of social-distancing measures. In planning its campaign to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Healthy Gulf is looking to focus its efforts online. "We're going to be doing lots of storytelling," Wagley said, explaining that the organization would be releasing narrative videos marking important dates in the oil spill event, such as when the leak occurred, or when the well was capped, or, locally, when the oil hit Florida shores in June.

SILVER LININGS

Although the measures being deployed to fight the spread of COVID-19 have changed just about everything, this new societal experiment has also provided a unique opportunity for the environment as a whole.

"Once people rediscover the joy of walking and biking, we're hoping that a lot of them will continue those habits after this passes." Christian Wagley Ever wonder what would happen if a large chunk of the machine ceased to grind its gears? Predictably, economies would tank and consumption would contract. Also perhaps predictably, the environment would benefit as a result. COVID-19 may be bad for people, but not so much for the Earth. Distancing measures have essentially ensured that energy consumption levels drop, accompanied by pollution levels. Air quality around the world has improved as a result. In India, the Himalayan mountain range is visible on the horizon for the first time in decades. "It all just points out how unsustainable our economy is," Wagley said. "Makes us realize how much we need to turn our

economy away from one that is consumptive to one that's regenerative." Additionally, as many people find themselves no longer driving to work, there appears to be a trend toward venturing out of quarantine for a walk or bike around the neighborhood. Maybe it's for transportation purposes, maybe it's for exercise, maybe it's to stave off boredom, but whatever it is, it's encouraging—a shift away from automobile and towards alternative, greener, healthier modes of travel would be a huge environmental benefit. "That's one of the biggest solutions of all," Wagley said. "Once people rediscover the joy of walking and biking, we're hoping that a lot of them will continue those habits after this passes." And there's another environmentallypositive shift occurring during this pandemic—with grocery store shelves emptying as people stock up on food calling the vulnerability of the country's food supply and product chains into question, there has been increased interest in home gardening. "I see a lot more people planting gardens," said Miller, adding that she is using this opportunity to explore worm composting. On recent Saturdays, Tom Garner and Renee Perry, of East Hill Edible Gardens, have set up shop in the parking lot of the Mission Anglican Church near downtown Pensacola. There's been no shortage of folks looking to get started.

"Everybody wants to garden. We are selling lots of plants." Tom Garner "Everybody wants to garden," Garner said from behind a face mask. "We are selling lots of plants." East Hill Edible Gardens provides both instruction and plants for local gardeners. The husband-and-wife team previously connected with people through their participation in the Palafox Market on Satur-

days, but since that has been shuttered for now, they are currently providing people with plants in a socially-distant fashion in the church parking lot. Set out on tables are varieties of vegetables and herbs specifically selected for their suitability to the Gulf Coast environment—butternut squash, Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes, suyo long cucumbers and chou cheh watermelons. "Things you're not going to find at Home Depot and Lowes," Perry said. Perry points out a particular variety of luffa—"It grows beautifully here"—and talks about how local gardeners can grow food not readily available from commercial sources. "You can grow a much larger variety of things then you can ever find in the grocery store," she said. With coronavirus measures limiting Garner and Perry from conducting business as usual, the couple is working on uploading their instructional knowledge into a digital form. But, really, a lot of their time recently has been focused on satisfying the demand of local gardeners, many wading into their backyard farms for the first time. "I'm just spending all my time making more plants," Perry said. And on an environmentally-positive note, plenty of folks appear to be interested in these plants—though they'll need to stand an appropriate distance apart to check them out. "You can see we're doing it correctly," Garner laughed from behind his mask, noting the carefully designated spacing measures put into effect to ensure customers maintain proper spacing during this period of social distancing. To join on the global celebration live online Wednesday, April 22, visit earthday.org/earthday-live. For local updates and events, stay connected with Earth Day Pensacola on social media at facebook.com/earthdaypensacola. And if starting a garden is on your todo list, visit facebook.com/easthillediblegardening. {in}

PLANET-FRIENDLY PANDEMIC POINTERS made. In honor of Earth Day, here are a few tips to stay healthy and green during the pandemic.

COOK SOMETHING PLANT-BASED

With or without a global health crisis, our food system accounts for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gases, according to earthday.org, making animal agriculture one of the largest contributors to climate change. One thing you can do to combat that environmental stress is try and incorporate more plant-based dishes into your diet.

LIMIT YOUR PERSONAL PLASTICS With all the sudden changes to our daily routines, individual efforts to be environmentally friendly have taken a hit for most of us. More takeout and deliveries mean more plastic bags and Styrofoam, not to mention the amount of cleaning wipes we're all probably using. Even though your reusable cups aren't allowed at the coffee shop right now, eco-conscious efforts can still be 212 1

Takeout orders help keep local restaurants open, but they often require single-use plastics. And most grocery stores have asked customers to leave the reusable bags at home for now and opt for plastic for the safety of their essential workers. But you can make an effort to reduce plastics. If you order food, let them know you don't need utensils or a plastic bag if you're picking up. At the grocery store, go completely bagless (not even produce bags) if you can or use the self-checkout lane to use your own bags.

GIVE STREAMING A BREAK

We get it. You're home and you can't really go anywhere (you shouldn't), so what else is there to do but Netflix? But streaming all day uses energy, not to mention all the other devices and appliances you have working overtime now that you're at home more. Make it a point to quietly read for an hour or so each day to reduce emissions. And turn off your devices when you aren't using them.

COMPOST

We know you've got plans for your overly ripe bananas, but if you have other produce items that have gone bad, now is as good a time as any to try composting. You can compost in a plastic container and store it in your freezer, under the sink or outside.

GROW OR PLANT SOMETHING

Here's something that coronavirus hasn't taken away— your yard (if you're lucky enough to have one). Whether you get out and plant something yourself or you make a donation to a site like One Tree Planted (onetreeplanted. org), you can make a positive impact that way. inweekly.net

WEEK OF APRIL 16-22

Arts & Encouragement hope, help and other signs of humanity at a time when we really need it...

So You're a Runner Now? By Savannah Evanoff

decide walking makes more sense right now until you can get over somewhere and get fitted correctly for shoes. That's what we do in the specialty running world—we look at feet. We determine arch height, the arch collapses and figure out the best options. It's hard to get that online."

TIPS FOR SAFETY

Paul Epstein / Photo Courtesy of Running Wild

We can't run from the coronavirus, but we can run, and many people are—maybe for the first time and maybe even too much. Paul Epstein, the owner of Running Wild, is definitely on team running. With great weather, less traffic, additional time and a touch of stir craziness, Epstein thinks it's a perfect alternative to other forms of cardio that require a special facility or equipment. But when it comes to beginning runners, slow and steady really does win the race. "My expectation is that those who haven't been running consistently and now find themselves with all this extra time may be doing a little too much," Epstein said. "You can't run for two or three hours a day if you haven't been running much at all in the previous three weeks, four weeks or eight weeks."

WHERE TO START

Running Wild takes beginner runners through a walk-run program to prevent injury and build stamina. It's exactly like it sounds—a combination of walking for a few minutes, running or jogging for a few minutes and repeating that for a total of 30 minutes or more. And they recommend doing it often. April 16, 2020

"Some beginners think, 'If I run on Monday, I need to take Tuesday off,'" Epstein said. "We would say, 'Go every day.' Just limit your level of exertion on the inbetween days." For example, Monday run for 10 minutes and walk for three minutes, then Tuesday run for three minutes and walk for five minutes for a total of 30 to 45 minutes. "You're doing less running, but you're still out there for the same amount of time," Epstein said. "You're still moving. You're still getting out. You're still working through that initial and good soreness which goes away because of increased activity." Running is inexpensive, but it does require the right gear. For newbies, that means correct shoes, proper socks, shorts that help prevent chafing, a top and, for women, a good sports bra. But it's hard to buy shoes online, Epstein said. Running Wild offers virtual fittings via phone call, Zoom video conferencing or Facetime, in which they can talk to customers about their needs, look at their feet and find them the right pair. "If you've got a pair of 15-year-old Keds, that may not be the best choice for you to go out and run in," Epstein said. "You may

Much of running involves common sense, especially in terms of safety, which might be a little tricky right now. "In normal times, we always encourage men and women to be together," Epstein said. "Never run alone—especially in the dark. Just be vigilant of your surroundings and who's near you. We have different noisemaking devices, pepper spray and other things some women and men pick up to give them some comfort about being out alone. Be aware of your surroundings and be aware of where you are. Don't put yourself into a situation that you could end up in where someone is trying to attack you." If you do run at night, wear reflective gear. Also, watch out for cars. "It's always really important if you're running on a road to run against traffic," Epstein said. "You don't want to run on the right side of the road with cars coming behind you. You want to run on the left side with cars coming toward you. The sidewalk is the best place, of course." Some runners—especially the new ones—struggle with knee, hip, ankle, foot or shin pain. Assuming they have the right gear, it only means one thing—they're overdoing it, Epstein said. "As hard as it is to scale back this time of year and say, 'I can't stop because I'll go crazy staying in my house,' or, 'My children are pushing me over the edge; I gotta get out,' walking would be a good alternative if you have one of those aches or pains for a few days or a week or two," Epstein said. People are welcome to call Running Wild for tips or questions about injuries. While they can't diagnose things, Epstein said, they can offer one-on-one advice from experienced runners. As expected, beginners should start with lower intensity running rather than full out sprints. "If you haven't been doing them regularly, for weeks and weeks, you'll get injured much quicker by doing sprints than you would by working up to three-mile run," Epstein said.

"A sprint is very intense on your muscles and connective tissues. You have to work up to that." Epstein has run for almost 40 years and prefers a mixture of runs with different levels of intensity. "Too much of anything is not good," Epstein said. "I'm a self-admitted runner who likes ice cream, but if I ate ice cream every day, there would be negative ramifications. I try to limit how much ice cream I eat—just like running. If I ran six miles a day every single day, that's not as beneficial as six miles one day, a sprint workout the next day and doing a core workout and a twomile run the next day at a moderate pace."

RECOVERY AND BENEFITS

When it comes to the body's recovery, nutrition is king. But there are a couple of other useful components. "A really good recovery exercise if someone has a pool is aqua jogging, just getting in the pool and jogging," Epstein said. "Walking is a great way to recover as well." While eating healthy is an obvious one, staying hydrated is equally important. "Staying hydrated with water and electrolytes, not sugary drinks like Gatorade, is a big part of recovery," Epstein said. "It is a little bit warmer, so people are sweating. People are losing electrolytes, so there's lots of different electrolyte products out there, a lot of stuff we carry, too, that doesn't have sugar in it. As this uptick in exercise occurs, they may not be thinking through the uptick in hydration. If you're dehydrated, your body doesn't recover well." Regardless of whether you're a veteran or the coronavirus started your running career, Epstein is forever team running. Decade-long runners understand how powerful running is for not only physical wellbeing, but also mental wellbeing. "There's something about it that clears your brain, that level of exercise when you're out for about 30 minutes," Epstein said. "That's where you get the biggest payback, 30 minutes or more of aerobic exercise. It's true. It puts you in a better mood. It helps release endorphins in your brain so you feel happier, more optimistic. We all need that right now." For more from Epstein and team Running Wild, make sure you check out their website and follow them on Instagram: werunwild.com and @instagram.com/werunwild1. {in} 13

COMMUNITY BOARD For however long we think it's of value to the community and our readers, we're going to use the editorial space typically reserved for our calendar of events for a community information source. We plan to make this space work in two ways—provide information for those in need of assistance and also ways to help for those who are able to do so during this crisis. If you have something you'd like included in a future community board, please send the details to info@inweekly.net.

≥SANTA ROSA COUNTY ANIMAL

SERVICES LAUNCHES FETCH A FRIEND NO-CONTACT, SOCIALLY DISTANCED ADOPTIONS Santa Rosa County Animal

Services has launched a new Fetch A Friend no-contact adoption program to help potential adopters find a new pet while maintaining safe social distancing. The process is simple and convenient—view available animals online and complete the online adoption application. The shelter will call to set up an appointment to bring the animal out to your car in the shelter parking lot or deliver the animal to your home if you live in Santa Rosa County. The shelter will call a week later to check on your pet and finalize the adoption. The Fetch A Friend program will help the shelter find homes for animals during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. Fewer people leaving their homes means fewer potential adopters visiting the shelter. Shelter population must be kept at a minimum to prepare for potential decreased staffing levels. Fetch A Friend allows for animals to continue to find homes during the COVID crisis, increases lifesaving and reduces the number of animals in the shelter. In addition, the shelter has extended the reduced fees for adoptable pets through the end of April. Cats/kittens are $10 and dogs/ puppies are $25. Pets that have completed treatments for heartworms are free. All have been spayed or neutered. For more information on Santa Rosa County Animal Services, visit santarosa.fl.gov/animals or call 983-4680.

≥DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,

FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL OFFER DISTANCE LEARNING RESOURCES To

help students, parents, teachers and school districts mitigate the effects of COVID-19, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) and the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) have compiled distance learning and online resources to ensure students continue learning even while school campuses are closed. The FDOE's emergency response webpage—specifically the distance learning portion—contains information and links to dozens of free virtual classroom resources, best practices for distance learning, guidance on cybersecurity, free internet and communications providers and much more. The site includes extensive lists of resources—all free or at a discounted rate—for our state's districts and families. The website can be found at fldoe.org/ em-response/distance-learning.stml. Florida Virtual School's Online Learning Community is filled with engaging and infor414 1

mative videos, webinars, training workshops and more all designed for K-12 teachers and parents who want to learn how to deliver online instruction. Through the site's Idea Exchange, the FLVS team is ready to support and answer questions from parents, students and teachers about transitioning to the online learning environment. The FLVS Online Learning Community can be found at flvs.net/community. Below are only a few of the many resources available on the FDOE's distance learning page: •C-PALMS C-PALMS is Florida's online toolbox of information, vetted resources and interactive tools that helps educators effectively implement teaching standards. It is the state of Florida's official source for standards information and course descriptions. It includes educator toolkits of information, resources and tools organized by grade level. •Floridastudents.org A C-PALMS website for students with hundreds of free original student tutorials in English Language Arts, Math, Science, Civics and U.S. History. •Florida Virtual School FLVS is offering up to 100 free digital courses to all Florida school districts for students through the end of the school year. The courses are developed by FLVS, based on Florida Standards, and include Mathematics, English Language Arts, History, Science, diverse electives, Advanced Placement and Career & Technical Education courses that will be provided for free through June 30, 2020.

≥GULF COAST DIPLOMACY COUNCIL

VIRTUAL SMALL WORLD CAFÉ Gulf Coast Diplomacy Council is hosting a virtual café at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 16, with members from the Pakistan program to check in and see how their community is doing at this time. The chat will take place over Zoom. For information on joining the chat, visit facebook.com/pensacoladiplomacy.

≥BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF

NORTHWEST FLORIDA HOLDING VIRTUAL TRIVIA NIGHT Get together (virtu-

ally) with friends, family and coworkers on Thursday, April 16, and put your knowledge to the test for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. As an additional way to stay connected, each trivia night, the organization will highlight a local Northwest Florida restaurant that has supported the agency through the years. We encourage you all to support your local restaurants by ordering takeout for trivia night. This game night's highlighted restaurant is The Fish House. Go grab your Grits à Ya Ya and have some fun. Virtual Trivia Night will start out on a Zoom link that will be emailed to you after you register through Eventbrite. Questions will run through the game-based platform Kahoot! app. You will need to download the Kahoot! app on your mobile device prior to playing. To make a suggested donation of $5 for the game entry fee, visit the BBBSNWFL donation website at netdonor.net/page/22470/donate/1. Visit facebook.com/bbbsnwfl for updates and

information. Spots are limited. If you have any issues registering or have questions, email frabb@bbbsnwfl.org.

≥LEARN MORE ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS FUNDING OPTIONS Last month,

the CARES Act was signed, which contained $376 billion in relief for workers and small businesses in the U.S. The act established several new temporary programs to address the economic impact of COVID-19. Those programs include the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loan forgiveness for retaining employees by temporarily expanding the SBA 7(a) loan program; the EIDL Loan Advance, which will provide up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses experiencing difficulties; SBA Express Bridge Loans, which enables small businesses who already have an SBA Express Lender to access up to $250,000 quickly; and the SBA Debt Relief, which provides financial reprieve to businesses during the pandemic. For a breakdown on each of these programs and to apply, visit sba.gov.

grants will not require a cost share or match and will be for a fixed amount of $50,000. Designated local arts agencies eligible to subgrant may request $100,000 or $250,000 for subgranting programs. The deadline to apply is April 22, 2020, with the earliest announcement of grant award or rejection by June 30. Please see the Arts Endowment's website for program description, eligibility requirements, application review and FAQs. More information on the National Endowment for the Arts' COVID-19 response can be found at arts.gov.

≥400 PAWS, INC. OFFERS PET FOOD

ASSISTANCE The 400 Paws, Inc. pet food pantry opens the fourth Sunday of each month from 1-3 p.m., or until food runs out, for Escambia County residents. The pantry is located at 1147 Creighton Road. Donations of pet food are also welcomed as the demand for help increases. If you need assistance before then, please email kim@400paws.org. For more information, visit facebook.com/400paws.

≥NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE

≥ESCAROSA FINANCIAL STABILITY

for the Arts announced this week its guidelines to swiftly distribute funding to nonprofit arts organizations from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to preserve jobs and help support organizations forced to close operations due to the spread of COVID-19. With the $75 million appropriated to the National Endowment for the Arts through the CARES Act, the Arts Endowment will award 40% of the funds directly to state and regional arts agencies by April 30th to distribute through their funding programs. Sixty percent of the funds are designated for direct grants to nonprofit arts organizations all across the United States and will be announced by June 30th. "The National Endowment for the Arts is thankful to the president and members of Congress for recognizing the cultural and economic contribution to America made by the 5,100,000 men and women employed in the arts sector across the United States. In an effort to provide funding to save as many jobs as possible, as quickly as possible, these timeframes are faster than the schedule used in 2009 to distribute relief funds. I am proud of the professionalism and organizational excellence demonstrated by our tireless staff and look forward to doing all that we can to help save jobs in the arts sector and keep the doors open to the thousands of organizations that add value to America's economy and the creative life of our communities," said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. More than 3,700 organizations that have received National Endowment for the Arts awards in the past four years are eligible to apply for a direct grant. Funds can be used for staff salary support, fees for artists or contractual personnel, and facilities costs. The direct

of households in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties struggle with increased debt and a lack of information about available resources to help them improve their financial standing. The EscaRosa Financial Stability Coalition, facilitated by United Way of West Florida, is now offering virtual financial coaching services to help individuals and families take steps toward financial stability. Financial coaching is administered by trained volunteers and focuses on the following areas: Credit Score Improvement: Your credit score can impact your ability to borrow money, obtain certain types of employment, or secure affordable housing. Financial coaches will pull your credit report, explain your score and help you develop a plan for improvement. Debt Reduction: Reducing debt can give you the ability to save more money, alleviate financial stress and achieve your financial goals. Financial coaches will work with you to create a budget and develop strategies for repaying debt and dealing with debt collectors. Increased Saving and Asset Building: Weathering financial shocks and setbacks while saving for the future is a critical step toward financial security. Financial coaches can help you develop a plan to achieve your saving goals. Banking Access: Accessing a safe, affordable account is key to joining the financial mainstream and keeping earnings secure through saving. Financial coaches will work with you to identify a bank or credit union that meets your needs. All financial coaching services, including credit report analysis, are provided free of charge to any low- to median-income adult living in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. To schedule your virtual financial coaching appointment, email United Way of West Florida Financial Stability Program Outreach Manager Katrina Madden at katrina.madden@uwwf.org.

ARTS ANNOUNCES GUIDELINES FOR FUNDING TO NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS The National Endowment

COALITION OFFERS VIRTUAL FINANCIAL COACHING SERVICES Thousands

inweekly.net

≥FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TAKES ACTIONS TO MAKE ACCESSING REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE MORE USER-FRIENDLY

As many Floridians do not have access to a computer at this time, Governor DeSantis has instructed DEO to make paper Reemployment Assistance applications available for Floridians. CareerSource locations across the state will be providing paper applications and assisting Floridians with submitting their Reemployment Assistance applications. Visit careersourcflorida.com for information and center locations. FedEx is offering free printing and mailing of Reemployment Assistance paper applications at over 100 storefronts across the state. Applications can be downloaded at floridajobs.org/covid-19. Once the application is complete, individuals should mail them to Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, P.O. Box 5350, Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350. Additionally, to make it easier for Floridians to receive reemployment assistance, Governor DeSantis waived the waiting week so individuals can claim their very first week of reemployment assistance and the work search and work registration requirements so individuals filing for reemployment assistance are not required to register in Employ Florida or submit information on a biweekly basis regarding the employers that they contacted each week while the state mitigates the spread of COVID-19. DEO has worked with the Department of Management Services to dramatically enhance the capability of the online application system for reemployment assistance, CONNECT. An additional 10 servers are being installed to assist the CONNECT system this week. For more information about reemployment assistance benefits and how to apply, visit site floridajobs.org/covid-19.

≥PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY ANNOUNCES NEW PET PANTRY HOURS

Due to the mandated state shutdown, the Pensacola Humane Society will be closed for adoptions for the next 30 days. However, the Pet Pantry, which provides dog and cat food for pet owners in need of temporary assistance, is still operating and donations are needed. Every morning, the front patio is filled with families needing dog and cat food, litter and treats, and people continue to come in throughout the day. Donations of any brand of wet or dry cat, kitten, dog and puppy food, litter and treats can be left on the front porch of 5 N. Q St., or the staff of PHS will meet you at your car and unload your donations for you. The Pet Pantry provides the food at no cost to pet owners who come to the shelter and present an acceptable form of identification, such as a driver's license. The Pet Pantry is open 10 a.m.–3 p.m. seven days a week.

≥ECAT TEMPORARILY SUSPENDS

fare collection for passengers of ECAT bus services. In addition, bus passengers will be instructed to enter and exit through the rear doors only and sit behind the accessibilityreserved seating area. Front-door access will be permitted only for passengers needing the boarding ramp or operator assistance to access the bus. ADA-accessible seating space near the front of the bus is reserved for individuals in mobility devices, individuals in need of special assistance and families with children in strollers. The changes will provide some separation between the operator and the passengers—and between passengers. The changes are being implemented in addition to precautions already implemented by ECAT, including the rigorous and increased sanitizing efforts of every bus on a daily basis. Call ECAT Customer Service at 595-3228 if you need assistance with a specific route or have additional questions. Updated information will also available on goecat.com.

≥GOV. RON DESANTIS SUSPENDS EVICTIONS AND FORECLOSURES

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced last week he has signed an executive order suspending all evictions and foreclosures in the state for 45 days amid the coronavirus pandemic. The order suspends all statutes "providing for a mortgage foreclosure cause of action." For evictions, the order only specifies tenants may not be removed for nonpayment, indicating evictions for other reasons will still be in bounds.

≥LOCALS PRODUCING HAND SANITIZER Rollins Distillery in Gulf Breeze is

April 16, 2020

FOLLOW YOUR HEART. LOVE OPERA.

≥STATE SURVEY LAUNCHED TO FIGHT COVID-19 The Florida Department

of Health (DOH) has launched a new community action survey, StrongerThanC-19, designed to aid Florida as the state continues to fight the spread of COVID-19. The StrongerThanC-19 community action survey is free to use and can be accessed by visiting strongerthanc19.com.

FARES Beginning Monday, April 6, ECAT, to

support the county's efforts to address the COVID-19 virus, will temporarily suspend

SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS ARE NOW OPEN!

also giving away hand sanitizer and accepting donations to go toward production. Sanitizer will be available at the tasting room, located at 5680 Gulf Breeze Parkway, noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. There is an allotment of two bottles per person or four per household while the demand is high. Crestview-based Timber Creek Distillery is offering free homemade hand sanitizer to those having trouble finding some in the stores. Their sanitizer is made with the guidelines set from the World Health Organization. The hand sanitizers come in 10 different types using various spirits. For more information, visit facebook.com/timbercreekdistillery.

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CARMEN JANUARY 2021

H.M.S. PINAFORE MARCH 2021

WWW.PENSACOLAOPERA.COM 15

a&e

Savannah Evanoff

Eat Well, Stay Well

Summer Lee / Courtesy Photo

With #QuarantineAndChill seemingly comes a whole lot of snacking, panic shopping at the grocery store and—according to every social media influencer ever—baking banana bread. Many people are now working remotely from their home and stressing about the coronavirus pandemic—making it easier than ever to overeat or stress eat. On the other end of the spectrum are the people concerned about contracting the virus, so they are finally looking into eating well and getting those key antioxidants everyone always seems to be talking about. So besides the obvious tips—sleep, exercise and a quick, socially distant and safe dose of nature—Summer Lee, a San Francisco-based certified nutrition consultant and RYT-500 certified yoga instructor, gave us some other tips on keeping or establishing a healthy relationship with food and how to eat for our immune system instead of against it.

CHANGING OUR BEHAVIORS

"The first step is acknowledging how hard it is right now to maintain healthy routines," Lee said. "If we try to do everything exactly the same as we were doing before, it's going to lead to frustration. There's certain things we're dealing with now that we've never had to deal with before. Even something as simple as grocery shopping is incredibly stressful. We're having to wait in lines. We wear masks. Stores are sometimes out of foods we regularly buy. There's 616 1

the scarcity mentality of, ‘Oh we need to stock up.' I always found grocery shopping enjoyable; now it's something I dread." It starts with compassion, Lee said. So what if we aren't eating spinach or concocting Instagram-worthy dishes? "There's people who are portraying the idea that this time is a vacation and a retreat at home where they're doing all these healthy things," Lee said. "I don't think that's the reality for most people." Instead, a lot are snacking more, out of stress and boredom. If that sounds familiar, Lee has a couple of suggestions. First, make a list of what helps reduce your stress and anxiety that doesn't involve food—something you can do at home, of course. "For some people, it's reading," Lee said. "For some people, it's working on crafts, talking to loved ones, playing with their pets. If you feel that feeling come up, ‘OK, I'm bored. I'm anxious. I wanna go eat some chips. What's something I can do instead?' And, you know what, maybe sometimes I will have the chips and that will be the perfect thing. Maybe I will enjoy them and really savor them." That's her next tip, savor your food. "Slowing down and actually chewing and savoring your food without distractions is something that can really be a profound change for people, even if it is something more indulgent," Lee said. "If you're just sitting in front of the TV and plowing through a bag of chips and all of a sudden it's gone … How many times has that happened? It's such an easy thing to do. When our brains

are distracted, our brains don't get that cue that we're full. We need to slow down and focus on the food so we're able to check in more with those feelings of satiety." When you do decide to indulge, though, ditch the shaming part. "If you want to have cookies, great," Lee said. "Put them on a plate, sit down at a table, have some nice music on—make it a thing. Make it enjoyable. Don't make it something you have to hide or something shameful. When people feel that guilt or shame after eating too much or eating something they view as unhealthy, all that does is perpetuate it and make them feel worse. And then they're going to have to reach for something else to make them feel better from that guilt and shame. It can be a vicious cycle." Much of the advice Lee gives her clients has nothing to do with food; it's about behavior. And, like any advice, it's easier to dish out, she said. "I still, after years of learning more about this and working with other people, find myself having times where I feel guilty about something I've eaten," Lee said. "I have a sweet tooth and my husband loves to bake—and there's all this quarantine baking going on. I still try to move every day and have meals I feel like are supportive of my health, but also I'm enjoying some little treats here and there. Finding that balance can be really helpful."

EATING FOR HEALTH

When it comes to eating for immunity and better overall nutrition, Lee doesn't throw curveballs or jump on bandwagons. Eating more plant-based foods, vegetables and fruits—things we're told are healthy for us—are indeed the answer. "They contain a lot of nutrients and antioxidants that are going to help fight the inflammation that can be caused by both stress and toxins we're exposed to," Lee said. "Leaning more toward plant foods and leaning a little bit away from processed foods is always a good idea from an immune system standpoint." Lee highlights three key vitamins and minerals she recommends right now. And, rather than loading up on supplements, she suggests getting them from food. Our bodies will absorb them better. First up is vitamin C, which is already known to boost our immune system and shorten the length of cold or flu symptoms. But,Lee suggests looking beyond oranges, though they are better than the sugary orange juice alternative "There's so many other foods that have vitamin C other orange foods—sweet potatoes, cantaloupe," Lee said. "There's a lot of vegetables that have high vitamin C content— cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers and strawberries." Up next is vitamin D, which is impor-

tant in regulating our immune cells, Lee said, and having a deficiency can increase our risk for infection. For the record, living in the Sunshine State isn't enough. "Seafood is really high in vitamin D, especially oily fishes—things like wild salmon, sardines, tuna," Lee said. "Eggs have vitamin D, as well, and cod liver oil, which is not a common thing people are consuming. I think it was way more popular decades ago. Our grandmothers were definitely onto something with the cod liver oil." Her third tip is zinc—which is also vital for the health of our immune cells. Meat, seafood and dairy are great sources. "Oysters especially are very high in zinc," Lee said. "I think it only takes about three oysters to get you your daily recommended amount. I know when I have oysters, I have more than three. I joke that I'm getting my zinc for a few days." Vegetarians can source zinc from legumes, like chickpeas and lentils, as well as nuts and seeds. "I love to use pumpkin seeds, the ones that are already shelled, so they're also called pepitas sometimes on labels," Lee said. "Those are really versatile. You can add them into anything—top salads with them, throw them in smoothies, on top of yogurt or oatmeal." While Lee typically prefers to add items to peoples' diets rather than subtract, she does advise cutting back on sugar, which is inflammatory and suppresses the immune system. "It's fine to have treats," Lee said. "But an excess amount of sugar can work against us when it comes to our immune system, so opting for more natural sources like fruit—maybe making a smoothie—or dates, which can be really tasty. Find substitutes for those sugar cravings. A lot of those will come from stress." To clarify, though, none of Lee's dietary recommendations mean a thing without a foundation of healthy digestion. So again, eat slow, she said. "When we eat really fast or we're stressed out reading the news on our phone about coronavirus while we're eating, our body goes into fight or flight mode," Lee said. "Our digestion is going to be impacted. Try to the best of your ability—even though we're in the middle of a pandemic—to eat in a slow, calm environment. Not only will you be able to get in touch with your hunger cues but you'll be able to digest your food better. If you've ever eaten in a rush and afterward you just feel it in your stomach or you're having gas, a lot of that's because the body took in food quicker than it was able to process it." For more wellness tips and recipes, sign up for Lee's newsletter at everydaysolstice.com. She's also currently teaching yoga classes online during the COVID-19 closures. Visit bendsf.com for details on how to sign up. {in} inweekly.net

We Still Need to Eat

A directory of local restaurants offering take-out, curbside pick-up and/or delivery options

Now more than ever, local restaurants need our support. And we all need the occasional break from our pandemic pantry stashes. Thankfully, restaurants are still allowed to operate, and lots of your local favorites are still dishing out good stuff. Just keep in mind most places have limited hours

DOWNTOWN

1912 The Restaurant (at Pensacola Grand Hotel) 200 E. Gregory St., 433-3336, pensacolagrandhotel.com 5 Sisters Blues Café 421 W. Belmont St., 912-4856, fivesistersbluescafe.com Adonna's Garden St. Cafe and Bakery 811 W. Garden St., 696-2227, adonnasbakery.net Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano 101 E. Intendencia St., 542-8398, angelenaspensacola.com Atlas Oyster House 600 S. Barracks St., 470-0003, atlasoysterhouse.com Blue Wahoos Stadium Concessions 351 W. Cedar St., 934-8444 ext. 451, bluewahoos.com Bluejay's Bakery 11 S. Palafox, 9829731, bluejaysbakery.com Bodacious Bookstore & Cafe 110 E. Intendencia St., 466-6966, bodaciousbookstore.com Bodacious Brew-Thru 16 W. Main St., 434-6300, thebodaciousbrewthru.com Bodacious Brew Cafe 407-C S. Palafox, 434-6300, thebodaciousbrew.com Broussard's Bayou Grill 690 E. Heinberg St., 396-6099, broussardsbayouco.com/pensacola Bubba's Sweet Spot 412 S. Palafox, 332-6696, bubbasweetspot.com Cactus Cantina 22 S. Palafox, 7413296, mycactuscantina.com Cafe Single Fin 380 N. Ninth Ave., 433-2929, cafesinglefin.com Casks & Flights 121 S. Palafox, 4953897, casksandflights.com Coffee Cup Restaurant 520 E. Cervantes St., 432-7060, facebook. com/coffeecuppensacola1945 Cottage Cafe 203 W. Gregory St., 437-0730, eatatcottagecafe.com Deluna's 920 S. Palafox, 714-2222, facebook.com/delunaschatandchew Dog House Deli Downtown 30 S. Palafox, 432-3104, doghousedeli.com End of the Line Café 610 E. Wright St., 429-0336, eotlcafe.com Fosko Coffee Barre 8 S. Palafox, 332-7737, fosko.com Four Seasons Catering and Eatery 212 S. Palafox, 434-6771, fourseasonspensacola.com Global Grill 27 S. Palafox, 469-9966, facebook.com/globalgrillpensacola Graffiti Pizza 210 S. Palafox, 9721960, graffitipizzafl.com Hot Spot BBQ 901 E. La Rua St., 497-6060, servebbq.com Hub Stacey's 312 E. Government St., 469-1001, hubstaceys.com Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille 997 S. Palafox, 432-5226, jacosbayfrontbarandgrille.com Jerry’s Bistreaux Cajun Food April 16, 2020

Truck 500 East Heinberg St., 5124565, facebook.com/jerrys-bistreauxcajun-catering Jo's... As Always 501 N. Ninth Ave., 466-5136, jospensacola.com Joe Patti's Seafood 524 S. B St., 432-3315, joepattis.com Jordan Valley 201 S. Jefferson St., 607-2780, facebook.com/jordanvalleydowntown Khons on Palafox 34 S. Palafox, 912-6762, khonsonpalafox.com Lucy's in the Square 301 S. Adams St., 378-8475, facebook.com/lucysinthesquare Nomadic Eats & Nomadic’s Cafe 9 E. Gregory St., 375-5696, nomadiceats.com McGuire’s Irish Pub 600 E. Gregory St., 433-6789, mcguiresirishpub.com Old City Market 140 S. Jefferson St., 860-6842, oldcitymarketinc.com Petunia's Bakery 707 E. Cervantes St., Ste. A, 466-3363, petuniasbakery.com Pineapple Express Rice Bowls 224 E. Garden St., Ste. 6, 332-6478, pineapple-express-rice-bowls.business.site Polonza Bistro 286 N. Palafox, 9126454, polonza.com SaBai Thai 130 S. Jefferson St., facebook.com/sabaithai.soj Skopelos at New World Landing 600 S. Palafox, 432-6565, skopelosatnewworld.com Taco Agave 200 S. Palafox, 3327952, tacoagave.com Taste of India 810 E. Gregory St., 439-3005, newtasteofindia.com The Dwarf Fried Chicken 407 N. DeVilliers St., 470-0652, facebook. com/dwarfchickenstand The Fish House 600 S. Barracks St., 470-0003, fishhousepensacola.com The Olde English Creamery 221 E. Zaragoza St., 542-7969, englishcreamery.com The Tin Cow 102 S. Palafox, 4662103, thetincow.com Troubadour 501 N. Ninth Ave., (702) 241-4035, troubadourdining.com Union Public House 309 S. Reus St., 607-6320, unionpensacola.com Urban Swinery 19 S. Palafox, 3325536, facebook.com/pg/urbanswinery

Tacos Mexicanos 3000 N. 12th Ave., 291-7195, tacosmexican.com The Daily Squeeze 901 N. 12th Ave., 741-3077, thedailysqueezepcola.com The Vineyard 1010 N. 12th Ave., 435-4567, thevineyardpensacola.com

CORDOVA

Cactus Cantina 5121 N. 12th Ave., 912-8565, mycactuscantina.com Craft Gourmet Bakery 5555 N. Davis Highway, 332-5921, craftgourmetbakery.com George Bistro & Bar 6205 N. Ninth Ave., 912-4655, georgebistroandbar.com Ichiban 5555 N. Davis Highway, 494-2227, facebook.com/ichibanpensacola Joe's Caribe 6224 N. Ninth Ave. Ste. 3, 760-2512, joescaribe.com Mr. Pollo Pensacola 6404 N. Ninth Ave., 542-4752, mrpollopensacola.com O'Brien's Bistro 4350 Bayou Blvd., 477-9120, obriensbistro.net Sake Cafe 4880 N. Ninth Ave., 4949999, sakecafepensacola.com Sky's Pizza 5559 N. Davis Highway, 477-4424, skyspizzapie.com The Leisure Club 1151 Office Woods Drive, Ste. A, 912-4229, theleisureclub.net Tuscan Oven 4801 N. Ninth Ave., 484-6836, thetuscanoven.com Vallarta Mexican Grill 9121 Pensacola Blvd., 476-5262, vallartamex.com Yums 1620 Airport Blvd., Ste. 120, 477-2999, newyums.com Rio Bravo 5030 Bayou Blvd, 479-7351, riobravomexicanrestaurante.com

and menus right now. And sadly, some are deciding to close (temporarily and in general) during this crisis. We're trying our best to keep this directory up to date, but you should still check online or call before deciding where to order from any given day. {in}

WEST PENSACOLA

CJ's Grille 2100 W. Garden St., 4359543, facebook.com/cjskitchen Costello’s Butcher Shop 8190 W. Fairfield Drive, 741-2823, facebook. com/costellosbutcheranddeli Cub's Crawfish 4145 Barrancas Ave., 456-7551, facebook.com/cubscrawfish850 Cypress/Emerald Coast Bread Co. 1124 W. Garden St., 724-1124, cypresspensacola.com El Agave Mexican Restaurant 3811 W. Navy Blvd., 458-3939, facebook. com/elagavenavyblvd El Paso Mexican Grille 5490 Mobile Highway, 378-8553, facebook.com/ elpasomobilehwy Hip Pocket Deli 4124 Barrancas Ave., 455-9319, facebook.com/hippocketdeli IQ Eatery 4051 Barrancas Ave., Unit C, 549-3333, iqeatery.com Kingfisher 1500 Barrancas Ave., 432-1119, kingfishersandwiches.com Pedros Tacos & Tequila Bar 13584 Perdido Key Drive, 492-1701, facebook.com/pedrosperdidokeyfl Pensacola Cooks Kitchen 3670 Barrancas Ave., 456-0743, pensacolacooks.com Pho Ever 10427 Sorrento Road, #302, 512-2141, phoever.us Saigon Market 604 N. Pace Blvd., 912-6555, facebook.com/saigonorientalmarketanddeli Shoreline 1180 W. Main St., 4338852, sfpensacola.com Taste of Jerusalem 707 N. Pace Blvd., Ste. B, 466-3648, tasteofjerusalempensacola.com The Elbow Room 2213 W. Cervantes St., 434-0300, facebook.com/elbowroompensacola The Oar House 1000 S. Pace Blvd., 549-4444, oarhousepensacola.com Tommy's Pizzeria 800 W. Michigan Ave., 466-3311, facebook.com/pensacolatommyspizza Vallarta Restaurant 10447 Sorrento Road, 455-9742

Sammy Barkers 875 E. Nine Mile Road, 912-6000, sammybarkers.com Szotski's Cheesecake 2600 W. Nine Mile Road, 466-3477, szotskischeesecakes.com Taqueria El Asador 7955 N. Davis Highway, 696-3232, elasadorpensacola.com Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar 312 E. Nine Mile Road, Ste. 25, 479-9111, gotokyopensacola.com Uptown Market 7201 N. Ninth Ave., Ste. A, 912-8030, facebook.com/ uptownmarketpensacola Vallarta Mexican Grill 9121 Pensacola Blvd., 476-5262, vallartamex.com

GULF BREEZE

Lao Ocean 368 Gulf Breeze Parkway, 733-9789, facebook.com/laoocean850 Mariachi's Mexican Grill 2747 Gulf Breeze Parkway, 934-3606, mariachismexicangrillfl.com Papa Nalu Aloha Grill 3499 Gulf Breeze Parkway, 932-4837, papanalu.com Rock N Roll Sushi Gulf Breeze 1468 Tiger Park Lane, 565-5300, rnrsushi.com Taco Rock 911 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Unit B, 733-9078, taco-rock. business.site Thai 54 Cuisine 47 Gulf Breeze Parkway, 677-8145, thai54cuisine.com

PENSACOLA BEACH

Café NOLA 400 Quietwater Beach Road, 677-8532, thecafenola.com Casino Beach Boardwalk 41 Fort Pickens Road, 932-6313, casinobeachbar.com SCENIC HEIGHTS Drift 41 Fort Pickens Road, 733-7331, Calvert's in the Heights 3102 E. driftpcola.com Cervantes St., 332-5838, calvertsinFlounder's Chowder House 800 theheights.com Quietwater Beach Road, 932-2003, Constant Coffe 615 Scenic Highway, flounderschowderhouse.com 432-3991, constantcoffeeandtea.com Frisky Dolphin Sunset Oyster Giorgio's Pizza 3000 E. Cervantes Bar & Grill 715 Pensacola Beach St., 432-5996, mygeorgiospizza.com Blvd., 934-3141, friskydolphin.com NORTH PENSACOLA/ Jerry's Drive-In 2815 E. Cervantes H20 Hilton 12 Via De Luna Drive, NINE MILE ROAD St., 433-9910, jerrysdrivein.com 343-6791, h2opensacolabeach.com Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse Marina Oyster Barn 505 Bayou Hemingway’s Island Grill 400 Blvd, 433-0511, marina-oyster-barn. 2811 Copter Road, 474-1919, faceQuietwater Beach Road, Ste. 16, 934book.com/goatlipschewandbrewhouse 4747, hemingwaysislandgrill.com business.site La Hacienda 8086 N. Davis HighNancy's Catering & Events 555 Papa’s Pizza 400 Quietwater Beach EAST HILL way, 494-2130, lahaciendarestauScenic Highway, #6721, 434-0112, Road, #1, 934-1198, papaspizza.com Cactus Flower 3425 N. 12th Ave., rantes.com nancyshauteaffairs.com Peg Leg Pete's 1010 Fort Pickens 432-8100, facebook.com/califorMaynard's Donut Co. 875 E. Nine New Yorker Deli 3001 E. CerRoad, 932-4139, peglegpetes.com niafreshmex vantes St., 469-0029, newyorkerde- Mile Road, #9, 361-3612, maynards- Red Fish Blue Fish 5 Via De Luna East Hill Market & Café 1216 N. doco.com liandpizzeria.com Drive, 677-8899, redfishbluefishpenNinth Ave., 469-1432, facebook.com/ Scenic 90 Cafe 701 Scenic Highway, Petrella's Italian Cafe 2174 W. Nine sacolabeach.com easthillmarket Mile Road, 471-9444, petrellasital433-8844, scenic90cafe.com Sidelines Sports Bar & Restaurant O'Zone Pizza Pub 1010 N. 12th The Magnolia 2907 E. Cervantes St., iancafe.com 2 Via De Luna Drive, 934-3660, Ave., #111, 433-7336, ozonepizza. Rock n Roll Sushi 1531 E. Nine Mile sidelinespensacola.com 912-6196, magnoliapensacola.com wordpress.com Road, A-6, 760-2455, rnrsushi.com The Grand Marlin 400 Pensacola

Beach Blvd., 677-9153, thegrandmarlin.com

MILTON/PACE

Ace's 6583 Caroline St., 623-3611, facebook.com/bbbbright1 Blackwater Bistro 5147 Elmira St., 623-1105, blackwaterbistro.com Boomerang Pizza Kitchen 5227 Willing St., 564-1465, boomerangpizzakitchen.hungerrush.com Cactus Flower 4865 US-90, 9104424, facebook.com/cactusflowercafesusa Cosse's Place 5365 Stewart St., 6262655, cossesplace.com David's Catfish House 5129 Dogwood Drive, 626-1500, facebook.com/ dch.milton Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant 6209 US-90, 623-9009, newjinjinmilton.com La Hacienda (Pace) 4601 US90, 995-8414, lahaciendarestaurantes.com La Hacienda (Milton) 6471 Caroline St., 623-2558, lahaciendarestaurantes.com Main Moon 5444 Dogwood Drive, 626-6668, mainmoonmilton.com Mamma Lattes 5412 Stewart St., 665-4020, facebook.com/mamalattes McKinely's Sandwich Shop 5262 Stewart St., 983-0303, mckinelys.com Milton Quality Bakery 6727 Caroline St., 623-3676, miltonqualitybakery.com Nikko Japanese Steakhouse 4510 US-90, 994-1295, facebook. com/nikkosjapanesesteakhouseandsushibar Ollie's Neighborhood Grill 6181 US-90, 626-7499, facebook.com/ ollies.milton Rock N Roll Sushi 4551 Watkins St., Unit A, 889-4252, rnrsushi.com Taco Town 5382 Stewart St., 9819969, tacotownflorida.com TASTEbuds Sweet Treats & Ice Cream 4573 Watkins St., 910-4946, tastebudspace.business.site Tastee Freez 6511 Caroline St., 6230707, tasteefingers.com The Cutting Board 5701 US-90, 564-1442, cuttingboardfl.com The Hanger 3966 Avalon Blvd., 5646223, eatatthehangar.com

FOOD TRUCKS/ ONLINE ONLY

Arepas Latin Cuisine arepacuisine.com Le Dough helloledough.com Two Birds Street Food twobirdsstreetfood.com Who Cut The Grilled Cheese Cake facebook.com/cuttincheese 17

free will astrology WEEK OF APRIL 16 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries artist

Vincent van Gogh got started on his life's work relatively late. At ages 25 and 26, he made failed attempts to train as a pastor and serve as a missionary. He didn't launch his art career in earnest until he was 27. During the next 10 years, he created 860 paintings —an average of 1.7 every week—as well as over 1,200 additional works of art. For comparison, the prolific painter Salvador Dali made 1,500 paintings in 61 years. During the coming 12 months, Aries, you could achieve a van Goghlike level of productiveness in your own chosen field—especially if you lay the foundations now, during our stay-at-home phase.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Most authors do their writing while sitting on chairs in front of desks. But long before there were standing desks, poet Rainer Maria Rilke and children's author Lewis Carroll wrote their books while standing up. Novelist Henry James had eight desks but typically paced between them as he dictated his thoughts to a secretary. And then there have been weirdoes like poet Robert Lowell and novelist Truman Capote. They attended to their craft as they lay in their bed. I suggest you draw inspiration from those two in the coming weeks. It'll be a favorable time to accomplish masterpieces of work and play while in the prone position. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): While sleeping, most of us have over a thousand dreams every year. Many are hard to remember and not worth remembering. But a beloved few can be life-changers. They have the potential to trigger epiphanies that transform our destinies for the better. In my astrological opinion, you are now in a phase when such dreams are more likely than usual. That's why I invite you to keep a pen and notebook by your bed so as to capture them. For inspiration, read this testimony from Jasper Johns, whom some call America's "foremost living artist"—"One night I dreamed that I painted a large American flag, and the next morning I got up and I went out and bought the materials to begin it." (Painting flags ultimately became one of Johns' specialties.)

By Rob Brezsny

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Ford Madox Ford (1873–1939) was a renowned author who wrote “The Good Soldier,” a novel that has been called "one of the 100 greatest novels of all time." Yet another very famous author, Henry James (1843–1916), was so eager to escape hanging out with Ford that he once concealed himself behind a tree so as to not be seen. You have astrological permission to engage in comparable strategies during the coming weeks. It won't be a time when you should force yourself to endure boring, meaningless and unproductive tasks. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): I hope that during the coronavirus crisis you have been entertaining wild truths and pondering the liberations you will initiate when the emergency has passed. I trust you have been pushing your imagination beyond its borders and wandering into the nooks and crannies of your psyche that you were previously hesitant to explore. Am I correct in my assumptions, Leo? Have you been wandering outside your comfort zone and discovering clues about how, when things return to normal, you can add spice and flair to your rhythm?

and applying the appropriate attitude as is necessary for each new situation. And I'm happy to report that your capacity for having just the right touch at the right time will be a crucial asset in the coming weeks. Trust your intuition to guide you through every subtle shift of emphasis.

centrated reserves of inner power. Because of the coronavirus crisis, it's not yet time to tap into those impressive reserves and start channeling them into a series of dynamic practical actions. But it is time to formulate the practical actions you will take when the emergency has passed.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Scorpio

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Aquar-

artist Marie Laurencin (1883–1956) enjoyed a colorful fate. One of the few female Cubist painters, she was a prominent figure in the Parisian avant-garde. She was also the muse and romantic partner of renowned poet Guillaume Apollinaire. But there came a turning point when she abandoned her relationship with Apollinaire. "I was 25 and he was sleeping with all the women," she said, "and at 25 you don’t stand for that, even from a poet." Is there a comparable situation in your life, Scorpio? A role you relish but that also takes a toll? Now is a favorable time to re-evaluate it. I'm not telling you what you should decide, only that you should think hard about it.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

quote by the author Jake Remington—"Fate whispers to the warrior, 'You cannot withstand the storm.' The warrior whispers back, 'I am the storm.'" Although this passage is more melodramatic than necessary for your needs in the coming weeks, I think it might be good medicine that will help you prevail over the turbulence of the coronavirus crisis. Getting yourself into a storm-like mood could provide you with the personal power necessary to be unflappable and authoritative. You should also remember that a storm is not inherently bad. It may be akin to a catharsis or orgasm that relieves the tension and clears the air.

Sagittarian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1596–1680) was a prodigious, inventive creator. One scholar wrote, "What Shakespeare is to drama, Bernini may be to sculpture." He designed and built public squares, fountains and buildings, many in Rome, which embodied his great skills as both sculptor and architect. Unlike many brilliant artists alive today, Bernini was deeply religious. Every night for 40 years, he walked from his home to pay a devotional visit to the Church of the Gesù. According to my reading of the astrological factors, now would be an excellent time for you to engage in reverential rituals like those—but without leaving your home, of course. Use this social-distancing time to draw reinvigoration from holy places within you or in your memory.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Libran rap-

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): As I

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I like this

per and activist Talib Kweli says, "You have to know when to be arrogant. You have to know when to be humble. You have to know when to be hard and you have to know when to be soft." You Librans tend to be skilled in this artful approach to life—activating

understand the current chapter of your life story, you have been doing the unspectacular but yeoman work of recharging your spiritual batteries. Although you may have outwardly appeared to be quiet and still, you have in fact been generating and storing up con-

ian poet Jacques Prévert offered a variation on the famous Christian supplication known as the Lord's Prayer. The original version begins, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." But Prévert's variation says, "Our father who art in heaven—Stay there." Being an atheist, he had no need for the help and support of a paternal deity. I understand his feeling. I tend to favor the Goddess myself. But for you Aquarians right now, even if you're allergic to talk of a divine presence, I'll recommend that you seek out generous and inspiring masculine influences. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will benefit from influences that resemble good fathering.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): How

skillful are you in expressing what you want? Wait. Let me back up and reformulate that. How skillful are you in knowing what you want and expressing the truth about what you want to the people who might ultimately be able to give it to you or help you get it? This is the most important question for you to meditate on in the coming weeks. If you find that you're fuzzy about what you want or hazy about asking for what you want, correct the problems. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: For three days, uphold your highest ideal in every little way you can imagine. Report results at freewillastrology.com.

freewillastrology.com

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news of the weird LIFE IMITATES NETFLIX Authorities executed a search warrant relating to a narcotics investigation in the South Texas town of Mercedes on March 25, but what they seized wasn't drugs. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Sammy Parks told the Associated Press that officers had been warned there were exotic animals on the 5-acre property, and game wardens who joined the search found a white Bengal tiger, bobcat, kinkajou, porcupines, llamas, emus and deer. While no arrests were made, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had to euthanize three of the animals; the remainder were removed to the Austin Zoo for examination and rehabilitation. HOW THE WORLD HAS CHANGED Amy Simonson and Dan Stuglik proceeded with their planned wedding on April 4 in Pokagon, Michigan, but the coronavirus pandemic forced them to get creative. While the original guest list of 150 people had to be pared down repeatedly as restrictions were placed on public gatherings, Stuglik was determined that his bride not walk down the aisle between empty pews in the Old Rugged Cross Church. He hit upon the idea of filling the church with cardboard cutouts of family and friends and stopped by Menasha Packaging Co. to ask for help. Employees Ted Harris and Luke Arendash jumped at the chance. "(Stuglik) was just looking for a general person shape, but I was able to make it a little bit more realistic audience for them," Harris told The Herald Palladium. The company supplied more than 100 cutouts of varying sizes, shapes and hairstyles. The newlyweds moved their reception to October and canceled their honeymoon in Newport, Rhode Island, but Stuglik said they "both have peace now, because it's stripped down to what it should be, which is us and God, getting married." •Our four-legged friends are taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown in multiple cities, United Press International reported: On March 31, 122 Kashmiri goats took over the Welsh town of Llandudno, eating gardens and sleeping in the yards; on April 6, residents of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, reported a large herd of deer casually wandering through neighborhoods; in Gir, Gujarat, India, citizens were warned on April 5 to stay inside not only because of the pandemic but because a large lion was nosing around the city; at a Fast Stop store in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a bear took the low-traffic opportunity to dumpster dive on April 3; and in the Central Region of Singapore, witnesses captured video of a horse galloping through the empty streets of Bukit Timah on April 6. She had escaped from the Paisano Polo Academy, where the owner said she'd only been loose for about 20 minutes. •Recent sunny weather in the Czech spa town of Lazne Bohdanec, where sunbathing naked is allowed, brought out more than a

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hundred eager sunbathers—nude and not— but police were soon on hand to warn they still needed to wear face masks, as ordered by the Czech government, reported the Daily Mail. "Citizens can be without clothes in places designated for this purpose, but they must have their mouths covered and must observe the numbers in which they can go out into nature," police spokeswoman Marketa Janovska told local media. "We understand that many people do not have a garden and want to ventilate in the countryside," she added. About half of the 150 people were not wearing masks, but no fines were issued. CORONAVIRUS COSPLAY Police on horseback and motorcycles in Hyderabad, India, are reminding civilians about the dangers of COVID-19 by wearing large red masks and headdresses in the shape of the virus as they patrol. Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said the masked officers would be stationed at various city junctions, Fox News reported. Ironically, the city organized a rally on April 7 to kick off the awareness campaign, displaying signs reading "Please Avoid Gathering" and "Social Distancing Is Social Responsibility."

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CROWD CONTROL According to his attorney, Rumson, New Jersey, resident John Maldjian, 54, intended for his "Stay at Home" Pink Floyd cover concert to be viewed only on Facebook Live by his friends on April 4. However, at the last minute, Maldjian decided to play his guitar on his front porch, which drew a crowd. What started with a few neighbors eventually grew to about 30 people in his front yard when police showed up to enforce social distancing orders, NJ Online reported. One of the "partiers" allegedly became abusive, according to police, but attorney Mitchell J. Ansell said his client had "absolutely no malicious intentions ... and never wanted this to escalate." Maldjian was charged for violating emergency orders. •A 21-year-old woman and her 61-year-old father, of Key West, Florida, told Monroe County Sheriff's officers they were on a boat off Wisteria Island April 4 where they spotted a group of about 20 college-aged people drinking on the beach, the New York Daily News reported. The woman said they approached the group and asked them to obey social distancing orders and keep the noise down, but the people became violent and struck both victims in the head with a baseball bat. Authorities said both sustained head injuries in the attack; the attackers jumped into three boats docked nearby and took off, and no one has been arrested. {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com April 16, 2020

Independent News | April 16, 2020 | inweekly.net