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Independent News | May 21, 2020 | Volume 21 | Number 21

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Be smart. Be careful. Above all, be kind to one another.

good news 1-24

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

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. ÂŠ 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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May 21, 2020

winners & losers

Nikki Fried / Photo Courtesy of Florida Department of Agriculture

Innisfree Hotels donated 6,300 rooms to healthcare workers and medical professionals impacted by coronavirus to provide a safe, comfortable environment for frontline workers to quarantine and keep their families safe. Creating Fun, Memorable Experiences

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Inweekly has highlighted several local politicians who have been winners during this pandemicâ€”Mayor Grover Robinson, Commissioner Lumon May, State Rep. Jayer Williamson, School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Sheriff David Morgan and Commissioner Robert Bender to name a few. This week, we want to recognize the special efforts of other politicians around the state in our "Good News" all-winners version of this column.

NIKKI FRIED Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture is the lone Democrat on the Florida Cabinet and has been shut out of the governor's COVID-19 decisions. However, that hasn't kept Fried on the sidelines. She activated the Summer BreakSpot website to help families find free meals for children under 18 during the coronavirus school closures. On March 20, Fried asked DeSantis to implement a statewide "stayat-home" order to curb the spread of the virus. On May 4, Fried wrote to the state's chief inspector general formally requesting an investigation into potential mismanagement of Florida's unemployment system. Last week, Fried called on the governor to officially request the $20 million in federal funds made available through the CARES Act to help make Florida's election safer. DON ALLEN The Live Oak city councilman put the health of his community first when he reported to the media the rapid increase of long-term care cases of COVID-19 stemmed from Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center, a facility a block from his home. Allen made the announcement over the objections of the Florida Department of Health, which, at that time, had refused to name any of the infected nursing homes in the state. RON DESANTIS Florida's governor has

taken an analytical approach to deal with the unprecedented pandemic. Though a solid supporter of President Donald Trump, DeSantis hasn't hesitated to take his own approaches to curbing the spread of the virus and restarting Florida's economy. His swift action in early April may have saved countless lives. His cautious approach to reopening the economy has been much appreciated. It's hard to believe DeSantis is only 41.

RICK KRISEMAN The mayor of St. Petersburg launched Restart St. Pete, a 44

campaign to help guide locals and small businesses as the city slowly and carefully reopened. In an age of political divisiveness, Kriseman promoted civility and unity. He said his restart initiative was "not only following orders and guidelines to keep St. Pete healthy but sticking together. The St. Pete Way is kindness and understanding."

JANE CASTOR The Tampa mayor created One Tampa, an emergency COVID-19 relief fund that provided eligible individuals or families one month's rent or mortgage payment of up $1,000 plus up to $250 for utilities. Small businesses in specified industries could qualify for up $4,000 in rent or mortgage payments and a maximum of $1,000 for utilities. The payments went directly to landlords, mortgage holders or TECO, Tampa's electric utility. FRANCIS SUAREZ The City of Miami

mayor may have saved thousands of lives when he made the controversial decision to shut down the popular Ultra Music and Calle Ocho festivals in March, a week before a single case of the novel coronavirus had been reported. He was the second Miami-Dade resident listed in Florida's tally of COVID-19 cases and spent 14 days in quarantine. Suarez was also the first person in Florida to become a COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor after recovering from the virus.

BILL BEASLEY The Polk County manager developed a plan that allocated $70 million from the federal money the county received under the CARE Act toward helping small businesses and individuals recover from losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan set aside $40 million for grants of up to $5,000 for Polk businesses employing 25 people or fewer. The remaining $30 million was for grants capped at $2,000 for households with annual incomes of up to $75,000. inweekly.net

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RECOVER TOGETHER In March 2014, CNN national correspondent David Mattingly spoke on the 2010 BP Gulf Oil Spill at a luncheon sponsored by the Pensacola chapters of the American Advertising Federation and Florida Public Relations Association. Mattingly brought a unique perspective to his reporting of the disaster. In his youth, his family vacationed at Gulf Shores, Ala. As a college student, he camped at Grayton Beach, and he and his wife had their first married vacation at Fort Walton Beach. He was on Pensacola Beach when the tarballs began to wash onshore. Mattingly recalled, "It was one of the most profound events of my career. The beach looked like ice cream covered with chocolate syrup. People were crying like they had a death in their family." The part of his talk that has stayed with me over the past six years was when he talked about our community's resilience. "I've covered more hurricanes than I can remember—Frederick, Ivan, Katrina," he said. "I know you have to live with the idea of possible disaster every year. I've seen the devastation of those hurricanes and watched your communities bounce back." Mattingly was right. We have taken some heavy blows over the past 20 years— not just hurricanes and oil spills, but also 9/11, recessions, ice storms, flooding, tornadoes and even a jail explosion. As crushing as some of those disasters seemed at the time, we always bounced back stronger. The key each time was our sense of community in the face of devastation and unpredicted catastrophe. Neighbors helped each other, shared food and supplies and uplifted those hit the hardest. I remember waking up after Hurricane Ivan struck our area to the sound of chainsaws throughout the neighborhood as people removed fallen trees from roads, houses and driveways. In our community, we held candle-lit feasts as people shared what was in their freezers.

The COVID-19 pandemic is another challenge for us. The actions taken by Gov. Ron DeSantis and city and county officials to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus saved lives. Knock on wood; our cases have been on a steady decline over the first two weeks of May. As we gradually reopen businesses, I've been impressed with the care most business owners have taken to protect both their customers and employees. They've spent time reading CDC guidelines and specific recommendations for their industries and adapted them to their business. The owners realize the safety measures implemented now are our best defense against a coronavirus outbreak. Once again, our sense of community is prevailing over despair and fear. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman asked his citizens to be kind as part of his guidelines for recovery from COVID-19. Faced with numerous directives and restrictions, Kriseman said, "The most effective way of finding our way out of this public health crisis is by taking personal responsibility and simply doing the right thing for yourself, your loved ones and your neighbors." Doing the right thing for others will be the key to our recovery, too. In his virtual address to high school graduates last weekend, former President Barack Obama recommended that they build a community. "No one does big things by themselves," he said. "Right now, when people are scared, it's easy to be cynical and say, let me just look out for myself, or my family, or people who look or think or pray like me. But if we're going to get through these difficult times; if we're going to create a world where everybody has the opportunity to find a job and afford college; if we're going to save the environment and defeat future pandemics, then we're going to have to do it together." Yes, we will recover, and we will do it together. {in} rick@inweekly.net

We have taken some heavy blows over the past 20 years— not just hurricanes and oil spills, but also 9/11, recession, ice storms, flooding, tornadoes and even a jail explosion. As crushing as some of those disasters seemed at the time, we always bounced back stronger.

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Because "unprecedented times" call for unprecedented levels of optimism, we decided to go all in and make this very special special issue. Welcome to Inweekly's first ever Good News Only Issue. Hopefully it won't be our last, because it was really fun to put together. We talked to new moms, newlyweds, graduates and lots of local businesses who are doing good for the community during the pandemic. Every single one of them made us smile.

May 21, 2020

Honestly, we didn't know how much we needed this dose of positivity until we started working on it. This issue reminded us that it's okay to be happy, even when things are uncertain. We hope reading it does the same for you. And fear not if you're disappointed by this feel good vibe. We promise to return to business as usual next week and give you some hard-hitting news and maybe even make a few deserving politicians "losers."

FEEDING THE FRONTLINES

THE

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In this age of the coronavirus—and other times, too—frontline health care workers perform a formidable task. They work in the most stressful of environments, at times placing their own health at risk, to care for people. That's hero work. And hero work can make a person hungry. Answering that call is Frontline Foods, a national nonprofit that shuttles food deliveries to health care workers while also supporting local restaurants. Last month, a Northwest Florida chapter of was established to help this region's health care workers as they work to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. "It's such a special thing to feed these frontline workers," said Alexis Allen, head of the new local chapter. The group's pitch is pretty straightforward. People donate money, which is then used to provide meals to frontline workers. "This is such a simple thing—take

money and give it to restaurants to feed people," said Allen, whose husband works at Union Public House. Frontline Foods got started when Sydney Gressel, a pediatric nurse in San Francisco, was asked by her friends how they might help her and her fellow health care workers. Her answer? Pizza. From those initial pizzas, one thing led to another, and Frontline Foods was established to both support health care workers and also provide a source of revenue for restaurants that have seen normal operations curtailed due to stay-at-home orders and closures. For assistance in this effort, Frontline has partnered with World Central Kitchen, a 501(c)(3) organized by Chef José Andrés. Since starting in April, Frontline Foods has delivered nearly 350,000 meals nationally. Those meals have served 600 teams and supported 920 restaurants. Celebrities like the actress Octavia Spencer and the band Phish got involved and helped the organization gain attention. Allen first noticed Frontline's work in New Orleans. The city has been hit hard by COVID-19, and Frontline's mission struck a chord there right away. "On day seven, they were spending, like, 10 grand a day," Allen said, noting that the amount had since doubled. That's a lot of food going to feed nurses and doctors in the intensive care unit or attendants working in long-term

By Jeremy Morrison

care facilities. And it's a lot of money going to support local restaurants.

PANHANDLE PLANS

Volunteers with the new Northwest Florida chapter have been doing their part to get the word out since midApril, and it’s definitely working. As of May 13, they've delivered 275 meals locally and raised over $7,000 for restaurants through donations and a grant from Frontline Foods national. Kristen Bailey, who is handling press for group, told Inweekly how important a positive community reception and response is to the operation. "We only exist when donations come in because we're paying the restaurants," Bailey said. Without donations, no food orders can be placed and no health care workers fed—just volunteers with a good idea and nothing to do. Thankfully they are getting donations, though—including some from small businesses like Wild Lemon, who recently donated proceeds from their Saturday virtual classes to the cause. Once donations are secured—from individuals or corporate sponsors— volunteers arrange for meals to be prepared by a local restaurant. Locally, the group has partnered with establishments including Angelena's Ristorante Italiano, SaBai Thai, Primal Nosh and Craft Bakery. When an order is placed, Frontline volunteers—"we have a hospital team and a restaurant team"—work to get the meal to health care workers. While some

volunteers in the chapter work in the restaurant industry, others are operating outside their wheelhouse. Allen, for instance, is an accountant with Warren Averett, which is a corporate sponsor. Frontline's local chapter made its first delivery April 23. It was an order prepared by Angelena's and served to workers at Baptist Health Care ICU. KC Gartman, chief development officer with Baptist Health Care, said that the gesture was valuable logistically, as well as symbolically. "Baptist's frontline team members are so grateful for the outpouring of support our community has shown for them," Gartman said. "Having meals provided during their shifts seems like a small way to help, but it demonstrates how much their community cares for them and supports them through these trying times." Other facilities that Frontline has delivered to thus far include Covenant Care, as well as Southern Oaks, which is a long-term care facility that's been dealing with COVID-19 firsthand. Currently, Frontline's local chapter is limiting operation to the Pensacola area. But, once donations increase, the group has ambitions to expand throughout the Panhandle. "I'd like to see us expand as far as Panama City," Bailey said. "That's the plan." {in}

N E W POSITIVE RESULTS AND ATTITUDES S ONLY ISSUE

Peter Allen 88

When searching for someone who'd recovered from COVID-19 to profile in this issue, we didn't have to look very far. Mary Allen, a former Inweekly intern who's now an attorney in Austin, Texas, had already told us about her dad's positive results, and we were thrilled to follow up and find out he'd bounced back quickly. Thankfully, age was just a number in Peter Allen's bout with the coronavirus. Allen, who just turned 77 this month, thinks the mild case he had was contracted while on a vacation with his wife Maria. The couple flew to Atlanta, Ga., and stopped in Montgomery, Ala., to visit museums with a group of nine others from March 5-10. A

week later, Allen had a slight headache. He normally doesn't get headaches. "That night I went to bed; I was so weak; I was perspiring profusely," Allen said. "The sheets were soaked the next morning. I thought it was just allergies, because this is allergy season. I didn't pay it too much attention. I just kept on doing what I normally do, and the next day I felt better, and then better and better and it just went away. That was it." A few days later, however, Allen was told one of the other travelers, who came from Canada, had become weak and fell. She tested positive for COVID-19. He made an appointment March 17 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, and his results were positive, too. Thankfully, his wife's results were negative. Despite having minimal symptoms, Allen did follow the doctor's instructions to self-quarantine for 14 days, he said.

To find out more about Frontline Foods and how to assist in the local chapter's efforts, visit frontlinefoods.org. You can also follow them on Instagram: @frontlinefoodsnwfl.

"That is something I would advise everyone to do," Allen said. "It not only benefits you, but it benefits others. Social distancing—it does help."

"I HAD A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND I THINK VERY POSITIVELY. I WASN'T GOING TO FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF." PETER ALLEN Despite the positive test results and his age, Allen was never worried, he said. "I'm a pretty healthy guy," Allen said. "I felt good. I had a positive attitude, and I think very positively. I wasn't going to feel sorry for myself. I just kept doing what I normally do, and that's it." And the good news doesn't stop at recovery, Allen is also hoping to donate his plasma to help others beat the virus soon. {in} inweekly.net

May 21, 2020

SAVING THE DATES

By Savannah Evanoff

THE

G O O D N E W S ONLY ISSUE

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Danielle and Taylor Davis / Photo by Melissa Wilson Photography

Chloe Sexton is developing a niche for last-minute planning. She's had to. Like everything else, the coronavirus outbreak has thrown many wedding-related plans off course, leaving the wedding planner behind Supposey to save the day (er, date) for her clients. One of the dates she helped saved was April 2—give or take a couple of days—for the wedding of Pensacola couple Danielle and Taylor Davis. The bride remembers exactly when her wedding changed. It was Friday the 13th. "My mom sent me a text saying we should probably reconsider what we were doing for the wedding, not necessarily cancel but maybe adjust," Danielle said. "I remember thinking, 'How dare she say that? This is my wedding day. Of course, I wanted it to be everything we've been planning for.' But I think that's when we kind of knew we would be looking at something a little different than we had planned." And their plans completely changed—save the venue, 5eleven Palafox, and her dress. They decided only 10 days before to make it an elopement. "We were planning a relatively normal ceremony and reception at 5eleven," Danielle said. "What ended up happening was a very small ceremony at 5eleven in the courtyard.

Luckily, I had Chloe as my wedding planner, and she still came up with the most amazing little wedding cake. We had champagne, and it ended up being a beautiful mini reception for just the two of us afterward." Having an intimate ceremony was fitting. The couple met at a bar in downtown Pensacola and had an instant connection. "I saw his smile from across the room, and I was like, 'Wow,'" Danielle said. "I was with some girlfriends and I was like, 'I need to meet that guy.' They had gone to high school together, so they were able to introduce us. After that, we were able to connect on a deeper level than any relationship we had both had."

"ONCE I HAD MY HAIR AND MAKEUP DONE, I FACETIMED MY MOM. SHE WAS LIKE, 'WHY ARE YOU SO DRESSED UP? WHAT'S GOING ON?'" DANIELLE DAVIS Neither of them told anyone about the elopement beforehand. "Once I had my hair and makeup done, I Facetimed my mom," Danielle said. "She was like, 'Why are you so dressed up? What's going on?' We literally hadn't told anyone what was going on. We Facetimed

Jason Bradley and Colin Tomblin / Photos by Kayla Baptista Photography

his parents, my parents and his brother. We were able to share the moment even though they weren't there." The two loved how it turned out— maybe even more than the original plan. "It was very difficult for a few days to swallow that pill that everything we had been planning would not be happening like we originally thought," Danielle said. "But what we had was a beautiful emotional connection for just the two of us that now I don't think I ever would want to change. It wasn't as much pressure. It was very enjoyable for the two of us. We were both able to relax through it." They will still host a reception, hopefully in September, to celebrate with family and friends. Sexton said they decided to hire a videographer so they could share the footage at the reception. Danielle thinks their wedding set a trend. "I've seen more and more of my friends who were scheduled to get married in the past couple of weeks do something similar," Danielle said. "I felt like we were inspiration, like, 'The party can still go on.'"

A SWEET SURPRISE

Sexton helped save another important event for Alabama couple Jason Bradley and Colin Tomblin.

Bradley had planned to propose to Tomblin in Paris. "She turned out to be the queen of event planning, so she helped me pull off this elaborate proposal in just a matter of a few days," Bradley said of Sexton. Bradley wanted to propose near the date of Tomblin's 30th birthday. "It was easier to pull off the surprise around his birthday because he'd be less suspicious, I thought," Bradley said. "I was able to get some of our closest friends to come down and pull it off without giving away the surprise." "He was full of tears," Sexton said. "It was 100% a surprise, so it was sweet to watch." On the day of the proposal, Bradley sent Tomblin away with his brother to set up the décor at a beach house with a pool and deck. They spelled out "LOVE" in big letters with flowers. "When I got back, they put a blindfold on me so I couldn't see anything and walked me inside into one of the bedrooms," Tomblin said." He had an outfit laid out for me and told me to put it on and he'd come back and get me. Then led me downstairs and took me outside and they had a huge surprise." "We had a nice romantic beachside set-up with flowers and candles and a catered dinner," Bradley said. The two self-proclaimed "tech nerds" inweekly.net

love the beach and boating, so the setting was perfect. Many didn't even realize it was a backup plan—except Bradley, who had to overnight the tuxedos. "This proposal being at the beach was meant to be," Tomblin said. "Maybe Paris wasn't in the cards. I'm really happy with the way it turned out—more so than being away from my family and friends. Having that small group of close people with my two best friends and my brother and sisterin-law made everything great, especially around my birthday." Both dates Sexton saved were for "dream clients," she said. Danielle and Taylor's positive attitudes were inspiring. "So many are focused on the wedding and the party and not so much the marriage," Sexton said. "They're such a sweet couple. They just decided, 'Hey, we want

to get married even if it's just us and the photographer.' We just tried to make it as special as we could. They had a blast." She loved developing Bradley's vision in the new space, she said.

"IT CAME OUT REALLY BEAUTIFUL. AND HE SAID, 'YES,' AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. WE STAYED OUR 6 FEET APART, BUT WE WISHED THEM ALL THE BEST." CHLOE SEXTON "He had sent me some inspiration pictures, and we just came as close as we could being so close to the date," Sexton said. "It came out really beautiful. And he said, 'Yes,' and it was so much fun. We stayed our 6 feet apart, but we wished them all the best." {in}

A CREATIVE QUESTION

Photos by Michael Daw

When we started looking for quarantine love stories, we quickly discovered that one of our own, former Inweekly graphic designer Michael Daw, had recently gotten engaged. And he's an all-around creative, so of course, it wasn't your average proposal. Daw and his fiancé, Alexa Reed, both love Legos—so much so that she had mini figures created in their likeness. He decided to build his proposal around that shared hobby—literally. Daw built an engagement ring box out of Legos for the proposal, and the couple used the mini figures for their engagement photos. "I was planning on proposing to Alexa on our four-year anniversary, COVID or no COVID. I became worried when, two days May 21, 2020

before the date, the Lego bricks I ordered to build a box for her engagement ring had not arrived," he said. "We're not the type of Lego builders you see on Fox's 'Lego Masters.' We're very by the book. So I got creative and put together a ring box using the bricks we had lying around the house—many of which were leftover pieces from all of the sets we have built together, and I proposed, at home in front of our pets," he said. "It only made sense to use our mini figures as stand-ins for our engagement photos." Even though making wedding planning might be a little difficult right now, the couple are sure about one thing—their honeymoon. They're planning a weeklong tour of the Lego factory in Denmark.

A heartfelt thank you to all healthcare workers, law enforcement personnel, government officials, and other essential workers for keeping the Pensacola community healthy and safe. W E ARE

#PENSACOLASTRONG

BREWING GOOD STUFF

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Phil Zayas / Photo by Liz Painter at HatchMark Studio

Bars and nightclubs were one of the first things to close to help fight the spread of COVID-19. And sadly, it's looking like they will be one of the last things to fully reopen. But as any craft beer lover already knows, most breweries were able to adapt quickly and have been selling their goods curbside, online and even delivery some days. They already sell their beers in cans and bottles, after all. During the lulls—curbside orders only bring in so much business—local breweries have found other ways to fill

their time and help the community in the process. Odd Colony held a food drive for the students at Montclair Elementary who depend on the school system for meals. Perfect Plain designed and sold Save Pensacola Beer T-shirts to support their staff as well as employees at other breweries in the city. As of mid-May, that project has raised more than $5,000 and helped 15 different craft beer employees.* The team at Perfect Plain also made hand sanitizer and facilitated the donation of more than 100 beers to Baptist Hospital

The Nelson family said hello to their newest member, Lane, on April 6, but because of quarantine, everything was different. No visitors were allowed at the hospital—same with her homecoming. Family members who came by to meet Lane had to do so through a glass door. As if bringing home a newborn during a pandemic wasn't stressful enough, during a storm on April 24, a massive oak tree fell on their home, causing damage to the laundry room and patio. But instead of focusing on the negative, Kim Nelson is feeling grateful, in part because family friend and photographer Haley Pierce came by and took photos of the new baby and family from their porch and safely behind windows. Seeing those images was exactly what Kim needed to stay positive. "When we received the photos from Haley, it was an overwhelming feeling of, 'This is what really matters,'

not that our house and yard are a mess or that my parents are having to do our laundry like we're in college again," she told Inweekly. "What matters is that our family is safe—safe from the virus, safe from a tree that could've been deadly. Haley made me switch my mindset of stress and chaos to appreciation and overflowing amounts of love that only pictures of your smiling, happy kids can do to you. I'll forever be grateful to her and what she captured that day." {in}

N E W PICTURE PERFECT S ONLY ISSUE

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By Jeremy Morrison

frontline workers. They also used their curbside set-up to help Pensacola Mask Sewers sell their masks. Continuing the trend of breweries doing good is one of Pensacola's newest brewing establishment—Emerald Republic Brewing. Throughout the pandemic, they have been providing water from their facility to assist anyone who is having difficulty obtaining clean, pure water. "I can't tell you how many gallons we've given out," said owner Phil Zayas. "It's been quite a lot." Zayas noticed water was among sold out goods during the initial rush of pandemic panic buying. Then he learned one of his friends was having trouble finding the pure, or distilled, water she needed for making her baby's specialized formula. Tap water typically has an array of impurities in it, like calcium, magnesium or sodium. Zayas said his tap water tests were in the 95 ppm range, meaning it contained 95 parts per million of dissolved solids. Running water through a carbon filter, Zayas explained, basically removes stuff that affects smell and taste. But it still tests at about 88 ppm for dissolved solids. This is why Zayas has chosen to run the water he uses at Emerald Republic through a reverse osmosis system. This process employs pressure and removes contaminants by running the water through a semi-permeable membrane. "Basically, it's pure water," Zayas said, relaying a ppm reading of one. This process is good for brewing beer because it allows Zayas to rid his water of foreign contaminates and then add in ingredients that allow batches to be

matched to that of a given brewing region. But this process also produces water pure enough to be useful for things like specialized baby formula. When Zayas learned his friend was in need of pure, clean water, he realized that people were also probably needing it for other stuff, too, like for use in medical devices, where the contaminants in regular tap would be problematic. "I said, you know, I bet there's other people like that," Zayas said. And so, in addition to brewing beer, for now, Emerald Republic is also providing clean water for those who need it. They're asking for a dollar for every five gallons in order to pay for the salt involved in the reverse osmosis process. "If you or someone you know are in genuine need of water for your home, please come see us. We got your back," read the brewery's announcement of the offer on Facebook. "Let's all be cool to one another. We only have each other in this fight. Be smart. Be careful. Above all, be kind to one another." {in} Make sure you follow these local breweries for updates on their community efforts and information on fresh beer releases, too, of course: •facebook.com/emeraldrepublicbrewing •facebook.com/oddcolony •facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco *There are still some funds available from the Save Pensacola Beer T-shirt fundraiser. You can nominate someone by emailing dc@perfectplain.com. All information is kept confidential.

Photo by Haley Pierce inweekly.net

BLESSED. THANKFUL. GRATEFUL. We thank our patients for allowing us to care for them. We thank our team members for their amazing and tireless work. We thank our health care community and public officials for uniting with us to fight this pandemic together. We thank all our neighbors and friends for their efforts to flatten the curve. Stay safe, neighbors. We’ll get through this together!

Baptist Hospital / Gulf Breeze Hospital / Jay Hospital / Andrews Institute / Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute Lakeview Center / Baptist Medical Park – Airport / Baptist Medical Park – Nine Mile / Baptist Medical Park – Navarre Baptist Medical Park – Pace / Baptist Medical Group / Baptist Health Care Foundation

eB A PT I ST H E A LT H C A R E . O R G

May 21, 2020

COMPANIES THAT CARE THE

G O O D N E W S ONLY ISSUE

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a domino effect of difficult circumstances for just about everyone. But it's true that bad situations can bring out the good in people. And plenty of local businesses and organizations have been proving that to be true by stepping up to help those in need. Here's a roundup of just a few of the nice things we've seen and heard about in the past few weeks.

#HOTELSFORHEROES Innisfree

Hotels announced in mid-April that it was going to donate up to 6,300 room nights to frontline medical professionals leading the fight against COVID-19. The initiative is part of a partnership with Hilton and American Express to donate up to one million hotel room nights across the United States. For their part, Innisfree has been working with local organizations who represent health care workers in Pensacola, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City Beach and Sarasota to make rooms available without charge for doctors, nurses, EMTs, paramedics and other frontline medical staff who need a place to sleep, recharge or isolate from their families through the end of May. "In the spirit of hospitality, Innisfree is opening our doors to medical workers and first responders who are courageously and selflessly serving on the frontlines of the Gulf Coast," said Ted Ent, president and CEO of Innisfree Hotels. "The concept of helping those who help us has long been ingrained in our company culture, so the decision to join Hilton in providing relief for thousands of medical staff enduring long hours under challenging circumstances was an easy one," Ent explained.

BEAR FAMILY FOUNDATION DONATES TO THE MANNA CARES CAMPAIGN The Bear Fam-

ily Foundation together with Bud Light Seltzer recently made a $50,000 contribution to the Manna Cares Campaign—

a fundraiser benefiting Manna Food Bank. The family foundation, which has supported Manna's mission for several years, made the gift in support of Manna's COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. "The front of our building reads 'Bear Family Foundation Center for Hope' for good reason," said Manna Executive Director DeDe Flounlacker. "The Bears' generous gifts provide hope to so many people in need in our community. This donation will allow us to provide the equivalent of 30,000 meals to folks who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 crisis." In response to the effects of coronavirus, Manna has focused on supporting the needs of at-risk, vulnerable populations served pre-COVID-19, as well as those who suddenly find themselves unemployed or with reduced hours and have unmet needs. As a result, Manna has nearly doubled the amount of food distributed to accommodate the needs of our community. Manna is also facing the challenges of canceled and postponed food drives and the postponement of the nonprofit's annual fundraiser. For more information on the Manna Cares Campaign, including ways to donate, visit mannahelps.org.

GULF POWER DECREASES MAY BILLS With approval from the

Florida Public Service Commission, Gulf Power offered a one-time decrease of approximately 40% for the typical residential customer bill beginning May 1. Business customers will also see a significant one-time decrease of approximately 40-55% in May, depending on usage and rate class. "We are pleased that the Florida Public Service Commission has approved our request to deliver this savings to our customers when they need it most. We felt that this was the right thing to do, especially during times like these," said Gulf Power President

Marlene Santos. "Our customers and communities now more than ever count on the reliable and affordable energy we deliver, and we are pleased that May bills will reflect this additional, significant savings for our customers."

INTERNATIONAL PAPER DONATES TO FEEDING THE GULF COAST International Paper

heard of a community need from Feeding the Gulf Coast for boxes to help with their COVID-19 hunger relief efforts. They answered that need quickly with a truckload of 11,000 boxes. "Feeding the Gulf Coast is extremely thankful for the donation of 11,000 boxes from International Paper to support our COVID-19 hunger relief efforts," said Stefanie Bencsath, Foundation and Grants manager for Feeding the Gulf Coast. "These boxes will help us feed families at limited-contact food distributions. Along the Central Gulf Coast, one in six individuals experiences hunger. Because of the current crisis, many more families are now struggling to make ends meet. Together with International Paper's support, Feeding the Gulf Coast is committed to serving children, families and seniors in our community who need help with food." "International Paper produces products that people depend on every day, and we are happy they will be put to good use by Feeding the Gulf Coast to provide valuable services," said Whitney Fike, Communications Manager, International Paper.

DUH FOR GARDEN AND HOME SELLS T-SHIRTS FOR GULF COAST KID'S HOUSE To give

back to the community, DUH for Garden and Home created a limited-edition T-shirt to benefit the Gulf Coast Kid's House, with 100% of the profits going to support GCKH's work in the intervention, investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases. This fundraiser started in late April, during Child Abuse

Awareness and Prevention Month, when GCKH had to cancel fundraising events.

PENSACOLA POLICE PARTNERS WITH AGENCIES TO DISTRIBUTE MEALS Last month,

Pensacola Police Department, in partnership with Manna Food Pantries, Pensacola EggFest and Mayor Grover Robinson, along with Commissioner Lumon May and Chief Deputy Chip Simmons distributed 3,880 meals to over 100 families in our community. In a Facebook post, the department acknowledged the good deed only serves a fraction of the need. "That's why we will continue to engage with partners that are leading with a mission of providing back to our community."

GULF WINDS CREDIT UNION DONATES HAZMAT SUITS TO FIRST RESPONDERS With PPE

in high-demand, and first responders working harder than ever, Gulf Winds Credit Union saw an opportunity to give back in a very helpful way. Last month, they donated hazmat suits to Escambia County Fire Rescue. The credit union also delivered dozens of gallons of hand sanitizer to first responders and volunteered at Manna Food Pantries.

COX COMMUNICATIONS HELPS PEOPLE CONNECT

With students at home through the school year, Cox has extended free Connect2Compete service, the company's low-cost internet offer for families with a K-12 student at home, until July 15. Remote service support was also extended to ensure ease of implementation while students continue to learn at home during the coronavirus pandemic. For more information, visit cox.com/c2c. Cox is also working with Covenant Care to help patients connect with their families remotely. All over the country, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities have shut the

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BRANCH LOCATIONS PENSACOLA 5061 N. 12th Av 89 S. Alcaniz St. 236 W. Garden St 2627 Creighton Road

GULF BREEZE 3301 Gulf Breeze Parkway MILTON 5224 Stewart Street

www.truist.com May 21, 2020

door to visitors. This leaves patients separated from their loved ones, socially isolated and struggling with depression, anxiety and loneliness. Through the partnership, Cox Communications has provided a $10,000 grant to Covenant Care, enough to purchase 71 Amazon shows and 45 PhotoShare Frames to allow families to stay connected. "What we're trying to do is bring people together at a time we have to be apart," said Jeff Mislevy, president and CEO of the nonprofit Covenant Care. "This grant from Cox Communications will help make it possible for us to connect families at a time when it's difficult to do that in person." Others who wish to support this program can do so by visiting choosecovenant.org.

NAVIGATOR CREDIT UNION RAISING MONEY FOR FEEDING THE GULF COAST Food banks are

facing a great demand during the pandemic. In March, for example, Manna Food Pantries distributed 44,914 pounds of food—63% more than they did in March last year. Donations are in need, so Navigator Credit Union started an online fundraiser for Feeding the Gulf Coast. To give to their campaign, visit app.mobilecause.com/vf/ncu.

#CREDITUNIONSCARECHALLENGE Earlier this month, Members

First announced that it joined the #CreditUnionsCareChallenge, which is an initiative that empowers its employees to support locally-owned businesses by giving them a minimum of $25 each to do a good deed in their community by supporting a local restaurant or small business. On Friday, May 1, Members First distributed close to $2,000 to its employees to spend with local businesses by the end of the week. As a local credit union serving members across Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, Members First understands the vital role small businesses play in fueling the local economy. "As the impact of the coronavirus continues to unfold, we are deeply committed to serving our employees, members, local businesses and communities through these difficult times and beyond—and we realize they need our support right now," said Members First CEO Caryl Greene. "We are rooted in our communities and wanted to find a meaningful way to let local businesses know we are still here for them. This initiative is two-fold as it helps those businesses who keep our local economy strong while empowering our employees to give back to their community in a way that is meaningful and safe at the same time."

"ART FOR THE UPSIDE" In re-

sponse to the impact of COVID-19 on the Pensacola community, HatchMark Studio launched "Art for the Upside." For the project, they designed a collection of apparel and merchandise with the tagline "Pensacola Strong" and are donating the profits to local organizations in need. The first organization they chose to partner with is Manna Food Pantries. To see the project and purchase a piece, visit hatchmarkstudio.com/art-for-the-upside. 616 1

FREE LUNCHES—YES, FREE More than a few local restaurants stepped up and helped feed kids in need during the school closures caused by the pandemic. Joe’s Caribe, Costello’s Butcher Shop and Beef ‘O’ Brady’s on Nine Mile Road are some we know of, as well as Dharma Blue— who serves lunch outside of their downtown restaurant most weeks on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m as part of their partnership with The American Lunch food truck. GENERAL ELECTRIC RENEWABLE ENERGY Normally, the factory in

Pensacola is a major manufacturer of wind turbine products, but during the pandemic, the company began using its onsite 3D printer to make plastic face shields that will extend the life of the N95 masks used by local health care workers. The factory is currently printing 24 N95 mask shields a day, which are being donated to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital.

FLORIDAWEST FACILITATES GRANT PROGRAM In April, small busi-

nesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Escambia County were able to apply for $2,500 grants, thanks to the efforts of FloridaWest and its CEO Scott Luth, who solicited the help of the Greater Pensacola Chamber, the UWF Small Business Development Center, City of Pensacola and Escambia County to put together the program. The Escambia County Commission unanimously approved investing $100,000 in the grant program, and the city has put up $25,000.

GULF WINDS CREDIT UNION The

credit union committed $100,000 through its Gulf Winds Cares Program to combat COVID-19. Of that money, they donated $65,000 to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital 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.

SOUTHERN YOUTH SPORTS ASSOCIATION Easter weekend, the youth

sports association partnered with retired NFL player Josh Sitton and former professional boxer Roy Jones Jr. to host an Easter "Grab-N-Go" parade with an army of maskand glove-wearing volunteers. Cars lined up for goodie bags filled with Easter treats, free boxed lunches and fresh produce.

UWF LABORATORY MAKES 3D-PRINTED FACE SHIELDS To

address the shortage of frontline supplies for health care workers, the University of West Florida's Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory started producing full-face shields that will be distributed free in the local community. "I think equipment like this and the masks that are being produced by manufacturing partners around the community will really go a long way in helping us to at least mitigate the situation at hand," said Nicole Gislason, interim assistant vice president of the UWF Haas Center. {in} inweekly.net

STAYING HOME FOREVER During the past two months, as folks adapted to washing their hands and staying inside as much as possible, an unexpected trend arose—more adoptions and fewer euthanizations of adoptable animals. Nationwide, many shelters and rescues saw their numbers of homeless dogs and cats steadily decline as house-bound Americans reached out for companionship during uncertain times. Our local shelters were fortunately a part of this trend, with the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter emptying completely one lucky Thursday afternoon a week before the state stay-at-home order started. In addition to adoptions, lots of those pets were taken home as part of foster programs just to keep them safe while the shelters were closed. But "foster fails" happen all the time, and we had a feeling staying home 24/7 would lead to some serious bonding that couldn't be undone. So we reached out to a few people who fostered quarantine pets to see if we were right.

KEEPING DOBBY

When longtime pet foster Kaitlyn Johnson of Gulf Breeze brought a scruffy, underweight pup into her home in the middle of the pandemic, she knew that the friendly boxer-mix with the oversized ears would fit right into the pack. Dobby was introduced to Zopo, Johnson's pointer mix, and Nala, her Lab/golden retriever mix. As far as she could tell, she was right.

"I've been fostering with Escambia County Animal Shelter for about six years now," said Johnson. "However, with Dobby it was different. From day one, he just fit in so extraordinarily well. I've never had a foster animal who just made himself at home so completely. He gained weight quickly, and his cut was healing wonderfully. And for the first time ever, I was dreading taking him back to the shelter. I think that's when I realized that he had already found his forever home." Johnson, a teacher and coach at Navarre High School, saw this time at home as an opportunity to put in the work needed to properly train a puppy. "He figured out potty training within a week," Johnson said. "My favorite thing about him is that he has so much love to give for every person and animal he meets."

WHAT'S UP DOC

Pace resident Jenny Harp-Hoyt had a similar experience when she came upon Doc, a Lab/hound mix who the shelter guessed was approximately 4 to 6 years old. Harp-Hoyt was beginning to settle into a more home-centric life helping her daughter with her online classes and working fewer hours when she figured now was as good a time as any to foster a dog. "Doc was an owner surrender in Mobile County," said Harp-Hoyt. "He was very timid and frightened when I picked him up, very emaciated and untrusting." Harp-Hoyt said that the plan to

By Sydney Robinson

foster—not adopt—went out the window almost immediately. "After seeing how frightened he was and how he started to warm up to us after a few days, we decided to adopt because we couldn't bear the thought of him having to start over with a new family." The choice to adopt an animal is a years-long commitment, and Harp-Hoyt shared both the pros and cons of bringing a new dog into your home during an uncertain time. "For some, this time of isolation is met with relief and as an opportunity to shift focus to time with family or self-focus," Harp-Hoyt said. "For others, not being able to work or leave the house is frightening. I think as long as everyone is on board, you have patience and your stress level is low, this is an amazing time to bring a furry friend into your home." {in}

Emma Sontag

Lots of things have happened, and perhaps more importantly not happened, since "flattening the curve" became the new normal. Most are things that will likely come around again, so it's easy to get over one "off" year—like birthdays and anniversaries. But some of the bigger life events are a little harder to swallow, like high school graduation. And even though we admit it totally sucks to miss out on that major life moment (and the fun stuff that comes with it, like senior skip day—that's still a thing, right?) there is a kind of May 21, 2020

"In the beginning it was surreal," Emma said. "School going virtual didn't really mean anything. It was March and I wasn't even thinking about graduation yet." But as the days of quarantine stretched, the idea of postponing graduation quickly became reality. "It's just kind of crazy that you're in the home stretch and the moment you've been

HELLO DAVY Missi and Adam wel-

comed Davy Love into the world April 21. "We experienced a lot of fear of the unknown while waiting for Davy to be born. We never expected to have a baby in the midst of a pandemic. However, our experience at the hospital was exceptional. The labor and delivery nursing staff at Baptist Hospital were professional, kind and reassuring. Our experience at home has been pure joy. Some days, we have to shift our expectations, but overall, we're just so thankful to have a happy and healthy little girl," Missi told Inweekly.

VIRTUAL ADOPTIONS

Pandemic or not, animals will always need homes as more are born into our community every day. So if you're thinking about getting a pet, don't let the pandemic stop you. Most area shelters are up-and-running in some capacity and have adoptable pets you can browse virtually: •myescambia.com/our-services/animalservices/animal-shelter •santarosa.fl.gov/405/search-adoptable-pets •pensacolahumane.org/pet-gallery

CONGRATS TO THE CLASS OF COVID 2020 cool upside if you're willing to think long-term. Imagine if you will, you're at a party in the year 2040 and everyone starts reminiscing about high school and you get to say, "Well, I graduated the year of the coronavirus…" People will automatically remember this crazy time and be interested in your story. It might not be a super happy story, but it will be a story. And everyone loves a good story, especially if it involves overcoming an obstacle. Of course, that's just one way to look at it. We wanted to know how an actual graduate was feeling right now. So we asked former Inweekly staffer Sammi Sontag to talk to her sister Emma, who's 18 and a graduating senior at Gulf Breeze High School. Thankfully, they both said yes and gave us this little glimpse into the mindset and plans of the class of 2020.

Davy Love

looking forward to for all four years is ending like this," Emma said. That hole in the hearts of the class of 2020 has slowly patched itself, though, as they gear up for virtual celebrations and new (but pending) ceremony dates in late June or early July. "I am excited that my school is doing everything it can to give us a graduation," she said. Another senior milestone that got lost in the wave of the pandemic is prom. Though a small piece of the overall high school experience, it's still something Emma and friends don't want to miss out on. So they've decided to throw a "social distance prom" for close friends, complete with dresses, a DJ (who goes by the name Spotify) and lots of breathing room, of course. "I'm honestly really excited for my friends and I to do our own thing. The truth is, you can't recreate these events, but I think it's better to take your mind off the situation and do something unique," Emma said. And we couldn't agree more. The class of 2020 are definitely going to have some one-of-akind stories to tell. {in}

Mary Hartshorn / Photo By Grant Tyson

MARY MASTERS IT "I finished my MSA (Master of Science in Administration) during the pandemic, and it took me two years to complete. No big celebration was had, but I did cry and then popped a bottle of Prosecco with my boyfriend to celebrate. I had a big cookout planned with my family and friends, but that will wait until we can all be together again. For now, just not having those always present deadlines is good enough for me," Mary Hartshorn told Inweekly.

Claney Outzen

WHAT AN HONOR You have to love when good news happens close to home. Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen's youngest daughter, Claney, was named UWF's Outstanding Psychology BS Student of 2020. "Who would have thought completely changing my life course would lead to some of my most fulfilling work yet?" she said in a celebratory Instagram post—which we immediately and enthusiastically doubletapped, of course. 17

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a&e happenings the course every 15 minutes. Players are encouraged to bring their own discs or to purchase a three-disk starter pack from the Blue Wahoos for $25. Disc rental is not available in accordance with safety and sanitation recommendations. Players should enter through the main gates at Blue Wahoos Stadium and visit the Bait & Tackle Store behind home plate to register. A scorecard and course map will be provided to each player. For more information, visit bluwahoos.com.

Attending "normal" events might not be happening yet—but that doesn't mean local businesses and nonprofits aren't still planning ahead and keeping the community connected in creative ways.

≥KEEP PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL ME-

MORIAL DAY BEACH CLEANUP Keep Pensacola Beautiful's annual Memorial Day Beach Cleanup is Monday, May 25, from 3-5 p.m. at Park East, 1233 Fort Pickens Road. Due to COVID-19, hand sanitizer and gloves will be available, and participants will be following social distancing protocol. Please remember to bring sunscreen, a water bottle and a face mask for your protection. For more information, visit keeppensacolabeautiful.org.

≥BLUE WAHOOS AND BUBBA WATSON OPEN STADIUM DISC GOLF COURSE The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and team coowner Bubba Watson have partnered to bring disc golf to Blue Wahoos Stadium. The course covers the entirety of the stadium and is open to the public from noon-8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $5 per player per round. Children ages 6-12, seniors, military members and first responders will receive a $1 admission discount. Children 5 and under receive free admission with a paid adult. To ensure the safety of participants and in adherence with COVID-19 guidelines, new groups will be allowed to begin playing

≥COLLECTION UNCORKED: AT HOME The Pensacola

Museum of Art has teamed up with Wine with Hilary Shaffer and Pot Roast & Pinot to bring their popular "Collection Uncorked" wine tasting into your home. Collection Uncorked invites visitors to learn more about our permanent collection through curated wine and art pairings. Chief Curator Anna Wall and Shaffer, a certified specialist of wine, are collaborating to match works of art with wines whose flavor profile or origins complement the art, artist or subject matter. This limited-edition curated box of three wines allows you to recreate the experience at home. Inside, you'll find reproductions of the works of art with narratives to guide you on your journey. Each box is $65. Order by noon on Wednesday of each week and pick up at Pot Roast & Pinot the following Saturday. For more information, visit potroastpinot.com/ product/collectionuncorked.

≥

OPERA CAMP AT HOME Pensacola Opera's 15th annual summer camp is coming to you this June. The "Opera Camp at Home" brings the magic of theatre and music to children ages 6 to 14, filled with supplies and activity guides to help you put on a show from the comfort of your living room, backyard, or wherever you'd like. Activities include learning a choreographed dance, writing your own opera scene and learning how to do stage makeup. Once you've received your kit, follow along with the "Opera Camp at Home"

activity calendar June 22-26, and share your adventures online. Register each child at mailchi.mp/pensacolaopera/operacamp. Once registered, call the Opera Center at 433-6737 to purchase your kit ($50 each). Your kit will be mailed by June 15, or you can pick it up from the Opera Center on June 15 or 16. For more information, visit pensacolaopera.com.

≥PENSACOLA CINEMA ART VIRTUAL SHOWINGS The theatre is still closed, but

Pensacola Cinema Art (PCA) is making sure you can stream select independent films and support a local nonprofit from the comfort of your own home. The films they are screening change often and are not available on streaming services like Netflix. Films streaming starting Friday, May 22, include "The Painter and the Thief" and "Military Wives." Customers can view films with a one-time fee through links on the PCA website. Half of the proceeds will go to the theatre. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com to see what's streaming.

≥WE ARE ONE: A GLOBAL FILM FESTI-

VAL On Friday, May 29, visit youtube.com/ weareone for a free, online film festival. The festival will help the COVID -19 response fund through donations. Programming and events, including features, shorts, music and conversations, will be updated as we get closer to the start date. The digital festival will run for 10 days from May 29 through June 7. Participation from 20 major film festivals will be included—Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, Venice and many more. For more information, visit pensacolacinemaart.com.

≥ADOPT A PET VIRTUALLY FROM PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY The

Pensacola Humane Society (PHS) is now offering virtual adoptions for pets currently in foster care. Got to pensacolahumane.org to browse our available animals. Adoptable animals are viewable online, in real time. Email the foster coordinator using the contact information located in the animal's online bio to learn more about the animal and schedule a virtual meeting with the foster.

For those interested in moving forward with adoption, the foster parent will share a link to an online adoption request. Online adoption requests are accepted on a firstcome, first-served basis. Once a request is received, a PHS adoptions counselor will reach out as soon as possible to schedule an over-the-phone or video counseling session. Adoption requirements are the same as for in-person adoptions. To view the requirements, visit the PHS website at pensacolahumane.org and click on Virtual Adoptions.

≥

VIRTUAL PRENATAL YOGA For all the moms-to-be who need some comfort, check out the virtual prenatal yoga series from Maggie Doyle Yoga. Sign up for individual classes or a series at maggiedoyleyoga.com.

≥PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA "VIRTUALLY TOGETHER" Be sure

to follow Pensacola Symphony Orchestra on Facebook to see videos of orchestra musicians performing special works from their homes. One of the latest videos is from Violinist Molly Hollingsworth who selected "Berceuse" by French composer Gabriel Fauré. To watch, visit facebook.com/pensacolasymphony.

≥SUPPORT BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS WITH A SPECIAL EDITION PUZZLE In an effort to send some joy at this time, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star collaborated with acclaimed artist Jeff Rogers to design and produce a custom 200-piece "Together" puzzle to send to each one of our Littles. For every puzzle you purchase, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will send one to a Little and their family for free. Each puzzle is $35, and the Northwest Florida agency will receive $15 of each purchase. When you purchase, visit bbbs.org/puzzle and make sure to recognize Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida as your local agency.

≥CALL FOR ARTISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PIECES ADRIFT ART SHOW Keep

Pensacola Beautiful is recruiting artists to participate in their Pieces Adrift Art Show and Silent Auction. Pieces Adrift is a Keep Pensacola Beautiful programming fundraiser and pollution awareness event. Artists are

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Adoption • Paternity • Dependency/DCF Hearings Prenuptial Agreements • Postnuptial Agreements Divorce • Child Custody and Timesharing Child Support • Child Support Modifications Alimony • Collaborative Divorce • Divorce Mediation • Pre-Suit Family Law Mediation

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welcome to participate with any level of experience, whether hobbyist or professional. Each piece submitted should be comprised of at least 50% litter. Due to COVID-19, KPB recommends using your discretion when picking up litter off the ground. Art pieces may also be created using trash from your home. Artists may also pick through sorted bins of trash at the KPB office left over from last year. "Pieces Adrift is a creative and unique way to unite the community in achieving a common goal—making Pensacola a beautiful place to live, work and play. It brings awareness to the perpetuating issue of litter and ocean pollution on our beaches and roadways. By repurposing trash as art, we hope to inspire our community to be mindful of what and how they throw it away," says Madelyn Newton, Marketing and Development VISTA. For more information, please email marketing@keeppensacolabeautiful.org.

≥UWF LOOKING FOR SONGS OF IM-

PACT University of West Florida is calling all

artists—songwriters, musicians and change makers—to share their words of wisdom and inspiration in a music and video contest that brings to life the unyielding spirit of #ArgoNation. If you have words of encouragement, put them to a song and share them. One lucky winner will receive free studio recording time at WUWF, the opportunity to perform at UWF Homecoming and a UWF Bookstore gift card. For more information, visit uwf.edu/go/ songs-of-impact.

≥BIKE PENSACOLA SHARES SLOW RIDE ROUTES If you're missing the month-

ly slow rides, here's a chance to enjoy the routes. Bike Pensacola is sharing slow ride maps from popular events. Find the maps on Facebook at facebook.com/bikepensacola. You will still to need to adhere to safety and social distancing guidelines.

≥EVER'MAN CLASSES ON FACEBOOK LIVE Learn to make healthy and delicious

drinks with Jordan Zeman of Honey Wholesome in the Ever'man kitchen every month on Facebook Live. The tutorials are scheduled for the fourth Friday of the month at 11 a.m. Register for free on Eventbrite. You can also give quarantine cooking a boost with an online cooking class with Becca Fritschle at 11 a.m. on the first Friday of the month. The next class is Friday, June 5. And the Backyard Bohemian, Sherry Brubaker, will be doing classes the second Friday of the month. Next class is June 12. Visit facebook.com/evermancoop for more information.

≥STUDER COMMUNITY INSTITUTE WEBINAR SERIES Looking for some

professional enrichment while staying at home? These SCI webinars are exactly what you need. One is called "Leveraging the Power of Digital Relationships" and features Executive Communication Coach Dr. Ian Turnipseed with The Speech Improvement Company. He will share communication tactics to help you achieve both internal and external goals.

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The other is a two-part series happening May 27 and June 10 called "Self-Awareness—A Better You, A Better Business with Quint Studer." For more information, visit facebook.com/ studerinstitute.

≥OPERALIVE Pensacola Opera is keeping

patrons connected through their new online series OperaLIVE. Episodes typically include things like interviews and performances with artists, plus appearances by Pensacola Opera staff. For updates on new episodes or to watch past ones, visit facebook.com/pensacolaopera. You can also subscribe to their channel on YouTube.

≥PENSACOLA MESS HALL Pensacola

MESS Hall has launched a digital page called MESS Hall To Go. On it they are sharing hands-on science explorations you can enjoy at home. They are also hosting Virtual Field Trips via Zoom. The interactive experiences are open to all, but preregistration is required. For more information and register for an upcoming field trip, visit pensacolamesshall.org.

≥PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

PROJECTS Pensacola Children's Museum is posting weekly downloadable projects on their website. So far, topics have ranged from rockets to jellyfish to computer coding. All past projects are still available online. Visit historicpensacola.org and click on the Children's Museum under the Plan Your Visit tab to find them.

≥

POSTER CONTEST Earth Day Pensacola has rescheduled its annual event for the fall, and organizers are inviting students from grades four-six to enter one of two poster contests: •A 30th anniversary poster contest to celebrate Pensacola's participation in Earth Day for the last 30 years •A 50th anniversary poster contest to celebrate the global anniversary of Earth Day, which was first held in 1970 Posters for 30th anniversary must be Pensacola-themed and include something about it being the 30-year anniversary. Posters for 50th anniversary must be globally-themed and include something about it being the 50-year anniversary. Entries for both contests must be ecologically themed/based. Artists can only enter one contest. The deadline to submit posters is 4 p.m. Friday, July 31. Artists must be a student in Escambia or Santa Rosa County to enter. The poster design must be able to print to a size of 11 inches x 17 inches and have a four-color design limit. Entries are accepted via email. For the 30th contest, email Marsha at rivermk37@ gmail.com, and for the 50th contest, email Mary at earthethicsaction@gmail.com. The first-place prize for each contest is a framed poster with a $50 gift card. Second and third places received unframed posters with $25 and $15 gift cards, respectively. {in} inweekly.net

Good News for Small Businesses entrepreneur hub

To provide a helping hand to those businesses who are struggling, all SCI trainings and events were offered free of charge in April.

The Spring Entrepreneur Hub is a program of Studer Community Institute and exists to empower, connect and grow small businesses in the Pensacola area.

Since the start of 2020, our Leadership Development programs and services are making a bigger impact than ever before:

The Spring focuses on bringing aid to local small businesses in Escambia and Santa Rosa County.

Webinars and expert advice

3,000+

HOURS OF TRAINING

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At Studer Community Institute, our mission as a 501(c)3 nonprofit is to improve the quality of life for people. While COVID-19 has changed the way we fulfill our mission, it hasn’t changed the need. May 21, 2020

free will astrology WEEK OF MAY 21 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): "Excellence does not require perfection," wrote Aries author Henry James. Now I'm conveying this brilliant counsel to you—just in time for the season when it will make good sense to strive for shining excellence without getting bogged down in a debilitating quest for perfection. Have fun re-committing yourself to doing the best you can, Aries, even as you refuse to be tempted by the unprofitable lure of absolute purity and juvenile forms of idealism.

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we must be interested in politics." In my opinion, her advice is always applicable to all of us, but it's especially crucial for you to meditate on right now. You'll be wise to upgrade your interest and involvement in the big cultural and political developments that are impacting your personal destiny.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): To generate an ounce of pure cocaine, you must collect 52 pounds of raw coca leaf and work hard to transform it. But please don't do that. Fate won't be on your side if you do. However, I will suggest that you consider undertaking a metaphorically comparable process—by gathering a sizable amount of raw material or basic stuff that will be necessary to produce the small treasure or precious resource that you require.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): According to author and teacher Marianne Williamson, "Ego says, 'Once everything falls into place, I'll feel peace.' Spirit says, 'Find your peace, and then everything will fall into place.'" I think the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to take Williamson's advice seriously, Virgo. How? By giving control of your life to Spirit as you find your peace. In saying this, I'm not implying that Ego is bad or wrong. In fact, I think Ego is a crucial asset for you, and I'm hoping that in recent months you have been lifting your Ego to a higher, finer state of confidence and competence than ever before. But right now, I think you should authorize Spirit to run the show for a while. If you do, it will bless you with good surprises.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): "The very

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): "Snatching

least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for," writes author Barbara Kingsolver. "And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." According to my analysis of the astrological omens, that is exactly the work you should be doing right now, Gemini. Everything good that can and should happen for you in the coming months depends on you defining what you hope for and then doing whatever's necessary to live inside that hope.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): The

periodic arrivals of "natural disruption" in our everyday routines has a divine purpose, writes Yoruba priest Awó Falokun Fatunmbi. It is "to shake consciousness loose from complacency and rigid thinking." To be vital, he says, our perception of truth must be constantly evolving, and never stagnant. "Truth is a way of looking at self and World," Fatunmbi declares. "It is a state of being rather than an act of knowing." Many Westerners find this hard to understand because they regard truth as a "fixed set of rules or dogma," or as a body of "objective facts." But here's the good news: Right now, you Cancerians are especially receptive to Fatunmbi's alternative understanding of truth—and likely to thrive by adopting it.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Novelist and

113 Palafox Place

By Rob Brezsny

war correspondent Martha Gellhorn departed this life in 1998, but she articulated a message that's important for you to hear right now. She wrote, "People often say, with pride, 'I'm not interested in politics.' They might as well say, 'I'm not interested in my standard of living, my health, my job, my rights, my freedoms, my future or any future.'" Gelhorn added, "If we mean to keep control over our world and lives,

the eternal out of the desperately fleeting is the great magic trick of human existence." Playwright Tennessee Williams said that, and now I'm conveying his insight to you—just in time for you to dramatically embody it. According to my astrological analysis, you now have more power than usual to accomplish this magic trick—to create something permanent in the midst of the transitory; to make an indelible mark on a process that has previously been characterized by restless permutations; to initiate a bold move that you will forever remember and be remembered for.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): In the

course of his 73 years on the planet, Scorpio author Paul Valéry (1871–1945) wrote more than 20 books. But between the ages of 25 and 45, he passed through a phase he called the "great silence." During that time, he quit writing and published nothing. Afterward, he returned to his life's work and was nominated 12 times for a Nobel Prize. Although your own version of a great silence is less extreme than his, I'm happy to announce that you will emerge from it sooner than you imagine.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

I'm sad that my two favorite 19th-century poets were unfamiliar with each other's poetry. Walt Whitman was 11 years older than Emily Dickinson but didn't know her work. Dickinson had heard of Whitman but didn't read his stuff. Their styles were indeed very different—hers intimate, elliptical, psychologically acute; his expansive, gregarious, earthy. But they were alike in being the most innovative American poets of their time, and equally transgressive in their disregard for standard poetic forms. If there were such a thing as time travel, I'd send one of you Sagittarians back to set up

a meeting between them. Acts of innovative blending and creative unifying will be your specialties in the coming weeks.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): The fictional character Sherlock Holmes (born January 6, and thus a Capricorn) is a brilliant logician and acute observer who has astonishing crime-solving skills. On the other hand, according to his friend Dr. Watson, he "knows next to nothing" about "contemporary literature, philosophy and politics." So he's not a well-rounded person. He's smart in some ways, dumb in others. Most of us fit that description. We are both brilliant and ignorant; talented and inept; interesting and boring. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to hone and cultivate the less mature aspects of your own nature. I bet you'll reap rich rewards by doing so. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "Peo-

ple become like what they love," observed theologian St. Catherine of Siena. That'll be an interesting truth for you to meditate on in the coming weeks. I suspect you will attract experiences that are clear reflections of the kind of love you have cultivated and expressed for quite some time. You'll be blessed in ways similar to the ways you have blessed. You'll be challenged to face questions about love that you have not been dealing with. And here's a promise for the future—You'll have the opportunity to refine and deepen your approach to love so as to transform yourself into more of the person you'd like to become.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "Hu-

manity is a mystery," wrote author Fyodor Dostoevsky. "The mystery needs to be unraveled, and if you spend your whole life unraveling it, you haven't wasted your time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a complete human being." I love this tender perspective on the preciousness of the Great Riddle we're all immersed in. It's especially useful and apropos for you to adopt right now, Pisces, because you are undergoing an unusually deep and intense communion with the mystery. As you marinate, you shouldn't measure your success and good fortune by how much new understanding you have attained, but rather by how much reverence and gratitude you feel and how stirring your questions are. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Is there anything about your experience of the global pandemic that you enjoy? realastrology.com

freewillastrology.com

inweekly.net

news of the weird BRIGHT IDEAS Restaurants have adapted to local lockdowns with curbside and drivethru services, so it's no surprise that other businesses are following suit. Minx Gentlemen's Club in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is offering drive-thru pole dances and other entertainment in a makeshift outdoor space, according to The Sun. Dancers were showered with bills or grabbed their tips using a trash picker to reach into vehicles as patrons enjoyed the performances from the safety of their cars. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Little Darlings is offering completely nude driveup strip teases. "Guests can drive up to the front door, and we're going to have dancers separated by the 6-foot separation rule, and (customers) can enjoy a totally nude show right from the seat of their car," a Little Darlings spokesperson told KSNV. •Officials in Lund, Sweden, were concerned about people spreading coronavirus in the town's central park as they gathered for Walpurgis Night on April 30, a traditional celebration welcoming longer, warmer days that includes picnics and bonfires. So to discourage revelers, the town spread chicken manure all over the park. "This is a park where usually 30,000 people gather, but with COVID-19, this is now unthinkable," Mayor Philip Sandberg told Reuters. "We don't want Lund to become an epicenter for the spread of the disease. Even a small number of people still going to the park can become a big risk." NOT MEN FROM OUTER SPACE People in Washington's Puget Sound were startled on the evening of May 6 by a brilliant streak of light across the sky followed three minutes later by a loud explosion. "Huge boom that shook the house. It was the loudest boom I've ever heard," one witness in Brier reported, according to KOMO. The American Meteor Society investigated the many reports it fielded and determined the noise came from an exploding meteor entering Earth's atmosphere. The meteor may have been part of the annual Eta Aquarid meteor

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

shower, which occurs when Earth moves through the remnants of Halley's comet. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Before Quintin Henderson, 28, was released from Illinois' Cook County Jail on May 2, he made a deal with fellow inmate Jahquez Scott, 21. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Scott promised Henderson $1,000 for letting Scott assume his identity, according to jail authorities, and when Henderson's name was called, Scott stepped up, face mask in place, signed a few papers and walked away. It was when Henderson approached staff members a little while later and said he'd fallen asleep that officers realized there'd been a switch. Henderson, who was supposed to be released, is now being held on charges of aiding and abetting the escape of a felon, and Scott is still on the run. RESOURCEFUL Professor Peter Davies, 70, is an expert in tuberculosis at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital in England—and a lay leader of the Church of England. He admittedly also has a porn addiction, which caught up with him in late 2018, when it was discovered that Davies had been engaging in "inappropriate browsing activity" on his work computer—including viewing someone having sex with a horse and a dog. According to Metro News, Davies told the Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service: "In 2010 I made a confession to my wife. ... She put a filter on all my computers ... I had some counseling and I stopped for a period of two years. ... But when I came back to it, I realized that I was in really deep trouble." Davies was scheduled to go before the General Medical Council on March 11, which conceded that Davies had "shown insight and took some steps to remedy his conduct." {in}

The attorneys, and all the dedicated employees, of the Levin Papantonio law firm want to say that we are so proud to be part of such a wonderful community. In good times and bad, the understanding and support shown by all of our local residents is truly amazing.

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May 21, 2020

Independent News | May 21, 2020 | inweekly.net