Inweekly May 7 2020 Issue

Independent News | May 7, 2020 | Volume 21 | Number 19

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winners & losers 4

outtakes 5

news 6

And people die.

a&e

buzz

community board 14

11

8 publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

contact us info@inweekly.net

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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winners & losers

Ministry Village at Olive / Courtesy of Facebook

winners MINISTRY VILLAGE AT OLIVE The

ministry at Olive Baptist Church last weekend partnered with Patriot Emergency Response Team, a nonprofit humanitarian group from Quincy, to provide 30,000 pounds of fresh produce, frozen meat and dairy products to Pensacolians during the pandemic. The drive-thru food distribution handed out bags of food without any paperwork required.

BBB STUDENT ETHICS SCHOLARSHIPS The Better Business Bureau® Serv-

ing Northwest Florida Foundation announced the three recipients of the 2020 BBB Student Ethics Scholarships in District 1—Ella Griffith, a senior at Pensacola High School; Madeline Hall, a senior at Gulf Breeze High School; and Carter Lees, a senior at Milton High School. The program was created to recognize high school junior and senior students in the Florida panhandle that personify personal character and integrity and have made the choice to lead by following a moral compass. Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

THE MARKETING BAR The local

marketing firm has donated over 10,000 masks to law enforcement agencies and first responders with over 21 agencies in 16 states in response to the growing need for personal safety masks while combating COVID-19. Some of the beneficiaries include Pensacola Police Pensacola Fire, Milton Police, Santa Rosa County Sheriff, Escambia County Sheriff, Florida Highway Patrol, Feeding Gulf Coast, One More Child, Pensacola State College Police and NAS Police. The Marketing Bar will continue to accept donation requests while inventory is available. Complete the form at marketingbar.com to be considered.

THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF PENSACOLA

The club will celebrate its centennial this month. Organized on May 13, 1920, at the San Carlos Hotel, the club has been active in the Pensacola community throughout its existence and has members that are also representative of many Pensacola civic and community organizations. Over the last 100 years, the women have supported many causes and charities and provided help to over 700 local organizations. 44

losers GREYHOUND RACING Chief U.S.

District Judge Mark Walker issued a 55page ruling on April 27 that dismissed the lawsuit filed by the industry group Support Working Animals, Inc. and individual plaintiffs that challenged a 2018 constitutional amendment that set a Dec. 31, 2020, deadline for ending racing in Florida. The lawsuit had raised a series of issues under the U.S. Constitution, including that the ballot measure, known as Amendment 13, has led to an improper "taking" of property without adequate compensation.

PRAXSYN CORP. The Securities and

Exchange Commission announced charges against the West Palm Beach company and its CEO for allegedly issuing false and misleading press releases claiming the company was able to acquire and supply large quantities of N95 or similar masks to protect wearers from the COVID-19 virus. The SEC previously issued an order on March 26 temporarily suspending trading in the securities of Praxsyn. According to the SEC's complaint, Praxsyn issued press releases that it was negotiating the sale of millions of N95 masks and then claimed it had a large number of N95 masks on hand. Despite the claims, according to the complaint, Praxsyn never had any masks in its possession, any orders for masks or a single contract with any manufacturer or supplier to obtain masks.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES On April

29, a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out a ruling that said a decades-old Florida law, which requires that candidates who are in the same party as the governor appear first on the ballot, is unconstitutional. The panel said Democratic voters and allied organizations did not have legal standing to challenge the law. The appeals court vacated the ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker and ordered that he dismiss the case. In November, Walker ruled that the state law was unconstitutional because it "imposes a discriminatory burden on plaintiffs' voting rights."

CONNECT Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has pushed for a review of the management of Florida's unemployment claims system, alleging several audits have detailed more 600 issues with it. inweekly.net

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MISSING VOICES Missing from the discussions of how Escambia County deals with and recovers from COVID-19 have been the voices of those confined in nursing homes. We've heard nothing from those who have been sealed off from the friends and family for nearly two months. They've celebrated birthdays alone. They've missed hugs and kisses from those who love them. They've lost their lifelines to the world. And sadly, many of their families have been afraid to speak out publicly for them. Inweekly tried to be their voice and find out what was happening inside the nursing homes. As early as Monday, April 3, county officials knew Southern Oaks Care Center had residents and employees who tested positive for the deadly virus. The county stopped creating the daily situation reports when Inweekly began asking questions about cases in long-term care facilities. When the reports were produced again, the county had removed any mention of infected facilities. The Emergency Operations Center coverup has been baffling and possibly deadly. Had the county been more transparent, the eight lives lost in the longterm care facilities might have been saved. We might have gotten testing for residents and staff much earlier than Monday, April 20. There would have been pressure placed on the management of the facilities to follow CDC guidelines. Instead, the county administration stayed silent, hiding the problem from commissioners, city officials and the public, even though the county knew the nursing home employees were moving about the community. I was told the governor's office was adamant that no nursing homes were to be identified. Shouldn't the needs of the community have come first? The first loyalty of county officials should be to the people they serve, not Tallahassee, but few people in the current county administration seem to think that way. Blocked by the EOC, the newspaper tried other means to find out what was happening in local nursing homes. Inweekly sent emails to Southern Oaks asking for confirmation of

rumors the nursing had positive COVID-19 cases and got no response. The newspaper sent emails to other nursing home administrators asking for the status of their facilities. Again, no response. Finally, we figured out how to put together a public record request that uncovered emails that revealed several local nursing homes had COVID issues. Soon after we published that information, Gov. DeSantis began to release more detailed information about the facilities. The reports have shown us that nearly half of the residents at Southern Oaks have tested positive, and four have died. The Department of Health hasn't shared how the residents became infected, but many observers believe they were infected by staff, one of which has also died. Still, the picture of what's happening in our nursing homes is hazy. The daily reports from the Agency of Health Care Administration's Emergency Status System don't give us an accurate picture of COVID-19 in our long-term care facilities. Last week, Dr. John Lanza, the head of the health department in Escambia County, told the commissioners that 142 LTC staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. The AHCA reports only show 38 employees infected. After a month of digging, we can report our nursing homes are hot spots for the virus, and county officials have known this since early April. Unfortunately, the positive cases and deaths of the LTC residents and staff have become inconvenient facts that interfere with recovery plans. Commissioner Doug Underhill wants their cases and deaths considered anomalies and disregarded as the Department of Health tries to pinpoint the downward trajectory of the virus. Others have discounted the nursing homes completely, saying the residents are "all terminal anyway." We disagree. We shouldn't run away from the hot spots. Those lives matter, and the county should put as much effort into protecting them as they did on reopening the beaches. {in} rick@inweekly.net

The first loyalty of county officials should be to the people they serve, not Tallahassee, but few people in the current county administration seem to think that way.

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NURSING HOMES: COVID-19 HOT SPOTS of attorney to make her brother's medical decisions and refused to give up. Until Gov. DeSantis had halted visitations to nursing homes in mid-March, she had visited him three times a week, and she was worried that he was asking for her. Ms. Wingate called Southern Oaks and said, "I have the medical power of attorney and need to talk to my brother and to find out what's going on with him. She told me, 'Hold on. Ms. Wingate, I'm sorry. I'm going to let you talk to your brother, just hold on. And so I held on... and I never even talked to my brother yet." Other families have had similar problems. One, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation against her loved one, shared her experience with Southern Oaks. "Last Tuesday, we found out that she tested positive for COVID-19 and had been moved to the third floor where they're supposedly housing the patients who have the COVID-19," the family member said. He continued, "It's very hard to call most of the time. To be honest with you, 90%, 95% of the time they're not answering the phone. And when they do give us updates, there are few details. You really don't get a straight story out of them."

FINDING OUT WHERE

By Rick Outzen This past weekend, Escambia County reopened its beaches as Governor Ron DeSantis announced his phased approach to reopening the state's economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. While public health and county officials have touted the spread of the virus in Escambia County has flattened, several hot spots—nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care facilities—have continued to flare up, accounting for nearly 70% of the county's 13 deaths and pushing the number of COVID-19 cases above 600. Those with loved ones in nursing homes have become increasingly frustrated.

FIGHTING FOR INFORMATION

For days, Ms. Wingate tried to find out how her brother, Willie Walker, was doing at Southern Oaks Care Center, located at 600 West Gregory Street, a few blocks from the downtown library. According to reports by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), Southern Oaks has the most residents that have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state of Florida, which has worried Ms. Wingate. 66

After news of Southern Oaks broke, a facility administrator called Ms. Wingate to say her brother, age 66, had tested positive for the coronavirus. When she asked for more details, Ms. Wingate was told the facility couldn't give her any information because of HIPAA.

"All they said was 'Well, he don't have a fever, and he's not showing symptoms, but he's positive,' and I asked her how did she know?" Ms. Wingate The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. "All they said was 'Well, he don't have a fever, and he's not showing symptoms, but he's positive,' and I asked her how did she know?" Ms. Wingate told Inweekly. "She said, 'Well we took a test," but she wouldn't tell me nothing else." Ms. Wingate added with frustration in her voice, "I'm mad about it." But Ms. Wingate had a medical power

Getting straight answers about nursing homes in Escambia County has been a challenge since the number of positive cases began to rise last month. Inweekly was first tipped off to an issue in a local nursing home when it received the SitRep (situation report) for Monday, April 6. The report stated that a Level II response team had been requested for "an ALF (assisted living facility) that has been determined to be a high risk for an outbreak, according to the Long Term Care Response Plan." The facility had two positive COVID-19 cases and four cases exhibiting respiratory symptoms, according to the report. Inweekly submitted a question to County Administrator Janice Gilley at Commissioner Jeff Bergosh's "Coffee with the Commissioner" two days later to find out the name of the infected nursing home. Gilley and her emergency management manager, Eric Gilmore, refused to answer the question. The next day, the county administrator released a statement that said state surgeon general was the only one who could release the name of the facility. The county also stopped sending out SitReps for four days. After being blasted in an editorial in the News Journal, Gilley relented and released a SitRep to the media on Saturday, April 11. The report made no mention of the infected nursing home,

even the earlier statement about positives cases in the ALF had been removed. At his press conference the following Monday, Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said he thought county officials should identify the local facility. 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." Later that night, the Florida Department of Health published that Escambia County had 39 positive COVID-19 cases in local long-term care facilities (LTCs)—up 11 cases in 24 hours.

"It's very hard to call most of the time. To be honest with you, 90%, 95% of the time they're not answering the phone." Anonymous The next day, Tuesday, April 14, Gov. DeSantis announced he had created 10 four-man teams to ramp up testing in LTCs. The Department of Health in Escambia County refused to say if any of the units would be sent to Escambia County. Gannett, owner of the News Journal, and the Miami Herald also began pushing for FDOH to release the names of COVIDinfected nursing homes. The Miami Herald reported, "The health department has refused to share it—or to tell the Herald the legal justification for not doing so." Several sources had shared that the infected nursing home listed in the SitRep was most likely Southern Oaks. With the help of attorney Eric Stevenson, Inweekly crafted a public record request to the county finally revealed the facility. An email released by the county showed Lori Petty, an administrator at Southern Oaks, reported on Monday, April 6 to Gilmore that she had a staff member and resident that tested positive, and the health department and AHCA had tested eight additional residents. She asked the Emergency Operations Center to "fit test" her staff for N95 masks. The record request also uncovered an email from Dr. John Lanza of DOH Escambia that stated eight nurses were coming to visit Brookdale, Southern Oaks, Bayside and Arcadia on Thursday, April 16 with an infection control practitioner. On Saturday, April 18, Gov. DeSantis inweekly.net

relented, and FDOH provided a list of the infected nursing homes but didn't show how many cases at each. On the following Monday, Ascension Sacred Heart deployed its mobile COVID-19 testing unit to Southern Oaks. During a virtual press briefing on Thursday, April 23, Dr. John Lanza, head of DOH Escambia, reported long-term care facilities in Escambia had 142 individuals staff members that had tested positive for COVID-19, accounting for 38% of all the county's resident cases. Clearly, nursing homes were hot spots for COVID-19, but we didn't know how many facilities were impacted. On Monday, April 27, FDOH released an ACHA report on COVID cases in LTCs. The report was a snapshot of cases on a given day and didn't have cumulative information—so if a resident died or an employee quit or was terminated, they were weren't included. The AHCA report showed Escambia had 11 infected LTCs and 138 positive cases as of Sunday, April 26. Southern Oaks, by far, was the most infected facility in the county and had more residents infected with the virus than any other LTC in Florida. Four Southern Oaks residents and one staff member had died due to COVID-19. Last week, a National Guard strike team began testing more area nursing homes, and positive cases spiked on Saturday, May 2, with 55 new cases.

LEGAL IMMUNITY

While Inweekly and others fought for straight answers on COVID-19 in LTCs, nursing homes lobbied the governor for protection from lawsuits. The Florida Health Care Association sent a letter to Gov. DeSantis on April 3 asking for immunity from civil and criminal liability "for any harm or damages alleged to have been sustained as a result of an act or omission in the course of arranging for or providing health care services" during the pandemic. "To provide the best possible health outcomes for Floridians, we believe it is imperative that health care facilities and health care professionals are protected from liability that may result from treating individuals with COVID-19 under the conditions associated with this public health emergency," wrote Emmett Reed, FHCA executive director. In defense of the request, FHCA spokesperson Kristen Knapp told the News Service of Florida, "In the midst of this unprecedented crisis, long term caregivers should be able to direct their skills and attention to helping individuals who need them, and not have to worry about being sued for making these types of tough decisions while trying to comply with government directives." Knapp said governors in Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin issued executive orders limiting lawsuits against nursing homes. Trial attorney Troy Rafferty of Levin Papantonio found the request for immunity unbelievable but somewhat predictable. "This isn't about the doctors and nurses May 7, 2020

who were putting their lives on the line and doing everything they can to help their patients," said the former president of the Florida Justice Association. "This is about corporations trying to take advantage of this pandemic, to make sure that they're not held accountable for their conduct." He argued, "If these corporate conglomerates have civil and criminal immunity, there is nothing to deter them from engaging in dangerous conduct that puts profits over the safety of the residents." Rafferty added, "There's literally no disincentive for them to do anything. Then all of a sudden they say, 'Well, we know we need 20 doctors and 20 nurses in order to care for these folks. But you know what? I can save money, so let's just put on 10 doctors and five nurses.' And people die." He believes without anyone holding the nursing homes accountable for their actions, the conditions might get worse as management cuts corners. "The assisted living facilities and nursing homes are a huge business," said Rafferty. "This has got nothing to do with anything other than them trying to line their pockets and make sure that they don't end up having to be held accountable for what they have done or what they're going to do."

"If these corporate conglomerates have civil and criminal immunity, there is nothing to deter them from engaging in dangerous conduct that puts profits over the safety of the residents." Troy Rafferty "TAKEN EVERY PRECAUTION"

Last week, Southern Oaks issued a public statement defending its actions during the pandemic. "We have taken every precaution recommended by the CDC, by our state and federal regulators–the Agency for Health Care Administration and CMS–and by the department of health," wrote the facility management, noting it restricted all nonessential visitors, screened anyone who entered the building and had staff wear masks, gloves and gowns per guidelines. "We have and will continue to stay in regular communication with residents and their families," said the statement. "We're making multiple phone calls to families and will be sending weekly email updates as long as necessary." Ms. Wingate and other families would disagree. The statement ended, "The staff at Southern Oaks have gone above and beyond the call of duty and are heroes in this crisis, risking themselves to serve those who are most in need. Our care center will continue to make the safety of our residents and staff a priority, today and every day, and are thankful to the Pensacola community for their support." {in}

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PHASE ONE IN THE SUN Florida is easing into a measured reopening, otherwise known as phase one. Gov. Ron DeSantis last Friday held a press conference at the University of West Florida to launch a new COVID-19 drive-thru testing facility on the Pensacola campus. "As we move into phase one, I wish we could just flip a switch and say we're just going to be able to do it, but we've got to be very methodical about it," he said. With certain previously closed businesses, such as retail and restaurant establishments, reopening with limited capacity to encourage social distancing, Gov. DeSantis said he felt the coronavirus outlook across the state warranted a cautious, but confident, reopening based on locale-specific data. "You have places like Northwest Florida that's a lot different than New York City or Chicago or some of these other places," the governor said, contrasting the area with COVID hotspots. DeSantis said that the state's reopening process would take place alongside an increase in virus testing. The new site at UWF, for example, the 10th such drive-thru site around the state, aims to conduct 400 no-threshold tests—"even if you don't have symptoms"—each day. "If we need more, we'll do more," DeSantis said. "And that's going to be true with all these different sites." The governor also said that Florida would be conducting antibody tests as well. Pointing to tests conducted by Sanford University, as well as in Los Angeles and Miami, he said there's the potential for a larger known pool of people who have carried the virus, at times asymptomatically, than is being demonstrated by current testing. If this is the case, that data would impact other numbers, such as hospitalization and fatality rates. The governor said that antibody testing around the state could also confirm that COVID-19 is "very low risk" to people under the age of 50 without existing health issues.

88

"It's important to put people's minds at ease that in that cohort, which is the bulk of our workforce, this is very low-risk," DeSantis said. The governor said that it appeared the worst had come and gone. "We've seen around the country that this thing has kind of peaked; we're now going a different direction," DeSantis said. "We don't know whether there'll be a rebound. Maybe they'll be a rebound soon; maybe there'll be a rebound in the fall; maybe there won't. We don't really know; nobody really knows." If another significant wave of the virus happens, the governor said the state has signed a deal with Honeywell to produce 12 million N95 masks. But DeSantis said that the state was so far looking good on protective gear and hospital capacity, which he claimed had never been an issue. "In Florida, not only did we flatten the curve, we have more hospital beds available statewide today than we did when the pandemic began," he said.

BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD Northwest

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, accompanying the governor at the Pensacola presser, agreed that the state looked good and ready to begin its reopening. "We know that the brighter days for Florida are ahead of us," said Rep. Gaetz. The local congressman, an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump and a member of the federal task force assessing a reopening of the economy, encouraged local leaders and citizens to engage in conversations about the pace of the reopening. "Even pass resolutions regarding the conduct you think our community is ready for," Gaetz said. "Throughout this entire process, Gov. DeSantis has leaned heavily on the local knowledge of our local leaders." Asked specifically about a measure which has limited vacation rentals during this period of COVID closures, which have included beaches around the state,

the congressman indicated that the region could soon see a return of the rentals. "In Northwest Florida, we don't have a 500-key hotel every thousand feet because of our density that we have," Gaetz said. "We're more reliant on vacation rentals, and I'm confident that in the governor's evidence-based, measured approach, the same approach he took on the frontend of this virus, that as soon as it is safe and appropriate and we enter new phases that the governor will work with our local communities to open vacation rentals."

FREE POSTAGE FOR MAIL-IN BALLOTS

Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David H. Stafford last week announced that due to the unprecedented nature of the 2020 election cycle, voters who wish to cast their ballot by mail will not be required to pay postage on the return of their ballot. "While election officials across Florida are working diligently to plan for the August and November elections amid a pandemic, we recognize there is uncertainty and unease among voters," said Stafford. "We are working with federal, state and local officials to ensure the elections will be conducted in the safest and most accessible way possible." He continued, "Regardless of the environment we find ourselves in later this year, any registered voter in Escambia County can take one simple step today to ensure their voice will be heard at the polls—request a vote-bymail ballot. In recognition of these uncertain times, return postage on vote-by-mail ballots for the 2020 primary and general elections will be covered by the elections office." Requesting a vote-by-mail ballot is fast and easy: •Complete the online form at escambiavotes.com/vote-by-mail. •Call us at 595-3900. •Send a signed, written request to Supervisor of Elections, PO Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591. Voters are required to provide their

date of birth and address when requesting a ballot. Ballots are mailed to voters approximately five weeks before the election. After completing the ballot, the voter must sign and date the return envelope and return it by mail or deliver it to the elections office or an early voting site. Ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. All vote-by-mail ballots are verified prior to tabulation. Complete voter instructions are included in the voteby-mail package. Voters can track the status of their ballot form request at escambiavotes.com.

PLASMA THERAPY Ascension Sacred Heart has initiated the use of a treatment for COVID-19 that takes plasma from people who have recovered from the viral infection and infuses the antibody-rich plasma into very sick patients who are fighting the virus. The treatment, also called convalescent plasma, has shown significant potential for patients. Plasma is a part of blood that includes antibodies that help fight infection. Taking antibodies from people who had COVID-19 and transferring them into critically ill patients is a way of boosting the immune system so it will attack the virus.

"I'm really excited about the potential of plasma therapy to save lives. This approach essentially uses other people's 'troops' to fight the virus." Dr. Peter Jennings The treatment was recently approved for emergency use in certain hospitalized COVID-19 patients by the Food and Drug Administration. Both Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast are offering the treatment as part of a national research study.

inweekly.net

"I'm really excited about the potential of plasma therapy to save lives. This approach essentially uses other people's 'troops' to fight the virus," said Dr. Peter Jennings, chief medical officer of Ascension Sacred Heart. "The use of plasma from recovered patients is not a new therapy. It was commonly used in the early 1900s to combat illnesses such as mumps, rubella and chickenpox before vaccines were developed." Ascension Sacred Heart is working with OneBlood to identify recovered patients and increase the number of plasma donors. To give convalescent plasma, donors must meet the standard required screening criteria for blood donation in addition to the following criteria from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: •Tested positive for COVID-19 in the past, and •Been symptom-free for at least 14 days and have a current negative test result for COVID-19 from an FDA approved test, or •Been free of symptoms for at least 28 days before donation Those who would like to donate and believe they may be eligible should visit oneblood.org/plasma.

IP, DEP CONSENT ORDER Although it has yet to secure a new operating permit, International Paper will have a couple of more years to keep trying. On Tuesday, April 28, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection executed Consent Order 19-1453, which defines the parameters under which the Cantonment paper mill may continue to operate while also attempting to address ongoing environmental concerns. Notably, the FDEP consent order allows IP to continue operation despite consistent exceeding discharge limits, specifically the limits of pH, specific conductance, turbidity and dissolved oxygen until January of 2022. The paper company has had discharge issues for a decade now—during which time it has constructed a wetland buffer area to filter the discharge prior to reaching Perdido Bay—and operating under a previous consent order since 2010. This new consent order from the state allows IP more time to continue to address its discharge exceedance issue, or more specifically, it gives the company more time to work with FDEP on a Site Specific Alternative Criteria, or SSAC, which would essentially redefine the allowed limits. But the order also lays out a list of financial penalties and required corrective actions. For starters, there's $190,000 in penalties. Then there's a $10,000 penalty for any future failed chronic Ceriodaphnia dubia (water flea) toxicity test, as well as penalties for not complying with the consent order. May 7, 2020

The order also requires that IP implement an environmental mitigation project equivalent to at least a million dollars. And quarterly chronic toxicity tests have been stepped up to a monthly affair. It also requires the completion of a Level II Water Quality Based Effluent Limitation study to address the low dissolved oxygen levels in Tee and Wicker lakes, as well as a downstream portion of Eleven Mile Creek. Interestingly, the consent order also requires the completion of a Salt Ion Composition Work Plan, which will assess salt's environmental impact in the area. Concurrent with this salt ion work plan, another study will be conducted related to the reclaimed water from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, which IP uses in its facility, and the potential removal of that reclaimed water from the process. IP is still obligated to the corrective actions laid out in the 2010 order the facility continues to operate under. These include maintaining the conservation easement, as well as long-term monitoring obligations. "We expect IP to work as expeditiously as possible to address the ongoing compliance issues at their facility," FDEP Spokesperson Brandy Smith wrote in an email to Inweekly. "If full compliance is not achieved through these measures, the department may be forced to deny the application for permit renewal." IP is required to publish a notice regarding this new consent order, from which point the public has 21 days to file a petition challenging it. The consent can be found at bit. ly/2SAX0w9 using the public logon.

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ENSLEY NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP

Residents of Ensley North will have the opportunity to dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge Friday, May 8, during the Ensley North Neighborhood Cleanup in District 3. 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 East Nine Mile Road, west of Pensacola Boulevard and north of East Johnson Avenue. During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. 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 more information, visit myescambia.com/cleanup. {in} 9

Small Business COVID-19 Assessment In surveying more than 70 Pensacola area small businesses, we found these statistics helped us understand what companies are facing during the pandemic.

entrepreneur hub

CLO SED

56.3%

Say they could stay in business under the current conditions for 60 days or less.

29.6% Say they are unsure if they will be in business in 2021.

77.5%

57%

Say that they have applied for a state or federal relief program.

Say they have lost at least half of their normal revenue in the last 30 days.

Of those, only 38.2% had been approved as of April 27.

4 out of 5

Businesses would consider 1:1 mentoring through The Spring Entrepreneur Hub. The Spring Entrepreneur Hub is a program of Studer Community Institute and exists to empower, connect and grow small businesses in the Pensacola area, serving as the front door to our community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Spring focuses on three key areas – mentorship, connection to resources, and scaling/acceleration – to bring unprecedented structure and aid to local small businesses in Escambia and Santa Rosa County. If you are a small business in need of assistance, please contact: Gracie Woodfin • (850) 637-5797 • info@thespringpensacola.com

TheSpringPensacola.com 010 1

inweekly.net

WEEK OF MAY 7-13

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

By Jennifer Leigh

owners, Jimmy and I discovered there was a need for a new way to connect business owners, mentors and entrepreneurs. Creating a brand that uses the podcast medium to share the stories of entrepreneurs is what we decided to go all-in on." And what Behind the Grind Show hosts Jimmy O'Donovan and Tucker Massey / Photo by Jonathen Stone better place to start when Podcasts are one of the most popular talking business but right here in Pensacola? mediums to share stories and information. O'Donovan said the city's business landThe current social distancing climate is only scape is special because its professionalism adding to their popularity. It is still safe to listen and creativity rivals larger markets. to stories, after all, especially if you're doing it You can hear those stories every Monday while cleaning your house or taking a solo walk, when they drop new episodes. The latest one for example. features Phil and Veronique Zayas, who are the There are currently 850,000 active co-founders of Emerald Republic Brewing Co. podcasts and somewhere around 30 million "Pensacola's small business landscape is podcasts episodes out there to digest. unique because of where we are as a communiIf you aren't already hooked on a few, all ty and the current status of growth in Pensacothose options can make it difficult to know la," he said. "Pensacola is composed of creative where to start. But we have a suggestion on minds whose entrepreneurial drive is similar to where to begin your podcast listening—locally. Atlanta, Tampa, etc. without the competition that you find in those bigger cities." Engaging with the community in and Here's one podcast that's produced by two outside of the podcast is what makes Behind locals featuring local voices and businesses the Grind Show unique. It's not just about the that's a great place to start. conversations in the podcast but how they Hosts Jimmy O'Donovan and Tucker continue the conversations on social media. Massey launched their podcast, Behind the The podcast is not yet a year old, but the Grind Show, late last year. The concept is simhosts have long-term plans for the show with ple. They talk to the people who are hustling to partnerships and collaborations with local busimake Pensacola thrive. nesses and in-person events—when people They call it an "entrepreneur think tank" can safely gather. and have already produced episodes featuring It's somewhat of a mystery how a person, names like World Series Champion Adron or a group of people, turn a concept into a Chambers, artist Poppy Garcia and former brand or business. And it's a mystery people are Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. They've generally interested in, whether it's listening to also talked to the brains behind beloved the NPR show "How I Built this with Guy Raz" Pensacola spots like Tacos Mexicanos, Ride or watching "Shark Tank." Society and Fiore. But now, in the pandemic landscape we're "As entrepreneurs, we wanted to surround in, Behind the Grind Show is giving a platform ourselves and learn the stories of local entreto local businesses when they need it most. preneurs and high performing individuals," exThe hosts have seen an increase in engageplained Massey. "After talking to a few business ment from listeners and business owners in the

MEET BEHIND THE GRIND

May 7, 2020

past few months, and they want the podcast to not just provide thoughtful conversations but maintain a sense of normalcy, said Massey. "Our goal from day one has been to provide value for our listeners, not using our platform as another advertisement outlet for businesses," he added. "Behind the Grind Show's mission is to serve as a bridge for our listeners to learn from entrepreneurs and high-performing individuals who have conquered failures and are mastering their craft. Our main priority during the pandemic has been focused on the listeners and following in our community." Even when things start to feel "normal," the local business community will be changed. Cactus Flower has closed its west side location, for example, and Boneheads has closed down, with owner Kendrick Hobbs looking at opening a food truck, he told PNJ. O'Donovan said he thinks face-to-face service will certainly be different. The pandemic has created the situation for businesses to "pivot toward e-commerce," he added. As entrepreneurs themselves—both have either started small businesses or been a part of small business ventures—they're learning alongside the listener from the people who are shaping this community. But those lessons are universal. "One of the biggest lessons I've learned from our guests is knowing when to go 'all in' and knowing when and how to say 'no,'" said Massey. "One lesson I've learned is to stay true to your 'why,'" added O'Donovan. "We hope our listeners take away any resources or bits of knowledge to help them in their journey of entrepreneurship. You can stay inspired and motivated to take leaps by utilizing this time to double down on your strengths." More information: behindthegrindshow.com

WANT MORE LOCAL PODCASTS?

You got 'em. Here's a few other great shows to check out. STEM-Talk For all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Math—listen to STEM-Talk. From the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC), STEM-Talk takes a deep dive into topics such as brain metabolic mapping and Alzheimer's and sending humans to Mars. The popular podcast is also a finalist for the Webby's People's Voice Awards, which you can vote for at vote.webbyawards.com. More information: ihmc.us/stemtalks

Meredith For Real: The Curious Extrovert Did "Tiger King" make you want to know more about the landscape of zoos? Are you interested in hearing how a former Mennonite reinvented her life as a couture fashion designer? Want some mental health advice during the pandemic? It's all here. In her weekly podcast, Meredith For Real: The Curious Extrovert, host Meredith Hackwith Edwards talks to people about "the life they love and how they found the courage to live it." More information: meredithforreal.com 2 Woke Sisters Manda and Meleah Manning of Sisters that Stray want to help listeners achieve mental clarity, spiritual connection and physical health. Their podcast aims to bring you practical knowledge from leaders, visionaries, artists, teachers and change-makers to carry into your daily life. More information: sistersthatstray.com Creatives Incorporated Host Travis Patterson takes a look at the process and inspiration of creators. You might recognize some of the guests, like photographer Steven Gray and broadcaster Brent Lane. He talks to people who work in front of and behind the camera to give listeners a full perspective of the creative process. More information: creativesincorporated.com Terrible Movies Trivia Movie enthusiast Jeremy Branch hosts the Terrible Movie Trivia, a weekly video podcast on the Movies Are Terrible YouTube channel. Branch invites friends and local content creators to compete in a friendly contest to see who has the most useless pop-culture knowledge. The only prize is bragging rights. Episodes cover Marvel movies, franchise sequels and more. Also, check out the movie monsters series, where Branch discusses the history of iconic villains from the horror genre. More information: facebook.com/bterribleproductions We Are Wed Talks This podcast features local wedding vendors talking about all weddings—including navigating the coronavirus in an industry that's pretty much on pause, which they tackle in their latest episode. More information: facebook.com/wearewedtalks {in} 11

a&e happenings 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. 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.

≥

Attending “normal” events might not be happening yet—but that doesn't mean local businesses, nonprofits and creatives aren't still planning ahead and keeping the community connected virtually.

≥PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS MASCOT, MAVERICK, MAKING ROUNDS If you've

missed the Pensacola Ice Flyers mascot, Maverick, see if he can pay you a visit. Maverick will be making stops in Pensacola and surrounding areas to spread some cheer through Tuesday, May 19. Sign up for Maverick to visit your neighborhood at pensacolaiceflyers.com/maverickvisit to see which day he'll be in your area. Social distancing will be practiced. Fans are asked to make signs and be ready for photo ops. Spots are limited, so sign up as soon as possible.

≥STAMPED FILM FESTIVAL RESCHED-

ULED FOR NOVEMBER Stamped LGBTQ Film Festival—Pensacola's annual event featuring lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) films and filmmakers from across the globe—has announced the rescheduling of the 2020 festival to Nov. 11–15. "We've made the difficult decision to reschedule our festival until November to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, our board, our friends and family," said David Newton, board president. "We are still just as excited and continue our planning for a phenomenal and creative festival. The new dates will allow us to enjoy great films and to celebrate all our community while keeping a safe and healthy environment for everyone." For more information, visit stampedfilmfest.com.

≥PENSACON 2021 PASSES ON SALE

NOW Pensacon passes are on sale for the up-

coming eighth annual convention, scheduled for Feb. 26-28, 2021. VIP passes are $155 and include early admission to the Pensacola Bay Center, preferred seating at panel venues, front-of-line privileges for celebrity autographs and photo ops, an exclusive T-shirt and swag bag, space-available parking and other perks. Additional taxes and fees apply. General admission weekend passes will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, May 11, at a special pre-sale price of $60 at pensacon.com. 212 1

This represents the lowest price at which three-day passes will be offered for the 2021 show. Additional taxes and fees apply. Guests for 2021 include "The Walking Dead" star Michael Cudlitz, "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" stars Jason David Frank and Johnny Yong Bosch, "The X-Files" stars Mitch Pileggi and Annabeth Gish, and a "Back to the Future" film series reunion featuring actors Claudia Wells, Donald Fullilove, Elsa Raven, Jeffrey Weissman and Harry Waters Jr. Additional guests will be announced throughout the year on Facebook, Instagram and Pensacon's website. For tickets and more information, visit pensacon.com.

≥FREE COMMUNITY ZOOM YOGA CLASSES WITH DISKO LEMONADE

Join Disko Lemonade instructors for weekly guided yoga classes every Sunday on Zoom. Register via the fitDEGREE at app.fitdegree. com/t/dashboard as unpaid; prices will be comped. Join the Zoom meeting—ID: 715 714 439; Password: community. For more information, visit facebook.com/diskolemonade.

≥THE PROMISED MOON VIRTUAL GUIDED MEDITATION If you need some

rest and relaxation, join the online guided meditation with Marni Alisha of Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House for The Promised Moon meditation at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Headphones and blindfold are required. Cost is $15. Register online and a link will be sent out, along with a password, to all registered participants. Sign up for the class through the link on the Facebook page, facebook.com/asherandbee.

≥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 June 5. Visit facebook.com/evermancoop for more information.

≥STUDER COMMUNITY INSTITUTE WE-

BINAR SERIES Looking for some professional

TIME OF CORONA Editors of "Life in the Time of Corona"—an upcoming publication of the West Florida Literary Federation—are seeking poetry, fiction, nonfiction, photography and art from regional writers and artists sharing their feelings and experiences during the current COVID-19 pandemic. For the online publication, all submissions must be in electronic format and emailed to the organization's editor and a co-organizer of the project Andrea Walker at andreaswriting0@gmail.com. There is no fee for submissions, but writers and artists must reside in the following counties—Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay (Florida) and Escambia, Mobile, Baldwin (Alabama). Deadline for the first phase is Friday, May 15. Up to three poems with a maximum of 300 lines and prose pieces up to 750 words will be accepted, along with one-act plays and six images. A 50-word writer/artist biography should also accompany submissions. The best of the submissions will be compiled in a special edition of the organization's newsletter, The Legend, then later posted online at wflf.org. All submissions are reviewed by a panel of readers before acceptance. For more information, visit wflf.org.

≥

PENSACOLA CINEMA ART Visit pensacolacinemaart.com to see what's streaming or sign up for the email list under the Contact tab. The theatre is 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. Customers can view films with a onetime fee through links on the PCA website. Half of the proceeds will go to the theatre. Current films include a documentary about indie bookstores called ​"The Booksellers" and "The Woman Who Loves Giraffes," which is about Dr. Anne Innis Dagg and her 1956 journey to South Africa to study giraffes in the wild. Both of these films will be available for streaming through PCA until at least Friday, May 8. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com to see what's streaming or sign up for the email list under the Contact tab.

≥

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 pre-registration 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 50year 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.

≥HIGH SCHOOL POETRY CONTEST

Florida Humanities is calling on all "quarantined" high school students to create original works of poetry. The top three winners will each receive a $500 cash prize, publication in a future issue of their FORUM Magazine and the opportunity to share your poem at a future public program. The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 15. Visit floridahumanities.org/programs/ poetry-contest to enter. {in} inweekly.net

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on WUWF 88.1 FM or wuwf.org.

Learn more and find the full list of WUWF programs at wuwf.org/ programs.

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Here & Now with Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson, reflects the fluid world of news as it’s happening in the middle of the day, with timely, smart and in-depth news, interviews and conversation.

THANK YOU INWEEKLY FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS

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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.

≥GULF POWER TO PROVIDE ONE-TIME BILL DECREASE OF 40% NEXT MONTH

After approval from the Florida Public Service Commission, Gulf Power will offer 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. Many customers are working from home and, in general, staying at home more. More time and extra people in the home will likely increase power usage, which could lead to higher monthly bills. Gulf Power recently added new tools to our customers' online account portal to help them better understand and manage their energy usage, including their monthly projected bill amount and a breakdown of daily energy usage, which is available for most residential customers. Customers can now see their previous day's energy usage using their online account portal to help them more easily understand how their previous day's activities impacted energy usage, allowing them to quickly make adjustments to keep bills low. The new projected bill feature is a valuable tool to assist customers in budgeting for their next month's energy bill. Gulf Power encourages customers that are having difficulty paying their energy bill to visit gulfpower.com/help to view available resources that can provide assistance to qualifying customers. Customers are encouraged to pay their electric bill balance each month to avoid building up a large balance, which they will continue to bear responsibility for. Gulf Power will work with the customer's personal situation and assist with a solution to help customers

fulfill their personal responsibility for their Gulf Power balance. Those who can afford or want to help others who may need assistance with their energy bill can make a donation to Project SHARE in your online customer portal. Project SHARE donations are added to a customer's monthly bill, and all contributions are distributed to local offices of The Salvation Army. Customers in need of utility bill assistance can apply for Project SHARE assistance at The Salvation Army office in their county. For more information, visit gulfpowernews.com.

≥LIBRARIES REOPEN West Florida Public

Libraries are open for limited general public access and online order pickups as follows: •Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St.—Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. •Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A—Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. •Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway—Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. •Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave.— Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. •Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd.—Tuesday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m-2 p.m. •Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. Ninth Ave.—Tuesday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. •Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory St.—Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. Feeding the Gulf Coast for youth will still operate Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at all seven library branches. Requests for library materials placed prior to arrival will be retrieved and ready for pickup at your vehicle. Designated online order pickup spaces will be marked. Drive-through services are closed. All returned library materials will be cleaned and isolated for a period of 72 hours. Public computer and study room access will also be available with these guidelines: •A limited number of computers will be available to insure social distancing.

•Computer access for general use will remain at one hour per day. •Computer access will have no time limits applied if the person is actively completing unemployment, small business loans or similar economic benefits applications. •Limited study space will be available with a one hour per day limit on use.

≥UPDATES FROM FLORIDA DEPART-

MENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE The

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has paid almost $412 million to Floridians, which is an increase of almost 600% over the prior week. As of April 27, DEO has verified 824,412 unique claims and paid 392,051 claimants a total of more than $523 million. You can see daily reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. New updates: •The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program provides unemployment benefits to those that may not otherwise be eligible under Florida's state Reemployment Assistance program, including independent contractors and individuals who are self-employed. Individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19 and believe they may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance can visit floridajobs.org and select File a Claim to apply and be considered for PUA. •DEO will be conducting nightly maintenance to the CONNECT system to process claims and payments faster. Connect will be available from 8 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. daily. This schedule does not affect individuals that wish to file a new claim. Individuals can file a new claim 24 hours a day, seven days per week at floridajobs. org and select File a Claim. How to apply for reemployment assistance: DEO has a mobile-friendly online application for individuals filing a new Reemployment Assistance claim available here. For a step-by-step guide on how to apply, the Reemployment Assistance Resource Guide, which includes frequently asked questions, and additional information about Reemploy-

ment Assistance benefits, visit floridajobs. org/covid-19.

≥ONLINE SUMMER CLASSES BEGIN MAY 11 AT PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE Pensacola State College will continue

to hold online and live online broadcast classes during the summer semester. Session A begins Monday, May 11. However, it is not too late to register for classes. Live online broadcast classes are delivered via Zoom, a video and audio-conferencing platform. Summer fees are due by Thursday, May 7. To avoid losing a summer schedule, students must pay online through their Spyglass account by 8 p.m. on May 7. The college will be working remotely until 6 p.m. to assist students with summer registration and payment. The college also will be available remotely from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, May 11 and 12, to assist with summer registration. In order to take a live online course, students must log in to the class on the scheduled day and time. They will be able to see and hear the instructor and classmates and can participate in the class virtually. Reliable internet access, a webcam and a microphone are required to use the platform. For a preview of a live online Pensacola State class, view youtu. be/gVItLJz0rMw. Students can choose from the following options for summer classes: •Session A: May 11-Aug. 4 •Session B: May 11-June 22 •Session C: June 9-Aug. 4 •Session D: June 23-Aug. 4 The deadline to apply for fall term scholarships is Wednesday, July 1. In the last three years, the college has awarded $4.3 million in scholarships. Students may submit a single online application for more than 260 scholarships and can receive multiple awards each term. To apply, visit pensacolastate.scholarships.ngwebsolutions.com. For more information on scholarships, contact the College's Financial Aid Office at fava@pensacolastate. edu or 484-1680. Fall semester registration begins Monday, June 1. For more information on registration, visit pensacolastate.edu or call 484-2000.

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≥BEACHES ARE OPEN; HERE'S WHAT

YOU NEED TO KNOW Public beaches in

Escambia County and the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier are open 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The pier is open to anglers only at this time, where they must keep a 6-foot distance between one another. The toll on the Bob Sikes Bridge to Pensacola Beach is all-electronic. The new tolling system on the bridge went live March 20, which was earlier than anticipated, to adhere to social distancing measures for toll booth workers. The toll remains $1, and cash and change are no longer accepted at this location. Motorists can use either SunPass®, another interoperable transponder or be billed utilizing the TOLL-BYPLATE system. TOLL-BY-PLATE customers will be charged a $1 toll, plus a monthly $2.50 administrative fee, and will receive a bill by mail. Cash can be used at SunPass kiosks to replenish and pay TOLL-BY-PLATE invoices. In Santa Rosa County, Navarre Beach and Navarre Beach Fishing Pier are open from 2:307:30 p.m. All beachgoers and anglers are asked to limit groups to 10 people or fewer and to adhere to CDC social distancing measures by keeping a 6-foot distance between others who are not in their immediate household.

≥CORONAVIRUS TEST SITE OPEN ON UWF CAMPUS FOR ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTY RESIDENTS At

the request of the Governor's office, the direction of the Florida Department of Emergency Management and with the support of the Florida Department of Health, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties opened a new mobile testing site to the public on Saturday, May 2, at the University of West Florida. The drivethrough test site will be open for two weeks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The drive-through test site will be located at the SP2 parking lot, which is on the east side of campus, near the East Sports Complex. It is important that individuals remain in their vehicles. Pre-screening is not required. The National Guard will be on-site to assist. Things to know: •You must arrive in a personal vehicle. •Air conditioning must work.

•All people must be seated next to an operating window. •Each vehicle will be greeted and directed by personnel in full medical protective gear. •All passengers must stay inside vehicles from arrival to departure. •Limit the people in your vehicle to those needing testing (maximum of five). •Your temperature will be checked using a no-touch thermometer. •Each person who meets site testing criteria will be asked for the following: •Photo ID with current address (place on the dashboard) •Health insurance card (everyone will be tested regardless of insurance coverage) •Health care facility employee or first responder ID/badge (if applicable)

≥SANTA ROSA COUNTY SMALL BUSINESS COVID-19 RECOVERY GRANT OPENS FOR SECOND CYCLE Santa Rosa

County, in partnership with the Florida SBDC at UWF, created the Santa Rosa County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program and opened the first cycle on April 6 for one week. A second application cycle is open now and will remain open until the funds are depleted. Santa Rosa County has funded the grant with a contribution of $100,000 with an additional $60,000 contribution from the City of Milton and $60,000 from the City of Gulf Breeze. All three grants will be open until funds have been depleted from each contributor. The Florida SBDC at UWF will continue to assist eligible for-profit businesses with applying for the grant and will distribute the appropriate funds to businesses who have been awarded. A third-party review board has been created to review applications and will continue to determine eligibility and approve the award of grant funding to each applicant on a case-by-case basis using the parameters listed below. The COVID-19 grant is intended to assist for-profit businesses located in Santa Rosa County and address their immediate cash flow needs as a result of demonstrated economic injury due to COVID-19. Applications will be available for download at santarosaready.com and submissions are accepted now.

Note that complete applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. Each applicant or business is only eligible for one grant. If the applicant or business has received the Northwest Florida Small Business COVID-19 Grant, City of Milton Small Business Grant or the City of Gulf Breeze Small Business Grant, they will not be eligible for the Santa Rosa County Small Business Recovery COVID-19 Grant. Your business must: 1. Be a for-profit, privately-held small business that maintains a place of business in Santa Rosa County and established on or before January 1, 2019. 2. Have a storefront within Santa Rosa County, Fla. 3. Have been profitable prior to the COVID-19 disaster, as indicated on financial documents. 4. Have a demonstrated reduction in sales revenues of 25% or greater due to the loss of business income related to COVID-19. Must provide written justification of economic loss or injury caused as a result of the declared disaster, e.g. sales or income from a previous year compared to current period. Provide documentation of a reduction of sales revenues. 5. Be a small business with no more than 20 employees. Steps to apply for the grant: 1. Visit the Florida SBDC at UWF website, sbdc.uwf.edu, and select "Request SBDC Consulting" and complete the online request form. Be sure to identify "SRC COVID-19 Grant" by name in the request form. 2. Download the Santa Rosa County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant application at santarosaready.com, complete and sign the application and gather all supporting documents. Email the completed and signed applications, as well as supporting documents, in PDF format to ahaider@uwf.edu. For assistance with completing the application, contact the Florida SBDC at UWF at 586-7802 or ahaider@uwf.edu. The Santa Rosa Economic Development Office is a department of Santa Rosa County tasked with improving the area's economy through the attraction and retention of

new employment opportunities and capital investments. To learn more about how this office can help a business grow in Santa Rosa County, visit santarosaedo.com.

≥FOOD TRUCKS TO OFFER TAKE-OUT AT ESCAMBIA COUNTY EQUESTRIAN CENTER Escambia County will allow up to

four food trucks to park in the Equestrian Center parking lot, located at 7750 Mobile Highway, where residents will be able to purchase takeaway food from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The parking lot is a large grassy area and provides ample room for residents to adhere to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing protocols. Trucks will be spaced out in the lot, and patrons are asked to keep 6 feet of distance between individuals and to limit gathering to groups smaller than 10. "This a great benefit in this time of need for the Beulah Community," said District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh. "The Escambia County Equestrian Center parking lot is the perfect venue with plenty of space for social distancing." To participate as a food truck vendor, call 941-6042 for a vendor application. All Equestrian Center vendor fees will be waived. For more information, contact the Escambia County Office of Community and Media Relations at cmr@myescambia.com or 595-1647.

≥FLORIDAWEST RELEASES RESOURCE GUIDE AFTER ADDITIONAL RELIEF PACKAGE On April 24, President Trump

signed an additional coronavirus relief package. The new package will provide $310 billion more in funding through the Paycheck Protection Program. Because the new bill provides $30 billion specifically for community lenders, small banks and credit unions, small businesses may have a better chance at receiving funds. The first round of funding went quickly. In order to increase your ability to secure funding under the new program, we have compiled a resource guide that can be downloaded at floridawesteda.com.

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

STAY LOCAL, PENSACOLA Now more than ever, local businesses need our support. So if you have the means, please consider supporting the local eateries offering curbside + delivery services, ordering from online local retailers and shopping at locally-owned "essential" businesses when possible.

May 7, 2020

15

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.

≥ CITY OF MILTON ESTABLISHES

MICRO-GRANT PROGRAM The City

of Milton has established the Micro-Grant Program that will provide a one-time emergency assistance grant to those severely impacted by the COVID-19 Emergency. The grant is targeted to those who will not be allowed to re-open during Phase 1 of Governor DeSantis' plan, specifically bars, gyms and personal service providers. The Micro-Grant Program will provide up to 50 $1,000 grants to for-profit business entities, self-employed and independent contractors. Criteria: 1. The business or service location must be within the city limits of Milton. Residency is not required. 2. A storefront is not required. Home-based businesses are eligible. Mobile businesses are eligible, but owner must be a Milton resident. 3. Businesses must have less than 10 employees. 4. Mandatory shut down or substantial

change in operations is required. Voluntary shut down is ineligible. 5. If self-employed/independent contractor, must demonstrate minimum 51% of income for previous 12 months was derived from selfemployment activity. 6. Proof of or acquisition of a City Business License 7. Detail of financial impact of the COVID-19 Emergency 8. Estimated revenue lost from March 1, 2020-May 31, 2020 9. Recipients of any other local, state or federal emergency funding are ineligible. 10. Any business that remained open for the complete emergency time period without a substantial change in operations is ineligible. All applications will be received electronically via an online form. The application will be available at miltonfl.org. For more information, please contact the City of Milton's Economic Development Office at 983-5400, or email Edward Spears, Economic Development Director, at espears@miltonfl.org.

≥SANTA ROSA COUNTY LAUNCHES

SEARCHABLE MAP OF OPEN BUSINESSES Santa Rosa County has launched

a searchable online map of restaurants and other essential businesses that are open and serving the public. Restaurant dining rooms and lobbies may be closed for now, but

takeout, delivery, curbside service or other options may be available. Residents can go to santarosaready.com/open and search by location and business type to find restaurants and other open businesses nearby. Many local businesses have been impacted by the pandemic. This tool is intended to help support local businesses while also providing useful information to county residents. Managers of restaurants and other essential businesses are encouraged to check their listing for updated information and to register their business if it is not included. Send any updated information to ESF18@santarosa.fl.gov. Pharmacies, grocery stores, banks and other essential businesses in Santa Rosa County should also register.

≥CITY OF PENSACOLA ADDS HAND-

WASHING STATIONS FOR HOMELESS POPULATION The City of Pensacola is

providing hand-washing stations at 11 locations for the homeless population or those who do not have regular access to soap and water during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stations are being provided in an effort to help homeless individuals practice good handwashing techniques, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The hand-washing stations are being funded

through District 2 Councilwoman Sherri Myers' discretionary fund and District 6 Councilwoman Ann Hill's discretionary fund, along with the city's general fund. Hand-washing stations are available at the following locations in the city (some sites subject to change): •Bryan Park, 1200 Langley Ave. •Loaves and Fishes, 257 E. Lee St. •Under the Interstate 110 Ramp near the Pensacola Bay Center •Bill Gregory Park, 150 N. W St. •Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, 50 N. Palafox •Wyer Park, 320 W. Belmont St. •Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. •Veterans Memorial Park, 200 S. 10th Ave. •Corner of Ninth Avenue and West Cervantes Street (subject to change) •BJ's Bus Shelter, Corner of Davis Highway and Langley Avenue (subject to change) •Corner of Airport Boulevard and College Boulevard (subject to change)

≥FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF REBUILD FLORIDA CRITICAL FACILITY HARDENING PROGRAM The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced $75 million is now available to local governments through the Rebuild Florida Critical Facility Hardening Program. The

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Rebuild Florida Critical Facility Hardening Program allows local governments and state agencies to increase the resilience of critical facilities that serve a public safety purpose for local communities. The funds are allocated through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) newly created Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) program formed in response to the 2016 to 2017 presidentially declared disasters. Local governments and state agencies may apply individually or partner with nonprofits and nongovernmental agencies for funding to propose projects that meet program requirements, including benefiting lowto-moderate income (LMI) populations. The application window will be open for 75 days, and DEO staff will be available to provide technical assistance to communities during the application process. The deadline to complete an application is June 30, 2020. For more information about the program, including how to complete an application, visit the Rebuild Florida Critical Facility Hardening Program's website at floridajobs.org/rebuildflorida/mitigation/ critical-facility-hardening-program.

≥BAPTIST HEALTH CARE REQUIRES

PATIENTS, GUESTS TO WEAR MASKS

In compliance with CDC guidelines, Baptist

Health Care now requires that all patients, guests and vendors bring and wear a mask or other face covering while on any of the campuses to support the organization's diligent efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and ensure there are enough masks and personal protective equipment required to last until the threat of COVID-19 has passed. Screening continues to be conducted at entrances to Baptist facilities. Patients who are identified as having symptoms or a risk factor will be given a mask at the door if they do not already have one. In addition, patients should avoid bringing a guest to appointments if possible. If it is necessary for someone to be with the patient, the guest should bring and wear a mask; any guests with COVID-19 symptoms or a risk factor will be asked to wait outside the building. All team members are required to wear masks at work.

≥COX COMMUNICATIONS EXTENDS

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE OFFER FOR CONNECT2COMPETE WITH FREE SERVICE FOR STUDENTS UNTIL JULY 15 Recognizing that students will remain home to finish out 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 is also

extended to ensure ease of implementation while students continue to learn at home during the coronavirus pandemic. Customers who sign up between March 13 and May 15 are eligible for this offer and will receive free service until July 15. Cox temporarily doubled download speeds for its Connect2Compete customers from 25 to 50 Mbps in mid-March. This increase will also continue through July 15. In addition to connectivity, many students need equipment to get their work done. Cox continues to partner with local, regional and national organizations who provide discounted, refurbished laptops and accessories to families that qualify for the Connect2Compete program. A summary of the latest enhancements to Cox's Connect2Compete program include: •Limited time, free Connect2Compete service until July 15th for customers who apply by May 15th; $9.95 thereafter •Until July 15, 2020, Cox is providing phone and remote desktop support through Cox Complete Care at no charge to provide peace of mind and ease for technology needs. •Easy referral for discounted, refurbished equipment through PCs for People •Increased internet download speeds from 25 to 50 Mbps through July 15 •A Learn from Home toolkit for schools, including instructions on how to fast-track

eligible students without internet access, can be found at cox.com/connect2compete. •The Cox Connect2Compete program is available to families who have at least one child that is a K-12 student at home, participate in one of the government subsidies programs—The National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF or Public Housing—and are not a current Cox Internet customer. There are no deposits or annual contracts with Connect2Compete, and selfinstallation with in-home WiFi equipment is included at no additional charge. Families can qualify for Connect2Compete by visiting cox.com/c2c. For more information on Cox's coronavirus relief efforts, visit cox.com.

≥I SUPPORT THE GIRLS DISTRIBUTING 100,000 MENSTRUATION PRODUCTS I Support the Girls recognizes that

periods don't stop for pandemics. With their partner company, LOLA, the local nonprofit will be donating 100,000 pads, tampons and liners to the Gulf Coast chapter to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts. If your organization would like a donation, please email Audrey Moore at istg.gulfcoast@ gmail.com. for more listings visit inweekly.net

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ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): According to Aries author and mythologist Joseph Campbell, "The quest for fire occurred not because anyone knew what the practical uses for fire would be but because it was fascinating." He was referring to our early human ancestors and how they stumbled upon a valuable addition to their culture because they were curious about a powerful phenomenon, not because they knew it would ultimately be so valuable. I invite you to be guided by a similar principle in the coming weeks, Aries. Unforeseen benefits may emerge during your investigation into flows and bursts that captivate your imagination. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious," says businessperson and entrepreneur John Sculley. You Tauruses aren't renowned for such foresight. It's more likely to belong to Aries and Sagittarius people. Your tribe is more likely to specialize in doing the good work that turns others' bright visions into practical realities. But this Year of the Coronavirus could be an exception to the general rule. In the past three months as well as in the next six months, many of you Bulls have been and will continue to be catching glimpses of interesting possibilities before they become obvious. Give yourself credit for this knack. Be alert for what it reveals. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): For 148

uninterrupted years, American militias and the American army waged a series of wars against the native peoples who lived on the continent before Europeans came. There were more than 70 conflicts that lasted from 1776 until 1924. If there is any long-term struggle or strife that even mildly resembles that situation in your own personal life, our Global Healing Crisis is a favorable time to call a truce and cultivate peace. Start now! It's a ripe and propitious time to end hostilities that have gone on too long.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Novelist Marcel Proust was a sensitive, dreamy, emotional, self-protective, creative Cancerian. That may explain why he wasn't a good soldier. During his service in the French Army, he was ranked 73rd in a squad of 74. On the other hand, his majestically intricate seven-volume novel "In Search of Lost Time" is a masterpiece—one of the 20th century's most influential literary works. In evaluating his success as a human being, should we emphasize his poor military performance and downplay his literary output? Of course not! Likewise, Cancerian, in the coming weeks I'd like to see you devote vigorous energy to appreciating what you do best and no energy at all to worrying about your inadequacies. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): "Fortune resists half-hearted prayers," wrote the poet Ovid more than 2,000 years ago. I will add

By Rob Brezsny

that Fortune also resists poorly formulated intentions, feeble vows and sketchy plans—especially now, during an historical turning point when the world is undergoing massive transformations. Luckily, I don't see those lapses being problems for you in the coming weeks, Leo. According to my analysis, you're primed to be clear and precise. Your willpower should be working with lucid grace. You'll have an enhanced ability to assess your assets and make smart plans for how to use them.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Last year the Baltimore Museum of Art announced it would acquire works exclusively from women artists in 2020. A male art critic complained, "That's unfair to male artists." Here's my reply—Among major permanent art collections in the U.S. and Europe, the work of women makes up 5% of the total. So what the Baltimore Museum did is a righteous attempt to rectify the existing excess. It's a just and fair way to address an unhealthy imbalance. In accordance with current omens and necessities, Virgo, I encourage you to perform a comparable correction in your personal sphere. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In the

course of my life, I've met many sharp thinkers with advanced degrees from fine universities—who are nonetheless stunted in their emotional intelligence. They may quote Shakespeare and discourse on quantum physics and explain the difference between the philosophies of Kant and Hegel, and yet have less skill in understanding the inner workings of human beings or in creating vibrant intimate relationships. Yet most of these folks are not extreme outliers. I've found that virtually all of us are smarter in our heads than we are in our hearts. The good news, Libra, is that our current Global Healing Crisis is an excellent time for you to play catch up. Do what poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti suggests—"Make your mind learn its way around the heart."

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Aphorist Aaron Haspel writes, "The less you are contradicted, the stupider you become. The more powerful you become, the less you are contradicted." Let's discuss how this counsel might be useful to you in the coming weeks. First of all, I suspect you will be countered and challenged more than usual, which will offer you rich opportunities to become smarter. Secondly, I believe you will become more powerful as long as you don't try to stop or discourage the influences that contradict you. In other words, you'll grow your personal authority and influence to the degree that you welcome opinions and perspectives that are not identical to yours. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

"It's always too early to quit," wrote author Norman Vincent Peale. We should put his words into perspective, though. He preached "the power of positive thinking."

He was relentless in his insistence that we can and should transcend discouragement and disappointment. So we should consider the possibility that he was overly enthusiastic in his implication that we should NEVER give up. What do you think, Sagittarius? I'm guessing this will be an important question for you to consider in the coming weeks. It may be time to re-evaluate your previous thoughts on the matter and come up with a fresh perspective. For example, maybe it's right to give up on one project if it enables you to persevere in another.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): The

16-century mystic nun Saint Teresa of Avila was renowned for being overcome with rapture during her spiritual devotions. At times she experienced such profound bliss through her union with God that she levitated off the ground. "Any real ecstasy is a sign you are moving in the right direction," she wrote. I hope that you will be periodically moving in that direction yourself during the coming weeks, Capricorn. Although it may seem odd advice to receive during our Global Healing Crisis, I really believe you should make appointments with euphoria, delight and enchantment.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Grammy-winning musician and composer Pharrell Williams has expertise in the creative process. "If someone asks me what inspires me," he testifies, "I always say, 'That which is missing.'" According to my understanding of the astrological omens, you would benefit from making that your motto in the coming weeks. Our Global Healing Crisis is a favorable time to discover what's absent or empty or blank about your life, and then learn all you can from exploring it. I think you'll be glad to be shown what you didn't consciously realize was lost, omitted, or lacking. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "I am doing my best to not become a museum of myself," declares poet Natalie Diaz. I think she means that she wants to avoid defining herself entirely by her past. She is exploring tricks that will help her keep from relying so much on her old accomplishments that she neglects to keep growing. Her goal is to be free of her history, not to be weighed down and limited by it. These would be worthy goals for you to work on in the coming weeks, Pisces. What would your first step be? THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Experiment— To begin the next momentous healing, tell the simple, brave and humble truth about yourself. Testify at freewillastrology.com.

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freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2020

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news of the weird NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE On April 22, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Mayor Bruce Wilkerson was hard at work at a house he has been renovating when he smelled cigarette smoke and "heard a ruckus" outside, so he went to investigate. The former police officer found blood on the cellar door and a bag containing women's clothing inside, but after determining there were no reports of missing women in the area, he told the Bowling Green Daily News, he went back to his work. Later, the electricity suddenly went out, so he returned to the cellar and this time found a young woman. "She said, 'I'm hiding from someone,'" Wilkerson told police, then she ran away. Police haven't identified her, but Wilkerson wanted to set the record straight before "a story would come out that I had a lady locked up in my cellar." QUICK THINKING Eliza Ruth Watson, 37, raises chickens in Gray, Maine, so she's used to seeing foxes nosing around, but as she worked in her garden on April 23, the fox she spotted didn't run when she tried to scare it off by hollering and waving her arms. Instead, the animal lunged toward her, ready to attack. "Thinking back on it now, the fox was a mangy, stanky fox," Watson told the Sun Journal. She responded by kicking it, but "it kept coming back, and I kept kicking it." Finally Watson grabbed the fox around the neck, and as it fought back, she shoved it into a large pot used for scalding chickens, sealed the lid and called 911 and her husband. At the hospital, she received five rabies vaccine injections. "People kept asking, 'Are you the one who wrestled the fox?'" she said. "It's certainly not how I expected to spend my day." ZOOM FATIGUE A videoconference meeting of the Vallejo, California, planning commission got a little weird on April 20 when commissioner Chris Platzer announced, "I'd like to introduce my cat," then was seen throwing the cat off-screen. Later Platzer was seen drinking a beer, and after the meeting ended, city staff could still hear him making derogatory remarks about the commission, the Vallejo Times-Herald reported. In an April 25 email to the newspaper, Platzer apologized for his actions and said he has resigned from the commission. "We are all living in uncertain times, and I certainly, like many of you, am adjusting to a new normalcy," he wrote. Mayor Bob Sampayan said he was bothered by Platzer's "whole demeanor during the entire meeting." The commission had scheduled a vote to remove Platzer on April 28. •ABC News reporter Will Reeve made an internet meme come to life on April 28 when he appeared on "Good Morning America" to report on pharmacies using drones to deliver prescriptions. Looking

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

dapper in a sport coat and open-collared shirt, Reeve no doubt thought his home setup would camouflage the fact that he wasn't wearing pants, CNN reported. Twitter had a field day, and Reeve himself tweeted back, "I have ARRIVED ... in the most hilariously mortifying way possible." IRONY The National Weather Service issued a dust advisory on April 27 in eastern Washington after wind gusts of more than 40 mph kicked up a wall of sediment. "We have had reports of blowing dust near Dusty (seriously, near the town of Dusty) on SR 26 and SR 127," the NWS tweeted. According to Fox News, the Washington State Patrol reported that SR 26 was "fully blocked" about 3 miles outside of Dusty after a car and a semi-truck crashed. The highway remained closed for about six hours. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers stopped Lance Gordon, 32, on April 24, for speeding in a car belonging to Angela Lee, 47, of Holly Springs, whom Gordon said was an acquaintance. WRAL reported authorities grew suspicious after Holly Springs police were unable to contact Lee to confirm the story, and in a subsequent search of her house and car, investigators found Lee's body in the car's trunk. Gordon was charged with Lee's murder, along with stealing her car. ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator Products in Dania Beach, Florida, is taking face masks to a whole new level by fashioning coverings made with the skin of Burmese pythons. "Some people want to make a fashion statement even during this pandemic, so I want to give them options," Wood told the Miami Herald on April 19. The snakeskin itself doesn't offer any added protection, but the masks would allow for a filter or lining to be inserted and removed. Wood hopes to add alligator and crocodile skin masks to his offerings, although alligator, "the diamond of leathers," would be more expensive. Wood said he will be buying animals from local hunters to meet the demand. DESPERATE TIMES In Logrono, Spain, an unidentified man pushed the envelope on Spain's stringent lockdown rules, which make an exception for pet owners, who are allowed to go outside briefly with their pets, according to Gray News. The National Police tweeted a photo on April 24 of the man being arrested for sitting on a city bench holding his pet fish a fish bowl. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird Š 2020 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com May 7, 2020

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Independent News | May 7, 2020 | inweekly.net