Inweekly Sept. 6 2018 Issue

Independent News | September 6, 2018 | Volume 18 | Number 87

FREE â–¶

winners & losers

outtakes

4

5

news 6, 8

Don't pigeonhole yourself into thinking you like only one particular style.

cover feature 13

22

a&e

calendar

15

16

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Michael Daw

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennie McKeon, Jeremy Morrison, Shelby Nalepa, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp

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. Š 2015 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

inweekly.net

Stop by The Bodacious Brew Thru for handcrafted beverages and made-from-scratch foods.

Stay and enjoy a meal on the patio. Bring the kids and explore the Early Learning Garden together.

H O T, I C E D & C H I L L E R C O F F E E S & T E A S • E S P R E S S O • S M O O T H I E S • B R E A K FA S T • P I Z Z A

Drive-Thru & Walk-Up Service

MON – FRI 6:30am – 6pm SATURDAY 7am – 6pm SUNDAY 8am – 2pm

thebodaciousbrew thru.com September 6, 2018

BOD0219 Brew Thru IN 090618.indd 1

D O W N T O W N P E N S AC O L A 16 We s t M a i n S t r e e t 8 50 - 4 3 4 - 6 3 0 0 /BodaciousShops 3

8/29/18 11:16 AM

New CD Rate Specials

1.90 2.05 % APY*

19 MONTH CD (New Deposits Only)

% APY*

30 MONTH CD (New Deposits Only)

ER T S FA E R O M N EAR

1.800.650.6328

GoGulfWinds.com/CD

*APY=Annual Percentage Yield. Minimum deposit of $500 required. Rates as of 09/01/18. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Rates apply to new money deposits only. Early withdrawal penalties apply. APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Federally insured by NCUA.

F I E S T A

P E N S A C O L A

winners & losers

2 0 1 8

PENSACOLA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

Sherri Weeks / Courtesy Photo

Pensacola Bay Ferries / Courtesy Photo

SHERRI HEMMINGHAUS WEEKS Liberty

PENSACOLA BAY FERRIES Less than three months into operations, Pensacola Bay Cruises has had to reduce its service to weekends only, starting Sept. 1, due to not meeting ridership expectations. Actual ridership numbers will not be available until after 2018 season. The city of Pensacola has yet to complete construction of its $3.5-million ferry terminal building and dock at Commendencia Slip. City officials have said the project should be finished in October.

JOHN ARMENTROUT Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida named Big Brother John Armentrout the Agency Big Brother of the Year. John was chosen for his dedication and love for his Little Brother, Joe, with whom he has been paired since November 2010. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida has been the area's leader in one-to-one mentoring for 29 years by serving children ages 6 to 18. Last year, the non-profit served 616 children in Northwest Florida.

PRE-REVEAL GAMES The 1st District Court of Appeal upheld a circuit judge's decision that controversial electronic games played in bars and other establishments, known as "prereveal" games, violate laws preventing slot machines in most of Florida. The ruling backed the state's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, which had ordered two businesses to remove the games. Blue Sky Games, which developed the games, and Gator Coin, which leased the games to businesses, challenged the ruling. The judges found the games meet the definition of slot machines because they include an element of chance.

winners

Sertoma recently presented its Service to Mankind Award to Weeks. Sertoma International's Service to Mankind Award is presented to non-Sertoma members based on their volunteer community service provided by the individual to the community. Weeks was recognized for nearly three decades of service to the Saenger Theatre. She has been involved with Friends of the Saenger since 1981 and is the president emeritus of the organization.

THE ARC GATEWAY The Florida Blue Foundation awarded The Arc Gateway a $100,000 grant from Florida Blue Foundation to support the Pearl Nelson Child Development Center, which is the largest early intervention provider in the Pensacola community and provides direct services for children and adolescents with developmental delays and disabilities. The Pearl Nelson Center provides speech, occupational physical and vision therapy as well as developmental instruction.

Thanks to the funding from Florida Blue, the Pearl Nelson Center will continue to assist each child to improve his or her potential for long-term independence.

losers

RURAL FLORIDA Democratic gubernato-

rial candidate Gwen Graham won 44 counties in the Aug. 26 primary; most were rural or mid-sized counties. Andrew Gillum earned the nomination by winning seven of the most densely populated counties. GOP secondplace finisher Adam Putnam also did well in the rural counties, winning 27 and one large urban county, Hillsborough. Republican nominee Ron DeSantis won by large margins in the urban counties of Broward, Duval, MiamiDade, Orange, Palm Beach and Pinellas.

S E P T. 2 8 – 3 0 D OW N TOW N P E N SAC O L A F R E E

A D M I S S I O N

HOURS:

Friday, Sept. 28 • 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 29 • 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 30 • 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

FEATURING: GULF TO TABLE SEAFOOD CHILDREN’S AREA ARTS & CRAFTS VENDORS COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.PENSACOLASEAFOODFESTIVAL.COM 44

inweekly.net

outtakes

by Rick Outzen

PRIMARY LESSONS Every election we learn something. The Aug. 28 primary was no exception. Here are the top eight lessons I learned from last week's election: 1. Political consultants from Tallahassee and South Florida can help produce professional campaign literature, but that doesn't mean they know Escambia County.

District 4 County Commission candidate Kendrick Doidge used Frontline Strategies and placed fourth in the primary.

2. An endorsement from President Donald Trump guaranteed Republican primary victory in Florida. Ask Matt Gaetz and Ron DeSantis. A photo of Donald Trump on a mailer didn't work so well. Ask Santa Rosa County Commissioner Rob Williamson. The jury is still out on the political value of a replica of Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star, but apparently, House District 1 was crazy about it.

3. Because more than half of the primary voters voted the day of the election, having a good ground game on Aug. 28 was more important than ever. Those candidates with volunteers at all the precincts in their districts did very well, although I'm not so sure hiring poll workers from AccuStaff was a good idea.

4. Campaign yard signs in medians, city rights-of-way and vacant lots did not translate to votes.

5. Also, money doesn't always translate to votes either. Of the nine local races, only

two candidates that spent the most money in their race finished at the top—Dale Perkins and Kevin Adams.

6. Cries of "fake news" didn't play well in local races. Doidge went after News Journal editorial cartoonist Andy Marlette and tried to label him and his employer as the "liberal news" media for teasing him about his immigration policy. Yes, Doidge was the first county commission candidate to ever have an immigration policy that was more than keeping Alabama rednecks away from our daughters. Santa Rosa County Commissioner Rob Williamson got entangled in a "fake news" battle with Navarre Press owner Sandy Kemp. Williamson wound up losing to an opponent that he tried to brand "Chicago Dave" by 8,196 votes.

7. The promise of a community center can be powerful.

Ashton Hayward won over the black vote in 2010 by committing to community centers at Legion Field and Woodland Heights. Myrtle Grove wants a community center. Commissioner Doug Underhill won the Myrtle Grove precinct by 123 votes. I suspect Myrtle Grove will get its center.

8. You should never mess with mama.

At a political forum, Alan McMillan told the crowd that he preferred Kendrick Doidge to win the District 4 seat, which upset Ginger Bender, mother of Doidge's opponent Robert Bender. The comment cost McMillan much-needed votes in the Star Lake area. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Practicing Since 1974 INJURED? (ALL TYPES OF ACCIDENTS)

ARRESTED? (ALL FEDERAL & STATE COURTS)

WHITE COLLAR CRIMES (HEALTH-CARE FRAUD • DRUG OFFENSES & D.U.I.s)

FREE CONSULTATION ON INJURY / DEATH CASES & CRIMINAL CASES NO RECOVERY - NO FEE / COST ON PERSONAL INJURY & WRONGFUL DEATH CASES

24 HOUR SERVICE

433-9922

304 E. GOVERNMENT STREET

Cries of "fake news" didn't play well in local races.

6400 US HWY 90 FORMER FORD DEALERSHIP - SELLER SAYS SELL! Approx. 21,000 sq. ft. BRING ALL OFFERS! REDUCED TO $950,000 GCCMLS#30011732

Virtual tour: www.tourbuzz.net/public/vtour/display/661524?idx=1 SEVILLE SQUARE REALTY WELCOMES JONATHAN W. BOYD

Contact Jonathan: 850-776-1730

SEVILLE SQUARE REALTY, LLC Cheryl Young Licensed Real Estate Broker

308 E. Government St. • Pensacola, Florida 32502

(850) 712-4742

www.sevillesquare.net • cheryl@sevillesquare.net September 6, 2018

Licensed in Florida & Alabama 5

PRIMARY TAKEAWAYS

Ron DeSantis / Courtesy Photo

By Rick Outzen The August primary had plenty of surprises, especially locally. County Commissioner Doug Underhill edged out a well-financed challenger, Alan McMillan, to win the District 2 primary. Despite being outspent by more than $38,000, Judge Joyce Williams won re-election, and former State Rep. Mike Hill earned the House District 1 GOP nomination in a close race with Rebekah Bydlak.

However, the biggest upset was on the

state level, with Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum upsetting the favorite, Gwen Graham. Inweekly asked Democrat consultant Travis Peterson, owner of Impact Campaigns, and Republican Ryan Wiggins, owner of Full Contact Strategies, for their takeaways from the August primary. We started with a discussion of Andrew Gillum's upset and its impact on the November general election.

The Tallahassee mayor was trailing Graham in most polls leading up to election day. On Aug. 14, the Inweekly/Political Matrix poll had Graham ahead with 26 percent, followed by Philip Levine with 16 percent and Gillum with 15 percent. Gillum beat Graham by three percentage points on Tuesday.

"Gillum had enough time for the surge to actually work," said Travis Peterson. "I've been in campaigns where we didn't quite hit our peak, or we didn't hit our peak early enough. It seems like Gillum hit it right in stride, so that was pretty interesting."

Congressman Ron DeSantis won the GOP nomination for governor by beating Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, 56-34 percent. Peterson believes that both primary winners succeeded by energizing the core voters in their parties.

"Gillum just tapped into something with his kind of Bernie Sanders approach to Democratic politics, and I think it's kind of a mirror image of the Trump and DeSantis effect," he said.

"Whether it's Jeff Blake in Arizona or Adam Putnam here, you see these establishment Republicans facing the same struggle that "mainstream" or "centrist" Democrats, like Gwen Graham, find themselves in," Peterson said. "I think you're seeing the parties working

their primary process to where you're getting the candidates that really reflect the hardcore base of both parties."

Ryan Wiggins wasn't surprised that DeSantis beat Putnam.

"The more moderate Republicans have gone more on the NPA side," she said. "A lot of people went full Trump, and I think that we're going to have a really, really interesting race this year because the Democrats did what the Democrats usually do, and they went with a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat over the one who could probably win the race. And the Republicans took a page out of that playbook and went with a dyed-in-the-wool Republican that is going to have a hard time winning that race."

She believes that Republicans are celebrating that Gwen Graham didn't win that Democratic primary. Wiggins said, "Had she won that primary, I think the Republicans would have probably been in trouble."

She cited what she sees as the flaws of each gubernatorial candidate.

"The FBI has investigated Gillum and the people around him," said Wiggins. "He didn't do an excellent job of handling a category one hurricane that hit his town when he was mayor."

DeSantis lacks experience in Florida government. Wiggins said, "I don't think he's familiar necessarily with all the issues that impact us. The things that he was running on were to build a wall, and I don't know that we need to build a wall around Florida. We're not a border state, so I don't know how that pertains to statewide politics."

Peterson praised Gillum for getting the minority vote interested in the mid-term primary, which hasn't happened often.

"I don't want to write off Gillum's success to demographics, but in the same way that Gwen Graham benefited by being the only woman in the race, I believe Gillum also benefited by being the only minority in the race," said Peterson, "I don't think that's the only reason why he won, but I think it's a factor that certainly played in his benefit."

Wiggins believes having Gillum on the ballot will set up U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, who is in a tight race with Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

"Having Andrew Gillum at the top of the ticket will get out the black vote, and I do think that there could be some of the Obama spillover where Gillum would be the first black governor, and there were people who want to be a part of that," she said.

However, she said DeSantis' candidacy also would drive a high turnout. Wiggins said, "The Republican base will be fired up because they have a Trump guy on the ticket, and they're not going to let a Bernie guy beat their Trump guy."

LOCAL RACES

The local races had more candidates running and more money spent than ever before in a midterm primary. Also, more political action committees and high-level consultants were involved in the local races.

Wiggins wasn't bothered by the attention the local races received.

"Pensacola is growing," she said. "Over the past 10 years, Pensacola had a huge growth spurt as far as population, as far as urbanization, and I think we are now on the map as a hip place to live."

She added, "We have industry coming here, and we're on the right path. Pensacola matters, so having the right people in the right offices matters, and it matters on a statewide level too.

You've got to have people who can go over to Tallahassee and start lobbying for some of the money that needs to come this way."

Peterson felt the money helped to mobilize voters and improve turnout. He said, "We had a lot of candidates who ran good, credible campaigns. A higher turnout is always good for democracy. It's always good for the candidates and the voters to really show that they're paying attention to the people that are running for office."

Wiggins felt the consultants added a level of professionalism to campaigns that

夀漀甀爀 䴀漀琀漀爀挀礀挀氀攀 䰀愀眀礀攀爀⸀

䴀䤀䌀䠀䰀䔀匀 䈀伀伀吀䠀

䄀挀挀椀搀攀渀琀 ☀ 䤀渀樀甀爀礀 䰀愀眀礀攀爀猀

㄀ⴀ㠀 ⴀ㐀㌀㠀ⴀ㌀㘀 㘀 簀 䘀漀爀吀栀攀嘀椀挀琀椀洀猀⸀挀漀洀 倀攀渀猀愀挀漀氀愀 ⴀ 䘀漀爀琀 圀愀氀琀漀渀 䈀攀愀挀栀 ⴀ 䌀爀攀猀琀瘀椀攀眀

66

inweekly.net

September 6, 2018

WHO ADVANCES TO NOVEMBER ?

The November general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Voter registration ends on Tuesday, Oct. 9, and early voting starts on Monday, Oct. 22.

U.S. SENATOR

Bill Nelson (DEM) Rick Scott (REP)

CONGRESS, DISTRICT 1

Matt Gaetz (REP) Jennifer M. Zimmerman (DEM)

GOVERNOR

Ron DeSantis (REP) Andrew Gillum (DEM)

ATTORNEY GENERAL Ashley Moody (REP) Sean Shaw (DEM)

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Jimmy Patronis (REP) Jeremy Ring (DEM)

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE

Matt Caldwell (REP) Nicole "Nikki" Fried (DEM)

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 1 Mike Hill (REP) Vikki Garrett (DEM)

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

County Commissioner, District 2 Scott Trotter (DEM) Doug Underhill (REP)

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 4 Leigh Anne Bell (WRI) Robert Bender (REP)

ECUA, DISTRICT 2

HIROYA TSUKAMOTO

was lacking 20 years ago when her father, Jack Nobles, and father-in-law, Mike Wiggins, first ran for Pensacola City Council.

"They were garage campaigns," she explained. "You had your friends and supporters and really could be run from your dining room table. That's not the case anymore."

Wiggins continued, "With social media and with technology the way it is now, you do need to have some people who know what they're doing, and I think it was really smart for the candidates to look into that."

She added, "I think it speaks to the caliber of candidates that we have here, too, that they knew that these were going to be some contentious races, and they knew to look for the professionals."

Peterson ran Ashton Hayward's first campaign for mayor in 2008. The strong mayor form of government was new. The mayoral candidates this year talked at the various forums about how they might tweak the system.

"You have to give Ashton Hayward credit," he said. "It's hard sometimes, being the first one under a new system. All of the mayor candidates understood the new form of government and discussed at the forums and debates their interpretations of the strong mayor and how they would use the powers and responsibilities of the mayor under this charter."

One campaign strategy that didn't work for several local candidates was declaring support of the "Trump agenda" and putting President Trump or his son on campaign mailers. Wiggins said the candidates and their advisors needed to understand their districts because some areas are more supportive of President Trump than others, even though they are heavily Republican.

"Florida House District 1, where Rebekah Bydlak and Mike Hill were running, is a real red. I mean, that's authentic. Those are Trump people over there," she said. Hill won the GOP primary after posting a Facebook video that he pledged to place Donald Trump's Walk of Fame star at Pensacola's Confederate monument.

"But you look at House District 2 and County Commission District 4, those are purple areas, and I think that Bender did an excellent job of reading those tea leaves and saying, 'You know what? I understand that on paper this may look like this is a big Trump supporting district, but I'm not going to sell out that way. I'm going to run on Robert Bender,'" said Wiggins. "And I think that that's where Kendrick Dodge took a misstep. I think he was looking at the data and not looking at what he knows about that area. And I think that that cost him."

She continued, "Kendrick was the one who went diehard on the Trump stuff, and he came in fourth in that race."

Peterson said he was impressed to see the candidates using many different tools, particularly digital tools, effectively.

"You may not be able to put a 30-second ad on the radio or the television, but you can do a nice one and put it on social media and make sure it's out where the people see it there," he said. "It really has democratized communication for political campaigns." {in}

Lois Benson (REP) Gloria G Horning (DEM)

SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 2 (NON-PARTISAN) Paul H Fetsko Ray Guillory

SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 3 (NON-PARTISAN) Laura Dortch Edler Larry Williams Sr.

CITY OF PENSACOLA (NON-PARTISAN) MAYOR Grover C Robinson Brian Spencer

CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 4 Jared Moore Chris Phillips

COUNCIL, DISTRICT 6 W. A. Butch Hansen Ann Hill

Note: Write-in candidates are only listed in local races.

presents

RadioLive adioLive THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola

Featuring

CHRIS ALVARADO HIROYA TSUKAMOTO PETER KARP

10/04/18

6:00 p.m.

Doors 5:00 p.m.

Tickets $10

available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787

Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM

7

A 'FIRST' IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE "I distinctly remember watching my mother close the door and seeing tears well up in her face," Gillum said in his campaign video for governor. "I remember making the promise to myself that I wasn't going to make my mom cry like that."

His life wasn't easy. But his promise to himself, "to do good," continues to be the driving force for his success.

ADDING PASSION TO THE PARTY

Andrew Gillum / Courtesy Photo

By Sammi Sontag Editor's Note: After his historic comefrom-behind victory in last week's primary, every newspaper in Florida (and, really, most national media outlets too) are trying to interview Democrat Andrew Gillum. Inweekly actually already did that—last summer. Since we know lots of people weren't really paying attention to the election then, we decided to rerun that interview this week.

Our country once cherished pioneers that strove to be first. However, in this age of cynicism and polarized politics, the "firsts" have lost some of their luster.

That may change in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election.

Tallahassee's Mayor Andrew Gillum is a quintessential "first." He was the first person in his family to graduate high school, the first to attend and graduate college and plans to make history and be the first black governor of Florida.

"My parents never ever put limitations on any of my siblings or me about what was possible," he said. "You know, if we could dream it, we could imagine it, we could achieve it."

Gillum shared that his grandmother had a saying, "It's not enough to be good. You gotta do some good too." "I try to do that in a way that would make my family proud but also do good for my community," the Tallahassee mayor told Inweekly in a phone interview last week.

Gillum, 37, a Miami native, attended Flor88

ida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). There, he served as the president of the FAMU Student Government Association and became the first student member of the FAMU Board of Trustees.

He was recognized as an "Emerging Leader for 2003" by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. That same year, at age 23, he became the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission and later became the Mayor of Tallahassee in 2014. Last summer at the Democratic National Convention, he was among the featured speakers.

The politician described himself as a family man with a deep love for his wife, twins and new baby.

FAMILY MAN

"I'm, first, a believer, a God-fearing man. I am husband to R. Jai and father to Jackson and Caroline and Davis," he said.

"I think I'm kind of the manifestation of the American dream, which can be described as it doesn't matter where you start in life; it's how you travel that journey and where you end up."

He added, "I am the son to two of the hardest working people I know. My mother was a school bus driver growing up, and my daddy was a construction worker. I'm one of seven kids, all boys and one girl. I'm number five of seven."

Growing up in Miami, he said, every one of his older brothers had a criminal history. On any given night, there could be a knock on the door, and it would be a police officer telling his mom one of his brothers got into trouble.

In February, Gillum was the first major Democrat to announce his candidacy.

Since then, he has traveled statewide and had the opportunity to visit Pensacola.

He is one of the youngest and is the only African-American candidate in an already crowded race.

His biographical campaign video captures his voice and desire to create a brighter future.

"You know, I have to tell you the truth, passion is what our party has been lacking," he said. "When it comes to competing for the governorship, people don't understand what it is we as politicians stand for."

Gillum believes he is more in touch with the people's issues than other politicians because "I've lived it." "I understand what it was like to be on food stamps at different points in my life," he said.

"I understood what it meant to see my parents work their backs off and still not have anything to show for it. And, unfortunately, that is still the lived experience of far too many people in this state, and nobody's talking about it."

Being the first person in his family to receive a college degree had a lasting impression on the young leader. He has worked hard as mayor to improve education in Tallahassee and is ready to make a statewide change.

During his recent visit to Pensacola, Gillum was impressed by the early learning initiative launched by the Studer Community Institute.

"I take particular pride in the emphasis I put on early learning in Tallahassee," he said.

"And I have to compliment Pensacola because when I was there, there wasn't a meeting I had that did not include some conversation about early learning. "

"I have to compliment Pensacola because when I was there, there wasn't a meeting I had that did not include some conversation about early learning." Andrew Gillum Gillum added, "It sounds to me like you all are a community that gets that, that understands that. Now we need a state that understands it."

HEALTHCARE, GUNS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The proposed Republican healthcare bill is another issue Gillum is trying to combat in Florida. He thinks the bill is moving quickly through the Senate back to the House and fears the effect it could have on citizens with pre-existing conditions.

"Middle-class families, working-class families in our state are literally terrified that the rug is going to be pulled out from underneath them because they or their kids can't afford to get sick," he said. "I propose that in Florida, we say that you cannot do business if you refuse to write policies for folks with pre-existing conditions."

Gillum told Inweekly he is researching what other states are doing to lower costs and increase access to badly needed healthcare.

In a conservative state, gun laws are a touchy topic, but he is prepared to fight for restrictions. After the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, the politician said he knew something had to change with gun laws.

"I believe there are common sense ways to deal with gun reform without threatening anyone's Second Amendment rights," he said. "I mean, we're sitting here [right] after a deranged gunman decided to wage an attack on members of Congress, and other citizens, on a public baseball field in Virginia."

He added, "This idea that what you've got to do in order to prevent these things is give everybody a gun doesn't ring true for me."

Gillum also wants to stand with states like California and New York to invest in green infrastructure and a clean environment, in response to Trump's decision to withdraw America from the Paris climate accord.

"My frustration level has peaked.

We've got a climate denier not only in the White House but also in the State House." Gillum "My frustration level has peaked," he said.

"We've got a climate denier not only in the White House but also in the State House.

Governor Rick Scott said he's not a scientist and therefore has done nothing to stem the impacts of climate change and the sea level rise in Florida when the reality is this is a huge issue facing the state."

Gillum wants to be a "first" who changes how Florida government operates.

"What we've had these last several years, frankly, is an absence of leadership," he said.

"We shrunk from the opportunity to lead.

And we shrunk from the opportunity to rise to these challenges." {in} To learn more about Gillum's campaign, visit andrewgillum.com. inweekly.net

Studer Community Institute

Training & Development Better Jobs • Better Lives • Better Communities

60% to 80% of all jobs come from existing companies.

Small businesses drive the economy’s engine, and we commend all those local businesses that work so hard, every day, to create jobs and spur growth for our community.

We want to recognize the more than 1,900 people from 600+ business who have attended Studer Community Institute skills-training sessions over the past 12 months, including workshops, small business roundtables, and EntreCon® our 2-day business and leadership conference.

The Illuminators This talented team of speakers and facilitators light and lead the way to success.

Illuminators share our mission to improve the quality of life for people.

Illuminators lead workshops designed to help you develop a strong, values-based culture, where team members feel more fulfilled, growth is catalyzed and results sustained.

Miller Caldwell III Caldwell & Associates

Tracy Crowell Two Headed Marketing

Lynne Cunningham Studer Group

Jon Deckert Vivid Bridge Studios

Kelly Dickey Studer Group

Penelope Elebash Studer Group

Thomas Greek Navy Federal Credit Union

Liz Jazweic LiJaz.com

Cheryl Kirby, PhD Florida SBDC Network

Lisa Long Red Iron Design House

Kelly Massey Florida SBDC at UWF

Autumn Morris Studer Group

Ben Murphy Vivid Bridge Studios

Bob Murphy Studer Community Institute Faculty, Studer Group Speaker

Mort O’Sullivan Retired Managing Member, Gulf Coast Region, Warren Averett

Daniel Pennington Speaker Coach, Keynote Speaker & Author

Chris Reilly Sperduto Associates Inc.

Amie Remington LandrumHR

Kristine Rushing Beck Partners

Bert Thornton Retired Vice Chairman Emeritus of Waffle House

Kristie Tobias Studer Group

Debbie Williams Gorilla Group

Stacy Keller Williams Navy Federal Credit Union

Veronique Zayas Hatchmark Studio

If you are interested in learning more about Studer Community Institute training and development and EntreCon®, please visit our website at studeri.org or contact Rachael Gillette, rgillette@studeri.org, (850) 748-5656.

The Studer Community Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

September 6, 2018

9

EXPENSIVE PRIMARY Local candidates spent $826,380 on the Aug. 28 primary.

The most expensive race, through Aug. 24 campaign election reports, was the Pensacola mayor's race—$279,419.

Councilman Brian Spencer, who is running for mayor, spent more than any other candidate—$127,120. He was followed by District 2 County Commission candidate Alan McMillan with $96,308 and mayoral candidate Grover Robinson with $84,318.

The political action committee Escambia Citizens for Better Government spent $102,038 on local races. It primarily helped to promote District 2 Commission candidate Alan McMillan. District 2 Commissioner Doug Underhill had the Integrity in Leadership PAC, which spent $55,539. We don't know if all the money was to help Underhill's campaign.

We know the Citizens for Integrity in Government sent out several mailers in support of Brian Spencer's campaign. Its reports show it spent more than $100,000 with Premier Marketing and Consulting in August, but it's unknown how much was to promote Spencer.

The Conservative Leadership Fund helped District 4 Commission candidate Kendrick Doidge and spent $82,673, but we don't know if Doidge's race was the only one the PAC was involved with.

It's possible that $1 million was spent on the local primary races, not including the Congressional or Florida House races.

PRAISE FOR CAMPUS VOTING SITES

The League of Women Voters of Florida, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida, All Voting is Local Florida, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund praised the Supervisors of Elections for establishing early voting on some of the college campuses in Alachua, Hillsborough, Leo, and Orange counties and encourages others to make it a top priority for the November election.

"We are aware of the logistical challenges that the timing of Judge Walker's decision presented," said Patricia Brigham, president of the League of Women Voters. "This is not only a testament to our supervisors' dedication to safe and secure elections but also their desire to ensure equitable and fair access to the polls for all Florida voters.

In July, Judge Mark Walker ruled that a ban placed on early voting sites on Florida campuses was unconstitutional and put an unfair burden on college students. Since then, the League of Women Voters and other voting rights groups have called on Florida Supervisors of Elections to ensure that college students are able to access the vote by placing early voting sites on campus. But several colleges, including those serving large populations of students of color—Florida A&M University, Florida International University and Miami Dade College— are without early voting sites two months before the general election.

HELP GERO RECOVER Pensacola's sister

city, Gero, Japan, is still recovering from extreme flooding and landslides caused by the landfall of Typhoon Prapiroon in July. Gero experienced all-time rainfall records and saw thousands of citizens seek shelter. The city of over 33,000 citizens experienced extensive damage and property loss.

Pensacola and Gero established their status as sister cities in 1988 and have mutually benefited from decades of support. After the 2014 flooding in Pensacola, Gero residents provided financial support through United Way of Escambia County. $12,900 in relief funds were placed in a Flood Relief Distribution Pool, which was used to provide funding to local agencies supporting relief efforts. Gero also offered support to Pensacola following Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

The Central Community Chest of Japan (CCCJ) is leading recovery efforts and is in charge of accepting monetary donations. The

CCCJ is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Japan and is a long-time partner of United Way Worldwide.

Individuals interested in supporting Gero through the Central Community Chest of Japan may visit akaihane.or.jp/english/.

The CCCJ has the capacity to accept international donations.

AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER RACE

Rep. Matt Caldwell won the GOP primary for Florida Agriculture Commissioner with 35 percent of the vote, besting fellow Florida lawmakers Denise Grimsley and Baxter Troutman.

Full Contact Strategies owner Ryan Wiggins was happy to see Caldwell win the hard-fought race. She told Inweekly, "Matt kind of got hit by all sides. 'Big Sugar' did not end up giving to his campaign, but he and Adam Putnam got attacked by the Everglades Trust, saying that they were causing this big algae problem down in South Florida, which wasn't really fair."

She continued, "And you had him running against Baxter Troutman, who is a legacy of grandson of Ben Hill Griffin, Jr., the guy the University of Florida's football stadium is named after."

Troutman is wealthy and spent $3 million on television advertising, according to Wiggins. Caldwell didn't have that type of personal wealth.

"Matt's background is he comes from a family that's been here for 200 years," said Wiggins. "His wife is a school teacher. Matt was in real estate, and he has been serving Florida for eight years now. He didn't have the funds to self-fund the way Baxter Troutman did."

She was impressed with how hard Caldwell worked to campaign statewide. She said, "I was really proud of Matt. He spent time getting to know our area—I mean, he was in the Panhandle every four weeks for the past 15 months and has really taken the time to get to know the state, get to know the issues at the grassroots

level." Wiggins added, "It was really nice to see real campaigning, real work succeed over just trying to buy the seat."

Caldwell will face Democrat Nikki Fried, who won her three-person primary with 59 percent of the vote.

ACHIEVE REPORT On Wednesday, Aug.

29, Achieve Escambia released its 2018 annual report. The nonprofit, which is funded by many of the top employers in the area, focuses on education by aligning community resources so "every generation achieves success, cradle to career."

The four outcome areas that Achieve Escambia measures are kindergarten readiness, academic success, high school graduation and career readiness.

Over the past year, the 172 Achieve Escambia volunteers have contributed 3,150 hours to the partnership, the equivalent of $77,774.

In his message in the report, Leadership Council chair David Deliman said the organization had three major achievements in the 201718 school year—"establishing of a partnership with C.A. Weis Community School to improve early learning; joining the Florida College Access Network's statewide campaign to connect more high school students to college and career; and setting goals, creating action plans and making commitments to prepare more children for school and more students for success after high school."

This year, Achieve Escambia wants to align work of 20 childcare centers, churches and businesses with a common early learning improvement plan in the 32505 ZIP code. It wants to bring to Escambia County Help Me Grow, a one-stop-shop program that arms families with tools to address their child's developmental delays, and will launch the Escambia County FAFSA Challenge to encourage graduates to apply for aid to continue their education.

Achieve Escambia has also set some long-range goals. By 2020, they want to see

Let’s Wine!

Free Wine Tasting Every Thursday AWM 5pm - 7pm

27 S. 9th Ave. | 850•433•9463 AragonWineMarket.com 010 1

inweekly.net

60 percent of the children entering kindergarten be ready for school—increasing to 75 percent by 2025. Only 46 percent of the children today are prepared for school when they enter kindergarten.

By 2025, 60 percent of working-age adults will have at least a two-year college degree or a high-quality postsecondary credential. In 2016, only 40.9 percent of Escambia County residents had a degree or high-quality credential.

To learn more about Achieve Escambia, achieveescambia.org.

NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS The City of

Pensacola has begun accepting applications for FY 2018-2019 Pensacola Neighborhood Challenge grant program.

The Pensacola Neighborhood Challenge (PNC) grant program, previously known as PCIP, is a matching grant program that provides City of Pensacola neighborhood associations with funding to complete neighborhood improvement projects. Funds can be used for various neighborhood initiatives including beautification projects, signage, sidewalks or other improvements to public property. Funds can be matched by cash, in-kind contributions, volunteer labor or any combination of the three.

Applications are available on cityofpensacola.com and will be accepted until 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 31.

NICU REUNION The Studer Family Children's Hospital at Sacred Heart invites former patients and families of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to the annual NICU reunion on Saturday, Oct. 6, in the Greenhut Auditorium at Sacred Heart Hospital, 5151 N. Ninth Ave. The Studer Family Children's Hospital at Sacred Heart offers the area's only Level III NICU. More than 1,000 babies are admitted to the NICU each year, with about 80 percent born prematurely, which is defined as being born between two and 16 weeks early. The Children's Hospital maintains two specially equipped mobile neonatal critical care transport ambulances for the transfer of premature and critically ill newborns from other hospitals across Northwest Florida to The Children's Hospital. The average length of stay in the NICU is 18 days.

This annual event is an opportunity for families to reconnect with the nurses, doctors and team members who cared for them throughout their journey, as well as with the other families whom they may have grown close with.

NICU reunion guests are invited to dress up in fairy-tale-themed costumes and enjoy games, story time, crafts and snacks, as well as indoor and outdoor play areas. The event is free to attend, but families are invited to bring September 6, 2018

a blanket or book to donate to babies currently in our NICU.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Pensacola

State College is teaming up with the school districts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to host College Fair 2018 on Sept. 9, 10 and 11 at three PSC campuses. The South Santa Rosa County Schools fair is 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, PSC South Santa Rosa Center, Bldg. 51, 5075 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze. The Escambia County Schools fair is 6-7:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 10, PSC campus, Hartsell Arena, 1000 College Blvd. For more information, visit pensacolastate.edu/community/college-fair/.

Santa Rosa Republican Party will host a Turkey Shoot starting at noon Saturday, Sept. 8, at Bluegill Bait & Tackle, 8160 Tidwell Road, Chumuckla. .

350 Pensacola and Sierra Club Emerald Coast Chapter 350 Pensacola are hosting a "Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice" rally at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, in Plaza de Luna, 900 S. Palafox St. Sierra Club Emerald Coast invites the public to hear Erin Handy of Oceana, who will speak on the campaign against offshore drilling 2-3:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 9, at the West Florida Public Library, 239 N Spring St. The City of Pensacola has revised the public meeting scheduled for the CRA Urban Design Standards Overlay. Planning board meeting and public hearing on proposed overlay/recommendation to city council will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, in Hagler Mason Conference Room, Pensacola City Hall, 222 W Main St. 350 Pensacola and Sierra Club Emerald Coast will show the film "The Burden" that is about the struggle of the US military to provide energy to its troops in battle and the clean energy innovations the military is advancing. The showing is 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12 at West Florida Public Library, 239 N. Spring St. Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Bell will be the guest speaker at the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association's September luncheon noon-1 p.m. Thursday, Sept.

13, at V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 Palafox. Bell will present on constitutional amendments.

The cost, which includes lunch, is $15 for members and $18 for nonmembers. For reservations, email esrba@esrba.com.

Julie Still-Rolin is having a book signing for her latest book, "Evolving through Bullshit," at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Open Books Bookstore, 1040 N Guillemard St. The book is about coming out in the South, overcoming midlife changes and making difficult decisions for self-improvement. A Little Madness Brewing Company will be there giving away samples of their craft beer. {in} 11

This event will feature different oyster preparations paired with three beverage selections. Cost is $45 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Seating is limited and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call 850-433-9450.

212 1

inweekly.net

THE LAST STRAWS

By Stephanie Sharp It's been three years since Christine Figgener, a marine biologist at Texas A&M University, shared a video of her team removing a plastic straw from the nose of sea turtle. That video, posted in August 2015, has over 32 million views on YouTube and starts with the team thinking the turtle has a worm stuck in its nostril. The male olive ridley sea turtle struggles, cries and bleeds as the marine biologists slowly extract from his nasal cavity something most of us use every day—a plastic drinking straw.

That story ends as happily as possible.

The research team removed the straw, and the sea turtle happily swam away once it was released into the ocean off the coast of Costa Rica. Sea turtles are incredibly resilient, but the video and imagery made for a striking unofficial mascot for activists and advocates in the fight against single-use plastic, such as drinking straws.

Recently, protests and campaigns targeted at eliminating plastic straws and banning their ubiquitous presence in bars and restaurants have reached a fever pitch. Similar to the plastic bag bans of the early 2000s, advocates are working to change consumer and business behavior through education and legislation.

As a coastal community, Pensacola and the surrounding areas have seen an uptick in action directed at diverting redundant plastic pollution, particularly in the form of plastic straws.

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

The unsavory truth about plastic disposables is that these petroleum products are designed to last forever. They never September 6, 2018

biodegrade, only breaking down after decades into harmful micro-plastics that can never be recovered from the environment.

Plastic straws, in particular, are an excellent example of how a modern "convenience" has become an ecological menace before most consumers were aware of the threat. While it might be tough to remember a time without them, plastic straws were introduced by the mass production of the iconic Krazy Straw in 1961.

Before that, the modern drinking straw was invented by Marvin Stone in 1888, after he became frustrated with drinking his mint juleps through an actual stalk of ryegrass. The bendy straw, invented by Joseph B. Friedman to help his young daughter drink a milkshake with ease, came along in 1937.

As of 2018, straw-related angst among environmentally conscious consumers is at an all-time high as the severity of the impact of plastic pollution is gaining attention.

COASTLINE DEFENSE

Ocean Hour FL, founded by Sharon Gincauskas, is a local environmental volunteer group that spends at least one hour every weekend cleaning a local beach or waterway.

From Fort Pickens to Chimney Park and everywhere in between, volunteers pick up litter and work to educate the public about the effect of plastic on the environment.

For the month of August, their volunteers specifically counted the number of plastic straws they collected during their cleanups.

The August count for plastic straws and stirrers came in at 150. In July, they counted water bottles and diverted 237 from local waterways.

“During the last International Coastal Cleanup [in 2017], 2,214 straws were collected

at Quietwater Beach. Straws are an issue at our beach because the sifters do not pick most of them up, so many times, there many more straws that are picked up,” explained Ocean Hour volunteer Cheryl Kelsch.

food and drink establishments to provide straws only on request will result in a simple significant decrease in the volume of disposable plastic we create and use," explained Kelsch. "If someone needs a straw due to disability or allergies, then, of course, they should request one or, even better, purchase a reusable straw that they can carry with them."

Ocean Hour sees the combinations of frequent and consistent individual or community efforts as the root of change in the fight against plastic pollution, whether it be plastic straws, marine debris or resource scarcity.

"We are asking our local restaurants and bars to participate by providing straws only on request instead of always providing it to everyone regardless of need or desire." Cheryl Kelsch "We can all reduce, reuse and recycle without impacting our In addition to their weekly cleanups, quality of life. Most of our use is Ocean Hour is working on several initiatives designed to reduce the amount of plastic habit, not need." Kelsch pollution generated locally. One of these initiatives is a "straw upon request" program.

"We are asking our local restaurants and bars to participate by providing straws only on request instead of always providing it to everyone regardless of need or desire. Hopefully, we can then follow up with eliminating other sources of plastic like Styrofoam cups and containers, plastic bags and other single-use items."

Kelsch works locally in the healthcare industry as director of clinical strategic initiatives for Gulf Coast Health Care in Pensacola, where she says they are working to reduce, reuse and recycle, along with other green initiatives, in an environment where many people might assume there's no alternative.

"Because the majority of plastic straws are not actually needed or used by the consumer and are just automatically provided, asking

"We can all reduce, reuse and recycle without impacting our quality of life. Most of our use is habit, not need."

SUCKS TO SUCK

Consumer pressure on businesses and corporations to ditch plastic straws has drawn criticism as not enough to address the critical level of plastic pollution globally.

Admittedly, skipping the straws and cleaning beaches is just one small step in a journey to redirecting the world's reliance on plastic disposables, but it's better than no step at all.

Customers and business owners are experimenting with alternatives to the plight of plastic. Paper straws are back with a vengeance, pasta and bamboo straws offer sustainable alternatives in a variety of settings and the trend 13

For Your Specialty

Eye Care Needs!

of bringing your own reusable stainless steel or silicone straw is gaining traction. But the alternatives are not without issues. Paper straws can weaken if neglected in a beverage for too long, pasta straws are a no-go for people with gluten allergies and buying your own reusable straw is an additional lifestyle cost that not everyone can budget for.

As corporate giants like Starbucks and Disney Parks have rolled out the PR red

carpet for their company-wide initiatives to eliminate plastic straws by 2020, it's important to remember that the goal of total eradication of plastic disposables by the end of the decade isn't feasible. Our linear system of production and disposal has to be dismantled in a way that takes multiple concerns into serious consideration, including issues like legislative lobbying and the engineering process of viable alternatives

that make a plastic-straw-free future accessible to everyone.

Legislation, activism and consumer demand can spur the movement along, but thoughtful design at a manufacturing level and a reevaluation of our priorities as a nation of consumers can shift the tide toward a more sustainable future for citizens, local businesses, the environment and even toughas-nails sea turtles. {in}

• Color and Bifocal Contact Lenses • True Tear Dry Eye Treatments & Lipiflow Dry Eye Treatments • Eyelash Lengthening • Luxury & Exclusive Eyeglasses & Sunglasses

113 Palafox Place (Across from Saenger Theatre)

Pensacola

(850) 434-2060

WALKING THE TALK

Since Aug. 1, local branding firm idgroup embarked on a challenge ahead of World Values Day 2018. The goal—give up non-reusable cups, straws, bottles and pods. Inweekly spoke with idgroup's lead designer, Somi Choi, about the challenge and the impact on the office.

INWEEKLY: What was the inspiration for the challenge?

SOMI CHOI: As a brand transformation firm, we help businesses define, articulate and live their values through every touch point of the organization—including internally with employees and externally with customers. Inspired by our work, our clients and also by our own commitment as a Certified B Corp, we saw an opportunity to join thousands of like-minded businesses and individuals globally by participating in a one-day challenge for World Values Day on Oct. 18. While the goal of World Values Day (worldvaluesday.com) is to put our values into action within our communities, the real challenge for us was to focus our attention on something others in our community would be inspired by to join with us in our cause.

For our challenge, we chose to work toward reducing or completely eliminating single-use plastics, such as water bottles, paper and Styrofoam cups, plastic straws and K-cups. Living on the Gulf Coast, we felt compelled to put our value of sustainability into action by adopting a challenge

that helps us preserve and protect the natural assets we have.

pods. We are also limiting the use of plastic water bottles for our clients.

INWEEKLY: How successful was the challenge? Any slip-ups or struggles along the way?

CHOI: The challenge officially starts and ends on Oct. 18, and we will have a full report available to share the results of our efforts. Despite World Values Day being in mid-October, we've decided to start early and are already making strides in reducing our environmental impact. Our team has been particularly invested in the challenge by bringing in their own reusable glass bottles, by choosing not to take straws when out at lunch and by being more conscious in general when it comes to using single-use products.

INWEEKLY: How would you and your colleagues respond to criticisms that giving up non-reusables/disposables "isn't enough?"

CHOI: We think the idea of "isn't enough" shouldn't get in anybody's way to start making a difference right where they are, even if it's a small act. Small, repeated actions—done consistently—matter. You might be walking on the street and pick up a single piece of trash to throw away. That's something small, maybe considered insignificant, right? But imagine if 10 of us started doing it...or 100 of us started doing it? That's real impact. And it starts with one person, one action at a time. We're grateful for the opportunity to share what we're doing with the public so the community can participate with us.

INWEEKLY: What, if anything, is idgroup going to change long-term about their consumption of non-reusables/disposables moving forward?

CHOI: This challenge has opened our eyes to the fact that making a little bit more of an effort is not that difficult, and long-term, we know we can really make an impact. Values don't last for just two weeks, so we're turning this challenge into inspiration for the idgroup way of life. One employee brought a Nespresso machine, so we are in search for biodegradable Nespresso pods. When we make coffee in the office with our Keurig, we use the refillable

INWEEKLY: Any advice for other offices/ companies that are looking to try a similar challenge?

CHOI: Take the first step. We promise it's not that hard. It was hard for a few of us— people who purchase coffee every day—for a week maybe. But once we got into a habit, it became easy. Coffee tastes better in the mug than in the paper cup anyway. The point is to start small, maybe with just one thing, like taking reusable bags to the grocery store. Then commit to it for two weeks to build the habit.

STRAW-FREE FIELD GUIDE If you're stressing about whether your teeth enamel will hold up against your cold brew habit or scared of spilling that expensive smoothie all over yourself as you drive, don't fret. There are plenty of responsible ways to keep on sucking without depending on plastic straws.

1. REFUSE WHEN AND IF YOU CAN. It's just as easy to say, "With no straw, please," as it is to say, "No lemon, please" or, "Shaken, not stirred," when ordering a beverage. Slow down and opt to dine in when possible, savor each sip and think of a future where you can tell your grandkids about the year we all realized how bad plastic straws are.

2. REPLACE WITH REUSABLES. Stainless steel, bamboo or silicone reusable 414 1

straws are the hottest accessories. Carrying your own straw (bonus points if you carry a reusable cup to take drinks on the go) with you is as easy as keeping track of your favorite pen, maybe even easier, since no one will ask to borrow it. Ask your bartender and barista about your favorite spot's #bringyourown policy.

3. REQUEST PAPER, PASTA OR ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE. If you frequent a local establishment that relies on straws, kindly encourage the management team to phase out plastic straws or provide straws only upon request. Instead of criticizing businesses that experiment with a plastic straw alternative, engage in a dialogue with their leadership to tell them what would have

you coming back for more and sharing on social media. Progress takes time and well-intentioned feedback.

4. REMEMBER, IT'S A PROCESS. Hearing about the blight of plastic disposables can bring on serious environmental anxiety. Keep in mind that our economy is designed to be linear, meaning we design for the landfill. You, as a consumer, employee or business owner, can only be responsible for your own choices. You won't get a perfect score, and no one is grading you on your efforts. Taking small steps each day to be more mindful about the way we use resources—whether it be time, plastic or emotional energy—helps move the planet towards a greener future. inweekly.net

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 6-12

Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...

Hop It Up

By Savannah Evanoff

Don't think you like beer? Bite your tongue.

Many of the coordinators and brewers at Emerald Coast Beer Festival might convince you otherwise.

April King, the vice president of Escambia Bay Homebrewers Club and the festival's publicity chair, said her first year attending the festival showed her how many different styles of beer exist, referencing chocolate beer, fruit-infused beer and even sake—which is technically brewed, she said. It even led to her brewing at home.

"I always laugh when someone says they don't like beer," King said. "I'm sure they do, but they just haven't found the style they like."

This year will mark the 23rd annual Beer Festival, hosted by Escambia Bay Homebrewers Club and Seville Quarter. It started as a small group of brewers swapping beers at Apple Annie's and transformed into a festival with hundreds of beer samples, King said.

When festivalgoers arrive, they receive a tasting glass. They then walk around and taste 2-ounce beer samples from homebrewers, September 6, 2018

commercial craft breweries and distributors.

"It's a good way to introduce yourself to craft beer because you don't have to commit yourself to an entire six-pack or a pint of beer at a pub," King said. "You can actually take a little taste … if you don't like it, you can dump it out, rinse your glass and go to the next one."

"It's a good way to introduce yourself to craft beer because you don't have to commit yourself to an entire six-pack or a pint of beer at a pub." April King Like King, Mike Bisaha, the CEO of Big Top Brewing Company, believes many people only think they don't like beer.

"There's a perception of craft beer that it's all hoppy and bitter," Bisaha said. "That's not the case."

Big Top Brewing Company, a Sarasotabased brewery, just opened a brick and mortar in Pensacola a week ago and will make its second festival appearance.

What makes Big Top Brewing Company special is its creativity, Bisaha said.

While the craft beer industry has grown, Bisaha takes comfort in the idea that two brewers can be given the same ingredients yet make a completely different beer.

For example, one of the beers in his brewery today is a peanut butter and jelly pale ale.

"We're known to push the boundaries of what we can do with beer," Bisaha said.

"There's so many flavors you can incorporate that people would never assume you can make work in a beer.

If you layer the flavors properly, it creates a unique experience for a lot of people."

Bisaha hopes festival attendees will step out of their comfort zone and try something new, such as trying Big Top Brewing Company's coffee coconut porter.

"Don't pigeonhole yourself into thinking you like only one particular style," Bisaha said.

David Beddick, Jr., the president and head brewer of local brewery A Little Madness Brewing Company, also understands everyone's palate is different. He plans to bring a variety of beer styles to the festival, including a blonde ale, porter, IPA and wheat beer.

Like his brewing style, the name of his brewing company is diverse. A Little Madness is a mash-up of different popular culture ideas, he said.

"It takes a little bit from all of the influences that make us who we are as brewers and business owners and entrepreneurs," Beddick Jr. said. "There's definitely a little bit of Willy Wonka in

there, a good chunk of Hunter S. Thompson.

It definitely takes some madness to do what we do."

As someone who has attended beer festivals and participated several times in the Emerald Coast Beer Festival, Beddick Jr. recommends attending the event with a game plan.

"Say I was really interested in stouts that year, I would go through the list and find five or six stouts I wanted to try," Beddick Jr. said.

"I would hopscotch around and try those different stouts so I could get all those different flavors of stouts and get a feeling for that style in general."

Beddick Jr. is near the end of making his transition from amateur to professional brewing, with a full-scale brewery currently under construction near UWF. Because of that, he appreciates how the festival incorporates homebrewers.

"Because we do have such a good collection of people that are bringing home-brewed beverages, it also challenges some of the commercial breweries to bring some of their best stuff," Beddick Jr. said.

Highlighting homebrewers is what separates Emerald Coast Beer Festival from other beer events, King said. Many of the homebrewers are so skilled you might think their beer was concocted with a professional system, she said.

One hundred percent of craft breweries began from people homebrewing, she said.

"Guys and gals start brewing in the garage and they start making good beer, and then they get inspiration to open up a craft brewery," King said. "Homebrewing is the grassroots movement to the craft beer revolution that's happening in the U.S." The festival is always crowded, but you can still learn a lot about beer if you do it right.

"We do encourage participants to ask questions—if you have a question about the beer or how they make the beer," King said.

"One thing brewers love to do is talk about their craft." {in}

EMERALD COAST BEER FESTIVAL

WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7 WHERE: Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. COST: $30 in advance, $40 day of the event DETAILS: emeraldcoastbeerfest.com 15

calendar End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com LATIN DANCE CLASSES 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha and more. Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com AN EVENING WITH CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD 7 p.m. $20-$249. Vinyl Music Hall, 2

S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

EMERALD COAST BEER FESTIVAL BEER PAIRING DINNER 7 p.m. $65 per person. Apple

Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com THE END OF JACK CRUZ 7:30 p.m. $14-$20.

Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com PROOF 7:30 p.m. $15. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com

FRIDAY 9.7 Chris Robinson Brotherhood / Photo by Jay Blakesberg

THURSDAY 9.6

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SOUTHWEST BRANCH LIBRARY BOOK CLUB

10:30 a.m. 12248 Gulf Beach Highway. mywfpl.com ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com PILATES MAT 12:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS 5 and 7 p.m. $20.

Redneck Riviera. Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine RADIOLIVE 6 p.m. $10. Cliff Eberhardt, Louise Mosrie, Grant Peeples. Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. radiolive.org PRANIC HEALING 6-7:30 p.m. Free.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR YOUR GARDEN 10

a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 10 a.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com VETTES ON THE BEACH WELCOME DINNER

4:30-6:30 p.m. Hemingway's Bimini Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. miraclestripcorvette. com/vettes-at-the-beach-2018 FLIGHT NIGHTS 5-7 p.m. $9 for three 3-ounce pours. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com HAPPY HOUR COOKOUTS 5 p.m. Drink specials, free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com EMERALD COAST BEER FESTIVAL 5:30-8:30 p.m. $30 in advance, $40 at the event.

Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com BLESSTHEFALL 6 p.m. $18-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com FIRST FRIDAY AT BARE HAND COLLECTIVE 6-9 p.m. Bare Hand Collective, 2370 N. Palafox. facebook.com/barehandco TAILGATING FOOD HANDS-ON COOKING CLASS 6-8 p.m. $64.50. So Gourmet, 407-D

S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com

THE CLOVER PICK-A-BOWL, FILL-A-BOWL

6-8 p.m. $40. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. mannahelps.org TASTE OF THE BEACH VIP DINNER 6-9 p.m.

$75. Hilton Pensacola Beach, 12 Via De Luna Drive. tasteofpensacolabeach.com FALL CONCERT SERIES 6-9 p.m. $20. Big Lagoon State Park Amphitheater, 12301 Gulf Beach Highway. biglagoonstatepark.com DATE NIGHT DANCE CLASSES 6:30-8 p.m. $8.

Learn several romantic ballroom dance styles in unique group classes. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com DELUNA WINERY MOVIE NIGHT 7 p.m. "Ready Player One." De Luna Winery, 116 E. Gonzalez St. facebook.com/delunamovienights OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin HEALTHY FRENCH COOKING 7-8:30 p.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org THE END OF JACK CRUZ 7:30 p.m. $14-$20.

Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com PROOF 7:30 p.m. $15. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com BULLS ON THE BEACH 8-9:30 p.m. FloraBama Lounge, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. florabama.com

SATURDAY 9.8

SEMPER FI 5K 7:30 a.m. $20-$35. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com BIRDING AT FT. PICKENS 7:30 a.m. Meet in last parking lot on north side of Ft. Pickens Road right before park entrance. fmwaudubon.org PENSACOLA DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Benefits Gulf Coast Kid's House.

Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St. pensacoladragonboatfestival.com PALAFOX MARKET 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road.

OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Two sites - Bay Bluffs Park, 3400 Scenic Highway, and Chimney Park at the junction of Langley Ave. and Scenic Highway. oceanhourfl.com PENSACOLA STATE VET TECH DOG WASH 9

a.m.-1 p.m. $10 per bath, $5 for each additional service or $20 for all services. Pensacola State College's Warrington campus, 5555 W. Highway 98. pensacolastate.edu COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com ISLAND CULTURE CLEAN SHORES DAY 10 a.m.noon. Free. Island Culture Tiki Bar, 17 Via De Luna Drive. facebook.com/islandculturetikibar STORYTIME SATURDAYS 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $5.

Through Nov. 10. Pensacola Children's Museum, 115 Zaragoza St. WFPL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: D. KAY MUNDINE

10:30 a.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com HAPPY PILATES POP UP 11 a.m. $25. Wild Lemon, 3000 N. 12th Ave. beawildlemon.com NATURALLY SIMPLE HORMONE BALANCE 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org COMPUTER BASICS Noon. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com JUNIOR HUMANE SOCIETY ADOPTION Noon4 p.m. PetSmart, 6251 N. Davis Highway. juniorhumanesociety.com NATURAL HEALING/CANCER STUDY 2-4 p.m.

Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org A NEW LEASH ON LOVE 3-7 p.m. Bagdad Mill Site Park 7024 Magnolia St., Milton. Fundraiser for A Hope for Santa Rosa County. facebook.com/ahope4src VETTES ON THE BEACH 4 p.m. Free. Pensacola Beach. miraclestripcorvette.com/vettes-atthe-beach-2018 RISE FOR CLIMATE, JOBS AND JUSTICE 5 p.m.

Free. Plaza de Luna, 900 S. Palafox. world.350. org/pensacola EVER'MAN COOKS 5:30-7 p.m. Free.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org UNDER THE LIGHTS: FARM TO TABLE DINNER

7 p.m. $125 a seat. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bodaciousolive.com LITTLE RIVER BAND 7:30 p.m. $45.50$89.50. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com DANCE PARTY 7 p.m.-midnight. $10 workshop, $10 party. One-hour workshop followed by a mix of swing, country and ballroom music. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

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

EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH NOW OPEN ON SUNDAYS 616 1

127 Palafox Place Suite 100 (850)466-3115 autumnbeckblackledge.com inweekly.net

calendar THE END OF JACK CRUZ 7:30 p.m. $14-$20.

Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com PROOF 7:30 p.m. $15. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com BULLS ON THE BEACH 8-9:30 p.m. FloraBama Lounge, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. florabama.com THE CRYSTAL METHOD: THE TRIP HOME TOUR

8 p.m. $25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com MARK WILLS 8 p.m. $45. Imogene Theatre, 6866 Caroline St. theimogenetheatre.com

SUNDAY 9.9

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluff s Park,

Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant.

BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ cafesinglefin TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educa-

tional Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for adults. Free valet parking and 15 percent off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via de Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach YAPPY HOUR AT PERFECT PLAIN 2 p.m.

Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco PROOF 2:30 p.m. $15. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com SWING DANCE CLASSES 4-7 p.m. $10. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com VEGAN AND VINO SUNDAYS 4-7 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox.

LIL DEBBIE 7 p.m. $15. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

MONDAY 9.10

RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Library,

6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com

PILATES MAT 1:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educa-

tional Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 5:30 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com GRAPHIC NOVEL GROUP 5:30 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com 'THE GREAT AMERICAN READ' BOOK TALK

6 p.m. "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte and "Rebecca" by Daphne Du Maurier. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com VEGAN COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $25. Jamaican curry tempeh, pigeon peas and coconut rice; spicy organge scented plantains; pineapple upside down cake. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. eotlcafe.com CROHN'S AND COLITIS SUPPORT GROUP 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SONGWRITERS AND POETS OPEN MIC 7-9 p.m.

Goat Lips, 2811 Copter Road. goatlips.com September 6, 2018

HIP-HOP & CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASSES

8-9 p.m. $5. Learn amazing moves from professional instructors. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

TUESDAY 9.11

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum viewing area, 1750 Radford Blvd. navalaviationmuseum.org MEET YOUR SEAT 4 p.m. Select seats for the upcoming arts season. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasymphony.com PILATES ON PALAFOX WITH WILD LEMON

4:30 p.m. Cowork Annex, 13 S. Palafox. beawildlemon.com COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m.

So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com KEYS TO A BLISSFUL LIFE 6 p.m. Health and wellness event. University Parkway Seventh Day Adventist Church, 8751 University Parkway.

COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES 6:30 p.m. $10.

Country two step, East Coast swing, competition choreography and more. No partner required. World championship dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com MAYDAY SOUTH OF THE 5TH TOUR 7 p.m. $15. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com BANDS ON THE BEACH 7-9 p.m. Free. Chloe Channell. Gulfside Pavilion, Pensacola Beach. visitpensacolabeach.com COMEDY NIGHT 7 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com OVER-50 BALLROOM DANCE CLUB 7-9:30 p.m. $5-$10. Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Center, 913 S. I St. Dressy attire (no jeans).

WEDNESDAY 9.12

PILATES ON PALAFOX WITH WILD LEMON

Noon. Cowork Annex, 13 S. Palafox. beawildlemon.com ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com 'THE BURDEN' SCREENING 6 p.m. West Florida Public Library, 239 N. Spring St. world.350.org/ pensacola WATERBOYZ SLOW SKATE 6-7 p.m. Every Wednesday. Skate starts and ends at Waterboyz, 380 N. 9th Ave. waterboyz.com YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SWING DANCE CLASSES AND PARTY 6:30-10 p.m. $10 lesson, $5 party. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all levels followed by fun and friendly social dancing on the best wood dance floor in the area. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com MOVIES UNDER THE STARS 7-10 p.m. Free.

LandShark Landing, 165 Fort Pickens Road. margaritavillehotel.com MEDITATION 7:15-8:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

@VOLUMEONESALON

for more listings visit inweekly.net 17

DIFFERENCE MAKERS PSC RECEIVES CLOSE TO $40,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FROM DONATIONS Pensacola State College received nearly $40,000 on Wednesday to help students pay for the cost of higher education.

A majority of the scholarship dollars—$27,220 —were donated by Florida Blue, the Helios Education First Generation Scholars program and Bank of America’s Dream Makers First Generation Scholars program.

Local supporters also chipped in over $12,000 in matching funds to bring the donation total to $39,980.

Florida College System Chancellor Madeline Pumariega and FCS President Judy Green presented an oversized $27,220 check to Pensacola State President Ed Meadows during a ceremony.

Each year, the FCS Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to Florida’s 28 state colleges to provide scholarships to students. Florida Blue donated $12,760; the Helios Education Foundation contributed $8,979; with Bank of America giving $5,481.

Two scholarship recipients—Wei Anderson and Jessica Helloms-Poindexter—were on hand for the presentation.

Anderson, who is enrolled in the RN program, described the scholarship as a blessing.

“College tuition is very expensive but Pensacola State is helping me achieve my goals,” said Anderson who plans to eventually become a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

“I am very blessed to receive the scholarship and just want to express my gratitude to Florida Blue and the other donors.”

Helloms-Poindexter added the scholarship funds will help alleviate the stress of nursing school.

“Nursing school in itself is stressful, but not having to worry about tuition is such a relief,” said the Pensacola native who always dreamed of becoming a nurse.

As a teenager, she was enrolled in the Academy of Healthcare Professions while a Pensacola High student. Today, she works in Sacred Heart Hospital’s oncology department.

“I’ve worked in the healthcare field before but something was always missing. I realized it was because I wanted to be a nurse, and have the ability to provide compassionate care to someone in need.”

During 2017-18 academic year, 82 Pensacola State students received scholarships from $42,339 donated

by Florida Blue, the Helios Education Foundation, Bank of America and private donors.

Eleven students were awarded scholarships from $7,779 donated by the Helios Education Foundation.

Forty-nine students received funding from a $24,827 Florida Blue donation. And 22 students were assisted by $9,733 from Bank of America’s Dream Makers First Generation Scholars program.

Sponsored by The Studer Family 818 1

inweekly.net

news of the weird UNUSUAL HOBBY Social media have given us the dubious opportunity to document all manner of celebratory, mournful, hilarious and contemplative events. And so they have opened the door to fame for "Paul Flart" (real name: Doug), a 31-yearold hospital security guard who took to Instagram in March to share with the world his "sphincter sirens." Flart spent a lot of time sitting around at the front desk with nothing to do, but, he noticed, "The lobby has really great acoustics, and naturally, we all fart. One day I ripped a rather nice one and got really good sound from it, so the next time it happened I recorded it and sent it to my group chat." Those lucky friends encouraged him to go viral and helped him choose his Insta handle, Paul Flart. Today, he's racked up more than 20,000 followers, according to Vice. Unfortunately, hospital management isn't among them, and on Aug. 23, Flart was fired from his job. But he's not deflated; he plans to expand his reach: "We can do Paul Flart on vacation, you know, throw in like a Hawaiian shirt and a hat ... and then just fart around Florida."

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION The public works department in San Francisco gets, on average, 65 calls EVERY DAY with complaints about feces on the sidewalk. Public works director Mohammed Nuru and the city's mayor, London Breed, put their heads together and came up with a solution: the Poop Patrol. In mid-September, five public works employees with a steam cleaner will begin scouring poop "hot spots," such as the Civic Center, Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, during the afternoons to clean up what nature has left behind. (Another team also cleans overnight.) Officials told the San Francisco Chronicle that the waste comes from dogs and people, and the mayor recently allotted about $1 million for new public restrooms.

"I just want the city to be clean," Mayor Breed said, "and I want to make sure we're providing the resources so that it can be."

FLORIDA. SAYS IT ALL On Aug. 20, the Miami Herald endorsed Republican Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera, who was running to replace Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to represent a district that includes parts of Miami and Miami Beach. (She lost her primary bid on Aug. 28.) Rodriguez Aguilera has been a city official and a business executive, the Herald noted, but conceded, "We realize that Rodriguez Aguilera is an unusual candidate." Before she was a candidate, Rodriguez Aguilera appeared on Spanishlanguage television programs to talk about her experience of being abducted by aliens when she was 7 years old. Three beings, two women and a man who reminded her of Jesus Christ, spoke to her "telepathically" and took her aboard their spaceship.

Inside, she saw "round seats that were

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

there, and some quartz rocks that controlled the ship," and she said she has communicated with them several times since then. However, editorial page editor Nancy Ancrum didn't think Rodriguez Aguilera's beliefs or past experiences compromised her as an effective public servant. "Here's why we chose her: She's not crazy," Ancrum told The Washington Post. "I don't think we went off the rails here."

OWWWW! Mohamad Zayid Abdihdy, 24, declared that he's "going back to hookah" after a fiery incident on Aug. 25 involving his e-cigarette. The cellphone store worker was in an HDTV Outlet store in Anaheim, California, buying a new television when the smoking device exploded in his pants pocket. "The gentleman, he is running ... and he is screaming and yelling," store manager Antelmolare Guzman told NBC4.

"Apparently, all of his right leg was completely burnt all the way down. Part of his private parts were also kind of affected."

While Abdihdy ran to the restroom to see to his burns, Guzman put out the still-flaming e-cig on the store's floor. Abdihdy, who did not go to the hospital, said he still can't walk on his leg.

THE METH MADE ME DO IT Mason Tackett of Floyd County, Kentucky, told WYMT that neighbors called him on Aug. 26 to say his cousin, Phillip Hagans, was carrying items out of Tackett's house. When Tackett returned home, he said, "It looked like he was packing up for a yard sale when he come out." Hagans was "lying, throwing his hands, saying stuff like, 'I didn't do it.

I didn't do it.' ... He did pull a gun on me," Tackett said. But what he really couldn't understand was Hagans' choice of items to steal: a cheese grater, an empty Lysol bottle and soap. "Who steals a cheese grater?" Tackett asked. "He stole my soap.

Who steals soap? ... Must have been a bad batch (of methamphetamine) around here 'cause Floyd County has gone crazy in the last four days." Hagans was charged with receiving stolen property and being a convicted felon with a firearm.

SORRY YOU MISSED IT At least one competitor dressed up as Donald Trump at the World Gravy Wrestling Championships in Lancashire, England, on Aug. 27. As grapplers slipped and slid in the slimy mess, even the referee got toppled a few times.

United Press International reported that both men and women participated to support the East Lancashire Hospice. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird Š 2018 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com September 6, 2018

19

Independent News | September 6, 2018 | inweekly.net