The Summation Weekly - April 10, 2024

THE SUMMATIONWeekly

This Community Newspaper is a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association

SERVING THE FIRST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

SPRING INTO FESTIVAL SEASON

By Carey Clarkson

Tis the season to get outdoors and enjoy some fun in the sun! The spring season offers a variety of festivities to choose from, with a little something for everyone. From music and food to art and entertainment, the spring season offers a diverse and engaging entertainment atmosphere that is sure to be the background of many wonderful memories. Immerse yourself in culture, community and art by attending one of the many exciting festivals that the Gulf Coast has to offer.

Pensacola Paddle Fest

When: April 11-13 (times vary)

Where: Big Lagoon State Park

The Pensacola Paddle Fest is an annual event that celebrates the love of paddling with kayaking, paddle board races, demonstrations and clinics for all skill levels. Paddle Fest offers many demo kayaks and paddle boards for anyone to try out for free. There will be local vendors selling food and beverages. Not interested in paddling? No worries. There will be guided hikes and self-guided tours of local attractions, or you can just sit back and enjoy music while the kids engage in fun games. Need to get some stretching in? Sessions of stand up paddle board (SUP) Yoga will also be offered at the event.

The Florida Paddling Trails Association (FPTA) Paddle Fest/CT Reunion is an annual gathering of passionate paddlers. FPTA was established in 2007 to support and maintain the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (also known as the “CT”). This year, Paddle Fest celebrates the reopening of Big Lagoon State Park amenities with social gatherings after a series of professionally guided paddlers and coalesce around one of two CT Termini to celebrate the accomplished CT paddlers. The event will also provide networking, knowledge and support to paddlers interested in paddling the 1,515-mile CT.

Each year, FPTA partners with Florida State Parks to hold the event at

a different location, allowing participants to explore local State Parks and support local area businesses. Paddle Fest Pensacola is a valuable form of community engagement highlighting the preservation of regional water resources by emphasizing paddling. To learn more about FPTA events, visit floridapaddlingtrails.com

Fred Levin Way Fest

When: April 14, 11 am to 3 pm

Where: Downtown Pensacola (Palafox & Government streets)

The Fred Levin Way Fest is a free annual event designed to help families and individuals in need. It serves as a platform for promoting community cohesion through activities that unite the community. Founded in 1992, the Fred Levin Way Foundation encourages organizations and rewards individuals dedicated to caring for and assisting children with the basic needs of life—food, shelter, clothing, a safe home environment and education. The event will host more than 60 nonprofit organizations; 10 food trucks dishing up everything from pizza and Mexican food to German and Cajun cuisines, cotton candy and ice cream. The festival will also feature a number of games, live music, children’s activities and more to combine a day of family fun with charity.

Thanks to the University of West Florida, the Pensacola Museum of History, Pensacola Children’s

Museum, Pensacola Museum of Art and the downtown YMCA will open its doors for free entry during the noon to 5 pm festival hours. Youth can enjoy hours of free swimming, basketball, yoga and more. For complete event details, visit fredlevinfest.com.

Earth Day Pensacola

When: April 21, 10 am to 4 pm

Where: Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St., Pensacola

This annual event serves as a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable practices as it brings together individuals, organizations and businesses to promote awareness and action toward protecting the planet. Hosted annually at Bayview Park in East Hill, this family-friendly event includes live music, a sustainable art show, garden displays, an arts market, vegan/vegetarian food vendors, a children’s area and more. The event will also offer numerous exhibits featuring local businesses and nonprofit organizations making positive differences in Pensacola, along with a variety of vendor booths to inform and educate the community of the importance of a clean environment. Enjoy a fun-filled day of activities, while educating yourself and your family on environmental issues impacting our earth. For complete event details, earthdaypensacola.com.

Crawfish Festival

When: April 26-28 (times vary)

Where: 200 N. Palafox St., downtown Pensacola

Hosted annually at Fountain Park in Seville Square, the Crawfish Festival is one of the largest crawfish boils in the Southeast. Enjoy thousands of pounds of fresh Louisiana

crawfish boiled up by Pensacola locals, Cordova Crawfish Company and more. Other delicious foods and beverages will also be available, along with cool festival merchandise, live music all weekend and a free kid’s activity area sponsored by Cox. The festival will also host a variety of craft and art vendors selling products throughout the festival, including jewelry, metal, glass, pottery, soaps, candles, woodcraft, paintings, photography, clothing and more. This year’s festival kicks off on Friday, April 26 at 2 pm. Bring your dancing shoes, and remember, come hungry! For complete event details, visit fiestapensacola.org/ crawfish-festival.

4th Annual Gulf Coast Culture Fest

When: May 11, 10 am to 6 pm

Where: 311 E. Government St. (Seville Square), downtown Pensacola This community festival was designed to highlight the Gulf Coast’s rich cultural diversity by bringing together artists, businesses, vendors and community members for a fun-filled day of artistic expression and captivating live entertainment. This family-friendly event offers the opportunity to celebrate and learn

from one another through live performances, exhibits, traditions and music. As the sun sets, guests will also have a chance to immerse themselves in a local film screening sponsored by Gulf Coast Short Film Fest held from 8 to 10 pm at Bartram Park. This year, a portion of all event proceeds will be donated to We Reign Sickle Cell Corporation, which is dedicated to increasing awareness and support for individuals with sickle cell disease. Gulf Coast Culture Fest is free and open to the public. Check out Gulf Coast Culture Fest on Facebook or, visitpensacola.com/events/gulf-coastculture-fest for more information.

Hangout Festival

When: May 17-19, 2024

Where: 101 E. Beach Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, AL

Take a deep dive into the highly anticipated annual event that draws music enthusiasts from all over— the Gulf Shores Hangout Music Festival! With its picturesque setting along the white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast, the festival promises an unforgettable experience for all. Aside from performances by Zach Bryan, Lana Del Rey, ODESZA, A Day to Remember, Subtronics, The Beaches and more, the festival offers a variety of activities and attractions to round out an all-encompassing experience that celebrates the spirit of the Gulf Coast. Enjoy all-day beach parties at the Monster Beach Club, volleyball at Corona Beach, or chill in a hammock under the canopy of palm trees by the beach at Hammock Beach.

Hangout Music Festival is more than music; it is a unique atmospheric experience that makes it a perfect weekend getaway. Visit hangoutfest.com to purchase tickets and view the 2024 festival lineup. Be sure to follow @hangoutfest on Instagram and @hangoutmusicfestival on Facebook for the latest updates. ■

PLEASE CHOOSE THE SUMMATION WEEKLY FOR ALL YOUR LEGAL NOTICES

The Summation Weekly, a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association (ESRBA) produced in partnership with Ballinger Publishing, offers highly competitive insertion rates and a way to indirectly support your local bar association.

The Summation Weekly is a subscription-based community newspaper circulated to ESRBA members and made available to the general public throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The publication satisfies Fla. Stat. 50.031, which governs the requirements for publication of legal notices. In addition to the published weekly newspaper, The Summation Weekly website –www.summationweekly.com satisfies Fla. Stat. 50.0211, which requires all legal notices to be made available online and on the state registry – www.floridapublicnotices.com.

Ballinger Publishing manages the day-to-day operations of the publication. Darien Hardy is the contact person for legal notices. She can be reached at legals@ballingerpublishing.com or 433-1166, ext. 25. Thank you for your support. Choosing The Summation Weekly generates non-dues revenue that helps subsidize programs and services provide to members of the EscambiaSanta Rosa Bar Association.

ZARZAUR LAW WANTS YOU TO “SHAKE IT OFF” AND REGISTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN VIP SUITE TICKETS TO “THE ERAS” TOUR CONCERT AT THE “SWIFTIE SOIREE” EVENT AT THE WELL ON APRIL 18.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (April 3, 2024) — Zarzaur Law, P.A. is excited to announce the first of two on-location Swiftie-themed events as part of its five-month “The Eras Giveaway.” Taylor Swift fans will have a chance to enter to win during the “Swiftie Soiree” planned for Thursday, April 18, from 6-9 p.m. at The Well located at 42 East Garden Street in Downtown Pensacola.

The Well will be transformed into a Swiftthemed pop-up, complete with photo backdrops, music, karaoke, giveaways, special Swift-inspired cocktails, and a chance to win two VIP suite tickets to see Taylor Swift’s “The Eras” Tour concert in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.

“One thing that we have all observed over the last year or so in this country is that Taylor Swift has brought a lot of joy to a lot of people. No matter if you’re a Taylor Swift fan or not, the fact that she brings joy to people certainly can’t be denied.” Joe Zarzaur, owner, and Board-

Certified Civil Trial Lawyer at Zarzaur Law, P.A. “We thought, as a firm, that since we deal with people’s heartache and misery and the absence of joy in a lot of situations and we argue for our clients that may have been robbed of those things, we should also celebrate joyful things. So as part of that, we decided to help share in the joy and give away Taylor Swift tickets.”

Visit zarzaurswiftgiveaway.com for complete contest rules, event details, and more information.

It will certainly not be a “Cruel Summer” for the event attendees and winners of these exclusive VIP suite tickets to see Taylor Swift’s “The Eras” Tour concert in Miami! Save the date and attend the “Swiftie Soiree” at The Well on April 18 in Downtown Pensacola. If you can’t make it to the event, you can still register to win one of the 10 tickets being given away during the promotional period. Visit zarzaurswiftgiveaway.com for all the details.

COUNTY CRA TO HOST WARRINGTON REDEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETINGS

Escambia County’s Community Redevelopment Agency invites the public to three meetings to provide input to shape the future of the Warrington Redevelopment Plan. Meetings will be held April 9, 16, and May 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lexington Terrace Community Center, 700 S. Old Corry Field Road. One or more Escambia County Commissioners may be in attendance.

Meetings will cover the following topics:

• April 9 meeting: Overview and making the case to update the Warrington Redevelopment Plan.

• April 16 meeting: Recap the April 9 meeting and seek public input on objectives, strategies, and capital improvements for Warrington.

• May 28 meeting: Review the final draft of the redevelopment plan; last chance for public input on the draft plan.

The Warrington Redevelopment District was Escambia County’s first designated redevelopment district under the state of Florida’s Community Redevelopment Act of 1969. The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners adopted the district in 1995. Currently, the district covers an area of approximately 2.68 square miles and borders the Brownsville and Barrancas Redevelopment Districts to the north and east, respectively.

For questions or more information, contact Max Rogers, Development Program Manager, at mprogers@myescambia.com or 850-595-3499.

KEVIN RANDEL RETURNS TO LEAD 2024 BLUE WAHOOS COACHING STAFF

The Miami Marlins and Pensacola Blue Wahoos announced Wednesday that reigning Southern League Manager of the Year Kevin Randel will return for a fourth season as Pensacola’s manager in 2024 after leading the team to their best regular season winning percentage in team history in 2023. Randel’s coaching staff will include returning defensive coach Danny Black (2nd season) and video coordinator Clay Metzger (3rd season), as well as new pitching coach Jerad Eickhoff, hitting coach Jason Krizan, strength and conditioning coach Brandon Remalia, athletic trainer Shelby Perry, player development analyst fellow Shbieb Dabaja and coaching fellow Renny Tolentino.

“It’s great to be back in Pensacola for a fourth season,” Randel said. “The connections I’ve built with the staff, fans and community make this a great place to play, and I’m proud of the winning culture we have developed these past few years.”

Randel previously led the Blue Wahoos to a winning 57-54 record in 2021, his first year with the team, before guiding Pensacola to a Southern League championship in 2022. With Randel at the helm in 2023, the Blue Wahoos went 79-57 and returned to the Southern League Championship Series. 18 Pensacola players managed by Randel have made their Major League debuts, and his 204 managerial wins trail only Pat Kelly (218 wins from 201517) for the most in franchise history.

Following an eight-season playing career as an infielder in the Marlins system, Randel began his managerial career in the Marlins organization in 2015, leading the Class-A Greensboro Grasshoppers for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Randel went on to lead the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads for two years before making the move to Double-A Jacksonville in 2019.

Eickhoff joins the Blue Wahoos for his first season after a seven-year MLB career that included time with the Philadelphia Phillies (2015-19), New York Mets (2021) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2022). Selected in the 15th round of the 2011 Draft by the Texas Rangers out of Olney Central College (IL), Eickhoff was traded to the Phillies in 2015. He also spent time in the Padres and Guardians organizations, finishing his career with Triple-A Columbus in 2023.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR HERRICANE: ESCAMBIA

Escambia County Emergency Management invites girls entering 7th, 8th and 9th grades to participate in the inaugural HERricane Escambia program. This four-day-long camp will be held June 25-28 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center, 6575 N. “W” St. The HERricane Escambia Advisory Board will select up to 20 girls to participate in the 2024 program. There is no cost for students to participate. Applications will be accepted until the camp is full. Please note: HERricane may be rescheduled or canceled in the event of severe weather, natural disasters or real-life emergencies.

What is HERricane?

HERricane is a girls’ summer camp to help rethink and improve outreach and engagement around emergency preparedness. The HERricane program was launched in Arlington, Va. in 2017 and has expanded throughout the United States since then. HERricane empowers women to pursue careers and leadership roles in emergency management through a week-long “camp,” and includes long-term professional development opportunities. Its mission is to develop and elevate women as leaders in emergency management and related careers while expanding the image of these professions as a positive force for improving public safety and government.

Eligibility

This program is open to young girls living in Escambia County who will be entering grades 7-9 for the 2024-2025 school year.

How to Apply

Interested students should download, print and complete the application. Applications can also be picked up from the Escambia County Public Safety building, located at 6575 N. “W” St., Pensacola, FL 32505.

How to Submit Your Application Applications for HERricane must be filled out by hand and should not be completed by a parent/guardian. To submit your application, please mail or drop off applications at the Escambia County Public Safety building, located at 6575 N. “W” St., Pensacola, FL 32505. Office hours are Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Applicants may also scan the completed application and email it to HERricane@MyEscambia.com.

Why Should You Join HERricane?

To ensure that young women in Escambia County become energized about the impacts they can make in a world of emergencies and disasters. The emergency management field is evolving after every hurricane, wildfire and almost every major incident. Therefore, it’s imperative that we continue to evolve how we talk about preparedness and how we engage with our communities, including youth. This program is an investment into the future leaders of our community. Here are four facts to think about:

1. Underrepresentation: Women are underrepresented in leadership positions in Emergency Management across the nation.

2. Professional Awareness: Emergency Management, as a profession, is often “hidden” and awareness about it as a career is low.

3. Employment Opportunities: Careers in public safety are anticipated to grow 8% in the next decade.

4. Women are Disaster Victims: The United Nations Development Programme recognizes that women are disproportionately affected by disaster, particularly regarding loss of life, sexual violence, and loss of income.

For any additional questions, please email HERricane@MyEscambia.com.

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2024 CONCERTS IN THE VILLAGE

DESTIN, FLORIDA — Hear the entire Grammy Award-winning Purple Rain album performed live, reminisce with Fleetwood Mac classics, dance to funky disco beats and discover new pop vocalists from The Voice — all in the diverse lineup of the 2024 Concerts presented by Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, offering something for every music lover.

Krizan joins the Blue Wahoos for his first season after spending 2023 as the hitting coach for High-A Winston-Salem in the Chicago White Sox organization. He was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 8th round of the 2011 Draft out of Dallas Baptist University, where he was a First-Team All-American in his senior season. After an 11-year minor league career in the Tigers, Mets and Giants organizations, he made his MLB debut for San Francisco in 2022.

Black, returning to the Blue Wahoos for his second season, played six seasons in the Marlins minor league system from 2010 to 2015, including parts of four seasons for Double-A Jacksonville in the Southern League and parts of two seasons with TripleA New Orleans. He began his coaching career in 2018 and has served in various roles since, including as an assistant coach for AdvancedA Jupiter from 2018-2019 and as a defensive coach for Triple-A Jacksonville in 2021 and the FCL Marlins in 2022.

Perry joins the Blue Wahoos as athletic trainer after serving in the same role for High-A Beloit in 2023 and the FCL Marlins in 2022. Remalia is in his fourth season as a strength and conditioning coach in the Marlins organization after working for Class-A Jupiter in 2021 and 2022, followed by High-A Beloit in 2023. Metzger is in his third season with the Marlins and Blue Wahoos after spending the 2021 season in a video and information role with the Atlanta Braves.

The Blue Wahoos will host the Mexican League’s Sultanes de Monterrey in an exhibition series April 2 and 3, with Opening Day of the 2024 Southern League season coming Friday, April 5 at home against the Mississippi Braves. Single-game tickets, season tickets, group outings and mini plans are on sale now at Blue Wahoos Stadium and bluewahoos.com.

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Founded in 2012, they have won Southern League Championships in 2017 and 2022. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for people in their community, and to make Pensacola the best place to live in the world.

The area’s first live concert series is held each spring on Thursday evenings at the MKAF Dugas Pavilion in Destin. This year’s 29th annual family-friendly series will run from April 4 to June 6. The 10-concert live music series will feature premier regional and national musicians and bands performing everything from classic rock, rhythm & blues, and disco to modern pop.

The series kicked off on Thursday, April 4, 2024, with must-not-miss entertainers Post Modern Jukebox promising an unforgettable trip back in time to celebrate vintage music and pop culture.

The highly anticipated season features a range of local, regional and national musicians and bands including rhythm & blues sensation Wendy Moten from The Voice, fulllength rendition of Prince’s iconic album Purple Rain by Black Jacket Symphony and the chill sounds of Yacht Rock Revue. Kicking off May are local fan favorites The Mulligans, the Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumours ATL, party starters Gotta Groove Band, rock god Mitch Malloy and gifted pop/jazz/blues and soul songstress Haley Reinhart. The series caps on Thursday, June 6 with crowd pleasing Adam Ezra Group, sure to fuse rock energy and soul power.

“This is a great lineup of live music performed in a beautiful venue at an affordable price for a great cause” says MKAF CEO Demetrius Fuller. “When you purchase a concert ticket, you are enabling us to provide the highest quality of arts education and community engagement throughout Okaloosa, Walton and Bay Counties. If you are a MKAF regular, welcome back, if you’re not yet a MKAF member, please consider joining. We have a great time and as we like to say, your support keeps the arts FUN-ded.” Gates open at 6 p.m. with concerts beginning at 7 p.m. for this come-as-you-are family-friendly outdoor concert series. Bring a lawn chair, picnic, wine, or purchase food and beverages on-site prepared by featured restaurants and food trucks.

The 2024 Concerts in the Village schedule is as follows:

Thursday, April 11 | Wendy Moten

Thursday, April 18 | Black Jacket Symphony presents Prince’s Purple Rain

Thursday, April 25 | Yacht Rock Revue

Thursday, May 2 | The Mulligans

Thursday, May 9 | Rumours ATL: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Thursday, May 16 | Gotta Groove Band

Thursday, May 23 | Mitch Malloy

Thursday, May 30 | Haley Reinhart

Thursday, June 6 | Adam Ezra Group

General admission varies per concert. Prices range from $20 to $35 for adults. Discounts offered for active-duty military (must show ID). Purchase tickets in advance of concert day and save $5 per ticket at the door. Children (12 and under) are free. A limited number of VIP tables (reserved table for eight guests for the entire season) are available for $2,250.

Purchase tickets online at MKAF.org/events. MKAF members enjoy early entry and free admission to every concert as well as discounted pricing to other MKAF events. For more information on MKAF membership, visit MKAF.org.

Concert lineup is subject to change. All sales are final; sorry, no refunds. Pets, tables larger than two feet, and drones are not permitted. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

To learn more about sponsoring the 2024 MKAF season, call (850) 650-2226.

For the latest news and information, visit MKAF.org, and follow the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Facebook and Instagram pages for dates, information, and inspiring arts and culture-related posts.

ABOUT MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF), a non-profit arts organization composed of members, volunteers, and community partners building the foundation of arts and culture in the community. Since its inception in 1995, MKAF has inspired more than 337,800 children in more than 75 schools and partner agencies. Through its community education initiative ArtsReach, programming serves K-12 students, at-risk youth, people with disabilities, and the military population with visible and invisible injuries. As a presenting organization, MKAF has showcased its Concerts in the Village each season where the Southeast United States’ most vibrant performing artists and bands perform to more than 15,000 patrons annually. More than 100 artists convene in Destin each year for the Festival of the Arts, which is one the preeminent arts festivals along the Gulf coast. MKAF has partnered with multiple regional non-profits and the school districts in the communities that it serves to ensure access to the arts for all.

CITY OF PENSACOLA EXCLUSIVELY USES THE PARKMOBILE APP

The City of Pensacola is exclusively using the ParkMobile app as the official app for cityowned parking beginning Monday, April 1.

The city began transitioning to the ParkMobile app in January, with PARKPensacola (the previous app) remaining active to ensure an adequate amount of time for users to switch to ParkMobile. As of midnight, April 1, the PARKPensacola app has been deactivated and can no longer be used for parking transactions. However, parking information such as stored license plate numbers and transaction history in the ParkPensacola App can still be accessed at this time.

The decision to partner with ParkMobile LLC, the leading provider of smart parking and mobility solutions in the United States, was based on results from the city’s 2023 Downtown Parking Survey. Forty-five percent of survey respondents said they prefer to use

an app to pay for parking, while 18% said that their biggest concern when parking downtown is difficulty using available payment methods.

Since its January launch, the ParkMobile app has had over 42,900 transactions.

ParkMobile is available for both iPhone and Android devices and may also be accessed on a mobile web browser. To pay for parking via the ParkMobile app or website, users will enter the zone number or scan the QR code found on the signs located within the parking zone, choose the duration of time they wish to park, and select the “start parking” button.

For residents and visitors who would prefer not to use an app for city-owned parking services, kiosk/pay machine and pay-bytext options will remain available.

Learn more about city parking: cityofpensacola.com/3129/How-to-Park-Pay

NATIONAL DISCOUNT RETAILER BURLINGTON STORES OPENS IN PENSACOLA, FL

FL, March 25, 2024 – Burlington Stores, Inc., a national off-price retailer offering everyday low prices on customers’ favorite brands for the entire family and home, is opening a new store located at Cordova Mall at 5450 N. 9th Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32503. This is a relocation of the store that was previously located at 7171 North Davis Highway, Suite 8400, Pensacola, FL 32514. With up to 60% off other retailers’ prices every day on brand name merchandise arriving regularly, customers will discover something new every time they shop. With more than 1000 stores open nationwide at the end of Q4 2023, Burlington is proud to offer customers amazing deals on quality top brands and the chance to find something new every time they shop.

“Our goal is to continue to offer area residents low prices on brand name merchandise for the entire family and home,” said Michael O’Sullivan, CEO, Burlington Stores. “We’re continuing to expand our footprint across the country and are excited to be opening a new store in Pensacola. We look forward to giving local customers the chance to discover big savings on a wide range of products.”

GRAND OPENING DETAILS & GIVEAWAYS

• Pensacola/Cordova Mall

Opening date: April 5, 2024

° Address: 5450 N. 9th Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32503

Store hours: Mon-Sat: 9AM-11PM; Sun: 9AM-10PM

° Website: burlington.com/store-locator

• On Friday and Saturday 4/5 and 4/6, following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the first 100 customers, aged 18 and up, enjoy a $10 Bonus Card to be used toward their purchase!

• On Sunday, 4/7 , customers will receive a free Burlington umbrella, while supplies last, no purchase necessary.

This new Burlington’s store will surprise and delight area residents with:

• Fashionable ladies’ apparel and accessories at incredible prices

• Big savings on menswear, inclusive of a wide assortment of big and tall

• Comfortable and affordable finds for kids

• Footwear for everyone

• Everything for baby that won’t break the bank

• Home décor items, perfect for every season and holiday

• Pet care and toys

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

As a company who cares about their customers and associates, Burlington is dedicated to adding value to the communities in which they live and work. Throughout the year, Burlington supports a variety of philanthropic initiatives that empower those locally to live better lives and build better futures.

While the criminal investigation remains active and our restorative efforts progress significantly from the March 16 network security incident, the City of Pensacola will be starting the process of notification and support for employees and citizens in case of a data impact.

While there has not been confirmation that specific data has been compromised, the city can determine that a breach is possible. Our team and external experts continue to work diligently on the matter. In order to remain proactive in both notification and

To celebrate the Grand Opening of their new store location and highlight their ongoing commitment to education, the retailer will be donating $5,000 to a nearby school through their long-standing partnership with the national non-profit organization AdoptAClassroom.org. Funds will be used to provide students in a local high need school with classroom materials they need to learn and succeed. The presentation of the donation to the local school community will take place at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

As Burlington continues to expand its footprint, they remain focused on finding great talent to join their growing company. Those interested in joining an award-winning culture are encouraged to visit BurlingtonStores.jobs to apply online for a variety of exciting and rewarding positions.

About Burlington Stores, Inc.

Burlington Stores, Inc., headquartered in New Jersey, is a nationally recognized off-price retailer with Fiscal 2023 net sales of $9.7 billion. The Company is a Fortune 500 company and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “BURL.”

The Company operated 1007 stores as of the end of Fiscal 2023, in 46 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores. The Company’s stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashionfocused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers’ prices, including women’s ready-towear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. For more information about the Company, visit www.burlington.com.

ABOUT ADOPTACLASSROOM.ORG

AdoptAClassroom.org believes every child deserves the tools and materials they need to learn and thrive in school. To achieve this, teachers are spending an average of $860 of their own money each year on their classrooms. AdoptAClassroom.org is a national nonprofit that funds PreK-12 teachers and schools across the U.S. to help equip more classrooms and students for success, and offset the financial burden on teachers. Since 1998, AdoptAClassroom.org has raised $73 million and equipped more than 7 million students across the U.S. 90% of all funded classrooms are considered high needs. The 501(c)(3) holds the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the highest transparency rating offered by Candid/GuideStar. For more information, or to make a donation, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org. For all media inquiries and to receive additional information, please contact: Julia DePillis / Julia.DePillis@tierneyagency.com / 610-908-7361

HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS TO DONATE SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOME TO INJURED SOLDIER IN PENSACOLA, FL

The national nonprofit organization, Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) donated a home to Army Specialist Joseph “Tyler” Smith on Saturday, April 6, 2024. SPC Smith was severely injured while serving in Afghanistan. The event was held for the public at 6531 Suwanee Road, Pensacola, FL 32526 at 10 a.m.

On May 28, 2012, during his first deployment, SPC Smith, an IT specialist, was serving with 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division when he had an aneurysm while in Ghazni, Afghanistan. As a result, Tyler lost the use of his right leg, and experiences righthand peripheral neuropathy as well as other symptoms affecting his emotions.

Medically retired, SPC Smith lives in Veteran apartment housing that gives him a sense of community and is a great resource. Currently, where he lives, there are stairs throughout the complex that are an obstacle for him. Receiving a specially adapted custom Homes For Our Troops home will enable him to live safely and mitigate his risk of falling.

SPC Smith’s new home features more than 40 major special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops. The home will also alleviate the mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds, riding on carpets, or reaching for cabinets that are too high. HFOT will donate the home to SPC Smith, thanks to contributions from donors, supporters, and corporate partners.

SPC Smith learned about Homes For Our Troops though HFOT’s Gold Level Partner Wounded Warrior Project. He says no number of words can express how amazed he is by the generosity of HFOT donors and supporters. “It’s amazing what the organization does for Veterans and the amount of detail in the homes. It gives me hope that things can get better.”

Currently, there are 81 active projects underway nationwide. To find out more on how to get involved or make a donation visit hfotusa.org.

Read more about SPC Smith at hfotusa. org/building-homes/veterans/josmith/.

About Homes For Our Troops (HFOT): Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide to severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. Most of these Veterans have sustained life-altering injuries including multiple limb amputations, partial or full paralysis, and/or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. HFOT builds these homes where the Veteran chooses to live and continues its relationship with the Veterans after home delivery to assist them with rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, nearly 90 cents of every dollar spent has gone directly to our program services supporting Veterans. For more information, visit hfotusa.org.

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Pensacola, Fla. – March 26, 2024 – The University of West Florida’s student-managed Argo Bond Fund placed second among the nation’s student-managed bond funds at the Quinnipiac University Global Asset Management Education’s (QGAME) Global Portfolio Competition held on March 20-21 in New York City. More than 150 universities and 1,400 students participated in the competition.

The QGAME Global Portfolio Performance Competition ranks the realized returns from all qualified student-managed fund submissions which are required to have a live performance history on real capital of at least one year.

“This is the second time that UWF entered the competition,” said Dr. K.C. Ma, Mary Ball Washington/Switzer Bros endowed professor of finance in UWF’s Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business. “We won the First Place award last year in the fixed-income category. The investment strategies have been very successful. I’m extremely proud of the students.”

The winning Argo Bond Fund portfolio, managed by the Argo Investments Program Class of 2023 and led by students Aaron Korel and Nicolas Mielke, has $1 million in assets under management. Funds only qualify for the competition if the real-money funds are managed by the students through university courses.

The Argo Bond Fund program, established in 2019, gives students real-world experience in funds management. In 2020, the UWF Foundation Board approved the use of real money for the program’s students to manage its funds.

The Quinnipiac University GAME conference, held annually each spring, gathers financial experts together to share their knowledge, expertise and outlook for the future with graduate and undergraduate students and faculty from universities around the globe.

For more information about UWF’s Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, visit uwf.edu/cob.

PANDEMIC SLASHED TOURISM MARKETING RETURN

JIM

TALLAHASSEE --- Visit Florida saw its return on investment fall to 58 cents for every $1 spent on marketing as COVID-19 slammed the doors on the state’s tourism industry, according to a new analysis by state economists.

But with tourists back at beaches, theme parks and other attractions, the analysis projects that Visit Florida’s economic return will rebound to pre-pandemic levels.

The analysis, released Tuesday by the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research, looked at the 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 fiscal years. The pandemic hit in early 2020, largely shutting down the tourism industry and having longer-lasting ramifications for issues such as international travel.

Visit Florida, a public-private agency, receives state money to lead tourism-marketing efforts. The report seeks to measure the economic benefit, or return on investment, for money that went to Visit Florida.

The analysis found that the return on investment during the three fiscal years fell dramatically from the prior three years, when it was $3.27 for every $1 spent.

Economists pinned the blame on the pandemic, as employment in the leisure and hospitality industry dropped and tourism numbers plummeted. As an example, visitor counts fell from a then-record 131.069 million in 2019 to 79.397 million in 2020.

“The overall decline in ROI (return on investment) is exacerbated by the precipitous drop in FY 2021-22 to an ROI of 0.11,” the analysis said. “While the overall tourism count had rebounded to near pre-COVID levels by then … the composition was significantly different and still reeled from the effects of the pandemic shock.”

To revive the industry after initial shutdowns, Visit Florida first focused on getting Floridians to visit other parts of the state and luring Americans who would drive from other parts of the country. The agency subsequently tried to bring back international travelers.

Overall tourist counts grew to 121.838 million in 2021, 137.4 million in 2022 and 135.02 million last year. In 2023, numbers of overseas and Canadian travelers remained just below 2019 totals.

Tuesday’s analysis attributed the rebound

to the state’s beaches and an increase in advertising by such things as theme parks.

“Based on its share of total tourism advertising spend, Visit Florida is responsible for approximately 3.45 (million), 4.66 (million), and 4.30 million visitors during the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 fiscal years, respectively,” the analysis said. “The remaining marketing-influenced visitors are attributable to the efforts of the four other major marketing contributors (local public, local private, Visit Florida private, and theme parks).”

A spokeswoman for Visit Florida said Tuesday the agency was reviewing the report.

During the three-year period analyzed, Visit Florida received $50 million a year from the Legislature and additional matching money from private partners. In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the agency received an additional $30 million in federal pandemic-related money.

The analysis estimated Disney, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld were responsible for $787.9 million in marketing during the review period, which “accounted for 33.5 percent of all major tourism marketing efforts in the state.”

In a measure of the impact of COVID-19, Disney saw its attendance go from 58.58 million at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios in 2019 to 18.67 million in 2020, according to state figures. SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, which are owned by the same parent company, went from 8.82 million to 2.88 million. Universal properties in Florida went from 21.29 million to 8.1 million in the same time.

By 2022, Disney’s attendance was up to 47.06 million, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay hit 8.5 million, and Universal properties were at 21.7 million.

The estimated spending by the theme parks didn’t include dollars they provide to Visit Florida, local governments and directmarketing organizations.

Lawmakers included $80 million for Visit Florida in the proposed budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which will start July 1. The budget has not been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis for approval.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, economists looked at a 10-year period and said “the current working ROI of 3.3 percent is more reflective of the Visit Florida program over a longer period of time and should be used for all forward-looking analyses.”

JUDGE REJECTS BLOCKING FLOOD INSURANCE CHANGES

JIM SAUNDERS NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge has rejected a request by Florida and other states for a preliminary injunction to block changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners — though he ruled that a broader legal battle can continue.

U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion, who is based in New Orleans, issued a 56-page ruling last week that pointed to potential problems if he issued an injunction against a riskrating system that began taking effect in 2021 and was fully in place in April 2023. The lawsuit, led by Louisiana and including Florida and eight other states, was filed in June 2023.

“The court … finds that, in light of the particular claims in this case and to the extent plaintiffs are likely to succeed on any of them, any interest the public has in the need for federal agencies to follow the law is outweighed by the public’s interest in the stability of the administration of the National Flood Insurance Program, which would be greatly disrupted if this court were to issue a preliminary injunction restraining defendants from enforcing the rating methodology that was fully implemented prior to plaintiffs’ filing of this lawsuit,” Papillion wrote.

But Papillion also ruled that the states and three local governments in Louisiana can continue pursuing the lawsuit, rejecting federal arguments that the case should be dismissed because of a lack of legal standing. In part, he said the states have shown they could face higher rebuilding costs after floods if property owners drop National Flood Insurance Program policies because of increased costs.

“To the extent plaintiffs’ allegation that the increased premiums will lead to fewer policies in force is conclusory, the court also finds that Plaintiffs have plausibly substantiated this allegation in a manner sufficient to carry their burden at the motion to dismiss stage,” the judge wrote Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed in the federal Eastern District of Louisiana, centers on changes known as “Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action.” Federal officials contend that the changes were designed to make the flood-insurance program actuarially sound and reflect the risks of each property.

But the lawsuit alleges, in part, that federal officials violated a law known as the Adminis-

6 ISSUES ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

JIM SAUNDERS NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE — With the state Supreme Court this week signing off on ballot initiatives about abortion rights and recreational use of marijuana, Floridians in November will vote on six proposed constitutional amendments. Passage of each proposal would require support from at least 60 percent of voters. Here are brief descriptions of the six issues:

— ABORTION: In what could be 2024’s biggest political issue in Florida, voters will decide whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution. The vote will come after Gov. Ron DeSantis and lawmakers approved preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The proposed constitutional amendment, in part, says: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”

— CAMPAIGN MONEY: Lawmakers approved placing a measure on the ballot to again try to repeal a program that offers state matching funds to gubernatorial and state Cabinet candidates. Voters approved the matching-funds program in 1998, and a repeal attempt failed in 2010. When the program was created, supporters said it could help reduce the influence of big-money contributors in statewide elections, but critics have long derided the program as welfare for politicians.

— FISHING AND HUNTING: Fishing and hunting have been traditions for generations of Floridians. Voters in November will decide whether to enshrine a right to fish and hunt in the state Constitution. With the backing of outdoors groups, lawmakers voted almost

unanimously last year to place the measure on the ballot. In part, the proposal says hunting and fishing “shall be preserved forever as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.”

— MARIJUANA: Eight years after voters approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana, they will decide this year whether to give the go-ahead to recreational use of marijuana. The political committee Safe & Smart Florida, backed heavily by the Trulieve medical-marijuana company, led the drive to put the measure on the ballot. It would allow people ages 21 and older to “possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for nonmedical personal consumption.”

— PROPERTY TAXES: Homeowners could receive slightly larger property-tax breaks if voters approve a constitutional amendment that the Legislature put on the ballot. The proposal would lead to adjusting part of the homestead property-tax exemption for inflation. Homeowners receive tax exemptions on the assessed values of their property up to $25,000 and on the values between $50,000 and $75,000. The proposal would require adjusting for inflation the exempt portion currently between $50,000 and $75,000.

— SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS: With supporters seeking to do away with a requirement that candidates run without party labels, voters will decide whether to hold partisan school-board elections. Florida historically had partisan school-board elections, but voters passed a constitutional amendment in 1998 to make the races non-partisan. Lawmakers, however, placed a measure on this year’s ballot that would return to partisan races starting in 2026. School board races in some areas have become battlegrounds in recent years.

FUEL COSTS GIVE UTILITY CUSTOMERS BREAK

JIM SAUNDERS NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE — State regulators Tuesday approved a plan that will trim Florida Power & Light customers’ monthly bills because of lower-than-expected natural gas costs, while Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. said they will seek similar reductions.

trative Procedure Act by making changes that were “arbitrary and capricious.”

The National Flood Insurance Program plays a key role in states like Florida and Louisiana, as many homeowners with mortgages are required to carry flood insurance. Typical property-insurance policies do not include flood insurance, forcing homeowners to buy additional coverage.

A document in the lawsuit said the National Flood Insurance Program included about 1.391 million Florida policies, with total coverage of nearly $367 billion. The lawsuit is playing out as homeowners across Florida also face higher costs for property-insurance policies that cover risks such as wind and fire damage.

Along with Florida and Louisiana, other states in the case are Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia. The defendants include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In a document filed last year seeking dismissal of the case, U.S. Department of Justice attorneys argued the plaintiffs had exaggerated “skyrocketing costs” after the change in the riskrating system. The document said 19 percent of premiums decreased and 70 percent increased by less than $10 a month.

“These changes all reflect best practices in the insurance industry, which is precisely what Congress charged FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) to do under the NFIA (National Flood Insurance Act),” Justice Department attorneys wrote. “Furthermore, the geographical distribution of premium payments has been stark: Under the legacy (previous) rating approach, taxpayers and policyholders in landlocked states were covering the cost of flood risk in a few coastal states. Risk Rating 2.0 charges every policyholder their fair share based on their property’s true flood risk and thus accomplishes the stated purpose of the NFIA.”

But attorneys for the states and local governments in Louisiana pointed to “crippling effects” of changes in the program.

“Plaintiffs do not dispute that, under the legacy rating system, many individuals experienced slight annual increases as permitted under (a federal law),” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote in a document last year. “But policyholders have never seen rate increases like the ones they are seeing” under the changes.

Meanwhile, Duke and Tampa Electric separately filed proposals that would increase base electric rates from 2025 to 2027. The proposals will kickstart complicated monthslong processes that will include the Florida Public Service Commission and representatives of consumers and business customers examining the details.

With little discussion, the Public Service Commission approved FPL’s plan to reduce customers’ bills starting in May because of the lower-than-expected fuel costs.

FPL and other utilities rely heavily on natural gas to fuel power plants, and gas prices have been volatile in recent years. When gas prices surge, increased costs are passed along to customers; when prices drop, customers get a break in their bills.

The FPL plan will save customers about $662 million, with a relatively small portion of that, $37 million, related to resolving fuel costs from 2023, an FPL filing at the commission said.

“Anytime we have the opportunity to give money back to customers, that is great,” Mark Bubriski, director of state regulatory relations for FPL, said. “That’s more money for our economy. It helps our communities, and for FPL, that’s really important.”

Utilities typically use a benchmark bill of residential customers who consume 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month. FPL has two sets of rates because of a merger with the former Gulf Power.

Customers in the former Gulf Power region in Northwest Florida who use 1,000 kilowatt hours in a month will pay $135.38 starting in May, down from $143.08 in April, according to the Public Service Commission. Such customers in other areas will pay $121.19 in May, down from $128.88 in April.

Other FPL bill reductions also began taking effect this month because of the end of storm-related costs that had been passed along to customers. Those reductions and the fuel-related reductions are expected to combine to save about $14 on 1,000-kilowatt hour residential bills, according to the utility.

Meanwhile, Tampa Electric said it asked the commission Tuesday to approve reducing customer bills in June because of lower-thanexpected fuel costs. The utility said in a news release that the proposal would lead to about $137 million in savings for consumers, with 1,000-kilowatt hour residential bills decreasing by about $7 a month.

Similarly, Duke said it expects this month to file a proposal at the commission to reduce

customer bills because of fuel costs. While full details were not released, Duke said the reductions could happen as soon as June or July and save more than $5 a month for residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity.

Monthly utility bills are made up of a combination of factors, with base rates and fuel costs the largest. Other costs include such things as expenses for environmental projects and temporary charges for storm recovery and preparation.

Duke and Tampa Electric said early this year that they would seek increased base rates and followed up Tuesday by filing threeyear proposals.

Under its proposal, Duke would increase base rates by $593 million in 2025, $98 million in 2026 and $129 million in 2027. The proposal said the rate increases would help pay for such things as adding 14 solar-energy facilities and to make investments to continue “providing customers with reliable, clean, and cost-efficient service.”

“Despite DEF’s (Duke Energy Florida’s) efforts to minimize costs, DEF must request a rate increase from the Florida Public Service Commission,” Melissa Seixas, Duke’s state president, said in testimony filed with the proposal. ”DEF understands the impact that requesting a base rate increase has on our customers and it is not something that the company takes lightly, as we know customers trust us to manage our costs and spend what is necessary to provide the safe and reliable service they depend on. However, to maintain this level of service, DEF must request an increase.”

While base rates would increase, Duke said customer bills would actually be lower in January 2025 than they were in January 2024. That is because other costs, such as expenses related to storm recovery and purchasing power from other sources, will drop off customers’ bills at the end of 2024.

Tampa Electric’s proposal had not been posted on the Public Service Commission website as of Tuesday morning. But the company said in a Feb. 1 filing that it wanted to increase rates by $290 million to $320 million in 2025. It would increase the rates by an additional $100 million in 2026 and $70 million in 2027, according to the filing.

“We are fortunate to serve such a fastgrowing region of the country,” Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric, said in a prepared statement Tuesday.

“As the demands on the electrical grid are changing rapidly, our job is to prepare for the future in a manner that is seamless for customers. We are committed to making meaningful investments that help us to keep up with growth, increase power plant efficiency and reduce outages. This rate request will allow us to continue delivering the value that our customers expect, while keeping rates as low as possible.”

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