Inweekly april 6 2017 issue by Inweekly

Independent News | April 6, 2017 | Volume 18 | Number 13 | inweekly.net

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winners & losers

outtakes

news

6, 7

You sort of turn up the volume on the cool stuff and make sure the basics are solid and consistent.

a&e

cover story

13 publisher Rick Outzen

art director Richard Humphreys

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Duwayne Escobedo, Jennifer Leigh, Chuck Shepherd, Shelby Smithey

calendar 18

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

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winners & losers

Erin Spicer

Devin Nunes

winners ERIN SPICER Pensacola State College's Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs is a 2017 recipient of the Chair Academy's International Exemplary Leadership Award, which recognizes her ability to advance academic and administrative leadership at Pensacola State. The Chair Academy, a department of Mesa Community College and the Maricopa County Community College District, has offered worldclass, competency-based, leadership development programs for college and university leaders since 1992. Dr. Spicer has been at Pensacola State for nearly 15 years and served as dean of the Warrington campus before becoming the chief academic officer of the college CHRISTINE KRIER The St. Louis, Mo. native

has been named Medical Director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at West Florida Hospital. Dr. Krier earned her Medical Degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Ft. Worth. Following medical school, she completed her residency in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

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losers DEVIN NUNES The House Intelligence

Committee chairman claimed that unnamed sources had provided him evidence that President-elect Trump and his transition team may have been surveilled inappropriately by the Obama administration. He later tried to assert they were whistleblowers who deserved protection. That fairytale fell apart when the New York Times reported that Trump administration officials helped provide the information.

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE The House and Senate start budget negotiations with a gap of $2 billion in their proposals, which has raised some skepticism about whether lawmakers can agree on the 2018 budget by the scheduled May 5 end of the legislative session. The state has projected a small surplus in the fiscal year that starts July 1, followed by a $1.3 billion shortfall the following year and a $1.9 billion hole the year after that. As always, the devil will be in the details. ASHTON HAYWARD The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development unanimously approved SB 364, Senator Doug Broxson's bill addressing $300-million BP settlement funds. The bill, like the one already passed by the Floor House, gives no special preference for the City of Pensacola, as Mayor Ashton Hayward has requested. For now, his projects will have to compete with others presented to the Triumph Gulf Coast. However, don't count out Hayward. He has paid lobbyists $60,000 to sell his agenda in Tallahassee.

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outtakes

by Rick Outzen

‘FAKE NEWS' REAPPEARS Most journalists have the same rules for all politicians, regardless of political affiliation. The politicians have three choices when asked a question. They can answer the query. The officials can say "no comment," but they run the risk of not having their side of the story included in the article. They also shouldn't get upset if the reporter gets answers from other sources. The third option for the official is to lie. The gamble with lies and half-truths is whether the reporter will uncover them. Sadly, many politicians and government officials take that bet, and eventually, they lose it. President Donald Trump, bless his heart, can't stop fibbing. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and other administration officials double down with more misstatements in support of their boss. Hilary Clinton didn't win the popular vote in the presidential race because three million people voted illegally. The crowd at Trump's inauguration wasn't the largest ever. Obama didn't wiretap his successor in Trump Tower just before the election, and he didn't ask the British government to do it for him either. How the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and other national media have reacted to the steady stream of outlandish statements is what every good journalist does. They now verify every statement that comes out the White House. No "fact" is

taken for granted. They are double checked against available source documents and prior statements. And what has been the response from President Trump? The articles are "fake news." The charge of "fake news" isn't a new one for newspapers. We see it nearly every time reporters challenge the status quo. In the 1950s, the Mississippi Legislature wanted to brand Greenville's daily newspaper, The Delta Democrat, "fake news" for writing about racism in the state. The lawmakers even passed a resolution declaring Hodding Carter, its owner and publisher, a liar. Unfazed by the political attacks, Carter invited the entire Mississippi State Legislature to "go to hell, collectively or singly, and wait there until I back down." He won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial writing. Bill Minor, who passed away recently, followed in Carter's footsteps. As the Mississippi Bureau Chief for the Times-Picayune, Minor covered the shooting of Medgar Evers, James Meredith's enrollment at Ole Miss, and the Jackson State shootings. The Mississippi power brokers hated him for not shying away from the truth. He became known as the "conscience" of Mississippi journalism. Fortunately, in our democracy, the truth still is valued and respected. Newspapers will strive to do their best to report it, regardless of the name-calling. {in}rick@inweekly.net

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32505 MAKES TOP 15 FOR HIGHEST YOUTH ARRESTS By Duwayne Escobedo Florida law enforcement authorities made a big deal that six years into reform of the state’s juvenile justice system—once considered the worst in the country—it recorded the lowest number of arrests in the state in 40 years. However, Pensacola zip code 32505 remains among the highest in total juvenile arrests in the state—13th to be exact. The zip code, which includes many of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, ended up with 430 youth arrests in the fiscal year 2015-16. That tied the 33712 zip code in Pinellas County. 32505 accounted for one of every four arrests of juveniles in Escambia County last year. Greater Little Rock Baptist Church Rev. Lonnie Wesley III finds the news alarming. “I grew up in that area code,” Wesley said. “32505 is my home. We’ve gotten away from family values and the importance of family.” In fact, for Escambia, births to all unwed mothers is 51.71 percent and 80.9 percent for black unwed mothers, according to FL Health Charts. It is the county’s highest rate since 1994-1996. Plus, demographics of 32505 reports the median household income is $28,199. In 2010, Governor Rick Scott appointed Wansley Walters, a nationally recognized reformer as the Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary. Under Walters’ leadership, the DJJ changed its overall approach to focus on preventing youth from entering the juvenile justice system in the first place. District 3 Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May is very familiar with the struggles of the zip code’s children. He just returned from the Biddy International Basketball Tournament in Slidell, La. Many of the Southern Youth Sports Association players, some of them 32505 products, had never left their Pensacola homes or eaten dinner in a restaurant like they got to do at this tourney.

“Kids who participate in extracurricular activities tend not to get in trouble. Kids who don’t do,” said May, who founded SYSA in 2003. “Programs like what SYSA does are critical. If we don’t help these kids, who else is going to do it?” Statewide, the arrest of white youth dropped 38 percent over the past four years, while Escambia County experienced a 34 percent decrease. But Escambia County’s black youth didn’t fair quite as well. While they made up 72 percent of all youth arrests in the county last year, the arrests of young black men dropped nine percent over the same period. Statewide, the arrest of black youth fell 20 percent since FY 2011-12. Robin Reshard runs Robert Robino Productions and is dedicated to creating community dialogue through Pensacola Network with monthly events. She supports the Florida juvenile justice reforms. For example, the Department of Juvenile Justice gives law enforcement officials the discretion to write citations to juvenile offenders, so they don’t carry around the stigma of an arrest record. That rate is 50 percent in Florida. Pensacola Police officers and Escambia County deputies handed out citations 70 percent and 53 percent of the time, respectively. The latest DJJ report recommends increasing the use of civil citations by 75 percent statewide. It estimates that would “improve life outcomes” for nearly 7,000 arrested children, as well as save $62 million that could then be used to improve the juvenile justice system in other critical ways. “We need to have help and understanding on how we can get our youth back to being their best selves,” Reshard said. “If they mess up, that should not be the thing that kills them. (Black youth) need to have a fair chance as any other child. We need to be there to embrace them in love, while also disciplining them.” Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille knows that Florida’s juvenile justice system earned a bad rap in part because it regularly

leads the country in prosecuting youth as adults. Violent crimes and crimes involving firearms get the closest scrutiny. State lawmakers are considering legislation that would limit prosecutors’ discretion in transferring juveniles to adult court. Florida prosecutors can move minors to adult court without input from judges. About 10,000 adult transfers have been filed in Florida since 2011, the DJJ reports. Escambia County is one of the worst offenders in the state, arresting children and trying them as adults in greater numbers than some of the largest counties in the state. The Southern Poverty Law Center found that compared to Miami-Dade County, for example, children charged with felonies were six times as likely to be prosecuted as adults in Escambia County. “We are very careful in reviewing cases in our juvenile division to make sure we hand out the appropriate sanctions,” Marcille said. “We review our policies to make sure we are

applying our laws appropriately. Only the most serious cases end up in adult court.” Marcille attributed the high rate of youth arrests in 32505 partially because of a rash of vehicle robberies. Larceny and theft arrests in Escambia County have steadily fallen from 452 in 2010 to 284 last year. May said addressing poverty, education and leadership are all part of solving the complex youth crime issue. As a commissioner and SYSA co-founder, he has tried to address those issues, by creating after-school care for youth, partnering with Pensacola State College on a GED program held continuously at the Theophalis May Community Center at Legion Field, developing a Community Redevelopment Agency that incorporates 32505 and providing programs that teach job skills. "Our greatest investment is human capital," May said. "No matter what zip code, it's all of our problem. It will take all of us to provide a solution. We must protect our most valuable asset, and that is our children."{in}

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SYSA ‘FILLS THE GAP'

By Duwayne Escobedo Terrell Hankins wasn't the greatest athlete to come out of the Southern Youth Sports Association. He knows that. But he had smarts. His goal every year in SYSA was to win the Academic Athlete Award. He began playing football and basketball as an 8-year-old. "That was my incentive. That was my purpose," said Hankins, now a chemical operator at Reichhold Chemicals. "I ate that up. It's what pushed me." The recognition was important to the son of a single-mother in a struggling family. "This group of guys that make up SYSA were my mentors," Hankins said. "They created my safe place for me to go." The SYSA has mentored more than a thousand mostly black boys and girls from Escambia County each year since it was founded in 2003. Not only does the organization provide youth sports, but it also offers after-school care and tutoring. It works with Pensacola State College to

provide a GED program at the Theophalis May Community Center. It develops integrity and character of its youth through the Four B's: Bible, Books, Ball, and Balance. The program aims to develop youth spiritually, teach them to work hard in school, to act disciplined in their sport, and to work to strike a balance in their lives. To SYSA co-founder Lumon May, who serves as the District 3 Escambia County Commissioner, education is a top priority. He calls it the "great equalizer." His parents, Rev. Theophalis and Mary May, preached education to their 11 children. "We use athletics as a vehicle to bring the youth into our resource center," May said. "All of our kids have the opportunity to get academic tutoring. They have to make sure their grades are there to play." That's why, for example, at the recent International Biddy Basketball International Tournament in Slidell, La., Dr. Joyce Hopkins went on the trip with the team. The SYSA volunteer has served as the organization's academic program coordinator. That includes participating in the SYSA after school pro-

grams for the third year that number more than 100 students at Wedgewood, Ebonwood, Oakcrest schools and the Dorrie Miller Community Center. "We try to get them to learn other things besides basketball skills," said Hopkins, who is currently tutoring SYSA youth in math in preparation for the Florida Standards Assessments. "It's very important that we tell the kids knowledge is power. You have to be successful in education to move on to the next level and be successful." May is also proud that the program provides first-time youth experiences, such as travel for and other new things, such as eating out. Thirteen-year-old Dacovney Shine, a Warrington Middle School student, and his SYSA teammates wrote thank you letters to Jim and Shirley Cronley for sponsoring a van for the dozen middle school basketball players to travel to Louisiana. "I've never been away from my parents with my coaches, so I had to adjust to new roles," he wrote the Cronleys. May, who coaches basketball, added: "Some of our kids have never been out of Pensacola. We provide our kids opportunities they otherwise wouldn't have." Plus, SYSA has become successful through many of its signature events. The Soul Bowl has been played annually at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Stadium through a partnership with local entrepreneur and baseball team owner Quint Studer. It is one of the largest youth sports events, matching teams in mighty mites, mini-mites, mites, midgets and juniors in front of crowds of 4,000 people. SYSA's Southeast Jam annually draws between 50 to 80 teams from across the country in May. "It's Living a Dream" event started five years ago, honors those in Pensacola who exemplifying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream and make a difference in the lives of children. To show his support of SYSA Troy Rafferty, a trial lawyer with the Levin Papantonio

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Law Firm, announced he is donating $50,000 a year for a new college scholarship awarded annually to students in Escambia County, through the SYSA. The goal is to inspire students to pursue success through higher education. Escambia County's graduation rate is 76.1 percent, and among African-American students, it's 63.6 percent. "This is about hope," Rafferty said when he unveiled the new scholarship last month. "Our children need to know that if they work hard and are committed to making our community better, that the money will be there for them to go to college." The students will receive the scholarship funds after graduating high school and meeting other criteria, such as maintaining a certain GPA and performing community service. SYSA will provide oversight in how the scholarship money is spent. May measures the program's success with the success of the players, many who have gone from tough home lives that include single-parent homes and poverty to career success. It also has had a number of former SYSA members go onto professional sport careers, such as Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, Dallas Cowboys running back Alfred Morris, former NFL and University of Alabama running back Trent Richardson, former WBNA player Lady Comfort, and Reggie Evans, who played in the NBA for 15 years. One of the former SYSA members that epitomize the youth program is Hankins, who now is among the organization's 200 volunteers as a coach. He enjoys giving back to the program that he credited with helping him to succeed. "As a coach, I tell (the youth) that you're only a product of your environment if you let it be," he said. "You don't have to let where you come from affect your growth." May added, "If we don't help these kids, who else is going to do it? We try to fill the gap." {in}

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THINKING ABOUT “OUR KIDS”

By Shannon Nickinson The American Dream isn’t what it used to be—especially for our children. That’s where research has led Robert Putnam, a public policy professor at Harvard University and bestselling author, who will be part of WSRE’s Public Square Speakers Series, in partnership with Studer Community Institute, on April 18. “Dr. Putnam's work and book is another important step in making sure we increase the school readiness of all of our children, an investment that research shows can lead to less crime, higher wages and a better quality of life for everyone in Pensacola,” said Quint Studer, founder of the Studer Community Institute. “Last year Dr. Dana Suskind of the University of Chicago came to Pensacola to share the story of her work in early learning. Her talk was the spark that’s focused Pensacola on building America’s first Early Learning City. WSRE is fueling that spark by hosting Professor Putnam in our community. It’s also another example of why WSRE is a vital community resource.” Putnam’s 2015 book, “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis,” chronicled the 88

growing gap in opportunity for American youth and offers a groundbreaking examination of why fewer Americans today have the chance for upward mobility—the chance to work hard, achieve success and live lives better than those of previous generations. His work also includes “Making Democracy Work” and “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.” Putnam’s research looks at whether or not youth coming from different social and economic backgrounds have roughly equal life chances and how that has changed in recent decades, and how the opportunity gap has widened and why. “I knew about the larger changes and the growing income inequality in some families, the growing segregation of our society and the collapse of the working-class families,” Putnam said. “I wanted to ask what are the effects on kids of this growing gap in the opportunities and resources available to families.”

NOT GOOD

The effect is not good, to put it mildly. Through the research for "Our Kids," it becomes clear that the social safety net that surrounds middle-and upper-class children buffers them in a way that poor kids don't benefit from. Putnam told the Los Angeles Times in 2015, "The most consistent feature of the lives of poor kids is that they are alone. That's not to say single parents can't do a good job raising their children, many do. But the challenges are greater. They are often disconnected from schools, neighbors, mentors, coaches, and increasingly they are alone and deeply distrustful of others." "If a kid from a well-educated home gets in trouble, instantly air bags inflate to protect those kids," Putnam said them. "If the same thing happens to a poor kid, there are no airbags. no learning opportunities.

[Those air bags] allow you to learn from your error and not to be destroyed by your mistakes. The absence of airbags for these kids fundamentally impairs their chances of doing all right. It's fundamentally un-American. I mean that in the deepest sense." Research by Harvard professor Raj Chetty and economist Nathaniel Hendren was highlighted in 2015 in The New York Times and elsewhere showing the gap between growing up poor and growing up rich in communities across the country. The interactive map that the Times built to accompany their story about the research said this about a poor child's prospects in Escambia County: “It’s among the worst counties in the U.S. in helping poor children up the income ladder. It ranks 47th out of 2,478 counties, better than only about 2 percent of counties. It is relatively worse for poor boys than it is for poor girls. Although bad for poor children, it is somewhat better for higher-income children.” Here are some other points of note about Escambia in that data noted by University of West Florida economist Rick Harper at the time the data was released: • Kids who grow up in and around the Pensacola metro area earn about 8.4 percent less than the same kid would if he/she were to grow up in an average place in the U.S. • For Escambia County, the results are even worse. Kids who spend 20 years of their childhood in Escambia earn about 15 percent less at age 26 than the same kid would if they grew up in an average place in the U.S. That’s $3,870 a year less than in the “nationally average” place. • Escambia is second worst among the 67 counties in Florida, with only Gadsden County registering lower, at -$3,910. • Nassau County, north of Jacksonville, is the best performer in Florida, with a child who spent 20 years there earning $2,240 more than the national average.

A WAKE-UP CALL

“Our Kids” was meant to be a wake-up call to the perils of the growing inequality gap. In 2016, Putnam was part of building the Community Foundation Opportunity Network, which produced a report that is meant to offer suggestions on how communities can work on closing the gap. It includes suggestions in families and parenting, early childhood, K-12 education, communities and “on-ramps” that make education and training beyond high school accessible to poor children. “For example, there is an important role to be played by family coaching and mentoring that can be done in an organized way,” Putnam said. “The Nurse Family Partnership that works across the country, uses a public health hook to help parents.” “The evidence (supporting early child-

hood education programs) is quite strong that it has to be high quality, if it’s not, it’s not all that effective,” he said. Putnam said the most interesting place in America in this respect is Oklahoma, “a very red state, a very low-tax state” that has fully funded universal prekindergarten for all 4-year-olds since 1998. “You can’t do this unless you invest a lot in the training and recruitment and you can’t do it cheaply,” Putnam said. Linking the importance of school readiness to ultimate education outcomes such as high school graduation, and in the even longer view, workforce development, wages and quality of life, is an important piece of the puzzle as well, Putnam believes. Putnam’s hope, in fact, for closing the gap lies at the local level. "I am actually more optimistic than you might think, not because of what might happen nationally," he said. "America has been in this predicament before, and when we faced it as a country, most of the real initiatives at the beginning have come from the bottom up." Putnam refers to the turn of the 20th century as the last time he believes the United States saw similar growth in the income gap—the age of the robber barons, the time of McClure’s magazine and its stable of writers whose work focused attention on child labor laws, monopolies and the cost of living in rising inner-city slums. We countered that as a country, he said, by establishing free public high schools for every child in town to benefit the whole country "because it raised the quality of human capital." "I've spoken in more than 100 communities across the country and in many communities, there are good people who have been working this problem for some time, and there is an increasing collaboration across communities," Putnam said. "I think the real action, and where my hopes lie actually, are in places like Pensacola or Duluth, Minn., or Chicago or Atlanta." {in}

WANT TO GO?

Robert Putnam, public policy professor at Harvard University, will speak at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, in the WSRE Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio at Pensacola State College. Admission is free, but online registration is required at wsre.org/speakers. The Studer Community Institute is coordinating registration and providing a copy of “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis” for the first 100 people who register.

Shannon Nickinson is a research fellow at the Studer Community Institute inweekly.net

April 6, 2017

SAUNDERS ERA BEGINS Dr. Mar-

Saadet Özkan / Courtesy Photo

COURAGEOUS VISITOR The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council will host a recipient of the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award April 1 – 5 as part of a two-week exchange program. The IWOC Award annually recognizes women from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in acting to improve others' lives. The awardees visit U.S. universities, businesses, and non-profit organizations to share strategies and ideas to empower women around the globe. This year marks the eleventh anniversary of the IWOC Award. The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council is hosting Ms. Saadet Özkan from Turkey. As an elementary school teacher, Özkan took the rare and bold step of exposing the sexual abuse of children by the principal of a small village school. Even after suffering a debilitating car accident that left her incapacitated for months, she refused to back down from her claims, despite pressure from the authorities and threats by other teachers. Özkan is honored for her unwavering determination to uncover generations of 010 1

sexual abuse of schoolchildren, particularly girls, and for her integrity in pursuing justice in the face of government pressure and apathy. While in Pensacola, Özkan will meet with a variety of organizations offering support services including the PACE Center for Girls, the Gulf Coast Kid's House, and 90 Works. She will meet with the Office of the State Attorney to explore the role of victims' advocates and how cases are prepared and prosecuted. She will also present her work to the public at an event co-hosted by the Institute of Women in Politics of Northwest Florida. The 2017 IWOC recipients hail from Bangladesh, Botswana, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yemen. These exceptional women received their awards at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on March 29 and are now headed to cities across the United States. The program concludes with a Public Forum in Los Angeles, California on April 6. Follow the conversation on Twitter at #WomenofCourage.

tha Saunders has been making adjustments to her cabinet at the University of West Florida since Dr. Brendan Kelly's departure to become the chancellor of University of South Carolina Upstate. On "Pensacola Speaks," UWF President Saunders said, "I felt like I needed a few different voices around the table and so I have added Joffery Gaymon, because she is in charge of enrollment, and Mark Walsh, who is the sponsored research director, to get the right voices." She also talked about the addition of Dr. Pam Northrup to her cabinet. "We created a division that was a merger of two we already had that we are calling the Division of Research and Strategic Innovation. Pam Northrup, who has been the head of the Innovation Institute, will be taking that on," said Saunders. "It's just a much bigger, but very consistent with the direction of the University and the emphasis that we're hearing from the board of governors." The downtowns of Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga. have seen the presence of college campuses have a positive impact on their growth and vibrancy. Saunders wants a bigger footprint downtown. "Plenty of consultants have told plenty of cities that you need young folks with backpacks walking around. It's a constantly circulating population," she told Inweekly. "Academic programs, if we pick the right ones, will form knowledge clusters, and that attracts businesses because you're feeding them the workforce." She added, "There are a few (programs) that are perfectly positioned for downtown, and I'm getting a lot of enthusiasm from the campus to do that." With the university approaching its 50th anniversary, Saunders solicited ideas from the faculty, staff, and students for what would take UWF to the next level. She thought that she might receive a dozen or so suggestions. "I got 64, and they're all fabulous," she said. "What we've done is pick the ones that have the furthest implications to the university first." UWF Global Online was one of the ideas chosen. She said, "We have invested a great deal in online learning, and we do it well. We thought we've already invested in these programs, why not partner up and market this to the rest of the world? That is one area that I think we'll see some growth." As far as other ideas that jumped out at her, Saunders said, "I'll tell you as soon as I

can get it sorted through, but they are all that good. My hope is to get them all funded."

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEADER Ac-

cording to Florida Department of Health, Escambia County leads the state of Florida when it comes to domestic violence. The county's rate for domestic violence per 100,000 for the three-year period 2013-15 is 1,042.7 — over 30 more offenses than the next nearest county, Taylor, with 1,009.9; almost 500 more than the state rate of 549.7. Okaloosa and Bay counties also placed in the top five. When it comes to forcible sex crimes, such as rape, Escambia County is ranked third with 92.4 per 100,000 population. The state rate is 52.5 per 100,000. A shooting over the weekend gave further evidence to the issue. An Escambia County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man when responding to a domestic violence call in Cantonment. The suspect fled on foot. During the pursuit, he pulled a firearm and shot at deputies, according to the Sheriff's Office.

IMMIGRATION ECONOMICS The

League of Women Voters of the Pensacola Bay Area will host a lecture by economist Kalyan (Kal) Chakraborty to discuss "The Economics of Immigration" on Saturday, April 8, at 10:30 a.m. at the Downtown Library, located at 239 N. Spring Street. Mr. Chakraborty has recently joined the UWF Haas Center as Associate Director, Senior Research Scientist. The meeting is free and open to the public.

TAKING CYBER TO NEIGHBORHOODS

Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill wants to bring cyber to the kids living in some of the county's poorest neighborhoods. "I've teamed with a company called Metova, a local company," he told Inweekly. "We are taking one of the old county emergency response trailers. We're turning it into a cyber gaming place." He continued, "We're going to take it, and we're going to park it and run completely unstructured camps in the playgrounds of our most disadvantaged neighborhoods in Escambia County." Commissioner Underhill said cybersecurity jobs provide an opportunity to get it people from "poverty to prosperity in one generation." "Our kids can be making more than their parents ever made by the time they're 25, 27 years old," he said, "but if they don't know and we can't get to them, and if we can't get to them early before they start inweekly.net

making decisions that move them away from this, then we are going to fail."

SAFER, SMARTER University of West

Florida student Timothy Jones joined police chiefs, mental health counselors, medical school deans, student leaders, Board of Governors, and the presidents of 12 state universities last week to rally support for additional mental health counselors and law enforcement officers, raising the State University System's research profile, and rewarding university performance. During the rally, Jones, a veteran who was diagnosed with PTSD, and said it's because of mental health counseling and community support that he'll be graduating this spring. The rally marked the kick-off of the "Safer, Smarter, Stronger" initiative, designed to demonstrate the return on investment for each of the System's top priorities. "Florida recently ranked top in the country for higher education in U.S. News & World Report, an achievement that inspires all of us to continue striving toward our goals," Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz said. "By putting measures in place to optimize student retention and success, and by positioning our universities to be more competitive in research, we're priming our state to meet its full economic potential."

FROM REFUGEE TO CITIZEN The University of West Florida International Programs will host Una Bilic, site director for the Tallahassee International Rescue Committee, or IRC, at 6 p.m. on April 7 at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts. Bilic will share her experiences as a Bosnian refugee and discuss the reality refugees face today in her presentation, titled "From Refugee to Citizen." "We are very excited to be hosting this event," said William Vittetoe, director of International Programs. "Global citizenship and a global mindset are increasingly important for our students and community." The IRC is a contracted agency that oversees previously arrived and new refugees' transition into their respective communities. The Tallahassee IRC supports approximately 15 families in an area that stretches to Panama City. Bilic is familiar with the challenges of assimilating to American life. She left Bosnia at age 10 after being struck by shrapnel from an exploding shell. Bilic was playing with other children in a courtyard near her home in Sarajevo when she felt the metal pierce her head, legs, arms, and back. Five people died from the explosion. April 6, 2017

With Bilic unable to receive proper medical treatment for her head injury in Bosnia, the United Nations evacuated the family, first to an Italian hospital and then to Orlando. Two families, totaling nine people, shared one room in an Orlando house until a local mosque found them and took them to an apartment. The woman who housed the two families was later arrested for spending the money meant to care for them on herself. Bilic's parents worked at McDonald's and eventually as housekeepers at Disney World to support their two daughters and ensure they received a college education. Bilic attended the University of South Florida for her undergraduate studies and earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. The UWF International Programs event is free and open to the public. For more information about International Programs at UWF, visit uwf.edu/internationaloffice.

GRANT APPLICATIONS ONLINE

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced the launch of a new online grants application system, DOSGrants.com, which streamlines the application process for all grants offered by the Department of State, including arts and culture, historic preservation and library grants. The application period for Florida Department of State grants in the Divisions of Cultural Affairs, Historical Resources, and Library & Information Services are now open. "These grant programs help to ensure that all Florida families have access to arts and culture programs, our state's historic properties, and educational opportunities," said Secretary Detzner. "The organizations who receive these grants create jobs, stimulate tourism and attract skilled workers. The new DOS Grants website, DOSGrants. com, will make it easier for more organizations to apply for grants while increasing transparency and allowing Floridians to search for state-funded programs in their community." Any Florida organization engaging in cultural programming, historic preservation efforts or providing library services that is either a public entity or a registered nonprofit is encouraged to apply. In fiscal year 2016-17, the Florida Department of State awarded over $90 million in grant funds through 12 grant programs to nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and units of local government including cities and counties. {in} 11

The Road to America’s First

Early Learning City

Thank you

to the Escambia County hospitals for their commitment for early brain development

Every mother who delivers her baby in Escambia County will benefit from an educational session on a child’s brain development due to the dedication of Mark, Susan and Carlton. New mothers also will leave the hospital with material to get their babies off to a great start. These materials are in what we are calling a Brain Bag. Mark Faulkner

P is for Pelican: The ABCs of Pensacola

A bag for all the learning material

A small toy

President and CEO of Baptist Healthcare.

Susan Davis

R. Carlton Ulmer

President and CEO of Sacred Heart Health System.

President and CEO of West Florida Healthcare

Brain Bags: What will be in them? Local information

A binder with information with community resources, advice, tips, and more.

Thank you to Impact 100 in providing funds to help.

Baby Steps

A book produced by the Studer Community Institute to track each baby’s brain development.

Build a Brain Build a Life Build a Community

BOARD OF DIRECTORS • Cindi Bear Bonner • Becca Boles • Patrick Elebash • Randy Hammer • Chad Henderson • Gail Husbands • Stacy Keller Williams • Jerry Maygarden 212 1

• Jean Pierre N’dione • Lisa Nellessen-Lara • Mort O’Sullivan III • Janet Pilcher • Scott Remington • Martha Saunders • Julie Sheppard • Josh Sitton

/StuderInstitute /StuderInstitute EMAIL snickinson@Studeri.org inweekly.net

April 6, 2017

Making The Wahoos Better By Rick Outzen

he Pensacola Blue Wahoos open their 2017 season on Thursday, April 6 with a series against the Tennessee Smokies. Last year, the Double-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of the Southern League was successful both on and off the diamond. The team won its division last year and its first ever playoff game, before eventually being knocked out by the Mississippi Braves. Off the field, Blue Wahoos Stadium was voted the best Double-A ballpark as part of Ballpark Digest's "Best of the Ballparks 2016". The Blue Wahoos received the Southern League Community Service Award, and Ray Sayre was named Groundskeeper of the Year for the fourth consecutive season. Inweekly caught up with co-owner Quint Studer a week before the start of the season and learned what fans could expect this season. "We have a lot of changes that are coming this year," Blue Wahoos co-owner Quint Studer said. "I think one of the things you do is you never declare victory. We've had five good years. We measure, and we look at things real carefully." An issue last season was the scoreboard, the Blue Wahoos, Community Maritime Park Associates board, who operates the city park, and the University of West Florida, which holds its fall football games in the stadium, agreed to replace the scoreboard, whose five-year warranty had expired. "As people went to games, we had the scoreboard that didn't work a lot of times, and we had a lot of complaints," Studer told Inweekly. "Due to the collaboration with CMPA chairman Jim Reeves, his board, UWF, and the Blue Wahoos, I think when people come on April 6 and look over there at the scoreboard, they're going to be in for a very, very large surprise when they see what's up there." At the cost of $235,000, the new video board is 26.3 feet tall—more than 10 feet taller than the previous video board at Wahoos Stadium—and is 30.5 feet wide, giving it a display area of 802 square feet that is a 74.3-percent increase in size over the old board. While the expiration of the warranty was a factor in why the scoreboard was replaced, the technology had significantly

improved since 2012. The Blue Wahoos organization played a role in paying $120,000 of the cost and financing the remaining balance interest-free. The CMPA will contribute $20,000 annually for five years ($100,000), and UWF will provide $5,000 annually for three years ($15,000). "When we coupled the mechanical issues with our current board with what the new boards looked like during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Washington D.C., we thought about how great it would be to make this happen for the park," Studer said.

IMPROVED FOOD SERVICE

Studer admitted the food service at Blue Wahoos Stadium wasn't up to par with previous years. "I don't want to focus on what's wrong, but we thought we went backward a little bit on food and beverage last year, particularly the lines," he said. "We outsourced the food service, and we expressed to the company our concerns." The company made a change at the top and hired a new food service manager, Matt Risse. "We're very excited about what he's bringing to the table," said Studer. "Even though people have always liked the quality of our food, I think we're really focused in on reducing lines, make it more deliverable this year." The Blue Wahoos organization and other teams use Turnkey Intelligence to measure the fans' experience at Major League Baseball's minor and major ballparks. In 2016, the team was honored with the Double-A Bob Freitas Award, which is designed to recognize the long-term excellence of minor league operations. The criteria for evaluation included community involvement, long-term business success, and consistent operational excellence. Studer credits the attention the team pays to the Turnkey surveys. "After every game, a number of fans get a survey that asks them a whole bunch of questions," he said. "It's a one through 10 system. and they take the number of nines and 10s, then subtract the number of ones through sixes, which gives you a net promoter score." He continued, "Our net promoter score last year broke a record, even with food wait lines, and even with the scoreboard

“I think one of the things you do is you never declare victory.” Quint Studer

414 1

issue, we were about a 90, which is really unheard of. We would match that against anybody, including RitzCarlton or Disney."

GREAT STAFF

Studer praised the Blue Wahoos staff. The team has 98-percent of its ushers returning this season. "When you hold onto staff, it makes a big difference because they get to know the people, they get to know the processes, the tools, they get to know that when somebody spills a drink, we fill it up, no questions asked," he said. "They know when somebody's not happy that we do everything we can to get them happy. I think we really do. Every minor league team's going to say, ‘Oh yeah, we really focus on the fan experience.' I will tell you that we measure it and, according to all the documentation for the last five years, we've been the number one team in fan experience in minor league baseball." Last month, the Blue Wahoos held auditions for the national anthem and other entertainers, calling the session "Pensacola's Got Talent." The try-outs took place on the field in front of a panel of judges from WEAR, 97.1 FM The Ticket, Pensacola News Journal, and the Blue Wahoos. "We were open to all sorts of things," Studer explained. "Years ago, the St. Paul Saints, the famous baseball team owned by Mike Veeck and comedian Bill Murray up in Minneapolis, always hired theater students from the University of Minnesota, and so we looked for people like magicians, jugglers, dance teams, and church choirs." He added, "You know, if they can sing the national anthem, they can sing the seventh inning stretch. Heck, we'll let them sing between innings. For the last few years, Michaela Jacobs has been on our flag team, and now she was the lead in Pensacola Little Theater in 'My Fair Lady,' and she's phenomenal. Our games are a great place to showcase local talent."

FOOD APP

The team will initially try out innovations with its season ticket holders. This year, season ticket holders will test a new food-ordering app. "Sometimes we test things with our season ticket holders, so people

DAY BY DAY Baseball games aren't just about baseball. They are also about free swag and snacks. Thankfully for us fans, the Wahoos totally get that. Here's a basic rundown of this year's season-long promotions: GIVE BACK MONDAY Help various nonprofits raise funds by partaking in the 50/50 raffle on Monday nights. FAT TUESDAY Every Tuesday, tickets on the Winn-Dixie Party Deck will be sold to individuals as part of an "all you can eat" offer for $21. Restaurants will provide sample size food items for 200 people, while the Blue Wahoos will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and popcorn during a 90-minute buffet. (Excludes the All-Star Game on Tuesday, June 20.) WAHOO WEDNESDAY This season Wednesdays will be all about different special events and theme nights. May 31 will be "Wahooloween" for example, complete with spooky goblins, ghosts and candy. THIRSTY THURSDAY Seville Quarter is hosting Thirsty Thursday this season, so you know it's going to be fun. For starters, you can park for free at Seville, enjoy drink specials and $5 appetizers and then ride the free Wahoo Choo Choo tram to the stadium. Once at the game, you'll continue to enjoy the drink specials in the park. FANTASTIC FRIDAY GIVEAWAY If you're coming to a Friday night game, make sure you get there early because the first 2,000 fans will get special promotional items—like a dog bowl presented by Hill-Kelly Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, which will be the giveaway item during the first Friday night game of the season—Friday, April 7. SATURDAY FIREWORKS Win or lose, the Wahoos celebrate Saturday night home games with a fireworks display. MCDONALDS FAMILY SUNDAY Presented by McDonald's, kids can run the bases and play catch on the field after the game on Sunday afternoons. *All giveaways, promotions and event dates are subject to change

inweekly.net

BARK IN THE PARK

What’s better than going to a ball game? Going to a ball game with your dog, of course. The Wahoos are hosting two of their super popular Bark in the Park nights this season, so mark your calendars and make sure your pup is available for a night out: Monday, May 22 and Sunday, August 27.

have to just understand we go there first, they're vital to us because the sponsors want to know how many season ticket holders you have because that's what they can count on. This year we're doing a few things for our season ticket holders," said Studer. The food app first will be made available in small sections of the stadium and gradually expanded. He said, "You're going to have an app on your phone that you're going to be able to order your food. It's sometimes going to be delivered, or they'll be a fast lane that you can just go to and pick it up, and we'll make sure you know it's available." The goal is to reduce the concession lines. Studer said, "It's so new in baseball, we're going to really pilot it this year, and hopefully figure it out this year to really run it next year, but for some people, they'll have an app this year."

SEASON TICKET PERKS

Full-season ticket holders will now have their seats personalized with their names. He explained, "You could all of a sudden sit down and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I'm in the Bubba Watson seat,"' or the ‘Bobby Switzer seats,' or the "Josh Sitton's seats," or things like that." Thanks to a sponsorship by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and Main Street Realty, season ticket holders will have, free of charge, access to the airconditioned lounge pre-game, post-game, and during games. Studer pointed out the lounge is where the minor league and major league scouts and GMs hang out when they attend ball games. The Blue Wahoos have taken measures to improve safety after the night games. He April 6, 2017

said, "We've been really concerned about the parking lot at the old ECUA site because it gets dark, and our community is a dark community everywhere. We're going to be putting up some special temporary lights with generators after games, so people have a little safer place when they go to get to their car." Another innovation for Pensacola is adding a concierge to the staff. Season Ticket Concierge Manager Nancy Berry joined the team in March and brings 16 years of experience in the sports industry. Berry worked with the Miami Marlins as Executive Assistant to the President of Baseball Operations and Tampa Bay Rays as Assistant to the Scouting Director. Two Major League general managers recommended her to the team. "Season ticket holders are important investors in any sports operations," said Studer. "We wanted to match their loyalty and commitment to the Blue Wahoos with world class service beyond the norm. We feel providing them with a concierge is one way to do so." He added, "Just like when you're on a ship, or you're in a hotel, we're going to have a full-time concierge this year to just make sure that everybody is well taken care of. I think we're probably one of the only minor league teams that do that." Before the interview concluded, he wanted to remind season ticket holders of the Blue Wahoos' ticket sharing program, the only minor league team that offers such a program. He said, "If you have season tickets, and you call us, we'll put them on the line, and there's about an 80-90 percent chance they'll sell, and you get the money, and that way when you renew, it hardly costs you anything. This year if you sold 50 of your tickets out of 70, you ended up renewing your season ticket package for three dollars a ticket, which is quite remarkable." The key of the Blue Wahoos is never to be complacent. Studer said, "When you lead the whole minor league in fan experience, you have to do a whole bunch of things that even make it better." {in}

BLUE WAHOOS OPENING DAY 2017

WHAT: Blue Wahoos vs. Smokies WHEN: 6:35 p.m. Thursday, April 6 WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. DETAILS: Bluewahoos.com

2017 HOME GAME SCHEDULE

Game Times: Regular season home games will begin at 6:35 p.m. Mondays—Saturdays and 4:05 p.m. Sundays. Gates open one hour prior to first pitch.

APRIL

Thursday, April 6 vs Tennessee Smokies Friday, April 7 vs Tennessee Smokies Saturday, April 8 vs Tennessee Smokies Sunday, April 9 vs Tennessee Smokies Monday, April 10 vs Tennessee Smokies Monday, April 17 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Tuesday, April 18 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Wednesday, April 19 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Thursday, April 20 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Friday, April 21 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Thursday, April 27 vs Biloxi Shuckers Friday, April 28 vs Biloxi Shuckers Saturday, April 29 vs Biloxi Shuckers Sunday, April 30 vs Biloxi Shuckers

MAY

Monday, May 1 vs Biloxi Shuckers Monday, May 8 vs Birmingham Barons Tuesday, May 9 vs Birmingham Barons Wednesday, May 10 vs Birmingham Barons Thursday, May 11 vs Birmingham Barons Friday, May 12 vs Birmingham Barons Thursday, May 18 vs Mobile BayBears Friday, May 19 vs Mobile BayBears Saturday, May 20 vs Mobile BayBears Sunday, May 21 vs Mobile BayBears Monday, May 22 vs Mobile BayBears Tuesday, May 30 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Wednesday, May 31 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

JUNE

Thursday, June 1 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Friday, June 2 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Saturday, June 3 vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Friday, June 9 vs Mississippi Braves Saturday, June 10 vs Mississippi Braves Sunday, June 11 vs Mississippi Braves

Monday, June 12 vs Mississippi Braves Tuesday, June 13 vs Mississippi Braves Tuesday, June 20 All-Star Game Wednesday, June 28 vs Montgomery Biscuits Thursday, June 29 vs Montgomery Biscuits Friday, June 30 vs Montgomery Biscuits

JULY

Saturday, July 1 vs Montgomery Biscuits Sunday, July 2 vs Montgomery Biscuits Monday, July 3 vs Montgomery Biscuits Sunday, July 9 vs Chattanooga Lookouts Monday, July 10 vs Chattanooga Lookouts Tuesday, July 11 vs Chattanooga Lookouts Wednesday, July 12 vs Chattanooga Lookouts Thursday, July 13 vs Mississippi Braves Friday, July 14 vs Mississippi Braves Saturday, July 15 vs Mississippi Braves Sunday, July 16 vs Mississippi Braves Monday, July 17 vs Mississippi Braves Tuesday, July 25 vs Biloxi Shuckers Wednesday, July 26 vs Biloxi Shuckers Thursday, July 27 vs Biloxi Shuckers Friday, July 28 vs Biloxi Shuckers Saturday, July 29 vs Biloxi Shuckers

AUGUST

Thursday, August 10 vs Mobile BayBears Friday, August 11 vs Mobile BayBears Saturday, August 12 vs Mobile BayBears Sunday, August 13 vs Mobile BayBears Monday, August 14 vs Mobile BayBears Monday, August 21 vs Jackson Generals Tuesday, August 22 vs Jackson Generals Wednesday, August 23 vs Jackson Generals Thursday, August 24 vs Jackson Generals Friday, August 25 vs Jackson Generals Saturday, August 26 vs Mississippi Braves Sunday, August 27 vs Mississippi Braves Monday, August 28 vs Mississippi Braves Tuesday, August 29 vs Mississippi Braves Wednesday, August 30 vs Mississippi Braves

WSRE PRESENTS

ROBERT PUTNAM OUR KIDS: The American Dream in Crisis

We Honor our Heroes

Come hear best-selling author (Bowling Alone and Making Democracy Work), Harvard University professor of public policy, and a leading expert on inequality and opportunity in America.

Tues, April 18 7pm Doors open at 6:30pm WSRE Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio

For Advancing Our Mission to Inspire Young People to Succeed In a Global Economy.

Sponsored in part by:

Sansing Foundation

State Farm

Inweekly

Wells Fargo

Boneﬁsh Grill

Landrum HR

John & Debbie Kranak

WEAR TV 3

Highpointe Hotel Corporation

SunTrust and Regions are Junior Achievement’s Signature Annual Sponsors. Other annual sponsors include, Wind Creek Hospitality, Gulf Power, Cat Country 98.7 & NewsRadio 1620, Pensacola News Journal, Inweekly, Duncan McCall, Sandy Sansing Foundation, State Farm Insurance, and many other distinguished businesses in the area.

Admission is free! Registration required: wsre.org/speakers WSRE is a service of Pensacola State College. 26035-0317 WSRE Public Square Putnam INWeekly ad.indd 1

Evergreen The Printing Company

4/3/17 11:10 AM

Friday, April 28: Noon-11 p.m.

6 6 Sunday, April 30: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band

Saturday, April 29: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Live Music All Day! Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band Voodoo Gumbo Zydefunk featuring Rockin Dopsie

Voodoo Gumbo

Zydefunk featuring Rockin Dopsie

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616 1

inweekly.net

WEEK OF APRIL 6-13

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

Eye for Design by Shelby Smithey

Renowned graphic designer and now author Aaron Draplin of the Draplin Design Company (DDC) will be at Pensacola State College April 12 for a student logo workshop and portfolio review, and later, a lecture open to the public. Well-known for Field Notes, his nostalgic brand of pocket notebooks, Draplin has a way of refreshing an idea into a modern work of art. Born in Detroit, Draplin moved to Oregon when he was 19 where his career started with a snowboarding graphic for Solid Snowboards. There, he started Draplindustries Design Co. where he did everything from lettering café signs to drawing up logos, to thinking up local advertising campaigns. After five years in Oregon, Draplin decided to finish up his design degree at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In 2000, he accepted a job as art director with Snowboarder Magazine where he worked for two years. He then landed back in Oregon, working as a senior designer for brands like Nixon. In 2004, he stepped out on his own again with DDC, creating for clients including Nike, Burton Snowboards, Esquire, Red Wing, Field Notes, Ford Motor Company and the Obama administration. April 6, 2017

These days, Draplin is proud to have conquered uncharted territory: writing his own book. “Pretty Much Everything” is a mid-career survey of work, case studies, inspiration, road stories, lists, maps, howto’s and advice. It includes examples of his work—posters, record covers, logos—and presents the process behind his design with projects like Field Notes and the “Things We Love” State Posters. Draplin also offers valuable advice and hilarious commentary that illustrates how much more goes into design than just what appears on the page. Inweekly caught up with Draplin before his lecture at PSC to talk about his new book, the challenges of designing and working for the Obama administration. INWEEKLY: How did you get into design? DRAPLIN: Through skateboarding and snowboarding. INWEEKLY: What's the most challenging part of designing something? DRAPLIN: It kind of depends. Sometimes it’s coming up with something cool and successful with a small budget. Or working with a persnickety client. Or even a tight

timeline can stress things out. But that’s okay. Each project is different and you weight the pros and cons and get to work.

worked with each of those brands for 8-10 years, so that was a good run. I miss all my buddies attached to that time so much.

INWEEKLY: What will you be talking about during your lecture? What can people take away from it? DRAPLIN: My new book “Pretty Much Everything” and the harrowing account of what it was like to make it! It’s a lighthearted talk about my career up to this point, and everything that was packed into making a book out of it. And what I learned from it. It was super fun to make it, and kind of scary. What if it was a flop? What if people didn’t like it? I was so nervous. But it’s done incredibly well, and my publishers are on cloud nine, and, the folks who bought it seem to really like it. Or so I’m told each night. I’m so thankful for the whole experience.

INWEEKLY: What was it like designing for the Obama administration? DRAPLIN: A bit terrifying. And, a complete honor. I believed in the guy, and am so proud of the job he did the last eight years. Such intelligence, measure, grace and, hell, he was cool as hell. Firm when he needed to be firm. And loose when he could be loose. He’ll be the best president of our lifetimes. And to help them out? Such an honor.

INWEEKLY: Tell me about Field Notes and how that came about. DRAPLIN: I couldn’t find ones I liked—everything had goopy graphics or overlooked typography. So I just made my own, as a little homage to American memo book, which had its heyday 60 years ago, and is slowly dying. If you go into middle America, you’ll still see them in the pockets of old-timer farmers. It still works for them, and we don’t even know that it still works for us. iPhones and shit have changed the landscape in so many ways. But here’s the deal: Making a grocery list on a piece of scrap paper will never add up to making it in some app on your phone. It’s just not the same. And that’s the charm about a pencil on paper. I’m so proud to be offering that experience with Field Notes.

“Each project is different and you weight the pros and cons and get to work.” Aaron Draplin INWEEKLY: How do you channel a brand into a design and what are the benefits of a good logo? DRAPLIN: By amplifying the little things that are special to their experience. You sort of turn up the volume on the cool stuff, and make sure the basics are solid and consistent. The benefits of a good logo? Clarity, presence and a forward-thinking existence in whatever market it’s in. Take Apple for instance. When you see that mark attached to something, you know it’s going to be amazing. It’s going to have a premium feel you just won’t get anywhere else. That logo means something in that little transaction. It’s doing the work, like a good logo should. {in}

INWEEKLY: What are some of your clients (or past clients) that you've enjoyed creating for? DRAPLIN: The snowboarding brands were super rewarding, mainly because we got to invent them as we went. That would be Coal WHAT: Lecture with designer and author Aaron Headwear, Union Binding ComJames Draplin at Pensacola State College pany, Grenade Gloves and SnowWHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 board Magazine. It was made by us, WHERE: Switzer Center for Visual Art, Buildfor us. And that’s a special spot to ing 15, Room 1590, Lecture Hall be in. The graphics had great spirit COST: Free, but online RSVP is required to them, and the audience, they DETAILS: draplin.com weren’t cutthroat marketing peo-

DDC “PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING EVERYTHING BOOK" TOUR

ple… they were snowboards scrubs who loved colorful, wild stuff. I

calendar THURSDAY 4.6

WORK ON FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m. Regular

meet up of Western Gate Florida Trail Association to work on National Scenic Trail and side trail. Meet at Blackwater River Forestry Center, 11650 Munson Highway. meetup.com/ftawesterngate LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com INDIAN COOKING CLASS 6-8 p.m. $10-$15. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SELECT A SECRET INGREDIENT COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $35. Pensacola Cooks

Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. pensacolacooks.rezclick.com THE SEARCH FOR WATER ON MARS 6 p.m. Reception at 5:30 p.m. UWF Lecture with astrophysicist Dr. Nadine Barlow. Museum of Commerce, 201 E. Zaragosa St. uwf.edu LATIN DANCE LESSONS AND PARTY 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Cha Cha, Bachata and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. TENNESSEE SMOKIES

6:35 p.m. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com

FRIDAY 4.7

INDOOR GARAGE SALE 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Pen-

sacola Garden Center, 1850 N. 9th Ave.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR YOUR GARDEN

10-11:30 a.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

HOW UNDERSTANDING WATER ON MARS INFORMS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARTIAN (AND EARTH) CLIMATE 1 p.m.

Reception at 12:30 p.m. Free. University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway. Building 4, room 102. uwf.edu GRASSFED GRILLING WITH CHEF REID 12-2 p.m. Free. Ever’man Education Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. HAPPY HOUR COOK OUTS 5 p.m. Drink specials, free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com TIMELESS VINTAGE MARKET 5-7 p.m. Free. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. VINYASA YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org DATE NIGHT DANCING 6:30-8 p.m. $15. Learn the basics of several romantic ballroom and country dance styles in unique group classes that keeps partners together. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. TENNESSEE SMOKIES

6:35 p.m. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Single Fin Cafe, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/singlefincafe ALICE IN WONDERLAND 7:30 p.m. $22-$34. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. balletpensacola.com 818 1

WHY? 8 p.m. $15 Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

follow at an area restaurant.

SATURDAY 4.8

Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com DIY GREEN CLEANING 2-4 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

THE US FINALS CHEER AND DANCE 8 a.m.until $16-$36. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

FM WESTON AUDUBON SOCIETY FIELD TRIP TO FORT PICKENS 7:30 a.m. Meet in last

parking lot before you enter Ft. Pickens, north side of road. Bring visitor's pass if you have one. Park entrance fee. fmwaudubon.org SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road, Pace. CLEAN UP WITH OCEAN HOUR 8:45 a.m. Location one is Bay Bluffs Park on Scenic Highway at Summit Blvd. Second location is 2 miles north at Chimney Park on Scenic Highway at Langley Ave. Buckets, grabbers, gloves and trash bags will be supplied. For more information, contact oceanhourfl@ gmail.com. PALAFOX MARKET 9 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 COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com SPRING FLING EVENT AT WOERNER LANDSCAPE SOURCE AND PET SUPPLY 9 a.m.-4

p.m. 1332 Creighton Road. woernerlandscape.com NEW HORIZON'S: A BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT AND HEALING ARTS FESTIVAL 10

a.m.-6 p.m. $10. Osceola County Club, 300 Tonawanda Dr.

FAMILIES COOK: EASTER BREAD MAKING CLASS 10 a.m. $50. Pensacola Cooks

Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. cookingschoolsofamerica.com/pensacolacooks

CONTAINER GARDENING WITH PAUL FLORES 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 Garden St. everman.org GRASSFED GRILLING WITH CHEF REID 2-4 p.m. Free. Ever’man Education Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BLUE WAHOOS VS. TENNESSEE SMOKIES

6:35 p.m. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com

PENSACOLA CIVIC BAND PRESENTS "OUT OF THIS WORLD" 7:30 p.m. $5-$10. Saenger

Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com ALICE IN WONDERLAND 7:30 p.m. $22-$34. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. balletpensacola.com CHRIS THOMAS KING 8 p.m. $10-$35. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com IMPROVABLE CAUSE 10:30 p.m. $10. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

SUNDAY 4.9

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs

Park, Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to

THE US FINALS CHEER AND DANCE 8 a.m.-until $16-$36.

CSOP ETERNAL LIGHT: THE DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY OF THE REQUIEM IN PERFORMANCE 2 p.m. Free. West

Florida Public Library, 239 Spring St. ALICE IN WONDERLAND 2:30 p.m. $22-$34. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. balletpensacola.com

SOUTHEASTERN TEEN SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: SHENANIGANS 4-5 p.m. Free. 1010 N.

12th Ave. setsco.org/first-cityshakespeare BLUE WAHOOS VS. TENNESSEE SMOKIES 4:05 p.m. Blue Wa-

hoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com

FULL MOON MEDITATION WORKSHOP

6-7:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org YOUNG DUBLINERS 7 p.m. $20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

MONDAY 4.10

ECUA RECYCLING 12-1 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PILATES MAT 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational 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. Free pasta and drink specials after the run at Fast Eddie's. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com AUTOIMMUNE LECTURE WITH BETSY 6-8 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BALLROOM DANCE LESSONS 6:30-8 p.m. $10. Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, and more. Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. TENNESSEE SMOKIES

6:35 p.m. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com FROM BACH TO JOPLIN PIANO RECITAL

7:30 p.m. University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway. Bldg. 82. uwf.edu HIP-HOP DANCE LESSONS 8-9 p.m. $10. Learn hip-hop moves from a professional instructor. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com

TUESDAY 4.11

COMPLEMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. SoGourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com VINO MAGNIFICO 5:30 p.m. Remember to

Why?

RSVP in advance. V. Paul’s Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com FUNKY YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org COUNTRY DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. $10. Country Two Step, East Coast Swing, Competition Choreography and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123 dancecraftfl.com BANDS ON THE BEACH 7 p.m. Bay Bridge Band. Gulfside Pavilion, Pensacola Beach. visitpensacolabeach.com. FORTUNATE YOUTH 7 p.m. $15-$30. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com MEDITATION/PRANIC HEALING 7:15-8:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org TUNESDAY SOUND CAFE 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and tunes from the baby grand piano. Pensacola Library lobby, 239 North Spring St. PENSACOLA WEST PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

7:30 p.m. Free. University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway. Building 82. uwf.edu

WEDNESDAY 4.12

RESTORATIVE YOGA 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WATERBOYZ SLOW SKATE 6-7 p.m. Every Wednesday. Skate starts and ends at Waterboyz, 380 N. 9th Ave. waterboyz.com SWING DANCE LESSONS AND PARTY 6:3010 p.m. $5-$10. Professional west coast swing instruction for all levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com FREE DANCE LESSONS 8-8:30 p.m. Free beginner west coast swing dance lesson. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com

for more listings visit inweekly.net inweekly.net

news of the weird

by Chuck Shepherd

WORLD'S COOLEST CITY Recently, in Dubai (the largest city in the United Arab Emirates), Dubai Civil Defense started using water jetpacks that lift firefighters off the ground to hover in advantageous positions as they work the hoses. Also, using jet skis, rescuers can avoid traffic altogether by using the city's rivers to arrive at fires (and, if close enough to a waterway, can pump water without hydrants). Even more spectacularly, as early as this summer, Dubai will authorize the already tested one-person, "Jetsons"-type taxis for ordinary travel in the city. The Ehang 184 model flies about 30 minutes on an electrical charge, carrying up to 220 pounds at about 60 mph.

The jury then re-retired to the jury room, found him guilty on the earlier count and sentenced him to the five-year maximum. (Because of time already served, he could have walked away legally if he hadn't walked away illegally.) (2) In March, Ghanian soccer player Mohammed Anas earned a "man of the match" award (after his two goals led the Free State Stars to a 2-2 draw), but botched the acceptance speech by thanking both his wife and his girlfriend. Reportedly, Anas "stumbled for a second" until he could correct himself. "I'm so sorry," he attempted to clarify. "My wife! I love you so much from my heart."

LATEST HUMAN RIGHTS Convicted murderer Philip Smith (a veteran criminal serving life for killing the father of a boy Smith had been sexually abusing) escaped from prison in New Zealand with the help of a disguise that included a toupee for his bald head— before being caught. Prison officials confiscated the toupee, but Smith said a shiny head behind bars made him feel "belittled, degraded and humiliated" and sued for the right to keep the toupee. (In March, in a rare case in which a litigant succeeds as his own lawyer, Smith prevailed in Auckland's High Court.)

LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS It turns out that Layne Hardin's sperm is worth only $1,900—and not the $870,000 a jury had awarded him after finding that former girlfriend Tobie Devall had, without Hardin's permission, obtained a vial of it without authorization and inseminated herself to produce her son, now age 6. Initially Hardin tried to gain partial custody of the boy, but Devall continually rebuffed him, provoking the lawsuit (which also named the sperm bank Texas Andrology a defendant) and the challenge in Houston's First Court of Appeal.

AWESOME! The Cleveland (Ohio) Street Department still had not (at press time) identified the man, but somehow he, dressed as a road worker, had wandered stealthily along Franklin Boulevard during March and removed more than 20 standard "35 mph" speed limit signs—replacing all with official-looking "25 mph" signs that he presumably financed himself. Residents along those two miles of Franklin have long complained, but the city kept rejecting pleas for a lowered limit.

MOST COMPETENT CRIMINAL An astonished woman unnamed in news reports called police in Coleshill, England, in February to report that a car exactly like her silver Ford Kuga was parked at Melbicks garden center—with the very same license plate as hers. Police figured out that a silver Ford Kuga had been stolen nearby in 2016, and to disguise that it was stolen, the thief had looked for an identical, not-stolen Ford Kuga and then replicated its license plate, allowing the thief to drive the stolen car without suspicion.

MATING STRATEGIES The Apenheul primate park in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, is engaged in a four-year experiment, offering female orangutans an iPad loaded with photos of male orangutans now housed at zoos around the world, with the females able to express interest or disinterest (similar to swiping right or left on the human dating app Tinder). Researchers admit results have been mixed, that some males have to be returned home, and once, a female handed the iPad with a potential suitor showing, merely crushed the tablet. (Apps are not quite to the point of offering animals the ability to digitally smell each other.) SPECTACULAR ERRORS! (1) In March, jurors in Norfolk, Virginia, found Allen Cochran, 49, not guilty of attempted shoplifting, but he was nowhere to be seen when the verdict was announced. Apparently predicting doom (since he had also been charged with fleeing court during a previous case), he once again skipped out.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS (1) Thieves once again attempted a fruitless smash-and-grab of an ATM at Mike and Reggie's Beverages in Maple Heights, Ohio, in March—despite the owner's having left the ATM's door wide open with a sign reading "ATM emptied nightly." Police are investigating. (2) Boca Raton, Florida, jeweler "Bobby" Yampolsky said he was suspicious that the "customer" who asked to examine diamonds worth $6 million carried no tools of the examination trade. After the lady made several obvious attempts to distract Yampolsky, he ended the charade by locking her in his vault and calling the police, who arrested her after discovering she had a package of fake diamonds in her purse that she likely intended to switch. {in} From Universal Press Syndicate Chuck Shepherd’s News Of The Weird © 2015 Chuck Shepherd

Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com April 6, 2017

Feeling Cheated by Volkswagen Diesel? Did you buy a 2009-2015 VW because you wanted an environmentally friendly car that got great mileage? Recently, VW has admitted they programmed cars to cheat emissions tests so their cars appeared more economical and environmentally friendly. You may have a claim for:

•Diminished value of your car, •Unfair and deceptive advertising and trade practices, •Several other violations and misrepresentations. We are reviewing these cases now at no cost to you. If you have a 2009-2015 Volkswagen diesel or certain 2014-2015 Porsche or Audi diesels, we would be happy to talk to you about your potential claim. Call us now to discuss how you can seek justice for this misrepresentation to you, the innocent consumer.

127 Palafox Place, Suite 100 Pensacola, FL 32502 | 850-444-0000 www.stevensonklotz.com

NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME

Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Old City Building intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Tallahassee, FL.

Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Natural Glo intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Tallahassee, FL. .

Wiltshire Realty, LLC. 201 E. Government St Pensacola, FL 32502

Ashleigh Huerta 7381 Navarre Pkwy Unit 3305, Navarre, FL 32566-7499 19

saluting today’s difference makers We have celebrated the legacy of Pensacola’s 1st generation families with stories from our shared past. Now we would like to recognize those who are working hard to build a better Pensacola today.

Lloyd & Robin Reshard’s Pensacola Network “There are many opportunities and issues—public, economic, cultural and social— that might be well addressed if only people talk with each other.” Lloyd and Robin Reshard recognize that misunderstandings and miscommunications are blocks in the way of economic success. Through their monthly Pensacola Network events, the Reshards are bringing people together and making a difference. The Pensacola Network began July 26, 2013, and meets every fourth Friday in the heart of the Belmont-DeVilliers community. Partnerships with sponsors ensure that the events are free and open to all. Often, the firms sponsoring the events are potential employers looking to begin or enlarge their enterprises. “One of our goals is to bring people together, people who may meet one another’s needs whether it’s as an employee, a vendor, a board member or a volunteer,” commented Lloyd. Each gathering features a guest whose background and views are explored in a conversational format led by Robin, and together she and Lloyd work to help people find common ground and the resources they need. “Our mission is to connect people and strengthen relationships, across racial, social and economic lines. People of all ages and ethnic groups face the same concerns. They may want to help or become part of a movement, but first they must come together,” said Robin. “The Pensacola Network is people helping people. It’s about empowering people to succeed. We’re keeping things simple, and we invite everyone to join in,” Lloyd concluded. The next Pensacola Network meeting is Friday, April 28 at 321 North DeVilliers Street. The event is free and open to the public. To learn more and watch videos of previous guests, visit pcolanetwork.com.

NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY If you have a suggestion for a local family or individual who is currently making a difference in our community, email Quint@quintstuder.com.

SPONSORED BY THE STUDER FAMILY QS0593_Reshard_IN.indd 1

Independent News | April 6, 2017 | inweekly.net

3/29/17 9:14 AM