Inweekly july 21 2016 issue

EXPLORING PENSACOLA’S JOB MARKET Independent News | July 21, 2016 | Volume 17 | Number 30 | inweekly.net

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winners & losers

buzz

outtakes

4

7

5

My culture really inspires my art.

a&e

cover story

music

21

9

26

publisher Rick Outzen

art director Richard Humphreys

intern Peyton Banfell

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

contact us info@inweekly.net

Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. © 2015 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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winners & losers

Whiting Field Commissary

winners

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD

The base’s commissary recently earned the Richard M. Paget Award, which is given to the top small commissary in the armed forces by the Defense Commissary Agency.

The award is based on grading criteria – customer satisfaction, sales, safety and more.

Receiving the award was bittersweet due to the recent passing of the store manager under whose leadership the award was earned. The commissary staff created a display of photographs to honor Kristen Linn’s memory and her dedicated leadership to the team.

KAREN MOLEK The American Chemical So-

ciety Scholars Program has selected University of West Florida Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Karen Molek as the 2016 recipient of the Zaida C. Morales-Martinez Prize for Mentoring. The ACS Scholars Program was established in 1994 to attract African-American, Hispanic and American Indian students, considered underrepresented in the chemical sciences, to pursue careers in the field. Molek helped establish and now directs the UWF Chemistry Scholars program to raise awareness of barriers faced by underrepresented students.

SKANSKA USA CIVIL SOUTHEAST

The Florida Department of Transportation selected Skanska USA Civil Southeast, with its bid of $398.5 million, as the contractor for the Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement. Though Skanska had the lowest design scores out of all competing contractors, its proposal price was $69 million less than the next-lowest bidder, and that was enough to make it the FDOT’s choice after considering the adjusted score.

Rick Scott

losers

RICK SCOTT South Florida has been plagued by thick, smelly bright green algae that has given residents coughs, rashes and frightened away tourists. Instead of championing short-term and long-term solutions to improve water quality and prevent future blooms, Gov. Rick Scott has blamed President Barack Obama and whined it's time for the federal government to lend a hand. It's really time to stop playing the blame game and fix the region's water woes.

PENSACOLA CITY COUNCIL Under the 2010 city charter, the Pensacola City Council has less responsibility than previous councils.

The legislative body cut its regular meetings to only one per month. Yet, the council voted on July 14 to raise its annual salaries from $13,988 to $21,500. Only Council President Charles Bare dissented. The new salaries are less than the $23,988 that Mayor Ashton Hayward had recommended in his budget proposal. The Pensacola City Council will now have the highest salaries for council members in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties.

PENSACOLA’S HEALTH This 2016 edition of The Commonwealth Fund’s Scorecard on Local Health System Performance ranked our overall state of health care in the bottom quintile, 266 out of 306 systems across the country. Using the most recent data available, the Scorecard ranked 306 regional health care markets on four main dimensions of performance encompassing 36 measures. Our area ranked 248 for Prevention and Treatment and 262 in Avoidable Hospital Use and Cost out of 306 markets.

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outtakes

by Rick Outzen

MYTH BUSTING For most of this decade, jobs have been the theme of most local, state and national campaigns—creating jobs, not necessarily getting people hired.

When Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president last year, he declared, "I will be the greatest jobs president that God has ever created."

Trump said, "I'll bring back our jobs from China, from Mexico, from Japan, from so many places, and I'll bring back our money," Gov. Rick Scott has job creation as the focus of his administration. His political action committee is "Let's Get to Work." His website, flgov.com, touts, "Since December 2010, Florida has created over 1,118,200 private sector jobs, and the state's unemployment rate continues to drop."

Last week, Gov. Scott announced that a total of 1,200 jobs would be created in Florida during the Farnborough International Air Show in London. Thales, HAECO Americas, Lockheed Martin, and JetSmarter had each committed to either relocate or expand their facilities in the state.

During his 2014 re-election campaign, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward described himself as the "jobs mayor," pointing to the area's drop in unemployment during his first term and commitments from VTMAE and DeepFlex to create nearly 500 jobs at the airport and port. He has carried the jobs theme into his second term.

It's safe to say we've got the job creation part of economic development down pat, or at least the job announcement and ribboncutting. Now it's time to move to what could be the most challenging stage—training our workforce so that our citizens can be hired for the jobs being created.

That's where Pensacola State College, University of West Florida, the Escambia and Santa Rosa school districts, CareerSource Escarosa, and FloridaWest come in. It's why we published this "Hot Jobs" issue.

This community has a disconnection between those looking for work and the job opportunities available. The myths are Pensacola has no good job openings and the jobs available are low paying with no benefits.

CareerSource Escarosa has job openings that it's having trouble filling. Pensacola State College has degree and certification programs where all its graduates have job offers. Cybersecurity and welding, two very different ends of the job spectrum, both pay salaries two to three times above the area's average income.

Worried about a criminal record? CareerSource Escarosa can help you overcome that hurdle.

With this issue, we hope to bust those job myths and help our readers connect with the bounty of job opportunities in our community.

Some will require more training but the timeframe is usually less than 18 months.

There is a good job in your future. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Now it's time to move to what could be the most challenging stage—training our workforce.

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Escambia County commissioners objected to having the businesses move out before the holiday season and didn’t want abandoned buildings blighting the corner for months before the county starts construction.

Emmanuel, Sheppard & Condon attorney Alan Bookman, who was representing the McDonald family, told commissioners: “if you don’t approve this site, you’ll have to start from ground one. This is the most logical site. It’s high and dry. It’s right there for the taking.”

ECUA Compost / Courtesy Photo

ECUA COMPOST TOUTED The Solid

Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has announced that Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) has been named the winner of the 2016 SWANA Gold Excellence Award in the composting category for its Biosolids Composting Facility.

“ECUA is utilizing yard trash and biosolids to create an environmentally beneficial compost. This eliminates the need to landfill yard trash and biosolids and provides a valuable compost resource to residents and businesses in the ECUA service area,” said Randy Rudd, ECUA deputy executive director.

ECUA began offering garbage and yard waste sanitation collection in Escambia County in 1992. Curbside recycling service was introduced in January 2009, and in 2015, the Biosolids Composting Facility opened.

The facility composts weekly about 400 tons of biosolids, about half of ECUA’s biosolids, and 500 tons of yard waste and will produce approximately 15,000 tons of finished compost annually. Plans are underway to double its capacity.

NEW COUNTY JAIL MOVES FORWARD

After more than two years of haggling about where to rebuild a jail destroyed by flooding in April 2014, the five-member Escambia County Commission finally unanimously agreed to make an offer on a site.

Escambia County commissioners approved a plan to pay $4.5 million for about 14 acres of property on the corner of Fairfield and Pace that’s owned by McDonald Shopping Center, LLC. If there are no snafus, county officials expect to break ground for the jail, which is estimated to cost about $100 million in July 2017.

As part of the plan, the county would sell or lease about 300-feet of property on Fairfield and Pace to private and minorityowned businesses.

A Family Dollar and a shopping center have leases that run to 2023 and 2019, while other businesses there lease month-to-month. The county hopes to help transition all of those businesses to other locations by February 2017.

July 21, 2016

ENDORSEMENTS MADE

The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) PAC, the state trade association representing retailers, announced its endorsement of Doug Broxson for the Florida Senate. Broxson, a Republican, is running for election in Senate District 1 in Northwest Florida, which includes Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Broxson currently represents District 3 in the Florida House of Representatives.

“Doug has always been receptive and supportive when FRF has reached out to him regarding effective legislation that would positively impact retailers,” said FRF President/CEO Randy Miller. “We’ve appreciated his help in the House and we are eager to continue working with him as Senator to ensure Florida remains a great state to start and grow a business.”

The Northwest Florida Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO last week announced its endorsement of Jesse Casey, who is running as a candidate for Escambia County Commissioner District 1.

“Our decision was simple. Mr. Casey is the candidate best positioned to represent the taxpayers in county commission District One,” said union officials in their press announcement. “It is the position of the Northwest Florida AFL-CIO that because of Mr. Casey’s common sense attitude and willingness to build bridges instead of choosing to divide, he is the candidate that will accomplish the most for district one specifically and Escambia County in general.”

CONGRESSIONAL RACE FOR DOLLARS

Matt Gaetz and Rebekah Bydlak are the top two Republican Congressional candidates regarding dollars raised and cash on hand available to be spent during the primary election, according to the campaign reports filed with Florida Department of State as of last Friday.

They appear to be the only two candidates with enough primary cash on hand to fully fund their campaigns to the August 30 GOP primary.

Cash Raised (excluding loans) •Matt Gaetz $729,383 •Rebekah Bydlak $141,165

•James Zumwalt $109,287 •Cris Dosev $49,553 •Greg Evers $99,632 •Brian Frazier $23,925 Cash on Hand •Matt Gaetz $318,656 •Rebekah Bydlak $94,638 •James Zumwalt $57,343 •Cris Dosev $22,473 •Greg Evers $7,984 •Brian Frazier $6,782 Mark Wichern and Gary Fairchild had not filed their reports as of our publication deadline.

PFD OVERTIME OUT OF CONTROL

Last year, Mayor Ashton Hayward proposed, and the Pensacola City Council approved, a budget for this fiscal year that had $298,900 for overtime for the Pensacola Fire Department. According to the unaudited monthly financials on the city's website, the city has spent, through May 31, 2016, $391,961.96 on PFD overtime--$93,062 over the original FY 2016 budget.

How much was overtime was allowed since Chief Matt Schmitt and Deputy Chief Joe Glover were placed on paid administrative leave and ultimately fired by the mayor? Total PFD OT: $137,313, an average of $34,328 per month from February through May. Mayor Hayward has gotten the city council to adjust the budget up to $439,894, but Chief David Allen has only $47,932 left in his budget to cover JuneSeptember 2016.

Based on his current rate of spending, Chief Allen may have already spent the remainder of his OT budget, unless Mayor Hayward amends it again.

ECUA DISTRICT 3 DEBATE The most

heavily contested race in Escambia County is for the District 3 seat on the Emerald Coast Utility Authority Board, which has been held

by Elvin McCorvey for two decades.

McCovery made a late decision to run for re-election. He faces three Democrats: Kennie Lyons, Clorissti Mitchell and Charles D. Thornton, Sr. in the August primary. Four other candidates have qualified as No Party Affiliates for the general election: Benell English, Derrick Gainer, John R Johnson, and Tiffany Washington.

The National Movement for Civil and Human Rights is hosting a political forum for the candidates for all three ECUA races on Sunday, July 31 at 1 p.m. The forum will be held at West Florida Main Library at 239 N. Spring Street in downtown Pensacola. {in} 7

Pensacola High School IB Class of 2016 has a Bright Future PHS WAS RECOGNIZED IN 2016 AS THE TOP 10% MOST CHALLENGING HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE NATION BY THE WASHINGTON POST •The IB Seniors have earned a total of $10,042,045 in scholarships for 93 seniors •The Class of 2016 completed over 30,000 community service and volunteer hours to benefit the Pensacola, National, and International community. Additionally, there were 5 Eagle Scouts in the class.

•The IB Class of 2016 had a 85% overall pass rate on their IB exams •96% of the class qualified for Bright Futures •National Merit Recognitions including 3 Semi-finalists, 2 that moved on to become finalists and 10 National Merit Commended •100% of the class is attending a college and university •67% of the IB senior class received AP recognition as AP Scholars, AP Scholars with Honors, AP Scholars with Distinction, and National AP Scholar •Several other students have received full tuition scholarships to attend their University of choice

Distinguished admissions include: •Yale •MIT •Cornell (2) •UC Berkeley •Emory (4) •University of Pennsylvania (3) •Johns Hopkins University (3) •Carnegie Mellon (4) •Vanderbilt (2) •Georgia Tech (5) •UNC Chapel Hill (3) •Duke (4) •UCLA •NYU (4) •University of Miami •Washington and Lee •College of William and Mary •Baylor •Emory – 1 student earned a full scholarship

For more information about PHS International Baccalaureate visit phsibsupport.org 88

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EXPLORING PENSACOLA’S JOB MARKET July 21, 2016

9

PENSACOLA’S RED HOT JOB MARKET

by Rick Outzen

portunities for good jobs and good career choices," said Luth.

When companies look at moving to the area or companies already here want to expand their workforce, FloridaWest pulls together the resources necessary to fill those jobs.

"What we try to do is step back and look for ways of improving that process and to support our companies and our education partners while meeting the goals and the objectives of the community," said the FloridaWest CEO. For example, if an existing industry wants to hire 50 people, FloridaWest will bring in a team to help train, qualify and hire the new employees, "We bring in Career Source Escarosa, Enterprise Florida and even our partners with Pensacola State College and find out what are the needs," said Luth. "And we try to customize a solution for that company."

HOT JOBS The myth is Pensacola doesn't have any good-paying jobs. The fact is we have one of the hottest job markets in the state. You only need to know where to look and have the proper training.

Florida's economy is expected to expand at an annual rate of 3.2 percent through 2018, with incomes rising at a 4 percent annual rate, according to the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness. Unemployment is half what it was five years ago.

The researchers at WalletHub analyzed the state's 130 communities to determine the ones that are best for job seekers. The rankings were based on 16 metrics, ranging from the number of job openings and the

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average starting salary to the percentage of employers providing benefits and the length of the average workday.

Pensacola was determined to be the third best Florida city for finding a job, trailing Sarasota and Jacksonville Beach. Our area also placed third in the "Highest Number of Job Opportunities" category.

One person not surprised by the ranking was Scott Luth, CEO of FloridaWest, Escambia

County's economic development authority.

"It really kind of confirms a lot of things that we're hearing from our business and industry, which is there's a lot of opportunity for employment," he said. "We're hearing it from a number of companies, and it's across all sectors— such as IT, cybersecurity, manufacturing, healthcare and the service industry."

"When you look at it, across the board, on a per capita basis, we have a lot of great openings for individuals to totally find op-

“We have a lot of great openings for individuals to totally find opportunities for good jobs and good career choices.” Scott Luth

Here’s a list of jobs in high demand in the region: •HVAC – Level II •Mechanic •Office Assistant •LPN, Continuous Care •Welder •Information Technology/ Cybersecurity •Health Information Technology •EMT •Paramedic •Phlebotomy

Source: CareerSource Escarosa and Pensacola State College Student Job Services

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He continued, "We'll set up a job fair where we try to recruit people. We'll make sure that there are training resources at the state level. We make sure to help the company apply for those training resources, so, therefore, they're able to hire quicker and offset some of those costs for training our citizens for their jobs."

With the help of PSC, FloridaWest can help customize a training program that meets the specific needs of the industry.

"Whatever may be needed, so what we're able to do is look beyond the resources of one agency and pull the resources of multiple agencies together to meet the needs of one of our business or industry partners," said Luth.

For new employers, the workforce is the biggest factor in moving to the Pensacola area, once the corporation has determined the relocation makes sense logistically.

"We can't control whether our location works for a prospect, but, we do have a lot of ability to impact the decision about labor," he said. "We influence that decision by showing how we can put together a training package and that the workforce is here."

Dr. Katie Hudon, Assistant Director of Career Services at the University of West Florida, served as an expert for the WalletHub study. She told Inweekly that while the Pensacola job market is one of the best in Florida, the competition for those jobs can be fierce. Also, there are so many options that people can be overwhelmed.

"There's an estimated 1,000 people moving to Florida each day and we get a fair share of them," said Hudon. "Our universities and state colleges are graduating students in record numbers, and many of those graduates opt to stay in Florida."

She added, "It could potentially be a heaping group of folks that are applying right along side you as you're seeking a position. " Many individuals feel that they have too many options from which to choose, and that's often coupled with the idea that they must select maybe one and only one of those options now.

"That could lead to some feeling overwhelmed and maybe feeling stagnant.

They should be taking further steps like applying to specific jobs and tailoring their resumes to specific positions and that sort of thing, that would benefit them. We always advise starting early in career planning, so you can avoid set backs that might have a snowball effect in preventing a person moving forward."

Inweekly wants to help its readers connect with the hottest jobs and the area's top employers. In this Hot Jobs guide, we interviewed the four of the most sought after employers to find how one gets a job there.

We've found out what the positions are that are in high demand locally and what degrees have the highest job placement.

We also examined two particularly hot fields—cybersecurity and welding. Both fields bring in fat paychecks. And we added how one can find a job, even if they have a criminal past.

It's time we bust the "no jobs" myth.

Read on. {in}

“Our universities and state colleges are graduating students in record numbers, and many of those graduates opt to stay in Florida.” Dr. Katie Hudon

TEN LARGEST EMPLOYERS PENSACOLA MSA Rank

Employer

No. of Employees

1

Local Government

14,947

2

Federal Government

6,476

3

Baptist Health Care

5,571

4

State Government

4,954

5

Sacred Hearth Health System

4,820

6

Navy Federal Credit Union

4,707

7

University of West Florida

1,922

8

Lakeview Center

1,900

9

Gulf Power Company

1,774

10

West Florida Regional Medical Center

1,200

Source: City of Pensacola fiscal year 2015 CAFR, Statistical section. (a) The number of employees as reported for the Federal Government only includes civilian employee July 21, 2016

11

HOW TO GET A JOB

by Duwayne Escobedo they may need development. The hiring group then comes to a consensus and a job offer is made. All new hires must go through a background check, drug screening and must agree not to use nicotine on Gulf Power property.

"We expect to be an employer of choice in this area for a long time," said Young, a Gulf Power recruiter for 38 years. He points out the company may get 3,000 applications for a handful of entry-level jobs.

WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR Photo Courtesy of International Paper So you want to land one of those coveted jobs at one of the greater Pensacola area's top employers? How do you get your foot in the door? What do companies look for in potential hires? Finally, where can you find these job openings?

Inweekly interviewed some of the top local companies to answer these questions for you. We interviewed: •Navy Federal Credit Union Manger of Talent Acquisition Paul Carney, whose company employs more than 5,200.

•Gulf Power Talent Acquisition Gregory Young, whose company employs about 1,700.

•Baptist Healthcare Director of HR Operations Rebecca Griener and HR Recruiting Manager Carey Gribble, whose company employs about 5,500.

•International Paper HR Manager Mike Waldie, whose paper mill employs about 475.

Read on to learn more about what these companies and others like them do, when it comes to hiring.

INTERVIEW PROCESS Baptist Healthcare

Before Baptist Healthcare even posts its job openings, it makes sure the position is approved. Once that's done it goes up on the health care company's employment page.

The page contains a quick assessment that tells Baptist Healthcare recruiters the level of commitment of job applicants.

Recruiters then go through all the qualified applicants and do phone screens to narrow the number down to 3-5 job seekers. They are interviewed by a hiring manager and do peer interviews with three to five Baptist Healthcare employees. An offer will be extended to the top qualified applicant.

212 1

International Paper

International Paper hires for both salaried positions and hourly positions. The hourly positions include jobs in production and maintenance.

Waldie said it's not uncommon to receive 300 applicants for production jobs and about 30 for maintenance jobs, which are more complex and typically require manufacturing or paper mill experience.

Production jobs require a written assessment. Maintenance jobs require a technical test and an assessment test to find out how well they work with a team.

If applicants pass those tests, they move on to interview with one of the paper mill's HR representatives and a panel who work together in the hiring process.

Again, maintenance candidates must go through two interviews to assess their knowledge and skill level, usually with a maintenance manager, and then an interview to assess their soft/behavioral skills, such as problem-solving and getting along with others.

After a background check, IP will offer the job.

Those applying for salaried positions have assessments that are based more on their experience.

"The paper industry is a unique and very complex business," Waldie said. "A lot of jobs here require some sort of paper mill or manufacturing experience. We can't have a line leader or supervisor who has no operation experience because they can't competently lead a crew."

Navy Federal

Navy Federal's interview process is structured. Applications for its job openings are screened to see who has the right qualifications. The pool of candidates is narrowed down through phone interviews.

A panel that includes members of the department with the job opening and one leader from another department then interviews the top two qualified applicants.

The candidates do peer-to-peer interviews with each member of the panel and then with the whole panel.

Finally, the panel gives their feedback on the two applicants and chooses which one to hire. Sometimes when both applicants seem extremely talented and qualified, Navy Federal on occasion finds another job opening, so both applicants end up working for the company.

"We want them to have a world-class applicant experience," Carney said.

“We want to make sure they have a passion for our mission to serve the men and women of the armed forces.” Paul Carney

Gulf Power

Gulf Power sorts through applications looking for all the people who meet the minimum qualifications. It then narrows that number down to five to seven candidates, who are then screened.

The top candidates are then brought in for interviews with a group of about eight Gulf Power employees, who work both inside and outside the department that's doing the hiring. Each group includes a facilitator, who's responsible for meeting the candidate and making them "as comfortable as possible" throughout the interview process.

Gulf Power goes through the process to learn the candidates' strengths and areas

Baptist Healthcare

The top priority at Baptist Healthcare is "are you a good fit," said Gribble. The hospital also prides itself on its customer service and looks for people "who put patients first and believe in providing the best care possible."

International Paper

Because the paper mill has machines that are big and complex with some requiring up to nine people to operate them, communication, working with others and being safe are key to International Paper.

Waldie also makes it clear that prospective employees must "have the ability and desire to work in a manufacturing environment that takes a different type of person who doesn't mind it being sweaty, dirty and loud."

Navy Federal

Navy Federal's Carney said his company looks for people who understand who the company is and what it does. It wants to make sure new hires fit their business culture.

"We want to make sure they have a passion for our mission to serve the men and women of the armed forces," Carney said.

"This is not just a place to come work. It's not just a job. We want our employees to grow with Navy Federal."

Gulf Power

One of the top qualities Gulf Power looks for in a job candidate is that they match the company's "Southern Style" — an unquestionable trust, superior performance, and total commitment.

Also, Gulf Power seeks workers who indicate they are comfortable and effective in a team environment, possess problemsolving skills, and exhibit assertive, creative and self-directed characteristics. Plus, they must work well with others.

inweekly.net

LANDING A JOB Baptist Healthcare

among other partners. About 14 percent of Gulf Power's employees are veterans.

Young said that the company has about a 5.3 percent turnover rate. About 25 percent of Gulf Power employees come from outside the Pensacola area. In addition, Young said about 90 percent of employees who are hired did not know anyone with the company before being hired.

Once an applicant accepts a position, Baptist Healthcare conducts a thorough background screen. They also must go through an orientation about the hospital and about the unit that they will work with.

Plus, Baptist Healthcare has become a smoke-free zone, so its employees must agree they will not smoke in the hospital or on its campuses.

ADVERTISEMENT OF JOB OPENINGS

International Paper

Baptist Healthcare

All IP employees must undergo up to five weeks of training. This can include specific training to a machine and/or general training, such as team building.

International Paper has already hired 40 people this year and has just begun a search to employ even more.

"It's a lot more different to find a skilled mechanic," Waldie said. "Their unemployment rate is about 1 percent. So the people who want to work are working and the people who are not we probably don't want to hire."

Powering jobs.

Powering communities.

Powering the future.

Baptist Healthcare lets people know about job openings they have through their website, which is often picked up by free employment sites, such as Indeed.

Job postings can also be found on Facebook and other social media. The company also conducts job fairs for positions they have open. In addition, it partners with the University of West Florida to hire nurses.

Baptist Healthcare currently has about 70 nursing jobs advertised.

“We expect to be an employer of choice in this area for a long time.�

Gregory Young

Navy Federal

When filling a job opening, Navy Federal sorts through its Talent Network database of more than 12,000 potential candidates who have indicated online that they have an interest in working for the company. It also conducts job fairs to scout for talent. Like many top companies, diversity is a plus.

Carney admits in today's job market; it can be hard to fill positions, even for Navy Federal.

"We do the best job we can to find the right people and put them in the right roles," Carney said. "Job openings keep climbing but it's a lot tougher to find people to join our mission."

Gulf Power

Young emphasizes that if you want to work for the power company, which is a subsidiary of Southern Company, then it's critical that you go online and create a profile on its job site. He promises, "it is easier than it looks." Young also advises candidates to be patient once an online profile is created.

Gulf Power conducts job fairs with the Navy and Air Force Transition Assistance Program and the University of West Florida, July 21, 2016

International Paper

IP does not accept applications for a job unless it has an opening for that job.

It doesn't keep applications on file. The paper company does have its own employment site on its website where people can apply. It also has a significant outreach to about 40 organizations that it alerts to job openings at the plant.

Navy Federal

Navy Federal uses its own career page and LinkedIn as its primary sources to find applicants. To a lesser extent, it also takes advantage of social media sites, Facebook and Instagram. It's job postings are also usually picked up by other online employment websites, such as Indeed, CareerBuilder, Monster and GlassDoor among others.

Meet Alex Allen, a graduate of the Gulf Power Academy at West Florida High School. Alex is a key member of our team in his job as a power plant control operator providing safe, affordable and reliable energy for our communities today and into the future.

Gulf Power

Besides using its own Southern Company online job site, Gulf Power posts and advertises in hundreds of locations, including state, college and minority job sites on the web.

Indeed and other similar free employment sites also pick up Gulf Power openings.

"This is a wonderful place to work," Young said. "I don't come in on Mondays after smashing my alarm clock. I look around and these are the people I love. I'm so happy to work with them." {in}

Gulf Power is one of the top employers in this richly diverse and growing region.

Check out the career options available at GulfPower.com.

MyGulfPower.com 13

At International Paper, caring for the environment and our business go hand-in-hand. As part of the IP way, we are also focused on the business of bettering the communities in which we live.

International Paper's vision is to be one of the best and most respected companies in the world. A company of substance in everything we do, from the products we make to investing in communities and protecting our environment, International Paper supports communities where our employees live and work.

For 75 years we've been a proud Pensacola community partner, helping to create a community where people can dare to dream big for generations.

Pensacola Mill • InternationalPaper.com • P O Box 87 • Cantonment, FL 32533

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PSC TRAINS FOR HOT JOBS

Dr. Ed Meadows / Courtesy Photo Pensacola State College is a major player in helping people train and qualify for good-paying jobs.

"We have over 100 different short-term certificates, and some of these were initiated during the downturn of the economy to help get people retrained into different technical areas," said Dr. Ed Meadows, Pensacola State College president.

"If you're not here as a University transfer student taking credit, you're here to be trained for the workforce in a specific area."

The role of community colleges was once to help students build credits and an educational foundation in order to transfer elsewhere and complete a bachelor's degree. Today workforce training has become an integral part of the colleges’ mission.

"We graduate probably close to 5,000 students a year," said Dr. Meadows. "I would say that roughly half of those are getting some kind of workforce certification."

PSC partners with George Stone Technical Center in Escambia County and Santa Rosa's Radford M. Locklin Technical

Center and offers their graduates advanced credit to get a college-level certification for the skills taught at the centers.

"Our role is to make sure that we interface with business and industry through program advisory committees working with FloridaWest and CareerSource Escarosa to determine what the job market is in specific kinds of training area," he said, "Where we don't have programs already in place, we look at the need for adding new programs to train technicians and technologists. " Many of the training courses can be completed in one year. A few, such as phlebotomy, can be done in one semester.

"The federal government classifies the technical certificates in clock hours. The minimum for any program is 1,000 clock hours of training. Most of our certificate programs have the college level of one-year programs," explained Dr. Meadows.

PSC has scholarships and special grant programs available to provide assistance with the tuition.

“Where we don't have programs already in place, we look at the need for adding new programs to train technicians and technologists.”

Dr. Ed Meadows

July 21, 2016

by Rick Outzen

"We've got tuition deferments for a lot Dr. Meadow recommended first visitof different categories of special populaing the college's website, pensacolastate. tions, such as our military veterans," he edu, to become familiar with the range of said. "Florida is one of the most lucracertifications and degrees available. He tive states that I've ever worked in as far also recommended visiting the career and as being able to provide students with counseling center on the Pensacola main financial assistance to become educated campus. and trained."

"Come to our advisement and counGraduates of PSC often have jobs seling center, sit down with an academic waiting for them. Graphic design, criminal advisor, get scheduled to take a Vocational justice, and hospitality management have Interest Test so that you know the clusters 100 percent job placement. of areas that you would really prefer to get Dr. Meadows said, "Another big area trained in, and then work out a program of is the computer science in the areas of study and a curriculum map to make sure computer programming and IT security, you don't take any courses you don't need, network communication, electronics aid, and then go apply for financial assistance," those are all 100 percent. Then in the he said. industrial side, we've got computerized Dr. Meadows added, "We're proud of wood working and CNC machines, those our job placement and how we've been are all computerized training programs, able to connect our students with goodthey are 100 percent." paying jobs." {in} With Pensacola being a healthcare hub for the region, PSC has several degrees and certificaPENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE tions that have high percentJOB PLACEMENT PERCENTAGES ages of job placement.

"With all of our medical certifications and degrees, Associate Degrees if they're not 100 percent, Hospitality and Tourism Management 100% they're in the high 80's and Health Services Management 100% 90's for job placement for Physical Therapist Assistant 100% things like research tech and Veterinary Technology 100% electrocardiograph technolComputer Programming and Analysis 100% ogy," he said.

IT Security 100% "Matter of fact, beginBusiness Administration 100% ning this fall we're adding a Radiography 92% certificate in patient care. It's Nursing, RN 86% called patient care tech; it's someone that would actuPost-Secondary Adult Vocational Degrees ally take care of people in the Health Unit Coordinator 100% home,” said Dr. Meadows.

Practical Nursing 88% “We're adding back dental Nursing Assistant (Long-term Care) 87% assisting programs, we had Electrocardiograph Technology 83% discontinued that program a Massage Therapy 83% number of years ago because Phlebotomy 72% the market seemed to be saturated, but this will be a Certifications nationally accredited program Rooms Division Management 100% to allow dentists to hire back Guest Services Specialist 100% dental assistants. We're even Food and Beverage Management 100% looking at a concentration into Event Planning Management 100% business and management.

Medical Information Coder/Billing 100% A bachelor degree for dental Child Development Early Intervention 100% community and health manChild Care Center Management 100% agement, and that would allow Infant/Toddler Specialization 100% dental hygienists to move Preschool Specialization 100% into management positions at Office Management 100% medical and dental clinics."

How does someone get Source: Pensacola State College, 2013-14 graduates started working on a new career at PSC? 15

BIG BUCKS IN WELDING

Shipyard in Pascagoula. Every one of them got offered a job before they left."

Dan Busse, the dean of workforce education and vocational support, said it's common for PSC welding students to go to work for companies along the Gulf Coast region, such as Bell Steel, Austal, and Ingalls.

"Where else can you go and have a potential to make over a $100,000 a year," said Busse.

The pay is why 55-year-old Angie Hathaway, a mother of one son, is leaving her office job to become a welder. She has one more semester.

"This is not a girly girl's work," said Hathaway, who shows off welding burns on her right arm. "If you're afraid of breaking a nail, this is not for you. Any girl who is determined can do this job. I'm pretty tough."

PSC students take the welding course on the Milton campus baseball field that has been converted into a welding haven. The two dugouts have been converted into workstations for gas tungsten arc welding by former students.

The college bought two big semi-tractor trailers, costing more than $200,000. One houses welding simulators, which cost

Photo Courtesy of Pensacola State College Ever think about welding? In as little as three semesters, a student could be qualified to become a welder, a physically demanding but high-paying job.

The Pensacola State College Welding Program has really taken off, according to Dr. Ed Meadows, the college's president.

"There's a good and bad part about the welding program. The good part is that we have full classes, and we have high, high graduation

Q U A L I T Y

completion rates. The bad part is that they're getting jobs in Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama," he said.

"I think that now that we're producing welders we're going to see a surge in that industry moving into Northwest Florida," said Dr. Meadows. "With the shipyards being as close as they are, metal fabrication is in high demand.

Five of our welding students who completed were invited to go over and be tested at Ingalls

•

S E R V I C E

•

S A F E T Y

•

E N V I R O N M E N T

•

about $40,000 each, and the other one allows live arc welding.

A shed houses all the tools welders use and another building allows for classroom instruction and houses an office for the instructor Jaq Rolison. He's a master welder with more than 35 years of experience, who is a certified Master Welding Inspector.

PSC has begun offering courses that teach trades in high-demand jobs that can be completed in as little as a year and are considered cheap compared to other institutions. In fact, students are eligible for financial aid or scholarships just like they are in typical academic programs.

The Engineering Technology department offers about two-dozen vocational programs that train students in fields ranging from HVAC and plumber to electrician and welder.

Rolison encourages young men and women to take the program that can serve 20 students per class.

"The demand is there," the welding professor said. "Construction pipe welders make the most money. I've made a lot of money and spent a lot of money, I'm not going to lie." {in}

C O M M U N I T Y

A Wonderful Place to Work

Community Involvement

Are you looking for a stable, professional environment where you can develop your specialized skills while receiving excellent benefits? If so, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) is the place for you.

ECUA is a non-profit agency created by the Florida Legislature in 1981. We provide water, water reclamation, and solid waste and recycling collection services within unincorporated areas of Escambia County and northern Santa Rosa County.

At ECUA, we care about our community because we live and work here.

And as a local company, it's our privilege to give back in any way we can — from education to safety to helping those in need. ECUA is committed to improving quality of life and making a positive difference in our region.

To view our current job opportunities, visit our website at www.ecua.fl.gov/employment, and look for the purple "JOBS" icon.

Your next career prospect could be just a click away!

w w w. e c u a . f l . g o v

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by Duwayne Escobedo

(850) 476-5110

inweekly.net

WANTED: CYBERSECURITY

by Duwayne Escobedo PROFESSIONALS

Cyberthon 2016 Innovation Coast / Courtesy Photo Take a look at cybersecurity job postings and you will find plenty of jobs in every sector and in every area of cybersecurity specialty from ethical hacking and computer network defense to computer forensics and software security.

In fact, cyber-job postings are up 57 percent in professional services, manufacturing and defense from 2010 to 2014 and health care jobs jumped 118 percent, according to the Burning Glass report "Job Market Intelligence: Cybersecurity Jobs, 2015."

Local cyber experts say plenty of high-paying jobs are available right here in the Northwest Florida region. Raytheon recently announced it plans to hire 140 cybersecurity professionals and CSRA needs 50.

Across North America, there are only 70,000 information security professionals to fill the demand for 400,000 cybersecurity jobs, TEK systems estimated.

"We have such a critical shortage that we're getting our butts kicked," said Robert Pratten, an assistant professor who heads the Pensacola State College Cybersecurity Center. "There are jobs out there. Cybersecurity is a broad field that can keep you comfortable for the rest of your life."

PSC offers two-year and four-year cybersecurity degrees and certifications for its students and those already in IT, who want training to advance their careers in the cyber world.

The University of West Florida offers a bachelor's and master's degree in cybersecurity and certificates in cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, and information security management.

Doug Underhill, CSRA manager of cybersecurity services and an Escambia County commissioner, helps run the local CyberThon contest and local chapter of July 21, 2016

the CyberPatriot program to entice young people to become "cyber nerds."

"The challenge is how to challenge middle school students in Warrington to get on the first or second rung of the cybersecurity ladder so that they can be on their way to a six-figure job," Underhill said. "We have to build our workforce of the future. You don't start doing drugs when you're inspired about a cybersecurity project or career."

Randy Ramos, Global Business Solutions Inc. CEO, is hosting four, weeklong Summer Cyber Camps for children to get them in the cybersecurity job pipeline.

"Cybersecurity is so vast and so wide and affects so much of what we do," Ramos said. "The marketplace here in Pensacola is very strong." {in}

West Florida Healthcare Named a 100 Top Hospital in the Nation Again…

Thank You to Our Elite Team of Compassionate Nurses, Physicians, Associates and Volunteers for Earning this National Recognition Two Years in a Row From creating processes that have led to the area’s shortest ER wait times and door-to-balloon times that beat the national average, to our focus on improving surgical outcomes and reducing infections, our team at West Florida Healthcare is leading the way in improving quality care for our community.

For more information about the 100 Top Hospital award or Truven Health Analytics,visit www.truvenhealth.com.

850-494-3212 8383 North Davis Highway Pensacola, Florida

WestFloridaHospital.com

CYBER JOB FACTS Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/westfloridahealthcare

Find us on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/wflhealthcare

Find us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/westfloridahospital

•The hardest-to-fill cybersecurity jobs call for financial skills, such as accounting, or knowledge of regulations associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, alongside traditional networking and IT security skills.

•More than 10 percent of cybersecurity job postings advertise a security clearance requirement.

Some 84 percent of cybersecurity postings specify at least a bachelor's degree, and 83 percent require at least three years of experience.

•On a per-capita basis, the leading states for cyber hiring are Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and Colorado; all have high concentrations of jobs in the federal government and with related contractors.

Source: Burning Glass Job Market Intelligence: Cybersecurity Jobs, 2015

17

Lumon May:

Proven Leadership for Our Community and Our Future

Clean and Safe Neighborhoods Opportunities for Young People Supporting Small Businesses

General Election:

November

8th

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Lumon May, Democrat, for Escambia County Commission District 3

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CRIMINAL RECORD? JOBS CAN

by Duwayne Escobedo BE FOUND

HELPING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY, SECURITY, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR NATION. CSRA is seeking candidates with Secret, Top Secret with SCI eligibility or National Agency Check with Law and Credit clearances to fill a variety of IT positions to support federal programs in the Pensacola area.

Visit www.csra.com/careers/pensacola-jobs for details.

If you have a criminal record, it can be hard to find a company that will give you the chance to do an honest day's work.

But at CareerSource Escarosa, Sheila Savage has found jobs within 90 days for more than half of her clients who are ex-offenders. Her success has earned her celebrity status locally and across the state.

Other agencies come to Savage to find out how the Ex-Offender Career Advisor does it.

"They're looking to do something similar," said Katherine Karshna, Escarosa's Chief Operating Officer. "But they don't have Sheila and they can't have her."

Part of her successful job placement is simply due to her dedication to helping former prisoners get their lives back on track.

CareerSource Escarosa exists to find employment for job seekers from ex-offenders and welfare recipients to veterans and homemakers. In 2008 at the height of the recession, Escarosa had about 140,000 visitors a year. Now with an improving local economy, the agency serves about half that number.

CareerSource Escarosa Executive Director Cliff Krut enjoys switching from attracting companies to move to the area to ensuring there are plenty of talented workers for companies to hire.

"I've gone from the business attraction side to workforce development," Krut said.

"Talent is what drives economic development these days."

Although anyone can take advantage of Escarosa's services, Krut admits the ex-offender program has a "very, very high

success rate. We help them put their best foot forward."

Savage is more modest about her work with ex-offenders. She said a key is putting together what she calls a "Rehabilitation Portfolio." This shows employers what former prisoners have done to rehabilitate themselves, such as getting a GED or college degree or doing volunteer work. It also includes their job experience.

"Part of the individualized assessment is what are they doing to rehabilitate themselves," Savage said. "Most people are totally clueless about this. The portfolio has created opportunities for them to get paid more than other applicants."

But employers appreciate Savage gathering all the documents, including birth certificates, driver's licenses and social security cards, whether the job is in retail, an office, construction, a warehouse or other areas that span the gamut.

Savage's work also involves helping exoffenders project a professional appearance to potential employers.

She has placed ex-offenders in jobs ranging from $14 an hour at Home Depot to $17 an hour at Aerotek. Savage admits the biggest compliment she receives is cards from her clients thanking her for her time and commitment.

Krut said all the compliments Savage gets are well deserved. He points out that before enjoying the program's benefits, exoffenders must attend an orientation.

"She does a good job at that," Krut said.

"It's one of our best practice areas." {in}

ENDURING VALUES. INSPIRED PERFORMANCE.

csra.com

“Talent is what drives economic development these days.� Cliff Krut

July 21, 2016

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WEEK OF JULY 21 - 28

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

How Grows It?

by Shelby Smithey

juror, J.O. Zachow, did an outstanding job creating a cohesive show that represents the theme in various ways. Even the literal translations of gardens have the experimental twist Artel likes to encourage artists to explore."

For example, one piece by Bruno Von Holzenwall, depicts a gardener watering her lawn, but the gardener is a skeleton, and her garden is a cemetery. Another by Kris Bilhorn is an homage to Giuseppe Arcimboldo with a watercolor portrait made of vegetables.

Robbert said that some artists chose to express political viewpoints or issues affecting us as a community.

Jennifer Fleming, Papyrifera, Korean Paper Art / Courtesy photo Randy Morris gives his interpretation of Artel Gallery's newest exhibition chalthe current presidential candidates. Deyane lenged artists across the community to Moses created a 3D work in response to the submit works inspired by gardens and recent shootings. what makes them thrive—literally and "The sculpture is called ‘Kiss Your Ass metaphorically.

Goodbye' because when things are going Artel Gallery President, Suzanne Robterribly wrong, and you can't control it people bert, said that Exhibition Director, Joseph usually say ‘put your head in between your Smith, created this theme. legs and just kiss your ass goodbye'," Moses "It is challenging to continuously think said. "And that's basically what America has up new themes to inspire artists," Robbert come to because there is no true safe place said. "He knew this theme would reach a for anyone these days. The bullets inside the wide variety of artists, as it can be taken sculpture are a pictorial representation of bevery literally like those that chose to create ing pumped full of lead." works with flowers or vegetables. But, it Moses said that the sculpture is formed to can also inspire those artists to produce make the shape of the ‘A' for America as well a more metaphorical representation of a as representing someone putting their head garden like a relationship or a community." between their knees. The grass with burnt Robbert said that the artists' submispieces of the LGBT and American flags represions did not disappoint. J.O. Zachow, who sent the actions happening on American soil. has been serving on the Artel board since "The piece was inspired by the Orlando 2000, chose the winners. shooting, as well as the overall killing of Afri"We had 153 wonderful submissions can Americans in the U.S.," Moses said. "The and 65 are in the show," Robbert said. "The piece was actually created for my sculpture July 21, 2016

class at Pensacola State College with the Artel Don't miss Artel's three other show in mind. I'm a photography major, so exhibitions currently on display this was my first attempt at this medium." through Aug. 19. The opening Moses, a U.S. Army veteran, will gradureception for these shows will also be ate in December with an A.S. in PhotoThursday, July 21. graphic Technologies.

"My culture really inspires my art," Moses In The Vault: said. "While taking classes and reading books about famous artists, I noticed there wasn't PROSEPECTIVES by Jon Proctor any mention of African Americans. So I Walk into The Vault and enjoy ‘Prospecstarted doing my own research and learned tives' in metallic angles, fluid curves and there are legends of all ethnicities. With that sharp corners, a fun experience, and difbeing said, I try to include African Americans ferent dimensional experience. as much as I can in my work. I believe that the presence of all cultures should be seen as In the Award Alcove: mainstream and not rare, so I'm starting with LOST RIVER CHRONICLES by my own."

Pat Regan Moses hopes to continue her education at For three years Regan has documented MICA in Baltimore next year. the Perdido River and surrounding forest "We were excited to see that artists took with paintings, sculpture and diary entries. this seemingly straightforward theme and Regan was the Best of Show from Artel's chose to take it in multiple directions," Rob"Take Me Home" exhibition. bert said. "Artel is thrilled to show off these artists talents."

In the Lobby: Robbert said that there are a variety TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS by the of mediums and styles including paintings, children of Challenge Farm photography, sculptures, found objects and A fundraising exhibit by Kenyan orphans mosaics being represented in the show. that allows viewers to enjoy the wonder"The only medium we discouraged is living ful colors, images, and messages of these organisms or something that can rot, like fruit," young artists. 100 percent sales go to she said. "Bugs become an issue. Ironically Challenge Farm. that would have fit the theme perfectly."

Challenge Farm is a home and school Robbert said that this show also united that feeds, clothes, nurtures and provides many well-known local artists including Chip 24/7 care to more than 175 children in Spirson and Diane Brim, as well as newcomers Kitale, Kenya. The children have been like Davis Allen and Deyane Moses. rescued from a life of hopelessness where "I would have to guess that many of each day meant searching for food, fightthese artists garden or would like to garden ing for survival and doing whatever they with all the beautiful colors and patterns it could to deal with the rejection and sense creates," she said. "Billie Bailey of Bailey's of worthlessness they felt. They are loved, Farmers Market is a great example of an fed, educated, mentored and allowed to exhibiting gardener." be children again. We have a preschool, The placement winners are Best of Show, elementary school, technical and Nikki Strahota, First Place, Anne Baehr, agricultural training, church, library, Second Place, Davis Allen, Third Place, Kris counseling center and music program.

Billhorn, Most Experimental, Nate Lyle.

Honorable Mentions are Pat Hayes, Dottie King, and Sally Miller.

"The Best of Show winner will be awarded her own solo show in the Award Alcove and the placement WHEN: On view through Aug. 19; Opening winners get ultimate bragging rights reception 6 p.m., Thursday, July 21 because this was a very competitive WHERE: Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox show," Robbert said.

COST: Free Announcements and raffle prizes DETAILS: artelgallery.org will be at 7 p.m. during the opening reception. {in}

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

21

calendar THURSDAY 7.21

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 Hwy. meetup. com/ftawesterngate VETERAN'S MEETING 3-5 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 SHOULD WE ENGINEER THE MOSQUITO 5:30-8 p.m. Adult forum. Free. Pensacola MESS Hall, 116 N. Tarragona St. pensacolamesshall.org DIY BODY CARE BASICS 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HEALTHY SOUTHERN COOKING 6-8 p.m. $30.

Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. cookingschoolsofamerica.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. BILOXI SHUCKERS 6:30 p.m. $7-$54. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 315 W. Cedar Ave. bluewahoos.com. Watch live on BlabTV. SPANISH WINE DINNER 6:30-9:30 p.m. $55 per person. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. Ballroom, Swing, and Country. Professional partner dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com CEDRIC BURNSIDE 7 p.m. $5. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

FRIDAY 7.22

PILATES WITH EMILY 1-2 p.m. Free. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PELICAN DREAMS 2 p.m. $5. Pensacola Cinema Art, 117 E. Government St. pensacolacinemaart.com GALLERY NIGHT 5 p.m. Live music, art, drink specials. Downtown Pensacola. downtownpensacola.com WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Out and about in East Hill on Friday night? Stop by City Grocery for their free weekly wine tasting before settling in or heading out for the night. 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 VINYASA YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BOO FEST 6 p.m. Live music and silent auction. $34.50-$100. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com GALLERY NIGHT WINE DINNER WITH PEPPER DOWDY 6-8 p.m. $70 per person. SoGourmet,

407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com

BLUE WAHOOS VS. BILOXI SHUCKERS 6:30 p.m.

$7-$54. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 315 W. Cedar Ave. bluewahoos.com. Watch live on BlabTV. DATE NIGHT DANCING 6:30-8:30 p.m. Learn the basics of several romantic ballroom and country-dance styles in unique group classes

that keep partners together.

DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com

TREEHOUSE CINEMA CLASSIC SERIES: JURASSIC PARK

7:30 p.m. Treehouse Cinema, 1175 Gulf Breeze Parkway. treehousecinemagulfbreeze.com CANDLELIGHT TOUR OF FORT PICKENS 7-8:30

Seville Quarter's Running of the Bulls / Photo by Buck Mitchell p.m. Learn about life at the goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian fort and the experience of the Civil War Church, Woodbine Rd., Pace. soldier at Fort Pickens in 1861. Tour is free, CLEAN UP AT FORT PICKENS 8:45-10 a.m. All but park admission is required. Bring a supplies are provided. Meet at the fishing pier flashlight. Gulf Islands National Seashore, parking lot at the very end of Ft Pickens Rd., 1400 Fort Pickens Rd. For more informaseven to eight miles from the park entrance. tion, contact the national seashore at For more information, contact oceanhourfl@ 934-2600. gmail.com or baybluffscleanup@gmail.com.

COREY SMITH 8 p.m. $25. Vinyl Music Hall, FERMENTING FOOD AND DRINK WITH PAT 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com JOHNSON 9-11 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 E. Garden St. everman.org PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 8 a.m.-1 are just a few of the items offered at the weekly p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked Palafox Market. Items originate directly from

SATURDAY 7.23

JULY 22, 2016 DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA Gallery Night is Sponsored by:

Enjoy Responsibly

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calendar participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners, and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS: AN ACORN PRODUCTION 10 a.m. $6-$12. Pensaco-

la Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com 6TH ANNUAL RUNNING OF THE BULLS 10 a.m.-12 p.m. $25-$30. Proceeds benefit USO of Northwest Florida. VIP packages available. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com PELICAN DREAMS 1 p.m. $5. Pensacola Cinema Art, 117 E. Government St. pensacolacinemaart.com SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS: AN ACORN PRODUCTION 2:30 p.m. $6-$12.

Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

THE JACKSONIAN GUARD COLORS CEREMONY

6 p.m. Free. Every Saturday through August.

Plaza Ferdinand VII, Palafox between Government and Zaragoza.

BOO FEST 6 p.m. Live music and silent auction. $34.50-$100. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. BILOXI SHUCKERS 6:30 p.m. $7-$54. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 315 W. Cedar Ave. bluewahoos.com. Watch live on BlabTV. SAENGER CLASSIC SERIES: THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH 7 p.m. $5. Saenger Theatre,

118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

TREEHOUSE CINEMA CLASSIC SERIES: JURASSIC PARK 7:30 p.m. Treehouse Cinema, 1175

Gulf Breeze Parkway. treehousecinemagulfbreeze.com DANCE PARTY 8-midnight. Strictly ballroom.

DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com DEADLY FISTS (PRINCE ACT), DEAD DICK HAMMER, CHURCH OF AXE & ACORNS 8 p.m.

$8. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

IN DYINGS ARMS, IT LIES WITHIN, RAINEY'S REVENGE, ARSONWAVE, FOREVER WAR 8:30

p.m. $10-$13. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. pensacolahandlebar.com PURPLE AND PAISLEY 2: THE GOLD EXPERIENCE 9 p.m. $5. Proceeds benefit local youth

music programs. Prince tribute show. The Stage Northside, 610 E. Nine Mile Rd.

SUNDAY 7.24

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs Park, Scenic Hwy. at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS: AN ACORN PRODUCTION 2:30 p.m. $6-$12.

Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. BILOXI SHUCKERS 6:30 p.m. $7-$54. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 315 W. Cedar Ave. bluewahoos.com. Or watch it live on BlabTV. WRAY, GT, BRAVE NEW WORLD & MORE

7 p.m. $5. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

MONDAY 7.25

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 PLEASURES 9 p.m. $5. Odaiba, 1401 W. Cervantes Ave.

TUESDAY 7.26

JUGGLING 101 4-5 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SKATE FOR THE ANIMALS 80S STYLE 6-8 p.m. $10. Proceeds benefit CARE of Santa Rosa County (animal rescue). Dreamland Skate Center, 2607 E. Olive Rd. caretomakeadifference.com FUNKY YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. Country, Swing, and Ballroom. Professional partner dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com STRUT YOUR MUTT 6:45 p.m. Join fellow dog walkers for a 45-minute stroll in East Hill. Dogs must be leashed and well behaved. Walkers meet at the entrance to Bayview Dog Park at 20th Ave and E. Lloyd St. BANDS ON THE BEACH 7-9 p.m. Kyle Parker Band. Gulfside Pavilion, Pensacola Beach. visitpensacolabeach.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.

WEDNESDAY 7.27

LUNCH AND LEARN: OODLES OF ZOODLES

11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $25. SoGourmet, 407D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com REKI FOR PETS ON THE LAWN 5-6 p.m. Free.

Ever'man Natural Food and Grocery, 315 W. Garden St. everman.org RESTORATIVE YOGA 6-7 p.m. Free.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ARC CRAB CAKES COOK OFF 6 p.m. $60.

Proceeds benefit A.R.C. Gateway. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. West Coast Swing. Professional partner dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com LEON RUSSEL 7 p.m. $25-75. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com MEDITATION 7:15-8:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

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music

by Shelby Smithey

Get Crunk video games, or movies, it didn't matter so long as it was magical."

Miles said that his interest in sci-fi and its deeper meanings are reflected in his writing.

"The thing that always impacted me about sci-fi was the

Miles said that he and Colleen have been doing some songwriting and production for the past couple months, which is the first time they've written in two years since the last album wrapped up.

"We are hoping to unveil some new material in the fall sometime," he said. "Other than that though, we're always booking tours, and have about 10 weeks planned for the rest of the year."

"Our goal is to go as hard as we can, leave it all on stage, and enjoy ourselves every single night," Colleen said.

"When I look out and see the crowd laugh, smile, and dance it makes all our hard work worth it.

We just want to share our passion with the audience and hopefully inspire them to pursue theirs."

Spending over 100 days on the road, Miles and Colleen have learned to appreciate the time with one another doing what they love.

"It's all about the little moments, like when our set ends and the crowd is still cheering," Miles said. "When we're going to bed and finally get to take it all in. While the big stuff is always cool, like playing SXSW or big comic cons like MAGFest or PAX, it's the little moments I will always remember. Hannah, me, and a van full of dreams." {in}

“A lot of our relationship and life has inspired our music, which then influences our relationship, and so on.” Brandon Miles

Crunk Witch / Courtesy Photo What is a Crunk Witch, you ask? If you're thinking Lil Jon in a coven, you're wrong.

Rather, Crunk Witch is an 8-bit electropop duo from Presque Isle, Maine, who will be in town to play a show at Sluggo's Tuesday.

Wife and husband, Hannah Colleen and Brandon Miles, formed the band six years ago and write self-professed nerdy electro-pop about romance, adventure and rocket ships.

"We met on Myspace (cheesy, we know) and we've been nearly inseparable since," Miles said. "We married in 2009 and thus began the surreal journey that has been Crunk Witch."

To date, Crunk Witch has released three full-length albums. Their latest "Heartbeats in Hyperspace" was released in 2014. Miles and Colleen do all the writing together in their home studio, but when

they play live, Miles sings and Colleen runs all the electronics.

"A lot of our relationship and life has inspired our music, which then influences our relationship, and so on," Miles said.

"Learning compromise, patience, and how to support each other creatively and emotionally is very important. It's exciting. She inspires me to be a better person and I truly admire her big heart."

Their music is a blend of pop, rock, chiptune, and various electronic genres and many of their lyrics are set in a science fiction reality.

They spend nearly half a year on the road playing a variety of venues including comic cons, arcades, festivals, and bars, and are known for their laser light show during live performances.

"I always loved anything that took place in space," Miles said. "Whether it was cartoons,

reminder that no matter where we are in the universe, at some level, someone is dealing with similar problems as us," Miles said.

"While we're pointing fingers and complaining, someone's out there rising to the challenges in front of them. I've always found this motivating, and I've used it in my writing."

Colleen said that beyond the sci-fi themes, they bring a dose of their real lives to the mix to give their music a personal flare.

"Add a slammin' electronic beat, blend in a spaceship, some robots, and 8-bit synths and we're good to go," she said.

Miles said that he enjoys being on the road often and that it often keeps them both feeling connected.

"It's the most present I've ever felt in my life," Miles said. "I'm there, switched on, living. I feel like the other half of my life is all planning, plotting, and waiting for the next tour to arrive. While I like a balance of both, I love being on the road."

CRUNK WITCH

WHAT: Crunk Witch with Cookies & Cake and Johnny Panic WHEN: 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 26 WHERE: Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. COST: $5 DETAILS: crunkwitch.bandcamp.com

Calling All Pets!

Inweekly is putting together our 5th annual Pet Issue and we want to include your photogenic pets.

Please send pictures of your furry, scaly &/or feathered friends to Joani@inweekly.net by Monday, July 25 for a chance to be featured in the issue.

Make sure you include pet and owner(s) names.

626 2

inweekly.net

news of the weird THE POWER OF PRAYER A 28-year-old woman, unnamed in news reports, veered off the road and into a house in the Florida panhandle town of Mary Esther on July 7. She apparently was free of drug or alcohol influence, but readily explained to police that she must have gone through a stop sign and left the road when she closed her eyes to pray as she drove. (The house was damaged, but no one was injured.)

WEIRD NUMBERS MAKING THE NEWS RECENTLY The Transportation Security Administration announced in May that it had collected $765,000 in loose change left behind in airport scanner trays during 2015—an average "haul" for the agency of $2,100 a day (numbers assuming, of course, that TSA personnel turn in all of the money they find). Los Angeles and Miami airports contributed $106,000 of the total.

TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT: Scientists at the University of Cambridge, writing in May in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, claimed to have figured out how to construct a "motor" a "million times" smaller than an ant. (It apparently involves lasers, gold particles and "van der Waals forces," and the object is to bind the gold particles and then cause them to automatically "snap" apart with, according to author Jeremy Baumberg, "10 to a hundred times more force per unit than any known other machine.")

•CEO Michael Pearson told a Senate committee in April that he "regret(s)" the business model he instituted in 2015 for Valeant Pharmaceuticals—the one that, for example, allowed a drug (Cuprimine) that treats liver failure and formerly cost a typical user out-ofpocket about $3 a pill (120 per month, $366) to, overnight, cost the user $15 a pill. (The insurance company's and Medicare's cost went overnight from about $5,000 per 100 tablets to $26,000.) (A Deutsche Bank analysis of the industry tallied Valeant's all-drug average price spike at more than five times the average of any competitor's.) Pearson told the senators he had no idea that such a pricing strategy would turn out to be so controversial.

NECK AND BACK SUPPORT: The Japanese branch of the intimate apparel maker Genie is currently advertising, in Japanese and English, a handy guide for bras that emphasizes the hardship women bear by having to lug around breasts of certain sizes in ill-fitting garments.

The Genie chart reveals weight in ounces of typical A-cup chests (11.5 ounces) through Fcup (41.7 ounces, or 2.6 pounds). To assist any innumerate Japanese shoppers, the chart also shows practical comparisons, such as A-cup pairs weighing as much as "two chipmunks," C-cups as "one newborn polar bear cub," and F-cups as "one 3-month-old Persian kitten."

THE PASSING PARADE: (1) Mark Herron, 49, of Sunderland, England, was arrested again

by Chuck Shepherd

in May—his 448th arrest on alcohol-related charges. The year started "well" for Herron, with only 14 collars through March, and he cleaned up briefly before a "family bereavement" sent him spiraling downward again. His current lawyer admitted that his client has been in court more often than he himself has.

(2) Austrian Hans Heiland vowed in June to assist a needy family in Oberholz by donating to a charity fundraiser sponsored by the local fire department. He has been collecting bottle tops through the years and figures he could sell his "treasure" now, as scrap metal, to help the family. He has at least 10,000, no, make that 10 million caps, weighing "several tons."

WAIT, HOW MANY FELL FOR THIS? In May, the federal government finally shut down a long-running international scam that had sold psychic assurances (prosperity! winning lottery numbers!) to more than a million Americans. In personalized form letters, two French psychics had guaranteed success and riches to clients if they would only buy their $50 books (and massive upselling usually followed). The Justice Department estimated that during the spree, the sellers earned upward of $180 million on at least 56 million pieces of postal mail.

RECURRING THEMES: (1) Fernando Estrella, 41, was arrested in Franklin County, Vermont, in March and charged with making the foolish error of running a stop sign while carrying a heroin haul. Estrella was rectally packing three condoms stuffed with enough heroin, said police, to fill 1,428 street-retail-size baggies. (2) Esteysi Sanchez Izazaga, 29, was arrested for DUI, hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter in Oceanside, California, in June after driving three-fourths of a mile (3,960 feet) with a pedestrian's corpse firmly lodged in her windshield after she struck the man. (The drive ended up at her home, where her horrified husband noticed the body and called police.)

A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (AUGUST 2012) New Mexico is an "open carry" state, with otherwise-law-abiding adults authorized to display loaded handguns in public. However, in the town of Vaughn (pop. 500, about 90 miles east of Albuquerque), perhaps the only people not legally able to carry are the town's two police officers. A June (2012) KOB-TV report revealed that Chief Ernest Armijo had been convicted in 2011 of criminal non-support of a wife and two sons, and was barred from possessing a gun. Deputy Brian Bernal has his own domestic issue: a conviction for family violence that bans him, under federal law, from carrying. (A month after the News of the Weird story, both men resigned, leaving the town's police dog the only active "officer."). {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 July 21, 2016

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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.

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