Inweekly march 30 2017 issue by Inweekly

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

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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C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S

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LARRY BUTLER MEMORIAL MUSIC AWARD The UWF Department of Music

recently celebrated a donation of more than $27,500 in support of the Larry Butler Memorial Music Award. The funds were raised from ticket sales and donations at the Nashville Songwriters' Hall of Fame Show as part of the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival. Peggy Butler created the Larry Butler Memorial Music Award in 2015 in memory of her husband, a Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer and Pensacola native. To date, the Butler family and friends have raised nearly $54,000 to support the UWF Department of Music.

MIKE LANWEHR & SALLY ROSENDAHL

The co-founders of Ciclovia Open Streets Pensacola had a successful inaugural event in downtown Pensacola. Hundreds took advantage of the beautiful springtime weather and enjoyed the five-mile area. Retailers reported solid sales for Saturday morning.

WEST FLORIDA HOSPITAL West

Florida Hospital joined an elite group of hospitals by being named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® for the third year in a row by Truven Health Analytics™, now a part of IBM Watson Health™, a leading provider of data-driven analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. In addition, West Florida Hospital is the only area hospital to be named to this prestigious list.

losers

ANDREW NAPOLITANO The senior

legal analyst for Fox News has been temporarily sidelined following his unproved assertion that former President Barack Obama had asked for British assistance in spying on Donald Trump. Unfortunately for Napolitano, President Trump believed him and repeated the allegation that the FBI and British Intelligence have said was unfounded. It is not clear how long Napolitano will be off the air. The president may need to find another source for his news.

JOB EVALUATIONS In 2012, Mayor Ashton Hayward did away with the manual job performance evaluation system at Pensacola City Hall. Three years ago, his Human Resources department paid for performance management software that was not working last year when the mayor terminated his fire chiefs. A year later, Inweekly has been told the system is "live," but no evaluations will show in the system until around October 2017. FLORIDA INSURANCE INDUSTRY The Senate Finance and Tax Appropriations Subcommittee unanimously supported Senate Bill 378, which would eliminate a premium tax credit for insurance companies that was created 40 years ago. Industry officials have warned the proposal would cost jobs and hike premiums. Lawmakers see it as another form of corporate welfare. On the positive side, the bill would also offer a one-percentage-point reduction in a commercial lease tax for businesses, a cut that Gov. Rick Scott has supported.

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Andrew Napolitano / Photo by Gage Skidmore

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outtakes

by Rick Outzen

GAETZ'S HEADACHE Congressman Matt Gaetz has a problem. He ran and promised Northwest Florida voters that he and President Donald Trump would repeal and replace Obamacare. Last week, campaign promises met reality, and reality won when House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the legislation that would have repealed and replaced the Affordable Care Act, which the GOP has fought for years, to avoid a defeat on the House floor. Trump and his advisors want to move to another issue, such as tax reform, but there's a problem. If Republicans crumble on a core campaign promise when they control the legislative and executive branches, what other fights will they walk away from? When I interviewed Gaetz on "Pensacola Speaks," he was clearly frustrated. "We're not quitters," he said. "You don't give up. If you've made a promise, you keep it, and you don't just move on to the next thing that you're interested in." Rep. Gaetz spent his Monday trying to convince the other freshman representatives who were elected in the November 2016 election cycle to not surrender on healthcare reform. "I think that you should vote," said Gaetz, who called into the show from the nation's capital. "I came here to vote, not to just have things fizzle because people are having challenges. I think that the country deserves to know who supported this bill and who didn't."

The congressman didn't think the legislation was perfect, but he supported it. "It would have, for the first time in a generation, reformed the Medicaid program that's bankrupting the country," he said. He rattled off what he like about the GOP bill. "We would have had work requirements in Medicaid. States like Florida could have opted out of the federal system altogether and designed their own programs to care for the vulnerable. We were going to de-fund Planned Parenthood and the Obamacare Employer Mandate and the Individual Mandate, all these things the conservatives have been fighting for quite some time." Gaetz is convinced that if House Republicans don't repeal Obamacare, the party will lose control of Congress. "If we fail to repeal this law, I'm just telling you, Rick, you heard it here first. We will lose the majority in 2018, then what you'll have is you'll have Nancy Pelosi as Speaker, and she'll probably impeach Donald Trump in the first 30 days of being Speaker," he said. "That's what we'll be going through if we're unable to get our act together as Republicans and prove that we have the responsibility to govern." Stay tuned to see if Gaetz can sway his fellow lawmakers. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Gaetz is convinced that if House Republicans don't repeal Obamacare, the party will lose control of Congress.

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GRAHAM HOPES TO BREAK GOP STRONGHOLD

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By Rick Outzen Former Congresswoman Gwen Graham believes Florida is ready for a change. The daughter of former U.S. Senator and Governor Bob Graham is considered a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. "This state is in desperate need of leadership that just cares about doing what's right for Florida again," Graham said during a recent visit to the Inweekly office. "I have been touched by the numerous folks who have reached out to me and feel that what we need is someone who doesn't get too far into the weeds into politics, but gets really far into the weeds in terms of understanding issues and being able to come out with a good solution that will help every day families in Florida deal with the challenges they face today." Graham believes the state's economy is not one that helps people across the state be able to make ends meet. "I want to make sure that you don't have to work three jobs in order to be able to live a comfortable lifestyle," she said. "I don't want folks to have to work three jobs and then be worried if their child gets sick and do they choose between staying home with their sick child or going to the job that they desperately need to go to for the salary as well just to keep that job." 66

Republicans have controlled the Florida Senate and House for more than a decade. The last Democrat elected governor was Sen. Lawton Chiles, who served from 19911998. He died in December 1998, and Buddy McKay, his Lieutenant Governor, served the remaining 50 days of Chiles' term. Graham believes she can work with the Republican-controlled legislature. "I am someone that seeks out good, smart people, regardless of party affiliation. It's what I did in Congress, and it's what I like to do," she said. "One of the reasons I made a decision to run for public office was what I had done working for the School District in Tallahassee was worked together with serious employee issues that required me to get people into a room that had very different points of view and walk out of that room with people feeling that they were treated fairly. I think that's something that's critically needed in Tallahassee today.â&#x20AC;? Graham said she looked forward to working with the Florida Legislature. She said, "Will I always agree with them? No, but will we sit down and be able to talk to one another, talk through our differences, and then walk out of the room with the right solution for the people of Florida." She added, "That's what our primary goal always should be, what is right for the people of Florida."

With the help of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Graham defeated GOP Congressman Steve Southerland (FL- 2) in 2014 by about 2,800 votes. However, she didn't always fall in line with Democratic leadership in Congress, when she served from January 2015-January 2017. Twice she opposed elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. She voted for Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee when she took office and again when the House voted on the new Speaker after John Boehner resigned. She also worked well with our Republican Congressman, Jeff Miller. "First of all, the honor of a lifetime to be able to work on the Armed Services Committee on behalf of the men and women that are serving our country," she said. "As our military comes back from active duty and transitions to veteran status, my very first piece of legislation was the Veterans Education Training Act, which provided additional funding for recovery coordinators." She said that Miller, who served as the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, worked with her, as did the VA. "We worked very closely with the Veterans Affairs Administration, as well as the Department of Defense, to add many more individuals to that program so that men and women who come back and are confronted with all these different support systems, but it's very hard to navigate it on your own, have someone they can turn to that is just there to help them, make sure that we are recognizing their service and providing them all the support that they're entitled to as they come back to the States." On the day that Graham visited Pensacola to speak at Escambia Democratic Party's annual dinner, the U.S. House Republicans pulled back their healthcare legislation to avoid a defeat on the floor. Inweekly asked Graham for her thoughts on what happened. "Well, I think today is a failure of leadership. We have an opportunity to work to make Obamacare better for Floridians, and that's what I was committed to doing in Congress and what I would hope would happen now," she said. "Since today has gone down and they don't have the votes to pass this, it's an opportunity now for Speaker Ryan and the President to work together with Democrats

and Republicans to make Obamacare the best it can be." Graham said the Obamacare can be improved. She said, "That's what I ran on and what I was committed to doing. I wasn't for repealing it." She explained, "I don't think we should repeal it. I think what we need to do is take a hard look at it, do the hard work, figure out how we can make it better, and that should be the goal of the leadership in Congress and the Senate and the President." Florida is estimated to have over 600,000 uninsured people. Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida House resisted all attempts to expand Medicaid to cover those citizens. Graham believes that was a mistake. "I have traveled and had an opportunity to visit hospitals, and it breaks my heart when I walk into these hospitals and doctors come up to me, and they say that they have seen an increase in patients who are coming to the emergency room critically ill because they can't afford to have insurance and they were embarrassed to go to the emergency room earlier," she said. "People are dying, so shame on us as a state. Shame on us for putting politics above people. That's something that I don't think we should ever do, and one person dying is one too many." She believes that Medicaid expansion would have saved lives. "There was a way that we could have figured out how to take those resources for the people of Florida and then work within the Florida Legislature and our budget to make sure that it was framed in a way that was a positive one for all Floridians," said Graham. "We could have done that, and we chose not to, and people have died as a result, so shame on the Governor and shame on the Florida Legislature." As straightforward as Graham's answers were, she was reluctant to pin down when she would announce her candidacy for governor. "I have not been coy about my desire to serve the people of Florida in this capacity, and I am working diligently to make sure that everything is organized and ready to go when and if I do make that final decision," she said. But when? Graham said, "On a date that I feel all the decisions that lead you to embark on what is going to be an incredible journey have been made and have been made in a way that allows me to focus every single day on what I'm committed to doing for the people of Florida." {in} inweekly.net

SERVANT LEADERS ON A MISSION Guided by Baptist Health Careâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mission to help people throughout lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey, these individuals lead by example. Our organization celebrates these dedicated leaders who live by our Values of Ownership, Integrity, Compassion, Excellence and Service. Allison Hill

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Leading Sea Change on campus and in the community. March 30, 2017

KEN FORD HONORED

Ken Ford / Courtesy Photo

By Rick Outzen The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame announced last week that the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) co-founder and CEO Ken Ford is among the eight inventors who will be inducted into the 2017 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame in September. Ford is being recognized for his pioneering work in artificial intelligence and humancentered computing as well as his significant contributions to the United States and Florida's technology and research communities. The Hall of Fame particularly highlighted Ford's role in the 1990 co-founding of IHMC. The not-for-profit research institute moved to downtown Pensacola in 1999, the same year Inweekly published its first issue. The institute was initially affiliated with the University of West Florida but has since become an independent research facility with offices in Pensacola and Ocala, Fla. IHMC has grown into one of the world's premier research organizations. Ford has been instrumental in bringing scientists and engineers from around the globe to Florida and IHMC to investigate a board range of topics related to building 88

technological systems aimed at amplifying and extending human cognition, perception, locomotion and resilience. Has he been surprised by IHMC's success? "I'm not surprised of the accomplishments of my colleagues, but I am surprised to some extent to see the overall evolution of the organization," Ford told Inweekly. Last September, IHMC dedicated its new, state of the art research facility, Levin Center for IHMC Research, which was named after local attorney Fredric Levin, who donated a million dollars to the facility. The $8 million expansion was funded with a loan secured by the Escambia Board of County Commissioners. "The new building means that in Pensacola all of us are in only two buildings," explained Ford. "We were in five buildings and kind of spread all over, and right now we're all close. It makes collaboration easier, and it's a facility that we designed as a research facility. It's set up for what we need rather than sort of repurposing a nice but a building that had been built for some other purpose." IHMC's robotics research has earned international attention. Last fall, the IHMC robotics team placed a strong second in the powered exoskeleton division of the first annual Cybathlon in Zurich, Switzerland.

"The most substantial robotics development effort in modern times was called the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Robotics Challenge," said Ford. "DARPA envisioned this competition over three years with three separate competitions. Our folks did fabulously." He added, " The team was led by Jerry Pratt and Peter Neuhaus, and we got first, second, and second. Among the walking only robots that DARPA funded, we were first, first, and first and the best US team in all of the competitions. It was a tremendous effort. Almost three years for 25 or 30 people. That's a major commitment, but they really did a great job. Credit to themselves and really to research in the United States." When asked about being named to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, Ford said, "The list of inductees and their accomplishments is quite amazing. I am very honored to be included with such a distinguished group of people." Ford holds two patents and is the author of hundreds of scientific papers and six books whose topics include artificial intelligence, cognitive science, human-centered computing, and entrepreneurship in government and academia. He joins others from IHMC who have been inducted, including IHMC senior research scientist Jerry Pratt who was inducted into the 2015 Hall of Fame class; William Dalton, IHMC's board chair who was part of the 2016 class, as well as Dwayne McCay, who joins Ford in this year's class and is a member of IHMC's scientific advisory board. Ford has had a wide-ranging career. In January 1997, he was asked by NASA to develop and direct its new Center of Excellence in Information Technology at the Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, where he also served as associate center director. In 1999, Ford was awarded the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal. That same year, he returned to private life in Florida and IHMC. In 2002, President George W. Bush nominated Ford to serve on the National Science Board. In 2005, Ford was appointed and sworn in as a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. In 2007, he became a member of the NASA Advisory Council, and in 2008 he was named chairman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a capacity in which he served until October 2011. In 2010, Ford was awarded NASA's Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest honor the agency confers. In 2012, Dr. Ford was named to a two-year term on the Defense Science Board, and in 2013 he became a member of the Advanced Technology Board, which supports the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

This year's Hall of Fame class also includes Michael J. DeLuca for his groundbreaking technology known today as "voltage scaling," which significantly increased the battery life of portable communication devices, and the Hall of Fame's first scientific couple, Drs. T. Dwayne and Mary Helen McCay, who hold 15 joint U.S. patents and have greatly contributed to increased patient safety and improved medical outcomes in facilities nationwide. Other inductees include: Issa Batarseh, whose innovative research led to the creation of the first compact single solar photovoltaic (PV) panel; Phillip Frost, physician, inventor, and internationally-lauded businessman who invented a revolutionary disposable punch biopsy tool; Richard Gitlin, for his inventive research and development in digital communications, broadband networking, and wireless systems; and the late Thomas Maren, for inventing TrusoptÂŽ, the first commercialized topical treatment for glaucoma. "We are delighted to be announcing this class of exceptional inventors whose work has greatly impacted Florida and our nation," said Randy Berridge, who serves on the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame advisory board and as chair of the selection committee. Nominees, who must have at least one U.S. patent and a connection to Florida, were nominated through an open nomination process and elected by a selection committee comprising distinguished leaders in research and innovation throughout Florida. "Collectively, the 2017 inductees hold more than 260 U.S. patents," said Berridge, "Among them are two industry inventors, the founder of one of the nation's premier research institutes, and representatives of four Florida universities." "The accomplishments of this year's inductees have been recognized by national and international organizations with many other honors and awards," said Paul R. Sanberg, chair of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame advisory board, senior vice president for research, innovation and economic development at the University of South Florida, and a 2015 inductee. "We are honored to be inducting them into the Hall of Fame." The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was recognized by the Florida Senate in 2014 with a resolution sponsored by Senator Jeff Brandes that commended the Hall of Fame "for its commitment to honoring inventors and celebrating innovation, discovery, and excellence." The Hall of Fame is located at the University of South Florida in Tampa and supported, in part, by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. {in} inweekly.net

LIVING UNDER THREATS

By Duwayne Escobedo Rob Mendoza came to Atlanta in 1998 to create a “better future, a better life.” Today, he is a small local business owner. He runs both housekeeping and construction companies. He’s among an estimated 740,000 young immigrants with the ability to work and live in the United States temporarily without fear of deportation under President Barack Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Among his many threats and attacks on Mexican immigrants, President Donald Trump has promised to end DACA. His father and mother are currently going through the process of becoming American citizens. They would join about 11.7 million immigrants from Mexico living in the U.S., the Pew Research Center estimates. But Mendoza (whose name has been changed for this story to protect his identity) said he refuses to live in fear of Trump threats to build a wall along the border with Mexico and deport undocumented Mexican immigrants. “You never know what’s going on in his mind,” Mendoza said. “He changes his mind every day. I doubt he’s going to do any of it.” Thousands of immigrants come to Northwest Florida every year seeking work, a better way of life, or reunion with loved ones. Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida provides guidance, assistance and legal work to help many of them adjust to their new life here. That’s who Mendoza, who has a daughter, first turned to for help and “they helped a bunch,” he said. Catholic Charities helped him get all of the documentation he needed to avoid being an easy target for deportation. March 30, 2017

“I haven’t seen any (immigrant raids) around here,” he said. “I’ve heard of them in other places but not here.” Apprehensions of Mexican migrants declined to a near-historic low in 2015, the U.S. Border Patrol reported. In the fiscal year 2015, the Border Patrol made 188,122 apprehensions of Mexican migrants at U.S. borders, an 18 percent decline from the previous year. It was also the lowest number of apprehensions since 1969 when 159,376 Mexican migrants were apprehended. Grace Resendez-McCaffery, a Pensacola Latino advocate, reported that many in the Latino community, like her, do worry about President Trump making it even tougher to cross the border than it already is. “He could keep changing the laws, keep writing these executive orders and change the level of punishments for coming into America,” she said. That’s why she and others are on guard, she said, because the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities arrested hundreds of undocumented immigrants in at least a half-dozen states to mark President Trump’s Jan. 25 executive order to crack down on the estimated 11.4 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. The bulk—59 percent—of those immigrants in the country illegally are from Mexico. It’s estimated that undocumented immigrants roughly make up 3.7 percent of the entire U.S. population. Resendez-McCaffery, who is passionate about the issue, said she believes the American government unfairly targets Latinos or Hispanics. “European undocumented immigrants are not getting the same scrutiny that we do,” she said. She is offended by Trump labeling Mexican immigrants “rapists,” “killers” and “criminals” and promising that he will build a wall along the southern border for which he said Mexico would pay. “They are more victimized than they are the victimizer,” said Resendez-McCaffery, who also publishes the La Costa Latina newspaper. “They’ve done more to get here than I ever did.”

Resendez-McCaffery grew up in El Paso, Texas, just three miles from the border. Her parents and grandparents were undocumented. On a typical weekend, she recalled, her parents would take their family of nine children and walk to Mexico to shop, eat tacos, grab an ice cream and then walk back. Under former President George W. Bush, a wall went up preventing families from crossing back and forth so easily. “It’s ugly,” Resendez-McCaffery said. “They generally come to work. You’ll find they are very honorable people.” Now, once a year El Paso residents celebrate #HugsNotWalls where families in Mexico and the United States get a chance to reunite for 15 minutes at the border. Dr. Maria Pouncey has worked with about 800-1,000 children of migrant workers who have come to pick watermelon, onions, and tomatoes in North Florida for more than 30 years. She said she has noticed a lot more racism toward Hispanics since Trump took office. She said children are pointing at migrant workers’ children and saying things like, “You won’t be here long,” and “You’ll be sent back.” “We’re working very hard to stop it,” Pouncey said. “The attitude was more welcoming until this past season. Respect just went out the window.” Pouncey has argued strongly that immigration reform is needed, not more enforcement or punishment. “We’ve needed immigration overhaul for years,” she said. Of course, there is a way to go from undocumented to U.S. citizenship. But a person must return to their home country to apply and sometimes wait years before being approved. Others sign up for Individualized Taxpayer Identification Number cards that serve like Social Security Cards. Resendez-McCaffery described both processes for applying for legal status as “a gamble.” She maintained any immigration reform needs to start with the education of Americans first, so they will stop treating Latinos as criminals. Some facts: Immigrants are twice as likely to start businesses as citizens born in the United States. They pay between $90 and $140 billion each year in taxes. In fact, studies show they pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits, such as public education and healthcare. “Who said illegal immigration was a problem?” Resendez-McCaffery asked. “There is no problem.” {in}

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buzz TRAFFIC PRIORITY FOR NEW BRIDGE Susan Woolf is already in the

process of moving from Gulf Breeze to Pensacola to avoid future traffic snarls during the construction of the new six-lane Pensacola Bay Bridge. "I've lived in Gulf Breeze most of my life," the government attorney said. "I've watched the traffic increase tremendously over the years. That's why I'm moving to Pensacola right now." But bridge builders are obligated by its contract with the Florida Department of Transportation to always have at least two lanes open during the $398.5 million project, which is scheduled to begin in April or May this year and be completed by July 27, 2020. It can only go down to two lanes between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., while the replacement bridge is under construction during that more than a three-year period. To make sure traffic flows continuously, once the eastbound portion of the bridge running parallel to the current bridge into Gulf Breeze is completed Jan. 27, 2019, four lanes of traffic will shift to it temporarily. And the current 57-year-old Pensacola Bay Bridge will be demolished. The new Pensacola Bay Bridge replaces the current four-lane one opened Oct. 31,

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1960, and has suffered from hurricanes over the years and a collision by a barge in 1989. The first two-lane drawbridge that covered the three miles over the bay opened in June 1931. It will include 10-foot multi-use paths separated from vehicles crossing the bridge with shaded observation points under overhangs that are leaf-shaped. There are three 12-foot lanes and two 10-foot shoulders on the inside and outside of those lanes. To add to the bridge's attraction are two 150-foot arches with LED lights that can shine any color of the rainbow. Sketches of the project, which drew hundreds of interested citizens Tuesday night to the Pensacola Grand Hotel, had the arches a popping blue color. "I really like what I see," said Gulf Breeze resident Mike Owen, a realtor. "I would like to see the traffic circle and flyovers done. A lot of thought and planning has obviously gone into this." Owen will likely get his wish with the Florida Department of Transportation planning to hold a meeting April 11 on those features. The roundabout will handle traffic from 17th Avenue in Pensacola on and off the bridge. The flyovers, or elevated

roads, will take direct traffic to Gregory Street and Bayfront Parkway in Pensacola. The features, which are the top priority of the local Transportation Planning Organization, are estimated to add about $25 million to the final design of the replacement bridge prospect. The bridge work also has strict environmental requirements. For instance, to protect endangered Gulf Sturgeons, pilings can only get hammered in on the Gulf Breeze side of the bridge between June 1 and October 1. Bridge builders must also create a bubble curtain around the pilings to protect sea wildlife from potentially damaging vibrations from the pilings going in. Finally, the contractor is required to maintain a minimum of a 100-foot gap for fish and other sea life to swim through. If you missed Tuesday's meeting, you can still weigh in at pensacolabaybridge. com/survey. You can also stay informed on bridge progress at the website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, by text (enter the keyword MyPBB to 313131, or sign up for the newsletter at info@pensacolabaybridge. com. You can also call 542-0460.

MUSICIANS PROTEST On Thursday, Mar. 30, local musicians will take to the

streets of downtown Pensacola to perform in protest of a proposed city ordinance that would ban panhandling and street music in the "Downtown Visitor's District" of Palafox Street and the surrounding blocks. Musicians will gather at 7:30 p.m. at Plaza Ferdinand. They will then disperse along Palafox Street and play from 8-9 p.m. "We want to raise awareness about this ordinance because a lot of people just don't know, and we want to show the city what it would be losing were City Council to ban panhandling," said local musician Amanda Martins. Musicians, artists, and performers of any kind are invited to participate in the event. The panhandling ban is sponsored by Mayor Ashton Hayward and City Council President Brian Spencer and supported by the quasi-governmental Downtown Improvement Board as well as the Greater Pensacola Chamber. A vote on the ordinance was postponed at a Mar. 9 City Council meeting after residents spoke out against it. A revised ordinance is expected to be discussed at the council's April meeting. "This ordinance criminalizes homelessness," said Nathan Marona, the organizer of this event. "City Council is trying to say the ban is about panhandling and asking for

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money, not homelessness, but that's simply not the case." Nathan opposes the passing of any iteration of the bill. "I'm downtown two or three times a week," he says. "People ask me for help, and they're polite ninety-nine percent of the time. If I can't handle a yes or no question from a homeless person, I just probably shouldn't go out. They're only downtown because that is where locals and tourists with money to spare come to spend it."

LESS FOR NEEDIEST Pensacola Coun-

cilwoman Sherri Myers believes that the Hayward administration is bias against the city's neediest residents. "It seems like the more you ask for help for some of the poorest and neediest communities, the less likely you're going to get it," said Myers on "Pensacola Speaks." For years, Myers has fought for a sidewalk on Burgess Road but has gotten nowhere with city officials. "Burgess Road from Davis Highway to Sanders and Lanier is one of the most dangerous roads in the city of Pensacola," she explained. "It's an old state road, used to be a state road, with ditches on either side that serve for storm water drainage. There are probably about 40 school children who have to walk down that Burgess Road to school every day they go to school. That road is used by children who go to Workman, Holmes, and Washington High School." She said that the city installed speed bumps, but they haven't been effective, according to Myers. "Why are we building more tennis courts, upgrading swimming pools, spending millions of dollars on Osceola Golf Course, and things like that" asked Myers. "The council and the mayor have been perfectly fine with children having to walk to school, ride bicycles, and skateboard down the most dangerous street probably in Escambia County that children can possibly be on." The councilwoman said she had toured the road with Mayor Hayward but had little success in winning his support. "The mayor has been on Burgess Road, and he tells me he understands how dangerous it is," she said. "Commissioner Grover Robinson has given us more help with these traffic safety issues than I've ever gotten from the city. Grover Robinson is the reason we have sidewalks on Sanders." Myers asked City CFO Dick Barker about the amount of Local Option Sales Tax dollars that have been spent in her district 2, which includes Burgess Road, over the years. She said, "District 2 comes out on the bottom with very little money." {in}

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2017

INWEEKLY

POWER LIST

he Inweekly Power List attracted the attention of readers the first time we published it in June 2007. Created on an Atlas Oyster House cocktail napkin, the inaugural list attempted to rank the most influential people in Escambia County. No one had ever dared to rank people based on their ability to get things done. Fred Levin topped that first list, followed by Judge Lacey Collier, Ted Ciano, Jim Reeves,

March 30, 2017

Lewis Bear, Jr. and 45 other men and women. Published without fanfare, we had no idea how the issue would be received. Within hours of the paper hitting newsstands, our phones began ringing. Most appreciated being on the list and, of course, others were upset they had been omitted. From the reactions, we knew we had a hit and had created a new Inweekly tradition. Over the past decade, the list has grown to

BY RICK OUTZEN

include 100 people annually. We seek input from the community, and the screening process takes weeks, as people are moved up and down the list based on that input. Over the years, the Power List has become much harder to rank. The degrees of separation are slight, which makes the endeavor fun to write and debate. We hope you enjoy reading and debating the 2017 Power List.

2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST

#1. RISHY STUDER By Duwayne Escobedo

Rishy Studer / Photo by Greg Riegler

he has created and runs five businesses as part of the Bodacious Shops that have sparked vibrancy in Pensacola's downtown. She leases space to 10 other downtown businesses at the corner of Palafox and Main Streets. She revived a historic corner in the heart of the Belmont-Devilliers community with renovations to the brick building that once housed Gussie's Record & Variety Shop and WBOP radio station and created Five Sisters Blues Café. She picks the brick and makes all the final decisions on the interior and exterior design for the $55-million Southtowne mixed-use development downtown. She bought a four-color printer and made the bulk of the T-shirts for the Pensacola Pelicans that started playing in 2002. She influenced the decision to purchase an affiliated team—the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Double-A club for the Cincinnati Reds organization that debuted a decade later at the Maritime stadium. 414 1

She handled all the finances and emher: "Are you crazy?" Studer brought the ployee hires at Studer Group for the first 10 idea back to Pensacola after vacationing in years. She's the one who drives the deciPinehurst, N.C. sions and writes the checks—$13 million "It is really cool seeing her enthusiasm and counting—for the Westgate Escamas she greets everyone who walks through bia School and its Snoozlin Center, Pace the door," Waggoner said. "Teaching Center for Girls, Sacred Heart Children's people about olive oil, how to taste it, the Hospital and health benefits. numerous other I know that her gifts to improve favorite thing is “It probably would have been the coastal city. to teach people much less expensive to tear Despite [about olive oil] down and start over. But I all that Rishy and that it is the Studer has done most exciting wanted to keep that whole quietly and thing for her." Belmont-DeVilliers area alive.” without fanfare, "I think she's one of her very powerful in favorite activia very humble ties is talking to way," said Wagnew customers about olive oil at Bodacious goner, the administrator of Studer ChariOlive. She's an expert, of course. table Giving. Her long-time friend Theresa WagWhat does the man who knows her goner, who she met volunteering at Gulf best, Quint Studer, say about his wife, Breeze High School, remembers asking Rishy? The pair has been married 33 years

Rishy Studer

and together have invested about $120 million in properties to help transform Pensacola's downtown. He's not surprised she earned the No. 1 spot on the Inweekly's annual Power List. Quint has known all along about "her passion for making things better and her authenticity. What you see is what you get. To me, she is a kind human being who is interested in others." That passion, that interest, is what allows the couple to give so much of their own time, talents and money to improve the quality of life for everyone in the Pensacola area. Rishy Studer's generosity to others grew out of her humble beginnings. The fourth of six children, she grew up in a small home in southwest Chicago. She shared a bedroom with three of her sisters. The family of eight used one bathroom. The family owned one car, which her strict father used most of the time as a traveling salesman. Her mom, who had her six children within a 10-year period, taught for nearly three decades in Chicago public schools. She remembers the first child home after school had to start dinner for the family. Studer also recalls "lots of excitement" when the family finally bought a second car. Rishy, whose given name is Mary, thought her upbringing was normal. Looking back, she realizes it wasn't. "My poor mom," Studer says now. "I can't imagine shopping for eight people, but she managed it. As a kid, I don't think you notice that stuff." Because they had only one car much of their lives, her family rarely took any trips. But when they did they would head 100 miles north to a cottage that her grandpa and grandma built on the edge of a lake. The clan would fish, swim and play with all their cousins there. "It was a fun place to be," Studer said. Back then her siblings all lived within a seven-block radius of their childhood home. "Now everybody is spread out," Studer said. "They're no longer seven blocks away. I'm the farthest." Studer was one of the first ones to move away when she attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She didn't know at the time that her future husband, Quint, was a year ahead of her at the college or that his ex-wife lived on the same floor of her Whitewater dormitory. After college, she worked for the Gates Lumber Yard for 15 years. She and Quint eventually met in Janesville and got married. The couple has five children and seven grandchildren ages 3 to 17. inweekly.net

Family Freedom Foundation

Supporting Local Arts

Annual Magic 106

Back To School

Annual Christmas Caroling for Charity

Congratulations, Marcus, on being selected as one of Pensacola’s most influential people. From your family, friends, partners, staff, clients, and countless others you have helped along the way... Thank You.

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Demolition Derby Don’t Text & Drive Campaign While Quint Studer built his career as a hospital administrator and eventually created the Studer Group in 2000, Rishy served as a stay-at-home mom, which was "harder than any regular job" she ever had. She volunteered in their children's schools, worked in the gift shop at Baptist Hospital and picked up and drove patients to their doctor's appointments at Gulf Breeze Hospital. With the creation of Studer Group in 2000, Studer decided to rejoin the workforce and was placed in charge of finances and hiring for the company for the first 10 years. The company occupied one office in Harbourtown Village in Gulf Breeze, then two March 30, 2017

Magic of Thanksgiving

Purple Heart Memorial

Local Law Enforcement and finally 10, before moving its staff to the four-story Maritime Place office building at the Vince J. Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park. By the time the Studers sold the healthcare consulting company in 2015 for $325 million to the Huron Consulting Group, it had grown to about 235 full-time employees. Before its sale, Studer had moved into developing properties. Her first development was Five Sisters Blues Café in a building that she first saw during a gumbo festival. The brickwork reminded her of Chicago. It had three walls intact. Studer said during the restoration of the inside, the contractor had to go to great lengths to keep them standing.

ABATE

Veterans Tribute Tower

Family Freedom Foundation

ROTC Scholarships

"We did everything to keep those three walls," said Studer, who purchased the building, renovated and decorated it and even found the owner, Cecil Johnson, who had run C.J.'s, to take it over. "It had so much history. It probably would have been much less expensive to tear down and start over," Studer said. "But I wanted to keep that whole Belmont-DeVilliers area alive." She also bought the four-story Rhodes Building, which was constructed in 1918 and expanded in the 1940s in downtown Pensacola, and performed a "mini-facelift." Hooked on rehabbing old buildings, Studer noticed the vacant buildings on the

north corners of Palafox and Main streets. Studer expressed concern that once people started attending Blue Wahoos games, they would be greeted by rundown eyesores. She invested in them and now the corner is thriving with her Bodacious Shops, which include Bodacious Olive, Bodacious Brew, So Gourmet and SoChopped. Not only that, she selected other tenants to fill the corner dubbed the "SoGo District." "The buildings had incredible character there, but they were in such bad repair," Studer said. "We fixed them up to be the face of downtown. It was a real labor of love. That whole area has made such a turnaround." 15

2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST Blue Wahoos President Jonathan Griffith new apartment building constructed in the now oversees the businesses but said Studer downtown's urban core with 258 units. She's remains deeply involved in the retail stores also responsible for designing the inside that helped jumpstart Pensacola's downtown living spaces. renaissance. Often she has been seen sweep"I hate the thought of making a bad deciing the floors at night even though the stores sion and then having to drive by it every day," are closed. Studer said. "She's the best boss I've ever worked for," Plus, she is busy renovating the inside of Griffith said. "She goes above and beyond." the Bodacious Shops. She is swapping the Griffith pointed out she makes sure all olive oil store and coffee shop and adding employee birthdays get celebrated. When a a staircase. She is also weighing the coffee sewage disaster closed the shops, she made shop roasting its own beans. sure everyone had work to continue to support Studer wanted to accomplish a goal of their families. She even has special cloths to "making the whole downtown a destination clean up olive oil and place, a place to have created other cleaning fun." She recalled techniques for the going to the Saenger “She's the best boss I've shops that are taught Theatre for perforever worked for. She to the employees. mances in the late goes above and beyond.” 1990s and early 2000s. Last year, a few Bodacious employees "There was nothtook all that knowledge ing else to hold you and opened a second there," she said. "Now, set of stores in Janesville, Wisc., that sits on the it has a lot to offer. That's the word getting out." Rock River in downtown. Studer's thoughts never drift too far from It also led Studer to buy and renovate how to make downtown Pensacola an even two buildings across Main Street that now more attractive place. Reached on a weeklong house Volume ONE and Fiore. Recently, she break for this story in New York City, she and looked over different pallets of bricks for the her husband were mesmerized by shakes that outside of the six-story Southtowne—the first look like works of art.

Jonathan Griffith

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The Studers are always asking themselves, "Will this work in our town? Can we do it? Can we try?" she said. "We need one more fun thing to do," Studer said half-jokingly. "I say popcorn. That's my favorite food group." Because she controls all the family finances, the Studers have made a huge impact on Pensacola through their generous contributions. They gave $5 million and donated the land on the corner of Intendencia and Tarragona streets to build the new $16 million downtown Bear Levin Studer Family YMCA because they support its after-school childcare program. Much of the couple's generosity is directed toward children since Rishy's mother was a school teacher and Quint worked as a special education teacher for 10 years. Their first major gift was $250,000 to Westgate and its sensory equipment for children with autism. They've also recently given $150,000 to the University of West Florida Historic Trust for an early learning playground at the Museum Plaza, donated $100,000 for expansion of the Infusion Center at the Baptist Cancer Institute and contributed $100,000 to the National Flight Academy for scholarships. Last year, they also made a major gift to Sacred Heart's new, multi-million, fivestory Studer Family Children's Hospital. The

120,000-square-foot hospital includes a pediatric emergency department and trauma center, pediatric-dedicated operating rooms, a neonatal intensive care unit, a pediatric intensive care unit, a pediatric oncology unit, medical beds, a pediatric satellite pharmacy, a pediatric inpatient rehabilitation gym and child playrooms. Their giving, which totals about $13 million, is part of one of their campaigns by the Studers and their Studer Community Institute to make Pensacola "America's First Early Learning City" and boost kindergarten readiness. "We are just amazed that we can do what we've done," Studer said. "We are fortunate and blessed by our ability to give back." She looks forward to finding out how the early childhood education initiative turns out for a city plagued by low educational attainment. Research indicates that 85 percent of the brain is developed in a child's first three years. "It's a long-term investment," she said. "The rewards will be wonderful for this community." What's next for Rishy Studer, who admits she has trouble sitting around? Something Pensacola residents didn't know the coastal town desperately needs, but will no doubt appreciate. {in}

inweekly.net

2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST

2. Robert Rinke

Co-owner/Broker, Levin Rinke Realty; Managing Partner, Levin Rinke Development

Rinke moved to Pensacola Beach in 1991. Being from California, he saw the tremendous value in this incredible waterfront community. He started Levin Rinke Realty with the late Allen Levin, selling over $2 billion in real estate over the last 25 years. Selling the Pensacola

lifestyle became his passion. Seeing a need for quality inventory inspired Rinke and his partners to develop over 1,000 resort condominiums. Focusing on quality all-concrete construction with a heavy emphasis on lifestyle amenities helped to set a new standard for devel-

opment along the Gulf Coast. For 20 years, Rinke has worked with local leaders and the county to improve the quality of life for locals and tourists, advocating for change that will enrich lives, improve the economy and make the area a vibrant destination to live, work and play.

3. Martha Saunders President, University of West Florida

On Jan. 1, Saunders became the sixth president of the University of West Florida. Her plans for UWF include creating nationally-known programs of distinction that build on the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current successes. She has launched the Division of Research and Strategic Innovation to serve as an incubator for new

ideas and support a more research-focused institution. Saunders is committed to ensuring that student success remains at the forefront for the university. With two previous university presidencies under her belt, she has the background to handle current challenges facing higher education. Saunders was the chancellor

of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for 2005-2007 and president of the University of Southern Mississippi from 2007-2012. As UWF Provost and Executive Vice President, she led the reorganization of the academic division and navigated the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful rise in performance-based funding.

4. C. Edward Meadows President, Pensacola State College

Since 2008, Dr. Meadows has served as the president of the beloved community college, Pensacola State College. He has been one of this area's biggest champions for workforce development. Under his leadership, Pensacola State College has expanded access to its programs through increasing distance

March 30, 2017

learning and developing a new center in South Santa Rosa County to complement its satellite campuses in Warrington and Milton. He commissioned a study to identify gaps in the local workforce, which led to new programs in veterinary science, healthcare management, graphic design and cyber security.

PSC will host Florida SkillsUSA â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s state conference for the next three consecutive years. The Community College Futures Assembly awarded recently award PSC the national 2017 Bellwether Award in the Instructional Programs and Services category for its virtual tutoring program.

2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST

5. Jim Reeves Attorney at Law

The current Commodore of the Pensacola Yacht Club and the chairman of the Community Maritime Park Associates Board of Trustees is a consummate Pensacola power broker. The real estate attorney served in the Florida Legislature from 1966 to 1972 and later

spent six years on the Pensacola City Council, 1977-1983. During his time in the Florida House, Reeves lobbied for a $200,000 state grant that enabled the creation of the Historic Pensacola Preservation Board. While on the city council, he pushed for the creation of the Community Redevelopment

Agency. Along with McGuire Martin, Reeves created the McGuire's Irish Politicians Club, whose memberships are highly coveted. Reeves was appointed to the State Prison Industry Board by every Governor of the State of Florida since Bob Martinez, where he serves as chairman of that board.

has a very positive vibe, and Peacock deserves credit for keeping the momentum headed in the right direction. His efforts with the DIB, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Panhandle Charitable Open earned Peacock recognition as “2014 Community Leader of the Year” from the Greater Pensacola

Chamber. His commitment to the Panhandle Charitable Open sprang from his pledge to make something positive out of the loss of his 17-yearold son who died in a car accident. Last year, the golf tournament netted over $210,000, all of which was donated to local charities.

6. John Peacock Financial Advisor, CFP®, Edward Jones The chairman of the Downtown Improvement Board has worked hard to continue the growth and improvement of its 44 blocks. He spearheaded the effort to re-create the DIB with an Aesthetic Improvement Plan and Parking Implementation Strategy. Downtown Pensacola

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BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE INWEEKLY 2017 POWER LIST MEMBERS

Congratulations Donnie McMahon for being part of the Inweekly Power List again. Your work toward economic development is important for our community. 11 WEST GARDEN STREET, PENSACOLA, FL 32502 | 484-7011 | MCMAHONHADDER.COM March 30, 2017

2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST

7. Troy Rafferty Shareholder, Levin, Papantonio

Rafferty is a recipient of the Perry Nichols Award from the Florida Justice Association, the highest award given by the organization and presented to an attorney who has demonstrated an extended and distinguished commitment to the

cause of justice in Florida and the nation. In Jan., he was honored with the “Living the Dream Award,” given to those who exemplify the ideals of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Rafferty also funds and supports several local scholarships. Most recently, he

and wife established a scholarship fund to be supervised by Southern Youth Sports Association to provide college educations for inner-city youth. The Raffertys pledged $50,000 annually to the program that will give hope for those selected.

8. Fred Donovan, Jr. Principal, Baskerville-Donovan, Inc.

Donovan serves on the Florida Chamber Board of Directors and is a member of the Florida Chamber’s Political Institute and Board of Governors. He is on the Board of Directors of Florida’s Great Northwest, the Hancock Bank Advisory Board, the Florida Chamber NWFL PAC and the

First City Arts Center Board of Directors. He is a past Vice Chairman of the Greater Pensacola Chamber, VISION 2015 and served as the Chairman of the Greater Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce Sites and Buildings Committee. Donovan is a member of the Florida Engineering Society, The

American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society of American Military Engineers. Donovan also chaired the effort that brought about The Bluffs, an industrial campus to be developed in Cantonment that will create some 15,000 jobs over its first 25 years.

Powering the community. Together. Congratulations to our new Gulf Power Western district manager, Keith Hoskins, who was named to the 2017 Power List. Keith is a retired Navy Captain and former Commanding Officer of NAS Pensacola and we are proud to have him as part of the Gulf Power family. We salute all the influential leaders on the Power List. Together, we have the power to make our community a better place to live, work and play.

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2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST

9. Julian MacQueen Founder/CEO, Innisfree Hotels

The former Executive Vice President of Family Inns of America founded Innisfree Hotels in 1985. His company has grown from a single-property operation to one of the largest hotel management companies in the southern United States, with more than 2,700 rooms owned and managed and more

than 1,500 employees. On Pensacola Beach alone, Innisfree has the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front, Holiday Inn Resort, Hampton Inn and Travelodge. MacQueen was a big advocate for breaking tourism marketing away from the Greater Pensacola Chamber. In 2014, Visit Pensacola was created

to handle tourism development for Escambia County. He also created The Hive, Innisfree Hotels' corporate social responsibility program that fosters a workplace community service. One of The Hiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first projects was a sustainable community garden in the heart of Pensacola.

10. Sunil Gupta

MD, Founder, Retina Specialty Institute (RSI), Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS) and US Retina

After founding RSI, one of the largest retinal clinics and research organizations in the country, Gupta started US Retina, the largest association of private retina practices. To improve early detection and treatment of blinding conditions, he

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went on to create IRIS, a telemedicine platform for assessment of retinal disease, which was recently awarded Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 Innovation Award. Gupta was the past chairman of the Andrews Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center and a key organizer of this joint

venture between Baptist Health Care and local physicians. He also serves on the board of the Andrews Research & Education Institute and helped to obtain funding for its adult stem cell research laboratory.

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Cong�at�lations Greater Pensacola Chamber President and CEO and part of the Inweekly 2017 Power List

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2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST 12. Susan Davis

14. Teri Levin

RN, Ed.D, President/CEO, Sacred Heart Health System

Co-owner, Levin Rinke Realty Levin's philosophy on philanthropy is to pay it forward, believing that being blessed carries the responsibility of giving back. She has made major contributions to the University of Florida, Gulf Coast Kid's House, Pace Center for Girls, Covenant Hospice, Pensacola Symphony and YMCA. She is active as a DIB member, serves on many other boards and donates to other charities as well.

Davis is the Alabama/Florida/ Community Health Ministries Ministry Market Leader of Ascension Health, Inc. She was actively involved with the American Heart Association, United Way, Hospice, American Cancer Society and serves as Trustee of Florida Hospital Association Inc. She is leading the effort for the fivestory Studer Family Children's Hospital in Pensacola.

11. Belle Bear Co-founder, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area If Belle Bear advocates a cause, then that cause will be successful. She is a fierce advocate for several local charities, particularly Arc Gateway, and she doesn’t hesitate to call Gov. Rick Scott for help. IMPACT 100 has grown from a 100 members to over a thousand, thanks to her guidance.

13. Michael Murdoch President/CEO, AppRiver Murdoch serves as CEO of AppRiver, a company he co-founded in 2002 to provide cybersecurity solutions for business. AppRiver now has over 53,000 customers worldwide, protecting 10 million mailboxes, and has made the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list for 10 years running.

15. Sandy Sansing President, Sandy Sansing Automotive Group In 1986, Sansing bought a Chevrolet Dealership in Pensacola. Today, the Florida Time Dealer of the Year Award recipient owns nine dealerships with over 600 employees. His philanthropy focuses on youth by sponsoring the local Spelling Bee, Cram the Van and Communities Caring at Christmas. Sansing believes that the most rewarding aspect of his business is seeing a young person succeed.

Congratulations John and DeeDee —2017 POWER LIST—

John Griffing, CRE, SIOR President and CEO

DeeDee Davis, SIOR Vice President Operations

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World CafĂŠ, with host David Dye,

serves up an eclectic mix of music from blues, rock and world, to folk and alternative country, including live performances and interviews with celebrated and emerging artists.

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2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST 19. Grover Robinson, IV

17. Mark Faulkner President/CEO, Baptist Health Care

Escambia County Commissioner, District 4

In the past year, Faulkner's organization opened a $6 million Baptist Medical Park-Airport, began a major expansion of its medical park in Pac, and developed a partnership with the YMCA at its new location. Last year, Faulkner served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Florida Hospital Association, which represents nearly 240 Florida health systems.

16. Doug Underhill Chairman, Escambia Board of County Commissioners Underhill was elected to serve District 2 on the County Commission in Nov. 2014. He is a 25-year veteran of the Navy, currently serving as a Commander in the Naval Reserve. As a civilian contractor, he led a team of Cyber Security Analysts providing services to the Department of Homeland Security. He currently serves as the board chairman.

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Robinson is serving his third term as the Escambia County Commissioner for District 4 and just finished his second stint as chairman. He fought for the RESTORE Act so that Escambia County receives its share of BP settlement monies. In 2014, Robinson was elected president of the Florida Association of Counties. He chairs Florida Gulf Consortium for the RESTORE Act.

18. David Bear Vice President, The Lewis Bear Company; Founder, Art, Culture and Entertainment, Inc. (ACE) Bear comes from a long line of arts supporters. When the Arts Council of Northwest Florida collapsed in 2010, he formed ACE to helped the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many cultural and arts organizations. Bear created Foo Foo Fest, a 12-day celebration of the arts in the greater Pensacola area.

20. Clay Ingram Florida House, District 1; President & CEO, Greater Pensacola Chamber A member of the undefeated 1999 FSU National Championship football team, Ingram has been a key player in Tallahassee. He serves as the chair of the House Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee and has successfully gotten funding for several area projects, including The Bluffs.

inweekly.net

Congratulations to President Ed Meadows and the 2017 InWeekly Power List Honorees! Pensacola State College is proud of our nearly seven decades of producing some of our area’s most powerful leaders. Congratulations to the people who power our community forward. —Mary & Dave Hoxeng

Associate Degrees | Bachelor’s Degrees Career and Technical Programs Adult Education and GED prep Continuing Education

Go here. Get there. pensacolastate.edu | 850.484.1000 Pensacola State College does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender/sex, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information in its educational programs, activities or employment. For inquiries regarding Title IX and the college’s nondiscrimination policies, contact the Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity/Title IX Officer at 850-484-1759, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd., Pensacola, Florida 32504.

March 30, 2017

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2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST 22. Brian Spencer

24. Bill Wein

Pensacola City Council President; Founder and Principal, SMP Architecture

CEO, IMS ExpertServices Servant leadership is at the core of Billâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life philosophy and is central to IMS ExpertServicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; annual double-digit growth and national recognition. Passionate about economic development and entrepreneurship in Pensacola, Bill serves on several boards, including Innovation Coast, Pensacola State Board of Governors and Summit Bank.

The founding principal of SMP Architecture was one of the earlier investors in the revitalization of downtown Pensacola. He has been involved in the adaptive re-use of historic structures, renovations and new construction of hospitality, housing and commercial office buildings. First elected to the Pensacola City Council in 2010, Spencer currently is the council president.

21. Henry Stovall

23. Lumon May

President, Sacred Heart Hospital

Escambia County Commissioner, District 4

Since Aug. 2012, Stovall has provided the overall operational leadership for Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola, The Studer Family Children's Hospital at Sacred Heart, The Sacred Heart Cancer Center, The Pace Ambulatory Surgical Center and various other outlying entities. Before his current position, he served as the Senior Vice President for Special Projects at Sacred Heart Health System.

Southern Youth Sports Association has served the academic, social and physical needs of children through the appropriate involvement of the community, mentors and staff. When he is not in an Escambia County Commission meeting or on a job site for Mays Construction, he can found coaching kids at Legion Field or in a gym.

25. Keith Hoskins Western District General Manager, Gulf Power Hoskins is responsible for customer service and sales for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Before joining the company, he was Commanding Officer at NAS Pensacola where he forged a partnership with Gulf Power, helping to integrate solar energy and improve energy efficiency.

CALDWELL ASSOCIATES

ARCHITECTS

Architecture Interior Design Planning Urban Design Master Planning Programming Visioning Caldwell Associates Architects

116 N Tarragona St, Pensacola, FL 32502 (850) 432 9500 | caldwell-assoc.com caldwell@caldwell-assoc.com License No AA26000721; IB0000995

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inweekly.net

Congratulations to everyone on this year’s Power List

Keep “Building” a Better Community 4400 Bayou Blvd., Suite 45 Pensacola, Florida 32503 850-476-0318 • www.westfloridabuilders.com

Congratulations, John, on being named to the 2017 Inweekly Power List From your biggest fans: Jerre Peacock Matt Peacock Jake Peacock Jessica McCoy DJ Beane Mya Beane John Matthew Peacock

John Peacock

March 30, 2017

THE LIST 1. Rishy Studer, Co-owner, Studer Properties, Blue Wahoos, Bodacious Shops 2. Robert Rinke, Co-owner/ Broker, Levin Rinke Realty 3. Martha Saunders, President, University of West Florida 4. C. Edward Meadows, President, Pensacola State College 5. Jim Reeves, Attorney at Law 6. John Peacock, Financial Advisor CFP ®, Edward Jones 7. Troy Rafferty, Shareholder, Levin, Papantonio 8. Fred Donovan Jr., Principal, Baskerville-Donvoan, Inc. 9. Sunil Gupta, MD, Founder, Retina Specialty Institute, Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems and US Retina

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31. Debbie Ritchie, President, Studer Group 32. David Deliman, Market Vice President, Cox Communications 33. Marcus Michles, Attorney, Michles & Booth 34. Lisa Nellessen-Lara, Executive Editor, Pensacola News Journal

12. Susan Davis RN, President/ CEO Sacred Heart Health System

37. Pete Moore, President, Pete Moore Chevrolet

17. Mark Faulkner, President/ CEO, Baptist Health Care

HPA104555-0007

30. Carroll Scarborough, Executive Vice President/CFO, Pen Air Federal Credit Union

36. Crystal Spencer, Attorney, Spencer Law

16. Doug Underhill, Escambia County Commission Chairman

29. Donnie McMahon, President, McMahon & Hadder Insurance

11. Belle Bear, Co-founder, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area

15. Sandy Sansing, President, Sandy Sansing Automotive Group

Congratulations David Deliman and all 2017 InWeekly Power list honorees. Your leadership is making a difference in Pensacola!

28. Mona Amodeo, Ph.D., Founder and President, idgroup

35. Thomas D. Sunnenberg, MD, Sacred Heart Cancer Center

14. Teri Levin, Co-owner, Levin Rinke Realty

A connected community creates a strong community.

27. Frank White, State Representative

10. Julian MacQueen, Founder/ CEO. Innisfree Hotels

13. Michael Murdoch, President/ CEO, AppRiver

David Deliman, Market Vice President Gulf Coast

26. Bobby Switzer, Vice President of Operations, Lamar Advertising

18. David Bear, Vice President, The Lewis Bear Company 19. Grover Robinson, IV, Escambia County Commissioner, District 4 20. Clay Ingram, State Representative; President/CEO, Pensacola Chamber 21. Henry Stovall, President, Sacred Heart Hospital

38. Debbie Calder, Executive Vice President of Greater Pensacola Operations, Navy Federal Credit Union 39. Miller Caldwell, Jr., Principal & Principal Architect, Caldwell Associates 40. Cyndi Warren, Managing Member of Pensacola office, Warren Averett 41. Ken Ford, Founder & CEO, IHMC 42. Linda “Sonshine” Moorer, Program Director, Magic 106 43. Carol Carlan, President, Sacred Heart Foundation. 44. DeeDee Davis, Executive Vice President, NAI Halford 45. Scott Remington, Attorney, President & Managing Shareholder, Clark Partington

22. Lumon May, Escambia County Commissioner, District 3

46. David Sansing, Vice President, Sandy Sansing Automotive Group

23. Brian Spencer, Pensacola City Council President; Founder and Principal, SMP Architecture

47. Cindi Bonner, Founder, Rally Foundation 48. Doug Broxson, State Senator

24. Bill Wein, Co-founder, IMS ExpertServices, Inc.

49. David Peaden, Executive Director, Home Builders of West Florida

25. Keith Hoskins, Western District General Manager, Gulf Power

50. Randy Ramos, CEO, Global Business Solutions inweekly.net

THE LIST 51. Bruce Vredenburg, Regional President, Hancock Bank 52. Ray Russenberger, Entrepreneur/Developer 53. Steven Barry, Escambia County Commissioner, District 5 54. Ed Fleming, Attorney, McDonald, Fleming, Moorhead 55. John Griffing, President/CEO, NAI Halford 56. Caron Sjoberg, President/ CEO, Ideaworks 57. Bryan Aylstock, Attorney, Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz 58. Carlton Ulmer, CEO, West Florida Healthcare 59. Corbett Davis, Jr., Owner, Jewelers Trade Shop 60. Ron Jackson, Shareholder, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund 61. Mark Proctor, President, Levin, Papantonio 62. Tom Owens, Market President West Florida Panhandle, Branch Banking and Trust Co. 63. Pamela Northrup, Vice President, UWF Division of Research and Strategic Innovation 64. Justin Beck, CEO, PresidentReal Estate, Beck Partners 65. Justin Witkin, Attorney, Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz 66. Steve Moorhead, Attorney, McDonald, Fleming, Moorhead

77. Connie Bookman, Founder & Executive Director, Pathways for Change 78. Lonnie Wesley, Pastor, Greater Little Rock Baptist Church 79. Danny Zimmern, President, Pensacola Mardi Gras 80. Kevin Bailey, Vice President, UWF Student Affairs 81. Jeff Bergosh, Escambia County Commissioner, District 1 82. Jonathan Griffith, President, Blue Wahoos 83. Gary Michaels, Operations Manager, Levin Rinke Realty 84. Davey Wilhoit, Vice PresidentMarket Manager, Cumulus Media 85. Allison Hill, President/CEO, Lakeview Center 86. Peter Nowak, CEO, Nowak Enterprises 87. Kevin Mair, Vice President of Cardiovascular Services, West Florida Hospital 88. Dave Cleveland, Co-founder, Highpointe Hotel Corporation 89. Meghan McCarthy, Director of Community Health & Wellness, Baptist Health Care 90. William Reynolds, Creator, NorthEscambia.com 91. Fred Robbins, Co-founder, Mr. Robbins' Neighborhood

67. Andy Marlette, Editorial Cartoonist, Pensacola News Journal

92. Michael Morette, President, Morette Company

68. Sue Straughan, Anchor, WEAR-TV

93. Kristine Rushing, COO, Beck Partners

69. Miller Caldwell III, Partner & Director of Business Development, Caldwell Associates

94. Mitesh Patel, President/CEO, Pinnacle Management and Investments

70. Julie Sheppard, General Counsel, IHMC

95. Travis Peterson, CEO, Impact Campaigns

71. Mary Hoxeng, Co-owner, ADX Communications 72. Neil Overholtz, Attorney, Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz 73. Mark Lee, Broker, Levin Rinke Realty 74. Michael Carro, Senior Advisor & Principal, SVN Southland 75. Maren DeWeese, Creator, Maren's Blog 76. Chad Henderson, Founder & CEO, Catalyst CRE March 30, 2017

96. Laurie Murphy, Emerald Coastkeeper 97. Jeff Helms, Vice President/ Senior Practice Manager, Atkins North America 98. Dave Hoxeng, Co-owner, ADX Communications 99. Sherri Myers, Pensacola City Council, District 2 100. Curt Morse, Executive Director, Downtown Improvement Board 31

2017 INWEEKLY POWER LIST

INWEEKLY POWER LIST HALL OF FAME chaired the UWF Board of Trustees, the UWF Historic Trust, CMPA Board, Greater Pensacola Chamber, Visit Pensacola, Home Builders Association of Northwest Florida and dozens of boards. Collier has been named an Art Education Hero by the Florida Cultural Alliance, Community Leader of the Year by the Greater Pensacola Chamber and Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the National Society of Fund Raising Volunteers. Quote: “M.J. Menge said a long time ago that it's much better to be the kingmaker than the king.”

Lewis Bear, Jr. (2009)

nce you’re named the most influential, you deserve a special place. Rishy Studer will join this group of movers and shakers, who’ve each earned the number one spot on the Inweekly Power List over the past decade.

Fred Levin (2007)

The University of Florida law school is named after the flamboyant Pensacola trial attorney. His biggest achievement was helping rewrite legislation in 1993 that led to a $13.2 billion settlement by the tobacco industry with the state of Florida. He has received more than 30 jury verdicts in excess of $1,000,000, six of which were in excess of $10 million. Quote: “I think my image is a helluva lot stronger than reality. But I consider myself to be just a regular old guy who has a couple of drinks every night with my friends.”

J. Collier Merrill (2008)

This developer and restaurateur has worked behind the scenes for the maritime park, downtown improvement and political candidates. He has

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The cornerstones of influence in Pensacola are business success, commitment to improving the area and stubbornness to persevere regardless of how monumental the task may seem. Lewis has done a masterful job on all three of these fronts. He has been the driving force behind the area’s economic development efforts for a more than a decade, particularly working with Gov. Rick Scott and lawmakers to help Northwest Florida recover from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Quote: "My father taught me long ago that we needed to give back to the community. I'm fortunate that I am able to do that."

Quint Studer (2010)

The founder of Studer Group has led the charge to revitalize downtown Pensacola. He championed the Maritime Park. Southtowne, his $55-million apartment project, is set to open later this year. The apartments are across the street from the new $16-million Bear Levin Studer Family YMCA, and his mixed-use office building that will house the Clark Partington law firm. He has partnered with the University of Chicago to pilot the Thirty Million Words initiative in Pensacola. Quote: “You have a minority of people in the community, about 25 percent, that would be against anything. You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Ashton Hayward (2011)

Mike Papantonio (2014)

Quote: “We truly have the opportunity in this decade to be the number one city in Northwest Florida. We don’t need to be outshone by Walton, Bay or Okaloosa counties.”

Quote: “You have to believe in something. When you’re driven like that, it creates an energy that is a power.”

In 2010, the Pensacola native was elected mayor. In his first term, Ashton oversaw the completion of the Community Maritime Park and Admiral Mason Park. He built the Theophalis May and Woodland Heights Resource Centers. He convinced the police and general employee unions to close their pension plans. In 2014, the mayor signed an agreement with VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering to establish a facility at the airport.

Dr. Judy Bense (2012)

The founder of the UWF program of Anthropology/Archaeology became the fifth president of the university on July 1, 2008, after serving the school for 28 years. This past December, she stepped down as president, but will still stay connected to the institution. The UWF board of trustees cemented her legacy by naming her president emeritus. Earlier this year, the Greater Pensacola Chamber awarded Judy its Pioneer Award for her contributions to the community.

Considered the nation’s top trial attorney, Mike is a regular commentator on national news networks, author and jazz musician. In Feb., he reached an agreement with DuPont, making them pay $670 million to 3,000 clients exposed to the chemical C8. He has been awarded the Perry Nichols Award, Defender of Justice Award by the American Association for Justice and Temple University Beasley School of Law’s inaugural Award for Social Justice. His legal thriller “Law and Disorder” debuted last fall.

Stan Connally (2015)

The President and CEO of Gulf Power worked his way up the ladder of the company with steps at all its subsidiaries. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Florida, Pensacola Chamber Foundation and Gulf Coast Kid’s House. Gov. Rick Scott appointed him to the board of Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., which will distribute the $1.5 billion settlement for economic damages from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Quote: “I’ve always had the ‘Lucille Ball’ approach to life: don’t mess with success, stick with what you’re good at.”

Quote: “We don't need to go to Louisiana to find the talent; we don't need to go to Atlanta or Birmingham. Let's grow it right here.”

David Morgan (2013)

Bentina Terry (2016)

His defeat of the well-financed, two-term incumbent Ron McNesby in 2008 is still considered one of the biggest upsets in Escambia County politics. And many of the good old boys have never forgiven him but failed to defeat him during the reelection campaigns of 2012 and 2016. He has dealt with a Department of Justice investigation of the jail and long-standing civil rights violations under his predecessor, budget reductions, K-9 incidents and the Billings murders which captured international media attention.

Earlier this year, Pensacola lost Bentina when she was promoted to be the senior vice president of the Metro Atlanta Region for Georgia Power. However, her decade of living and working here had a profound impact on the community. She was the highest ranking black woman at Gulf Power, with more than 330 employees under her supervision. She served on the Community Maritime Park Associates and the University of West Florida boards and chaired the Florida Chamber Foundation. She also worked to make the multi-cultural Voices of Pensacola a reality.

Quote: “It’s hell dealing with an honest man. Make sure you’re that honest man.”

Quote: “We’ll never grow as a community unless we improve the quality of our education.”

inweekly.net

Brian Spencer & Crystal Spencer InWeekly Power List 2017 Thanks to the InWeekly readers for voting Brian Spencer & Crystal Spencer

to the 2017 Power List.

BRIAN SPENCER • Founder & Principal, SMP Architecture • Nationally recognized architect for commercial, hospitality, and adaptive re-use projects. • American Institute of Architects Community Service Honor Award

CRYSTAL SPENCER • Attorney rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell • Senior Fellow of the Litigation Council of America • Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and Florida Super Lawyer

• Pensacola City Council Member, District 6

• Escambia/Santa Rosa Bar Association Community Service Award

• President, Lamont Community Music School

• Former Chair, Pensacola Charter Review Commission

Congratulations to the 2017 InWeekly Power List SMP Architecture 40 South Palafox Place, Suite 201 Pensacola, FL 32502 • 850.432.7772 www.SMP-Arch.com March 30, 2017

Spencer Law, PA 316 South Baylen Street, Suite 520 Pensacola, FL 32502 • 850.912.8080 www.SpencerLawPA.com 33

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WEEK OF MARCH 30 - APRIL 6

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

Digging It Up and Tying It Together by Shelby Smithey

"It's definitely a more personal record than we set out to make," Hearst said. "There were circumstances in our life that made this record cathartic to write." When they were putting the record together, Hearst said that they had to ask themselves if they were being too vulnerable.

“We have different sets of tools that we bring to the project. We are very compatible with each other.” Cary Ann Hearst

Shovels & Rope / Photo by Leslie Ryan McKellar Shovels & Rope, husband and wife folk duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, weave their experiences as solo musicians together in a reimagined blend of folk and rock and roll. The Charleston-based duo is known for their gifted storytelling and vivid characters that are featured in their songs told through the seamless blending of their soulful voices. Shovels & Rope is currently on tour promoting their new record "Little Seeds," performing as a two-piece while switching off to play multiple instruments during the show. Inweekly caught up with Hearst and Trent ahead of their show at Vinyl Music Hall to talk about working together as a married couple and their most personal album to date. "The plus is we get to spend 100 percent of our time together," Trent said. "And the minus is you are with the person constantly, so you have to work it out and give each other space when you need it. It's so much better to do this together than have separate careers. That would be tougher in the long run." Hearst said that the two met in South Carolina in the early 2000s. "He came from Denver because it's easier to tour in the Deep South," she said. "There's more places to play shorter distances apart." March 30, 2017

Heart was singing in bars with her cover band in Charleston, while Trent was the lead singer in his band The Films at the time. "It was kind of an unplanned thing," Hearst said. "We had separate careers we had been working on years before that. After we got married in 2009, while trying to juggle our careers, we decided just for fun to make a record and write songs together." Hearst said that they started picking up some gigs together around Charleston, and then started getting asked to open for bigger bands. "It just kept going, and the opportunities kept rolling in," Hearst said. Both Trent and Hearst had similarities in their childhoods growing up, with a common theme being their parents' support of their interest in music. "Both of our dads are blue grass mandolin players," Hearst said. "Michael rebelled against what he grew up with at an early age and went in a rock and roll direction, while I stayed in the folk zone. I grew up in Nashville. Our parents both encouraged us in music, to work hard and commit ourselves, and to pursue it professionally just as seriously as any other career." While Trent and Hearst share the songwriting responsibilities, they take on different roles in other aspects of the band.

Drawing on extreme life changes that include Cary Ann's pregnancy, Michael's father's Alzheimer's and the unexpected death of a close friend, the pair expertly illustrates their genuine human experiences with a deep sentiment, dark humor and their signature gritty, Southern-infused rock. "It's super personal and our most expansive work, which is chalked up partly to Michael for sure," she said. "It's the quietest and the loudest of our recording endeavors. It's basically songs about facing a new level of growing up, as well as the tragedy of the world that's happening." While the album was significantly influenced by the birth of Hearst and Trent's child, the end deals with death on a larger scale. The track ‘BWYR,' which stands for ‘Black White Yellow Red' is a response to the 2015 massacre of nine people in a Charleston church, which hit home for Hearst and Trent. A song on "Little Seeds" also deals with a personal tragedy. ‘Eric's Birthday' is the duo's tribute to their Charleston musician friend Eric Brantley who was senselessly murdered last April. Trent recorded Brantley's mother's speech at his memorial and obtained permission to include it in the song. "The record is a study of all of this, dealing with our personal feelings about it all and putting it out into the world," Hearst said. {in}

"I've never had much talent or interest in the production side of things, so that's where Michael comes in," Hearst said. "He also has an insane work ethic and can get focused and listen to things and get them right and still have fresh ideas. He's a machine." Hearst said that she's more of the performer out of the two. "I love to perform on stage, so it works out really well," she said. "We have different sets of tools that we bring to the project. We are very compatible with each other." The duo travels with their 1-year-old daughter, Louisiana Jean. Although they love touring, they both said that challenges do come with life on the road. "You become addicted to the road," Hearst said. "You live in a bubble. What's it called when the kidnapped becomes trusting of the kidnapper? That's our relationship with touring." "It's Stockholm Syndrome," Trent answers. "But at the same time we are grateful to be able to do it, just to WHAT: Shovels & Rope with Matthew Logan be able to play music for a living is a Vasquez huge blessing. It's a huge privilege." WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, April 3 The duo just kicked off their WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox spring tour in support of "Little COST: $20 Seeds," their new record released DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com in October.

SHOVELS & ROPE

calendar THURSDAY 3.30

JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES SALE 7 a.m.-4

p.m. All items on sale for $5. Baptist Hospital, Heritage Room, 1300 W. Moreno St. 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 HANDS-ON LUNCH CLASS: HAND ROLLED PASTA 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $35. SoGourmet,

407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com

DARKNESS TO LIGHT STEWARDS OF CHILDREN

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Learn to be an advocate against child abuse with information from Gulf Coast Kid's House. 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 FREE FILM SCREENING: PERSONA NON GRATA

5:30 p.m. Temple Beth El, 800 N. Palafox. templebethelofpensacola.org LATIN DANCE LESSONS AND PARTY 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Cha Cha, Bachata and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com ICE FLYERS VS. KNOXVILLE ICE BEARS 7:05 p.m. $15-$29. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com MEDITATION 7:15-8:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org CIRQUE ITALIA 7:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com MUSIC HALL ARTIST SERIES 7:30 p.m. $5-$16. Free for UWF students. Saxophonist Christopher Creviston and pianist Hannah Creviston. University of West Florida, Bldg. 82, 11000 University Parkway. uwf. edu 2017 DANCE PENSACOLA FINALS 9 p.m. Dance competition. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com AFTER GAME SKATE 9:30 p.m. $9-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

FRIDAY 3.31

JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES SALE 7 a.m.-4

p.m. All items on sale for $5. Baptist Hospital, Heritage Room, 1300 W. Moreno St.

Let’s Wine!

Free Wine Tasting Every Thursday AWM 5pm - 7pm

PILATES MAT 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational 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 JAZZ SHABBAT 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. Feat. Klezmateers. Temple Beth El, 800 N. Palafox. templebethelofpensacola.org

GIVEAWAY: HANGOUT FEST 2017

BAYFRONT WINE FESTIVAL: WINE PAIRED DINNER 6 p.m. Jaco's Bayfront Bar & Grill, 997 S.

Palafox. jacosbayfrontbarandgrille.com

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 OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Single Fin Cafe, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/singlefincafe CIRQUE ITALIA 7:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com WHISKEY MYERS 8 p.m. $10. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

T S A L L! CAL

SATURDAY 4.1

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. Meet at Naval Live Oaks Headquarters, located on Highway 98 about two miles east of Gulf Breeze on the right. 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 A BARK TO REMEMBER 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. DEBBY'S KITCHEN: LEMONCELLO TIRAMASU

If you're anything like us, you're already counting down the days until May 19—aka the first day of Hangout Fest 2017. Headliners for this year's fest include Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, Frank Ocean and Chance The Rapper. They've also got Major Lazer, Weezer, MGMT, Mac DeMarco and about 65 more acts we're dying to check out. As if that badass line-up alone wasn't enough to get you packing up and heading to the beach, Inweekly has partnered with Hangout Fest to give away a pair of general admission, three-day passes to the festival. All you have to do to win is tell us your name, email and who you'd bring with you to the beach. Super easy, right?

You can enter the contest here: jotform.com/70584238491967 *Please note: Each email address entered will only be counted once. Winners must provide their own hotel and travel arrangements. Contest ends March 31.

HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2017

WHEN: Friday, May 19—Sunday, May 21 WHERE: Gulf Shores, AL TICKETS: Three day GA/VIP/SUPER VIP tickets on sale now DETAILS: hangoutmusicfest.com

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27 S. 9th Ave. | 850•433•9463 AragonWineMarket.com 636 3

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Easter Sunday Brunch BOTTOMLESS CHAMPAGNE AND MIMOSAS FOR $5 AND BLOODY MARYS FOR $2

EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 16, FROM 11 A.M. UNTIL 3 P.M. Chef de Cuisine Jason Hughes has created a special Easter brunch feature of smothered Lamb Boudin Benedict with griddled, house-made lamb boudin cakes, toasted French bread, Cajun white beans with braised ham, soft poached eggs, stone-ground pepper jack grits, wilted spinach and hollandaise sauce. We will also be serving from our standard brunch menu with all your Fish House favorites. Additionally, we will be open for dinner service. For details, visit fishhousepensacola.com.

FISH HOUSE: OPEN DAILY AT 11 A.M. · ATLAS OYSTER HOUSE: OPEN MON.–SAT. 5 P.M., SUN. 11 A.M. · (850) 470-0003 · 600 S. BARRACKS ST. March 30, 2017

calendar 10 a.m.-12 p.m. $10-$15. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 Garden St. everman.org JAZZFEST 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Seville Square, corner of E. Government St. and S. Alcaniz St. jazzpensacola.com FAMILIES COOK: EASTER BREAD MAKING CLASS

12 p.m. $50. Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. cookingschoolsofamerica.com/ pensacolacooks 3RD ANNUAL PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY GOLF TOURNAMENT 1 p.m. $87.50 per person,

$350 per foursome. Marcus Pointe Golf Club, 2500 Oak Pointe Dr. pensacolahumane.org BAYFRONT WINE FESTIVAL 1-4 p.m. Jaco's Bayfront Bar & Grill, 997 S. Palafox. jacosbayfrontbarandgrille.com CIRQUE ITALIA 1:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com FREE FILM SCREENING: LIFE IN A JAR 2:30 p.m. Ashmore Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. CIRQUE ITALIA 4:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com FAMILIES COOK: EASTER BREAD MAKING CLASS

4 p.m. $50. Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. cookingschoolsofamerica. com/pensacolacooks LEAVE A LEGACY FUNDRAISER 6-9 p.m. $50$60. Proceeds benefit Visual Arts Association of NWF. Address provided upon ticket purchase. visualartsnwf.com COLOR ME CABARET 7 p.m. $75. Pensacola

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Little Theatre Annual Fundraiser. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com ICE FLYERS VS. KNOXVILLE ICE BEARS 7:05 p.m. $15-$29. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com CIRQUE ITALIA 7:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com PENSACOLA SYMPHONY PRESENTS: RUSSIAN SPECTACULAR 7:30 p.m. $22 and up. Saenger

Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com FREE FILM SCREENING: LIFE IN A JAR 7:30 p.m. Ashmore Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. THE MAD VIOLINIST 7:30 p.m. $15-$20. The Imogene Theatre, 6866 Caroline St. Milton. theimogenetheatre.com MUSCADINE BLOODLINE 8 p.m. $10. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com AFTER GAME SKATE 9:30 p.m. $9-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

SUNDAY 4.2

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 follow at an area restaurant. JAZZFEST 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Seville Square, corner of E. Government St. and S. Alcaniz St. jazzpensacola.com PUBLIC ICE SKATE 1:30, 3 & 4:30 p.m. $9-$12.

Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com CIRQUE ITALIA 2:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com FREE FILM SCREENING: LIFE IN A JAR 2:30 p.m. Ashmore Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. SOUTHEASTERN TEEN SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: SHENANIGANS 4-5 p.m. Free. 1010 N. 12th

Ave. setsco.org/first-city-shakespeare REPAST-FARM TO TABLE EVENT 5 p.m. $75$100. Four-course meal with Pensacola chefs. 100 N. Palafox. eventbrite.com CIRQUE ITALIA 5:30 p.m. $10 and up. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. cirqueitalia.com

MONDAY 4.3

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 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. dancecraftfl.com

CCFA 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SHOVELS & ROPE 7 p.m. $20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com THE RIDES 7:30 p.m. $45-85. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com HIP-HOP DANCE LESSONS 8-9 p.m. $10. Learn hip-hop moves from a professional instructor. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com

TUESDAY 4.4

COMPLEMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m.

SoGourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com ITALIAN WINE DINNER 6 p.m. $85-plus tax. Union Public House, 309 S. Reus St. Reservations required, 607-6320. FUNKY YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org DR. HENRY LANGHORNE POETRY READING

6:30 p.m. Christ Episcopal Church, 18 W. Wright S. COUNTRY DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. $10. Country Two Step, East Coast Swing, Competition Choreography and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com

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news of the weird TP GOES HIGH TECH China's public-park restrooms have for years suffered toiletpaper theft by local residents who raid dispensers for their own homes (a cultural habit, wrote Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, expressing taxpayer feelings of "owning" public facilities), but the government recently fought back with technology. At Beijing's popular Temple of Heaven park, dispensers now have facial-recognition scanners beside the six toilets, with pre-cut paper (about 24 inches long) issued only to users who pose for a picture. (Just one slug of paper can be dispensed to the same face in a 9-minute period, catastrophic for the diarrhea-stricken and requiring calling an attendant to override the machine.) LATEST RELIGIOUS MESSAGES The churchstate "wall" leaks badly in Spindale, North Carolina, according to former members of the Word of Faith Fellowship (reported in February by the Associated Press). Two state prosecutors (one a relative of the church's founder), in nearby Burke and Rutherford counties, allegedly coached Fellowship members and leaders how to neutralize government investigations into church "abuse"—coaching that would violate state law and attorney ethical standards. Fellowship officials have been accused of beating "misbehaving" congregants, including children, in order to repel their demons. (Among the Fellowship's edicts revealed in the AP report: All dating, marriages and procreation subject to approval; no wedding-night intimacy beyond a "godly" cheek kiss; subsequent marital sex limited to 30 minutes, no foreplay, lights off, missionary position.) THE BEDROOM OF TOMORROW In March, vibrator customers were awarded up to $10,000 each in their class-action "invasion of privacy" lawsuit against the company Standard Innovation, whose We-Vibe model's smartphone app collected intimate data (vibrator temperature and motor intensity) that could be associated with particular customers—and which were easily hackable, and controllable, by anyone nearby with a Bluetooth connection. The Illinois federal court limited the award to $199 for anyone who bought the vibrator but did not activate the app. PERSPECTIVE The U.S. House of Representatives, demonstrating particular concern for military veterans, enhanced vets' civil rights in March by removing a source of delay in gun purchases. A 2007 law had required all federal agencies to enter any mentally-ill clients into the National Instant Criminal Background Check database for gun purchases, but the new bill exempts veterans (including, per VA estimates, 19,000 schizophrenics and 15,000 with "severe" post-traumatic stress syndrome). (An average of a dozen veterans a day in recent times have committed suicide with guns.)

by Chuck Shepherd

FINE POINTS OF THE LAW Police and prosecutors in Williamsburg, Virginia, are absolutely certain that Oswaldo Martinez raped and killed a teenage girl in 2005, but, though he was quickly arrested, they have—12 years later—not even put him on trial. Martinez, then 33, is still apparently, genuinely (i.e., not faking) deaf, illiterate and almost mute, and besides that, the undocumented Salvadoran immigrant has such limited intelligence that test after test has shown him incapable of understanding his legal rights, and therefore "incompetent" to stand trial. (Police made multiple "slam dunk" findings of Martinez's DNA on the victim's body and also linked Martinez via a store camera to the very bottle of juice left at the crime scene.)

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

EYEWITNESS NEWS On the morning of March 20 in Winter Park, Florida, Charles Howard, standing outside his home being interviewed live by a WFTV reporter, denied he had committed a crime in a widely reported series of voicemail messages to a U.S. Congressman, containing threats to "wrap a rope around your neck and hang you from a lamp post." He boasted that "proof" of his having done nothing wrong was that if he had, he would have already been arrested. "Three minutes later," according to the reporter, agents drove up and arrested Howard. PEOPLE DIFFERENT FROM US Hey, How About a Little "Remorse": (1) Royce Atkins, 23, told the judge in Northampton County (Pennsylvania) in March that he was so sorry he did not stop his car in 2015 and help that 9-yearold boy he had just hit and killed. However, Atkins had earlier been jailhouse-recorded viciously trash-talking the boy's family for "reacting like they're the victims. What about my family? My family is the victim, too." (Atkins got a four-year sentence.) (2) In February, in a Wayne County (Michigan) court during sentencing for a DUI driver who had killed a man and severely injured his fiancee, Judge Qiana Lillard kicked the driver's mother out of the courtroom for laughing at the victim's sister who was tearfully addressing the judge. (Lillard sentenced the mother to 93 days for contempt, but later reduced it to one day). THE ARISTOCRATS! Among the facts revealed in the ongoing criminal proceedings against U.S. Navy officials and defense contractor Leonard ("Fat Leonard") Francis, who is charged with arranging kickbacks: In 2007, Francis staged a party for the officials at the Shangri-La Hotel in the Philippines during which (according to an indictment unsealed in March) "historical memorabilia related to General Douglas MacArthur were used by the participants in sexual acts." {in}

Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com March 30, 2017

Feeling Cheated by Volkswagen Diesel?

NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME

Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Ideal Dog 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 Sam’s Dollar Store intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Tallahassee, FL.

Lauren E. Turner 10035 Calle De Palencia Navarre, FL 32566

Samuel Knight 1149 Capitol Blvd. Pensacola, FL 32505 39

Caps Off to All Who Make Our Community Better! The Lewis Bear Company and the Bear Family would like to thank everyone who shares our commitment to giving back. We are grateful and indebted to the members of our company and to everyone in the community who volunteer their time and talents to make a positive impact in Northwest Florida.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE HONORED ON THE IN 2017 POWER LIST Independent News | March 30, 2017 | inweekly.net LB0205 Power List 2017 ad.indd 1

3/23/17 8:42 AM