Mural Program Brings Fresh Color to Downtown Panama City

August 18, 2021

By Bay Arts Alliance

The Bay Arts Mural Program is about to complete the biggest mural to date. It is located on the side of Ocean Oriental Market on 6th Street and Harrison Avenue and has been named “the Welcome Wall.”

The wall features eight local artists who are longtime fixtures of the arts community. The artists were each assigned a section to create art in their own unique style, essentially creating eight different murals on one wall.

“We’ve been planning and working on this mural for a year now, and we are so excited that it’s finally becoming a reality,” said Jayson Kretzer, executive director of Bay Arts Alliance. “This wall is the perfect place to introduce locals and visitors alike to the amazing and diverse group of artists we are lucky to have here in Panama City.”

The artists who are featured on the wall are: Heather Clements, Christon Anderson, Joyful Enriquez, Jayson Kretzer, Paul Brent, Olga Guy, Christence Taylor, and Heather Parker.

“Murals are very expensive undertakings between artist fees, supplies, protective coatings, and equipment,” said Jayson. “We would not have been able to paint this mural without the support of the owners of Ocean Oriental Market, the Downtown Improvement Board, and the incredibly generous donation of a boom lift by United Rentals. We can’t thank them enough!”

“Public art is a priority for downtown so it’s only natural that the DIB supports the mural program,” said Catherine Shores, a DIB board member and downtown building owner. “This program, implemented by Bay Arts Alliance, has brought us three so far, with many more on the way. Seeing people enjoy these installations is awesome!”

Bay Arts Alliance
Since 1978, Bay Arts Alliance has served as the local arts agency for Bay County. Their mission is to support, promote, and develop the arts as essential to the revitalization and growth of our community. They provide opportunities for enrichment through exhibitions, educational experiences, and quality performances. They are committed to responding to the ever-changing needs of the community, supporting innovation, and connecting endeavors of all arts organizations. Bay Arts Alliance has brought countless national touring performances to the area and was the primary force behind the annual Backstage Pass concert series at the Marina Civic Center.

For more information, visit their website at www.bayarts.org. For artist opportunities go to https://www.pccenterforthearts.com/artist-opportunities.

Be Yourself

August 20, 2021

You can make the world a better place. Discover wisdom and peace.

Serenity Retreats: a Respite for Mind, Body, and Soul

August 25, 2021

By Maggie Little

If we thought we had control over our lives, the pandemic of 2020 has taught us to think again. The question is no longer, “Am I in control or not?” Rather it is, “How do I respond in a situation beyond my control?” Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer offers an oft-quoted solution:

“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.”

Mallory Fields, owner of the new business, Serenity Retreats, had already been deeply impacted by this prayer long before the pandemic. Finding herself immersed in a painful family situation, Mallory courageously sought the means to come to terms with her circumstances. Rather than lashing out in anger, she chose to fall back on her faith. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she sought help from counselors at an intensive Christian retreat in Colorado. It was there that she encountered The Serenity Prayer.

The Serenity Prayer along with her own, “Lord, can there be a beautiful purpose for my pain?”, inspired her to launch this new endeavor. Her focus? She wants to extend help to other women struggling with the grief, betrayal, or tasked with caring for a sick child, spouse or parent. “So much of grief is private in nature, I wanted to create a retreat, more dynamic than the one I attended in Colorado, where women can come alongside others in their pain to participate in a whole-body approach to healing,” Mallory said. “I had a dream for women to come together for a healing experience that would engage the mind, body, and soul.”

The three-day, all-inclusive Serenity Retreats are based on four basic pillars. First, the retreat is set in a beautiful beach home in Grayton Beach, Florida. The beach landscape, along with an intimate setting with other women and a personal in-home chef on hand to prepare fresh, healthy, and delicious meals are just part of the Serenity retreat package. “I want these women to feel pampered and cared for. I want to show them that God cares for them in their suffering, that he loves to give great gifts, and that his steadfast love never ceases,” Mallory explains.

Second, the retreat features fifteen hours of group intensives led by qualified and skilled counselors. Mallory believes there can be significant healing in a group setting. “One can see that their own struggles are often shared by others. This shared experience can lead to understanding, hope, and change. Immersing themselves in group therapy intensives will give attendees needed tools that they can take home and implement in their daily lives,” says Mallory.

Third, several wellness activities such as biking along scenic 30A, paddle boarding on the area’s emerald waters, and hiking in beautiful Grayton Beach State Park will be encouraged as a means to reduce stress. Mallory’s hope is that when women find fun and relaxation through these retreat activities, they will feel inspired to implement daily movement when they return to their homes.

Last, but not least, the retreats are centered on a biblical curriculum. Mallory believes if retreat attendees want their lives to change, they must engage with Scripture. She says in this biblical approach to healing, women are taught to cry out to God in their pain and trust that he will hear them.

Mallory emphasizes that attending a Serenity Retreat will require attendees to accept that they need help. “It will take courage to move forward with healing,” Mallory explains, but she attests that those who attend will receive help in the process. To book a retreat for yourself or someone else please visit www.serenity-retreats.com.

For those who wish to receive individual one-on-one counseling with a licensed therapist, an individual retreat option is also available. Both group and individual retreats will begin in October-November of 2021.

11th Annual Women’s Work-Life Symposium Sept. 24

August 25, 2021

The Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the 11th Annual Women’s Work-Life Symposium presented by Emerald Coast Hospice. The date is set for Friday, September 24, at FSU Panama City’s Holley Academic Center and will take place from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., with a cocktail hour to follow.

At this leading women’s event on the Emerald Coast, over 300 women will have the opportunity to come together for a full day of networking, professional development, and personal growth opportunities. The day will feature two influential speakers, Pam Tebow and Kay Frances, that will both address topics beneficial to help women maintain a healthy work-life balance. Attendees will be able to select from six breakout workshops of their choice.

Attendees will also enjoy a delicious networking breakfast catered by Cahall’s Deli, a coffee bar, mimosas, as well as lunch catered by Beau’s. An exhibitor showcase where attendees will have the opportunity to shop at a variety of unique booths will be featured during the event breaks and continue throughout the event. The day-long event will conclude with an unwinding social hour on the water-front terrace with cocktails and desserts.

Each woman will receive the much-anticipated Women’s Symposium swag bag filled with premium items and a Symposium Journal with information on all speakers, the event, sponsors, and exhibitors. Door prizes and giveaways will also be presented throughout the day.

Register today and treat yourself to an experience that will leave you feeling empowered, encouraged, and ready to take on the world! Please go to www.pcbeach.org/women for more information and to register.

Thinking Outside the “Big Box Store”

August 25, 2021

By Kim Brazell, Marketing Director, Flooring Depot of Panama City

When you think about buying new floors for your home, what’s your first thought? Do you think about what type of flooring you want – hardwood or luxury vinyl plank (LVP), carpet or tile? Or are you looking for the best deal? Do you think the only options for buying flooring are the big box stores because they must have the biggest selection? Right? Wrong. It’s time to start thinking outside the “big box” and look to your local retailer. You might be surprised just how much you get when you step outside the box.

Selection, Selection, Selection
Flooring Depot of Panama City, a locally owned and operated retailer with the largest selection of flooring in Bay County, offers a number of top national brands including Mohawk, MSI, Florida Tile, Karastan, Armstrong, Engineered Floors, Southwind, Marquis and many others. The store is full of options, not just one small section, delegated to the back of a “big box.” Whether you are looking for hardwood, luxury vinyl flooring or carpet, the color options and brands are numerous. Flooring Depot even allows you to take home a sample so that you can see the color and style in your space before you order. Just check out the sample and bring it back when you are done.

Budget and Price
When you begin to look for floors make sure you know two things – approximately how much you are going to need and your budget. Don’t worry about getting your measurements exactly right. A member of our installation team will do more precise measurements once you select your product. But for the purpose of buying, knowing how much you need allows you to look at options that keep you in your desired budget.
Don’t be shy about sharing your budget with your salesperson. They can best help you if they know exactly what you are looking to do and how much you want to spend. Not only is our selection second to none, but our prices are competitive. We will meet or beat most box store quotes. Working one-on-one with a salesperson in a locally owned and operated business means there is flexibility in pricing to stay within your budget.

Knowledge and Customer Service
Purchasing flooring is a long-term investment. So, you want to choose a retailer that is both knowledgeable about the products they carry, but also provides prompt and expert customer service. Our professional sales staff is highly trained and only sells flooring. They aren’t stretched department to department. They are experts and can help you get the absolute best product for your money.

In-Store Financing
Do you think only big box stores offer in-store financing? Flooring Depot of Panama City offers a Direct to Device financing program through Synchrony Bank. If you are interested in pursuing this option, we will send you a code directly to your tablet or phone where you will apply for in-store credit. We don’t see your information, only Synchrony does. They work to approve your application quickly so that you can immediately begin shopping using your approval to purchase the product you want.

Installation
Are you a DIYer that’s comfortable installing a floor or are you one that wouldn’t know a level if it smacked you in the hand? Tons of customers fall into both categories. If you’re a DIYer, our sister store, Coastal Flooring Supplies, (located right next door to Flooring Depot) has all the items you need. The sales staff there can guide you in selecting the best supplies for your project.

If you’d rather have our experts do the heavy lifting, then we’ll schedule your installation once your products arrive. All you need to do is open your home, and we’ll take care of the rest. Our installations come with a one-year guarantee.

No matter your flooring needs, we have you covered! Come see us at 1310 W. 15th Street, Panama City, FL or give us a call at (850) 785-2216. flooringdepotofpanama.com

Why Is Inflation Rising Yet Treasury Yields Are Not?

August 25, 2021

By Maurice Stouse, Financial Advisor and Branch Manager

The latest reads on inflation have it running at levels not seen in over three decades—CPI at 5.4%, PPI at 7.2% and PCE at 3.9%. One report after another sends the signal that inflation is taking hold. Many economists and even the Federal Reserve (as well as the White House) strongly suggest that this is transitory. That it is the result of the economic reopening and the supply chain disruption. That supply chain disruption, as we understand it now, includes the labor supply. The U.S. seems to be facing a labor shortage in some industries. That has led to wage inflation as well. Wage inflation is usually the last thing to follow price inflation. As we have mentioned before, we feel present-day inflation is the result of the stimulus – the creation of additional dollars by the Federal Reserve. This is also known as monetary inflation.

With inflation and the economy “running hot,” would it not seem to follow that it would 1) put pressure on the value of the dollar (downward) and 2) put pressure on bond yields (upward) and mainly Treasury bond yields? The strange phenomenon occurring, however, is that inflation is rising, yet bond yields are declining. To many that does not seem to make sense. The financial media are full of thoughts as to why this might be occurring. Here are a few thoughts for you.

CNBC recently reported that some (unnamed sources) say that investors and institutions have locked in the significant gains they have seen this year and are selling their stocks and parking those gains and funds into Treasuries. Other reports point to de-risking by investors in anticipation of economic slowdowns due to the spread of the coronavirus. We have been researching other periods of high debt relative to GDP. One thing we take note of is the post WW2 period where the U.S.’ debt to GDP ratio was 108%. A rate many would argue was not sustainable. What happened over the next decade, for several reasons, was that the debt to GDP ratio shrank to 40%. The U.S. inflated its way out of that high debt ratio. In other words, the economic growth far outpaced the debt.

That begs the question: Is that potentially happening again? In other words, is one of the ends in mind is to inflate the country out of the high debt ratio we are currently in? Actions by the Fed – and words from The White House – give us reason to consider that the Fed’s easy monetary policy is likely to continue, and that inflation is real and not transitory. Inflation ran at under 2% for the past generation and a half and now could be running at 50 – 100% higher than that for the foreseeable future. We figure that to make inflation 3-5% over the next few years.

What this means to investors is to look at their holdings in terms of not only risk, time frame and objective, but also in terms of real return. Real return is the rate of return left after the rate of inflation. Current CPI rates would mean an investment returning 5% has a real return of -.4%. That means shrinking vs. growing purchasing power. Higher rates of inflation typically bring higher rates in yields and savers and income investors have yet to see that. That is so because there are more buyers than sellers for bonds, mainly Treasury bonds. The near-term impact (with the caveat that corrections could literally happen any hour of any given trading day) could mean that, along with the tremendous amount of liquidity out there, stocks, real estate and commodities have greater upside potential than downside risk given the strength of the economic recovery and the increased earnings corporations are experiencing. You need to go a step further with stocks and focus on those that are inflation resistant or inflation resilient. Those would be the value stocks and funds like cyclicals, industrials, financials and the like. Real estate could mean buying land, dwellings or perhaps utilizing REITs in the stock market.

Such scenarios have not always favored growth-oriented investments such as technology stocks. Do take note that over the most recent short-term technology has had a strong recovery when considering the 2Q of this year. Investors do not want to ignore the innovation and profitability that technology can bring. We think investors should add to or begin building value-oriented holdings, but not necessarily rotate out of growth-oriented holdings.

Should rates resume their rise again (The U.S. Treasury 10-year note was at 1.77% in March and is at 1.29% at this writing), we believe, based upon historical reactions, that rates would need to rise to 2.75% for investors to begin to see the negative long-term effects that would have on equities (stocks). The 10-year U.S. Treasury note is an often turned to barometer for the stock market as well as for mortgage rates. The 30-year is more associated with inflation.

This, of course, addresses investments as a class vs. looking at certain sectors or segments of the market. We still believe in the words Warren Buffet spoke when he urged investors to focus on buying great businesses vs. just buying investments. We would add to that to be a buy and hold investor until your objectives, risk tolerance and time frame change.
The First Wealth Management is located at First Florida Bank, a division of the First, A National Banking Association, 2000 98 Palms Blvd., Destin, FL 32541. Branch offices in Niceville, Mary Esther, Miramar Beach, Freeport and Panama City. Phone 850.654.8124.
Raymond James advisors do not offer tax advice. Please see your tax professionals. Email: Maurice.stouse@raymondjames.com. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, and are not insured by bank insurance, the FDIC, or any other government agency, are not deposits or obligations of the bank, are not guaranteed by the bank, and are subject to risks, including the possible loss of principal. Investment Advisory Services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

The First Wealth Management First Florida Bank, and The First, A National Banking Association are not registered broker/dealers and are independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

Views expressed are the current opinion of the author, not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James, and are subject to change without notice. Information provided is general in nature and is not a complete statement of all information necessary for making an investment decision and is not a recommendation or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Investors should consult their investment professional prior to making an investment decision.

Investing in oil involves special risks, including the potential adverse effects of state and federal regulation and may not be suitable for all investors.

Treasury Inflation Protection Securities, or TIPS, adjust the invested principal base by the CPI-U at a semiannual rate. Rate of inflation is based on the CPI-U, which has a three-month lag. Investing within specific sectors, or in small and mid-size companies, involves unique, additional risks. Those risks include limited diversification, regulatory risks, limited liquidity, and lack of operating history.

There is an inverse relationship between interest rate movements and fixed income prices. Generally, when interest rates rise, fixed income prices fall and when interest rates fall, fixed income prices rise.

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of mutual funds before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other information about mutual funds. The prospectus and summary prospectus are available from your financial advisor and should be read carefully before investing.

Studio 237 Music School: Types of Music Students

August 25, 2021

By Lisa Cyr

Every so often, I see a social media post about a quiz to discover one’s personality, IQ, best diet plan, makeup, hair color etc.… It’s fun learning about oneself. Usually, there is a profile name type and corresponding letter abbreviation. If there was a quiz you took to discover your music student type, then, the names might go like this:

The Serious Dedicated Student (SDS) is the type to practice 30 to 60 minutes (or more) five days a week, progressing 2 to 3 levels in one year. They love the classics (various genres) and are focused on playing every note correctly and increasing to a faster tempo. Their ability to read music grows quickly since they hunger to complete their songs with a spirit of excellence. Expression, accurate tempo, and emotion is an intricate part of play which fuels their cycle of study. SDS’s become strong performers, competitors, teachers, politicians, doctors, and musicians.

The Sacrificial Offering Student (SOS) is seeking to please their parents. They communicate their boundaries right away by saying, “I am only here because my _________ is making me.” or “This is just a hobby for me” or “We inherited my great aunt’s piano so……”. I usually smile and say, “Well, let’s make the best of this situation and pick out some fun songs.” Music appreciation is top priority and technique is second. The war of practice happens at home of which the student usually wins the prize to not practice. We choose one song to learn well and get ready for recital.

The Overcoming Student (OS) is studying music to overcome issues such as: a learning disability, hand coordination, memory, focus, following directions, shyness, bad school grades, confidence, etc.… Depending on their practice and consistent lesson attendance, an OS can develop excellent musicianship. The great reward is when their grades or functioning increases too!

The Recreational Student (RS) desires to simply have fun while learning to play. They love the process of learning and receive great reward and satisfaction from being able to play new songs and to experience improvement. Not always a recital performer but more of a music enthusiast seeking a life skill. A practice routine is usually 3 to 4 days a week. As great communicators, they let you know when things are getting a little too tough or when they want more. RS’s often become excellent players who may transform into a SDS.

The Music Appreciation Student (MAS) is a combination of the RS and SOS. This student refuses to practice yet loves music. Their parents are perfectly fine with it. So, we have the “happy/sad” lesson. The student totally forever enjoys playing at the same level without progress. Internal conflict happens when their desire for a more involved song arises and yet their ability is not developed. Once we return to their “safety level zone”, all becomes well. With no parental expectations, this is a stress-free relaxed stagnant situation.

So, here we are with the typical four quadrant student type. You are either a SDS, SOS, OS, or RS. Plus, there are lots of Variety Internal Profiles (VIP) type combinations like the MAS. As far as music study goes, I like to think that we are all VIP’s (very important persons).

Studio 237 Music lessons teaches children and adults in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Our staff of teachers are ready to teach you piano, guitar, ukulele, drums, electric guitar, bass, voice, violin, cello and more! Give Ray or Lisa Cyr a call 850.231.3199, visit our website www.Studio237Music.com.

Know Your Neighbor: Christopher Gough

August 25, 2021

By Marta Rose-Thorpe

Christopher Warren Gough comes from a family of military and criminal justice officers. He is a licensed broker within Florida, Washington, and California, with 27 years of experience in many areas of the real estate industry including training and motivating countless Top Producers. He recently joined the Keller Williams Emerald Coast family on 30A in Seacrest Beach. This Renaissance Man is a serial entrepreneur with limitless energy who has launched multiple businesses, loves engaging in many passions, hobbies and activities, and keeps his life full. Together, with his lovely bride Jess and her mother Toni, Christopher has lived in Bay County for a little more than two years. “I’ve surrounded myself with some of the most brilliantly amazing people on the planet,” he states, “and I am honored to now call Panama City Beach home.” I caught up with Christopher in July to learn a little more about his story.

A natural salesman from as early as he can remember, Christopher was brought up by his mother with the Nevada desert serving as his playground. At seven years old, he remembers helping a neighbor with her garden. “She would pay me with vegetables. I would stop by houses on my way home, my little red wagon full of vegetables, and offer them to folks.” Magically, he says, he would come home with money and have no idea what to spend it on. “I would tell my mom, ‘Let’s use it to start our own garden.’” By ten years old, he loved speaking into others, “offering ideas and input on a better tomorrow.” It is this natural gift of inspiration that Christopher has used his whole life to motivate and educate people on finding extraordinary results from ordinary situations within their lives.
“Fear not of being uncomfortable,” he says, “because those that are outside their comfort zone learn their true character.” He recalls telling his grandfather, George Gough, while they sat amongst a pile of chopped wood they cut that day, “Pappa, I know you’re sad because your chainsaw is not working but look at it this way. It broke for a reason; something made it break so you and I can talk. We can enjoy a Diet Coke, some sun on our faces, and look at all the work we did today! I feel good about it, and so should you.” His grandfather thanked him and agreed.

At 15, Christopher began attending college, studying Criminal Justice and Psychology which he loved because his grandfather had been an officer in Seattle for 28 years and most of his family had followed suit. About a year into it he was asked to stay after class. His instructor, a retired detective who had walked the beat of Seattle with his grandfather back in the 50s, asked him to explain why such an outgoing young man wanted to become a cop, suggesting that he instead would make an incredible businessman. Christopher thought about it overnight before answering, “OK, I’ll try it but if this isn’t for me, may I come back?” His instructor replied, “Not only will I count your credits, but I’ll pay for your entrance into the academy and offer a personal referral.” And with that, Christopher was guided into Business Management, later becoming a Real Estate Broker at the age of 21.

At nearly 19 while he was working on his MBA, he launched his first business, C’s Cleaning Company, during a course called “How to Launch and Succeed in Your Own Business” with the intent of students taking the data learned in class and applying it to real-life scenarios. He hired two people as cleaners for 30% of the total of each job, got a business license, placed an ad, and knew that sales were his next step. On his first Saturday of door-to-door knocking in a nearby neighborhood, he landed eight new accounts in under three hours. Inside a four-month window he grossed over $23,000 and graduated eight months later with honors. Hiring 20 full-time cleaners along the way, his business grew to 254 homes, five stores and 12 businesses within four years.

Christopher met his wife, Jess, a few years ago while wandering the vendor aisles at a home show he attended in Seattle with a friend. “I stopped at one bathroom remodel stand,” he recalls, “I had this weird feeling that I should be there. From behind me I heard the most angelic voice say, ‘That’s my favorite color.’ I spun around and locked eyes with one of the most beautiful women I have ever come face to face with.” After a few minutes of very bad jokes and babbling like a baby boy, he wandered away thinking what was that? He had taken one of her marketing magazines, and by the time he got back to his office he’d done all the research necessary to track down her phone number and sent her a text. To his surprise, minutes later a text came back, and she was elated that he had found her and reached out. One year later they were married on a beautiful ship in the middle of the Mediterranean.

When not traveling between California, Washington State, and Florida bi-weekly, Christopher enjoys a plethora of activities including golfing, boating, fishing, underwater diving, skydiving, flying (he is a private pilot), building projects, starting new businesses, and meeting new people. He is interested in learning current firearms training “with his posse,” and he trains at the gym four to five days a week. He loves drinking wines from around the globe “inside the vineyards they were grown,” and is an avid traveler. “The most memorable places I’ve traveled are the ones with white sands, turquoise waters, beautiful blue skies, and smiles of the locals who hope we never leave,” he says. “But honestly, every place I travel around the globe is like wine in my glass, and at that time, it’s my favorite.” Christopher loves helping raise funds at charitable events, citing his volunteer work with Cystic Fibrosis and children’s hospitals as his favorite passion, by far.

Christopher has numerous sayings he lives by. “The Darker the Dark, the Brighter the Light” is a favorite passage. “Do not fear failure, embrace it, and success will be that much more gratifying.” He also believes in the four F’s: Be Firm, Be Frank, Be Fair, and Be Friendly. “Use this in every situation,” he recommends. “Iron sharpens iron–surround yourself among the people that you most want to emulate.” “A rising tide raises all boats.”
“Do not fear that what you say is a waste of time, because sound travels and so does your inspiration; it will help others if you’ve desired to help yourself first.” “The one who cares the least has the most control.” This saying, he feels, is very powerful and needs to be used with caution, but when used correctly, success is inevitable. Finally, “Learn your why. It is easy to explain the where and the how, but to succeed in your life, dive as deep as you can and understand your WHY.”

I ask Christopher if he could squeeze one extra hour into his busy day, how would he spend it? “Holding my lovely wife while our puppies snuggle among us,” is his reply.

When One Door Closes, Another Opens!

August 25, 2021

By Pam Anderson

We hear that often in messages of hope; it also applies to fishing seasons. While the Federal season for Red Snapper closes as of Midnight August 2, Amberjack and Triggerfish seasons opened August 1!

Triggerfish are one of the ugliest fish you’ll encounter on the Gulf, but don’t let their looks fool you. They are quite tasty and fun to catch. Their pure white meat will bake up or fry up any way you like it and they are definitely a crowd-pleaser. The Grand Lagoon’s head-boats will be catching triggerfish-and keeping them- starting August 1 until the Federal regulators say we have reached the annual catch limit (ACL) for the Gulf. This year they have increased the ACL so we should have a longer season, hopefully at least until the end of October. You can keep one triggerfish that is 15” fork length (end of nose to fork in the tail).

Amberjack… Woohoo! If you haven’t caught one of these lively specimens, you are missing out on a challenge! Greater Amberjack season runs August 1 through October 31 with a one per person 34” fork length catch limit. Charter boats are already preparing for a great fall season, catching AJs. (Be sure to do some working out on those abs before you plan to fish for these rascals!)

Amberjack can be fried, grilled or smoked and they are always a great treat.

Bring the family and enjoy the day on our beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Whether you choose five hour, six hour, or 10 hour head-boat trips or one of the many charter boats we have to offer in Grand Lagoon, it will be a very special experience. Breathe in the fresh Gulf air, get a little sunshine, and catch supper too!

Be sure to ask about the local restaurants that will cook your catch for you. We call it ‘Hook ‘n Cook’ in PCB. You catch the fish, have them cleaned at the dockside seafood market, then take them to be cooked at a local eatery-they supply all the trimmings! Yay! No messy kitchen for Mom!

NEW this year! Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo September 22 through October 10! Make reservations soon on your favorite boat to be a part of this great event. Besides a great fall fishing tournament that includes private boats as well as charter boats and headboats – even kayaks and paddleboards, there will be events at different restaurants throughout the Grand Lagoon area over the 2 ½ weeks of the Rodeo. All details can be found at www.pcbeachfishingrodeo.com.

You can also find more info on all the great opportunities in the Grand Lagoon area at www.grandlagoon.com.

When planning your fishing trip, remember Capt. Anderson’s Marina… home of three large headboats, 35 private charter boats, and 4 dive boats… and Shell Island/Dolphin Cruises.
Capt. Anderson’s Marina…Where the fish are always biting and the kids are always smiling. captandersonsmarina.com

A Pastor’s Ponderings: Summer Refreshment for the Soul

August 25, 2021

By Pastor Jeff Wade, The Rock of Panama City Beach

As I write this today, it’s the first of August and it’s hot on the beach. It’s been kind of hot these past few days. It’s been the kind of heat that makes you want to stay inside and do as little as possible. For some reason, my family and I actually put family and church activities on the calendar this week. Not just that, but we planned these activities to be outdoors of all places. Now that they are here, I’m wondering what in the world I was thinking!! From everything to camps for kids to community service days, most of what a lot of us have been doing has been outdoors in the heat.

While I do appreciate all this abundant PCB “funshine” as I like to call it, the heat takes a huge toll on the human body. Not only am I a Pastor, but I also enjoy running. If you saw me doing it you would call it jogging, but in my own head, I like to think I am actually running. What I have experienced is that the speed and distances that I was covering back during the fall, winter, and early spring have been drastically reduced during these dog days of summer. The heat just seems to suck the life out of a human body. No matter the activity, if you stay out in the heat too long your body just simply becomes tired.

Spiritually, the same thing happens quite frequently. It’s not the sun that does it, but instead life has a way of throwing things at us that make us weary and lessens the quality of the abundant life that Jesus came to give. In our spiritual seasons, there are simply things that cause us to tire faster, lose patience quickly, and give up more easily. I suppose if we were to try and list the things that cause this, the list would be endless, but a few things come to mind that you may be experiencing. Bad relationships, resentment, people who gossip, division, traffic, Coronavirus, politics… you name it, in its right season, these things, just like the hot summer sun, sucks life out everyone, even the most seasoned believer. I can’t change the temperature, and I can’t change traffic, nor can I change many of these circumstances. And in my recognizing that, I become overwhelmingly thankful that I have the Word of God to lean on as well as a personal relationship with Jesus. All of us have access to this through the way of salvation.

Jeremiah 31:25 says, “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

This is one of many verses that I lean on during times of exhaustion both physically and spiritually. God is both the maker of the sun as well as the one who gives and refreshes us in our time of need. If you find yourself tired and weary because of life, there is a savior that we can lean on. He wants to save your soul and refresh and renew your life. Just ask him. His name is Jesus.

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