tracy johnstone

Just got my tickets! onthestage.tickets/show/panama-ci… #onthestage

@WaffleHouse It is unbelievably hot in here, and all of your folks working behind the counter are red in the face from the heat and humidity. Please help your location in Panama City, Florida, at the corner of Martin Luther King and 231. They say it is an ongoing issue.

if we're awake past midnight, there's a good chance we're thinking about this:

@ryantyre Sweet Jesus

If you are wondering why citizens are being turned away that are coming to help NC and TN - you'll want to hear my experience as someone who has been doing this as a private citizen for almost a decade. I was able to get into, and out of Asheville. We brought food, water, fuel and other supplies as well as helped people affected by the floods, but there are reasons why they are not allowing outside help. I cannot confirm the reasons why in NC, but i can tell you the reasons in other storms i have worked - i'll explain below. Let me share with you the first disaster area that i finally realized that this was all about money. In the FL Keys with Hurricane Irma, after Texas got hit with Harvey, we finished our efforts in Texas and were the first citizen team to make it to Key Largo. The federal agencies had US1 shut down just South of Key Largo and wouldn't let anyone in or out, even though the road was okay to pass. We explained to them that we had boats, Jet skis, food, water, chainsaws and fuel to bring these people. They didn't care and wouldn't let us in. It was night by that point and you rarely saw the lights of vehicles in the distance on the individual keys, meaning the emergency response teams from FEMA weren't even working, it was all quiet. We decided that we would go in anyways. We filled up the boats and jet skis with all that we could reasonably carry and went by water, around all their BS blockades and around their law enforcement presence on the water. It was 87 miles by water to get to our first stop, Cudjoe Key and Sugarloaf Key. When we arrived there we were greeted by a homeowner (for privacy, I won't name him, though we have video) who was elated to see us and all the supplies we brought, his house was in shambles. We started offloading supplies on the shoreline and helping to get them into what was left of his house. During that process, he explained to us that FEMA had set up a command center at a local high school on the island, but that they weren't doing anything to help the residents, not even bringing them WATER! Instead, he explained that they were driving around using a loudspeaker, telling people to stay in their homes. They weren't even helping the home owners with supplies. I was skeptical at first while he was telling me all of this, but then he said something that broke my heart.... He told us that the people of the keys were all in despair, because they had just seen, weeks before, the overwhelming support for Texas with Hurricane Harvey, by the citizens of this country. He, and his neighbors on all of the keys, felt like Americans had forgotten about them completely, because at this point, FIVE DAYS after landfall, all they had seen was FEMA, and they were of NO HELP. The residents were cut off from the outside world, no cellular, no internet, no way to contact anyone or hear of any efforts to try to help them. The ONLY communication they had was from a local radio station on Sugarloaf Key, that was broadcasting on AM to the surrounding keys. The man, after hearing that there were citizens trying to bring them help, but being refused entry by federal law enforcement was visibly upset. He, and his neighbors, really thought the country had abandoned them. He insisted that we get into his waterlogged truck and that he would take us to that radio station so that we could go live on air, to tell the citizens trapped in the Keys that we, the American people, were there to help and that the government was trying to stop our efforts. And that is exactly what we did. After that, we were determined to help as many people as we could, but we were met with red tape throughout the whole process and time we were in the keys. We finally we able to talk some authorities to let us down to the Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon towards the end of Boot Key. This was the same hotel where state and local authorities were staging their personnel and they were happy to see us. I was able to coordinate several trucks full of supplies to be brought down to the EOC in Marathon. I was privy to the EOC meeting, BUT was informed in that meeting, that all of the semi trucks full of food, water and hygiene supplies were to be turned around and not allowed to be offloaded for distribution by the EOC. THE REASON they gave us, was that these donations were not from companies on their "preferred vendors list" and that they would not accept them or give them to the residents of the keys impacted by the storm. It was at that point that I realized, this is ALL ABOUT MONEY. These 'preferred vendors" are getting part of the money being released by the state and federal govt for each disaster. In turn, some of the "vendors" make it on the list because a friend gets them on the list, and in return for getting ridiculously outlandish amounts of compensation for the services they render, they give kickbacks. So accepting outside donations, even though they are on location and can help people NOW, they would rather let people suffer so they can get their kickbacks. This meeting solidified my resolve to help these people, regardless of what the greedy officials wanted, we were going to feed the lower keys that were being neglected. I diverted ALL SEMI TRUCKS to the Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon and filled the entire first floor with pallets upon pallets of food, water and essential supplies and created a food pantry for residents to come and get anything, and however much they needed. From local state troopers to the homeless, all were given wheel barrels and free reign to get anything they needed. We also delivered supplies down to Big Pine Key. We helped establish the tent city on Big Pine Key. Big companies like Titos Vodka and Whelen just kept bringing trucks full of everything that was needed. When FEMA FINALLY started handing out boxes of canned goods (limited to one per household), we were filing cars full of food and supplies for people and pets. There is so much more to the story in the Keys and further from there in other storms we worked- the common theme though, is that the federal government always tries to keep citizens from helping and the local authorities, the ones that live and work in the area are always happy to have outside help. I call out to Elon Musk and anyone else who can monetarily help people like myself and those that work with me, who have the knowledge and the will to help those devastated by these disasters. Help us side step the red tape and get the people the relief they need. We are willing, and we are many, and we are ready. @Sassafrass_84 @hodgetwins @elonmusk @Alphafox78

Donate to Aid @McDonalds Families in Crisis in the NC area! Funds are distributed directly to the individuals impacted. gofund.me/9b0b3746

If you’re looking for a world-class ops leader, don’t hire an MBA who did a management rotation program at GE or Boeing. Hire a store manager from Walmart or Olive Garden. These people have seen it all, and they’re as good as it gets when it comes to leadership in the trenches: - They’ve worked their way up from the bottom (most started out as checkout clerks / truck unloaders / waiters), rather than getting parachuted into managerial positions after getting business degrees. That bullet point about “assuming progressively more responsibilities” on a resume? There’s no better example than going from making $8/hour on the graveyard shift to earning $200k+ leading a team of 300 people. - They know how to build large teams, lead them in a united direction, handle the conflicts that inevitably result when you employ several hundred workers in one place, and manage highly complex schedules. - Outside of Marines, there’s no one better when it comes to the concept of adapt, improvise, and overcome (and, like many Marine leaders, they’ve probably had to bail more than one employee out of jail under questionable circumstances). Truck gets delayed on the way from the distribution center and you’re about to open up on Black Friday without the main doorbuster? Lose three employees over the weekend because Arby’s is offering 50 cents per hour more pay? Old person slips in the bathroom and has to get transported to the ER? All in a day’s work. - They know how to manage down the hierarchy (entry-level employees who may not have even graduated high school) and up the hierarchy (district managers, leaders at headquarters, etc.) alike. And they also know how to work with community leaders, government officials, and local politicians. - They know how to manage physical inventory, supply chains, and logistics. (Don’t underestimate the challenge of handling142,000 different SKUs in one store!). - They might not have finance degrees, but I guarantee you they know their P&L as well as any CEO does. - And, most importantly, they know how to WORK THEIR ASSES OFF. Seriously, go hire a Walmart manager. $240k is a bargain for everything you’re getting.

I just got tickets to Redfish Film Fest via FilmFreeway! Check it out: filmfreeway.com/RedfishFilmFest -

Kiva is an easy way to make a real difference in someone's life. Will you join me in helping Petrona Julia in Leon to pursue their dream? kiva.org/invitedby/trac… #microloan #kivalove via @Kiva

Support the Beach Drive Multi-Use Path Initiative: Uniting Health, Heritage, and Nature chng.it/n6WTBfSZ via @Change

So, I spoke to people getting food at a food bank and here are some things I learned from those in need: 1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks. 2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of. 3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles. 4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops. 5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of. 6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift. 7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care. 8. Sugar and flour are treats. 9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores. 10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some. 11. They rarely get fresh meat. 12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch. 13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef. 14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread. 15. Butter or margarine is nice too. 16. Eggs are a real commodity. 17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake. 18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated. 19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that. 20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing. In all the years I have donated food at the Holidays, I bought what I thought they wanted, but have never asked. I am glad I did. If you are helping a Family this Christmas, maybe this can help you tailor it more. It does for me!

A LOOK BACK: It's been 5 years since #HurricaneMichael made landfall in our community. Here's a look back at the moment WMBB was knocked off the air as Hurricane Michael damaged our building.

@Delta is not cool to use a run-down airplane on a long-haul flight for Delta One service. My seat is taped together, the bathroom cabinet is taped together, no wifi. Last minute change since partner @airfrance never assigned our seats. Sloppy, not like you, disappointed!

@Delta Not cool to spring no wifi on a long haul flight abroad!

When the flight has Wi-Fi, and it’s free for SkyMiles members >>> What are you doing on board? *Available on all domestic and international flights by the end of 2024. Wi-Fi Terms of use apply.

Tracy Johnstone | Johnstone Difference johnstonedifference.com

Find your ground truth in the dinning room. johnstonedifference.com/why-owner-oper…