Dec 4 2014 issue

Independent News | December 4, 2014 | Volume 15 | Number 48 | inweekly.net

FREE â–ś

winners & losers 4

outtakes 5

news

buzz

6, 8

9

Everybody has a story about that bridge.

cover story 11

a&e 15

publisher Rick Outzen

art director Samantha Crooke

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Jessica Forbes, Hana Frenette, Jason Leger, Jennifer Leigh, Sarah

Holiday Gifts

calendar 16

McCartan, Chuck Shepherd contact us info@inweekly.net

music 22

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. Š 2014 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Each of the nearly 1,000 NCHC member institutions are allowed to nominate one student for this award, and the NCHC Student Concerns Committee makes the selection. Curry was selected this summer to participate in a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience at Emory University where her research focused on studying NGLY-1, a neurogenetic disorder.

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losers CHUCK HAGEL The Secretary of Defense

resigned three days before Thanksgiving Day under criticism of his effectiveness in communication the Obama administration’s policy and his ability to oversee new military campaigns against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Hagel, a former Republican senator, is the first high-level member of Obama's national security team to step down in the wake of a disastrous midterm election for the Democratic Party.

PAM BONDI Reports of lobbyists influenc-

ing the Florida Attorney General persist.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that when the cruise line Royal Caribbean sought to amend a 1997 consumer protection agreement with the Florida Attorney General's Office, her predecessor, Bill McCollum, successfully lobbied Bondi’s staff for the request. McCollum also led the Republican State Leadership Committee, which contributed $650,000 to Bondi’s re-election campaign.

DEAN CANNON Another Florida lawmaker will now cash in on his “public service” in the legislature. After waiting a required two years, former House Speaker Dean Cannon registered to lobby the Legislature on behalf of 53 clients, including AT&T, the HCA healthcare chain and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Cannon, who served as House speaker from 2010 to 2012, created the firm Capitol Insight with another former House speaker, Larry Cretul. While Cannon had not been able to lobby the Legislature since 2012, Cretul and other members of the firm have done so.

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inweekly.net

outtakes

by Rick Outzen

TIME TO HEAL Racism is not a politically correct topic.

Most whites want to deny it still exists in Northwest Florida. When AfricanAmerican leaders bring it up, then they are dismissed. When a weekly newspaper publisher does it, he gets a brick thrown through his office window.

Over the next week, this community will be talking about racism. Jackie Olive will screen her documentary that studies the history of lynchings, “Always in Season,” on Dec. 5 at Treehouse Cinema in Gulf Breeze. At week later, the Escambia Board of County Commissioners will be discussing whether to keep the Confederate Battle Flag flying over the Pensacola Bay Center.

Both the film and flag decision are about healing.

Scott Satterwhite interviewed Olive for Inweekly. A photo of a black woman, Laura Nelson, hanging alongside her 14-year-old son from a bridge inspired the filmmaker.

Above the two black bodies were several white faces, most appearing casual. The photograph drove Olive to research the history of lynching and explore the impact of racial terrorism on the perpetrators, victims, communities and even their descendants.

“In order for people to truly reconcile, there must be a sincere attempt at justice first,” Olive said. “As a country, we’ve gone straight to reconciliation. Everyone is ex-

pected to be happy and pleasant despite not having done the work of healing.”

Lynchings occurred in Pensacola. One happened just outside my office on South Palafox Street. In July 1908, Leander Shaw, a black man working near Pensacola, was lynched by an angry white mob in Plaza Ferdinand. Shaw had been accused of assaulting "a good Southern wife,” who identified him as her killer on her deathbed.

The Pensacola Journal, a predecessor to our daily newspaper, ran headlines that read: "Negro Who Assaulted Mrs. Davis Lynched By A Mob" and "Leander Shaw Pays Penalty With Life."

“Always in Season” gives us an opportunity to begin a difficult dialogue in our community that could make us stronger, which is why our paper pushed to have it screened here.

The Confederate Battle flag is another step towards healing. I understand the arguments from some that the Civil War is part of our history and those soldiers should be honored. My relatives fought at Vicksburg.

However, the war was not a just war.

White supremacist group have used the flag to rally their forces and attack AfricanAmericans. It’s a symbol of hate that evokes memories of lynchings, beatings and other racial injustices. The flag needs to come down.

Okay, let the bricks fly. {in} rick@inweekly.net

It’s a symbol of hate that evokes memories of lynchings, beatings and other racial injustices. The flag needs to come down.

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WHEN EVERYTHING WENT BLACK

The Central Booking and Detention Center / photos taken May 1, 2014

By Rick Outzen Last year, the Escambia Board of County Commissioners assumed control of the Escambia County Jail and the Central Booking and Detention Center. For months, the public was told the county was running the facilities more efficiently and cheaper than Sheriff David Morgan had done.

Then the unexpected happened. On April 30, about a half hour before midnight, the Central Booking and Detention Facility (CBD), which housed an estimated 595 inmates, exploded. Two inmates housed in holding cell #T-2 on the first floor in the booking area died. The blast injured approximately 11 correctional officers and 162 inmates. The building was a total loss with an estimated value of $45 million, including the structure and contents.

The next afternoon, Escambia County held a press conference in front of the damaged CBD with Sheriff David Morgan and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater.

Director of Corrections Gordon Pike said his staff had accounted for all inmates.

Families could visit the county website to read where their loved ones are being held.

Public Information Officer Bill Pearson dismissed the rumors that the inmates had complained about a natural gas leak hours and days before the explosion.

He said, “From everything that we’ve been told—we’ve actually gone through our 911 calls—we did not receive any calls about a gas leak before the explosion took place.”

66

County Commissioner Lumon May said that the county was working with city, sheriff and state to bring “clarity and transparency” to this situation. He called for independent investigation of the explosion to determine what happened.

State Fire Marshall Atwater pledged to find out the “origin and cause of this horrific event.”

He requested assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and on May 2, the National Response Team was activated.

ATF Special Agent Christopher Porreca headed the National Response Team, which has investigated more than 750 incidents since it was formed in 1978 to investigate major arsons and explosions. His 22-member team was assisted by investigators and technicians from ATF’s Tampa and Pensacola offices, Florida State Fire Marshall’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office.

The team obtained all available surveillance video and records. They inspected the exterior and interior of the building as best they could, considering the instability of the structure. They interviewed employees at the CBD, in facilities maintenance and with Pensacola Energy and Gulf Power.

The National Response Team produced the Origin and Cause Report that was

given to the state grand jury that reviewed the explosion. On Nov. 20, State Attorney Bill Eddins released the findings and recommendations of the grand jury, which returned a No True Bill finding, having determined there was insufficient evidence to establish any criminal charges.

Based on the ATF report and direct testimonies it heard, the grand jury determined the fatal blast was a natural gas explosion sparked in the basement area that had been flooded by unprecedented rainfall.

For county officials, the state grand jury report was good news. No one was indicted. The flooding caused the gas dryers in the basement to float and led to the subsequent explosion. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the county’s insurance carriers were waiting on the report before they could determine how much they would reimburse the county for the loss of the facility.

County Attorney Alison Rogers told Inweekly that the report allowed the county to begin working on its claim with the federal agency. “FEMA had refused to start looking at (CBD replacement) until the grand jury report was completed,” she said.

However, the grand jury report wasn’t all positive news for the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). It conflicted with Pearson’s statement the day after the explosion and the report by attorney Ed Fleming whom the county hired to investigate the incident. Pearson and Fleming said any reports of the odor of natural gas the day of explosion were unfounded.

The grand jury reported that there was a spike of natural gas flowing into the building throughout the day and night of April 30. “During this time, both jail staff and inmates reported the smell of gas in the Central Booking and Detention Center,” the grand jury said. “These reports were made to jail supervisors, as well as maintenance employees.”

The grand jury made six recommendations. The most controversial one belied the county’s position that it was running the jail better than Sheriff Morgan. The grand jury recommended: “That the Central Booking and Detention Center, as well as the main jail, be returned to the supervision of the Sheriff of Escambia County. We believe that this provides for the most efficient operation of these facilities.”

“From everything that we’ve been told— we’ve actually gone through our 9-1-1 calls, we did not receive any calls about a gas leak before the explosion took place.”

Bill Pearson

ATF INTERVIEWS

Inweekly obtained copies of the ATF Origin and Cause Report and its interviews of county employees. They show a facility battling the day of the explosion rising flood waters, loss of power, and the smell of natural gas.

Lieutenant Jeffrey Clark worked the night shift on Tuesday, April 29. He smelled no odor of natural gas when he entered the facility. Clark worried about the steady rain showers because construction debris from the recent renovation to the CBD basement had clogged the drain line in the loading dock area.

At approximately 9 p.m., Sergeant Martin Wolff conducted a check of the basement and loading dock area and found the water level was rising. Main control contacted facilities maintenance. Mark Luke with facilities maintenance arrived and conducted a check of the clogged drain. He told Lt. Clark that the water pumps were working to alleviate the rising water from the area.

County Facilities Manager Kevin Pass arrived at the detention center around the same time. Some water was entering the basement, approximately two inches of water on the floor, but it was remaining steady at that level. Pass did not smell any gas.

The water level held until sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight. Video surveillance cameras showed the water level rising quickly at the loading dock on the north side of the facility. Realizing the water would enter the basement, Clark ordered that laundry be used to help stop the rising level of water. He notified Major Salina Barnes of the potential flooding situation.

Water came up through the drains in the basement. Sgt. Wolff said the area smelled of sewage. The basement had approximately three to four inches of water, according to Lt. Clark, who made the decision to lock down the area.

Between midnight and 1 a.m. on April 30, the building switched fully to the generators and the air conditioning was lost. Around the same time, CO Elizabeth Lunsford, who was on the fourth floor, told fellow CO Taunya White that the inmates were complaining of an odor. White said she thought it was from the generators.

Commander Brett Whitlock, the head of the jail and CBD, arrived at the facility and was briefed on the flooding situation.

In the presence of Major Barnes and Lt. Clark, Whitlock phoned his boss, Corrections Director Gordon Pike, about the developing situation.

The ATF Report of Investigation (ROI) on the interview of Whitlock did not meninweekly.net

A little after 11 p.m., Brown started to get natural gas or exhaust from the generator, CO Meka Hilla-Hewitt arrived at work tion the phone call or any other convera headache because of the gas fumes and but said it was not unusually strong. When the morning of the explosion. Within 15 sations with Pike. According to the state was going to take an aspirin when she heard she spoke with a maintenance worker, attorney’s office, Pike missed his scheduled minutes, she began to feel sick and have a an explosion and “everything went black.” whom she knew only as “Gary” about the headache. She did not remember smelling interview with ATF investigators. odor, he told her the gas had been shut any gas in the facility but did remember At 2:30 a.m., surveillance cameras in the off and what they smelled was gas from an unknown odor. Sgt. Upchurch told her basement quit operating because of the level under the water. Barnes said she received that inmates were complaining of gas in the of water within the basement. Temperatures Attorney Ed Fleming delivered in Auno complaints, either verbally or by email, facility. She had a conversation with CO rose on all floors since none of the air condigust his report to the BCC. He detertioning systems were operational. mined that county officials, from the At about 3 a.m., Sgt. Wolff notitop down, took reasonable precaufied Lt. Clark that a guard reported a tions against all known risks. Fleming gas smell on the third floor. He told found “no evidence that anyone in the investigators there had always been chain of command for the CBF at the complaints of a gas smell in the jail time of the explosion was aware of an since he had been working there unresolved gas leak.” and that it had been reported to the In his report summary, the attorney maintenance department many times cited the testimonies of two superviin the past. sors working the night of the explosion.

At 3:30 a.m., the basement was Lt. Joe Ryals, the shift commander, recompletely flooded, and the water ported to Fleming and ATF that he did level was approximately four feet in not, at any time prior to the blast, have the stairwell leading from the basereason to believe there was a gas leak ment. Concerned that the water level in the building. ATF did not include his would continue to rise and flood the witness report in its final report. first floor of the facility, Lt. Clark conLt. Roberta Varvorine also testified tacted Commander Whitlock about to Fleming that she did not at any time, the potential evacuation of inmates between her shift starting at 7 p.m. and from the first floor. All electrical doors the explosion, have any reason to beon the first floor stopped working and lieve there was a gas leak in the building. had to be manually opened with keys.

However, Lt. Varvorine told ATF a difCO Jon Sawyer stated the first time ferent story. She did smell natural gas in he smelled gas was at approximately and around the sally port area, and “that 4 a.m. when he went outside to move every time it floods, they smell gas.” vehicles out of the sally port area. He She said her husband, Charles, who also smelled natural gas mixed in with diesel Sheriff Morgan and Commissioner May inspect the damage worked at the jail, complained earlier in exhaust fumes from the generator. The the day of the smell of gas in and around concerning Ken Kyles, who gas fumes had gotten so bad in the area that the property room. the smell of told her that he he walked east of the sally port door to get The BCC is left with what could be gas prior to complained to away from them. some very difficult conversations with its the explosion. his immediate At 5 a.m., the water level in the stairwell staff, particularly if the commissioners balk CO April supervisors on to the basement receded approximately four at negotiating with Sheriff Morgan on the Brown worked several occainches. Therefore, Lt. Clark believed that an supervision of the county jail. The reports as a supervievacuation of the first floor wasn't warranted. sions that he of Fleming, state grand jury and ATF need sor on the smelled gas Around 6 a.m., Lt. Clark asked CO Sawto be reconciled. To achieve what Comfourth floor. During her shift briefing, the while escorting inmates. yer to put some fans in the booking area missioner May promised in May—“clarity flooding to the basement was discussed Escambia County Facility Maintenance to help keep the floors dry. Sawyer placed and transparency”—further investigation Technician Gary Jones told investigators he as well as the facility running on minimal a fans in the hallway in front of the T-2 power. The previous shift reported smelling is needed into how the county was running received a call around 1 p.m. from Central cell in the holding cell area. Annie Smith, the facility. the gas odor all day and that the mainteControl about the odor of gas on the first a CO trainee, told him the gas odor was We know how the explosion happened, nance department had been notified and floor. Jones responded to the tank station very strong inside the H-1 area. When he but we still do not know why. {in} responded throughout the shift. where he smelled propane and observed walked inside the area with Smith, Sawyer a valve was open on a line leading from said the gas odor was extremely strong. He the tank. Although the area was under recommended to Lt. Clark that everyone approximately three inches of water, it was needed to be moved out of the H-1 area. relatively clear, and he could see bubbles Sawyer stated that Clark told him there coming from the valve. After shutting the were too many “keep froms” to move them valve off, Jones stated the odor went away. and for him to prop the door open and put ATF investigators inspected the exterior and interior of the CBD as best they At 3:30 p.m., Jones left the building at the a fan in there. When he placed another fan could. They determined that the area of origin was in the basement near the center of end of his shift. inside the H-1 room, Sawyer said he was the structure. The blast damage to the structure, including the damage to the floors When correctional officers showed up only in the room for five minutes, and the in the male dormitory, male dayroom, holding cell T-2, the corridor in front of T-2, the for the night shift the day of the explosion, gas odor gave him a headache and made property storage room, laundry room and the westernmost stairwell indicated that a they also smelled natural gas. CO Sherry him nauseous. large quantity of natural gas migrated throughout the structure.

Sullivan smelled it at approximately 6:39 p.m.

CO Joe Teer arrived for work around 6 “The area of origin of the explosion does not necessarily indicate the location of at the employee entrance. The smell got a.m. As soon as he got out of his truck, he the natural gas leak, but only where the gas fell within its explosive limits and where it stronger as she entered the first floor, and it smelled natural gas. He said he could also was brought together with a competent ignition source. Due to the flooding, water is was very strong near the elevator entrance. smell the diesel exhaust fumes from the known to have infiltrated the electrical system resulting in a large number of possible CO Roger Lastinger, the Assistant Officer generator that was running. Teer reported ignition sources that became available as the floodwaters receded. Because the igniin Charge of the shift, noticed a gas odor when the gas smell to his shift supervisor, Sertion source was not able to be positively identified, the classification of this explosion he began his shift. The strongest amount of geant Alma Upchurch, who acknowledged must be listed as undetermined in nature.” odor was around the escort area. Officers on it. He assumed things were being taken The surveillance camera video of the explosion, Ed Fleming’s Preliminary Report his shift advised that they smelled the odor of care of and did not report it up the chain of Regarding Circumstances Surrounding Explosion at Escambia County Jail, the ATF gas on upper floors of the facility. command. Teer said there were no discusNational Response Team’s Origin and Cause Report and the state grand report are all Major Barnes, the second in command sions or briefings on the safety measures of available on online at inweekly.net. at the jail, stated that she had worked from a gas leak during his shift. He advised there 4 a.m. April 29 until 8 p.m. on April 30. Durwere no attempts to ventilate the area during her shift, she smelled an odor of either ing his shift.

FINDING THE WHY

To achieve what Commissioner May promised in May—“clarity and transparency”—further investigation is needed into how the county was running the facility.

ATF CONCLUSION

December 4, 2014

7

TIME TO REVISIT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG

By Conor McNamara and Rick Outzen The Escambia Board of County Commissioners will discuss on Dec. 11 the Confederate Battle Flag flying at the Pensacola Bay Center. The board last discussed the flag in February 2000. At that time, Mike Whitehead chaired the board that included Wilson Robertson, Mike Bass, Willie Junior and Tom Banjanin. They unanimously voted to let the flag remain flying.

The 2000 vote came a month after Pensacola City Manager, Tom Bonfield, announced his decision to remove the Confederate Battle Flag from the city’s flag displays and replace it with the National Confederate Flag, also known as the Stars and Bars flag. Bonfield said his research had determined that was the only Confederate flag ever to fly over the city. The Pensacola City Council later approved the decision by a 7-2 vote.

When Commissioner Wilson Robertson made his motion for the Confederate Battle Flag to remain at the Pensacola Civic Center, which has since been renamed the Pensacola Bay Center, he included for the county to “encourage the city of Pensacola to do likewise.” The city ignored that recommendation.

Since then, the issue has received little exposure, until now. County Commissioner Grover Robinson wants the board to reconsider the 2000 decision that has allowed the Confederate Battle Flag to fly at the Pensacola Bay Center for the past 14 years.

The Confederate Battle Flag, called the

"Southern Cross,” has been described by some as an emblem of Southern heritage, while others see it as shameful reminder of slavery and segregation. Several Southern states have stopped flying Confederate flags over their statehouses. Meanwhile, more than 500 extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, have appropriated the Southern Cross as one of their symbols, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Robinson told Inweekly that the issue came up earlier this year while campaigning for re-election. After some reflection, he believed the time was right for a change. The Pensacola Bay Center is the only county property that still flies the Confederate Battle Flag. All other county-owned properties fly the Stars and Bars Flag.

“I firmly believe a flag, but not the battle flag, should represent our Confederate past,” Robinson said, whose ancestors fought in the Confederate Army. “I did not come to the decision lightly. There has to be other ways, including a possible switch from the Battle Flag to the ‘Stars and Bars’ version, at the Bay Center, to celebrate our Southern heritage.”

At first, he hoped the switch was one that could be done simply by an order from County Administrator Jack Brown, but because the county commission had voted on the issue in February 2000, it would take another vote to remove the Confederate Battle Flag.

County governmental property.”

The County Administrator Barry Evans had removed the Confederate Battle Flag from the civic center and was receiving pushback from the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Evans was chastised for making a decision without formal approval of the commission and citizen input.

Boyd did not attend the Feb. 10 commission meeting, but several supporters of flying the battle flag did. Phillip White, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, denounced Evans’ decision and asked that the flag be returned.

According to the minutes, White said, “The Confederate Battle Flag, under which many brave men fought and died, has flown over this community for fifty-one years in a respectful and non-offensive manner.”

Evans said the Confederate Battle Flag was simply being replaced with a new flag.

He said that all Confederate Battle Flags that flew over various county buildings had been replaced with new ones. The commissioners all spoke in favor of the Confederate Battle Flag and voted unanimously to let it and all other Confederate Battle Flags flying from Escambia County buildings to remain “as is.”

“I firmly believe a flag, but not the battle flag, should represent our Confederate past.” Grover Robinson

LET IT FLY “AS IS”

As Pensacola and Escambia County entered the 21st century, civil rights leaders pushed for city and county officials to drop what they considered were vestiges of the Civil War and racism. The late LeRoy Boyd, president of Movement for Change, brought up to the county commission the “symbolism and flying the Confederate Flag on Escambia

SYMBOL OF RACISM AND HATE

For many Americans, the Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol of racism and hate.

Escambia County is not the only place that has struggled with to find an identity with or without the Confederate Battle Flag.

The same year Escambia County was debating the Confederate flag, the South Carolina lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate flag from the top of the State House dome and have it placed on a monument on the front lawn of the capitol. Like Escambia County Commission vote, the law also prohibited the flag's removal without

additional legislation.

Since then, the NAACP and other civil rights groups have attacked the flag's continued presence at the state capitol and called for an economic boycott of South Carolina.

The NCAA banned post-season championships in South Carolina.

This past July, the president of Washington Lee University announced the school would remove Confederate flags from the main chamber of its Lee Chapel after students protested that the school was unwelcoming to minorities. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee served as the university’s president after the Civil War. His crypt is beneath the chapel.

The city council of Danville, Virginia voted last month to keep flying the lesser-known Third Confederate Flag outside the cityowned Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History. The museum’s board had asked the city council to remove the flag and to allow moving it indoors as part of an expanded Civil War Exhibit, preparing for the 150 anniversary of the Confederacy moving to Danville. The city attorney had told the council that Virginia law governed the flying of the flag, but citizens had asked the leaders to do the right thing.

RIGHT TIME FOR DISCUSSION

After a brief absence from the Escambia County Commission, Wilson Robertson was elected in 2008 to represent District 5.

He agrees that the Confederate Battle Flag is controversial.

He told Inweekly, “The flag currently flying was misused by people to represent not the historic Confederacy but to actions, some illegal, related to segregation and bigotry.”

Robertson said the issue is not a personal fight for him, but he wants to hear from the public.

“I’m looking forward to hearing both sides,” Commissioner Robertson said. “It is the commission’s job to make a decision that represents the constituents.” {in}

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“I’m going to continue to serve with that vision, that passion, that energy and that vigor to create the place where Pensacola can be one of the greatest cities in America, and definitely in the state of Florida.”

Ashton Hayward

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dous, and I'm very excited about the entire city and also, of course, District 2.”

Councilman Brian Spencer said he saw his reelection as confirmation of his efforts for the city and District 6 and gave his “heartfelt thanks to everyone out in, certainly, in District 6 and the city of Pensacola that provided me the opportunity to stand here today.”

Spencer was optimistic about the next four years.

Mayor Ashton Hayward and his wife An at his swearing in “I consider the re-election results to be a confirmation PENSACOLA REBOOT BEGINS Mayor that the District 6 voters Ashton Hayward and the three council have granted me the privilege to serve anmembers recently re-elected were all sworn other four years, and most importantly not in on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Each was given the just the privilege, but the responsibility. opportunity to address the audience.

“I want to help all of us s to represent Councilman Larry Johnson said he was you effectively,” Spencer told the audience. “incredibly humbled to have the opportuni- “I want to uphold what I hope will be a conty to continue serving.” He asked the countinued healthy cil to “find and respectways to come ful debate, a together and debate that cooperate in allows all of us spirit, to work to leave our together and personal bias to work with behind when the mayor to we are up here keep moving and we are Pensacola taking action forward. in the form of “I hope a vote.” that all of us on the council will not only He added, “What I strive to do is to be respectful of each other, but respectmake every vote a vote that pushes our city ful of each other's time and most of all, forward and makes this a better place to respectful of the people's time,” Johnson live for all citizens.” said. “Together I believe we can accomplish Once the council members were sworn amazing things on the behalf of our citizens in, the body elected, by secret ballot, its who elected us to serve.” president and vice president. After sevCouncilwoman Sherri Myers bragged eral rounds of voting, Councilman Andy about District 2, which she fondly referred Terhaar, the council’s youngest member, to as “Uptown.” edged out the outgoing president, Jewel “District 2 and the Uptown district is Cannada-Wynn. Larry Johnson won the an economic engine, robust and vital to the vice president post over Sherri Myers. overall well-being of the city, the county Then Mayor Ashton Hayward, accomand the region,” Myers said. “Uptown panied by his wife An and son Aiden, was is the home to hundreds of businesses, sworn in to office. He, too, addressed the quality hotels, an international airport, an audience. His speech focused on the city’s emerging aerospace industry, an expanding accomplishments of the past four years. medical complex with Sacred Heart at its “Downtown is in the middle of a renaiscore, a state college with quality education, sance,” he said. “We’re creating value where a renowned visual arts center, four public entrepreneurs want to bring their business schools and great neighborhoods.” here and people want to live downtown.”

She said that she looked forward to workHe committed to continue with his viing with the mayor to bring about a more sion for Pensacola. equitable distribution of the city's resources, Hayward said, “We have great things including LOST funds, into her district. going on in Pensacola. I’m going to con“I look forward to the tremendous possitinue to serve with that vision, that passion, bilities we have in this city to address many of that energy and that vigor to create the the issues we have not had the resources to place where Pensacola can be one of the address, because we will have a good round greatest cities in America, and definitely in of LOST and RESTORE funds,” Myers said. the state of Florida. “ {in} “The possibilities for this city are tremen-

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DIFFERENCE MAKERS NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY WINNERS ANNOUNCED The Association of Fundraising Professionals West Florida Chapter has announced the winners of the 2014 National Philanthropy Day awards:

•The Bear Family Foundation was named Outstanding Philanthropist, an award that recognizes an individual or family for exceptional generosity and civic responsibility demonstrated by significant financial contributions to charitable organizations in the community.

•St. Ann Catholic Parish received the Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation, Organization or Corporation. This award recognizes a charitable organization whose grant programs, donations and charitable activities significantly enrich the community. The recipient provides visible leadership and incentive for others to pursue philanthropic activity that serves many segments of the community.

•Buzz Ritchie was named Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, presented to an individual with a proven track record of ongoing, significant commitment to fundraising for one or more organizations.

•Dr. Randall Williams was posthumously recognized as Outstanding Fundraising Professional, an award designed for an outstanding individual fundraising professional who practices his/her profession in an exemplary manner. His wife, Mary Williams, accepted the award on his behalf.

The West Florida Chapter of AFP announced the winners at an awards luncheon held today at the Hilton Pensacola Beach. The luncheon and a morning of educational workshops for development professionals were made possible by lead sponsor Gulf Power.

Nonprofit organizations are invited each year to nominate those who have made lasting and significant contributions not only to their cause, but to the overall community. Nominations are required to have detailed information on their nominee and are encouraged to include letters of support from other agencies. A panel of previous winners reviewed the nominations to select this year’s winners.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), an international organization comprised of over 30,000 fundraisers in more than 230 chapters from around the world works to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs. The West Florida Chapter is comprised of members primarily from Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. For additional information on the organization including information on membership, visit the West Florida Chapter website at www.afpwestflorida.afpnet.org.

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inweekly.net

The crowd photo shown is from a 1916 lynching in Waco, Texas .

On July 25, 1946, four African-Americans, two men and two women, were shot to death in one of the last highprofile lynchings in American history.

Lynching, a form of extralegal mob action most often associated with racial violence, is hardly what comes to mind when most people think of historic reenactments, yet the reenactment of this particular lynching is what’s at the center of the new documentary “Always in Season.”

According to filmmaker Jackie Olive, “The reenactments are important because they come out of grassroots efforts to heal the trauma of racial violence.” Despite the difficult subject matter, Olive felt compelled to delve deeply into the worst parts of our history to possibly uncover some of the people working for social change and reconciliation for crimes that have barely been mentioned as part of the American story. “Always in Season” aims to open old wounds and force a dialog which, according to Olive and many others, is long overdue. The documentary is the main part of Olive’s transmedia project that explores the longstanding legacy of lynching in America and efforts afoot to reach reconciliation.

December 4, 2014

HISTORY FIRST

From the years following the Emancipation Proclamation to the middle of the 20th Century, estimates range between 4,000 and 5,000 Americans died at the hands of mostly white lynch mobs. The vast majority of those lynched were AfricanAmerican.

Though the circumstances vary from case to case, the end result was often the same: an eerily proud crowd gathering around a human body hanging at the end of a noose. As if the events weren’t disturbing enough, often photographers took pictures to be sold as souvenirs.

The photographs of this macabre spectacle drew filmmaker Jackie Olive to this subject and eventually led this documentarian to take her own pictures in an effort to open a discussion about a subject on which few wanted to speak.

Olive first became interested in exploring the subject of lynching when she visited a photographic exhibit of novelty postcards around the early 1900s. Collected in the exhibit, and later in the book and website “Without Sanctuary,” curator James Allen compiled dozens of postcards from the turn of the 20th century that featured lynching victims, often surrounded by crowds of onlookers. Describing the collection, Allen said the photos should be seen as a “photo document of proof, an unearthing of crimes, of collective mass murder, of mass memory graves excavated from the American conscience.” The various postcards with scenes so gruesome the U.S. Postal Service eventually banned their dissemination through the mail under federal obscenity codes. Nonetheless, the postcards remained popular for years and documented countless lynching

“I wondered who these people were, posing proudly in front of the camera within a breath of the victims’ tortured bodies. Their faces looked like they could have been my friends and neighbors.” Jackie Olive

victim’s horrific end, often with the murders posing with the victim.

The people’s various expressions in the postcards throughout the exhibit provoked an emotional response in Olive. “The faces of the victims, who could have been my relatives, friends and neighbors drew me in first,” Olive said. “I wanted to know who they were, how they became targets of such violence and what roles they played in their communities.”

Among the numerous pictures in the exhibit, one picture in particular stood out. That of a woman in a long dress, hanging by her neck from the side of a bridge. Her name was Laura Nelson. Beside her was the body of her 14-year-old son, also hanging from the side of this bridge. Above the two black bodies were several white faces, most appearing casual, even proud.

“It actually took a few months of research before I began to really notice the spectators in the photographs,” Olive said.

“I wondered who these people were, posing proudly in front of the camera within a breath of the victims’ tortured bodies. Their faces looked like they could have been my friends and neighbors.”

11

Lynching reenactment / courtesy photo The jarring nature of the Laura Nelson picture led Olive to research the history of lynching and explore the impact of racial terrorism on the perpetrators, victims, communities and even their descendants.

LYNCHING REENACTMENTS

Olive grew up in Mississippi, a state with a brutal history surrounding race. From slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, Mississippi was the site of at least 540 documented lynchings, more than anywhere else in the United States.

Olive’s Mississippi was a little less hostile, but not free of racial tension due, in part, to its lack of reconciliation for past injustices. In 2005, when the United States Senate officially apologized for its inaction over lynching, the entire Mississippi delegation refused to support the apology.

In her home state, Olive saw similar attitudes of indifference toward racial reconciliation, remarking that her black and white friends rarely had cross-racial conversations about race and racism.

“I saw that not only were people pretending that nothing happened in order to move on, but we were also missing the opportunity to build deeply authentic relationships in which we saw and fully understood one another,” Olive said.

Olive found similar attempts to resist such efforts were common throughout communities with a history of racial violence. One of the communities “Always in Season” focuses upon is that of a small town south of Atlanta, Georgia, named Monroe.

In 1946, national media focused their attention the murder of two young AfricanAmerican married couples outside of Monroe.

Their names were Roger and Dorothy Malcom and Mae and George Dorsey, a veteran of the Pacific War who had only been home a few months. The couples were pulled from their car near Moore’s Ford Bridge, which crosses the Apalachee River, tied to a tree and shot to death allegedly by Ku Klux Klansmen.

Despite numerous attempts to bring the perpetrators to justice, spanning from 1946 until the present day, no one was ever held to account for these murders. The case is still open.

“They did not deserve to die,” Cassandra Greene said of the four victims. Greene is an ordained pastor who also directs a his212 1

Danny Glover reading a lynching invitation / film still from "Always in Season" toric reenactment of the Moore’s Ford Bridge Lynching every year.

“These families are still living with this stigma that their ancestors were lynched—not just killed, but lynched by Ku Klux Klansmen.”

Her voice shaking, Green said, “I get very emotional when I talk about this, but they were human beings and they deserved to live. 1946 wasn’t that long ago. Slavery wasn’t that long ago. When it comes to that type of murder, which has no statute of limitations, I’d like to see justice. I’d like to see someone answer for what happened.”

Olive’s film spends considerable time focusing on Cassandra Greene’s lynching reenactment, one of the only historic reenactments of its type in the United States.

The Moore’s Ford Bridge reenactments are far from the standard historical reenactment. In Greene’s reenactments, there are no heroic deaths by brave soldiers with the victorious side waving the flag. Instead, people are dragged out of a car, tied up while women are pleading for their lives, and then all are shot to death. One of the white men then takes out a doll, covered in fake blood, to simulate the story of a fetus removed from the Dorothy Malcom’s body.

She was seven months pregnant at the time of the lynching. To say the least, this story is unpleasant and only few are willing to discuss in detail—much less reenact.

“It’s a part of history that people need to remember,” Greene said. “There’s a lot of fear around black and white issues. This could bring some healing to this type of issue. In 2014, I don’t think anyone should be afraid of another race.”

Despite the theatrical element and the historical distance between the lynching and the present day, Greene added that there are “a lot of people that don’t want to talk to us, who won’t even attend the reenactments.”

Olive’s focus on the implications of these racial crimes, as evidenced with the considerable time in the film spent on the reenactments

over the standard historical documentary, makes this director’s work unique. For Olive, the objective for “Always in Season” is not to simply present the facts. Her goals are greater and far more reaching.

“Because of Jackie’s passion about justice and her ever, ever, ever growing commitment to seeking justice, I think she’s excellent person to do this type of film,” Greene said.

“I understand the ways ignoring this past in order to pleasantly move on means that my history as an African-American is not acknowledged—that trauma I felt even when I didn’t know all of the details,” Olive said. “And just as importantly, whites who witnessed and participated in lynchings suffered a loss of their humanity every time they participated in the humiliation and murder of others, and they passed that along in their families. It wounds a part of everyone.”

“I saw that not only were people pretending that nothing happened in order to move on, but we were also missing the opportunity to build deeply authentic relationships in which we saw and fully understood one another.” Olive

THE MAKING OF A FILMMAKER

Prior to her work on “Always in Season,” Olive co-produced and directed the award-winning documentary “Black to our Roots.” The film aired on PBS World shortly after Olive graduated from the University of Florida with her Master of Arts in Mass Communications. “Black to our Roots” follows several African-American youth as they travel from their home in Atlanta to reconnect with their African heritage in Ghana. While she was on the production team for PBS’s television documentary show “Independent Lens,” Olive worked with three-time Emmy Award winning producer Craig Harris on various projects.

“I think Jackie’s ability as a filmmaker—to take complicated subjects, emotionally difficult subjects and translate them through film— make [the subject] relatable,” Harris said of Olive’s work. “That’s her talent as a filmmaker.”

Currently working as an independent film producer, Harris is one of the few people to see “Always in Season” from its earliest days until now.

“I think the project [“Always in Season”] is important. It brings to light a subject that’s been in the dark for so long. I think it’s an important subject matter that we all need to approach as a community so that we look at it and discuss it,” Harris said. “Jackie choosing this subject matter and producing it will really make an impact and change the dialog on the topic.”

THE FILM

The film begins with Danny Glover, a supporter of the project, reading a public announcement about an infamous Florida lynching. Glover reads about the expected mutilation and lynching of a black man named Claude Neal in Marianna, Florida. He ends his reading with open arms “All white folk are invited to the party.”

From the opening scenes, the film begins in Monroe, Georgia, where a largely AfricanAmerican audience watches a reenactment of the 1946 Moore’s Ford Bridge Lynching. An angry white man with a rifle yells at four scared black people. “We are doing this for the preservation of our race!” Then the shots are fired. A stunned audience takes in the carnage reenacted before their eyes. Lynching reenactor Walter Reeves described the Moore’s Ford Lynching as a “past evil” that needs to be addressed.

“Until we come to grips with the fact that this can happen, [and] has happened repeatedly, we are always going to be in danger of relapsing into that kind of horror again,” Reeves said. “It seems to me, as a son of the South, that I have a responsibility to do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Sherrilyn Ifill, President of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Program, also appears in the film and comes to a similar conclusion as the reenactors.

“These are still very powerful stories in the African-American communities, but they’re also very powerful stories in the white communities,” Ifill said. “So powerful that they can’t be spoken.”

Ifill compares these tragedies with the Jewish holocaust and the rise of Nazism with racial terrorism in the United States. By 1941, the Nazis are “in the full throws of engaging in mass killings. Nobody thinks that that happened so long ago that we shouldn’t talk about it,” Ifill said. “Yet, we have these events that are part of our history that were compelinweekly.net

ling and devastating for entire communities, that have force and power for generation unto generation, and yet like children we still hope and pray that maybe we’ll never have to talk about it, never have to confront it and maybe it will disappear into the air.”

“Always in Season” features several interviews from both the victim’s and the perpetrator’s families. Olive described the interviews and research as having led her to those figures, notably the people directly affected by lynching, several of whom expressed difficulty talking about their family’s experience. The feelings of shame, sadness and anger linger with generations past the crime. The victim’s family, however, were not the only ones with mixed emotions. While the emotional aspect was not a surprise to Olive, the surprise came as she learned the “people…related to the perpetrators and spectators…share those same feelings.”

One of the white activists featured in the film, Olivia Taylor, was directly affected by at least one lynching and told of her father’s involvement. Taylor’s father was a prominent member of the Ku Klux Klan who took her to witness a lynching at the age of 3. In the film, she describes a sensation of disbelief that a person was being killed in front of her eyes and a lingering guilt she feels about the crime. To her, the reenactments are part of a larger reconciliation Jackie Olive process.

“Something’s going to alter the conversation we have about race, and who knows what that’s going to be? If it’s a reenactment, wonderful. If it’s a song, whatever it is, we all need to keep doing whatever it is we think will make the difference,” Taylor said.

Another voice featured in “Always in Season” is that of Pamela Barksdale, a relative of a lynching victim in South Carolina. “It’s important to me that they do more research and look into [the history of lynching] because people still hurt,” Barksdale said, whose relative was lynched years before she was born. “I hurt because the lynching has interfered with the family. I could have had other cousins or other relatives, but they broke the cycle.”

In one of the most poignant dialogs in the film, Warren Reed discusses coming to terms with his great-grandfather’s role in a public lynching in Duluth, Minnesota. Reed is the author of “The Lyncher in Me,” a book about his discovering a family role in this infamous lynching. He joins another relative of an instigator as they meet a descendent of one of the victims in Duluth at one of the only monuments dedicated to lynching victims in the United States.

Don Clariette is a relative of one of the men lynched in Duluth. Clariette described the weight of this history as akin to a family curse.

“I think that when something traumatic or very significant happened in the family line, it’s like it’s in your family DNA,” he said. “It goes from generation to generation, until it spills out…like generational post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Reed strikes an optimistic tone and speaks to Olive’s goals for the project. Speaking about the need for racial reconciliation, Reed said, “We as a people are ready to do this…the potential for healing is just immense.”

December 4, 2014

THE HEALING PROCESS

For the healing to begin, recognition of the wounds must first take place. At this time in our national history, a sustained discussion concerning race and the history of lynching remains increasingly elusive.

“It’s a wound that hasn’t been allowed to heal,” said Olive’s former PBS colleague Craig Harris. “Bringing this subject [lynching] to a broader audience—through film so that people can watch it and have discussion around it and dialog—will promote healing and understanding,” Harris said. “I think it’s an important process that we have to go through as a community, and Jackie’s film is going to begin that process.”

Exploring the complicated ways in which communities reconcile past injustices within a modern-day context is key to Olive’s project.

From the lynching reenactments to the meetings between victim/perpetrator relatives, learning how to move forward is as much part

historic violence and issues like police brutality and racial profiling that are impacting this country as we speak,” Olive said.

Similar to her lynching reenactments, Greene sees Olive’s film as holding the potential to be used as a “tool for healing” in a continually racially charged atmosphere. “Our young people are moving targets,” Greene said. “That’s no different to me than what happened in 1946. They made a decision to kill those young people [at Moore’s Ford Bridge]. Back then it was called vigilantism. I feel like the same thing is happening. If we can bring light to what has happened [in the past] and bring light to what’s happening now, we can bring about social change.

“I can’t stand the thought of any kind of injustice,” Greene said. “We haven’t come as far as we think we’ve come.”

Olive’s film points out the lack of progress, with the contentious reenactments while simultaneously offering a hopeful remedy.

“Always in Season” is about the past and how the past intersects with the present in our daily lives through efforts to bring justice for historic misdeeds, community reconciliation efforts and basic storytelling.

“From the beginning, I have been compelled to tell the stories of my ancestors who were brutalized almost out of their humanity,” Olive said. “I say ‘almost’ because even with bodies charred beyond recognition, as some clearly were in the lynching postcards, they still spoke to me.”

As the images continue to speak to Olive, the hope is that her film will spark more conversations on a national level as the country continues to deal with the impact of a racialized history in what few people continue to call a “post-racial America.”

“I know that’s there’s been a national dialog on the subject [of lynching], but there needs to be more conversations about it,” Harris said. “That’s what’s great about a documentary film. It creates a space where people can have that dialog. It’s exciting and important.”

Olive sees her part in this national dialog as multifaceted—part historian, part storyteller and part healer. For Olive, the healing begins where her journey started, with the disturbing images captured decades ago in grainy film of a people that look hauntingly familiar.

“In those images,” Olive said, “I saw that my role in helping us all to heal is with this film.” {in}

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“Everyone is expected to be happy and pleasant despite not having done the work of healing. Given the level of terrorism inflicted on Americans by Americans for generations, there’s real work to be done.” Olive

of her work as the history itself.

According to Olive, “Always in Season” is as much about justice as the film is about history and reconciliation. “In order for people to truly reconcile, there must be a sincere attempt at justice first,” Olive said. “As a country, we’ve gone straight to reconciliation. Everyone is expected to be happy and pleasant despite not having done the work of healing. Given the level of terrorism inflicted on Americans by Americans for generations, there’s real work to be done.”

Though “Always in Season” revolves around events decades old, aspects of this film could easily feel ripped from today’s racially charged discussions over the deaths of Michael Brown, Jordan Davis, Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Victor Steen and countless other instances of racially charged cases of violence against blacks. The “Black Lives Matter” campaign, coming out of the racial unrest in Ferguson, speaks to pressing issues addressed in “Always in Season.”

“Similarly, but not as pervasively, black and brown bodies are criminalized and targeted with violence today,” Olive said. “When the rate of unarmed African-Americans killed in this country is estimated to be four times per week, matching the number of WHAT: Film screening and a Q&A with filmlynchings that took place weekly maker Jackie Olive when the violence was at its height, WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday Dec. 5 there’s a glaring problem.”

WHERE: Tree House Cinema, 1175 Gulf Olive insists there are links Breeze Parkway between the historic dehumanizaCOST: $5 (All proceeds from the event will tion of African-Americans and the go toward the project) events of recent days. “I want to DETAILS: alwaysinseason.net show the connection between that

“ALWAYS IN SEASON”

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WEEK OF DECEMBER 4-11

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

A Book about the Bridge

by Jennifer Leigh

part of life if in order to be more at peace. When I learned the bridge changed daily, I became interested in photographing it.

IN: As a Pensacola resident since 2005, what does the graffiti bridge means to you?

Pongetti: The graffiti bridge is an unedited voice for the community. It is a platform for all people to share their thoughts, dreams and sorrows.

Not many communities can claim to have that. It is a very special place and we are fortunate to have it here.

It belongs to everyone!

photo by Rachael Pongetti

Like so many others, photographer Rachael Pongetti has always been fascinated by Pensacola’s most colorful landmark—the graffiti bridge—since moving to the area permanently in 2005.

When a friend first gave her the idea to do a photography project about the bridge, the Savannah College of Art and Design alumnus wasn’t immediately convinced.

But the constantly changing graffiti made her revisit the idea to create a book about the bridge.

In 2011, she decided to photograph the bridge every day throughout the year.

Not always at the same time, but from the same spot and with the same camera, her Nikon D90.

To get the book done in time for her upcoming exhibit in April 2015, Pongetti is calling on the community that helped make the graffiti bridge what it is today to contribute to the finalization of the book.

Keep an eye out for a Kickstarter campaign, which will go live Dec. 18, or stop

by Hot Glass Cold Brew this Friday and donate in person.

The IN caught up with the artist to discuss the project and what it has meant to her.

December 4, 2014

IN: How long have you been a photographer?

Pongetti: I went to college to be an elementary school teacher. On my teacher application, I was asked if I could be anything in the world, what would it be? I put a photographer. Soon after that I got my first camera at the age of 22. I took my first photo class at 25. I took another, then another and so on. I just kept following my heart. I eventually got a Masters of Fine Arts in photography. It was a slow process, but nothing ever interested me like photography did. It just swept me away.

IN: What sparked the graffiti bridge project?

Pongetti: A friend of mine, Burton Ritchie, gave me the idea. He thought it would be a good 365-day project. I thought so too, but not for me. I was really involved in the layered, water photography I was doing at the time.

He mentioned it again several months later.

He said, “You know, it changes every day!”

That statement is what hooked me. I had gone through a tremendous amount of change in my life, and it really took its toll on me. I began reading a lot of eastern philosophy on change.

I knew I had to learn to accept change as a

IN: How did you go about photographing the bridge?

Pongetti: I photographed the bridge in 2011 for 365 days. I still photograph the bridge, just not every day. It takes time to create a book of quality. I didn’t just want to put something together overnight. I wanted the book and project to showcase Pensacola and the arts in a positive light. I did not photograph it at the same time every day, but I did place my camera in the same spot.

Some days I would be there only 15 minutes but more often than not, I was there for an hour or more. I was always curious, always exploring. As the project continued, I did add more “spots” that I photographed every day. I photographed the bay every day and in the middle of the road.

IN: Do you have any favorite moments from executing the project?

Pongetti: The most memorable moments for me involved meeting the friends and family of the departed. I was always touched by the messages left. Art is amazing that way, it can really be a vehicle to healing. It’s a tool anyone can use.

IN: Did the project make you look at Pensacola any differently?

Pongetti: This project was about observing and accepting change.

However, I have been introduced to so many people along the way.

The project is now about telling

the story of the bridge, telling Pensacola’s story. I love this community, and people are always sharing their story with me.

Everybody has a story about that bridge. It is a real honor to listen to them.

IN: Why are you bringing the project to Kickstarter?

Pongetti: Kickstarter is a good vehicle for the arts. I felt it was the best fit for this project. If I don’t raise the money in the next month, the book won’t be ready in time for my exhibition in April of 2015. The community will be the one that brings the book to life. I love the beauty of that.

IN: Is there any message you hope people will take away from it?

Pongetti: [Quotes the poet Ovid] “All things change, nothing is extinguished.

There is nothing in the whole world which is permanent. Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement.” If you have an idea that is true to you, go for it. I didn’t have any fancy equipment (one lens, one tripod, one camera that was given to me), and I’m not the best photographer or the most technical. That is not what this project is about. I needed to learn to accept change.

I process life through the visual world.

Life spoke to me through the messages the community left. Pensacola gave me my peace. It would be great if the project sparked more interest in Pensacola and public art. Art benefits all people whether they have that awareness or not. {in} For more information on The Pensacola Graffiti Bridge Project visit Pensacolagraffitibridgeproject.com

THE PENSACOLA GRAFFITI BRIDGE PROJECT AT HOT GLASS COLD BREW WHEN: 5 p.m. Dec. 5 WHERE: First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. COST: $25 for non-members, $20 for members DETAILS: firstcityart.org

15

calendar GWAR 7 p.m. Gwar with

Corrosion of Conformity and American Sharks.

Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $25. vinylmusichall.com

FRIDAY 12.5

“WINE WITH HILARY: THE GRAPES” 3-4 p.m.

Presented by SoGourmet, this is the first of four classes in the series titled “How to Taste.” This class teaches students about red and white varietals selected by Wine Director, Hilary Shaffer. $15 per person. 407 S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com WINE TASTING AT CITY GROCERY 5-7 p.m. Out

and about in East Hill on Friday night? Stop by City Grocery for their free weekly wine tasting before settling in or heading out for the night. 2050 N. 12th Ave.

HOT GLASS, COLD BREW

THURSDAY 12.4

WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Try some-

thing new every week at Aragon Wine Market’s regular wine tasting, only a few blocks from downtown. 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com

“FOOD CHAINS: THE REVOLUTION OF AMERICA’S FIELDS” MOVIE PRESENTATION 6:30 p.m. From Eva Longoria and

Eric Schlosser, producer of “Food Inc.” and “Fast Food Nation,” comes a powerful and shocking look at what feeds our country. This true story of one small group of workers overcoming corporate greed to end slavery and abuse in America’s fields will inspire you to demand your food be fair. Carmike Bayou 15, 5149 Bayou Blvd.

Tickets: $12; must be purchased online at tugg.com/events/11993.

5 p.m. Hot Glass Cold Brew is a fundraising event hosted by First City Art Center that directly supports the center and its programs. A suggested donation of $25 for non-members and $20 for members will include a hand-blown glass or hand-thrown pottery cup. This event also marks the Pensacola Graffiti Bridge Project’s Kickstarter Campaign Kick-Off. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard, firstcityart.org

CITIZENFOUR DOCUMENTARY FILM OPENING Starting today Tree House Cinema will

be showing "Citizenfour," a documentary concerning Edward Snowden and the NSA spying scandal. The film features Glenn Greenwald and was co-produced by Poitras and Steven Soderbergh among others. Tree House Cinema, 1175 Gulf Breeze Parkway.

Tickets: $6.50 matinee; $7.50 evening; $6 per children 12 and under and seniors 65

and over; $5 per retired and active military. treehousecinemagulfbreeze.com

UWF DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE PRESENTS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” 7:30 p.m. This holi-

day classic is back for its eighth season as a Pensacola tradition with a new adaptation.

Mainstage Theatre of the Center for Fine & Performing Arts, Building 82 ,11000 University Parkway. Tickets: $16 per adults; $12 per senior citizens and active military; $10 per non-UWF students, UWF faculty and staff; $5 per high school students; free for UWF students with Nautilus card. Reserved seating available for $2. uwf.edu/cfpa JEANNE ROBERTSON 8 p.m. Jeanne Robertson: “The Fabulously Funny Tour.” At 70 years young, Jeanne Robertson continues to charm audiences with her humorous observations about life around her. This former Miss North Carolina, standing tall at six-foot-two, has an infectious personality, heart and sense of humor. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. $38-59. pensacolasaenger.com MISFITS 8 p.m. Misfits with The Attack. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $20. vinylmusichall.com MR. GNOME 9 p.m. Mr. Gnome with Young Tongue, Glass Mattress and Jpegasus. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $10. pensacolahandlebar.com

Chef Sharon Tobin of Sweet Creations will be in the kitchen for a special two-part class on how to make gingerbread houses from scratch! In this hands-on class, families will do everything from mixing, shaping and baking dough to decorating their house with candies. Each family makes and takes one gingerbread house and recipe booklet.

Session 1: You will assemble the house with fresh made Royal Icing and let sit overnight. $75 covers two family members for two days. Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas. pensacolacooks.com BIRDWALK AT NAVAL LIVE OAKS 9 a.m.

Enjoy a birdwalk at Naval Live Oaks with the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society.

Walk the trails of the Gulf Islands National Seashore from the headquarters of the complex on Highway 98, east of Gulf Breeze with Dana Timmons. The group will be looking for ducks in the Sound and wintering birds in the wooded areas. Bring bin-

SATURDAY 12.6

PALAFOX MARKET 8 a.m.-2

p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques are just a few of the items offered at the weekly Palafox Market in Downtown Pensacola.

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

GINGERBREAD HOUSE BAKING AND DECORATING 8:30

a.m. Local Executive Pastry

Jeanne Robertson

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facebook.com/ rfpensacola

O: (850) 434-3111 F: (850) 434-1188

mypensacolaattorney.com • email: eric@mypensacolaattorney.com 616 1

inweekly.net

calendar WINTERFEST PERFORMANCE TOURS 5-8:30 p.m. Embark

upon a 60-minute, performance-filled voyage through downtown Pensacola on trolley as a part of Winterfest.

Trolley rides: $14 for kids; $19 for adults. Reindeer Games and Carriage Rides are also available. pensacolawinterfest.org

PENSACOLA BEACH LIGHTED BOAT PARADE 6 p.m. The

nautical parade from Pensacola Beach Marina to the Boardwalk officially delivers Santa Claus to the Island. pensacolabeachchamber.com ICE HOCKEY 7:05 p.m. Ice Flyers vs. Mississippi. 201 E. Gregory. $15-29. pensacolabaycenter.com UWF DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE PRESENTS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” 7:30 p.m. This

oculars. Great event for all levels of birders.

Well-behaved children welcome. Meet at the Headquarters parking lot at 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway. For more information, call Brenda Callaway at 968-4516.

UKULELE CLASS 9:30 a.m. The Pensacola Ukulele Players Society (PUPS) meets every Saturday morning at Blues Angel Music, offering free ukulele lessons for both beginners and seasoned musicians. Loaner ukuleles are available for the sessions, which usually last an hour. Blues Angel Music, 657 N. Pace Blvd. bluesangelmusic.com HERO 5K 10 a.m. Let your inner hero come out during this Super Hero 5K event. Participants are encouraged to dress the part and be their favorite Super Hero of Villian.

At the end of the 5K, there will be drinks, dancing and super fun events. (Costume contest takes place at 9 a.m., prior to the race start). Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. thehero5K.com PENSACOLA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 5K

10 a.m. This 5K event takes place on the runway. Proceeds go to benefit the USO. Registration through Dec. 4: $25; late and race-day registration: $35. For more info and to register, visit werunwild.com. Pensacola International Airport, 2430 Airport Blvd.

HOLIDAY STROLL OPEN HOUSE 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The merchants of Historic Seville District invite you to a family-friendly holiday stroll. Stop in participating shops for refreshments to usher in the holiday season, as well as live music. Shops include La Bona International Boutique, The Mole Hole, Bluetique and Atelier Alcaniz. These shops offer women’s clothing, gifts, jewelry, pottery and art.

PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT PETCO 1-4 p.m.

Start the holiday season by getting a photo of your four-legged friend with Santa. Photos are $9.95 and part of the proceeds go to the Pensacola Humane Society. Petco, 1670 Airport Blvd, pensacolahumane.org December 4, 2014

holiday classic is back for its eighth season as a Pensacola tradition with a new adaptation. Mainstage Theatre of the Center for Fine & Performing Arts, Building 82 ,11000 University Parkway. $16 per adults; $12 per senior citizens and active military; $10 per non-UWF students, UWF faculty and staff; $5 per high school students; free for UWF students with Nautilus card. Reserved seating available for $2. uwf.edu/cfpa HAYSTAK 7:30 p.m. Haystak and Cut Throat Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $15-50. vinylmusichall.com KILLHAMMER 9 p.m. Killhammer with Rainey’s Revenge, Wulfshroud, Wreckage Revival and Southern Grudge. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $6. pensacolahandlebar.com IMPROVABLE CAUSE 10:30 p.m. Pensacola's BEST (and only) improvisational comedy troupe performing the first Saturday of every month at 10:30 p.m. in the M.C. Blanchard Courtroom Theatre at the Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. facebook.com/improvablecause

SUNDAY 12.7

Saturday Dec. 6th Last Minute Shopping Sunday Dec. 7th Scout Day + Mascot Night s Drop Puck Saturday ay 5 pm @ 7:0 pm Sund 5 & 4:0

www.pensacolaiceflyers.com

There is a way for you to support WUWF.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE BAKING AND DECORATING 2 p.m. Local Executive Pastry Chef

Sharon Tobin of Sweet Creations will be in the kitchen for a special two-part class on how to make gingerbread houses from scratch! In this hands-on class, families will do everything from mixing, shaping, and baking dough to decorating their house with candies. Each family makes and takes one gingerbread house and recipe booklet.

Session 2: You decorate your house. $75 covers two family members for two days.

Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas. pensacolacooks.com SURFING SANTA BEACH PARADE 2 p.m.

Holiday floats wind their way down Santa Rosa Island along Via DeLuna to Casino Beach. Santa rides atop his red fire engine

Federal employees may now designate contributions to WUWF 88.1 FM (CFC# 33728).

You will find WUWF listed as the University of West Florida Foundation, the 501(c)3 organization responsible for handling contributions to WUWF Public Media. Any questions? Call 850.474.2787 or visit wuwf.org. We appreciate your support!

17

calendar

Ears & Fingers

by Jason Leger

Wu Tang Clan “A Better Tomorrow”

All year I’ve been waiting for a solid hip-hop album to provide my two cents on. Earlier on, I reviewed Future’s “Honest,” which had great moments, but was still pretty droll overall. Little did I know that one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time would reunite and record an album right before 2014 drew to a close.

There are plenty of things to say about “A Better Tomorrow.” The RZA is still the driving force. Method Man is still strong

and visits with children. pensacolabeachchamber.com

UWF DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE PRESENTS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” 2:30 p.m. This

holiday classic is back for its eighth season as a Pensacola tradition with a new adaptation. Mainstage Theatre of the Center for Fine & Performing Arts, Building 82 ,11000 University Parkway. $16 per adults; $12 per senior citizens and active military; $10 per non-UWF students, UWF faculty and staff; $5 per high school students; free for UWF students with Nautilus card.

Reserved seating available for $2. uwf.edu/ cfpa ICE HOCKEY 4:05 p.m. Ice Flyers vs. Mississippi. 201 E. Gregory. $15-29. pensacolabaycenter.com SYMPHONIC BAND HOLIDAY CONCERT 7:30 p.m The UWF Music Department presents the Symphonic Band in their annual holiday concert. Admission is free although a ticket is required. Mainstage Theatre of the Center for Fine & Performing Arts, 818 1

with hooks. Ghostface is the heart and soul. Even ODB crawls back from death to make his voice heard on tape.

It took a lot to get to the release of this album.

Inner turmoil between members almost got the LP shelved until matters could be resolved.

Controversy surrounding the corresponding release of another album, which there will only be one (yes, one) copy of gave fans a bad taste in their mouths.

Or at least it gave me a bad taste in my mouth, as it seems like nothing more than a scheme to make as much money as possible. The group has obviously aged and become tense with one another, and that has become especially prevalent in affecting live performances and interaction in the public eye.

But this is Wu Tang. We know that no matter the circumstances, those at the heart of the operation are loyal to their fans and will keep that a focus in everything they do. This understanding makes an initial listen to “A Better Tomorrow” easier, as most inhibitions fade into the background. The album provides a lot to sink one’s teeth into, with ambition

flowing through bits of psychedelia, soul, dissonance and gap-step rhythms. The absolute highpoint of the album comes early…well, first. Opening track, ‘Ruckus in B Minor,’ is easily the most Wu Tang song on the album and kicks off what follows in the only respectable way: with Ol’ Dirty Bastard speaking the intro.

As much as I wanted this album to be pure gold, I’ve become discerning and had to listen objectively. There are a few tracks that fall flat on their faces. ‘Mistaken Identity’ is boring. ‘Preacher’s Daughter’ will not be lighting a fire under anyone’s ass.

‘Miracle’ is kind of dreadful. But all blasé tracks aside, the good tracks are extremely good and will make for an enjoyable live show.

While the guys in Wu Tang have all aged and matured and they will probably never again produce anything on the level “36 Chambers” or “Wu Tang Forever,” their highs are still high and, all in all they’ve still got “it.” For the foreseeable remainder of the year, this will be the one hip-hop album in my top 50, so I strongly recommend giving it a spin.

“A Better Tomorrow” is out now via Warner Bros. #ODBforever

Building 82, 11000 University Parkway. uwf. edu/cfpa

cookie party all in one, with Pastry Chef Sharon Tobin of Sweet Creations and Raw Desserts Enthusiast Kerry Whiteley.

Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas. $30. pensacolacooks.com STRUT YOUR MUTT 6:45 p.m. Join fellow dog owners for a 45-minute leisurely stroll in East Hill. Dogs must be leashed and well behaved. Owners should be prepared to pick up after the pets. Meet at the entrance of Bayview Park, 20th Ave. and E. Mallory St.

MONDAY 12.8

JAZZ SOCIETY OF PENSACOLA’S “BLUE MONDAY” 6:30 p.m. Jazz Society of Pen-

sacola’s “Blues”night featuring a top area blues/jazz band. Admission: $10 each for JSOP members and guests; $15 for nonmembers; $5 for students with ID. V Paul’s Italian Ristorante, 29 Palafox, jazzpensacola.com.

TUESDAY 12.9

HOLIDAY SAUCES DEMO CLASS 2-3 p.m.

Presented by SoGourmet, discover how to use balsamic vinegars and olive oils in making sauces for your holiday dishes. This demonstration class will teach students how to make balsamic reductions, aioli and a mustard cream sauce. $15 per person.

407 S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com BAKE AND TAKE COOKIE EXCHANGE 6 p.m. A seasonal baking lesson and holiday

TUESDAY NIGHT POETRY NIGHT AT SLUGGO’S 7 p.m. Free open mic poetry

event every Tuesday. Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 101 S. Jefferson St. facebook. com/TNPNS DANCECRAFT SWING CLASS 7:30-9 p.m.

This class teaches the skills necessary to become a practitioner of West Coast Swing, a popular partner dance that can be enjoyed with virtually any kind of music.

Additional classes and a social dance are held each Wednesday for a chance to put

TRACK OF THE WEEK:

Circa Waves ‘Young Chasers’

Granted, this track was released back in June, but it has been ruling my life this past week, and will more than likely be in heavy rotation for some time. It’s a catchy little pop-gem rager by British upstarts Circa Waves. I immediately picked up on influences from The Replacements and The Strokes, which are two bands who could make me dig pretty much anything. Check out this song wherever you stream music, and if you like what you hear, pick up their “Young Chasers” EP which is out now via Virgin Records. {in}

your skills to use. Tuesday class fee is $10 per person or free for people 30 years of age and younger. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com

WEDNESDAY 12.10

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 12-1 p.m.

Join SoGourmet for a fun lunch class that will help make your holidays a little easier. Menu includes: Rosemary Tomato Olive Quiche (Gluten Free, Vegetarian), Overnight Oatmeal Pancakes (Vegetarian), Frittata and Warm Onion Cheddar Bread.

The class will also come with a tasty treat from a wine specialist. $35 per person. 407 S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com WEST COAST WEDNESDAYS 6:30 p.m. Learn the West Coast Swing at this weekly class, which is followed by a social dance at 8:30 p.m. DanceCraft instructors are among the foremost experts in West Coast Swing in the Pensacola area. Wednesday classes are $10 per person and the social dance is $5 per. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com inweekly.net

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December 4, 2014

19

calendar locations/Palafox

BAR BINGO 8 p.m.

Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter. com

MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA 9:30-10:30 p.m.

Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. facebook.com/MugsJugs Tuesdays TUESDAY TRIVIA 8 p.m. The Bridge Bar and Sunset Lounge, 33 Gulf Breeze Parkway. facebook.com/thebridgebargb TICKET TEAM TRIVIA

Sean Dietrich

bars & nightlife ≥bar games

Side, 406 E. Wright St. emeraldcitypensacola. com

POOL TOURNAMENT

8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road, ticketsportsbar.com Mondays

Thursdays POKER 8 p.m. The

Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road, ticketsportsbar.com

TEXAS HOLD ‘EM FOR FUN AND TRIVIA 7

POOL TOURNAMENT

p.m. The Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker. com TRIVIA NIGHT 7-9 p.m.

World of Beer, 200 S. Palafox. wobusa.com/

8 p.m. The Ticket 2, 2115 W. 9 Mile Road, ticketsportsbar.com Fridays DRAG BINGO 6-8 p.m.

Ages 21 and over. Emerald City’s The Other

{

8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road, ticketsportsbar.com POKER 8 p.m. The Ticket 2, 2115 W. 9 Mile Rd., ticketsportsbar. com DRAG BINGO 10 p.m.Midnight. Ages 18 and over. Emerald City’s The Other Side, 406 E. Wright St. emeraldcitypensacola.com Wednesdays PUB TRIVIA NIGHT

7-9:30 p.m. Goat Lips Beer Garden, 2811 Copter Road. facebook. com/goatlipsdeli WEDNESDAY QUIZ

HEAR FOR THE

TRIVIA 8 p.m. The Cab-

aret, 101 S. Jefferson St. cabaretpensacola.com

TICKET BAR BINGO

8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road, ticketsportsbar.com TEAM TRIVIA 8 p.m.

Hopjacks. 10 S. Palafox. hopjacks.com BAR BINGO 10 p.m. Play, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 200. iplaypensacola.com

≥karaoke Thursdays

VFW Post 706, 6 p.m.

5000 Lillian Highway. vfw706.org Lili Marlene’s at Seville Quarter, 8 p.m. 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com The Cabaret, 9 p.m. 101 S. Jefferson St. cabaretpensacola.com Hub Stacey’s At the Point, 9 p.m. 5851 Galvez Road. hubstaceys.com Saturdays Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 9 p.m. 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys. com Sundays Lili Marlene’s at Seville Quarter, 8 p.m. 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

The Sandshaker Lounge, 9 p.m. 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com Mondays The Cabaret, 9 p.m. 101 S. Jefferson St. 6072020 or cabaretpensacola.com Tuesdays The Sandshaker Lounge, 8 p.m. 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com Play, 9 p.m. 16 S. Palafox, Suite 200. iplaypensacola.com

≥live music THURSDAY 12.4

AL MARTIN 6 p.m. The

Piano Bar, Quality Inn, 7601 Scenic Highway. facebook.com/QualityInnScenicHwy

LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD

6 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhouse. goodgrits.com STIJL CALHOUN 7 p.m.

Hub Stacey's Downtown, 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys. com GYPSY GROOVE 7 p.m.

Picasso Jazz Club, 19 S. Palafox. picassojazz. com

DJ LAO COLLEGE NIGHT

9 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com MARIO MENA BAND 9 p.m. End o’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

FRIDAY 12.5

LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD

5 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhouse. goodgrits.com AL MARTIN 6 p.m. The Piano Bar, Quality Inn, 7601 Scenic Highway. facebook.com/QualityInnScenicHwy SEAN DIETRICH 6:30 p.m. Picasso Jazz Club, 19 S. Palafox. picassojazz.com DUELING PIANO SHOW

BAD HABITS 9 p.m.

The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhouse.goodgrits. com THE MAINSTREAM 9 p.m. Lili Marlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com BIG JIM BROWN AND THE SPEED KINGS 9

p.m. End o’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com BANANA REPUBLIC 10 p.m. Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

SATURDAY 12.6

AL MARTIN 6 p.m. The

Piano Bar, Quality Inn, 7601 Scenic Highway. facebook.com/QualityInnScenicHwy

8 p.m. Rosie O’ Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com THE BLENDERS 8:30 p.m. Hub Stacey's Downtown, 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys. com

6 p.m. Paradise Bar & Grill, 21 Via De Luna. paradisebar-grill.com SEAN DIETRICH 6:30 p.m. Picasso Jazz Club, 19 S. Palafox. picassojazz.com

9 p.m. Emerald City, 406 E. Wright St. emeraldcitypensacola.com

8 p.m. Rosie O’ Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

DJ ORLANDO RICARDO

VICTOR WAINWRIGHT

DUELING PIANO SHOW

sevillequarter.com BAD HABITS 9 p.m.

The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhouse.goodgrits. com DJ JAY-R 9 p.m. Emerald City, 406 E. Wright St. emeraldcitypensacola.com BIG JIM BROWN AND THE SPEED KINGS 9

p.m. End o’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com MARIO MENA BAND 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com BANANA REPUBLIC 10 p.m. Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

SUNDAY 12.7

VICTOR WAINWRIGHT

3 p.m. Paradise Bar & Grill, 21 Via De Luna. paradisebar-grill.com DJ JAY-R 9 p.m. Emerald City, 406 E. Wright St. emeraldcitypensacola.com

MONDAY 12.8

BLUES SOCIETY OF NORTHWEST FLORI-

Best Voted Cuisine e Chines

}

Hot Ramen Noodles for Cold Weather

Upscale Chinese Dining

912-8669 | 5912 N. Davis Hwy. (Ste C) www.sharkfinpensacola.com

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calendar DA’S MONDAY NIGHT BLUES 8 p.m. Lili Mar-

lene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com PAPER STREET SOAP CO. 8 p.m. End o’ the

Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com OPEN MIC AT BIG EASY TAVERN 9 p.m. Bands,

individual musicians, comedians, poets, and other artists are invited to participate in weekly open mic sessions known as "Monday Night Jams." Admission is free. 710 N. Palafox. bigeasytavern.com

TUESDAY 12.9

LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD

6 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhouse. goodgrits.com TUESDAY JAZZ JAM: THE GINO ROSARIA QUARTET 6:30 p.m.

Lili Marlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter. com MIKE QUINN 9 p.m. End o’ the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

December 4, 2014

WEDNESDAY 12.10

LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD

5 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhouse.goodgrits.com JORDAN RICHARDS

6 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com

NORTHWEST FLORIDA BLUES SOCIETY 7 p.m.

New York Nicks, 911 Palafox. newyorknicks. net FOLK MUSIC NIGHT 7 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. eotlcafe.com

JAZZ JAM WITH PICASSO’S HOUSE BAND

7 p.m. Picasso Jazz Club, 19 S. Palafox. picassojazz.com DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’ Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com DJ JAY-R 9 p.m. Emerald City, 406 E. Wright St. emeraldcitypensacola.com MIKE QUINN 9 p.m.

End o’ the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

mination in the face of adversity remains an important story of perseverance, inspiration and creativity. On display through Dec. 28.

Museum hours and location: Tuesday Saturday, 10 a.m.

- 4 p.m. Voices of Pensacola Multicultural 'Everyone is Amused with the Antics in the Red Center, 119 E. Queen's Garden' by Stefani Joseph, 2013, oil on canvas Government St. Free admission.

African-Americans, historicpensacola.org broke convention to T.T. WENTWORTH paint beautiful iconic PRESENTS: “BEACHES, landscapes. OriginatCREATURES AND COWing in the mid 1950s, an UWF HISTORIC TRUST BOYS: FLORIDA MOVIE era marked by racism PRESENTS: “AGAINST POSTERS” The exhibit and poverty, these selfTHE ODDS: THE ART explores Florida as the taught entrepreneurs OF HIGHWAYMEN” backdrop of major mentored each other Presented by the UWF motion pictures. Exhibit while they painted on Historic Trust, The on display through Feb. basic materials like UpVoices of Pensacola 2015. Museum hours son board for canvasses, Multicultural Resource and location: Tuesday and crown molding for Center is hosting – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 frames. The surviving the Orange County p.m. T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Highwaymen, now in Historical Society’s: Florida State Museum, their sixties and seven“Against the Odds: The 330 S. Jefferson St. ties, are an important Art of the Highwayhistoricpensacola.org chapter in America’s men” traveling exhibit.

PMA PRESENTS: “THE culture and history, The Florida HighwayALICE IN WONDERindeed, a National Treamen, a group of 26 LAND SERIES” The sure. Their self-deter-

arts & culture ≥exhibits

Pensacola Museum of Art presents a whimsical journey into Wonderland through the oil on canvas paintings of Stefani Joseph. Joseph is a British figurative painter and professor at the Savannah College of Art & Design. Opening Reception: Saturday, Dec. 6, 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Also on display through January 2015: “Pat Regan Roots and Remembrance” and “Guild Hall: An Adventure in the Arts.” Museum hours and location: TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for members, children 17 and under, seniors and active duty military. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org FPAN PRESENTS: “LOST VIRTUE” The Florida

Public Archaeology Network presents a new temporary exhibit titled “Lost Virtue: Pensacola’s Red Light District.”

Several artifacts associated with the women who worked in Pensacola’s red light district

during the late 1800s and early 1900s uncovered through archaeology are on display for the first time, through January 2015. Admission is free. Museum hours and location: MondaySaturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

FPAN’s Destination Archaeology Resource Center, 207 East Main St. flpublicarchaeology. org/nwrc QUAYSIDE ART GALLERY PRESENTS: “CHRISTMAS MEMBER SHOW” Local artists

display original work including artistic ornaments and special gift ideas. Reception Sunday, Dec. 7. Museum Hours and Location: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Quayside Art Gallery, 17 E. Zaragoza St. Free admission. quaysidegallery.com TAG UWF PRESENTS: “VISCERAL” The Art

Gallery at the University of West Florida presents the work of graduating seniors Nikki Neel and Christian Steffanini, titled “Visceral, a Bachelor of Fine Arts Exit

Exhibition.” “Visceral” showcases paintings, video installations and sculptures by Neel and Steffanini. The artworks on display conceptually engage and challenge the imagination. The exhibit remains on display through Dec. 6. Admission is free. Museum hours and location: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.4 p.m. and Saturday 12-4 p.m. The Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway. Bldg. 82, Room 240. tag82uwf. wordpress.com

BLUE MORNING GALLERY PRESENTS: “ALL MEMBER HOLIDAY EXHIBIT” The “All

Member Holiday Exhibit” features special holiday works from Gallery member artists, all priced under $100.

On display through Dec. 27. Museum hours and location: MondayWednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m., and Sunday, 12:30-4 p.m.

Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. bluemorninggallery.com

21

music

by Hana Frenette

Tongue In Cheek paired with Escape Plan Productions, who were really great and a pretty good match for the song. It was a crazy experience doing so much in so little time, and I can't imagine how much crazier it must have been for Escape Plan doing the shooting and editing in such a short period.

Austin-based indie rock band Young Tongue will be joining Mr. Gnome on the road for the next few months in support of their new album, “Death Rattle.” Singer and guitarist Stu Baker took some time in between shows to talk with Inweekly about changing band names, writing songs in your dreams and Creed guitar riffs.

IN: Young Tongue was playing as the Baker Family for almost six years. Why the name change? Did anything else change with the name, like sound, lineup or general attitude?

Baker: We had been wanting to change the name for a while. Baker Family was pretty misleading for the sound we developed over the years, and we wanted to have a name that fit the sound and wasn't ironic. A big part of it too was my desire to start a new band with a new sound that was more focused and intentional.

We think of it as a new band that happens to have the same members as our old band.

IN: Does the new name have any particular significance for you or other people in the band?

Baker: Definitely. We chose it based on the idea of a developing language or new language.

Also, I have a tendency to over-exaggerate accomplishment, sometimes to the point of laziness or paralysis. So Young Tongue helps remind me that no matter how far I progress with writing or performing music, I'll always be in the developmental phase, and the top of the mountain in my head isn't really there.

IN: The music video for "Cat Calls" was made in two days as part of a program that pairs musicians with other local artists for a 48-hour race of sorts, to shoot and edit a video. How did you become involved or linked up with this endeavor? How was the experience and what was the whole process like for you and the band?

Baker: Our good bud Anthony Erikson at Eye in the Sky Collective heard about it and submitted us. We were fortunate to be selected and are super stoked to have been a part of it. We were 222 2

IN: Are you all originally from Austin or have you all kind of adopted it as your home?

Baker: Darryl, our drummer, and Frenchie, the guitarist are both originally from Austin. Nathan (bass) and I are from North Carolina, and Liz is a Ft. Worth native, but we've all been in Austin for a while now, and it is definitely home. It's hard to imagine moving somewhere else and having the same level of community and support that we have in Austin.

IN: What is the local music scene like in Austin for you guys? Are there so many local bands that it's overwhelming or highly competitive or the complete opposite?

Baker: The Austin music scene is at a great place right now. Yes, there are an insane number of bands there. But any competition that exists there feels healthy and positive. It has been a great place to cut our teeth over the past several years.

IN: You guys just released your first album this month, "Death Rattle,” and have embarked on a pretty busy tour this month.

How has it been touring as Young Tongue, and is it different from touring as the Baker Family?

Baker: It's been the best! Way different from the other tours. It's our first time to the West Coast, so seeing this part of the country has been amazing. Touring with Mr. Gnome has been crazy awesome, I can't say enough about how much they absolutely rule in every way.

these cities, so we're getting to play for people stoked on good music every night IN: I've read descriptions of your band that include titles like, "psychedelic dream pop.”

Do you guys often have dreams, crazy, psychedelic or otherwise, that inspire the music you make? (I know being called dream pop and having crazy dreams aren't necessarily related, but I just thought I'd ask in the event that they were related, because that would be rad.)

Baker: That's funny. Yeah, dreams definitely inform our lyrics and music. One of the first songs Liz and I wrote together has lyrics from a dream of hers. I write music in my dreams all the time, and I think in the dream, "Damn this is best thing I've ever written, but I'm not going to remember it when I wake up." If I'm lucky, a melody or lyrics will be stuck in my head when I get up to brush my teeth. This is not a common way of writing for us though.

IN: If you aren't relying on your wild dreams as a source of inspiration, what is the creative process like for you and the other members? How has it evolved since you first started playing together?

Baker: In the past I've written all the parts and would show it to everyone else. Recently we've started writing together, which feels better.

Usually there are a few stages: we'll jam for a few hours, pick out the best parts, organize a structure. Then I'll take that loose idea of a songs and rewrite melodies, lyrics, and reorganize and edit, and then show this more cohesive version to the band. After that, each member re-digests their parts—this is where we sort of destroy and rebuild the song.

IN: Did you play music when you were younger? If so, have there been any humorous musical engagements, like playing a friend’s bar mitzvah, singing a cheesy song at a wedding (Butterfly Kisses, anything by Sarah McLaughlin, etc.) or perhaps serenading a crush?

Baker: I started taking guitar lessons when I was 10. I would take some pretty horrible songs into the lessons to learn. I still know how to play a handful of Creed songs. They'll surface every now and then if it's late enough and I feel like blowing someone mind with my badass Mark Tremonti riffs. {in}

IN: Do you find that the energy of the crowd is different so far on this tour than others you might have experienced before?

The energy of the band?

Baker: For sure. Different cities have their different collective personalities.

Some cities are too cool for school, WHAT: Young Tongue with Mr. Gnome, and at others people aren't afraid to go Jpegasus and Glass Mattress crazy during the show. Usually the cities WHEN: 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5 that don't have a huge music scene, but WHERE: The Handlebar, 319 N.Tarragona St. where people still go out a lot are the COST: $10 most responsive. This tour has been DETAILS: pensacolahandlebar.com awesome though, because Mr. Gnome has established legit followings in all

YOUNG TONGUE

inweekly.net

TMI Kansas lawyer Dennis Hawver was disbarred in November for his comically bad (24 separate deficiencies) defense of double-murder suspect Phillip Cheatham in 2005 (which led to a new trial for Cheatham). Hawver had admitted to the jury that his client was a "shooter of people" (a previous manslaughter conviction) who, as an "experience(d)" criminal would never have left that third victim alive with multiple gunshot wounds. A confident Hawver had virtually invited the jury to execute "whoever" the killer was. (At a September hearing to keep his license, he dressed as Thomas Jefferson, banging the lectern and shouting, as reverse psychology, "I am incompetent!"—leading the blog Lowering the Bar to muse that by then, the argument was wholly unnecessary.) Cheatham told the Topeka Capital-Journal that Hawver is "a good dude (but) just in over his head."

THE CONTINUING CRISIS The Creative Class: To spark interest in the new leisure center opening in spring 2015 in Selby in North Yorkshire, England, the management company WLCT sponsored a contest to name the center, with the prize a year's free membership. On Nov. 5, General Manager Paul Hirst announced that Steve Wadsworth was the winner, proclaiming, "Well done to Steve on winning the competition."

The winning entry: "Selby Leisure Centre."

• A German woman who identifies herself only as "Anna Konda" described to Vice Media in October her Female Fight Club in Berlin, now three years old, for women to test themselves in all-out wrestling matches. While some are fetish-motivated dominants, others display no particular sexuality—like Anna herself, who, she admits, simply likes to "crush" men's and women's skulls between her massive thighs. Anna says she is a product of East Germany's cliched development of tough, muscular female athletes.

QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENTS Those Frightening Alabama Schools: (1) In October, a mother charged that officials at E.R. Dickson School in Mobile, Alabama, first detained her daughter, 5, for pointing a crayon at another student as if it were a gun, and then pressured the girl to sign a paper promising not to kill anyone or commit suicide. "What is suicide, Mommy?" the girl asked when her parents arrived. (2) In a 2010 incident at Sparkman Middle School near Huntsville, Alabama, an administrator coaxed a special-needs girl, 14, into a boys' bathroom to "bait" a 16-year-old boy who had previous sexual misconduct issues into committing a prosecutable offense—and then failed to protect the girl. (The girl's family sued and won a summary judgment, but the school board appealed, and in September 2014 the U.S. Justice Department formally endorsed the family's lawsuit.)

HE

by Chuck Shepherd

• The West Briton newspaper reported in October that a darts team composed of blind men was ready for its inaugural match at an inn in Grampound, England, sponsored by the St. Austell Bay Rotary Club. The inn's landlord acknowledged that the game-room door would be closed "just in case" a dart strays off course. (The blind darters would be aided by string attached to the bull's eye that they could feel for guidance.)

UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT In some developing countries, a sex "strike" organized by women is often the only hopeful tactic for convincing husbands and lovers to take grievances seriously. However, in November, Mr. Nderitu Njoka, head of a Global Men Empowerment Network in Nairobi, Kenya, announced that his organization would commence a "sex boycott" for five days, denying men's "services" to their wives—to protest "tyrannical" female domination. According to Njoka, hundreds of Kenyan men are physically assaulted by females every year (including at least 100 whose wives vengefully castrate them).

(Referring to a notorious U.S. incident, Njoka offered support to the singer Jay Z after he was punched by his sister-in-law Solange Knowles.)

• First, Do Harm: In November, according to the deputy police commissioner in Calcutta, India, a group of student doctors at Nilratan Sarkar Medical College cornered, beat, maimed and eventually killed a man they suspected of rummaging through their belongings and stealing their mobile phones. The incident followed a series of phone and laptop thefts, and some of the enraged medical students slashed the man's genitals before leaving him to die.

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PERSPECTIVE Despite a 70-year-old U.S. Supreme Court decision to the contrary, six states still have laws exempting parents from homicide charges when they deny a child life-saving medical care because they trust no remedy except prayer. Even among those states, all of the deaths since 1994 under those circumstances have occurred in Idaho, where (according to a November report by Vocativ.com) no prosecutor seems willing to put a trust-inGod parent before a jury. Children in Idaho have died when simple medical treatments were available (e.g., insulin and fluids for Type I diabetes). Neighboring Oregon, by contrast, now vigorously prosecutes parents who let their children die, including a 13-year-old girl's parents convicted in November in Albany, Oregon. {in}

From Universal Press Syndicate Chuck Shepherd’s News Of The Weird © 2014 Chuck Shepherd

Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com December 4, 2014

23

Independent News | December 4, 2014 | inweekly.net