Inweekly April 4, 2024 Issue

Photos Courtesy of Blue Wahoos

Business Leader of the Year

Steve Moorhead Founder and Managing Partner Moorhead Law Group

Awarded to an individual for outstanding success through the development of a new process, product or service or for meaningful contributions to the community and who exemplifies the qualities of the business visionary.

Advocate of the Year

Crista Brandt

Northwest Florida Regional Director

Valerie’s House Pensacola

Awarded to an individual who has shown significant compassion to help or assist others within their leadership role and who is expected to continue having a positive impact in the community.

Spirit of Pensacola Award

Margie Moore

Managing Director

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Awarded to an individual who embodies the “Spirit of Pensacola” and who has given many years or a lifetime of service to the community.

Community Leader of the Year

Michelle Salzman

Florida State Representative

District 1

Awarded to an individual who has distinguished himself or herself through outstanding contributions in the form of a special project, service or a series of projects or services and who exemplifies the true spirit of service.

Congratulations

Each year, the Pensacola Area Commitment to Excellence (PACE) Awards honor outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to Greater Pensacola’s overall economic progress. This event is the Pensacola region’s preeminent celebration of the community’s visionary entrepreneurs, business and civic leaders and exemplary corporate citizens.

Pioneer Award

Dr. James Andrews

Founder Andrews Institute

Established in 1978 and awarded to honor an individual who has made significant contributions, provided leadership with lasting impact and who has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to progress for the Greater Pensacola Area community.

Emerging Leader of the Year

Whitney Fike

Regional Communications Manager International Paper

Awarded to an individual who has shown significant potential for leadership and who is expected to continue having a positive impact in the community.

Leader in Education Award

Dr. Jocelyn Evans Director

Kugelman Honors Program University of West Florida

Awarded to an individual with a stellar record of educational service through outstanding contributions to advancement, mentorship and encouragement of students in or outside of the classroom.

Professional Leader of the Year

Dr. Rick Fountain

Dean of the College of Business University of West Florida

Awarded to an individual who has made a difference and contributed to the success of their profession by distinguished service, has earned high respect for his or her stature and integrity and inspires others.

Left to Right; Steve Moorhead, Crista Brandt, Margie Moore, Michelle Salzman, Dr. James Andrews, Whitney Fike, Dr. Jocelyn Evans, Dr. Rick Fountain

Photos by Kate Treick Photography

winners losers

EMAN EL-SHEIKH The head of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity has been inducted into the University of West Florida Million Dollar Research Hall of Fame for receiving over $25 million in external funding during her tenure. Dr. El-Sheikh is only the third faculty member in UWF's history to achieve this milestone. On social media, she thanked UWF leadership and her Center for Cybersecurity team for the opportunity to launch and lead programs that have had far-reaching impact.

WAYNE GULSBY The retired Escambia County Sheriff's Office (ESCO) master deputy was inducted into the U.S. Police Canine Association, Region 1's Hall of Fame, during the 2024 USPCA Region 1 K-9 Field Trials Awards Banquet. Gulsby's law enforcement career began when he started working at Escambia County Road Prison at age 20. Upon completing the police academy, Gulsby began working at the ECSO, where he partnered with a K-9 named Duke in the ECSO Street Crime Unit. He received numerous awards and certifications over the years and worked with six ECSO K-9s. Gulsby retired alongside his partner, K-9 Enzo, in 2022.

RISHY & QUINT STUDER At their expense, the Studers have installed metal detection and screening systems around the Blue Wahoos Stadium's main entrances. Eight Major League Baseball clubs, including the Blue Wahoos' MLB affiliate Miami Marlins, use the wire-free, high-convenience systems, which cost nearly $100,000. Though the stadium has had no incidents, the team owners wanted to ensure Blue Wahoos' fans and players enjoy the games in a fun, safe and firearm-free environment.

TATE HIGH SCHOOL

Tate High School students in the school's Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter and on its student council, yearbook staff and softball and baseball teams volunteered with Tate FFA alumni to package 54,000 meals for the community through the Meals of Hope program. They exceeded their goal of feeding 50,000 with the Meals of Hope project by packaging the meals in under three hours. All the packaged meals will be distributed to families in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

JOSEPH MALDONADO

The "Tiger King" is back in the Santa County Rosa Jail while he awaits a settlement conference hearing involving a civil case in federal court. The former Oklahoma zookeeper and former Gulf Breeze resident was featured in the Netflix documentary "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness." He has been serving a 21-year sentence in prison for crimes involving his animals and a murder-for-hire plot. The civil lawsuit is against musician Vince Johnson and several businesses over alleged copyright infringement and breaches of confidentially agreements related to "musical compositions that contractually belong to Maldonado."

NICOLE SHANAHAN

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s running mate might be more controversial than him. Shanahan isn't a fan of in vitro fertilization (IVF), calling it "one of the biggest lies that is being told about women's health today." After an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos are children, several clinics temporarily suspended the procedure. Republicans and Democrats defended IVF, leading to the Alabama Legislature passing legislation to protect it. The Kennedy campaign may need to hand out tinfoil hats at its next rally.

SAM BANKMAN-FRIED

The founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange was sentenced to 25 years in prison for stealing billions of dollars from customers. A jury found Bankman-Fried guilty of fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering, which carried a maximum penalty of 100 years. His attorneys had requested six and a half years. Bankman-Fried was also ordered to forfeit assets valued at $11 billion.

MIKE LINDELL

MyPillow founder must deal with court-order eviction involving one of the company's two warehouses in Shakopee, Minn. His landlord said the Lindell failed to pay $217,000 in rent. According to media reports, Lindell's MyPillow has lost $100 million in sales since shopping networks and retailers dropped his product and has auctioned off thousands of pieces of equipment. If you want a MyPillow, former county commissioner Gene Valentino has a deal for you at mypillow.com/genev, where you get 80% off your entire order when you use the promo code "GeneV." Thanks, Gene.

Joseph Maldonado / Photo Courtesy of Santa Rosa County Jail

Eman El-Sheikh / Photo Courtesy of UWF

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

STILL INVISIBLE

Ten years ago, I wrote about rape in the military, how sexual assaults were underreported, and when reported, the assailant was rarely prosecuted (Inweekly, "Not Invisible Anymore," 4/4/13). In 2012, the Pentagon estimated that 19,000 military personnel had experienced unwanted sexual contact in the past year. One in five females and one in 100 males had been raped while serving their country, and less than 15% were reported.

Service members were reluctant to report the rapes because of fear of retaliation and being ostracized by their unit. They had little trust that the chain of command would investigate the cases and prosecute the attacks after supporting evidence was gathered.

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other. At NAS Pensacola, it was allowed to go on because the commander was one of the ones doing it."

Bill enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 18 and served as a combat engineer during the Vietnam War. He was raped in Okinawa, Japan, while he was still in his teens.

The only real option she saw was to be quiet and move on.

"I became friends with a guy. When we're off duty, he said that he needed to show me something," he told me. "We went off into the jungle. The next thing I knew, he had knocked me out. When I awoke, he was on top of me."

The award-winning documentary "The Invisible War" triggered my cover story. The film told the story of military rape through the voices of the male and female victims—many of whom felt they were victimized twice, once by their attackers and then by the military system. After viewing it, our staff decided to publish an article about rapes in the military based on the experiences of local veterans. Several agreed to be interviewed if we protected their identities.

In the 1990s, Nan was stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola and worked as an avionics electronic tech, rising to E-3 rank. Within three years, Nan was raped three times, once by her commanding officer.

The last rape was by a male nurse at the Navy hospital while she was sedated. Her attacker was never investigated, charged or reprimanded. When she called for a closed captain's mast, which would have let her talk directly with the base's commanding officer of the base in private, she was denied and ordered to see the counselors at Family Services.

Her counselor helped her deal with the trauma but discouraged her from pressing any charges. The only real option she saw was to be quiet and move on. Even though she stayed silent, Nan was ousted from command and eventually asked for her discharge.

She told me, "The women in the military know that rape happens on a regular basis. They are aware of it and try to protect each

Bill was too ashamed to report the rape and began drinking heavily and having blackouts. Finally, his drinking and his pent-up anger got the best of him. He assaulted a second lieutenant and was sentenced to 30 days in the correctional custody platoon. Once he served the sentence, Bill was discharged.

Out of the service, he continued drinking, abused drugs and had a failed marriage. Eventually, he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When he told the doctor about the rape, Bill was sent to a facility for Military Sexual Trauma in Biloxi, Miss. With the help of prescription drugs, he got his PTSD and MST under control.

Despite the military leaders repeatedly telling Congress it was committed to preventing sexual assault, the Pentagon still has a problem. The estimated number of service members who experienced unwanted sexual contact also increased to 35,875 in 2022.

Some changes are being made. In late December, the military announced the decision to prosecute sexual assault and several other serious crimes has moved from an accused service member's chain of command to new Offices of Special Trial Counsel, which will report directly to the secretaries of the military departments.

The Pentagon also announced plans to recruit, hire, and train more than 2,000 psychologists and other prevention experts to serve at hundreds of military locations and ships worldwide by 2028.

In 10 years, we will know if these efforts succeeded. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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DYING TOO EARLY

Walking into Escambia County Health Start Coalition's offices, you notice a skinny, stick tree with several paper leaves tied to its branches. Every leaf bears the name of an Escambia County infant who died this past year before their first birthday.

In Florida counties with 3,000 or more births annually, Escambia County has the highest infant mortality rate at 8.3 per 1,000 births. The state average is 6.0.

The Florida Legislature enacted Healthy Start in 1991 to reduce infant mortality and the number of low-birth-weight babies and improve the health and developmental outcomes for all Florida babies. The Escambia coalition is one for 32 across the state and is funded through the Florida Department of Health, grants and donations.

Unfortunately, Escambia County has seen little success in lowering infant mortality rates.

the rate averaged 10.3. Since 2013, the county has averaged 30 infant deaths annually, regardless of the number of births.

Healthy Start's associate director Claire Kirchharr said, "We always say it's an entire kindergarten classroom of kids won't make it to their first birthday in Escambia County."

CAUSES OF DEATH

Kirchharr leads our region's Fetal and Infant Review Mortality Review (FIMR) team that reviews all infant and fetal deaths in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties. The review process consists of medical and social record audits, family interviews to obtain information and ensure families receive support after the loss, and the creation of a de-identified case summary.

The primary causes of Escambia County's infant deaths are positional asphyxia and accidental suffocation in bed, followed by extreme prematurity and respiratory failure.

"About 30% of our infant deaths are sleep-related," Kirchharr said. "It's babies that are dying in the homes from moms exhausted, and the baby's crying all night, so she brings the baby to bed with her. And no matter how much we've educated a family on safe sleep, the baby is taken to bed one time. Unfortunately, that one time is all it takes."

The average age of the birth parent in the sleep-related death is 24. The infant is most likely the mother's third child, whose average age is 20 weeks or roughly four months. The most significant factors are the infant not sleeping in a crib or bassinet, soft bedding and sleeping with others.

"We're getting the death certificates and requesting the mom's medical and law enforcement and home visiting records and looking at what was her story during pregnancy and when the baby was born," Kirchharr said. "Sometimes I see a name that I've seen twice before already. This is her third loss in as many years."

She added, "It's the unfortunate cycles of poverty and violence in their communities that lead to the development of toxic stress-related issues that will lead to either that poor birth outcome or something happening to that child. We've seen with some of our sleep-related deaths that mom had the baby in the bed with her because there were roaches, and she didn't want the roaches biting her child in the crib. It's just circumstances they're having right in our backyard that are just horrific."

ACCESS TO CARE & SERVICES

The FIMR report breaks down the deaths by zip code. In 2021, the 32514 zip code had the most infant deaths with eight, followed by 32526 and 32506 with five and four deaths, respectively. The 32514 zip code covers Ferry Pass and the neighborhoods around the University of West Florida, while Beulah and Myrtle Grove are in 32526 and 32506 respectively.

"Certain apartment complexes had a huge number of cases," Kirchharr said. "We've gone to eight different apartment complexes this year, giving out Pack 'n Play bassinets to ensure families had that safe sleep environment."

Healthy Start tries to connect with pregnant mothers as soon as possible, because the mother's health is the biggest risk to an infant's health. Every woman in Florida is offered a prenatal screen for risk factors, and another screening is done after the baby is born. Those screenings connect the family to Healthy Start.

"Every mom is eligible, even if they have no risk factors. If a mom calls us and is struggling or just worried about being a first-time mom, we can work with them, regardless of their income, insurance, whatever. It's completely free to them," Kirchharr said.

She continued, "We call mom and just assess what's going on—what do you have, what need, what's your support system, what's your mental health like? Postpartum depression is huge, and are you talking to your doctor? Do you have barriers to getting to your doctor?"

Kirchharr estimated that Healthy Start works annually with about 1,000 families and over 300 pregnant mothers. When asked how Escambia County should approach infant mortality, she said the challenge is access to care.

"We need a lot of focus on the social situations because it's moms getting late entry into prenatal care because they just simply couldn't get to their prenatal appointments."

Claire Kirchharr

"We need a lot of focus on the social situations because it's moms getting late entry into prenatal care because they just simply couldn't get to their prenatal appointments. They're relying on others for transportation," she said. "The Medicaid transportation system unfortunately doesn't work well all the time."

The Southern Birth Justice Network in Dade County has a mobile maternal healthcare van that goes into poorer neighborhoods. Kirchharr shared, "Years ago, before my time, it definitely was talked about bringing something like that to this area, but logistically, it was too difficult."

Does Escambia County care that an infant dies every 12 days? Achieve Healthy EscaRosa, a coalition of hospitals and healthcare providers, assesses health outcomes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties every three years. Last summer, it published a three-year blueprint for health improvement. The child wellbeing goal focused on abuse prevention only. The Escambia Children's Trust lists infant mortality as a core indicator for having healthy children but hasn't budgeted any funds to improve it.

Until expectant mothers and infants are made a priority, Escambia County will continue to lose a kindergarten class of babies every year, and more leaves will be added to the bereavement tree in Healthy Start's office.

To learn more, visit healthystart.info. {in}

Photo by Rick Outzen

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THE BANK-TERRORISM CONNECTION

By Rick Outzen

Mike Papantonio has placed his alter ego, attorney Nicholas "Deke" Deketomis, into several life-and-death situations involving legal cases pulled from national headlines and from Levin Papantonio Rafferty's (LPR) numerous billion-dollar lawsuits.

In Papantonio's first book, "Law and Disorder," Deke battled a powerful pharmaceutical company while dealing with a bogus murder charge concocted by two malicious brothers running one of the country's biggest oil corporations. In "Law and Vengeance," he and his legal team challenged an unscrupulous weapons manufacturer and a corrupt Chicago police union. "Law and Addiction" centered on Big Pharma and the opioid crisis, and "Inhuman Trafficking" focused on how truck stops and the hospitality industry profit from human trafficking young boys and girls.

He wrote his latest book, "Suspicious Activity," with law partner Chris Paulos, who heads

LPR's counter-terrorism unit. This time, Deke battles the banking industry that profits off terrorism. The book debuted last week and immediately rose to the top of Amazon's financial thriller list.

Paulos leads the firm's lawsuit against Saudi Arabia on behalf of the victims of the 2019 terrorist attack at NAS Pensacola that killed three and injured eight others. His technical expertise on terrorism ensured the book accurately depicted how financial institutions support terrorist organizations and drug cartels.

Papantonio sat down with Inweekly to discuss Deke and "Suspicious Activity" before heading to Las Vegas for his firm's Mass Torts Made Perfect conference.

BASED ON A BANKING SCANDAL

The idea for "Suspicious Activity" came from HSBC Holdings being fined $1.9 billion for laundering over $881 million for Mexico's Sinaloa and Colombia's Norte del Valle drug cartels. HSBC wasn't the only international bank caught. Credit Suisse settled for $536 million in 2009; Barclays agreed to pay $298 million in 2010; ING was fined $619 million in 2012; Standard Chartered was fined $330 million in 2012 and $1.1 billion in 2019; BNP Paribas was fined $8.9 billion in 2014; and Deutsche Bank paid $258 million in 2015. Each fine was for abetting illegal transactions with countries such as Iran and Libya

"The government caught HSBC clearly washing money for terrorists and drug cartels," Papantonio said. "HSBC signed a document that said, 'Yes, we did wash money. Yes, we understood it was going to result in human death. We knew it was going to kill soldiers and contractors. And we made hundreds of billions of dollars. And so, sorry.' And Eric Holder, the attorney general under Obama, just let him go."

He said nobody was prosecuted, and all HSBC had to do was pay a fine, which Papantonio called "a cost of doing business" for the bank.

"In other words, that's part of the problem, and this book talks about it," Papantonio said. "Until you perp walk some of these people, this is going to go on for the end of time. All of these decisions that these banks make to help drug

cartels and terrorists were made for profit. And as long as they can make a profit, they're going to do it. But when you put somebody in prison, it changes their risk-benefit analysis."

The "Suspicious Activity" story unfolds after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars when IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and EFPs (explosively formed penetrators) continued to terrorize civilians in those nations. The weapons of destruction are first seen as mere remnants of past conflicts, but as they spread to Europe and the U.S., a more sinister web of deceit and greed is suspected.

MEET PJ MICHAEL CAREY

The book's suspense builds when a shocking revelation suggests a major global bank with a significant presence in New York City could be funding the production and distribution of these deadly devices. Deke and his legal team must unravel the dark forces at play. Their pursuit of justice puts them up against a dangerous right-wing paramilitary group, which will do whatever it takes to stop any investigation.

Deke's team includes co-counsel Michael Carey and investigators Carol Morris and Jake Rutledge. Papantonio enjoyed creating Carey, a veteran with a unique set of skills.

"Michael Carey is a pararescueman, a special ops guy, and they call them 'PJs.' And they're trained right up the road at Hurlburt Air Force Base," he said. "They train longer than Navy Seals and are single operators, and they rescue people behind enemy lines."

He continued, "The Air Force gets the most self-reliant people, not necessarily team players. They're the people who fit in from the standpoint of they operate as solitary operators."

The Air Force's website states that pararescue airmen save injured military personnel from hostile or otherwise unreachable areas. They can provide medical treatment and are skilled parachutists, scuba divers and rock climbers.

"Carey is a PJ who was injured in Afghanistan, so he ended up going to law school and then hired Deke. And the interesting thing about him is that when you have that ele ment going on in a book, you can do a lot more

things that are just a little bit off the path," Papantonio shared.

"It's easier to color outside the lines with a guy like that. In other words, Deke might meet with Carey and say, 'Listen, I need you to accomplish something.' Deke thinks he's telling Carey that he wants him to do it legally, but Michael Carey's just thinking, 'What's the most expedient way to do it?'"

He added, "Carey colors way outside the lines, but he's nevertheless a talented trial lawyer. But he has the skill sets that nobody else has."

Papantonio said Deke plays a slightly different role in this thriller. "Deke ends up being a caretaker in this book. His people are in life-and-death struggles, and his role is to figure out how to extricate them from that. And while he's doing that, he has to fight all the courtroom battles that keep this case alive against the banking industry. But the characters in this particular book are dealing with real threats of death."

After five books, Papantonio has come to understand what makes a good thriller. "Every day, in American culture, we wake up thinking of ourselves, to some degree, as victims. We're always at risk of being rolled over by people who have power, influence and money. That always victimizes us."

He continued. "It has taken me years to realize that what people want in a thriller is to understand that through the book, they can visualize the possibility of success and justice for the little guy of justice. The folks that are always calling the shots and seem to be getting their way at the expense of the average American, that they can be dealt with and they can be vanquished."

"In this book, the reader is taken through that because there're some really, really bad people here. A good thriller should end in a way where there's a resolution so that the reader believes there's still victory in this world."

"Suspicious Activity" definitely qualifies as a good thriller. Amazon.com has hardback and Kindle versions available. The Kindle version is

Dr. Angela Bush Leading a School Out of Low Performance

As the principal of Erwin Middle School in Birmingham, AL, Dr. Angela Bush made notable strides to move the school from a low-performing school to a model high-performing educational institution.

Dr. Bush improved key metrics such as attendance, test scores, teacher morale and reduced disciplinary infractions.

• Sustain success in student attendance and academic achievement.

• Create a system that works for educators.

• Recruit support from your community. In her CivicCon presentation you will learn how to:

Attend this free presentation in person or watch a live stream on the Pensacola News Journal Facebook page.

Thursday, April 11 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

REX Theatre

Downtown Pensacola

CivicCon is a partnership of the Pensacola News Journal and the Center for Civic Engagement to make our community a better place to live, grow, work and invest through smart planning and civic conversations.

Dr. Angela Bush serves as Area Director for Jefferson County Schools in Alabama.

competition," said Dr. K.C. Ma, Mary Ball Washington/Switzer Bros endowed professor of finance in UWF's Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business. "We won the first-place award last year in the fixed-income category. The investment strategies have been very successful. I'm extremely proud of the students."

The winning Argo Bond Fund portfolio, managed by the Argo Investments Program class of 2023 and led by students Aaron Korel and Nicolas Mielke, has $1 million in assets under management. Funds only qualify for the competition if they are real-money funds managed by the students through university courses.

The Argo Bond Fund program, established in 2019, gives students real-world experience in funds management. In 2020, the UWF Foundation Board approved using real money for the program's students to manage its funds.

The Quinnipiac University GAME conference, held annually each spring, brings together financial experts to share their knowledge, expertise, and outlook for the future with graduate and undergraduate students and faculty from universities around the globe.

For more information about UWF's Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, visit uwf.edu/cob.

EXPLOSIVE HURRICANE SEASON AccuWeather meteorologists predict the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season to be well above historical aver-

named storms.

SHRIMP JESUS Facebook users may have encountered a strange AI-generated image that can only be described as "Shrimp Jesus." ABC News technology reporter Mike Dobuski explained to Inweekly that the Stanford Internet Observatory first reported on it last month.

"What they found was that these pictures of Jesus with the body and legs made out of shrimp have started going viral on Facebook," he said. "And 'Shrimp Jesus,' as it has come to be known, is not alone here. There's also 'Crab Jesus' and 'Fanta Jesus,' which have gone viral as well on Facebook."

The reporter continued, "These images are generated by artificial intelligence. Stanford has found that they are essentially being used as clickbait or engagement-based ads. It's bad."

According to Dobuski, baby boomers have shared and commented on the images, many with a simple "amen."

MILTON GETS PERMIT

The City of Milton has received the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit to build two spray fields on city-owned property on Jeff Ates Road. The fields will process 1.28 million gallons of treated effluent per day. The city is currently awaiting review from the National Environmental Policy Act before determining the project's commencement date.

The North Santa Rosa Regional Water Reclamation Facility will enhance the region's capacity for development, serving Milton, Berryhill, east Milton and NAS Whiting Field, and accommodating the potential growth of the Whiting Aviation Park and the I-10 corridor. When the project is completed, Milton will no longer directly discharge treated effluent into the Blackwater River.

In the press release, city officials said, "With the existing facility approaching its 2 million gallons-per-day capacity and located close to the river, this project is critical for addressing environmental concerns and supporting the projected 32%

COMMERCIAL MARKET BOOM According to NAI Pensacola CEO DeeDee Davis, The Pensacola real estate market is experiencing a boom, with a strong first quarter despite economic forecasters predicting gloom and doom. The commercial side of the market is particularly strong, with many cash

"I think the banking industry sees it differently because they're not getting the loans they once did because interest rates are so high, but there are a lot of people out there with cash, and they don't mind spending it," Davis said. "We're probably doing more cash deals than we ever have."

She is particularly encouraged by those who are buying commercial properties. "The good thing is it's not all just people here playing the shell game and moving around. We've got a lot of out-of-town and out-of-state investors who are

Davis said investors and business owners seek office space in downtown Pensacola and the Cordova Mall area. "In larger markets where there is a real commute involved, a lot of people are still working from home, at least part-time, but that's not really the case so much here. Our office space, especially in downtown, has dried up."

TALKING CANS At his press conference last week, Mayor D.C. Reeves announced residents will begin to notice QR stickers on their trash cans starting Monday, April 1. When scanned, the codes provide access to the city website with information about city services.

"We're trying to make it easy, so if you have a question or a concern or you don't know how to find the number or the website or anything like that, your trash can will speak to you. You'll be able to get those answers."

The mayor expects the stickers to be applied to all the city's garbage cans by June.

BREEZING

TO PENSACOLA On WCOA's "Real News with Rick Outzen" last week, Airport Director Matt Coughlin shared that Pensacola International Airport is adding a new airline: Breeze Airways. The carrier will provide nonstop flights to Tampa and one-stop/no-change-of-plane service to Norfolk, Va. The two destinations will have twice-weekly service on Mondays and Fridays starting June 28.

Coughlin shared that Breeze Airways initially planned to begin offering flights in the fall but

wanted to take advantage of the summer season. He said, "It's for us to add more choices for our customers, especially getting an airline like Breeze on board. That's huge for us."

Mayor D.C. Reeves believes the airline's decision shows confidence in the Pensacola market. He added, "The commitment by Breeze Airways to expand services to our region demonstrates the exceptional work of the team at PNS."

Breeze Airways president Tom Doxey said, "We're thrilled to announce the addition of Pensacola to our expanding network as we continue to add great destinations nationwide. With Breeze's added convenience and affordability, our business model continues to see success in cities across the country."

The addition of Breeze Airways brings the total number of airlines offering flights at the Pensacola International Airport to eight.

Travelers interested in booking flights between Norfolk, Tampa and Pensacola can book online at flybreeze.com. For more information about Pensacola International Airport, visit flypensacola.com.

WAHOOS ADD SECURITY

The Pensacola

Blue Wahoos have installed metal detectors at Blue Wahoos Stadium to improve fan experience and remain aligned with Major League Baseball's facility operating standards. At the ballpark's primary home plate entrance, the Wahoos have installed three Opengate 108960-LTE Automatic Screening Systems. The wire-free, high-convenience systems are currently used by eight different Major League Baseball clubs, including the Blue Wahoos' MLB affiliate Miami Marlins.

At stadium group entrances, the Blue Wahoos have installed two CEIA USA Metal Detection and Security Screening systems. The installed systems are part of a near-$100,000 investment by Blue Wahoos owners Quint and Rishy Studer to improve and prioritize fan and player safety.

"This move is consistent with our goal of making fans feel safe," said Quint Studer. "Taking the lead from the Marlins and other MLB clubs in placing the most up-to-date detection system makes sense. We don't ever want to be in the position of 'we wish we had.' This also supports the talented security staff, police officers and emergency personnel who are on site at every game."

The Blue Wahoos remain wholly committed to fan and player safety as a top priority. They are confident the new measures will ensure Blue Wahoos fans and players can enjoy a fun, safe and firearm-free experience.

For a complete list of Blue Wahoos Stadium rules, including prohibited items, visit milb.com/ pensacola/team/about.

FRED FEST 3

Fred Levin Way Fest returns 11 a.m.3 p.m. Sunday, April 14 to downtown Pensacola. The event honors the late Fred Levin and the oneblock stretch of Zarragossa Street, which the City of Pensacola renamed after his death. The initial

Aaron Korel and Nicolas Mielke / Photo Courtesy of UWF

"Fred Fest" took place when city officials unveiled the new street sign, and his children and grandchildren decided to make it an annual event because of the community's response.

His granddaughter Jackie Martorell admitted she wasn't sure if people would come to the unveiling. She said, "The first year, we were thinking, 'This is going to be a great way to honor grandpa and his legacy here in Pensacola, the city that he loved so much.' He said all the time he could have lived anywhere in the world, but he wouldn't. He wanted to stay in Pensacola because he loves this town, and clearly, this town loves him back because the festival has grown exponentially."

Martorell continued, "We did not expect this amazing response, but we could not be happier that we are able to, three years later, continue to tell Pensacola about these amazing nonprofit organizations and available services."

Last year, the Fred Levin Way Foundation distributed 75,000 items, including free meals, diapers, backpacks, books and toys. Martorell said, "This is where all Pensacola families can come out and have fun. You don't need any money at all. Everybody gets a meal from one of our 10 fantastic food trucks. We've got prizes and entertainment."

She added, "The entire day is going to be filled with free fun as well as the ability for folks to connect with 60 different nonprofits that have various services in the community."

For more information, visit fredlevinfest.com.

APARTMENTS REFINANCED REBusiness Online reports that Walker & Dunlop has arranged a $49.5 million Fannie Mae loan to refinance Palmilla Apartments, a 240-unit multifamily community off Garden Street in downtown Pensacola.

Will Baker and Doug McDaniel of Walker & Dunlop's Birmingham office arranged the five-year, fixed-rate loan on behalf of Kore LLC, the borrower. The borrower will use the proceeds to stabilize Palmilla and pay off construction debt. According to Walker & Dunlop, Kore used Fannie Mae's green platform for better pricing.

BLUE ANGEL PRACTICE RULES If you want to watch Blue Angels practices from the viewing area at the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM), use the NAS Pensacola's West Gate at the south end of Blue Angel Parkway. The West Gate is open daily 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The practices start at 10:30 a.m. The practice schedule is available at navalaviationmuseum.org/blueangels/.

The public may visit the Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, Fort Barrancas and NNAM. However, individuals with a Department of Defense (DoD) identification card can only access other areas on NAS Pensacola.

Individuals with family interred at Barrancas National Cemetery always have access through the Visitor Control Center (VCC). Visitors must enter the installation through the Main Gate at the south end of Navy Boulevard.

Additionally, all U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals 18 and older must have a state-issued identification

card or passport. Foreign Nationals are authorized access to NAS Pensacola but must be escorted by a U.S. citizen with proper identification.

The following restrictions will apply to visitors:

•No weapons (firearms/knives) allowed (to include Concealed Weapon Permit holders)

•No backpacks/coolers allowed (diaper bags or medically required bags are acceptable and subject to search)

•No alcoholic beverages allowed

•No drones allowed

•Persons with felony convictions are not authorized base access

•No visitors with boats and boat trailers

All vehicles and personnel are subject to security searches and background checks. Check the NAS Pensacola Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages for the latest updates.

EDUCATION EXPERT COMING CivicCon is excited to invite the public to a free presentation by Dr. Angela Bush 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at the REX Theatre.

As the principal of Erwin Middle School in Birmingham, Ala., Bush made notable strides to move it from a low-performing school to a model high-performing educational institution. She and her team improved chronic absenteeism, test scores and teacher morale, while forging stronger connections between the school and the local community.

Under her leadership, Erwin Middle School received its first passing score on the Alabama State School Report Card in 2022-2023, and U.S. News ranked it among the top five middle schools in the county. Dr. Bush was promoted to serve as Area Director for Jefferson County Schools in Alabama, where she works with staff at 15 additional schools to implement best practices that will lead to school improvement.

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees will learn how Dr. Bush and her team achieved this transformation. Guests can attend in person or watch the livestream on the PNJ Facebook page. Register at civiccon-angelabush.eventbrite.com.

BUZZ HISTORY, 10 YEARS AGO The 2014

Winter Storm hit the Belmont Cultural Center & Truth for Youth facility hard, causing the sprinkler system to explode and drench its rooms. Rev. John Powell founded the center on the corner of Belmont and DeVilliers streets to create a haven for inner-city children and provide a cultural center for the neighborhood. He shared his dreams for the facility while standing among water puddles created by heavy rains the previous night and a leaky roof.

Truth for Youth and St. John Missionary Baptist Church launched a campaign to make the critical repairs needed to reopen the building. Their "Envision the Vision, Commit 100" campaign asked churches and the community to pledge $100 for 24 months.

Rev. Powell said, "We have a long way to go, but I believe we can get there." {in}

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are coming off their best winning percentage in franchise history, advancing to the Southern League Championship Series last season. bulk of the team returning, Erik Bremer, the team's manager of broadcasting and media relations, looks forward to seeing what the ap proaching season holds.

only about the ballgame, but also the atmo sphere—cheering in the stadium, eating hot dogs and watching children run across the field chasing giant faux cockroaches.

And yes, Blue Wahoos' popular and longstanding Roach Run will be back this season.

"We all deal with roaches here in the Florida Panhandle, and we feed into it a little bit and had some fun with that," Bremer said. "We talk to kids who probably couldn't tell you what the final score was at the end of the night, but they know that they got to run and take after the roach and have a good time."

The Blue Wahoos have myriad new and returning promotions appealing to not only children, but also their parents, dog people and, of course, baseball fans.

For example, Swifties will love The Low E.R.A.s Night on Saturday, Aug. 17. In baseball, ERA stands for earned run average—not to be confused with Taylor Swift's infamous "Eras."

"We're celebrating your favorite female popstar, capitalizing on that trend without infringing on copyright," Bremer said. "So our ad copy said, 'Have you had a cruel summer? Do you enjoy rooting for the anti-hero? Well, look what you made us do.'"

Another first is The Games at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Friday, July 26, which will celebrate the Olympics.

"We are going to be having, let's say, traditional sports mini games throughout the concourse

miss familiar weekly promotions either, such as the well-received Doggone Tuesdays. That one means dogs are welcome at the ballpark every Tuesday home game, and attendees will receive a hot dog and drink with their traditional ticket cost.

"There will be at least a dozen opportunities for fans to bring their dogs out to the ballpark," Bremer said. "Especially in those early season games when it gets cool at night, we found pet owners really enjoy that. If you like dogs, that's the night to go—even if you don't own one yourself."

Another popular return promo is Marvel's Defenders of the Diamond on Saturday, May 25, featuring a specially designed logo inspired by comics.

"For one night only, we wear special hats and jerseys that are more of a comic book theme and will have characters and different Marvel stuff going on around the ballpark," Bremer said.

Some will be happy to know Legalize Marinara Night is also back, Bremer said with a laugh. Education Days are back, too, with two midweek day games for local schools to use as a field trip for students.

"That is a fun atmosphere, but also an opportunity for people if they want to take a business lunch to maybe take a client out and enjoy some baseball during the work day," Bremer said.

A Blue Wahoos game isn't always a "Blue

twice in June to commemorate Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, and Sunday, June 23, pays tribute to the Southern Negro Leagues' Pensacola Seagulls—a local team that played during the segregated era of baseball.

"It's our way of paying tribute to that era of baseball history, and something the players get excited about because they're cognizant of that history and they're excited to turn back the clock a little bit," Bremer said.

Their third alternate identity is part of "Copa de la Diversión™" or "Fun Cup™," a seasonlong event series specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with Minor League Baseball™ teams' local U.S. Hispanic communities. This identity is as Pok-Ta-Pok.

"We launched the Pok-Ta-Pok brand last year as the first Copa identity that pays tribute to pre-Columbian indigenous culture," Bremer said. "Pok-Ta-Pok was the Mesoamerican ball game that was played here before Western influence."

The Wahoos collaborated with Mexicobased artist Jacobo Vidal of Brandios to create the wordmark and logo. The jersey has an actual Mayan glyph on it.

"We got a really good response from that last year, not just locally, but nationally and internationally," Bremer said. "So we'll be bringing that back on a couple days this year as a tribute to our Hispanic community."

By Savannah Evanoff

firework show."

As the broadcaster, Bremer is excited to announce his new broadcast partner Carter Bainbridge. Fans can follow along for free on blue wahoos.com or the MLB app.

"We're excited about our coverage of the team," Bremer said. "And on a personal level, this is my third year as a broadcaster for the Blue Wahoos, and with every year, I get a bit more familiar with the fans and the culture here in Pensacola. It's been such a warm, inviting atmosphere with such great fan support. It's really one of the best places to work in minor league baseball." {in}

BLUE WAHOOS 2024 HOME OPENER

WHAT: Blue Wahoos vs. Mississippi Braves

WHEN: 6:05 p.m. Friday, April 5

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St.

DETAILS: bluewahoos.com

To see the home game, promotion and giveaway schedules, visit milb.com/pensacola. Single-game tickets, mini plans, group outings and season tickets are available bluewahoos.com and the Blue Wahoos Stadium box office.

Arts & Entertainment

Tori with a Twang

ic was a time of artistic exploration. Vinson was no different. The Pensacola native—who had played violin since kindergarten—used the solitude to acquaint herself with guitar and piano.

"I really stayed home because I had some at-risk family members," Vinson said. "So that was a way to express myself, because before that, I had had all of these very creative hobbies that I wasn't really getting to do."

Before the unexpected hibernation, Vinson was taking violin lessons, participating in Pensacola Children's Chorus and attending summer camps at Pensacola Little Theatre or Pensacola Opera. She comes from a musical family—her grandmother (aka Yaya) is a jazz

By Savannah Evanoff

moving last fall to Tallahassee to attend Florida State University.

Her first EP and band recordings available on streaming platforms might sound a tad different from the stuff Vinson writes now, she said. She was still trying to figure out how she wanted to sound then; now she knows.

"Most of the stuff I write is definitely more in that folk-y, pop-y vein," Vinson said. "When I was playing with a band, it was a little bit more indie-rock adjacent, and I do kind of miss that. But I think even if I were to play with a band again, it would still keep folk elements because I like that twang."

Violin is still part of her music, too. She's long been inspired by musician Andrew Bird's use of the instrument.

"I don't know if I could do it in the way he does; he loops and does plucking riffs, but I love the violin," Vinson said. "I think strings are always beautiful. I included violin in 'Too Often.' It's on some older songs of mine. I kind of am always like, 'Could I stick a violin on this?' It is something I'm always thinking about."

The up-and-coming musician released two singles at the end of last year and has two more on the way—release date TBD.

Last November, she released "To Austin" with her friend and local producer Starlin. It was a cathartic experience because the lyrics are about a friend who died in 2022.

"It felt really good to release that and have my friends listen to it, who had gone through the same thing, but also to have people who didn't know anything about the situation and still told me they really liked it or got something from it," Vinson said.

When it happened, Vinson hadn't experienced anything like it. While normally quick to interpret life through lyrics, she didn't know if she wanted to write a song about it.

other relationships in my life and how much love I still had coming from different directions."

"Maybe" was fun to record because a pair of Vinson's friends sang on the harmonies, she said. Vinson collaborated with friends again on her recent video submission for NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Series.

"I sort of like submitting for things," Vinson said. "When I can, I would rather have the possibility of an opportunity rather than regret that I didn't submit something. It's fun to make a video with your friends."

The dreamy folk song she filmed with friends she's made in Tallahassee was "Paper Moon," which she has every intention of recording someday.

"I feel like I had some relationships, not just romantic relationships, but friendships where it felt like we were kind of idolizing each other without really knowing each other," Vinson said. "The moon is such a beautiful, romantic image. People talk about it in poetry like, 'Looking at the moon, thinking about the moon.' But a paper moon, you can rip it up; it can get wet. I think that the image itself, a paper moon, is the first thing I thought of. I just tried to put it in a setting. A diner also feels kind of like a classic setting for a love song or a breakup song."

Vinson returns home regularly to perform original music; she loves the Pensacola music scene. Her next performance is a unique event called Chick Please at The Handlebar.

"My friend Ally [bassist for Mid Evil Times], who's a local musician as well, likes putting on these funny performance art shows, so she wanted to have oil wrestling at a show," Vinson said. "So there's gonna be oil wrestling, but also my acoustic music, and I think that's really funny. I was kind of confused when she asked me to play it, but she said she wanted to highlight queer artists, so I'm happy to play it." {in}

I'll send you something, and you can send me something, and we'll go back and forth, and we can work on these things without having to meet in person,'" Vinson said. "So it was a way to stay connected with my friends, too."

Through that came the EP "King Avis," in February of 2021.

"I think it's just such a cool first project to do," Vinson said. "It's fun to think about the fact that it was all pretty much just made over sending emails back and forth."

When people could gather again, Vinson started performing as Tori Lucia of Tori Lucia & The Nitty Gritties at what's now Subculture and The Handlebar. She gigged with them until

"Nothing really felt like it would do the situation justice, or it would honor him," Vinson said. "But the best way I can figure out how to talk about it was to frame it more around how he made me feel and how I felt after. I think in a lot of ways, the song became about me, which was definitely not my intention. But it was nice to release that and have my friends be like, 'I think he probably really likes the song. I think he might be a little embarrassed you wrote a song about him, but I think he probably really likes it.'"

That track inspired her to write more. Soon came the more light-hearted single "Maybe."

"A relationship I was in had kind of ended," Vinson said. "I was sad because I lost that one relationship, but I was thinking about all the

TORI VINSON

DETAILS: @torilvinson

CHICK PLEASE

WHAT: "A big party for lesbians (and other collaborators of the gay agenda)" with art, music and oil wrestling

WHEN: 7 p.m. oil wrestling, 8 p.m. music Saturday, April 6

WHERE: The Handlebar, 319 N.

Tarragona St.

COST: $10

DETAILS: thehandlebar850.com

Tori Vinson / Photo by Geoff Peck (@ tinyobservations)

a&e happenings

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BINGO AT COASTAL CAT CAFÉ

Enjoy a round of Bingo at the Coastal Cat Café 5-5:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. Cost is $18 per person and includes cat cuddles. Details at coastalcatpcola.com.

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. The full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for bingo nights. You must be 18 to play. For more information, visit facebook. com/animalalliesflorida.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION

Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE

The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens at 10 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.

ARTS & CULTURE

FIESTA PENSACOLA CLOSING RECEPTION AND ARTIST TALK Join Pensacola Museum for the final weekend of Fiesta Pensacola. The closing reception is 6 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at 407 S. Jefferson St. Glenn Avery Breed will give an artist talk, discussing his process and experience in creating some of the costumes on display. The exhibition will remain on view through Sunday, April 7.

THE ERAS PARTY: TAYLOR SWIFT DANCE

PARTY Event is 9 p.m. Friday, April 5 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

H&R GEM SHOWS JEWELRY, GEM AND MINERAL SHOW

Vendors selling crystals, minerals, specimens, fossils and more is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at the Pensacola Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. Details are available at hrgemshows.com.

NOW SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA

ART Oscar-winning animated film "The Boy and the Heron" will have screenings 1 p.m. Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6. "Stop Making Sense" will be screened 1 p.m. Sunday, April 7 at Pensacola Cinema Art, 220 W. Garden St. Details are at pensacolacinemaart.com.

OPEN BOOKS SPRING BOOK SALE

Thousands of books are available for $1 to shop 10 a.m.5 p.m. Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. Open Books is at 1040 N. Guillemard St. Details are at facebook.com/openbooksbookstore.

WORLD BALLET SERIES SWAN LAKE

Performances are 7 p.m. Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at Pensacola Saenger, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

41ST ANNUAL JAZZ FEST

Live music is 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 in Seville Square, 311 E. Government St. Visit jazzpensacola.com for details.

CABARET: EXPRESS YOURSELF Enjoy this Pensacola Little Theatre gala with music, singing, dancing, fine art and more. Event is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are available at pensacolalittletheatre.com.

GIRLS NIGHT THE MUSICAL Show is 3 p.m. Sunday, April 7 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

ODD COLONY SPRING MARKET Craft and vintage market is noon-4 p.m. Sunday, April 7 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Visit facebook. com/oddcolony for details.

IHMC OPEN HOUSE

The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition will host an open house 3-7 p.m. Thursday, April 11 honoring Robotics Week. The event is at 40 S. Alcaniz St.

PAGE TURNERS BOOK CLUB

This Gulf Breeze Library book club is for anyone ages 18 and older. Club meets noon Thursday, April 11 at Gulf Breeze Library, 1060 Shoreline Drive. This month's book is "Eternal" by Lisa Scottoline.

OPERAZZI IN BLACK AND WHITE Pensacola Opera fundraiser is 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 12 at Supposey Warehouse, 101 S. F St. Tickets are $175 at pensacolaopera.com.

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Event featuring the Choral Society of Pensacola and Pensacola Civic Band is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at Pensacola Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

TRUCKER HAT POP-UP AT BODACIOUS BOOKSTORE Stop by Bodacious Bookstore 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at 101 E. Intendencia St. to decorate your own trucker hat with Get Lit Pensacola. Details are at facebook.com/ bodaciousbookstore.

BUTTERFLIES IN MOTION

Learn about Florida's native butterflies and visit the mobile butterfly house at Santa Rosa County Libraries. Dates include 1-3 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at Pace Library, 10 a.m.-noon. at Gulf Breeze Library, 10 a.m.-noon Thursday, April 25 at Gulf Breeze Library and 1-3 p.m. Thursday, April 25 at Navarre Library, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 26 at Jay Library and 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 26 at Milton Library.

AUTHOR READING WITH STEPHANIE BOLINGER Local author book reading and signing is 3 p.m. Sunday, April 14 at Bodacious Bookstore, 101 E. Intendencia St. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

ADVANCED STEAM Adults ages 18 and older interested in virtual reality, AR, coding, robotics, engineering, construction, board games, crafts, and scientific experiments and exploration are invited to stop in for special STEAM activities. The theme for April is Earth and will take place 2-6 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at the Gulf Breeze Library and Tuesday, April 23 at the Pace Library.

BODACIOUS ROMANCE BOOK CLUB Enjoy this discussion of "Last Call at the Local" by Sarah Grunder Ruiz. Club meets 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 at Bodacious Bookstore, 101 E. Intendencia St. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

SILENT BOOK CLUB AT BODACIOUS

Sundays are for quietly reading at Bodacious Bookstore & Café, 110 E. Intendencia St. Join the Silent Book Club 10-11 a.m. every Sunday. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.

BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.

COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE

BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the first Thursday monthly at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

THE MARKET AT GARY'S BREWERY Market

Perdido Key vendors will sell fresh produce, art, baked goods and more noon-5 p.m. the second Sunday of the month through May at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. The next date is Sunday, April 14. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/ downtownpensacola.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open at 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pensacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant

a&e happenings

and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER

DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with actual ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Shop small and buy art at Pensacola Arts Market 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month at Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave. Enjoy a local artisan and farmers market with more than 50 vendors, food trucks, plants, vintage clothing and décor, live musical performances, kids' crafts and games. This is a free event. Pensacola Arts Market is set up 4-9 p.m. every first Friday of the month and 2-6 p.m. every third Sunday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave.

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT EVER'MAN

Local vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners, speakers and more come together 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. This is a free indoor and outdoor event with door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. For a vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

FIESTA PENSACOLA 75TH ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE

A collection of costumes, dresses and ephemera from the Fiesta events dating back to the 1950s is on view through April 7 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

THE FLUIDITY OF PERCEPTION

Enjoy an exhibit from Chris Gustin and Nancy Train Smith in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society. The show is on view through May 17 at the Switzer Gallery at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd.

LOVE LETTERS TO URSA MAJOR: WORK

BY KELLY ANNE MUELLER Solo show from Kelly Anne Mueller, Best in Show from the 2023 PMA Members Show. Exhibit is on view through May 25 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum. org for details.

PMA MEMBERS SHOW

The 70th annual Members Show is on view through May 25 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS Enjoy a beverage tasting with paired appetizer. Classes are 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Tickets are $30 per person. Reservations can be made by calling (850) 2870200 or emailing taylor@goodgrits.com.

SOUTH AFRICAN DINNER EXPERIENCE

Dinner is 6 p.m. Friday, April 5 at Bodacious, 407D S. Palafox St. Cost is $80. Tickets are available at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

COUPLES COOK: A DELICIOUS DAY DATE

Cooking class 2-4 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $100 per couple. Registration link is at facebook.com/ pensacolacooks.

HALFWAY TO OKTOBERFEST Celebrate the halfway point to Oktoberfest 4-9 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

O'RILEY'S UPTOWN CRAWFISH BOIL

O'Riley's Uptown Taverm, 3728 Creighton Road, will host a crawfish boil 3 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Enjoy drink specials and a free Bud Light or Budweiser with purchase.

INTRODUCTION TO SUSHI MAKING

Demonstration class is 6-9 p.m. Monday, April 8 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $65. Find a registration link at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

VINO MAGNIFICO Monthly wine tasting 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at V. Paul's, 29 S. Palafox St. Tickets available via facebook.com/ vpaulsitalian,

MAD VIOLET WINE DINNER Head to The District 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at 123 E. Government St., for a five-course dinner with Winemaker Kelly Kidneigh and Winegrower Stirling Fox. Prepared by The District's Executive Chef, Josh Warner. Cost is $125. To reserve your seat, email lisa@districtsteaks.com or call (850) 332-5224.

FUN-DA-MENTALS: THE PERFECT STEAK

Cooking class is 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 12 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $60 per student. Registration link is available at facebook. com/pensacolacooks.

ARABIAN NIGHTS & ALE Enjoy kababs, gyros and more from Western Shawarma's food truck, belly dancing performances by Gina Nolan of Emerald Coast Belly Dance, and nontobacco and non-nicotine shisha premium fresh smoke flavors offered by TnT Hookahz. Event is 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

DATE NIGHT: BEEF WELLINGTON COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF EDWARD LORDMAN Class is 5:30-9:30 p.m. Monday, April 15 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

a&e happenings

GREEN THUMB WINE TASTINGS Join Green Thumb Wines for a wine tasting 6-8 p.m. every first Friday of the month at 9 E. Gregory St. Cost is $15 which can be applied to a bottle purchase of your choice. For more information and tickets, visit greenthumbwines.com/collections/events.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN

Partake in brunch specials, full café menu, espressos and bottomless mimosas until 1 p.m. Sundays at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin. com for details.

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT ATLAS OYSTER HOUSE Sunday Brunch at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. View menus at atlasoysterhouse.com.

GAMER/JACKBOX NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

75 CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.

BAR BINGO

Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for Bar Bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA

Visit

Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for themed trivia nights 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA O'Riley's Tavern hosts trivia 8 p.m.-midnight Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular

Play a game (or two) of Bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. Gary's Brewery is located at 208 Newman Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

TRIVIA AT WISTERIA Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

TRIVIA AT SIR RICHARD'S Flex your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool and play bar bingo 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details at orileystavern.com.

LIVE MUSIC

RADIOLIVE Kitty Steadman, Thunder and Rain, and Taylor Rae show is 6 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at radiolive.org.

ZACH WILLIAMS Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

ASESINATO TEQUILA PRESENTS: EMO

NIGHT Show is 8 p.m. Friday, April 5 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10-$15 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

WHITE TIE ROCK ENSEMBLE Music from Rod Stewart, Elton John and David Bowie is 8 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.

JAZZFEST AFTER PARTY Mike Levine Trio will play 8:30-11 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. The performance is free and open to the public. Visit facebook. com/oddcolony.

CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS SUNDAY SERIES Concert series at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Hwy. Sundays 5-8 p.m. Upcoming shows: April 7: Kris Miller, April 14: Smokie Jones, and April 21: The Dead Flowers. Follow facebook.com/calvertsintheheights for details.

MAE, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, STARLIN Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $25-$28 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

JAZZ IN THE QUARTER Live performance from Jazz Pensacola Mondays 6:30-9 p.m. Mondays. Next date is April 15 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Cost is $10 for members and $12 for non-members. Visit jazzpensacola.com for details.

a&e happenings

SUMMONING THE LICH Show is 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $15-$18 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

BANDS ON THE BEACH Weekly concert series 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. April shows are: April 9: Karli Ryan, April 16: Bay Bridge Band, April 23: Mass Kunfuzion, and April 30: True Blue Band.

THE TOASTERS Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $12-$15 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY: PRINCE'S

PURPLE RAIN Show is 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

PRECUBED FREE SHOW Free show at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. with Ego Death, Ynicorns, and Grave Chorus 8 p.m. Friday, April 12. Details are at vinylmusichall.com.

GRITS AND GREENS, BANGARANG PETER, LVVRS, HEAVY WEATHER Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10-$15 and available at the handlebar850.com.

ATMOSPHERE Show is 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $30 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ

Visit Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St., for live music on select days.

•6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 4: John Wheeler

•6-10 p.m. Friday, April 5: Rocky Denny Brotherhood

•6-10 p.m. Saturday, April 6: Glen Parker

•11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, April 7: Curt Bol

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLONY

Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues Society of Northwest Florida bring the "Blues" back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District 7 p.m. Mondays at 130 E. Government St. in End O' the Alley. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads every Tuesday night at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter. com for more information.

KARAOKE AT O'RILEY'S UPTOWN

Sing your heart out 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays at O'Riley's Uptown, 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern. com for details.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY

Open mic night at 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

KARAOKE AT WISTERIA Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave., hosts karaoke 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

WHISKEY WEDNESDAY KARAOKE Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHTS AT SIR RICHARD'S

Bring your singing talents Monday and Thursday nights at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Festivities are 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

SUNDAY KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS

Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. Sunday at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

FITNESS + RECREATION

BLUE WAHOOS GAMES Take in a baseball game at the Blue Wahoos stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. For single, group, or VIP tickets, visit bluewahoos.com.

Upcoming home games:

•6:05 p.m. Friday, April 5

•6:05 p.m. Saturday, April 6

•4:05 p.m. Sunday, April 7

OCEAN HOUR WEEKLY CLEANUPS

Ocean Hour Pensacola hosts weekly cleanups 7:45-9 a.m. Saturdays. On April 6, the sites are Navy Point Triangle Park, 315 W. Sunset Ave. and Naval Live Oaks Reservation (meet at visitor's center). Follow Ocean Hour at facebook.com/oceanhourfl for more details and locations.

TOUR DE FORT: FORT PICKENS

Join FPAN and National Park Service for a ride through Gulf Islands National Seashore 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 6. Bike ride is approximately 4 miles in length. RSVP is required. Reserve your spot at eventbrite.com.

CLEAN YOUR BLOCK EVENT Keep Pensacola Beautiful event is 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 6 at C.A. Weis Elementary School, 2701 North Q St, or 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 20 at Wesco Senior Center, 904 N. 57th Ave. Sign up now. Visit ourcornerescambia.org for details.

NAVY FEDERAL 5K

The public is invited to participate in the 2024 Navy Federal 5K on Saturday, April 6. Children 6 and younger can also participate in the Sammie Sprint, a free quarter-mile race around Plaza Ferdinand. The start and finish line will be at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Learn more and register by visiting navyfederal.org.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

The Ultimate Family Re-Treat

The Brew Thru is not just a drive-up, premium coffee destination—it’s the perfect place for families to sit, sip and savor.

The little ones will enjoy our Early Learning Garden, a beautiful and fun place for them to play, explore and learn.

Take a break and enjoy drinks and treats on our covered outdoor patio. From our fresh Strawberry Smoothies to Double Shot Espressos, we have flavors for the whole family. Feeling hungry? Our delicious assorted pastries are baked fresh daily!

Visit us and discover the perfect blend of relaxation and exploration.

free will astrology

WEEK OF APRIL 4

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries author Eric G. Wilson claims, "Darker emotional states—doubt, confusion, alienation, despair— inspire a deeper and more durable experience of the sacred than contentment does." I disagree. I know for a fact that an exquisite embrace of life's holiness is equally possible through luminous joy and boisterous triumph and exultant breakthroughs. Propagandists of the supposed potency of misery are stuck in a habit of mind that's endemic to the part of civilization that's rotting and dying. In any case, Aries, I'm pleased to tell you in the coming weeks, you will have abundant opportunities to glide into sacred awareness on the strength of your lust for life and joie de vivre.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Will humans succeed in halting the decimation of the environment? Will we neutralize the power of fundamentalism as it fights to quash our imaginations and limit our freedoms? Will we outflank and outlast the authoritarians that threaten democracy? Sorry I'm asking you to think about sad realities. But now is an excellent time for you to ponder the world we are creating for our descendants—and resolve to do something in loving service to the future. Meditate on the riddle from Lewis Carroll's book "Through the Looking Glass:" "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards."

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): The genius polymath Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) contributed much treasure to science and engineering. One encyclopedia sums up his legacy: "He was the father of observational astronomy, modern-era classical physics, the scientific method, and modern science." Unfortunately, many of Galileo's ideas conflicted with the teachings of Catholicism. The church fathers hounded him for years, even arresting him and putting him on trial. The Vatican eventually apologized, though not until 350 years after Galileo died. I expect that you, too, will generate many new approaches and possibilities in the coming months, Gemini—not Galileo level, of course, but still: sufficiently unprecedented to rouse the resistance of conventional wisdom. I suspect you won't have to wait long to be vindicated, however.

By Rob Brezsny

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Now would be a perfect time to prove your love. How? You might begin by being extra considerate, sensitive, sweet and tender. I hope you will add sublime, scintillating touches, too. Maybe you will tell your beloved allies beautiful truths about themselves—revelations that make them feel deeply understood and appreciated. Maybe you will give them gifts or blessings they have wanted for a long time but never managed to get for themselves. It's possible you will serenade them with their favorite songs, or write a poem or story about them, or buy them a symbol that inspires their spiritual quest. To climax all your kindness, perhaps you will describe the ways they have changed your life for the better.

The coming days will be a favorable time for you to wrestle with an angel or play chess with a devil.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Leo naturalist and ornithologist William Henry Hudson (1841–1922) said, "I am not a lover of lawns. Rather would I see daisies in their thousands, ground ivy, hawkweed and dandelions with splendid flowers and fairy down, than the too-welltended lawn." I encourage you to adopt his attitude toward everything in your life for the next few weeks. Always opt for unruly beauty over tidy regimentation. Choose lush vitality over pruned efficiency. Blend your fate with influences that exult in creative expressiveness, genial fertility and deep feelings. P.S. Cultural critic Michael Pollan says, "A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule."

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I praise and celebrate you for your skills at helping other people access their resources and activate their potentials. I hope you are rewarded well for your gorgeous service. If you are not, please figure out how to correct the problem in the coming months. If you are feeling extra bold, consider these two additional assignments: 1. Upgrade your skills at helping yourself access your own resources and activate your own potential. 2.

Be forthright and straightforward in asking the people you help to help you.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): I don't regard a solar eclipse as a bad omen. On the contrary, I believe it may purge and cleanse stale old karma. On some occasions, I have seen it flush away emotional debts and debris that have been accumulating for years. So how shall we interpret the total solar eclipse that will electrify your astrological house of intimate togetherness in the coming days? I think it's a favorable time to be brave and daring as you upgrade your best relationships. What habits and patterns are you ready to reinvent and reconfigure? What new approaches are you willing to experiment with?

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): At your best, you Scorpios are not invasive manipulators. Rather, you are catalysts. You are instigators of transformation, resurrectors of dead energy, awakeners of numb minds. The people you influence may not be aware that they long to draw on your influence. They may think you are somehow imposing it on them, when, in fact, you are simply being your genuine, intense self, and they are reaching out to absorb your unruly healing. In the coming weeks, please keep in mind what I've said here.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): In my astrological opinion, it's prime time for you to shower big wild favors on your beautiful self. Get the fun underway with a period of rigorous self-care: a physical check-up, perhaps, and visits with the dentist, therapist, hairstylist and acupuncturist. Try new healing agents and seek precise magic that enhances and uplifts your energy. I trust you will also call on luxurious indulgences like a massage, a psychic reading, gourmet meals, an emotionally potent movie, exciting new music and long, slow love-making. Anything else, Sagittarius? Make a list and carry out these tasks with the same verve and determination you would give to any important task.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): The coming days will be a favorable time for you to wrestle with an angel or play chess with a devil. You will have extraordinary power in any showdown or collaboration with spiritual forces. Your practical intelligence will serve you well

in encounters with nonrational enigmas and supernatural riddles. Here's a hot tip: Never assume any being, human or divine, is holier or wiser than you. You will have a special knack for finding compassionate solutions to address even the knottiest dilemmas.

Cultivate a nuanced appreciation for what aromas can reveal.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Your featured organ of the month is your nose. This may sound beyond the scope of predictable possibilities, but I'm serious: You will make robust decisions and discriminating choices if you get your sniffer fully involved. So I advise you to favor and explore whatever smells good. Cultivate a nuanced appreciation for what aromas can reveal. If there's a hint of a stink or an odd tang, go elsewhere. The saying "follow your nose" is especially applicable. P.S. I recommend you take steps to expose yourself to a wide array of scents that energize you and boost your mood.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): When is the best time to ask for a raise or an increase in benefits? Can astrology reveal favorable periods for being aggressive about getting more of what you want? In the system I use, the time that's 30 to 60 days after your birthday is most likely to generate good results. Another phase is 210 to 240 days after your birthday. Keep in mind these estimates may be partly fanciful and playful and mythical. But then in my philosophy, fanciful and playful and mythical actions have an honored place. Self-fulfilling prophecies are more likely to be fulfilled if you regard them as fun experiments rather than serious, literal rules.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Imagine everything and everyplace in your life are holy. {in}

freewillastrology.com newsletter.freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

© 2024 Rob Brezsny

news of the weird

CREME DE LA WEIRD NBC News reported on March 21 about a Tennessee man suffering from prosopometamorphopsia, also known as PMO—a neurological disorder that causes victims to perceive faces in distorted shapes, size, texture or color. In Victor Sharrah's case, he sees faces as demonic. The 59-year-old of Clarksville said it started in November 2020: "My first thought was I woke up in a demon world," he said. "You can't imagine how scary it was." Sharrah sees the distortions only in person, not in pictures or on computer screens. Consequently, he was able to work with researchers at Dartmouth College to create a visual representation of what he sees vs. reality. There are fewer than 100 reported cases of PMO; symptoms can continue for years, as Sharrah's have, or can resolve after just a few days.

AWESOME! Punxsutawney Phil and his wife (?), Phyllis, have big news: They are parents to two healthy babies, the Associated Press reported. "Phil and Phyllis have started a family," said Thomas Dunkel, president of The Inner Circle, part of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. "I talked to Phil with my cane, which lets me speak Groundhogese, and Phil could not be more excited." (OK, Thomas.) Phil and Phyllis live in climate-controlled quarters at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, but plans are in place to move them to larger quarters on the grounds now that their family is growing. Dunkel said the offspring will not become Punxsutawney Phil, because Phil is immortal, having drunk "The Elixir of Life," which Phyllis is prohibited from imbibing. (Uh, yeah, OK, Thomas.)

POLICE REPORT In 2024, California started prohibiting police departments from sharing photos of suspects in nonviolent crimes, United Press International reported. Accordingly, the Murrieta Police Department started using emojis, characters from movies and, most recently, Lego head images to cover the faces of suspects when they posted on social media. But now, Lt. Jeremy Durrant said, the Lego heads have to go. "The Lego Group reached out to us and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content, which ... we understand and will comply with."

BRIGHT IDEAS A 47-year-old man was arrested in Parowan, Utah, on March 17 after multiple drivers reported him from I-15, KSL-TV reported. Callers said the man's pickup truck had "red and blue flashing lights and they were getting other vehicles to move out of their way," police said. What tipped them off? The pickup also had a construction company logo on the side. The suspect indicated he was only trying to get through traffic faster, not pull anyone over. He also tested positive for "cannabis, amphetamines and methamphetamine," and he had a small bag of white powder that he said he uses "to stay awake while driving." He was booked into the Iron County Jail.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

•Emma Keen, 42, of Wales, was on the fourth day of her trek to Mount Everest Base Camp in March to raise money for the Kidney Wales Foundation, Wales Online reported. As she FaceTimed with her brother and sister-in-law, she showed them a yak standing about 2 meters away. "Without warning I could hear the hoofs pounding toward me, a sharp stabbing pain in the top of my leg," Keen said. The yak was readying for another run at her when she was helped away and airlifted to a hospital, where she got 10 stitches. She later rejoined the group to finish the hike on horseback. "My charity means a lot to me as my brother Peter is currently on the transplant list," Keen said. "It was important that I continue with the trek."

WAIT, WHAT? Dairy cows in Kansas and Texas have tested positive for bird flu, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Associated Press reported that while the virus is affecting cows in those states and in New Mexico, officials say there is no danger to the commercial milk supply because of production regulations and pasteurization, which kills viruses. USDA officials think the cows caught the virus from wild birds. They appear to have coldlike symptoms, but typically recover within 10 days.

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION

A state Senate panel in South Carolina is investigating a mystery involving $1.8 billion, the Associated Press reported on March 26. The huge sum has accumulated over the last decade in a bank account, but authorities don't know where the money is coming from or where it's supposed to go. "It does not inspire confidence," said Gov. Henry McMaster. "But the good news is no money was lost." Meanwhile, state officers are pointing fingers at each other, and lawmakers are annoyed that the money is sitting idle while requests from state agencies are going unfulfilled. "There is no need to hurry up and try to spend it," McMaster said.

•In Oakland, California, 102-year-old Victor Silva Sr. received a citation earlier in March from the city about the graffiti on his fence, KTVU-TV reported. If he didn't remove it, he'd face a $1,100 fine, plus $1,277 for each failed reinspection. Before Silva started using a wheelchair, he'd paint over the graffiti himself. Now, Silva Jr., 70, has that task. "It's hard to keep up with it because as soon as we get it painted, it's gonna be graffiti on it again, and it won't last," he said. The family owns a business nearby that's been broken into three times in the last year. "It's hard to understand where our tax dollars are going," Silva Jr. said. "They can't answer 911, but they can come out and hassle you about a fence?" The city inspector is expected to review the case and, most likely, cancel the citation. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird

© 2024 Andrews McMeel

Nurturing the world within

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Where words change worlds