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SCI’s goal is to reach 100% of parents and caregivers, providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to be an effective first teacher for their children. By age 3, 85% of the brain is developed
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JADE BROWN Pensacola's Jade Brown has been named the 2026 Florida Dairy Farmers Girls' Basketball Coach of the Year, the highest individual coaching honor in Florida high school hoops. The Booker T. Washington head coach led her Wildcats to a 24-3 record and the Class 5A state championship, earning 89 points from a statewide panel of coaches and media to edge out finalists from Doral Academy and Miami Country Day School. In 14 years at Washington, Brown has compiled a 214-110 record, including a remarkable 68-11 mark over the past three seasons. She joins fellow Washington coach Ronnie Bond as the only Pensacola-area coaches ever to claim this honor.
TANNER SMITH The University of West Florida has hired Tanner Smith as its men's basketball head coach, Associate Vice President of Athletics Dave Scott announced April 7. Smith comes to Pensacola after two seasons as associate head coach at Appalachian State, where he helped the Mountaineers post a program-record 27 wins, claim an outright Sun Belt regular-season championship and earn the program's first National Invitation Tournament bid since 2006–07. App State led the Sun Belt in scoring defense both seasons under his watch. Prior to App State, Smith served as an assistant at Stephen F. Austin State University. A former Clemson guard, he played in three NCAA Tournaments. The hire comes as UWF prepares for its transition to NCAA Division I athletics.
ANNA LOCHAS The Pensacola Young Professionals president received a Nautilus Excellence Award at this year's University of West Florida Employee Recognition and Awards Program. She serves as UWF's director of university events and was also named UWF's Employee of the Year. Lochas was recognized as an Inweekly Rising Star in 2024. She has been active in the Junior League of Pensacola, the Pensacola Women's Alliance and Leadership Pensacola. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, Recreation and Resort Management and a Master of Science in Public Administration from UWF. She earned a Master of Science in Event Leadership from the University of Central Florida.
PAM BONDI President Donald Trump fired U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, with no official explanation offered by the administration. Her successor, Todd Blanche, says only Trump knows the true reason. However, tension between Trump and Bondi had been building for months. The Jeffrey Epstein files became a political liability after botched redactions and disclosures embarrassed the White House. Bondi also failed to deliver criminal prosecutions against Trump's perceived political adversaries. In the end, her loyalty to the President failed to save her job. It's uncertain whether anyone can meet Trump's demands and survive in that post.
CLIFFORD HUMPHREY The former executive vice chancellor of the Florida College System came to the University of West Florida with his former boss, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., when Diaz was named UWF's interim president. Humphrey served on Diaz's cabinet at UWF as the vice president of strategic initiatives and as UWF's first chief of staff. The Hillsdale College alum quickly became a nuisance as he tried to root out progressive thoughts from events on and off campus. The chief of staff experiment ended on April 1. Humphrey has retained his vice presidency and cabinet post. Alex Smith, a 2023 Inweekly Rising Star, has been promoted to associate vice president for external affairs and government relations.
JOBS Florida's unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in January 2026, marking a 0.2 percentage point increase from December 2025, according to data released by the Department of Commerce. The national rate currently stands at 4.3%, up from 4% a year ago. Escambia County's rate is higher than the national and state rates. The county's unemployment rate increased 0.5 points, from 5.0% in December 2025 to 5.5% in January 2026. A year ago, the rate was 3.9%. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott read the report. He posted on X, "A good-paying job is life-changing, which is why I'm concerned about this report. Florida shouldn't be losing so many jobs, and we shouldn't be surpassing the national unemployment average for the first time in years."
Jade Brown / Courtesy Photo
Pam Bondi / Photo Courtesy of U.S. Department of Justice
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
A HISTORY OF ALMOST
The Community Maritime Park has a long and frustrating history of almost. Almost a maritime museum. Almost a downtown YMCA. Almost a University of West Florida Center for Entrepreneurship. Almost an apartment complex with a parking garage. For over a decade, the remaining lots at Maritime Park have attracted developers and proposals. Each opportunity had the same result: nothing being built, no taxes generated and another missed opportunity added to a growing list.
The Rhythm Lofts and REVERB by Hard Rock project is the most recent proposal for Lot 5. A $280 million private investment. The richest self-made woman in America personally guaranteeing the loan. Ninety-nine workforce housing units. Three hundred permanent jobs. A 25,000-square-foot public plaza. This project has generated significant excitement, but it could be another almost.
HISTORY LESSON Let's remember how we got here. The original park plan called for the University of West Florida to build a maritime museum (using private donations) and a conference center with classrooms. UWF President Judy Bense balked when state budgets tightened.
In March 2012, Mayor Ashton Hayward failed to put his full support behind a downtown YMCA being built at Lot 8 at Community Maritime Park. The CMPA board voted 6-4 to offer other lots instead. After that vote, the YMCA withdrew its request and built on Intendencia Street. A community anchor that belonged on the waterfront ended up on a side street, adding to downtown's parking nightmare.
Then came Quint Studer's proposal for three parcels at Maritime Park, including the UWF Center for Entrepreneurship. Studer pulled out after the City made 22 changes to the plan, and Hayward and Council President Andy Terhaar refused to bring the deal to the council for a vote. An innovation hub with the UWF brand attached, on the waterfront, walking distance from Palafox disappeared because City officials couldn't stop tinkering with the terms.
Then came Silver Hills and Edwards Communities, proposing 375 apartment units, up to 10,000 square feet in retail space and a shared parking garage with around 1,000 spaces. The
Pensacola City Council killed the deal, objecting to the 99-year ground lease, its residential density and proposed tax rebates.
The failures added to over $100 million in lost potential investment at the park. Lot 5 now serves as a green space, as it has for over a decade. Those who sabotaged these proposals paid little political consequence, but the cumulative cost of inaction is significant, measured in tax revenue never collected and jobs never created.
The Rhythm Lofts and REVERB by Hard Rock project deserves a fair negotiation process. The development team, Diane Hendricks and the lenders behind them have assembled a credible, financed, world-class proposal for the most valuable undeveloped real estate in downtown Pensacola. That deserves respect and a genuine effort to make it work.
WIN-WIN All involved need to find a win-win solution. The questions raised by Mayor Reeves and council members Charles Bare and Jennifer Brahier need to be addressed. Is there genuine duplication between the Area Reinvestment Agreement rebate and the Live Local Act exemption? That's a fair question that deserves a precise answer, not a political battle.
Are the fire infrastructure costs the mayor cited real? A 13-story Type I high-rise does impose demands on municipal services. Those costs belong in the public return on investment calculation.
Is the $2.9 million annual rebate figure solid, or does it shift once the Live Local exemption is properly applied to the TIF base? Get the math right. Lambert Advisors has been engaged to do exactly that.
The developers have said that without the rebate, the project doesn't pencil. The question is not whether some rebate is appropriate, but whether this particular application, as submitted, has the right structure and accountability framework for the Pensacola taxpayer.
The history of Maritime Park's empty lots is a history of good ideas killed by bad process. We shouldn't rush a $58 million commitment before the analysis is complete. Let's get the proposal right. Then, let's build it and make the developers earn the rebate. {in} rick@inweekly.net
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RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK
By Tom St. Myer
Attorney Eric Stevenson represents Justin Marshall, a former tenant at the Silurian Pond apartment complex. The 37-year-old Marshall survived a gunshot to the chest at the complex in December 2021, but his life is a shell of its former self.
Marshall is suing Silurian Pond LLC and Silurian Pond Apartments for negligence in failing to protect tenants and guests from dangerous activities. His case is on the Escambia County Circuit Court docket for late July.
Last July, an Escambia County Circuit Court jury heard a case with some similarities and awarded a $50 million verdict against Craig Schultz, Progressive Management of America Inc. and Myrtle Grove Acquisitions LLC for their negligence in the shooting of tenant David Saldana. The case was later settled while on appeal. The 64-year-old Saldana survived six gunshots at the retirement community.
A striking similarity in the cases is that outof-town parties controlled ownership of the two complexes. In the case of Myrtle Grove Villas, attorney Joe Zarzaur proved the owner neglected security for cost-cutting measures.
OUT-OF-TOWN OWNER
Benoit Ducros bought Myrtle Grove Villas, a retirement community with a minimum age of 55 for tenants. He fired the apartment manager and threatened to fire the maintenance manager, Schultz, unless he agreed to take on both roles for less money. Schultz had never managed an apartment complex before, but facing the threat of losing his job, he accepted the dual roles. Schultz served as the onsite manager, but Ducros called the shots from his home in the Congo. Any expenses of $300 or more required his approval.
"How in the world can you manage an apartment complex when there's a seven-hour time difference, and you have to approve any expense at $300?" Zarzaur said. "He never had any good answers for that stuff and didn't care."
him. She lured Saldana to her apartment unit by telling him she had a gift for him. As Saldana approached her unit, she fired six shots into his legs, arm, pelvis and abdomen.
Bushbaum claimed she shot Saldana in selfdefense. She said he tried to break into her apartment. There was already an arrest warrant out for Saldana, so he woke up shackled to a Baptist Hospital bed—the same Baptist Hospital where he worked as a physical therapist assistant.
"He's chained to the bed," Zarzaur said. "He's been shot six times, nearly died, and he wakes up in an orange jumpsuit, with a guard, shackled to a hospital bed where he works every day."
Circle Silurian Pond LLC is the lone remaining partner in Silurian Pond. Arthur Fletcher II is the president and registered agent. The listed address for the LLC is 939 Massachusetts Avenue, the home of Calvary Christian Center, where Fletcher is a bishop.
Stevenson discovered out-of-town parties actually called the shots. A breakthrough occurred when he deposed Silurian community manager Trikenia Bryant.
"When I asked her who owned the property, she said PNC Bank," Stevenson said. "It was the first time I had heard of PNC Bank."
said Ducros sold the apartment complex in 2022 and made over $1 million in profit, but what occurred during his ownership proved costly for all involved.
In September 2020, tenant Yagaunda Bushbaum shot Saldana six times. Zarzaur said she shot his client after weeks of allegedly making unwanted sexual advances at him.
Bushbaum sexually harassed other men at the apartment complex, too, according to Zarzaur. She and Schultz formed a close relationship, and he ignored complaints from tenants about her harassing and threatening behavior. When Saldana came in search of a place to live, Schultz put him in the unit next to Bushbaum without warning him about her propensity to file false complaints against tenants or that she owned a firearm.
After being rejected by Saldana, Bushbaum convinced Schultz that she was the victim of sexual assault. Schultz reported the alleged assault on behalf of Bushbaum to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.
"To make the resident manager jealous, she says, 'This guy won't leave me alone,'" Zarzaur said. "One night, she calls the resident manager and says my client tried to rape her. He comes up to the apartment complex, and my guy's there, of course, and the resident manager calls the Sheriff's Office."
The attorney continued, "The Sheriff's Office comes and does a very perfunctory type of investigation. They don't talk to my guy. They take the word of the resident manager and this lady that there was an attempted sexual assault, and they file charges against my client."
"Who is in charge of making these decisions for safety at these complexes?" Eric Stevenson
Zarzaur said Saldana had no clue there was a warrant out for his arrest. On that fateful September day, he was checking the mailbox at the apartment complex when Bushbaum spotted
Zarzaur said the case against Saldana soon crumbled. Schultz learned that a different tenant planned to tell the deputies what really transpired, so he contacted the deputies first and explained Bushbaum's history of concerning behavior towards other tenants. Investigator Eric Alvarez uncovered the facts, and the deputies arrested Bushbaum for attempted murder. At age 72, Bushbaum was sentenced to life in prison.
Following four years of litigation and a weeklong jury trial, a jury returned the $50-million verdict for Saldana. The jury awarded $20 million for past pain and suffering, $19-plus million for future pain and suffering and $10 million for medical expenses to be incurred in future years.
"He was near-destitute before all this," Zarzaur said. "He's not been able to work for several years. He walks with a cane. His hip never healed properly, and he had to have a couple of surgeries on his hip. The most prominent injury was his PTSD."
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Marshall lived with his girlfriend at Silurian Pond, located in what Stevenson described as a high-crime area in the 32505 zip code.
In December 2021, a gunshot rang out from the fence-side of Silurian Pond and struck Marshall in the chest as he walked down the exterior stairs. Who shot Marshall remains a mystery, but Stevenson said whoever shot him easily entered the gated apartment complex.
"The gate in the front of the apartment complex was damaged in Hurricane Sally," he said. "The shooting occurred 14 months after Sally. The gate was open for a long time. They were delaying the funding of known security risks on the property."
Stevenson said the company changed the apartment complex website after the shooting. The website previously stated Silurian Pond was a gated community.
After taking the case, Stevenson began tracking down the responsible entities. He connected dots and discovered the parties involved include Circle Silurian Pond LLC (formerly Silurian Pond LTD), Envolve LLC, Columbia Housing SLP Corporation and Multifamily Capital Institution Fund XXXVI LP.
"It's convoluted about who knows what and whose role is what," Stevenson said. "Who is in charge of making these decisions for safety at these complexes?"
Stevenson said PNC controlled funding for Silurian Pond through Columbia Housing SLP and Multifamily Capital. The address listed for Columbia Housing SLP is in Portland, but the mailing address is the PNC legal department in Pittsburgh.
The attorney said Columbia Housing was a general partner along with Silurian Pond LTD when Marshall was shot. Last October, the SLP divested ownership in Silurian Pond. Multifamily Capital was a limited partner in Silurian Pond and also divested its ownership in October.
"He's blessed in that he can walk and move around, but his life has been turned completely upside down." Stevenson
Stevenson said Envolve LLC, with a Montgomery address listed, served as the project management company. Bryant reported directly to the Envolve regional manager, but she also reported to a PNC Real Estate representative. PNC Real Estate is insured on the Silurian insurance policy. In December, Stevenson traveled to Louisville and deposed a PNC official.
"That's when I really understood the roles of the different partnerships that own Silurian," Stevenson said. "I understood the roles of the general partners and limited partner in making budget decisions and decisions that ultimately affect security."
His client is suing Silurian Pond LLC and Silurian Pond Apartments, but Stevenson is trying to add Envolve LLC and PNC Bank to the lawsuit. Judge Stephen Pitre denied his motion to amend the complaint, and Stevenson is appealing his ruling at the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee.
Marshall used to earn a paycheck as a truck driver. At only 37 years old, that is no longer an option for him. While in surgery for his gunshot wound, he suffered a stroke that damaged his eyesight and caused further complications.
"He's blessed in that he can walk and move around, but his life has been turned completely upside down," Stevenson said. "He was someone who was happy to work, and now he can't work and doesn't feel productive. There's no amount of money that can restore him to where he was before." {in}
Zarzaur
BAY CENTER STUDY
Partnership presented a 158-page feasibility study to the Pensacola City Council (sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board) on April 6, outlining four development scenarios for the six-acre parking lot adjacent to the Pensacola Bay Center.
Mayor D.C. Reeves hopes the study will guide the discussion of the Bay Center's redevelopment at a joint meeting with the Escambia County Commission scheduled for 9 a.m. on April 16.
The study, commissioned in November 2025, evaluated three potential uses for the site—a convention center, a year-round ice rink and an indoor sports complex—and concluded that a convention center paired with a privately developed hotel represents the highest-return strategy.
WT Senior Vice President Jose Davila and Associate Vice President Sana Dadabhoy told the board that Pensacola's existing event venues offer roughly 25% to 30% of the ballroom and exhibit capacity found at comparable Gulf Coast facilities, a gap that has cost the city measurable business. The report noted that Navy Federal Credit Union holds major employee events out of state because local facilities can't accommodate them, and that military and veterans groups seeking to hold reunions of 600 or more people in Pensacola routinely cannot find adequate space.
The consultants proposed a two-level facility featuring a 54,000-square-foot divisible exhibit hall, a 16,000-square-foot ballroom with capacity for 1,200 guests, nine meeting rooms and a sky bridge connecting to a potential 200room hotel. A five-level, 1,300-space parking structure would replace surface parking displaced by construction.
The four development scenarios ranged
lic-private partnership incorporating a hotel, mixed-use retail, structured parking and transitoriented development components. The most expansive scenario would pursue federal TIFIA financing through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau, which offers fixed interest rates lower than those available on the private market.
Council President Allison Patton questioned whether a multipurpose facility could effectively serve both conventions and sports events, or whether it would do neither well. The consultants said modern convention centers are increasingly designed with modular layouts capable of hosting both uses but acknowledged that trying to accommodate very large sporting events would compromise the convention product.
Councilman Charles Bare expressed skepticism about the site's constraints, citing the Interstate 110 ramp, limited nearby amenities and walkability challenges, and questioned whether a different location would serve the city better.
Mayor D.C. Reeves countered that FDOT has verbally agreed to remove the under-used offramp and noted the Tech Park site was originally designated as the Bay Center's Phase 2 expansion area.
Reeves framed the goal for an April 16 joint meeting with the Escambia County Commission as reaching consensus on a direction and moving toward a formal request for proposals. He acknowledged that the $75 million in tourism development tax funds potentially available is insufficient for a second facility without private equity, federal financing or a combination of both.
Read ricksblog.biz for updates on the joint meeting.
LOCAL ECONOMY WT Partnership also did a market analysis as part of a broader evaluation of redevelopment options for the area around the Pensacola Bay Center. The consultants found the local market well-positioned for a convention center but warned that fragile national economic conditions, a normalizing hotel sector and growing regional competition make timing and execution critical.
The consultants described the U.S. economy as moving through a fragile and uneven recovery. GDP growth is hovering just under 2%, business confidence has slipped and recent tariff hikes have pushed the effective U.S. tariff rate from roughly 2% to 12%, adding inflationary pressure. The Federal Reserve is projecting just one rate cut in 2026, and a meaningful rebound is not anticipated until 2027. Immigration-driven labor shortages are further complicating construction timelines and costs.
Florida entered 2026 with a stronger footing. The state recorded 143.3 million tourists in 2025, its highest total on record, and leads the nation in population growth at 2.0% annually. Escambia County has grown approximately 2.9% since the 2020 Census, with the defense sector accounting for nearly 20% of the local economy and more than 31,600 jobs.
The Pensacola metro area grew approximately 14% over the past decade. Tourism generates roughly $1.4 billion annually, and Pensacola International Airport handled 1.5 million enplaned passengers in fiscal year 2024, leading all regional airports with nearly 39% market share.
Within three miles of the Bay Center site, the hotel submarket shows occupancy at 70.5% with an average daily rate at a decade high of $153. The consultants note performance is stabilizing rather than accelerating and warn that sustained growth requires new demand generators beyond leisure travel.
Retail is described as resilient with limited new supply supporting pricing stability. Office is the weakest sector, with negative absorption and rising vacancy. Multifamily is solid but faces near-term pressure from an expanding supply pipeline.
MEMORIAL PLAZA REDO
Five years after fundraising began, the General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. Memorial Plaza remains unbuilt—and the City of Pensacola and the foundation charged with constructing it are not yet working from the same agreement.
The two parties are scheduled to meet April 14 to begin reconciling that gap. The meeting, originally set for April 8, was moved at the request of Foundation chairman Cris Dosev due to a scheduling conflict.
General James, a Pensacola native, was the first African American four-star general in the history of the United States Armed Forces, serv-
ing the nation through three wars. The planned memorial at Wayside Park—at the foot of the Pensacola Bay Bridge that bears his name— would include a 10-foot bronze statue crafted by sculptor Ed Dwight, a static display of a demilitarized F-4C Phantom II fighter jet, an 80-foot flagpole, interpretive signage and landscaping.
The General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. Memorial Foundation launched fundraising in Fall 2021 with a roughly $2 million goal. Renderings were released in May 2022 with a projected completion by year's end. That deadline was missed, as were subsequent targets. In July 2023, state officials formally dedicated the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gen. James's name and held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the plaza—but no construction followed.
The City and Foundation executed a formal Stewardship Agreement in January 2024, granting the Foundation exclusive rights to build the plaza on a portion of Wayside Park. The agreement required the Foundation to document full funding—for both construction and a minimum three years of maintenance—by June 30, 2025, or the deal would automatically terminate.
In early 2025, the Foundation sought $1 million in Escambia County Tourist Development Tax funds to close a persistent funding gap. County commissioners approved $750,000 in TDT money plus $125,000 from other county sources, but conditioned the funding on restructuring the agreement so the City would own the completed plaza and monument.
The June 30, 2025, deadline passed without the required funding documentation in place. The Stewardship Agreement terminated automatically.
The two sides are now working from different documents as they attempt to restart. Dosev has presented the City with a draft Memorandum of Agreement—a binding document that would grant the Foundation an exclusive license to use the Wayside Park site without first requiring proof of full funding. The Foundation has said it needs a documented City commitment in hand in order to solicit donations and pursue grants.
Deputy City Administrator Amy Miller drafted a non-binding Letter of Intent designed to address both the Foundation's need for a formal City commitment and Mayor D.C. Reeves' requirement that proof of funds be in place before any binding long-term agreement is signed. The LOI is currently under review in the City Attorney's Office and has not yet been shared with the Foundation.
The April 14 meeting is expected to serve as a status briefing on the Foundation and the project, and as the first opportunity for both parties to review Miller's draft LOI together.
PATRIOT SOLD American Racing Challenger Team USA, representing Sail Newport, has been confirmed as the official U.S. challenger for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, ending what would have been an unprecedented American absence from the world's oldest international sporting trophy.
Photo by Visit Pensacola
The United States first won the America's Cup in 1851 and held it for 132 consecutive years. Without this team, the 2027 edition would have marked the first time since that inaugural competition that no U.S. challenger took the starting line.
The team was founded by entrepreneurs Karel Komárek and Chris Welch and will be led by Ken Read, two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. Read will serve as CEO and drive the onwater campaign.
American Racing has acquired key assets from American Magic, the U.S. syndicate that competed in the 36th America's Cup in Auckland. Those assets include the AC75 yacht Patriot and two AC40 platforms, giving the new team an immediate competitive foundation rather than building from zero.
The 38th America's Cup will be contested on the Bay of Naples, Italy, in the spring and summer of 2027—the first time in the event's history that racing will take place on Italian waters. Other confirmed challengers include teams from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, setting up what organizers expect to be a highly competitive field.
American Magic Services has confirmed that it will support American Racing Challenger Team USA. The team will use the American Magic High Performance Center in Pensacola for race boat modifications and on-water testing.
"This is another strong step forward for American Magic Services," said Tyson Lamond, Chief Executive Officer. "It is important to see an American team competing on the America's Cup stage, and we are proud to support American Racing Challenger Team USA as they prepare for the 38th America's Cup."
He continued, "This program brings additional activity to Pensacola and reflects the capability and momentum we are building at the American Magic High Performance Center as we continue to build our portfolio."
The American Magic High Performance Center is a new $20.8 million sailing, training and technology hub at the Port of Pensacola that serves as American Magic's headquarters and a North American training base for SailGP teams. American Magic Services specializes in high-performance engineering, systems design and composite manufacturing.
To learn more, visit americanmagic.com.
SPORTS HERITAGE HUB A vision prospectus prepared for Quint and Rishy Studer calls for transforming 101 West Main Street—a cityowned property that once housed the Pensacola Sports Association—into a multi-sport retail and heritage destination in the heart of downtown Pensacola.
The document, prepared by Richard Ray Appleyard and intended for submission to the City of Pensacola, proposes gutting the building's office-park interior and replacing it with an experiential layout built around four concepts: a flagship Blue Wahoos retail store, cross-sport apparel and memorabilia from local organiza -
tions, a curated "Memorabilia Vault" honoring Pensacola's championship history and community programming space for athlete appearances and youth sports events.
The exterior would be redesigned as "Champion's Plaza," featuring modern architectural accents, oversized sports-themed sculptures and expanded sidewalk seating intended to generate street-level foot traffic between Blue Wahoos Stadium and Palafox Street.
Inside, the plan calls for industrial-chic finishes, interactive digital tablets exploring the stories and stats of Pensacola's professional athletes and high-security glass vault cases displaying jerseys and equipment from the city's most significant sports moments. A community lounge would anchor the space, featuring a "Pin Your Hometown" interactive fan map.
The prospectus frames the project as directly aligned with the City's goals for activating publicly owned real estate, arguing the location is uniquely positioned to convert stadium energy into sustained downtown activity.
The document closes with a simple invitation: "Open for discussion."
RETHINK THE SINK The US
Maritime Patriots Alliance launched a social media video ad campaign last week calling on Okaloosa County commissioners to halt their plan to sink the SS United States as an artificial reef in the Gulf of America.
The 90-second ad, titled "Rethink the Sink," argues that "sinking a vessel bearing the name 'United States' during the America 250 commemoration would hand our adversaries a symbolic victory they could never achieve on their own," said Carlos Camacho Jr., Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer of the SS United States Preservation Foundation, Inc., which runs the Alliance.
The campaign targets Okaloosa County specifically because it is home to one of the largest concentrations of active-duty military, veterans and retirees in the country, anchored by Eglin Air Force Base.
Environmental concerns compound the patriotic argument. EPA-certified testing has detected hexavalent chromium, a toxic substance now banned under the Toxic Substances Control Act, at what the Foundation describes as catastrophic levels in the ship's coatings.
The project also faces unresolved federal reviews. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined the sinking would constitute an adverse effect to a National Register-listed historic property, and both Section 106 and NEPA reviews remain incomplete.
The Alliance is offering an alternative: swap in a decommissioned SL-7 Fast Sealift Ship—allsteel, environmentally clean and already federal property—which at roughly 900 feet would still give Okaloosa County the world's largest artificial reef. The Foundation has formally proposed the exchange, dubbed "Operation Liberty Shift," to the U.S. Department of Transportation and federal lawmakers. {in}
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26: 11 am - 5 pm
Sponsored by the pensacola ice FLYERS
SEVILLE SQUARE
The numbers are staggering and unprecedented for a development in downtown Pensacola. This $280 million mixed-use development includes 247 residential units, a 147-key REVERB by Hard Rock hotel, a Michelin-star restaurant, 3,000 construction jobs, 300 permanent jobs and a 25,000-square-foot public plaza steps from Blue Wahoos Stadium.
If built as designed, it would be the largest private investment in downtown Pensacola history—nearly double the $150 million Project Maeve shipbuilding facility at the Port of Pensacola. But there's a catch. Without a 20-year, roughly $58 million tax rebate from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), developers say none of it can happen.
And it's that $58 million catch that has Mayor D.C. Reeves and at least two council members balking.
HARD ROCK EXCITEMENT
On August 7, 2024, Hard Rock International announced development plans for REVERB by Hard Rock Pensacola, with plans to break ground in 2026 and open in 2029. The proposed hotel would feature a full-service restaurant, rooftop bar, lobby bar and lounge, quick-service restaurant and a fitness center. The design team included Gensler and Kravitz Design, the global conceptual design firm helmed by music and style icon Lenny Kravitz.
"Hard Rock is thrilled to keep growing our REVERB hotel portfolio with what will be the second planned property in Florida, this time in the heart of Pensacola Bay. We have full confidence in our partner, the Dawson Company, to deliver a best-in-class hotel based on their four decades of proven experience executing complex and catalytic projects throughout the eastern United States, and their extensive knowledge of the Pensacola market," said Todd Hricko, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Hotel Development at Hard Rock International.
The Pensacola City Council approved the 100-year ground lease, setting the project in motion. Notably, no tax rebate was discussed as part of that approval.
NOT A SPECIAL FAVOR
Inspired Communities of Florida (also known as The Dawson Company) and Corporate Contractors Inc. (CCI) submitted a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) rebate application to the Pensacola CRA on Feb. 26. Tamara Bowens, president and chief operating officer of The Dawson Company, and Nick Steen of Avison Young (the project's capital markets partner) began meeting with the mayor and council
The Hard Rock Rebate Debate
By Rick Outzen
members to build support for the application in late March.
They argued that tax abatements are not a special favor, but an incentive created by the CRA for developers whose projects demonstrate a substantial public benefit to the community, including the creation of affordable housing, the elimination of blight and the strengthening of the local tax base.
"As a developer, applying for this incentive means meeting a rigorous set of criteria set forth by the City itself—criteria designed to ensure that any tax abatement awarded results in meaningful, lasting community impact," said Bowens.
Steen emphasized that the project's financing structure is well advanced. Four top 10 U.S. banks have issued term sheets, each conditioned on TIF approval. Diane Hendricks, owner of CCI, has provided a personal guarantee for the loan.
Hendricks is an American billionaire businesswoman known for co-founding and chairing ABC Supply, the largest wholesale distributor of roofing, siding and windows in the U.S., which she started with her late husband Ken Hendricks in 1982. She is considered the richest self-made woman in America, with an estimated net worth of about $22.3 billion. Hendricks became co-developer, co-owner and investment partner of the Maritime Park project in July 2025.
"Having somebody [Hendricks] that says, 'I believe in the project, I believe in the City, I believe in the thesis for this location and I want to do something special,' is very, very rare," Steen said.
Despite that commitment, lenders are still requiring the rebate in order to satisfy their debt service coverage and debt yield requirements.
"If you don't have a tax abatement, you guys have to go back to the drawing board," he said, characterizing the lenders' position. "It's not just that they wanted it—their risk metrics require it."
Bowens noted that the project scope has grown since the application was first submitted, with construction costs increasing approximately $30 million during the repricing process. Hendricks remained committed through that increase.
The 247 residential units consist of 99 designated middle-income under Florida's Live Local Act, 99 market-rate rentals and 49 for-sale condominiums on the upper floors. The condominiums are excluded from the rebate and will generate an estimated $1.74 million in annual property taxes. A REVERB by Hard Rock hotel will occupy a separate nine-story tower.
The annual rebate requested breaks down as $1,049,089 for the rental units (after the Live Local exemption) and $1,572,044 for the hotel keys, totaling about $2.9 million. Bowens and Steen argued that, since the 49 condos will pay
overall tax picture.
Without the rebate, the most viable alternative for Lot 5 is a single-use, mid-rise hotel generating $1 to $1.25 million annually in taxes—with no affordable housing, public plaza, structured parking or cultural amenities that the CRA has been requesting on this site for years, according to Bowens.
A SKEPTICAL CITY HALL
At his April 7 press conference, Mayor D.C. Reeves told reporters, "I don't support it in its current form. Trying to match a public benefit with what that investment is and a proposed $58 million is just something that we're going to have to look further into."
The mayor framed his opposition as conditional, emphasizing that his position could evolve as more information is reviewed. He also noted that the Pensacola City Council, sitting as the CRA, will decide the rebate issue.
Reeves said, "Ultimately, this is a financial decision that rests with the CRA, and frankly, they don't need my support."
The mayor raised several specific concerns. First, he questioned whether the rebate duplicates the benefits already provided through the Live Local Act, which separately subsidizes affordable housing development.
"To do that twice in two different applications—by no one's fault, ARA [Area Reinvestment Agreement] came into existence, state legislature brought in Live Local—that now potentially has a duplicative tax break in scenarios like this," he said.
Second, Reeves pointed to infrastructure costs the City would bear to support a 13-story building that the rebate calculation does not account for. He estimated fire infrastructure investment alone at $4.5 to $5 million upfront, plus approximately $2 million in recurring annual costs.
"An abatement of that size—that doesn't take into consideration what the taxpayer's going to have to pay for," Reeves said.
Third, the mayor questioned the process by which the application was structured, saying the City was not sufficiently consulted before lenders were approached with terms conditioned on CRA approval. "I probably would wait to go to underwriters before we understood what the general appetite of the City was of that request," he said. "We've kind of backed into that."
Reeves also cast doubt on the $2.9 million annual rebate figure, suggesting the actual number may be lower once the Live Local exemption
they calculate TIF? So there's even some things to work through."
Two council members have also weighed in with reservations. Councilman Charles Bare said the rebate request caught him off guard after the council had already approved the initial development proposal.
"It was kind of a surprise to see this after we had already approved the initial proposal and to now have such a massive ask for a tax rebate," Bare said.
He echoed the mayor's concern about potential duplication between the ARA rebate and the Live Local Act exemption, saying, "Like what the mayor said, they may be double-dipping here. I don't see the public benefit for such a huge rebate."
Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier took issue with how the rebate was described; she argued that, for the entity in question, it was effectively a 100% tax abatement, since the 70% rate applied only to condo owners, not to them.
She also questioned the reliability of projected tax revenue from the 49 condominiums, noting that the homestead exemptions under consideration for a statewide referendum could significantly reduce the City's actual collections.
Brahier said the condominiums appeared to be a late addition to the project, specifically designed to soften the optics of a full abatement request. "From day one, they told us they would not do this. That's what is real disconcerting."
Tampa-based Lambert Advisors has been engaged to conduct an independent analysis of the application's financial assumptions. Meanwhile, despite his reservations, the mayor left the door open, saying he hoped to reach a resolution within weeks.
"I'm not saying I don't support the project," he said. "I just mean we received an application for a $58 million subsidy from the taxpayer, and I don't support it at this juncture."
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The TIF rebate decision rests entirely with the CRA board. The mayor cannot veto its decision.
The development team is targeting a September groundbreaking, which requires CRA board action in May. Steen acknowledged the stakes. "If we don't get it, we have to go back to the drawing board and redesign it," he said. "It may be another two years."
Lot 5 has generated zero tax revenue for over a decade. Whether the City decides the rebate is the right price to finally change that will be decided in the coming weeks. {in}
Changing a life starts with
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Arts & Entertainment
art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Welcomes New Generation of Talent
By Jennifer Leigh
chestra. We have students from three Northwest Florida counties, and south Alabama. Seventeen schools, public and private, are represented, along with several homeschool students."
The youth orchestra is conducted by Dr. Daniel Stevens, the department head and professor of music at Mississippi State University. In addition to his already impressive music education career, he's helped start three youth orchestras.
"Yes, he travels from Starkville, Miss. every weekend to work with the students," said Green. "He has a great deal of music education experience, performance experience. We are very grateful to have him."
For many kids who participate in the community engagement programs, they may be discovering classical music for the first time.
"But we hope it won't be the last time," added Green. "Whether they go on to perform, teach, work in the arts, use music in health or be patrons."
Launching the youth orchestra is a "full circle" moment for Green, who envisioned herself as a band director before she made the move to music therapy.
"The PSO was the first symphony orchestra I ever saw perform live. To be the youth orchestra administrator makes it even more special," she said.
by celebrating tradition and looking toward the future.
At the 100th Anniversary Gala Concert, the PSO Youth Orchestra will share the stage with the Pensacola Children's Chorus. The youth orchestra is an initiative that's been 10 years in the making, said Music Director Peter Rubardt.
"The youth orchestra will make its Saenger Theatre debut at the final concert of this 100th anniversary season," he said. "That just feels really, really exciting. I give huge credit to the board and to the staff for prioritizing that, because it's not an easy thing to start a youth orchestra. It's not cheap, and it's not guaranteed unless you put a lot of work into it."
Rubardt said the organization started to "lock in" and make concrete plans about two and a half years ago.
"It's something that I think is pretty much
Rubardt credits Julie Martin Green, PSO's Music Educator, with being integral to launching the program. "Youth Orchestra Administrator" is now one of her titles, too.
"I was in the right place at the right time," said Green.
Green started to finalize the youth orchestra development plan in 2023 while also implementing activities to connect students, families and music educators. That same year, she had the first summer workshop with 22 students.
"In Summer 2025, we had 49 students in our symphony orchestra workshop called 'Playout!'" explained Green. "This past spring, we had youth ensembles with 22 students in the chamber strings and 21 in the wind ensemble. Along with our continued work in the schools, these programs really set us up for success, and we now have 52 students participating in our youth or-
Music education is an important mission for the symphony. For over three decades, the symphony has hosted local fifth grade students for a program of pieces picked especially for them. There are also the free concerts the symphony holds in parks, schools and healthcare facilities that bring music to people from all walks of life. As a board-certified music therapist, Green knows that these kinds of engagements make a difference.
"Music education gives students the tools they need to develop their own ways of being and artistry," she said. "Performing music with and for others is education in personal and social development. Music is an application for coping, healing, learning and thriving. When we have music education, we can make music out of our lives and make lives out of our music, and that can mean a lot for how someone moves through this world."
"Classical music challenges the kids on many levels, so when they create something that they may not otherwise be able to access, you can see the exquisite sense of accomplishment in their eyes," she added.
Now, working with music educators that inspired her, she gets to pass on that appreciation and help future musicians develop their own connections to music—and maybe one day join the orchestra as adults.
"The 100th season is very special to me, because I am helping to ensure we will be around for another century," she said. {in}
PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
WHAT: The final show of PSO's 100th anniversary season, featuring Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony, a special commission by composer James Stephenson and performances by the Pensacola Children's Chorus and the newly established PSO Youth Orchestra.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25. Dress rehearsal is 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St.
COST: $31 and up. Dress rehearsal tickets are $10, and livestream tickets are $20.
DETAILS: pensacolasymphony.com
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NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
GUMBO YA-YA Eat gumbo and support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida 4-6 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $15-$20. To sign up as a team, the entry fee is $20. Contact buck@ rosies.com to register. Purchase event tickets at eventbrite.com.
LIBERTY SERTOMA'S ANNUAL GLOW IN THE DARK Adults-only goofy golf to benefit the Speech and Hearing Foundation and local charities 5-9 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Cost is $50 per person or $150 for a team of four. Beer, wine, soft drinks, food and fun. For more information email sjholmes890@gmail.com.
PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS' 13TH ANNUAL MEN WHO COOK Event is 4-7 p.m.
Sunday, April 19 at Sanders Beach Corrine Jones Resource Center, 913 S. I St. Proceeds benefit PACE Center for Girls. Buy tickets at e.givesmart.com/events/ndl.
SUNDAY'S CHILD ENDOWMENT INTEREST MEETING Learn more at Sunday's Child and how to be a part of its impact Wednesday, April 22. Email president@sundayschild.org for location and time. (Serious inquires only).
FRIGHT, FORTUNE & VEGAS GLAM: AMIKIDS FUNDRAISER Dress in fashionforward flair or frightening costumes, roll the dice, raise the stakes and enjoy a night of fright, fortune and fun for AMIKids. Live music from John Hart & The Prince Brothers, Vegas-style casino gambling, costume contest, live and silent auctions and more. 6-10 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at Bounce Beach, 400 Quietwater Road. Purchase tickets at give.amikids.org/ hauntedvegas.
ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal
Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Beef 'O' Brady's, 1 New Market St., Cantonment (on Nine Mile Road near Pine Forest Road). The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.
ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOP -
TION 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 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens 10 a.m. and also 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.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
ESCAMBIA RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON Event is Thursday, April 16 at Pensacola Yacht Club, 1897 Cypress St. Program at 10:45 a.m. Reservations $25 by April 13; call (850) 393-3091 or (850) 944-3302. All Retired Education Personnel and Friends of Education are welcome.
ARTS & CULTURE
MOVIE NIGHT WITH BREAD BOX THEATRE Watch films of puppet shows featuring Bread Box Theatre 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Details at facebook.com/309punkproject.
BALLET PENSACOLA PRESENTS: THE ROSE & DAGGER EXPERIENCE Special pre-show event 5 p.m. Thursday, April 16 on the rooftop of the Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $100 and available at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
BALLET PENSACOLA PRESENTS: ROMEO & JULIET Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16; Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18; and 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. Shows are at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $35-$50 and available at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
PENSACOLA OPERA AFTER DARK WITH ASHTON MILES Performance is 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at Pensacola Opera Center, 75 S. Tarragona St. Tickets are $25 and available at pensacolaopera.com.
GALLERY NIGHT: PENSACOLA NAVY
DAYS Event is 5-9 p.m. Friday, April 17 with 70 art vendors and live performances. Visit gallerynightpensacola.org for details.
BORED TEACHERS COMEDY TOUR
Show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets and details at pensacolasaenger.com.
BOOTLEG BALL: STUDIO 1559 Enjoy a 70s-style night of glam at the Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Tickets are $100-$200 and available at historicpensacola.org.
COASTAL CAT CAFÉ OUTDOOR MARKET
Market is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, April 19 at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. Visit coastalcatpcola.com for details.
POETRY SLAM FEATURING HUGGY BEAR
DA POET Alex Lofton, known throughout the community as "Huggy Bear da Poet," is Mobile's 2026–2027 Poet Laureate. He will perform at a poetry slam Sunday, April 19 at It's Personal, 2610 W. Cervantes St. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25.
DRAW TOGETHER DRAWING CLUB Starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. A free event open to all ages and skill levels; supplies provided.
IMPROVABLE CAUSE PRESENTS: CHEESE FOR THE TABLE Show starts at
7 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. An hour of improv where everything connects. Your suggestion becomes scenes, characters and stories that weave together into something we didn't see coming either. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
HOUSE OF ANDROGYNY OPEN STAGE DRAG SHOW Starts at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 18+. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
SPRING BOOK SALE The Friends of the West Florida Public Library will hold their 2026 Spring Book Sale Friday, April 24-Sunday, April 26 at the downtown library, 239 N. Spring St. For more information visit friendsofwfpl.org.
CLOSING PUPPET SHOW Bread Box Theatre closes its time as the 309 Artist in Residence with a puppet show 5 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Details at facebook.com/309punkproject.
MICHELLE JONES: SEVEN SISTERS Inspired by Greek mythology and the jungle-like landscape of the Gulf Coast, Michelle Jones presents lush, vividly colored landscapes using mixed media. Exhibit is on display through May 1 at the Switzer Gallery at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. Details are at visualarts.pensacolastate.edu.
FIRST FRIDAY AT BLUE MORNING
GALLERY Visit Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox St., 5:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month for a reception with wine, live music and occasional artist demonstrations. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for details.
MOVIE NIGHTS AT MUGS & JUGS Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, hosts monthly movie nights. Watch their website for dates and movie announcements at mugsjugsbar.com. All movies are screened 9 p.m. on select Saturdays.
PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION
LECTURES Learn Pensacola and Northwest Florida history through interesting, informal lectures every other Tuesday at The Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. The lecture starts at noon and lasts one hour. Lecture cost is $5 for non-members and is free to members. Lunches are $12. For reservations, call (850) 380-7759.
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 stand-up comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.
SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.
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PENSACOLA CINEMA ART FILM SCREENINGS Pensacola Cinema Art screens multiple films most weekends at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $10, and payment is cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for their complete schedule.
PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is 9 a.m.2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox streets at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/ downtownpensacola.
SUNDAY MARKET ON PALAFOX Rain-orshine market is Sundays from 11:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. Located in downtown Pensacola, between Chase and Gregory Streets in the MLK Plaza. Market features handmade crafts, art, baked goods, international cuisine and fresh produce. Visit smopalafox.com for details.
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 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 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 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 real 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. After 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.
LIVE MUSIC
BANDS ON THE BEACH The weekly concert series takes place 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday through Oct. 27 at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Free to attend. Upcoming dates: Smoke Stak on April 21 and Chase Mitchell on April 28. For more information, call the SRIA at (850) 9322257 or go to visitpensacolabeach.com for the latest updates.
LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTER'S BLUES CAFÉ
Enjoy live music Thursdays through Sundays at Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St. Upcoming dates:
Michael J. McCarten 6-9 p.m. Thursday, April 16, Charlie & The Hammerheads 6-10 p.m. Friday, April 17, The Glenn Parker Band 6-10 p.m. Saturdays, Curt Bol Quintet 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays.
CONCERTS AT ST. CHRISTOPHER'S Weekly concert series is 6-8 p.m. Thursdays through May 28 at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 3200 N. 12th Ave. Upcoming dates: The Calverts are April 16 and the Modern Eldorados is April 23. Details at scpen.org/christophers-concerts.
UWF SINGERS Performance is 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 in the Rolfs Music Hall at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway. Tickets available at uwf.edu/cfpa.
12ELEVEN FEATURING NOVA Show starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
DRIVIN N CRYIN Show is 7 p.m. Friday, April 17 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details at vinylmusichall.com.
ALL YOUR FRIENDS: THE INDIE DANCE PARTY Starts at 8 p.m. Friday, April 17 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
THE HAPPY FITS Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details at vinylmusichall.com.
RUSTED RELIC REVIVAL CAR SHOW, HOSTED BY THE RUSTY KNUCKLE TORQUE CLUB, FEATURING LIVE MUSIC FROM THE MODERN ELDORADOS Starts at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
AUMUA, GRAVE CHORUS AND PALMMEADOW Show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
LOGAN PILCHER Show is 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Link to tickets at facebook.com/oddcolony.
AMERICAN AQUARIUM FEATURING JONATHAN PEYTON Show starts at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 19 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
PANCHIKO Show is 6 p.m. Monday, April 20 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details at vinylmusichall.com.
UWF JAZZ ENSEMBLE & COMBO The UWF Jazz Ensemble & Combo will perform 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21 in the Rolfs Music Hall at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway. Tickets available at uwf.edu/cfpa.
UWF SYMPHONIC BAND The UWF Symphonic Band will perform 7:30 p.m. Wednesday,
a&e happenings
April 22 in the Mainstage Theatre at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway. Tickets available at uwf.edu/cfpa.
GHOSTS AMONG THE PINES, MARA NAGRA, CACA DEL DIABLO AND IHATESUNDAYS Show starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23 at The Handlebar 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
EMO NIGHT AT VINYL Show is 8 p.m. Friday, April 24 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details at vinylmusichall.com.
PENSACOLA SYMPHONY 100TH ANNIVERSARY GALA Show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Dress rehearsal is 1:30 p.m. Purchase tickets for either showtime, or tickets for the virtual show at pensacolasymphony.com.
PENSACOLA UNPLUGGED: STEVE DEAN Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at the Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St.
ANI DIFRANCO Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details at vinylmusichall.com.
PENSACOLA SONGWRITER ROUNDS SERIES Show starts at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
JAZZ IN THE QUARTER Jazz Pensacola's April Jazz in the Quarter features college and university student musicians on 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 27 at Phineas Phogg's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12$15. Details at jazzpensacola.com.
OPEN MIC AT ALGA BEER CO. Country
Club is hosted by Brett Patterson of Snake and the Rabbit every Monday night. Sign-ups start at 6 p.m. and music starts at 6:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Visit facebook.com/algabeerco for more details.
MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE
QUARTER The Blues Society of Northwest Florida brings blues to Florida 7 p.m. Mondays at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Food and drink specials start at 8 p.m. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLO -
NY 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.
TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE
QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads on Tuesday nights at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.
ROSIE O'GRADY'S DUELING PIANO SHOW
Watch the famous dueling piano show 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Rosie O' Grady's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Doors open at 7 p.m.
OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY
Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/ garysbrew for details.
VIBE IRIE REGGAE: LIVE IN THE COURT-
YARD Enjoy Vibe Irie Reggae band 4-10 p.m. Sundays at the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.
LIVE MUSIC AT CALVERT'S Listen to live music 5-8 p.m. Sundays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. Visit facebook.com/calvertsintheheights for details.
FOOD + DRINKS
GLOBAL STREET FOODS Cooking class is 6 p.m. Friday, April 17 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Tickets at pensacolacooks.com.
NEW SPRING MENU DEBUT Jackson's Steakhouse introduces a new dinner menu on Friday, April 17. Visit the restaurant at 400 S. Palafox St. For more information, visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.
WING FEST All things wings 4 p.m. Friday, April 17 and continuing into Saturday, April 28
at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.
GLOBAL STREET FOODS Cooking class is 6-8 p.m. Friday April 17 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Suite C. Sign up at pensacolacooks.com/cooking-classes.
CRAWFISH FEST Event is 12 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Perfect Plain, 50 E. Garden St. Details at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.
A FIRST LOOK AT RIVER WOODS RANCH GARDENS: SAVOR & DISCOVER Learn more about River Woods Ranch 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18 with a curated morning at RWR Gardens at The Farm, 6404 Mobile Highway.
GRAND FINALE: MACARONS Cooking class is 2 p.m. Sunday, April 19 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Tickets at pensacolacooks.com.
DOG ADOPTION EVENT AT PERFECT PLAIN Event is 11 a.m. Sunday, April 19 at Perfect Plain, 50 E. Garden St. Details at facebook.com/ perfectplainbrewingco.
SUPPER CLUB AT THE WELL Five course dinner with cocktail pairings 5 p.m. Monday, April 20 at The Well, 42 E. Garden St. Price is $100 per person. Purchase tickets at ticketsilver.com/perfectplain/tc-events/2026-supperclub-series.
a&e happenings
LADIES NIGHT OUT: TACO TUESDAY
Cooking class is 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, April 21 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Unit C. Sign up at pensacolacooks.com/ cooking-classes.
LIMONE DI PRIMAVERA: A CELEBRATION OF SPRING Angelena's multi-course food and wine event is 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23 at 101 E. Intendencia St. Tickets are $115 per person. View the menu and make reservations at angelenaspensacola.com or call (850) 542-8398.
EVERYTHING: WHITE WINE Cooking class is 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 24 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Suite C. Sign up at pensacolacooks.com/cooking-classes.
HALFWAY TO OKTOBERFEST Seasonal foods and drinks, live music and more starting at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL AT ODD COLONY
Vendor fair, demonstrations and live performances, pirate fire show and live music from The New Cahoots from 6-9 p.m. Event starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 25 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.
DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE
QUARTER Drink specials and laid back vibes are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. every weekday throughout the entire Seville Quarter complex with $2 off all liquor drinks and $1 off all beer and wine. Must be 21 or older. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.
MARTINI MONDAYS AT DOROTHY'S Martini menu with specialty prices at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.
MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from at Wisteria, 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
BAR BINGO AT SEVILLE QUARTER Bar
Bingo is 8 p.m. Mondays at Apple Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials include $2.50 Miller Lite bottles and $3.50 bomb shots. Bingo is free to play with prizes, giveaways and bar tabs up for grabs for winners. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.
FIGHTER GAME 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 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.
MONDAY NIGHT SPAGHETTI SESSIONS
Visit V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox St., 5–9 p.m. Mondays for live music and spaghetti and meatballs from the Monday night menu.
MARTINI NIGHT AT THE KENNEDY Every Tuesday, The Kennedy, 1 S. Palafox St., hosts Martini Night, featuring all martinis from the menu for $10 from open to close (4-11 p.m.).
TRIVIA AT DOROTHY'S Play trivia 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. It's free to play, and prizes are up for grabs. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.
MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 79 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S
Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker at 6:30 p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tacos are on special Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.
TUESDAY TRIVIA AT PERFECT PLAIN
Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for trivia nights 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at 50 E. Garden St. Visit perfectplain.com/upcoming-events for details.
SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT AT DORO -
THY'S Reverse happy hour from 9 p.m.midnight with other specials Wednesdays at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.
LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER Get on your feet with a social Latin dance—no partner required—and Latin music 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials and music from DJ DavidC continue after the dancing. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
TRIVIA WITH JAY 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.
COLLEGE NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Specials with your college ID and music from live DJs. 8 p.m.midnight. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
KARAOKE THURSDAY AT SIR RICHARD'S
Karaoke is 9 p.m. Thursdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details. at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.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.
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free will astrology
WEEK OF APRIL 16
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Anthropologist and author Clifford Geertz loved to use "thick description." He wrote detailed reports that captured not just the surface level of what happened but the deeper levels of meaning. Here's an example of thin description: "He winked." Thick description: "He quickly closed and opened his right eyelid in a culturally specific gesture of playfully conspiratorial communication." In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to enjoy the sumptuous pleasures of thick description. Unleash your wild curiosity as you dig down into the rich, complex truths about everything. Gleefully explore how the cultural, personal and historical contexts give each moment its specific, nuanced significance. (PS: This approach will enhance your options for responding.)
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): New beginnings and final chapters will be overlapping in the coming weeks, and they'll push you in the direction of robust growth. It won't always be obvious which is which, though, so you'll need to sharpen your discernment to read the signs. Here are two contemplations to steer you: 1. Which long-running sagas in your life have finally played themselves out? 2. Which struggling, half-forgotten dreams are yearning to rise again and blossom as if they were brand new? Once you've listened deeply enough to answer those questions, move boldly: feed and protect whatever is being born, and actively assist in the graceful dismantling of whatever is ready to end.
Unleash your wild curiosity as you dig down into the rich, complex truths about everything.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): One of your go-to tools or assets is still functioning, but now is exactly the time to repair or refurbish it—before it breaks. Furthermore: a power outage of sorts may be looming unless you move to head off an impending overload. Wait, there's even more! The monster in your closet is still deeply asleep, which is why now is the perfect moment
By Rob Brezsny
to summon an exorcist or exterminator, before it stirs. Are you getting the picture, Gemini? The very fact that you're reading this horoscope gives you all the advance warning you need to sidestep potential glitches and diversions.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): According to my reading of the astrological omens, asking the BIG questions is highly advisable right now. Why? Because you are unusually likely to get really good answers to those BIG questions. Want a nudge to get started in this noble enterprise? Here are three recommended queries: 1.
"What is the wild meaning of my precious life?"
2. "Who the #@$%&!* am I, anyway?" 3. "Where is this so-called 'God' I hear so much about?"
Dear Cancerian, I will also urge you to formulate humorous, satirical BIG questions that inspire life to be playfully revelatory with you. Here are three: 1. "How can I fine-tune my friends and loved ones to perfection?" 2. "Are there shortcuts to getting absolutely everything I want?"
3. "How do I sign up for a life of nonstop pleasure, free from all discomfort?"
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): When people finally grasped just how radical Einstein's theory of relativity was, a journalist asked him how he had arrived at such a breakthrough. Einstein said it was simple: he had utterly ignored supposedly fundamental truths. Dear Leo, please notice what that might imply for you in the coming weeks. Einstein didn't dismiss a mere opinion or fashionable theory; he set aside theories so deeply accepted that everyone treated them as obviously factual. He didn't waste energy fighting them, but simply proceeded as if they didn't exist. Consider doing the same: set aside at least one seemingly incontestable assumption and be alert for the new realities that then become possible.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes, so astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. It's a challenge to maintain their circadian rhythms. They must be disciplined as they stick to a sleep cycle that human bodies are accustomed to. But there's a wonderful trade-off: the rare privilege of witnessing the rapid cycling of total darkness and brilliant light, which provides a visceral sense of life's deep cadences at work. Your routine may seem
similarly unsettled these days, Virgo. Transitions are coming faster than feels natural. But I suspect this disruptive blessing is giving you access to patterns that aren't intelligible when you're moving more slowly. You're beholding the way things change as well as the changes themselves. This is a valuable gift. The insights will be worth the disorientation.
The insights will be worth the disorientation.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): You Libras sometimes get accused of indecision, as if your careful weighing of possibilities were a weakness. But I see a different truth: you aspire to be fair-minded as you honor all the legitimate claims on your attention. So the problem isn't your capacity for considering multiple sides of each story. Rather, I find fault with the culture you live in, which is obsessed with onedimensional certainty. If I were your coach or therapist, I would give you permission to take your time and resist the rush to resolution. The most honest thing you can say may be, "I'm still deciding," or "Both of these feel true."
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): You're not a flaming expert at turning tension into treasure, but you have modest skills at that art. And now I'm predicting you will grow these skills. Before you jump to conclusions, though, please know that I'm not implying you will be immersed in stressful melodrama. I'm suggesting you will handle differences of perspective with increasing aplomb and curiosity. Instead of treating conflict as a debilitating hassle, you'll try to find value in it. Some debates may even feel stimulating and fun rather than tiring. To take maximum advantage, enjoy the controversies as exploratory missions rather than as showdowns you must win at all costs.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): I hope and predict that you will be wildly resourceful as you wisely experiment with love in the coming weeks. I hope and predict that you will research the art of tender, inspiring intimacy in new frontiers. Reinvent passion, you subtle intensity
freak! Be a bold explorer who breaks the boring old rules! Dare to break open new varieties of sweetness and companionship that require you to innovate and improvise!
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): If you were on a walk and spied a dime on the ground, would you bend down to grab it? Probably not. Would you feel differently about a quarter? Maybe you have decided that nothing under a dollar is worth your effort. But in the coming weeks, you will be wise to break such rules. Symbolically speaking, the act of stooping down to pick up a dime will set off a chain reaction that ends with you acquiring a hundred-dollar bill. By saying yes to small, unexpected blessings, you'll position yourself to receive larger ones down the line.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to begin a building project on the scale of Egypt's Great Pyramid or India's Taj Mahal. You should at least initiate work toward some magnificent masterpiece or creation, Aquarius. According to my analysis, there's a chance you could coax an armada of helpers to work on your behalf. And as you set out to accomplish your labor of love, I bless your quest.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Artists who specialize in origami can create structures far stronger than the flat paper they're folded from. The weakness of being made from thin, fragile material is overcome through strategic creasing. Engineers now use origami principles to design everything from solar panels to artificial blood vessels. Let's extrapolate these facts into a lesson for you in the coming weeks, Pisces. We'll assume that your flexibility is a strength, not a liability. You will wield your pliability to produce a high degree of structural integrity.
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: You know what to do and you know when to do it. So do it! {in}
SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR Anthony Buhl, 56, and March Chadwick, 57, are awaiting arraignment after being charged in Florida for driving with a dead alligator on the roof of their car, The Smoking Gun reported. On April 4, witnesses and license plate readers tracked Buhl and Chadwick as they drove from central Florida to the Atlantic coast with the carcass in plain view. After learning that possession of an alligator is illegal in Florida, the two tourists came up with a solution: They covered the deceased with a white sheet. A Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) commissioner finally caught up to them and pulled them over, but it's unclear whether the pair still had the alligator at that point. The arrest report indicated that they had earlier called the FWC dispatch to inform them they had disposed of the alligator. The report also offered an explanation: Evidently, the duo "admitted taking the roadkill alligator and wanting to take it to a taxidermy office to have it stuffed." They were booked into the Brevard County jail and released after paying a $5,000 bond. They are scheduled to appear in court on April 28. [The Smoking Gun, 4/8/26]
LIVE, FROM CINCINNATI WKRP is finally coming home to Cincinnati. D.P. McIntire of Raleigh, North Carolina, runs a media nonprofit that has been the proud owner of the call sign WKRP since 2014. McIntire, 56, recalled watching the first episode of the 1978 CBS sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati": "I got up and I proclaimed, 'I'm going to be in radio. And if I ever have the opportunity, I'm going to run a station called WKRP.'" According to The Associated Press, McIntire's local broadcast WKRP-LP—101.9 FM—went live on Nov. 30, 2015, and boasted "irreverent" offerings such as a show called "Weird Al and Friends," and even an annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway, where McIntire's team gives out gift certificates to a local grocery store—a nod to the sitcom's famous Turkey Day episode. When McIntire sought bids on the call letters, Cincinnati answered. "I cannot, by contract, tell you when. I cannot tell you who. But I can tell you, direct to the camera, WKRP, after 48 years, is coming to Cincinnati," McIntire said. "It has a special place in the hearts of an awful lot of people, and we have been very, very, very proud to have been a steward of that legacy." [AP, 4/3/26]
IN THE MOOD In London, younger millennials and older Gen Zers are ditching the dating apps for slide decks. At "Date My Mate," a live dating event hosted by a north London pub, participants create and present PowerPoint slides to pitch their close friends as potential dates for those looking for love, Reuters reported on March 27. Attendees adorn "Date" or "Mate" stickers, and friends boast about their pals. "A bit more about Lauren. She's 30. She's a structural engineer, so even though she will stop walls from falling down, she'll always be there to support you," said one friend. All 150 tickets sold out within minutes, and organizers are already planning additional events. "Date My Mate" comes as satisfaction with dat-
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
ing apps has dropped across the U.K. in recent years. The wine company Nice helped organize the event and hopes to plan as many as one per week across the country. [Reuters, 3/27/26]
DIEHARD There are sports fans, and then there are sports fans. Andy Milne, a 62-year-old retired teacher, is set to follow the 2026 World Cup around North America, The Associated Press reported on March 27, just as soon as he sells his second home to do so. Milne currently lives in Thailand and rents out a home in northern England, which he plans to put on the market for the equivalent of $465,000 to fund his World Cup dreams. ÒI definitely want to see the whole tournament. I am going to the U.S. on June 3 and will be there for seven weeks," he said. "So it will cost quite a lot of money. [AP, 3/27/26]
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT KFC isn't just about chicken anymore. The fast-food chain is partnering with BYD, China's electric vehicle company, to place car chargers at its locations across the country, CNBC reported on April 9. The ultra-fast (9-minute) chargers will provide just enough time for drivers to fill up on finger-lickin' chicken and all the fixins. BYD will facilitate the visits with onboard ordering and location displays. KFC is, according to an industry report, China's leading fast-food chain, with 13,000 outlets in 2,500 cities. [CNBC, 4/9/2026]
BRIGHT IDEA University of British Columbia engineering students have a tradition of placing Volkswagen Beetle shells in unusual locations, The Associated Press reported on April 6. This year's prank involved a Beetle shell precariously perched on a rock face above a highway in Squamish, B.C. Authorities have asked people to avoid the area as they figure out how to secure the old car and lower it to safety. Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford called the area a "sacred place" among the Squamish Nation and said what "may have felt like an innocent prank" has affected hikers and climbers, too. "This is an area that deserves respect, and that wasn't the case here," he said. Officials say the VW will be removed within the week. [AP, 4/6/2026]
THE PASSING PARADE On March 31 at Tokyo's DisneySea amusement park, Rapunzel's Forest took on the look of Hitchcock's "The Birds," the New York Post reported. As an animatronic Rapunzel leaned out of her tower window, singing merrily, two black ravens started pecking at her head and ripping out strands of hair. Of course, being animatronic, Rapunzel had no idea about the birds ravaging her signature feature, and she continued singing and smiling to onlookers. One commenter said, "I thought the birds were animatronic, too!" Rapunzel was removed from her perch temporarily for repairs. [NY Post, 4/2/2026] {in}
