Independent News | August 15, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 32 | Maritime Park & Two Hundred Garden West, Inc. / Conceptual renderings. Subject to change.
FREE â–ś
winners & losers
outtakes
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5
news 6, 8
We want change.
buzz
cover feature 13
10
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publisher Rick Outzen
graphic designer Michael Daw
editor & creative director Joani Delezen
contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp, Sydney Robinson
contact us info@inweekly.net
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15, 20 Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. Š 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
inweekly.net
August 15, 2019
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winners & losers
Bob Culkeen / Courtesy Photo
winners
BOB CULKEEN Florida Public Media (FPM), the state's association of public broadcasters, elected WSRE General Manager Bob Culkeen as its new vice-chair. FPM is the organization of 24 public television and radio stations that broadcast programming by PBS and NPR and produce a wide range of news, public affairs and music programs. ROBERT HILLIARD The Conference of County Court Judges of Florida awarded Santa Rosa County Court Judge Robert Hilliard the Harvey Ford Award at its annual conference in July. The Harvey Ford Award is given annually to one county court judge. It is the highest honor bestowed by The Conference of County Court Judges of Florida and recognizes a county court judge who has demonstrated the highest level of profound service to the community. DAWN RUDOLPH Ascension Sacred Heart has named Dawn Rudolph to serve as president of its hospital in Pensacola. Rudolph currently serves as president and CEO of Ascension's St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn. Prior to leading Ascension's Connecticut hospital, Rudolph served as chief experience officer for Ascension Saint Thomas in Tennessee. SEAN & BROOKE DESMET The owners of
the food truck 3-D Eats hosted a "Mason a Difference for Alzheimer's" event on July 29 in the Pensacola Harley-Davidson parking lot. Half of all food and slushie purchases were donated to the Alzheimer's Association.
losers
FDOT The Florida Department of Trans-
portation had to retract two announcements that the Chappie James Bridge, also known as Pensacola Bay Bridge, ThreeMile Bridge and Phillip D. Beall, Sr. Bridge, was ready to handle vehicles. This past weekend, we heard that work crews had to rewire the lighting because it had been installed backward.
OYSTER THIEVERY Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission investigators charged four Santa Rosa County residents after an investigation involving the theft of thousands of oysters from Pensacola Bay Oyster Company. A search warrant was conducted at the home of one of the suspects and the FWC seized more than 4,000 oysters. Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory analyzed a sample of the seized oysters and determined that all sampled oysters were farm-raised and not wild-caught oysters. There is no truth to the rumor that FWC also seized a truckload of cocktail sauce and crackers in the raid.
SANDERS BEACH & BAYOU TEXAR
Researchers sampled 4,500 beaches in 29 coastal and Great Lakes states and found that nearly 60% had bacteria counts exceeding Environmental Protection Agency standards, according to an Environment America Research and Policy Center report. Bayou Texar (24 unsafe days, 50 samples) and Sanders Beach (23, 64) were the two dirtiest in Florida. The most likely culprit of the pollution is stormwater runoff.
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417 E ZARRAGOSSA ST. outtakes
By Rick Outzen
SUPER SABOTAGE Last year, 62,418 Escambia voters approved a referendum changing the school superintendent position from an elected post to one appointed by the school board. The victory was a blow to the egos of three-term Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and the clueless, white school board members who congratulate themselves for their leadership. On August 15, the Escambia County School Board will approve a series of policies recommended by Thomas and his administrative team—policies that will set up the appointed superintendent like a constitutional officer, make him nearly impossible to fire and will guarantee the superintendent will be paid for his entire contract, even if four board members terminate his employment. An appointed school superintendent isn't an outlier. The vast majority of school districts in the country have appointed superintendents. Florida is one of the last states that hold elections for the position. Our state has 26 districts with appointed superintendents. Escambia County has more than enough examples for making the shift, but Thomas and his crew have chosen a more complicated path. And the school board, except for Kevin Adams and Dr. Laura Edler, seem ready to approve the recommendations without any analysis of how other boards handle appointed superintendents. St. Johns County has the top school district in Florida. The district has about 2,000 more students than Escambia. The school board's policies set forth the responsibilities of
the superintendent in three concise paragraphs. He is responsible for the administration of the district and must keep the board informed of all phases of the school system. He is the executive officer of the school board, and all staff is under his supervision and direction. The proposed policy for the Escambia County School District has three paragraphs that explain the relationship between the board and superintendent and four more on the powers of the superintendent. A separate section deals with the specifications of the superintendent's contract and how he will be paid his full contract if fired without cause by four board members. The St. Johns superintendent has a performance-based contract tied to his annual evaluation and maintaining his certifications. The evaluation is divided into eight categories and 37 subcategories. If the results show the superintendent met expectations in all eight categories, his base salary is increased by a percentage equal to the percentage of the aggregate base compensation increase awarded the district's teachers. The contract identifies specific causes for termination, such as immorality, misconduct in office, incompetence and gross insubordination. If he is fired without cause, the superintendent is paid severance pay equal to 20 weeks base compensation. Termination requires three votes of the school board. Don't let Malcolm Thomas sabotage the appointed superintendent system before it's ever implemented. Contact your school board member. {in} rick@inweekly.net
An appointed school superintendent isn't an outlier.
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PUBLIC TRUST UNIT LAUNCHED
Larry Keefe / Photo Courtesy of U.S. Department of Justice
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U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe has put public officials in the Florida Panhandle on notice. He has launched an anti-corruption unit that will focus on "identifying, investigating, disrupting and prosecuting government corruption." Keefe made the announcement on Tuesday, Aug. 6, after Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox pled guilty to three fraud charges in a "pay-to-play" bribery probe. Maddox, who unsuccessfully ran for Commissioner of Agriculture in 2010, faces a maximum of 45 years behind bars and $750,000 in fines. "That very small group that serves for their own illegal benefit or profit, and those who illegally seek to influence them, will be the targets of our work in the Public Trust Unit," Keefe told the media outside of the federal courthouse in Tallahassee. Two days later, the U.S. attorney held a meet and greet with local media in the conference room of his Pensacola Division office. Inweekly asked him to further explain his new unit. "The Public Trust Unit basically has three components, two of which are probably the most notable or of most interest," he said. "One is public corruption. It's my view that this office needs to do more with regard to the issue of public corruption." He pointed out that Florida is the thirdlargest state population-wise in the country and is a pivotal state in national elections. "Every election cycle, there are dramas, issues, concerns, controversies, things that cumulatively over time, in my view, and the policy of this office and Department of Justice is such that election security is a priority," said Keefe. "It's a very important thing to make certain that the public continues to have trust in the integrity of the election system." He added, "There's fundamental constitutional rights with regard to making certain that elections are fair and that an equal vote is an equal vote."
Keefe explained that the special counsel's report mentioned that "foreign actors" focused on Florida during the election cycle of 2016. "I want to make certain that this office is doing everything that the Department of Justice would have us do to be proactive, to be out front on the election security issues," he said. "I don't want this office to wait until after the election, if there was anything that could be done before the election, to deal with investigation and prosecution. If there is any inappropriate activity going on with regard to election and security between now and the election, I want us to be proactive and engage and disrupt that activity." The third area of concern for the Public Trust Unit is economic espionage committed by the Republic of China, especially at universities. The Northern District of Florida contains the University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida A&M University and the University of West Florida. He said, "Coming into this office in January, did I have general awareness that there was this problem with regard to economic espionage, to trade secret theft and misappropriation, by the People's Republic of China communist government? I didn't. It was an abstraction; it was in faraway places. Certainly, it wouldn't be something right here in North Florida." Keefe said in the last few months, he's learned about threats to national security that involved China and economic espionage in his district. "Sheriffs and police departments and state and local folks are not geared or focused on dealing with (threats to national security)," he said. "And where that is going to be dealt with is at a main justice in Washington but also in the 94 districts with the 93 U.S. attorneys that are the ones that are dealing with the universities that apply and are situated in your districts. So I want you all to know so that the public knows that this is a problem." Keefe sidestepped rolling out many particulars about the new unit. The other reporters wanted to discuss Mayor Grover Robinson's joint gun-related crime task forces, which the U.S. attorney called "Protect Pensacola." Few of them understood the history of public corruption in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and the other 20 counties in Northern Florida. Keefe does. He grew up in Okaloosa County, graduated from Choctawhatchee High School and attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship. He has practiced law in Florida for 32 years and was a partner of the Fort Walton Beach law firm Keefe, Anchors & Gordon. "What I'd hoped to do today was largely just kind of introduce the Public Trust Unit," he said. "It has attorneys in it that have the national security component, like David (Goldberg) leads and is involved
in. It's got public corruption folks and some very bright young folks that are very knowledgeable about election security." Keefe touched on election security again before he answered more questions for the rest of the media on the task force. "Election security is a relatively new thing in the Department of Justice," he said. The federal government doesn't run the elections. Elected supervisors of election in counties all over the country are in charge of counting votes. However, a new element was introduced to the election process four years ago. "You've got the cyber component tied to this now," he said. "It doesn't necessarily have to do with non-cyber hanging chads and so forth like we had in 2000. Now, you have issues that have to do with whether people who are legally qualified voters are on voting rolls and are voting or are registering to vote—and the extent to which there is a role for the federal government, what will the federal government's role be in that instance? Or will that be totally left to the state and local folks to deal with?" He continued, "These are cutting-edge issues in our Public Trust Unit. We have young lawyers working with really smart, bright lawyers at main justice to figure out—because the 2020 elections are around the corner—how to get out ahead of that to know what our role will be." Keefe stressed that the DOJ wants to secure our elections and the integrity of the voting infrastructure but also secure the public's perception.
"If the public perceives that it is not solid, it's not sound, that can be as damaging or bad as if, in fact, there is vulnerability." Larry Keefe "If the public perceives that it is not solid, it's not sound, that can be as damaging or bad as if, in fact, there is vulnerability," he said, "the public perception that they are not secure can be more dangerous than if they, in fact, are not. And so the key is to engage proactively ahead of time that, whatever the federal role is properly defined to be, to the extent things can be communicated and made public about that balance with the classification of certain things." Keefe closed the discussion, "That's my job. That's part of the Public Trust Unit—election security, public corruption and the economic espionage in university campuses. And once again, this is not to diminish gun violence, drugs, human trafficking, child pornography, elder abuse issues. The priorities of the Department of Justice are always going to be with us, but these are three areas where I think a lot of strides could be made that we're focusing on with this Public Trust Unit." {in} inweekly.net
August 15, 2019
7
SUPPORTERS OF TYMAR CRAWFORD ADDRESS CITY OFFICIALS
Photo By C. Scott Satterwhite
By C. Scott Satterwhite After a somewhat contentious city council meeting earlier last week, several community members came together again to speak Thursday, Aug. 8, at the council's Leroy Boyd Forum. Speaker after speaker addressed the city council and Mayor Grover Robinson about the recent shooting death of Tymar Crawford by an officer in the Pensacola Police Department. The shooting took place on July 5 as Crawford was returning from a funeral. After the shooting, Pensacola Police spokesperson Mike Wood stated that police pulled Crawford over as he approached his home on the corner of C and Brainerd streets after smelling marijuana and seeing narcotics thrown into the street. According to the spokesperson, Crawford resisted arrest, attempting to disarm the officer.
Crawford was then shot to death by another officer at the scene. Kimberly Henderson, Crawford's partner, contradicts the police account, stating that she witnessed an officer punching Crawford. As Crawford attempted to get to the ground, an officer shot him six times. The case is still under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which Pensacola Police Chief Tommi Lyter expects to conclude by Monday, Aug. 19. Following the investigation, the State Attorney's Office will decide if the officer's shooting was legally justified. Since Crawford's death, family and community members have organized several memorials in his honor and protests seeking answers. The most recent took place on July 26, when over 100 people filled the Fricker Community Center for a "People's Assembly," organized by the Pensacola chapter of the civil rights organization Dream Defenders. Organizers with Dream Defenders met with Crawford's family to compile a list of demands. Those demands were first and center in the conversation at the Leroy Boyd Forum, including the release of the involved officers' names, establishment of a civilian oversight committee and quarterly anti-bias training. Jamal Davis of Dream Defenders was one of the first to speak at the forum. "We want to be clear that we want these quarterly training programs to be required for all officers, every quarter, no exceptions," said Davis. "The city may think that some of these demands are outside of the purview of their office or outside of their capabilities to deliver," said Davis. "However, city officials serve at our discretion. We elect you into office, and we pay your salaries with our tax dollars. You are here as public servants, and we are here as members of
the public making very clear what our community needs." Davis added that much of the money spent on policing could be spent on "quality mental health care, affordable housing, community programs, education and more" instead. "Unlike over-policing, these are things that will truly help create a safer place for us all," he said. Several other speakers addressed Crawford's death and their negative interactions with police. "We shouldn't have to fear going out of our front door and fear public servants that we put in place every time we go out," said Roy Foust.
"We shouldn't have to fear going out of our front door and fear public servants that we put in place every time we go out." Roy Foust Several other speakers offered similar sentiments. Willie Williams, a pastor with Top of the Bottom Ministry, looked at the audience and encouraged them to continue with their work as he spoke of his own negative interactions with the police. "You are speaking for your grandkids, your great-grandkids," Williams said, his voice strained at times. He then addressed the city council and mayor directly. "I'm speaking out today from my heart. It's on you. You've heard their cry. It's in their mind and their spirit," Williams said. Haley Morrissette of the Dream Defenders was one of the last to speak at the first forum. She spoke specifically about the establishment of a civilian oversight committee. "We want to be fully a part of that," said Morrissette. "We don't want any type of meetings going on where this civilian oversight committee can be put together in some easy way that it can be taken back apart or dismantled."
"We need to have the support of those who sit on the city council," said Morrissette. "We ask that y'all possibly even reach out to us to ask how we can get this established so that it's accessible for all." "We want to work together. We want to bridge a gap," she said, but reiterated that she was serious that the demands presented by Dream Defenders and Crawford's family be met. Otherwise, Morrissette said, the city should expect more protests. "Somebody died. It was someone who lived around the corner from where I live. We want change," said Morrissette. At the close of the first part of the Leroy Boyd Forum, Mayor Robinson addressed the supporters of Crawford in attendance. "We do want justice, but justice doesn't come with agendas. Justice comes with justice," said Robinson. "There was nobody here for Elizabeth Harris. She was gunned down in the city of Pensacola, and that was unfortunate," the mayor remarked. Harris was killed in an unrelated driveby shooting in May. Morrissette disagreed with the Mayor. "I'm pretty sure I said something about that," she said as she spoke to Robinson and looked back at the crowd. Several of the speakers, including former mayoral candidate Jonathan Green, took issue with that comparison during the second part of the forum. Speaking to the audience, Mayor Robinson said he intended to meet with Morrissette and Crawford's supporters the following morning. On Friday, Aug. 9, supporters of Crawford, including Dream Defender leaders, met with Mayor Robinson. After a three-hour meeting, Morrissette indicated some progress toward at least one of the demands. "We're expecting the establishment of the civilian oversight committee to be introduced to the city council by the October meeting," said Morrissette. {in}
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Studer Community Institute fills a vital role in helping small businesses start and grow Small businesses continue to be the backbone of a community. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses represent 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses. Even the larger companies started out small. When a small business succeeds and grows everyone wins. The community benefits from more jobs and more opportunities for young people to find work at home. Visitors and locals enjoy more entertainment and retail offerings and our quality of life improves. That is the good news. There is some bad news. The Small Business Administration reports around half of new businesses fail within 5 years, and even fewer make it ten years. This failure rate is not due to a lack of passion, work ethic, or quality products. It is the opposite. Small businesses owners and employees are passionate about their product, are committed to their customers, and work long hours. They have often risked their life savings to start and operate their businesses. They are often very active in the community.
There is a great challenge that every small business faces. Many times, it is the difference between making it or closing. That challenge is having the time and the dollars to invest in training for themselves and others in their business. Training, while needed, is often hard to get to, expensive and would require too many days away from work. To address this challenge and keep with its mission to create a culture of learning and excellence, the Studer Community Institute (SCI) has developed a solution: create local, high quality training that is cost effective. Since 2015 more than 5,000 people have attended skill building sessions provided by SCI. Many are taught by talented local community members as well as SCI staff members. It is one of the reasons that Pensacola was named the 17th best place to start a small business in April 2019 by Go.Verizon.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS
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EntreConPensacola.com Nov. 13 and 14 Frequently, leadership is often too busy to identify and implement a program designed to get feedback from employees. Working with Studer Community Institute is accelerating our mission to become a leading employer. Their training program has been instrumental in improving effectiveness, increasing our efficiency and driving success within our team. We have worked with other training companies and none are comparable to Studer Community Institute. — Peter Mougey, Shareholder Levin Papantonio
QUESTIONS? Rachael Gillette, rgillette@studeri.org
It’s lonely at the top. That’s what we heard from business owners and CEOs who told us that the biggest issue they face in their roles is not having anyone to confide in. As a result, 4 years ago, Studer Community Institute started a roundtable program driven by a desire to make it less lonely and facilitate sessions where leaders could get together in a safe, positive environment, share best practices, discuss concerns, learn from each other and receive support. What started with a group of eight, has grown to over 250 people who come together in their peer groups every 90 days. In 2019, we rolled out Accelerate membership program to SCI that gives members access to SCI Peer-to Peer Roundtables where they can: • Gain professional knowledge and insight. • Share current and trending best practices with business peers. • Make better decisions and gain broader perspectives. • Increase valuable networking relationships. • Accelerate professional career development. With SCI on your side and Accelerate membership, you can build your network of peers and resources to thrive as a business leader.
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We are recognized by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM
August 15, 2019
Studeri.org The Studer Community Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 9
thing to do and it wasn't cause or performance or any of those things." Staff argued the supermajority was necessary to protect the superintendent from three board members terminating employment for "a strictly arbitrary or capricious reason." Adams appeared to have little support for changing the recommendation. Board members Patty Hightower, Paul Fetsko and Bill Slayton supported the supermajority requirement, while Dr. Laura Edler didn't voice an opinion. The board will discuss the policies regarding the appointed superintendent process again at a special workshop at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Hall Center, 30 E. Texar Dr.
Kevin Adams / Courtesy Photo
SUPERMAJORITY The Escambia County School Board discussed the proposed policies regarding its appointed superintendent at a workshop on August 1. Voters last year passed a referendum changing the position from elected to appointed, and the board will have to choose Malcolm Thomas' replacement before he leaves office in November 2020. One policy that Inweekly has questioned is the recommendation that a supermajority of the school board—four of five members—would need to agree to remove a superintendent if the board didn't have a "good cause" for termination. The Escambia County Commission can remove its administrator with three votes. School Board Member Kevin Adams couldn't find any Florida school district that required a supermajority. "I went to I don't know how many school district sites the last couple of days," said Adams. "I couldn't find anything on a supermajority, because that's four board members it would take." Superintendent Thomas defended the recommendation. He said, "It's just trying to give the superintendent a little bit of flexibility, and I don't foresee it with this group. We've not had those issues, but I don't know what would happen in the future." He continued, "I don't know who you're going to get. I don't know who's going to sit on the board or what the personalities will be like, how people will get crossed. And we just hate to see a good superintendent lose their job and be terminated because they were just trying to do what they thought was the right 010 1
BIDEN LEADS FIELD Joe Biden still leads the Democratic presidential field among Florida Democrats after the second round of debates, according to the latest Inweekly/Political Matrix poll. Biden leads with 41.5%, followed by Bernie Sanders (15.9%), Elizabeth Warren (11.4%), Kamala Harris (7.2%) and Pete Buttigieg (6%). The rest of the respondents (17.9%) said they would vote for someone else in the race. The persons sampled were likely Florida Democratic voters with a voting score of 100% for the general election cycles. The voters were called using an Interactive Voice Response system during the hours of 1-7 p.m. between Aug. 2 and Aug. 5. The margin of error for this study is +/- 5.5% with a confidence level of 95%. NIGHT OUT AT LEGION FIELD The Pensacola Police Department and Escambia County Sheriff's Office, along with Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS, Community Drug & Alcohol Council Inc., City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation and Academy Sports + Outdoors, hosted National Night Out on Aug. 7 at Legion Field, handing out school supplies at the Theophalis May Community Center. Escambia County Commission Chairman Lumon May said it was a great opportunity for the community to come together. "We can show how we can collaborate, communicate, educate and help each other. It builds relationships," said May. "I think children, particularly in the urban core, should have relationships with law enforcement. But more importantly, law enforcement should have a relationship with children. So, I'm excited about being here." Commissioner May joined Mayor Grover Robinson, Escambia County Chief Deputy Chip Simmons and Pensacola
Police Captain Chuck Mallett in welcoming the crowd, which also included Pensacola City Councilwoman Jewel Cannada-Wynn and Councilman P.C. Wu.
RADIOTHON To support the Studer Family Children's Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart's Bear Family Foundation Pediatric Oncology Center of Hope, tune in during the first-ever Cat Country 98.7 Cares for Kids Radiothon 5 a.m.-7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16. All funds raised during the event will support the Pediatric Oncology Center of Hope. Wind Creek Hospitality has agreed to match donations up to $20,000. To hear the live broadcast, the public can tune in to local radio stations Cat Country 98.7, NewsRadio 92.3, ESPN Pensacola and 1330 WEBY. In addition, WEAR-TV 3 news anchor Sue Straughn will be on site to interview young patients and their families, as well as physicians, leaders and staff. Call 850-416-KIDS (5437) to make a pledge. Volunteers will be on site to take calls. Gifts can also be made at givesacredheart.org/donate. GB WILL DO Gulf Breeze Will Do plans
to hold a social gathering 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Beef O'Brady's, 344 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. Gulf Breeze Will Do is a woman's philanthropy which pools membership dues to award grants of up to $10,000 to causes benefitting the "greater Gulf Breeze" areas of Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Tiger Point and Midway. Grant applications for the 2019 awards will be available at the event. Members, prospective members and grant applicants are invited to attend to learn more about Gulf Breeze Will Do. Membership dues are $250 per person and are tax-deductible. To learn more, visit gulfbreezewilldo.org.
POLICE OVERSIGHT At his Monday press conference, Mayor Robinson Grover Robinsons said he was open to establishing a civilian committee charged with oversight of the police department. "It's certainly always good to look at how things are being done, how we're progressing, and if we need to bring together a citizen committee much as we did back in the '90s, again, I'm not opposed to doing something like that," Robinson said. "If we need to have a citizen group evaluating how we're doing with our policing and how we can be better, I'm open to that anytime." The mayor said that while the city and the Dream Defenders do not agree on certain items—such as a demand to release
the identifies of the officers involved in the Tymar Crawford case—there were multiple things on which common ground was established, such as conducting quarterly events geared toward getting officers out into the community, as well as the increased training. Mayor Robinson also said that he thought that ultimately the city's relationship with citizens would benefit from additional African American police officers on the force. "The long-term approach about where we go with this, we need more good quality individuals in the African American community who want to be police officers," Robinson said. "If you have a desire to do it, if you think you'd like to serve, if you like to help people, we'd love to work with you and get you involved and figure out a career path for you." An issue not discussed during the mayor's meeting with the Dream Defenders was the existence of a video recording of the shooting of n Crawford. During public remarks in front of city council members last week, a Dream Defender representative mentioned the existence of the video. Robinson has consistently said that the city plans to release the police department's body-cam video as soon as FDLE has wrapped up its investigation. He repeated that position Monday, saying that he had no knowledge of any outside recording. The mayor did say that if FDLE released the body cam video this week— while Robinson is out of town at a Florida League of Cities conference—the city would likely delay its release until he got back in town next week. "It's not that we're trying to sit on it, but we'd like to all be here when it happens," Robinson said. Other than allowing that the police force needs additional training, city officials have withheld any statement on whether or not police officers acted appropriately or not during the July 5 incident. Monday, though, Robinson used verbiage that seemed to color the officers' actions in the negative. "It's unfortunate that, obviously, things happen and there was an error, but again, every day they go out there and do an incredible job of doing what they're doing, and they have a very tough job," the mayor said. When asked to elaborate on his use of the word "error," the mayor recategorized the description of officer actions as something that "wasn't an intended result that we wanted to achieve." "Obviously, there were things that we didn't want to happen," he said. "My point is, it's created some tension. And we're feeling that. And we're working through it." inweekly.net
Sheriff David Morgan / Courtesy Photo
NO JOINT TASK FORCE NEEDED On
Tuesday, Aug. 7, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan told the media that he didn't see the need for a special regional task force on gun-related crimes, which Mayor Grover Robinson is trying to form. In an exclusive interview, Morgan told Inweekly that his agency has always had a task force on gangs and gun-related crimes ("They're Heere," 4/2/09). "In '09, we were facing not only an uptick in gun crimes, but also we were the first administration to start identifying gangs and gang activity in Escambia County, and, of course, those two are kind of a hand-inglove situation," said the sheriff. "We had three FDLE agents assigned and working with us initially. And I think I had six people at one time." He added, "As we progressed in our cataloging and identification of gangs and other criminal activity associated with gangs—the associated drugs, etc.—the force was kind of
pared down due to other operational requirements, but it never went away." As the unit was reduced, FDLE embedded an agent with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for approximately two years. "That FDLE agent was finally reassigned, and we went down to about three people," said Morgan. "And we've consistently had three or more people assigned to a task force, and my folks continue to keep up to date on gangs, gang activity and weapons associated with that." In 2012 after a series of gang-related driveby shootings, Sheriff Morgan spearheaded a gun crime response task force that involved the city, state and federal law enforcement. "That was in response to the uptick of homicide, and we started to catalog a growing
number of violent crimes involving weapons," said the sheriff. "We wanted to, again, reach out and partner with those folks that could provide a faster turnaround." However, local law enforcement has improved over the past seven years. He said, "We've developed a tremendous amount of capabilities on our own, as well as Florida Department of Law Enforcement. So what I can't do in-house, I literally drive down the street to Palafox to the FDLE headquarters and their lab and their lab capability is, you know, probably as good as any place you can go." Law enforcement has been traditionally superstitious about crime statistics, Morgan explained when asked about the current status of gun-related crimes. Whenever an agency brags about its crime rates, something happens and the statistics worsen. "Right now, I would say that we're keeping with kind of a norm in Escambia County, if there is such a thing, meaning it's not up and it's not down," Morgan shared cautiously. "We normally average somewhere between 12 and 16 or 17 homicides a year. A good year is when you get less than that. A bad year is when you go over that." The sheriff said that his agency tracks trends, not statistics. "If a trend is going in the wrong direction, that's something that I now need to notice. Is there an uptick in property crimes, burglaries, home invasions, those sorts of things, sex crimes? So we re-martial forces and focus on those things within, again, the sheriff's office when that happens," he said. Before the sheriff reaches out to an outside agency, such as the Department of Justice, he prefers to partner locally first.
"Right now, I would say that we're keeping with kind of a norm in Escambia County, if there is such a thing, meaning it's not up and it's not down." Sheriff David Morgan
"I would look to partner with the Pensacola Police Department on many things if it involves patrol and traffic and those sorts of things, and even investigations, narcotics," he said. "We can certainly commission those folks and work into an operation with them. And then that way, we can combine our forces for short periods of time. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office has also partnered with FDLE, the Florida Highway Patrol and Fish and Wildlife. "We usually try to keep it in-house, and we'll coordinate most of those efforts with the State Attorney's office because, ultimately, regardless of what agency conducts the initial investigations, we always lateral that ball to the state attorney," he said. "We need to make sure that they're kept on the information loop for all these things that we do."
MARK YOUR CALENDARS City Hall
Selfie Day is Thursday, Aug. 15. Visit city hall or any government building, snap a photo of yourself or your group and post the photo to social media using the hashtag #CityHallSelfie. Panhandle Tiger Bay Club will host Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 16, at Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox. Prices are $35 for guests; $25 for military and students with proper ID. To RSVP, email info@panhandletigerbay.com. Santa Rosa County Legislative Delegation members Representative Jayer Williamson, Representative Alex Andrade and Senator Doug Broxson have scheduled a public hearing for 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commission Chambers, 6495 Caroline St., Milton. City Zoning Board of Adjustment will meet at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21, in the Hagler-Mason Conference Room, 2nd Floor, City Hall. {in}
MOST INVESTMENT LOSSES ARE FROM PRODUCTS WITH CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS PETER J. MOUGEY
Recovered $250 million on Behalf of over 3,000 Investors
850.435.7000 | LEVINLAW.COM Pensacola, FL August 15, 2019
11
BIG PICTURE PLANS
CATCHING UP WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPER QUINT STUDER By Jeremy Morrison
Savoy Place / Conceptual rendering. Subject to change.
Quint Studer says he's familiar with SimCity—a video game in which players engage in city-building exercises. And if somehow he were playing the game and Pensacola was the simulated city, he'd feel pretty good about the municipal landscape he's helping to create. "I think we're winning," Studer told Inweekly. "I think the challenge now is to plan all this empty space in town proactively, so it's a diverse, inclusive opportunity." Studer has been viewing Pensacola through this lens for quite a while. Over the years, he has built, purchased and renovated properties. He has been notably strategic and purposeful in his actions, with various projects fulfilling specific goals, such as his Southtowne development increasing downtown's retail and residential stock. At the moment, Studer has numerous irons in the fire. He's trying to sell Southtowne. Then there's his new retail-residential development in the Belmont-DeVilliers area and also bigger picture items, like the recently completed master planning for the vacant parcels at the Maritime Park and the 19 acres he owns across Main Street. Then there's his efforts to provide educational materials to new mothers to improve kindergarten readiness in the area. 212 1
To catch up on these various initiatives, Inweekly sat down with Studer for an update. During that meeting, he detailed the status of his development projects and, perhaps more interestingly, talked about why he pursues the projects he does and how he doesn't consider himself a developer. "I never wanted to be a real estate developer," Studer said. "I wanted to be a community developer and real estate is a tactic."
DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTS
Recently, Studer has put probably his most prominent project to date, Southtowne, up for sale. The mixed-use development—retail on the lower level and around 250 units of residential apartments on the upper levels—opened last year in the heart of downtown Pensacola. Studer said he and his wife, Rishy, have a considerable amount of cash tied up in
Southtowne—the couple personally guaranteed its $50 million construction loan— and that selling the property would allow them to reinvest into the community. "We'd like to do that with all our stuff," Studer said, "you know, build it, get it going, sell it, then take that money and invest it in the next project." He has multiple "next" projects already on the docket. In Belmont-DeVilliers, Studer is already at work on another Southtowne-esque development next door to his DeVilliers Square building. This new project, Savoy Place, will run about $6.5 million and feature retail on the bottom level with two dozen residential units above, which are intended to be more affordable than their counterparts at Southtowne. "It allows us to create a lower price point for people that want to be downtown and in a hip and very diverse neighborhood," Studer said. He is also a minority partner in Two Hundred Garden West, Inc., a retail-residential project planned on the site of the
"We'd like to do that with all our stuff. You know, build it, get it going, sell it, then take that money and invest it in the next project." QUINT STUDER
former school district administration building on Garden Street, across from his Studer Community Institute (SCI) building (which was formerly the SunTrust Bank building). Initially, the development group requested to demolish the existing structures on the Garden Street property—structures some consider to have historic value—but more recently, the city's Architectural Review Board (ARB) signed off on plans that incorporate the existing structure. "I very much want to keep the school building," Studer said. "I think we have a great idea for that building." To accommodate the historical elements of the building, Studer said the developers need to find that developable space in other ways. "It means you've got to be able to go higher and more dense than normal," Studer said, explaining that an ARB member suggested the project build higher. "I love that idea because that gives them a view of the water and the town." Insofar as making practical use of the old school administration building, Studer said that the group could conceivably transform the building into student housing for UWF's new cyber security center inweekly.net
superintendent of schools versus an elected superintendent," Studer predicted. For the past two years, Studer has been involved with an effort to supply new mothers in the Pensacola region with educational tutorial as well as take-home material meant to enable them better to foster healthy brain development in their baby. "The challenge we have is children that grow up in poverty naturally hear 20 to 30 less words than children that don't grow up in poverty," Studer said. "So, it's not that children of poverty aren't as intelligent as children not in poverty; it's that they're not hearing the words to build the brain." Studer's efforts in early childhood education are aimed not only at improving the prospects of area children but also at making the region a more attractive sell when employers try to lure school-conscious young families to the area. "What businesses look for now is talent, either talent that's already there or talent that they can attract to the community," Studer said. "So, if you look at that, education becomes a big player."
"What businesses look for now is talent, either talent that's already there or talent that they can attract to the community." STUDER Quint and Rishy Studer / Courtesy Photo
nearby or perhaps segment the building into "pods." "The thought is if you could take that school board building and maybe make pods, where there's some bedrooms with some smaller kitchenettes," Studer said. He also pointed out one of the challenges presented by such a concept—vast hallways. "You could make an exercise area in one hallway; you could create a workspace in another hallway; you could create an entertainment area in another." There's been discussion of pursuing historic tax credits to help fund this structure-saving version of the Garden Street development, but Studer didn't sound optimistic on that front. "That's tough because that then starts
August 15, 2019
limiting what you can do in the facility. So, I think you're almost going to need something besides historic tax credits," he said.
AN EDUCATION IN EDUCATION
While Studer views his development projects as having community-building aims, some of his recent and long-term efforts are purely community-driven. This is most evident in his work pertaining to education. This past year, he was plugged into the push to change from an elected to an appointed school superintendent. "When people look back 50 years or 30 years from now, one of the biggest changes they're going to say that had a positive impact on our community is the appointed
Working a different education angle, Studer has also been instrumental in bringing the CivicCon series to town. The ongoing series, done in partnership with the Pensacola News Journal, is meant to inform local residents better so that they can more effectively navigate the city's civic landscape and contribute to discussions that lead to positive changes in the area. "According to Harvard professor John Kotter, when he talks about change, you need a burning platform, number one, and then you need the critical mass," said Studer. "And I think we've had a lot of burning platforms, but we haven't been able to get the critical mass. So, all of a sudden you get CivicCon, and you get 200 or 300 people at an event."
VIEWS OF THE CANVAS
Studer has pretty nice views of Pensac-
ola from atop the SCI building. It's a good place to survey all the opportunities to get a sweeping look at the big picture. "We have so many blank canvases here," Studer said. "If you go up to the top of the white building, you'll be amazed at how much is empty—it's like farmland. We have so much of it."
"If you go up to the top of the white building, you'll be amazed at how much is empty—it's like farmland." STUDER With so much open real estate, there's potential for a multitude of game-changers. Or, just as easily, nothing at all. That's why it's important, Studer stresses, that Pensacola proceed carefully and with intent. This is why Studer approached the city about developing a masterplan for the remaining Maritime Park parcels and his nearby 19 acres, the former site of a wastewater treatment facility. And this is why he funded New York-based urban design firm SCAPE's work reimagining the downtown's waterfront and connectivity that the city is now acting on. But, while Studer says he enjoys participating in such city-building planning processes, the community-minded developer doesn't intend on taking many more active development roles. For example, he doesn't intend to personally develop any of his 19 acres on West Main Street, leaving that work to others. "I don't plan on doing any building down there, because then people would say, 'Well he just did this so he could build a building,'" Studer said of the 19-acre property, which, for decades, was the site of the ECUA Main Street Sewage Plant. He hinted that Savoy Place in BelmontDeVilliers may be his last development project. But that's not to say he doesn't plan on being an active player in mapping out Pensacola's future physical and civic landscape, especially when on the horizon rests a 50-acre urban opportunity made possible by Baptist Hospital's recently announced relocation. "Baptist's land has unlimited potential in changing this community," Studer said. "I'd like to be involved in helping plan it, making sure there's the right masterplan, making sure that the right things are happening." {in}
13
THE KRICKETS
presents
RadioLive adioLive THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola
Featuring
ROY SCHNEIDER & KIM MAYFIELD THE KRICKETS BEN DE LA COUR 414 1
09/05/19
6:00 p.m. Doors 5:00 p.m.
Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM
Tickets $10
available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787 inweekly.net
WEEK OF AUGUST 15-21
Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
Mississippi Man By Savannah Evanoff
the walls between his passions don't raise; "It was a little hobby they disappear. He integrated his love for to do," Silas said. "I never anime and Japanese culture in his latest actually thought I could be a album—particularly in the title. rapper. I told myself, 'I'm just "I watch anime almost every day— going to be a producer. I'm whether it's eating, before I go to sleep at gonna make the music for the night, on YouTube," Silas said. "In every rappers.' Kanye [West] came anime I watch, there was a cherry blosout, and I started to feel like, som—the flower or the tree itself. I remem'Oh, maybe I can do this.' I ber how serene and calm it made me feel. feel like we're pretty similar." That's how I want people to feel when they When he was younger, Silas listen to my music. I want them to feel the thought hip-hop artists had to way I felt when I saw a cherry blossom on come from a difficult backthe TV screen." ground to succeed. The headband he wears is a nod to one of "I felt like I hadn't had it as his favorite anime programs, "Naruto." rough as most people and that When it comes to creative material, anyif I did do it, people wouldn't thing is fair game. take me as seriSilas often plays ous," Silas said. a role in design"What I'm going his promo ing to rap about materials and people aren't expresses himself going to want through fashion to hear me talk and drawing. about. Kanye "I might see kinda changed a vacuum cleanthat perspecing commercial, and I'll get inspired to create tive. He opened up a whole a video," Silas said. "It might be some retro new generation of hip-hop stuff—anything. It might be a plant one day." artists to go on that different Dear Silas recently freed his crepath and made it mainstream." ative juices for his next EP. As he lyrically Being a rapper was a manifests himself a rap career, Silas wants surprise, but being a musician others from his home base of Mississippi to was a certainty. Silas' entire believe they can do the same. family is musicians; he didn't "Mississippi has an abundance of talhave a choice. ented people," Silas said. "You don't always He clearly remembers have to leave just to make some headway. pick-your-horn day—a rite of A lot of the stuff I was able to accomplish, passage for any middle school I was able to accomplish while staying here band member. His dad was a saxophone in my hometown. I think it's important for player, so naturally, that instrument was his other people who aspire to do things that first choice. are from the same place as me to know it's "I blew and nothing came out," Silas possible to make it happen or at least get a said. "He was like, 'Well, try this one.' It was great start right here in Mississippi." {in} a trumpet mouthpiece. I played, and he was like, 'That's your instrument right there.' I guess he saw the potential from that first moment." Silas still practices daily and busts out the trumpet WHAT: Dear Silas with Jamal Steele, The Strangers for his albums and concerts. and Geno Luc Because of his experience in WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16 jazz ensembles, he someWHERE: chizuko, 506 W. Belmont St. times incorporates a jazz lick COST: $5 into a rap song. DETAILS: facebook.com/chizukopensacola When Silas makes music,
"I'm writing to myself to keep myself going as much as I'm trying to help somebody else keep going through their daily lives." Silas Stapleton III
Photo by Kail Soul
Silas Stapleton III silently addresses every letter to himself—Dear Silas. Although his letters are written in the form of songs he shares with the world, the rapper knows the lyrics are just as much a message for him. Dear Silas is his moniker so he never forgets. "Usually, I like to make music for other people and channel what I'm going through so hopefully someone else can relate to it," Silas said. "I preach a lot in my music, but I'm preaching to myself because I'm still currently going through a lot of the stuff I talk about. I'm writing to myself to keep myself going as much as I'm trying to help somebody else keep going through their daily lives." Silas is a big believer in manifestation. If you speak it, it will come true, he said. August 15, 2019
The Jackson, Miss., musician rapped it, and things did indeed happen. In 2018, he signed a record deal with RCA Records, which then re-released his album "The Last Cherry Blossom" in 2019. His song "Skrr Skrr" was a hit on Spotify and even lent itself as the soundtrack to a popular YouTube video clip featuring a scene from "Dexter's Laboratory." "I love going back and listening to stuff I talked about," Silas said, "like proclaiming, 'One day, I'm gonna be this and I'm gonna be that,' going back and listening to it and saying, 'Aw, damn, that actually happened.'" One thing Silas didn't always visualize was being a rapper. He started spitting rhymes at 16, free-styling before school in the morning.
DEAR SILAS
15
The World, Wide Open When you broaden her horizon, you open more than her mind— you open doors. At The Global Corner, we’re on a mission to bring the world to the classroom. Through our immersive Passport Program, we transport kids in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties across borders and around the globe—without ever leaving the classroom. Learn more at TheGlobalCorner.org.
*Actual Global Corner Student
616 1
inweekly.net
calendar OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin MAMMA MIA 7:30 p.m. $33. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com DEAR SILAS 8-11 p.m. chizuko, 506 W. Belmont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola AUTO RACING 8 p.m. Five Flags Speedway, 7451 Pine Forest Road. 5flagsspeedway.com GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.
SATURDAY 8.17
PARKRUN/WALK MEETUP 7:30 a.m. University
Drivin N Cryin / Courtesy Photo
THURSDAY 8.15
WORK ON THE FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Every Thursday. Three miles north of Deaton Bridge Road. meetup.com/ftawesterngate YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org JACKSON'S AND JULIA 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Special Julia Child-inspired menu in addition to regular menu. Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. greatsouthernrestaurants.com VETERAN'S MEETING 4 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine ARCHAEO CAFÉ: RESURRECTED FROM THE WAVES 5:30 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co.,
50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road.
FULL RIPENING MOON PRACTICE AND RITUAL 6:30 p.m. $8. Asher & Bee Apothecary
and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook. com/asherandbee MEDITATION AND ENERGY HEALING 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ADRON CHAMBERS YOGA 6:30 p.m. Donation-based yoga with Adron Chambers every Tuesday and Thursday. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee BLUE WAHOOS VS. CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS 6:35 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos
Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com THIRD THURSDAY MEDITATION 7 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org MAC SABBATH WITH OKILLY DOKILLY 7 p.m. $15-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com MAMMA MIA 7:30 p.m. $17. Pensacola Little August 15, 2019
Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com
FRIDAY 8.16
TIDALLY UNITED SUMMIT 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m. $40 per person. Hosted by FPAN, speakers present solutions to rising sea levels and climate change. Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. fpan.us/tidally ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 10 a.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com EVER'MAN COOKS: SHOPPING AND COOKING THE CO-OP SALES 11 a.m. Ever'man Educational
Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HBA HOME & PRODUCT EXPO 1 p.m. $5, free admission for kids. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com BINGSU & CHILL: A POP-UP EVENT 3 p.m. Every Friday through Aug. 30. Asher & Bee and Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee GALLERY NIGHT 5-9 p.m. After party from 9-11 p.m. Celebration of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock with featured artist Austin Garcia. South Palafox. gallerynightpensacola.org POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW 5-9 p.m. Lecture series from 6-8:30 p.m. Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. wideanglephotoclub.org HAPPY HOUR COOKOUT 5 p.m Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com TIDALLY UNITED SUMMIT RECEPTION 5:307:30 p.m. FPAN Coordinating Center, 207 E. Main St. fpan.us/tidally BIKE PENSACOLA AUGUST SLOW RIDE 6 p.m. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/bikepensacola EVER'MAN COOKS: VEGAN COOKING 6 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org COLLECTIBLES & MORE SALE 6-8 p.m. $10$15 admission. St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 1 St. Francis Drive, Gulf Breeze. BLUE WAHOOS VS. CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS 6:35 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos
Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com DRIVIN N' CRYIN 7 p.m. $15-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com BLUE LEVEE 7-10 p.m. Dolce & Gelato, 2030 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola
FLAVORS OF PENSACOLA SUMMER/PROGRESSIVE DINNER PARTY 5-7 p.m. $40 per person.
Henny Penny Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. See menu at facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12 plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us BLUE WAHOOS VS. CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS
6:05 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com COUPLES COOK: COOL FOODS FOR HOT SUMMER NIGHTS 7 p.m. $60 per couple.
Pensacola Cooks, 3670 Barrancas Ave. pensacolacooks.rezlick.com DOLCE AND DRAGONS 7 p.m. Dolce & Gelato, 2030 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/ dolcegelatopensacola
of West Florida, Rec Plex North Field, 11000 University Parkway. parkrun.us/recplexnorth COLLECTIBLES & MORE SALE 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $10$15 admission. St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 1 St. Francis Drive, Gulf Breeze.
Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com
HISTORY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCY TOUR OF GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE
SAENGER CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN 7 p.m. $6. Saenger Theatre, 118
8:30 a.m.-noon. $18-$10 (ferry admission). Pensacola Bay Cruises Dock, 750 Commendencia St. Participants can also drive to Fort Pickens to meet the tour. fpan.us/tidally SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road. PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com YOU SELL IT HERE FARMER'S MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free admission. Every Saturday. 8600 Pensacola Blvd., facebook.com/yousellithere OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Two sites—Wayside Park/Graffiti Bridge, meet at Pensacola Visitor Center, 1401 E. Gregory St., and Bartram Park, 211 Bayfront Parkway. oceanhourfl.com DOGGY BATHE-IN 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $8-$11. Pensacola Humane Society, 5 N. Q St. pensacolahumane.org LEAPS 10 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HBA HOME & PRODUCT EXPO 10 a.m. $5, free admission for kids. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. wideanglephotoclub.org EAST HILL HARE & HOUNDS TIKI BEER MILE 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $20-$25 registration. Pensacola Beach RV Resort, 17 Via De Luna Drive. KITTEN & CAT ADOPTIONS AT PET SUPERMARKET 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Cats and kittens from
Animal Allies Florida. Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth Avenue. aaflorida.org
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
12:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BLOCK PARTY 4-8 p.m. Benefit for Gulf Coast Kid's House. Live music, food trucks, kids activities, local arts and crafts and more. Pensacola Beach RV Resort, 17 Via De Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach. THE BLACK MADONNA 4:30 p.m. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION: TRIBUTE TO GUNS N' ROSES 7 p.m. $12-$25. Vinyl Music
S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com
CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT 7 p.m. Red Fish
Blue Fish, 5 Via De Luna Drive, Unit B. facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach MAMMA MIA 7:30 p.m. $33. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW PHOTO WALK 8 p.m. Voices of Pensacola, 117 E.
Government St. wideanglephotoclub.org GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center 3200 N. Palafox St.
SUNDAY 8.18
THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN 10 a.m.
Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/ cafesinglefin POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. wideanglephotoclub.org TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man
Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for adults. Free valet parking and 15 percent off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via De Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach HBA HOME & PRODUCT EXPO Noon. $5, free admission for kids. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com COLLECTIBLES & MORE SALE Noon to 5 p.m. $10-$15 admission. St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, 1 St. Francis Drive, Gulf Breeze. ALTAR CALL: SABBATS AND SEASONS 2 p.m. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee ALFRED HITCHCOCK CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES: NORTH BY NORTHWEST 2 p.m. $6. Saenger
Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com
RACHEL OF WAYWARD SISTER 3-6 p.m. Dolce
& Gelato, 2030 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/ dolcegelatopensacola MAMMA MIA 3 p.m. $33. Pensacola Little
17
calendar Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com TRANSGENDER ALLIANCE 4 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BLUES ON THE BAY 6 p.m. The Modern Eldorados. Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. cityofpensacola.com
MONDAY 8.19
RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com PILATES MAT 1:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org CRAZY CUPCAKES CLASS 5:30 p.m. $40. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook. com/hennypennyspatisserie BUTTERCREAM TECHNIQUES CLASS 5:30 p.m. $40. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 6 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com CROHN'S AND COLITIS SUPPORT GROUP 6:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org
TUESDAY 8.20
YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum viewing area, 1878 S. Blue Angel Parkway. Use West Gate Entrance.
TRYON FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 4 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 4-6 p.m. Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12 plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us WHEN THEY SEE US SCREENING 6 p.m. Film covers the Central Park 5 case, with a discussion to follow. UUCP, 9888 Pensacola Blvd. FUNKY YOGA 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org LADIES CHARCUTERIE AND WINE NIGHT 6-8 p.m. $64.50. Bodacious Family of Shops, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmet.com ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road. ADRON CHAMBERS YOGA 6:30 p.m. Donationbased yoga with Adron Chambers every Tuesday and Thursday. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/ asherandbee COUNTRY TWO-STEP DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12. Whiskey Runners Saloon. 610 East Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com BANDS ON THE BEACH 7-9 p.m. Free. Crosstown. Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach. visitpensacolabeach.com
WEDNESDAY 8.21
PILATES FUSION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man Edu-
cational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org
LUNCH AND LEARN: TOTALLY THAI Noon-1
p.m. $25. Bodacious Family of Shops, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com
WAGGY WEDNESDAYS WITH PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY 4-7 p.m. Pet-themed games
and prizes. Through Sept. 18. Island Culture Tiki Bar, 17 Via De Luna Drive. $1 from every Tito's Vodka sale benefits Pensacola Humane Society. pensacolahumane.org VEGAN AND VINO SUNDAYS 4-7 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox COOKING WITH CHEF IRV MILLER: SAVORING SALMON 5 and 7 p.m. $45 per person. Jackson's
Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. greatsouthernrestaurants.com AFRICAN DANCE FITNESS 5:30 p.m. Every Wednesday. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/ facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WEST COAST SWING DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12. Whiskey Runners Saloon, 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com AMAZING GRACE 7 p.m. $7 (cash only). Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com BIZZY BONE, CARBON MONOXIDE TOUR WITH YBL SINATRA AND BLOODLINE HARMONY 7
p.m. $15-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com
TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 7:15 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational
Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org
Arts & Culture
≥Events
WOODSTOCK OR BUST Gallery night
exhibit, extended hours to midnight Friday, Aug. 16. Decorate a depiction of a VW van. Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. bluemorninggallery.com FAMILY SUNDAY: EASY WEAVING 1-4
p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18. $6 per participant over the age of 3. All ages welcome. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
PMA GALLERY TOURS 2:30 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
≥Current Exhibits THE ART OF MINXI
On view through August. Open Books Bookstore and Prison Book Project, 1040 N. Guillemard St. facebook.com/artofminxi WORN IN/WORN OUT On view
through Aug. 16. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org KEEP IT MOVING On view through Sept. 5. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org EXPOSURE On view through Oct. 4. Luna Fine Art Gallery at the Hilton Pensacola Beach, 12 Via De Luna Drive. lunafineartgallery.com RESISTANCE & CHANGE: TABLAS OF SARHUA, CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS FROM THE PERU-
www. radiofree pensacola .com 818 1
inweekly.net
calendar VIAN ANDES On view through Oct. 27. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org COTTON FIELDS TO CONGRESS: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF EARL HUTTO On
view at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org GALLERY DAYS
Noon-4 p.m. Saturdays. Featuring local artists. To be featured, contact Angel at 941-7354586 or call the restaurant at 4770035. TGI Fridays, 1240 Airport Blvd.
≥Workshops & Classes
PINS AND NEEDLES SEWING CLASS
Six-week workshop begins 5:30 p.m. on July 25. Learn basic sewing skills/ make your own items. First City Arts Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. facebook.com/ pinsandneedlessewingdesign
POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week
workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-noon, Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every Mon-
day from 6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center. Classes are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week
workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. and Thursday August 15, 2019
from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for nonmembers. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. CLAY SCULPTURE
Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.
≥Call for Artists
GREAT GULFCOAST ARTS FESTIVAL LOOKING FOR EMERGING ARTISTS
Applications are open for the GGAF Emerging Artists program. This program, developed in partnership with Artel Gallery, gives new artists a chance to be a part of the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival and offers them guidance in what is involved in being in an arts festival. Applications are open to artists who have limited experience participating in arts festivals and are residents of Escambia or Santa Rosa Counties. Two artists will be chosen to participate in this year's festival. GGAF will waive fees for the two artists and will provide a booth and mentor to help guide them through the process. For more information and an application, visit ggaf.org. The GGAF is Nov. 1, 2 and 3, 2019, in Seville Square. GRAFFITI ARTISTS FOR LIVE PAINTING LEGAL GRAFFITI
Zarzaur Law, P.A. invites artist proposals for Legal Graffiti, Foo Foo Fest Edition,
a three-day live painting event that will attract locals and visitors that are in the Downtown Pensacola area for Foo Foo Fest in November. Visitors can watch three artists work on large canvases on the same wall and using spray paint just like the traditional "Legal Graffiti" fundraiser events during the monthly Gallery Nights. Consisting of three 6 feet by 8 feet vinyl canvases on the north-facing wall outside of the Zarzaur Law building. Three artists will be selected. Each artist will create one original piece using spray paint and will receive a $750 stipend. Legal Graffiti Foo Foo Fest Edition will take place Friday, Nov. 8, and conclude on Sunday, Nov. 10. The final pieces will be auctioned off as a fundraiser for Gulf Coast Kid's House. For more information, visit zarzaurlaw.com/legalgraffiti-2. Email bios (including full contact information), concepts (sketches) and artist statement to michelle@ zarzaurlaw.com by Friday, Aug. 30.
Bars & Nightlife
≥Live Music
THURSDAY 8.15 NICK ANDREWS
6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com BOBBY VAN DEUSEN
6:30 p.m. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com
TANYA GALLAGHER
7 p.m. Hub Stacey's 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com
OPEN COLLEGE JAM WITH MIKE BOCCIA
7:30 p.m. Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road.
DUELING PIANOS
8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com
OPEN MIC/JAM
8-11 p.m. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. Use our instruments or bring your own. RAISING KARMA
8 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com
TYLER LIVINGSTON AND THE ABSOLUTES 9 p.m. End
O' the Alley, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com
FRIDAY 8.16
LIVE JAZZ WITH JOE OCCHIPINTI Noon.
The Drowsy Poet Coffee Co., 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. LIVE MUSIC Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco MIKE QUINN 5 p.m. End O' The Alley, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com BEN JERNIGAN 6 p.m. Paradise Bar & Grill, 21 Via De Luna. paradisebargrill.com JOHN RIPLEY 6:30 p.m. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com AL MARTIN 6:30 p.m. Doc's Courtyard and Cafe, 5198 Willing St., Milton.
@VOLUMEONESALON
for more listings visit inweekly.net 19
art
By Jennifer Leigh
The Big Picture Show
Photo by Timothy Brooks
Timothy Brooks was a teenager when his parents gifted him with his first camera. It shot black and white film, and it was the gateway to Brooks' long passion for photography. Today, he enjoys shooting wildlife on exotic trips across the globe. But he doesn't forget his humble beginnings as an amateur photographer, winding film canisters back and shooting dozens of pictures until he could get "the one." "The only way to get better is to keep taking pictures," he said. Brooks is a longtime member of the Wide Angle Photo Club—a group of hobbyists and professional photographers alike who share their best images and offer tips on taking better photos. And this weekend, the club will
present their 26th Annual Power of Photography Show. Brooks said the show is easily one of the largest photography shows in Northwest Florida, with nearly 1,000 entries submitted for the show's 300 available spots. The show is open to all photographers of all skill levels, whether they're shooting with a large-format camera or a cell phone. A good photo can come from anywhere. "Photography is a form of art," said Brooks. "And you can be an artist with a cell phone ... it's about perspective. You don't have to have high-end equipment." Like in past years, the show will feature 12 different categories from abstract and digital design to flowers and plants. For years, the show had a separate category for
"The only way to get better is to keep taking pictures." Timothy Brooks
now boasts about 200 members. He loves cell phone photos, but as learning new techniques from other photograsmartphones advanced, phers, he said. they became more comThat's much of what the club is about. parable to DSLR cameras. Each monthly meeting is a chance for phoPlus, Brooks said, the tographers to learn something new with guest show is meant to be acspeakers and topics such as underwater phocessible for everyone. And tography or photojournalism. Join the club's now, nearly everyone has the capability to take a good Facebook group and you'll see members share their latest photographs and discuss best photo. It doesn't matter practices for shooting the night sky or where what kind of camera you to find large birds to photograph. It's about have or where you are. camaraderie, not competition. "Judges look at the im"I like seeing what other people can do and age," said Brooks. "An image getting another perspective," Weaver said. doesn't get extra scores beThe Power of Photography Show feacause you went somewhere tures a nighttime photo walk and seminars obscure or because it was a for anyone to attend so you can learn, too. big effort." Only Friday night's Adobe Lightroom semiBrooks thinks to a previnar has a cost and limited seating. ous Best in Show winner for The art show is also a fundraiser for a an example. It was a photo local organization. For more than 10 years, of a dog—a simple image in the Power of Photography has been a theory, but the lighting and fundraiser for Arc Gateway, which works to timing was just right, he said. enrich the lives of people with intellectual "It's just a spectacular and developmental disabilities. Brooks said photo taken at the right club members vote on various charities to time," he said. "That's where support, and each year Arc Gateway wins. a basic understanding of "It's an amazing organization," he said. photography forces you to look at things a little "And if you can have a hobby that benefits differently—even family photos." (Arc Gateway), it doesn't get any better Like the club, the show is a diverse reprethan that." {in} sentation of talent. What's new this year is the location—Voices of Pensacola. Brooks said it's been a battle for years to find space big enough to hold hundreds of photos and people to look at them, and Voices provided just what they needed. WHAT: Wide Angle Photo Club's 26th AnHobby or not, the Power of nual Photography Show Photography Show continues to be an WHEN: 5-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16; 10 a.m.-5 impressive collection of pictures sep.m. Saturday, Aug. 17; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, lected by judges with awards in various Aug. 18 categories. There's not a lot of gloating WHERE: Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Govamong the winners, but as member ernment St. Dick Weaver said, "It's nice to get a ribCOST: Free bon or two." DETAILS: wideanglephotoclub.org Weaver is another longtime member of Wide Angle Photo Club, which
POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW
Adoption • Paternity • Dependency/DCF Hearings Prenuptial Agreements • Postnuptial Agreements Divorce • Child Custody and Timesharing Child Support • Child Support Modifications Alimony • Collaborative Divorce • Divorce Mediation • Pre-Suit Family Law Mediation
EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH 020 2
127 Palafox Place Suite 100 (850)466-3115 autumnbeckblackledge.com inweekly.net
DIFFERENCE MAKERS ANNUAL 65-HOUR ONLINE FUNDRAISER FOR COUNCIL ON AGING OF WEST FLORIDA BREAKS RECORDS – THIRD YEAR IN A ROW The summer lingers in Northwest Florida well into September, and for hundreds of senior adults, that means increased danger and discomfort. For the thousands of elders on limited incomes with inadequate or nonexistent air conditioning, the summer means six long months of heat-induced anguish as they try to eat, sleep and live in houses that regularly reach 90 degrees inside. Desperate, they reach out to Council on Aging of West Florida each year, hoping to receive help through the Senior Chill Out program, which distributes window air conditioners and fans in an effort to provide respite from the heat. For 65 hours, from 7 am on July 9 to midnight on July 11, senior care organizations across the country joined together to solicit contributions for their causes. The online event, called GIVE65, is a fundraiser facilitated by Home Instead Senior Care Foundation and remains the first and only crowd-fundraising platform exclusively devoted to helping elders in the communities where they live. Through help from the local Pensacola Home Instead Senior Care office, Council on Aging of West Florida raised money through this platform for its annual Senior Chill Out drive. Council on Aging of West Florida is fortunate to participate each year in the GIVE65 event, which provides matching funds for the first $5,000 raised. With that match, Council on Aging raised $12,930 this year, more than last year's $12,825 and over $2,000 more than 2017's $10,740. This will allow for the purchase of more than a hundred additional window AC units that will go straight to low-income, high-risk seniors in our community struggling to endure the hot Florida summer in a healthy and comfortable manner. This is in addition to the 485 AC units received through donations and funds raised during the one-day Senior Chill Out initiative held in late May in collaboration with Sue Straughn and WEAR-ABC 3. "The heat is so dangerous to our senior clients, because their bodies are unable to control internal temperature as efficiently as they once could," said Council on Aging president and CEO John Clark. "This can lead to some cyclic and devastating health outcomes. With funds from GIVE65, we are able to eliminate that heat and provide comfort and safety for those who truly need it most." The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more people die each year due to health complications from the heat than die from hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and flooding combined. The local Home Instead Senior Care office, headed up by owner and vice president Stacy Robello, is always instrumental in recruiting donors, raising awareness and building enthusiasm for the 65-hour fundraising blitz. "Because of GIVE65, we have been able to serve those on the Senior Chill Out waitlist who need help cooling their home, that otherwise may not have the funds to do so," said Robello. "This program has truly been a game changer. It's so inspiring to see how giving our community is and to know that we may have saved a senior's life." In order to receive an AC unit, interested individuals 60 and up must call the Council on Aging office at (850) 432-1475 and complete an over-the-phone assessment to determine eligibility. If the elder meets certain criteria set by the agency, a case manager will contact the individual to arrange a pickup time.
Sponsored by The Studer Family August 15, 2019
21
free will astrology WEEK OF AUGUST 15 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): How did
sound technicians create the signature roar of the fictional monster Godzilla? They slathered pine-tar resin on a leather glove and stroked it against the strings of a double bass. How about the famous howl of the fictional character Tarzan? Sonic artists blended a hyena's screech played backwards, a dog's growl, a soprano singer's fluttered intonation slowed down and an actor's yell. Karen O, lead singer of the band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, periodically unleashes very long screams that may make the hair stand up on the back of her listeners' necks. In accordance with astrological omens, I'd love to see you experiment with creating your own personal yowl or laugh or whisper of power in the coming weeks—a unique sound that would boost your wild confidence and help give you full access to your primal lust for life.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "If your
dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough," said Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, ex-president of Liberia. In accordance with astrological imperatives, I propose that we make that your watchword for the foreseeable future. From what I can tell, you're due to upgrade your long-term goals. You have the courage and vision necessary to dare yourself toward an even more fulfilling destiny than you've been willing or ready to imagine up until now.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): How did our
ancestors ever figure out that the calendula flower can be used as healing medicine for irritated and inflamed skin? It must have been a very long process of trial and error. (Or did the plant somehow "communicate" to indigenous herbalists, informing them of its use?) In any case, this curative herb is only one of hundreds of plants that people somehow came to adjudge as having healing properties. "Miraculous" is not too strong a word to describe such discoveries. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Gemini, you now have the patience and perspicacity to engage in a comparable process—to find useful resources through experiment and close observation— with a hardy assist from your intuition.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Today, the city of Timbuktu in Mali is poor and in the throes of desertification. But from the 14th to 17th centuries, it was one of the great cultural centers of the world. Its libraries filled up with thousands of influential books, which remained intact until fairly recently. In 2012, Al-Qaeda jihadists conceived a plan to destroy the vast trove of learning and scholarship. One man foiled them. Abba alHadi, an illiterate guard who had worked at one of the libraries, smuggled out many of the books in empty rice sacks. By the time the jihadists started burning, most of the treasure had been relocated. I don't think the problem in your sphere is anywhere near as dire as this, Cancerian. But I do hope you will be proactive about saving and preserving valuable resources before they're at risk of being diluted, compromised or neglected. 222 2
By Rob Brezsny
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Moray eels have two sets of jaws. The front set does their chewing. The second set, normally located behind the first, can be launched forward to snag prey they want to eat. In invoking this aggressive strategy to serve as a metaphor for you in the coming weeks, I want to suggest that you be very dynamic and enterprising as you go after what you want and need. Don't be rude and invasive, of course, but consider the possibility of being audacious and zealous. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): It's relatively
rare, but now and then, people receive money or gifts from donors they don't know. Relatives they've never met may bequeath them diamond tiaras or alpaca farms or bundles of cash. I don't think that's exactly what will occur for you in the coming weeks, but I do suspect that you'll garner blessings or help from unexpected sources. To help ensure the best possible versions of these acts of grace, I suggest that you be as generous as possible in the kindness and attention you offer. Remember this verse from the Bible—"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing, some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it."
To help ensure the best possible versions of these acts of grace, I suggest that you be as generous as possible in the kindness and attention you offer. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Libra-born Ronald McNair was an African American who grew up in a racist town in South Carolina in the 1950s. The bigotry cramped his freedom, but he rebelled. When he was 9 years old, he refused to leave a segregated library, which prompted authorities to summon the police. Years later, McNair earned a PhD in Physics from MIT and became renowned for his research on laser physics. Eventually, NASA chose him to be an astronaut from a pool of 10,000 candidates. That library in South Carolina? It's now named after him. I suspect that you, too, will soon receive some vindication, Libra—a reward or blessing or consecration that will reconfigure your past. SCORPIO (OCT. 3-NOV. 21): Scorpio
author Zadie Smith wrote, "In the end, your past is not my past and your truth is not my truth and your solution—is not my solution." I think it will be perfectly fine if sometime soon you speak those words to a person you care about. In delivering such a message, you won't be angry or dismissive. Rather, you will be establishing good boundaries between you and your ally; you will be acknowledging the fact that the two of you are different people with different approaches to life. And I bet that will ultimately make you closer.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):
"Nothing fruitful ever comes when plants are forced to flower in the wrong season,"
wrote author and activist Bette Lord. That's not entirely true. For example, skilled and meticulous gardeners can compel tulip and hyacinth bulbs to flower before they would naturally be able to. But as a metaphor, Lord's insight is largely accurate. And I think you'll be wise to keep it in mind during the coming weeks. So my advice is, don't try to make people and processes ripen before they are ready. But here's a caveat—you might have modest success working to render them a bit more ready.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): "For
though we often need to be restored to the small, concrete, limited and certain, we as often need to be reminded of the large, vague, unlimited, unknown." Poet A. R. Ammons formulated that shiny burst of wisdom, and now I'm passing it on to you. As I think you know, you tend to have more skill at and a greater inclination toward the small, concrete, limited and certain. That's why, in my opinion, it's rejuvenating for you to periodically exult in and explore what's large, vague, unlimited, unknown. Now is one of those times.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "Look into my eyes. Kiss me and you will see how important I am." Poet Sylvia Plath wrote that, and now, in accordance with astrological omens, I'm authorizing you to say something similar to anyone who is interested in you but would benefit from gazing more deeply into your soul and entering into a more profound relationship with your mysteries. In other words, you have cosmic permission to be more forthcoming in showing people your beauty and value. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In his "Anti-Memoirs," author André Malraux quotes a tough-minded priest who served in the French Resistance during World War II. He spent his adult life hearing his parishioners' confessions. "The fundamental fact is that there's no such thing as a grown-up person," the priest declared. Even if that's mostly true, Pisces, my sense is that it is less true about you right now than it has ever been. In the past months, you have been doing good work to become more of a fully realized version of yourself. I expect that the deepening and maturation process is reaching a culmination. Don't underestimate your success! Celebrate it! THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: The Japanese poet Ikkyu said, "To all I care about, here's a friendly tip—enlightenment is gaffe upon error upon blooper." Do you agree?
freewillastrology.com
freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2019
inweekly.net
news of the weird CHUTZPAH! Lake Worth, Florida, homeowner Phil Fraumeni emerged from his house on July 19 to find a white Tesla not only parked on his lawn, but tethered to an outlet on his house, charging the car's battery. Fraumeni told WPBF he waited a couple of hours, then called police. The car was not stolen, and police were able to contact the owner, who showed up around noon and told Fraumeni he had been visiting friends in the neighborhood when the battery died around midnight. Fraumeni declined to press charges (pun intended) and did not ask for reimbursement for the 12 hours of electricity the car used. T(WINNING) Keep up with us here: On Aug. 1, identical twin brothers Andy and Chad Baker of Nashville, Tennessee, were on their way to the annual Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio, in their identical blue Tesla Model 3s, when an Ohio state trooper pulled them both over for having identical license plates, reading "SUBJ TO." The brothers patiently explained to the officer that the plates are, in fact, different: In one, "TO" is spelled with a zero, and in the other, it's spelled with a capital O. "Nobody likes getting pulled over by police, we were both nervous, but it's a great story and we will tell it all weekend," Andy told Fox8. GOING TO EXTREMES Kim Gordon, 55, vanished on Feb. 25, according to his 17-year-old son, after going for a nighttime swim at Monastery Beach in Monterey, California, an area with a deadly reputation sometimes called "Mortuary Beach." The Associated Press reported that police searched for three days before learning the Scotsman from Edinburgh, also known as Kim Vincent Avis, faced 24 charges of rape in Scotland, which made them suspicious about the story. "When that came up, we start to wonder if this is a hoax," said Monterey County sheriff's Capt. John Thornburg. Finally, on July 26, the U.S. Marshals Service announced it had caught up with Gordon in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he is now being held; the son had been returned to Scotland and will not be charged with filing a false report. WAIT, WHAT? In a product expansion move that inspires one to shout, "Stay in your lane!" Oscar Meyer announced on Aug. 1 that it is entering the dessert category with the Ice Dog Sandwich—an ice cream sandwich with cookie "buns" surrounding bits of candied hot dog meat and spicy mustard ice cream. United Press International reported that the company partnered with a New York ice cream company to create the confectionary treat. BONUS: French's announced the day before the creation of its own mustard-flavored ice cream together with Coolhaus. STICKING IT TO THE (RECYCLING) MAN A man in southern Spain who is a serial mocker of recycling efforts was fined 45,000
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
euros ($50,000) and ordered to retrieve a refrigerator he tossed down a hillside in July. Spain's Guardia Civil identified the man from a Twitter video he posted of the refrigerator incident with the truck he used, and its license plate, clearly visible behind him, The Local reported. He could also be seen in a different video throwing a washing machine into the ravine in the same area. The truck was registered to a house-clearing company in Almeria, from which the man was promptly fired. In a tit for tat, officers later posted video of the man struggling to bring the refrigerator back up the hill. RUDE AWAKENING Alice Coleman, 61, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hopped out of bed early on Aug. 5 to check on a fire alarm that was blaring outside her apartment. When she opened her door, 34-year-old Fitzroy Morton confronted her, brandishing a "big butcher knife," Coleman told WSVN. Morton told her, "No, mama. Everything gon' be all right," but Coleman set him straight: "Everything's not going to be all right. I'm not your mama. I don't know who you are. Get out of my house." Then she bit him, "... and I didn't even have my teeth in my mouth like now," she explained. Coleman ran out of the apartment, where Morton locked himself in, and called police from a neighbor's apartment. Morton was charged with three felonies, and Coleman is vowing to be more cautious: "I'll open my door with my Taser because I have one." LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Police in Sydney, Australia, had a drug bust land in their laps on July 22, when an unnamed man slammed a van loaded with 600 pounds of methamphetamines into a patrol car parked outside a suburban police station. The car was empty at the time of the collision, Reuters reported. The van sped away from the scene, but police caught up with the 28-year-old driver an hour later and charged him with drug supply and negligent driving. The drugs had an estimated street value of about $140 million. •Michael Harrell, 54, strolled into a U.S. Bank in Cleveland on July 29 with a note demanding cash from a teller: "This is a robbery. Don't get nobody hurt." Unfortunately, according to WJW, he wrote the note on a document he had apparently received from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, which included his full name and address. The teller, who called Harrell by his first name after seeing it on the letter, gave him $206 and summoned police, who later arrested him. {in}
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2019 Andrews McMeel
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com August 15, 2019
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Independent News | August 15, 2019 | inweekly.net