Independent News | August 26, 2021 | Volume 22 | Number 34
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winners & losers
outtakes
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5
news 6, 7
It’s pretty punk rock this year.
feature story
buzz 10
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publisher Rick Outzen
graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk
editor & creative director Joani Delezen
contributing writers Gina Castro, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, Sydney Robinson, C.S. Satterwhite
a&e 15
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. © 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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winners & losers
David Forte / City of Pensacola
winners DAVID FORTE The City of Pensacola's Capital Improvement projects manager has been selected as the next deputy city administrator, responsible for the oversight of the city's community development departments, including Public Works & Facilities, Community Redevelopment Agency and Parks & Recreation. Forte replaces current Deputy City Administrator Kerrith Fiddler, who will be transitioning to his new role as city administrator beginning Friday, Oct. 1. In addition to Public Works, CRA and Economic Development, Forte will oversee Neighborhood Services, Inspection Services and Planning & Zoning for the City of Pensacola. AMIR FOOLADI The president and CEO of ParsCo and a PSC Alumni Lifetime Charter Member has established the Student Constructors Endowed Scholarship at Pensacola State College. His initial gift of $13,500 was matched with $12,500 from the PSC Alumni Association to establish the $25,000 endowment fund for scholarships for students enrolled in a construction industry program.
SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY An agreement filed on Aug. 10 at the
Florida Public Service Commission between Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), Office of Public Counsel, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), Florida Industrial Power Users Group and the Florida Retail Federation will result in a significant acceleration in clean energy development in Florida over the next four years in addition to mitigating the rate impacts to customers of FPL's proposed four-year rate plan filed last March. The agreement doubles FPL's solar development commitment for 2024 and 2025.
PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY The
organization received a $50,000 Rachael Ray Save Them All Grant from the national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society for its Fielding Dreams partnership program to help Pensacola humanely manage the area's community cats. The Fielding Dreams program will sterilize and vaccinate free-roaming, unowned cats and then return them to their outdoor homes to live out their natural lives without reproducing. The Rachael Ray Save Them All Grant is a grant program, administered by Best Friends and funded by The Rachael Ray Foundation, that provides grants to shelters for euthanasia reduction initiatives.
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Joe Biden / Lev Radin / Shutterstock.com
losers JOE BIDEN While most Americans have
wanted our troops out of Afghanistan for quite some time, it's difficult to find many who are happy with how swiftly the Taliban seized control of the country. The Biden Administration had warning signs that the country's military might offer little resistance as the Taliban advanced on the nation's capital, putting American citizens and those who helped our troops in danger. The chaotic scenes at the Kabul airport are seared in our memory. The withdrawal should have been handled better.
PAM CHILDERS The Escambia County Clerk/Comptroller has received tremendous positive press from the daily newspaper regarding the county's 401(a) annuity plan. But her story changes from meeting to meeting. We've been told she had researched the issue for a year or more, only to learn last week that she needed more time to complete her analysis. Childers claims she never called the plan illegal, even though she is on video using the word at two different meetings. Her reason for calling it illegal has changed at least three times. And, for some reason, she has refused to join the county in asking for the Florida Attorney General to review the issue. ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOLS CO-
VID-19 has hit Escambia County public schools hard, according to NorthEscambia. com. As of Thursday, Aug. 19, there were 81 confirmed COVID-19 student cases in Escambia County schools, with a total of 326 students excluded from school due to a positive test, quarantined due to close contact with a positive case or were waiting for test results. And this was after only one week back in the classrooms. Teachers and parents are doing their best to keep children safe under current protocols.
RON DESANTIS Florida's governor has
gotten the Florida Board of Education to withhold funds from school districts that mandate face masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, he calls the White House's new requirement that nursing home staff get vaccinated or lose access to Medicaid funding a "massive hammer." Guess we will find out whose hammer is bigger. inweekly.net
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outtakes By Rick Outzen
HONORING CHAPPIE As the work on the new bridge across Pensacola Bay continues toward completion by next year, it's time to ramp up fundraising for a memorial for whom the span has been dedicated, General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. Two years ago, the General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. Memorial Foundation was created to help educate the community and memorialize the life and legacy of General James, a native son of Pensacola. They promised to work to name the bridge for him and build a monument honoring his legacy. James was part of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, the first squadron of Black aviators in the United States Armed Air Forces, and served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. He flew in 101 combat missions in Korea. During the Vietnam War, James served as wing vice commander under Colonel Robin Olds, a triple ace. Both in their mid-40s, they formed a legendary team nicknamed "Blackman and Robin." James flew 78 combat missions into North Vietnam. He led a flight in Operation Bolo, during which seven Communist MiG-21s were destroyed, the highest total kill of any mission during the Vietnam War. With the support of Congressman Bob Sikes, he became our nation's first Black four-star general. Our writer Scott Satterwhite profiled James for the newspaper when the Escambia County Commission debated whether to endorsing asking the Florida Legislature to name the Pensacola Bay Bridge for the decorated war hero (Inweekly, "Thou Shall Not Quit," 7/11/19). Former State Rep. Mike Hill introduced the bill to name the new bridge for General James, but it nearly failed to make it out of committee when Hill didn't show up for the vote. Fortunately, Rep. Alex Andrade convinced State Affairs Committee Chairman Blaise Ingoglia and the bill sponsor, Rep. Chuck Brannan, to amend the House's road designation bill to including naming the new bridge after General James. In June 2020, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the infrastructure bill into law.
James was the youngest of Daniel and Lillie Anna James' 17 children and one of only seven who survived into adulthood. His mother started the Lillie James Private School for Colored Children, and hundreds of children in East Pensacola, including her son, learned mathematics, spelling, reading, civics and other subjects under her watchful eye. Miss Lillie's school produced doctors, lawyers and professionals from many occupations— including one four-star general. Mamie Hixon, a University of West Florida professor of English and Linguistics, shared that Miss Lillie's famous 11th Commandment for her students, from young Chappie to Hixon, that they carried with them was "Thou Shalt Not Quit." And we shouldn't quit on General James. In fact, the General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. Memorial Foundation has chosen Lillie James' "Thou Shalt Not Quit" as its slogan. The next step requires funds to build a memorial plaza at the Pensacola end of the bridge between the roundabout under the bridge's exit onto Gregory Street and Pensacola Bay. The plans for the plaza show the memorial will include a larger-than-life statue of General James and an F-4 Phantom, the aircraft he flew during the Vietnam War. In talking to those involved in the effort, the hope is to raise funds for the statue first, followed by an installation of the jet, which, reportedly, the U.S. Air Force has offered to donate. The foundation has set the completion for the Memorial Plaza to be in the summer of 2022. The plaza dedication will occur in conjunction with its completion and the celebration of the United States Air Force 75th anniversary in September 2022. According to the foundation's website, generalchappiejamesmemorial.org, Cris Dosev is the chairman, and Butch Hansen is the treasurer. Other board members include Ken Pyle, Cedric Alexander, Joe Denmon, Lee Hansen and Joe Kinego. The foundation's email is generalchappiejamesmemorial@gmail.com. Let them know you want to help make the memorial plaza a reality. {in} rick@inweekly.net
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REBEKAH JONES: "STILL STANDING" She continued, "No one gave me the heads up. Oh man, that was intimidating and terrifying, but I committed myself to making sure that people got the most accurate information as often and as clearly as I was able to provide it, and it did get quite a bit of praise, not just by Donald Trump's White House task force, but Surgeon General Scott Rivkees made comments to the press about how proud he was of that work." The work environment changed in late April when Gov. DeSantis wanted to reopen the state. Jones was told to develop a set of criteria to determine whether or not each county was ready to reopen. She and her co-workers then needed to develop a way to measure it and present the data to the public. Jones said, "I was working with epidemiologists there who were amazing; Rebekah Jones / Photo Courtesy of rebekahjonescampaign.com the data person who was my counterpart in EPI is incredible. I didn't sleep, but by a miracle … I don't think they did either ... we got it done." The metrics were based on the White Rebekah Jones has moved her family to House requirements for reopening but tailored Pensacola Beach in preparation to chalto meet Florida's few restrictions. According lenge incumbent Rep. Matt Gaetz in Florito Jones, few counties qualified to reopen. da's First Congressional District. Last week, DeSantis and his political staff weren't pleased she made her local media debut on NewsTalk and began to ask her to change things. 1370 WCOA's "Real News with Rick Outzen." She said of DeSantis' staff, "They're ap"I'm taking on Matt Gaetz and corruppointees, so they are not people who are tion here in the First," said Jones. She expects experts in this, but they were, for some reason, Gaetz, Gov. Ron DeSantis and their supporters the ones that were making the decisions about to come at her hard. it after our team worked using the actual data "There really can't be anything worse than that we used every single day and knew better what they've already thrown at me, and none than anybody. They got to just override us." of it sticks because people are not stupid," Jones continued, "There came a point said the data scientist who created Florida's where—there were several emails that had COVID-19 dashboard. "The people here aren't been made public since then—I'm expressing gullible. They take one look at that stuff and concern that we're being asked to change this say, 'That's ridiculous. That's not true.' And I or change that, where they just got frustrated think that Gaetz and the others, they hate that. that after all of their little changes, the list of They hate that people can be independent counties that could reopen did not reflect thinkers and that people can see through it." what was in their plan." She added, "And so I'm still standing, and Jones was fired May 18, 2020, and her I'm going to take Gaetz down." life became fodder for DeSantis and his supporters. "I had asked my boss the Friday before I As the architect of the state's widely was fired how to file a whistleblower compraised COVID-19 dashboard, Jones said plaint. And I actually said in the message she probably asked her bosses 50 times to about specifically why, and, of course, that's build a data and information portal interwhy I ended up getting fired. But I was plannally and separately, one for the public—"so ning on doing that confidentially," she shared. that they could know at least what we were "I never wanted to be a public person," doing to prepare." said Jones. "I actually begged the first reporter Permission to do the dashboard didn't who wrote about me to take the story down come until Gov. DeSantis declared a state of because that's not what I wanted for my life. emergency in March 2020. Most of the frameI just wanted to work in emergency response work had been done, so Jones was able to get and help people. That's all I've ever wanted." it up in two hours. She continued, "And that path in life that I "I remember the Monday after, I was sithad spent my advanced education on and my ting in the State Emergency Response Center, career on was just erased like it never existed working with our communications team," because of DeSantis. And it was cruel, and Jones said. "And right in the room next to me, everything he was saying was untrue." DeSantis announced that it was going to be the Jones went on to create an alternative COface of our response."
By Rick Outzen
BUILDING THE DASHBOARD
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VID dashboard that covered several states. She said, "I started creating a dashboard that I was never allowed to do at DOH, like including the hospitalization data, which seems like a no-brainer." She started tracking how COVID was impacting schools nationally. Jones added, "I have two small children, so I felt like, as a parent, I was entitled to know what was happening at my child's school. And eventually, we pressured 26 states into reporting schools' data, including Florida." Late last year, Forbes named Jones its Technology Person of the Year for creating her alternative dashboards.
activity," she said. "I mean, he was the sole no-vote to increase funding for ending human trafficking in all of Congress. Every Republican except for him voted for it." Jones also is disappointed with Rep. Gaetz's reaction to the COVID pandemic. "When he was mocking COVID walking around the halls of Congress, I was in the State Emergency Response Center trying to spend 18-hour days keeping the people of Florida informed," she said. "And it's an insult to every person that's spent those hours away from their family, away from their kids, trying to tell people what was going on so that they could make informed decisions."
HOUSE RAIDED
HER PLATFORM
Jones said that she and her husband, who still works for the Florida Department of Corrections, had discussed in May 2020 the possibility that the state might go after her. She said, "I could end up in jail or worse. And for me, that was an acceptable risk to protect people, to just be a truth speaker." In December, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement raided her home. She was later charged with illegally breaching state systems and sending a message to state employees telling them to "speak out." "We were basically held at gunpoint in our living room for three hours, and that's when the warrants arrived, three hours later," said Jones. "And I found out it was for some text message sent through the DOH Emergency Alert System telling people to be honest and speak out, and, obviously, we're fighting it. It's a civil rights violation to point guns at children that small, and we're going to make sure that there's accountability for that." She holds DeSantis responsible for the raid—"That someone would be so cruel as to do that to children just to make a political statement, just to try to silence me was, first, a miscalculation because by coming for my family. All it did was make me see clearly for the first time that I may want to stay out of politics, but that's not really being a choice that I have right now because politics came from me." What has happened with the case? Jones said, "Basically nothing has happened with it. They just keep taking it down the road as if they're just holding it over my head." She decided to run for Congress—"I tried to stay apolitical as much as possible until Ron DeSantis sent state police to my house with guns, who pointed them in my face and at my small children." Jones has moved to Pensacola Beach, and she announced that she plans to run as Democrat but hasn't filed yet. However, she registered a principal campaign committee, Rebekah Jones Campaign, with the Federal Elections Commission on June 25. "After the news broke about Matt Gaetz's sex trafficking investigation, I thought, this is a man who does not belong as a representative voting on laws that have to do with his criminal
If elected to Congress, Jones wants to work on legislation that improves people's lives in Northwest Florida. "I'm not going to go there and fight somebody else's fight. I'm here to fight your fight." She continued, "As an environmental scientist who's been working as a scientist my whole life, my whole career in public service, I care first and foremost about protecting people and keeping our beaches and our water clean and drinkable and swimmable and fishable." She wants to help military veterans. "My father-in-law died from Agent Orange from his service in Vietnam, and it was an awful, terrible thing to see that happen. And I want to make sure that veterans have access to the health care, the pre-screening tools that they need to be able to catch these things before it gets as bad as it did with my father-in-law." Jones will focus on being accessible to voters. "I want to make sure that people here have someone they can reach out to, someone they could speak to individuals, not someone that has somebody answer the phone or never answer the phone and they can't get directly in contact with." She added, "I'm going to make sure that working-class families aren't paying more in taxes than people who don't work, who are rich and don't have to do that. I mean, I remember paying taxes every year, and it's very difficult for working families to carry the tax burden in this country, which they really do. We need to lower taxes on working families." Jones will be an advocate for public education, building off her work with COVID-19 last year. "Our public education system needs support as much as possible. I think the way that teachers and school staff have been treated this last year is very sad. My sister is a publicschool teacher in Mississippi, and of course, I want to support our health care infrastructure, make sure that people have access and that insurance is affordable for families." Jones added, "I want to help the real people here, the families, the people who work here, the people who live here. And I'm not going to spend all my time traveling the country fighting somebody else's fights. I'm here, I want to be here and I'm ready to fight for here." {in} inweekly.net
FIELDS OF BROKEN DREAMS By Jeremy Morrison The Community Maritime Park has a couple of nagging pieces of properties— dubbed, in municipal-speak, parcels 4 and 5—that have been a tough sell for the city of Pensacola. There's currently a rough draft proposal for the properties on the table, but its future seems a little iffy. "I'm not sure where we go," Mayor Grover Robinson said recently, pondering the park property's future. "Maybe we just need to reevaluate all the way through." There was previously a deal for a retailresidential project at the park, but the Pensacola City Council balked when asked to foot the bill for a parking garage. Then, in July, the council selected a proposal that calls for a convention center and parking garage, as well as a far-reduced number of residential units. During an Aug. 19 workshop, council members were presented this current proposal by Greg Darden of Structure Parking Solutions, which he described as "not definitive" but rather "a good representation of what we're willing to study and bring back to you." No one on the council seemed particularly enthused. Council President Jared Moore had "quite a few questions" about what he said were "fatal flaws." Councilwoman Teniade Broughton noted that the proposal presented "a lot of maybes." And Councilwoman Sherri Myers wanted reasons to "get a little more excited about the project." Even Darden seemed soft on committing to the path ahead. "We don't want to chase a rabbit, so to speak, if that rabbit doesn't have a successful path in front of it," Darden told council members. Though some concerns were expressed about the proposal's particulars, particularly the project's financials, the council ended up giving its nod for the architects of this current proposal—a collective including
Carson Lovell Company—to continue a sixmonth term of due diligence work. It's unclear what exactly council members will be looking at come the end of this process—Or if they will even be interested. As Councilwoman Broughton told Darden during the workshop, "I don't know how much your proposal fits what the public needs or wants right now."
City Finance Director Amy Lovoy agreed with this assessment, adding that the council could fund the project via methods like a general tax hike or a fee associated with the parking garage, the latter of which was painted as a longshot. "The question is, which pocket of the public are you going to want to take this from," Lovoy said.
"A LOT MORE QUESTION MARKS" "We're not a few hundred grand The proposal currently being considered for parcels 4 and 5 at Maritime Park includes apart, a few million apart. We are a 65,000-square-foot conference center, a millions apart." Andrew Rothfeder 1,000-space parking garage, 80 residential units, and a retail and entertainment component. Originally, there was a marina in the plans, but that element seems to have sunk quietly into the bay. While this proposal has been sketched out, much of the detail remains to be realized. "I think your proposal, compared to others, has a lot more question marks," Broughton said during the workshop. Darden replied that he felt the project's value—that of providing public infrastructures such as a convention center and parking garage—were unquestionable and that he saw only a couple of pertinent questions—"How much is it going to cost? And who's going to pay for it?" These were definitely on President Moore's list of questions. He pointed out that the Wahoos Stadium at the park was a publicly funded project, and he viewed the remaining parcels as opportunities for private investment, which would not only be paid for by private developers but also provide the city with tax revenue. "We need the rest of those parcels to make us whole; that's where I'm at," Moore said. Andrew Rothfeder, a local real estate broker negotiating the proposal on behalf of the city, said that this current proposal would most certainly be a public lift. "Let's get the cards on the table and make sure we all understand what we're going to working on," Rothfeder said.
For some context, Rothfeder pointed to the previous project under consideration for these properties, which he said would have provided the city with about $35 million in total. This proposal, in contrast, would cost the city whatever the eventual price tag ends up being. "I think this is the elephant in the room," Rothfeder said, stressing the math to council members. "We're not a few hundred grand apart, a few million apart. We are millions apart."
"A VERY MARGINAL PROPOSAL"
Following the city council's workshop, President Moore remained unclear about the chances of this current proposal ever coming to fruition. "I think we're probably still split a little bit. I couldn't get a real clear sense. I don't think it was a hundred percent clear where some of the members are," Moore said. "I think there are two members who still are very convinced that this is a viable possibility, so it's still on the table." The council president said his primary concern was the funding. "My concern is how are we going to do it financially?" Moore said. "When the finance director stands there and says, 'This proposal—imagine the city paying for these improvements. Whether through some creative financing mechanism or otherwise, we're not going to cash finance it. You all have a copy of
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the budget. We're not going to cash roll this thing. You're going to take a bond run. You're going to take some debt. How do you want to do that? Which pocket of the public do you want to raid to make it happen?'" But it really isn't entirely important how the city council feels about this proposal for a convention center and parking garage. The mayor's office is negotiating the deal, and the decision of whether to pursue this path will eventually fall to Robinson. A couple of days before the council's workshop, Mayor Robinson expressed concerns about the proposal. A convention center, he said, was a long-term money pit— "those don't make money; you're constantly, every year, you got to figure out how to feed them"—and there aren't enough hotels in the area to support such a project anyway—"If there was a large scale hotel associated with this, perhaps you could evaluate this." And, besides, the council barely seems to support the proposal, Robinson said, pointing to the initial vote selecting the project. "It wasn't a 7-0 vote; it was a 4-3 vote," he said. "So it was a very marginal proposal." Moving forward, it seems the city will continue courting this current maritime proposal, but what really are the chances of it materializing when the chief municipal negotiator, Rothfeder, stressed the project's inside-out math—"it's a choice; I'm not pushing one direction or the other"—and the mayor is wondering aloud about uberly passive prospects for the parcels in question? "Perhaps we keep the space green," Robinson suggested, ahead of the council's workshop. Afterwards, the mayor seemed no more enthused, acknowledging to follow-through with council's instructions to work with the developers on the proposal, but offering a forecast that's difficult to misinterpret. "Who knows, maybe a rainbow will land there and we'll have a pot of gold and we can build whatever we need to, but at this point, until that happens—whatever we've gotta do has got to make financial sense," the mayor said. {in}
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Early Brain Development Studer Community Institute continues to bring together diverse partners to improve the quality of life in our community. Halfway through 2021, here’s how:
Pensacola’s First Early Learning City On March 30, 2016, Dr. Dana Suskind came to Pensacola and educated the community on how vital early brain development is. This began SCI’s journey to build America’s First Early Learning City. Why? Only 48% of our children are kindergarten ready. When a child is not ready, the dedicated teachers and support personnel at schools must spend extra time to help him or her catch up. Sadly, many never will. It means that the other two-thirds of the students who were ready for kindergarten will miss some instruction due to the time spent with the children who were not ready. Our children and their teachers deserve better.
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Of the 1,900 parents enrolled in Basics text messages, 1,000 have joined in 2021. These parents and caregivers get brain-building texts sent to their phones twice a week to use every day with their children. Also in 2021, SCI partnered with Pensacola Pediatrics and Community Health Northwest Florida to share The Basics of healthy brain development. By year’s end, 17 clinics and offices will offer The Basics video lessons and texts to more than 22,000 families with children under 5.
VISIT: www.studeri.org/pensacolabasics to enroll now if you are the parent or caregiver of a child ages 3 and under.
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So far in 2021, families at Baptist, Sacred Heart, Santa Rosa Medical Center and West Florida hospitals have all benefited from our video lesson and in-hospital teaching about healthy brain development, including a video lesson, a copy of Baby Steps developmental guide and more resources to help support them.
In 2021, signage at Wahoo stadium was updated to build early brain development into the environment. SCI also dedicated an early learning playground at Moreno Court housing complex and plan another at Gonzalez Court.
The magazine is available to help families build their knowledge of the link between parent talk and interaction and school readiness. Contact: Shannon Nickinson, snickinson@studeri.org
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All proceeds benefit the Early Learning Programs: Brain Bag Program • Family Outreach Program • The Basics Pensacola Sponsorships are still available for the event. Contact: Shannon Nickinson, snickinson@studeri.org STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS TOSH BELSINGER President and Founder, Gulf Blue Group
CINDI BONNER
Director Pensacola Rally
RICK BYARS
Regional Manager, Corporate External Affairs, Gulf Power Co.
WILL DUNAWAY
JULES KARIHER
KATHY SANDSTROM
Chief Advocacy Officer, Ascension Sacred Heart
Retired, Heitman LLC
JOY SHARP
VAN MANSKER
Retired, Regional Vice President of Lowe’s
JEAN-PIERRE N’DIONE
Co-Owner, Five Sisters Blues Cafe & Angelina’s Ristorante Italiano
LISA NELLESSEN SAVAGE
Shareholder, Clark Partington
Executive Editor, Pensacola News Journal
THOMAS GREEK
MORT O’SULLIVAN III
Vice President of Learning & Development, Navy Federal Credit Union
CHAD HENDERSON Founder and CEO, Catalyst HRE
Director of Community Health Programs, Baptist Healthcare
JOSH SITTON
Former NFL Super Bowl Champion and Co-Owner, Bear General Contractors
MICHELLE SNOW
Product Management at Nike, Inc., Entrepreneur and Retired WNBA Player
Retired Managing Member of the Gulf Coast Region Warren Averett, LLC CPAs & Advisors
BERT THORNTON
TIA ROBBINS
BRUCE WATSON
Entrepreneur, Co-founder Mr. Robbins Neighborhood
Retired, Chief Operating Officer Waffle House
Executive Director, Escambia County Early Learning Coalition
EARLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT EARLY LEARNING SHANNON NICKINSON Director of Early Learning snickinson@studeri.org (850) 525-2116 REGINALD T. DOGAN Project Manager rdogan@studeri.org (850) 529-6485 FRENZY MOORE Community Outreach Coordinator fmoore@studeri.org (850) 525-4386
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS LEADERSHIP MORGAN TUFTO Training and Marketing Coordinator mtufto@studeri.org (507) 828-2476 STEPHANA GAUDIN Learning Content Developer sgaudin@studeri.org (904) 923-1463 ERIC CHRISTIANSON Leadership Development Coordinator echristianson@studeri.org (515) 451-5662
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TERRY HORNE CivicCon Executive Director thorne@civicconversations.org, (480) 395-7736 HANNA MOORE CivicCon Assistant hmoore@civicconversations.org (850) 324-4964
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The Studer Community Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. August 26, 2021
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FLORIDA'S SCHOOL MASK WAR With students around the country returning to school this month as the Delta variant drives COVID spikes, some state governors—like Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis—are attempting to bar local school districts from requiring the wearing of masks as a coronavirus safety precaution. But some local school districts, such as the one in Hillsborough County, are moving forward with mask orders despite threats from the state to cut off funding or remove educators. Florida state Sen. Gary Farmer (DBroward) has been actively pushing for the rights of local school districts to be allowed to enact mask orders. "We've got a state government that really is overstepping its bounds and usurping the authority of the local school districts in trying to stop these mask mandates," Farmer said recently during a 1370 WCOA interview with Rick Outzen. Farmer contends that masks are still needed in schools to keep both students and staff safe and limit community spread in general. "Nobody likes wearing a mask, but the evidence is overwhelming as to the safety and efficacy of masks and reducing the spread of this dangerous Delta variant," he said. "And you combine that with the fact that kids under 12 cannot get a vaccine, kids between 12 and 18, there's still some uncertainty there about getting vaccinated. So it brings you back to masks as the neces010 1
sary alternative to protect our kids." Last month, Gov. DeSantis led the gubernatorial charge in his stand against school masks mandates when he signed an executive order meant to prevent local districts from enacting such orders. But some Florida districts, such as Hillsborough and Alachua counties, as well as Farmer's home district of Broward, have issued mask requirements anyway. "Broward County I think rightfully said, 'Listen, guys, it's our responsibility to make these decisions. We feel the science is overwhelming. We know what our community wants.' And so they've said we're going to mandate masks," Farmer said, "unless you have a medical reason why you can't wear a mask; then you can opt-out." On Friday, Aug. 20, the Florida State Board of Education State announced it would begin withholding one month's salary from school board members who voted for mask mandates in Alachua and Broward counties. Sen. Farmer is confident local school districts will prevail in court. "The Florida Constitution, we're kind of unique in Florida; we have the right to a safe public education. Those words are in the Florida Constitution," Farmer explained. "And this constitution specifically says that the authority and the responsibility to, quote, operate and control schools within the district lies with the individual school boards. And that is really recognition of what we call a local rule. Folks up in the
panhandle may view things very differently than folks down in Broward County. And we recognize that by saying, we're going to let local school boards make these decisions." Also seemingly on the side of local school districts is the federal government. This week, President Joe Biden announced he is directing U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to look into the matter. "I'm directing the secretary of education, an educator himself, to take additional steps to protect our children," Biden said during a press conference at the White House. "This includes using all of his oversight authorities and legal action, if appropriate, against governors who are trying to block and intimidate local school officials and educators." While it remains to be seen how this issue will play out legally, Farmer said that on the ground in Broward County anyway, it's going pretty well so far. The senator visited a local school on the first day of classes and relayed a mask-happy scene. "I was out and about yesterday for the first day of school down here, and at one of the most crowded—or not crowded, one of the most populated schools in our county, and we did not have a single parent objecting to the wearing of masks," Farmer said, "because I think they recognize the school board's doing what's right and necessary to keep our kids safe."
CLERK CHANGES STORY After nearly three months of proclaiming the county's 401(a) annuity plan was illegal, County Clerk Pam Childers balked at using the word at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Aug. 19. During her report segment of the meeting, Childers said that she didn't accept the two legal opinions from the county's labor attorneys that said the ICMA plan was legal. "I still believe that the ICMA contribution plan for elected officials is outside general law," she said. "I cannot find any language that is permissive of it. I will conclude my research. I will provide formal writing. Those of you that are in the plan, I will give you plenty of time to decide what you want to do as a county or as an individual when the contributions cease." Since early June, Childers said publicly and during interviews with local media that ICMA plan that she has researched the plan since last summer. Several times, the clerk said her research and that of her general counsel had determined the ICMA plan was illegal. On June 17, she told the commissioners, "With all due respect, it's illegal. The rates will be changed July 1." (Inweekly, "Comptroller vs. BCC," 6/24/21) Since July 1, Childers has refused to
make the contributions established in the contract to the commissioners' annuity accounts. At the board meeting on July 22, she emphatically stated the state had passed judgment on the annuity plan. (Inweekly, "The Buzz," 7/26/21) "The state has determined it is illegal to have a 401(a) for elected officials," said the clerk. "They emailed me yesterday." She later failed to produce any such email. At the Aug. 19 meeting, Commissioner Robert Bender asked Childers whether the ICMA was illegal. The clerk responded, "I'm not using the terms illegal." Pressed by Bender, she later added, "I have always said it's outside general law. It is your commissioner that wanted it to be said illegal." Childers said, "I've put it in writing that it's outside general law. Bergosh demanded that we state that it was illegal. In my opinion, when you continue outside general law, it does become illegal. We are avoiding illegal by getting it within general law." County Attorney Alison Rogers said she had asked the clerk's office to join the board in asking for an opinion for the Florida Attorney General, but the clerk refused. Rogers said, "I have asked the attorney general's office, and they will not weigh in on behalf of one party. They won't do it if there's a contested matter between two agencies or offices." Bender asked, "Pam, why can't we just jointly request the attorney general's opinion?" Childers replied, "I have a feeling where we'll get stuck is how you present the issues and how I present the issues." As Inweekly predicted in June, this matter will have to be settled in court, where facts, not opinions, will decide the issue.
COUNTY PIO RESIGNS Escambia County Director for Communications and Public Information Laura Coale has resigned, effective Oct. 1. "I am very grateful to have served as the director for communications and public information at Escambia County. I am diligently training the new employees to ensure a smooth transition, and there are plans in place for additional crisis communications support if needed," Coale wrote in an email to Interim County Administrator Wes Moreno. Coale was hired in late 2019 by former administrator Janice Gilley. Her department has had a lot of turnover in the past two years. Coale announced three new hires as she sets to leave—Davis Wood, public information and education officer for Public Safety; Andie Gibson, media and public information manager; and Sarah Stanford, multimedia communications specialist for the library system. Wood worked for NewsRadio 92.3/1620 under the name "Davis Allen," not to be inweekly.net
confused with Cooper Davis. Let's hope the right Davis shows up for work at the county.
SHERIFF & HIS STATUE David Morgan
announced on NewsTalk 1370 WCOA that he would reimburse the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for a bronze statue of the former sheriff that arrived two weeks ago along with one of former ECSO Lt. Jason Potts and his canine. The announcement came the morning after the media uproar when the story broke on Wednesday, Aug. 18. NorthEscambia.com reported, "'Air of Narcissism' – Former Sheriff Morgan Used $75K In Taxpayer Money for Statues of Himself, K-9 Officer." Around town, people were offering suggestions on what could be done with the statues. Sheriff Chip Simmons told the media that he had no plans to put the Morgan statue on display. Morgan explained the statues were part of planned improvements to the administrative office's grounds and the ECSO memorial for fallen deputies. "Our protocol officer had traveled some, and we were going to replicate what we saw both at the Florida Sheriff's Association and also other sheriff's departments where there were bronze likenesses or statues that you would be saluting the fallen officers and the current men and women that are serving," said Morgan, who chose not to run for a fourth term last year. He continued, "The idea was to replicate that here at the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. And so we had the money, and actually, the News Journal has got it wrong. It was not $75,000 for me. It was like $37,500 for the statue of the sheriff and then $37,500 for the K-9 officer and his K-9." Morgan said he would write a check to reimburse the ECSO general fund for $37,500. He added, "Then tomorrow, you can talk about something else."
August 26, 2021
BIDEN'S "BAY OF PIGS" Inweekly pub-
lisher Rick Outzen interviewed Dan McFaul of Ballard Partners, who served as chief of staff for Congressmen Joe Scarborough and Jeff Miller, and discussed the extraordinarily swift fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban. "I was heartbroken like most Americans when I saw those images yesterday of Afghani nationals holding onto the wings of a jet cargo plane, a C-17, and plunging to their death." said McFaul on "Real News with Rick Outzen" on Aug. 17. "And it eerily brought back the images of 9/11 of those plunging to their deaths from the World Trade Center." He believes the Biden Administration erred in doing the troop withdrawal in the summer. "In Afghanistan, they call that the fighting season," said McFaul. "Wintertime, that's the top of the world out there, some of those mountain ranges, much higher than the Rockies in America. It is ice cold out there; it is not the time to fight. Our American warfighters, men and women, we rule the winter, and we rule the night, and that's when the evacuation should have been done. We should have waited until January or February when it's not the fighting season; it should have been done in the dead of night."
"Our American warfighters, men and women, we rule the winter, and we rule the night, and that's when the evacuation should have been done." Dan McFaul He added, "Again, this was just not well executed, not well-planned, and that's the failure. Leon Panetta, who's certainly not a rabid Republican like myself, he called this yesterday the 'President's Bay of Pigs.'" McFaul described the Afghan War as a "noble cause." He said, "We eliminated the terrorist threats that our military kept the
country safe from for two decades. And in my opinion, that was worth it." He added, "This was not about nation building; this is about containing a regime that nurtured and incubated the worst terrorist organization and then the worst terrorists that the world's ever seen. And my estimation is—given the current trajectory—in three to five years, we're going to be over there with major military action again. Hopefully, it's preemptive of an attack on U.S. soil."
WHY MORGAN WITHDREW Earlier this month, former Sheriff David Morgan withdrew from Pensacola's mayor race due to "family health reasons." He offered Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen a few more details. "There's nothing life-threatening about the health issue, thank goodness," said Morgan. "But every once in a while, God grabs you by the nape of the neck and gives you a hard shake and says, 'Hey, you need to start focusing on what's important here in life, and it's not adding another title to your resume.'" He continued, "And so that's what we're doing. We're going to enjoy life." ARGOS READY TO GO The University of West Florida Argos football team begins the 2021 season ranked as No. 1 by Street & Smith. According to Will Kennedy, the Argos' communication director, the team is "really deep" and full of "guys that are ready to play." But the team will be taking the field following a lengthy hiatus, with COVID having sidelined the entire 2020 season. "That's the interesting thing because it has been so long," Kennedy told Rick Outzen during a recent 1370 WCOA interview. "I mean, never have we seen anything like this, really, in college football at any level where you take this amount of time off." The last time the Argos were on the field was back in 2019 when they won the Division II National Championship in McKinney, Texas. The team has evolved since
then, with some players exiting and others joining the team, but Kennedy assured that "the key pieces are still there." In particular, he points to quarterback Austin Reed. Reed, from St. Augustine, comes to UWF via Southern Illinois. "He's a candidate for the Harlon Hill, which is kind of your Heisman at the Division II level," Kennedy explained. Overall, Kennedy described his feelings about the team's upcoming season as "cautiously optimistic," and said he's curious to see how the Argos approach the season. In 2019, the Argos ran through a season packed with high-scoring, come-from-behind wins. Back then, Kennedy joked that the team was playing like it "doesn't know any better." "They're behind; it doesn't matter. We come back," he reflected. "We had games like the playoff game against Valdosta. You score final seconds of the game to win it against the defending national champ." Kennedy said he expects the Argos to be just as good this season, perhaps even having benefitted from the time off the field. "I think in some ways last year, not playing, having some additional time is going to help us, because guys have had a little more to prep and get to know their roles and grow into what's expected of them," he said. The Argos' first home game this season—Sept. 11, the second game on the team's schedule—will be unique in that it is slated to be played on the UWF campus. Typically, the Argos have made use of the field at Wahoos Stadium at Community Maritime Park in downtown Pensacola. But due to scheduling conflicts, the Argos will host the game at Pen Air Field. "This is something new for us," Kennedy said, describing the occasion as an ideal time to "show off the campus." "This will be the biggest on-campus event the university's ever had in its 50-plus years, and there's a lot of unknowns, but really a cool opportunity." {in}
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inweekly.net
By Rick Outzen
Lt. Col. Dave Glassman USMC Ret. sent a text to Inweekly on Friday, July 30, notifying the newspaper of the passing of someone we had interviewed. "You did a story on Sgt. EJ Smith (leg amputee) back in 2011 timeframe," Glassman wrote. "I'm incredibly saddened to report that he just overdosed and is deceased. I'm headed to his apartment now." August 26, 2021
He added, "Please join me in doing what we can to have a positive impact on our veterans and their families." Glassman and Smith's mentor Robert Donofrio brought Smith into our office to talk about the challenges troops had after returning home from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. "We have 18 veterans a day killing
themselves—6,500 since the beginning of the year," Glassman said when he set up the interview. "We've lost more by suicide than combat over the last two years. This is a tragedy of monumental proportions." Sgt. Smith had nearly become a statistic after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army. A condition of the interview (Inweekly, "When Yellow Ribbons Aren't
Enough," 9/22/11) was we would protect the identities of Smith and Donofrio, using the names Elliott and Joe, but we've included the real names in this recap of the article.
EJ'S STORY
"EJ is a real hero, but he's going to tell you that he's not a real hero because he came 13
back alive," said Donofrio. "He's a real hero because he survived, and for those guys who died, he has taken on the responsibility of making his life worthwhile because they died and he didn't. And that's a heavy burden." Smith grew up in southern Mississippi and joined the Mississippi National Guard in 2004. His unit was deployed to Iraq within two months of finishing basic training. "I was a SAW gunner escorting convoys from Najaf in southern Iraq," he said. "When I wasn't doing that, I was manning security checkpoints and gates for the bases—checking personnel and vehicles for weapons and bombs." Smith continued, "You couldn't come off your guard. As soon as you came off your guard, you heard so-and-so let their guard down and got evaporated by an IED (improvised explosive device)." He didn't talk much about how he lost his leg, other than it happened when a tank ran over him. Doctors amputated his limb at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Smith got no counseling for what was the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). What he did receive were prescriptions any time he asked for them. "The painkillers told me that I didn't have to deal with my emotions. I didn't have to feel." When he was discharged, Smith felt disconnected from the civilian world. He had forgotten how to be a civilian. Death became a viable alternative—"eventually, there is nothing else to do but turn it on yourself." For the next four years, Smith battled PTSD—"running into brick walls, going to jail, getting into car accidents, getting into fights…just being self-destructive. I really had given up." His life began to change when he went through PTSD therapy and substance abuse programs at Twelve Oaks Recovery Center in Navarre. "Today's a 180," he said in September 2011. "I can't believe I was that person now, but I'm glad I was that person because now I have an opportunity to help someone else." Unfortunately, happy endings don't always last. Veteran Affairs recently released its National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, which stated that the suicide rate for veterans was 1.5 times the rate of non-veteran adults. In 2018, 557 military veterans committed suicide in Florida—16.5% of all suicides in the state.
In 2011, the VA reported 18 veterans daily committed suicide—6,500 a year. We had begun to lose more men and women due to suicide than combat. Over the past decade, the suicide rate has climbed to 20-22 military and veteran suicides daily, putting the yearly average over 8,000.
REVERSING TRAJECTORY
Glassman kept in contact with Smith after our article ran, as he has with other veterans. He and others have tried to reverse the deadly trajectory. Major Lee Stuckey founded AHERO (America's Heroes Enjoying Recreation Outdoors) to bring together veterans with patriotic members of local communities by organizing outdoor events and social activities, thereby healing the physical and psychological wounds of war and military service. Stuckey suffered a brain injury from an IED in 2007 and has received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and other military ribbons and medals for valor and outstanding service. He nearly committed suicide due to the brain injury and the emotional trauma of several combat deployments. Knowing that thousands of veterans were silently dealing with similar trauma, Stuckey began visiting Walter Reed Hospital and other military hospitals. He connected with the servicemen and women he met at these facilities and shared his story. AHERO sprung out of those encounters. Glassman brought AHERO to Pensacola and created the annual Warrior Hook-Up Pensacola Beach built around a day of fishing where "wounded, injured and disabled veterans travel from all over the country to join local veterans and citizens for a fun-filled, therapeutic, extended weekend." The Warrior Hook-Up had its 10th anniversary last weekend. Smith had been involved in AHERO,
even wrote his biography for the organization's magazine. "Part one of EJ's story was published in a previous edition," Glassman shared. "He finished part two, which we were going to publish in December, but he had changes because he went off to rehab about six months ago to Heroes' Mile in the Tampa area." Heroes' Mile is a veteran drug and alcohol rehab center staffed by veterans for veterans. The program offers inpatient detoxification, residential treatment, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. Glassman guessed it was Smith's second or third relapse, but the rigorous rehabilitation seemed to have been successful. "EJ came back and was hell-bent on partnering with that organization to build a similar facility here; that's how impactful it was in his life," said Glassman. "And I, of course, didn't derail it, but up until he died last week, I was essentially, in my opinion, distracting him from that focus with my focus on the 9/11 remembrance." He believes the upcoming 20th anniversary of 9/11 might have triggered his friend's overdose, but Smith seemed to be excited about the celebration. "It incorporated the demise of EJ Smith over a long period— from 9/11 attacks, his enlistment, injury and post-war experiences," Glassman said, "He was more than happy at all the meetings about the event." With the memories of Smith still fresh in his mind, Glassman tried to make sense of his death. "EJ had been spinning in the 9/11 world because of meetings and him joining our efforts to put this thing together in very short order," he shared. "But then, of course, there's this incredible stopping point in EJ's story, which is his death, through all these trials and tribulations since he lost his leg."
"He's a real hero because he survived, and for those guys who died, he has taken on the responsibility of making his life worthwhile because they died and he didn't. And that's a heavy burden." Robert Donofrio
Glassman continued, "These young men especially go through real issues. And layering all this stuff together with an ongoing alcohol problem that translated into a VA-prescribed drug problem, so there's this whole tragic, untimely, incredibly unfortunate story swirling around my good friend EJ."
FREEDOM QUEST
The event that Glassman, Smith and their friends have planned to mark 20 years since the World Trade Center attack is Freedom Quest 2021. It has no political or religious alignment or agenda. The event is designed to bring our community together in remembrance to celebrate America and honor our military, first responders and Gold Star and Surviving Families. The free, family-friendly event will feature patriotic speakers, music, food vendors and a First Responder "Toucha-Truck" experience in the parking lot of WSRE Studios on the Pensacola State College campus. "9-11 is the seminal event of our time," said Glassman. "No tragedy since Pearl Harbor has taken so much from us yet given us so much as it unified our nation. Twenty years later, we want to remember what brought us together. We have so much in common as citizens of this great country. Everyone, young and old, is invited to join together and celebrate those things that unify us." {in}
FOR MILITARY VETERANS
•Veterans Crisis Line: Suicide Prevention Hotline, Text & Chat Free, confidential support for veterans in crisis and their families and friends. Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255 and Press 1, or text to 838255. veteranscrisisline.net
OTHER WEBSITES
•AHERO: aherousa.org •Heroes' Mile: heroesmile.com
FREEDOM QUEST 2021
WHEN: Starts 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11 WHERE: Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studios, WSRE parking lot, 1000 College Blvd., Bldg. 23
GRAPHIC NOVELS
KIDS BOOKS
909 N. 12th Avenue
pensacolapopcomics.com 414 1
inweekly.net
WEEK OF AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1
Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
Lady Fest Goes to The Bugghouse By Sydney Robinson
It's 2021 and Lady Fest has gone virtual. Again. The women-centering event is in its eighth year, after surviving the first year of a global pandemic and being forced to go virtual once again thanks to current the local COVID spike. Melody Davis, founder of Lady Fest and one-half of local duo Cookies and Cake, had initially planned on a return to the inperson version of her yearly show for 2021. "In March of every year, I sit up and say, 'I gotta start booking bands,'" Davis said. Lady Fest is a labor of love, and Davis is August 26, 2021
helped by friends and fellow performers who assist with recruiting bands and working through logistical challenges, which, of course, this time were more complicated. "We were all like, 'Should we do [an in-person show]?' We [said], "Let's wait a week and watch the numbers,' but after seeing what was going on and knowing school is starting back up, we were like, 'We don't want to risk this.'" Instead, Davis opted for a fully virtual event for Lady Fest 8, eliminating the fun extras that were planned, including food and art vendors. "Most people I know are vaccinated, but you can't trust that everyone is gonna be safe and OK, and I'd rather everyone I know be fine and healthy and we will all get together next year." In 2020, Lady Fest 7 came in the form of a filmed pool party where Cookies and Cake performed from the shallow end while a trio of friends danced behind them. In addition to the show, which was shared on Facebook, Davis utilized the Lady Fest Facebook page to promote performances from local musicians as well as promoting local artists. This year, Davis elected to step up the virtual production of the show, bringing in The Bugghouse—a local venue that has been providing a livestreaming platform to musicians in Pensacola since 2020. The Bugghouse offers streaming from
YouTube, Twitch and Facebook Live, ensuring viewers have plenty of ways to tune in for the show. The event typically hosts a variety of genres and bands, but Lady Fest 8 has developed a bit of a theme. "It's pretty punk rock this year," said Davis. "It's kind of exciting." The show's lineup includes several local bands, including Cookies and Cake, My Fault // Your Fault, Don't Feed the Plants and Tuff Cookie. Donations made during the livestream will go toward Strive, a group that advocates for the needs of transgender individuals in Escambia County. "It's a free show in the sense that you don't have to pay to log on and watch, but we are encouraging people to donate to Strive, and we also have links to help women and children in Afghanistan right now and to help people in Haiti trying to recover from an earthquake and hurricane," said Davis. Serving as the yearly unofficial celebration of Davis' birthday, Lady Fest was born from a desire to create a safe space for women, especially women of color and members of the LGBTQ community in the music scene where Davis often found herself outnumbered and out of place.
"I didn't always feel comfy with the crowds [at other shows], and it always seemed the crowds were men who were there to see their men friends. I really want to do a show where it's only ladies." Melody Davis
comfortable in a sea of white men, cis men," said Davis. "I want it to be [that] when you come to Lady Fest, you feel comfortable enough to get on the stage and perform."
"I want it to be [that] when you come to Lady Fest, you feel comfortable enough to get on the stage and perform." Davis As the Lady Fest page puts it, "Everyone is welcome! Just don't be a jerk!" Angel Caros, one of the founding members of Tuff Cookie, says the group is looking forward to playing some new music for the virtual crowd. "We've got a lot of stuff in the works, including some music we are excited to share," said Caros. "I think we are going to play a new song. It's called 'She Santies'" Tuff Cookie is a five-member band founded originally in 2019 by Caros and frontlady Abby Jones. In 2021, the group added three new members and began playing shows locally in Baldwin and Escambia counties. "It's been kind of hard to pinpoint an absolute genre, so we go with bedroom pop—which can [range from] spacey synth to lofi guitar. [We also have] an element of punk, more so lately," Caros explained. The inspiration for Lady Fest rings true for Caros as well, who says not all shows the group has played at have the same priorities. "We want everywhere that we play to be a super inclusive and safe space … I want everyone to come out and have a good time [at our shows]," Caros said. Davis hopes that this year will be the last time Lady Fest will happen virtually. "If you don't have anything to do on a Saturday night, sit down and log on. It's one more year of us being virtual, and hopefully we can rock out together next year," Davis said optimistically. {in}
"I didn't always feel comfy with the crowds [at other shows], and it always seemed the crowds were men who were there to see their men friends. I really want to do a show where it's only ladies." Since her first inspiration, Davis notes that the roster of performers has expanded to include many other groups besides women—an attempt to provide a safe and welcoming WHEN: 4:20 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 space to whoever needs it. WHERE TO STREAM: linktr.ee/bugghouse "I just want to encourage people DETAILS: facebook.com/ladyfestpensacola to start bands, [especially] women of color and people that don't feel
LADY FEST 8 LIVESTREAM
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a&e happenings
Photo Courtesy of Vuture Food Truck
WAYS TO GET TO PENSACOLA BEACH
The Pensacola Bay Bridge is now open, which is perfect timing for beach season. Escambia County reminds eager beachgoers of the various ways to get to the beach. Live Pensacola Beach traffic video and beach conditions are available at myescambia.com.
ECAT BUS Escambia County Area Transit discontinued service for the Route 61 detour across the Garcon Point Bridge with the Pensacola Bay Bridge opening. Normal schedules for Route 61 and Route 64 Beach Jumper will restart. Note the following schedules: REGULAR SERVICE: •Routes: 1, 2, 32, 44, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 55, 57, 58, 59X, 60, 61 and 64 Beach Jumper MODIFIED ROUTES: •Route 31, 43, and 63: Runs Monday-Saturday, every two hours (Saturday Schedule) •Route 45: Runs Monday-Saturday, only every hour, 6 a.m.-5 p.m. UWF TROLLEY: •(Summer Schedule) UWF Express Service runs Monday–Saturday Schedules are located on goecat.com and the ECAT Ride guide. FREE TROLLEY SERVICE The Santa Rosa
Island Authority (SRIA) will have free openair trolley service along Pensacola Beach. The service runs Monday-Sunday, 4 p.m.midnight, through Labor Day weekend.
FERRY Pensacola Bay Cruises Ferry Service offers service Friday, Saturday and Sunday between Downtown Pensacola and Pensacola Beach. Ferry trips last approximately 50 minutes, and all-day free parking is available at each of the departure sites. To plan your trip and purchase tickets, visit pensacolabaycruise.com. 616 1
DRIVE, BIKE OR WALK OVER THE BOB SIKES BRIDGE When you drive over
the Bob Sikes Bridge to Pensacola Beach, there is an electronic toll in place. Cash and coins are no longer collected in person. The county encourages motorists to plan ahead and use electronic toll collection devices (i.e. SunPass, E-Pass, Annual Pass, NC Quick Pass, Peach Pass, E-ZPass), tolling apps (i.e. PayTollo) or TOLL-BY-PLATE from SunPass.
PENSACOLA BEACH TRAFFIC HOTLINE Residents and visitors can report
beach traffic issues via the Pensacola Beach Traffic Hotline at (850) 595-0862 or by emailing traffic@myescambia.com, offered by the Escambia County Transportation and Traffic Operations Division.
NONPROFITS + FUNDRAISERS LOCAL ORGANIZATION RALLIES SUPPORT FOR HAITI Following the
7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti last week, local organization Diligent Act of Love for Haiti is spearheading a relief drive for families impacted by the recent disasters in this country. Organization Chairwoman Jessie Elusma is collecting food, toiletries and other items like flashlights, first aid kits and unused tarps to send to Haiti. Donations can be dropped off at WRNE Radio, located at 312 E. Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. Monetary donations can also be made at dalove.org.
FLORIDA HUMANITIES ANNOUNCES NEW EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANTS FOR HUMANITIES ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Florida Humanities is offering up to $2 million in grant funding for general operating support to humanities organizations that continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida Humanities' American Rescue Plan grants will direct funds to eligible organizations for short-term, general operating support. Funding is intended to meet immediate operational needs in order for organizations to maintain the delivery of public humanities programming and resources in their communities. Funding is available for general operating support, such as salaries for internal staff and contracted employees, rent/ mortgage, utilities, insurance and technology. Awards will be up to $25,000 for eligible organizations with annual budgets of less than $2 million. Applications will only be accepted from organizations such as museums, archives, historical societies and cultural centers whose primary mission is humanities-focused or can demonstrate a substantial track record of regularly occurring public humanities work. All applicants must also be able to demonstrate continued financial hardship due to the direct effects of the pandemic. Applications for the Florida Humanities' American Rescue Plan grant are due Sept. 1 at noon. To review the full eligibility requirements and application instructions, as well as register for the virtual informational webinar, please visit floridahumanities.org/arp.
"FRIEND OF FOO" APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN The Foo Foo Festival Com-
mittee is now accepting applications from nonprofit and for-profit entities who are interested in playing a part in this year's events as a "Friend of Foo." Nonprofits in the Pensacola area who recently applied and did not receive a grant for this year's festival but would still like to participate, or local for-profit businesses such as hoteliers, restaurants and bars who are interested in participating and benefitting, are encouraged to apply. To review the application process, visit foofoofest.com. "Friend of Foo'' participants will receive local, regional and national visibility during the 12-day event via the festival's regional marketing campaign. When applying, entrants should be prepared to provide the name and title of their prospective event; the date, time and location for the event; its respective category; and details and imagery to support the concept. The deadline to submit to be a "Friend of Foo" is Friday, Oct. 1, by noon. The Pensacola Foo Foo Festival will take place Nov. 4-15, 2021.
FOOD + DRINKS
LADIES NIGHT CHARCUTERIE BOARD CLASS Learn to prepare a
delicious charcuterie tray. Class is 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at Bodacious Shops, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Tickets are $40. Reserve your spot at bodaciousshops.com.
LA DOLCE VITA Join Angelena's Ris-
torante Italiano on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. for a four-course meal and drink pairings in the style of Federico Fellini's
movie "La Dolce Vita." All are encouraged to dress in their best 1960's outfit. Cost is $85 per person. Reservations are required by calling (850) 542-8398.
KITCHEN WORKSHOP: BUILD-ABOARD OF CHARCUTERIE FUN This
two-day class explores the art of charcuterie. Classes are Friday, Aug. 27, from 6-8 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 28, from 1-3 p.m., at Pensacola Cooks, located at 3624 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $75 per person. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks.
VUTURE FOOD POP-UP AT ODD COLONY LA-based pop-up Vuture will
bring its famed vegan "junk food" to Odd Colony on Saturday, Aug. 28, from 1-5 p.m. They will have unique plant-based comfort food items on the menu ranging from crispy "chicken" sandwiches to buffalo loaded fries. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for more info.
200 SOUTH ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Celebrate the one-year anniversary
of 200 South's Outdoor Market from 3-8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28, with vendors, live music and raffle prizes.
CULTURES COOK: LATIN AMERICAN COASTAL CEVICHE Learn to make
Peruvian fish "cebiche" and other dishes on Tuesday, Aug. 31, from 6-8 p.m. at Pensacola Cooks, located at 3624 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $45 per person. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks.
CARIBBEAN JERK CHICKEN COOKING DEMONSTRATION Learn to pre-
pare your own Caribbean jerk chicken with this hands-on demonstration Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $65. To register for the class, visit bodaciousshops.com.
HANDS-ON CAST IRON RIBEYE CLASS Learn to cook a perfect ribeye with
a cast iron skillet with Bodacious Chefs 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $70. To register, visit bodaciousshops.com.
ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS: SWAMP HEAD BREWERY Enjoy beverage tastings
from Swamp Head Brewery paired with appetizers Thursday, Sept. 2, at 5 and 7 p.m. Cost is $25 per person. Reservations are required. Call (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com to reserve your spot.
1980S MURDER MYSTERY AT GARDEN & GRAIN Improbable Cause Mystery Theatre brings you the 1980s-themed "Murder Mystery: Murder To The Max." The show starts at 6:30 p.m. with seating and mingling Sunday, Sept. 5, at Garden & Grain, located at 50 E. Garden St. Admission is $55 per person. '80s attire is highly encouraged. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for more information.
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a&e happenings ROSH HASHANAH AT JACKSON'S STEAKHOUSE Celebrate the Rosh Hasha-
nah with a special meal prepared by Chef Irv Miller to mark the first night of the New Year celebration on Monday, Sept. 6, starting at 5 p.m. The regular dinner menu will also be available. Cost is $29 per person. For reservations, call (850) 469-9898. Jackson's Steakhouse is located at 400 S. Palafox.
HENNY PENNY SOUL LIVE COOKING SESSIONS Tune into the Henny Penny
Facebook page to meet local chefs to learn more about cooking skills while also discussing food and culture. Dates are TBA. For more information, visit facebook.com/ hennypennyspatisserie.
BURGERS AND BORDEAUX AT UNION PUBLIC HOUSE Every Tuesday
night, enjoy a specialty burger and a glass of Bordeaux for $18 at Union Public House, located at 309 S. Reus St. For more information, visit facebook.com/unionpensacola.
WEEKNIGHT HAPPY HOUR Every
weeknight before 6 p.m. at The 5 Barrel, get $1 off all The 5 Barrel pints, $2 wine by the glass and half off hummus plates when you buy a pint of beer. Visit the5barrel.com for more information.
TABLETOP TUESDAYS AT THE 5 BARREL Join The 5 Barrel for a special Tabletop Tuesday event at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in March. A wide variety of games ranging from the classic chess to the crowdfavorite Catan will be available. Players are welcome to bring their own games.
ARAGON WINE TASTINGS Wine
tastings at Aragon Wine Market are back every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. in store at 27 S. Ninth Ave. For more information, visit aragonwinemarket.com.
THURSDAY TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE 5 BARREL Gather a group for a weekly
Thursday Trivia Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at The 5 Barrel. There will be prizes for every round and select drafts for $3. Find out more at facebook.com/the5barrel.
THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back
by popular demand. Thursdays from 7-9 p.m., test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. Gary's Brewery is located at 208 Newman Ave. For more information, visit facebook. com/garysbrew.
PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is
back at its regular location in MLK Jr. Plaza. In a carefully planned, phased reopening, Palafox Market has launched with about half its regular vendors, showcasing food, farm produce and products geared toward safety and sanitation such as handmade soaps and face masks. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola. August 26, 2021
EVER'MARKET AT NINE MILE ROAD Visit Ever'Man at 1000 E. Nine Mile Road on the fourth Saturday of each month for the Ever'Market with food, music, giveaways, activities and more. Visit everman. org for more information.
200 SOUTH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Every first Saturday of the month,
the businesses at 200 South will host Small Business Saturday to show support for local businesses. Bring a receipt from a purchase from any other downtown business and receive 10% off your bill at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge.
PENSACOLA POSITIVITY'S SUNDAY MARKETS Sunday Markets on Palafox
Street happen each Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in MLK Plaza on Palafox. Local makers, growers and creators gather each under the oak trees to sell their goods to the community. Interested vendors can request an application by emailing requeaskmikellah@ gmail.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/palafoxmarkets.
SATURDAYS AT THE MARKET OUTDOOR VENDOR EVENT Located at 5300
Berryhill Road, the outdoor market features artisans and crafters alike from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect. For more information, email saturdaysatthemarket@gmail.com.
PENSACOLA POP-UP FARMERS MARKET Check out fresh and organic
produce, milk, eggs, meat, fresh-baked bread, mushrooms, lumber, grits, cornmeal, pies and plants Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at East Hill Market, located at 1216 N. Ninth Ave. For a list of vendors, visit facebook.com/easthillmarket.
UPTOWN PENSACOLA MARKET
Check out local vendors of art, produce and other local treasures every Saturday at 7201 N. Ninth Ave. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/uptownmarketpensacola.
SUNDAY VIBES IN THE GARDEN
Sunday Funday is back at Garden & Grain with DJ Hdycvt and drink specials. Safety guidelines will be in place. Visit facebook. com/perfectplainbrewingco for more information. Garden and Grain is located behind Perfect Plain Brewing Co. at 50 E. Garden St.
TWILIGHT THREE-COURSE SPECIAL
The District's Twilight Three-Course special is back Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:30-6 p.m. Guests enjoy three courses for $35 per person. Diners must be seated by 6 p.m. for offer to be vailed. To make a reservation, call 332-5224 or online at districtstreaks.com. The District is located at 123 E. Government St.
ARTS & CULTURE
PENSACOLA OPERA'S 39TH SEASON Tickets are on sale now for Pensacola
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a&e happenings Opera's 39th season of bringing professional opera to Northwest Florida. Join the opera in 2022 for uplifting productions of two of the most beloved operatic masterpieces of all time, featuring nationally renowned artists and creative teams in colorful, vibrant stagings. Experience Mozart's mystical side with "The Magic Flute" on Jan. 28 & 30, and laugh along with Rossini's effervescent "The Barber of Seville" on March 11 & 13. Both productions will be performed live on stage at the Saenger Theatre. Visit pensacolaopera.com for information and tickets.
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE TO THE CHORAL SOCIETY OF PENSACOLA 20212022 SEASON Get your season tickets
for the new Choral Society of Pensacola's 2021-2022 new season with a new artistic director, nearly 90 singers and four memorable concerts including "Frostiana," "Her Christmas," "Stage and Screen" and "Triptych." Find more information about shows and tickets at choralsocietyofpensacola. org, or call Kelly Ryan at (850) 484-1806 with your credit card information.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY WRITERS' GUILD ANNUAL AWARD All writers are
welcome to submit work for the Santa Rosa County Writers' Guild Annual Award. The award is given to one winner for a poem or book written by a Santa Rosa County resident who submits their writing or book to
srcwg@mediacombb.net by Sept. 10. There is no entry fee. The winner is chosen solely in the discretion of the Guild. By submitting, you are granting permission to the Guild to have your writing and/or book's title and the award appear in any publications connected with the Santa Rosa County Writers' Guild, including Issue VI of the Blackwater Literary Journal. All rights remain with the person submitting.
UWF HISTORIC TRUST 9/11 EXHIBIT
An exhibit honoring victims lost and others impacted by the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, is now on display on the second floor of the Pensacola Museum of History. The University of West Florida Historic Trust curated the exhibit, 9/11 Remembered, which runs through January 2022, with items on loan from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York and the History Museum of Mobile. The gallery includes a section of the I-beam from one of the World Trade Center towers and a helmet and other items worn by first responders who responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Visitors can also view a video of newsreels from 20 years ago on projectors and a video from NAS Pensacola that features military members who responded to the 9/11 attacks. For more information on UWF's Historic Trust, visit historicpensacola.org.
FINDING 1821 Finding 1821 is part of the
UWF Historic Trust's Suddenly American exhibit. Using historic newspapers, maps and documents, it is possible to locate where businesses stood in the 1820s. From taverns to parasol shops, each site on the Finding 1821 trail reflects a local establishment that was near that location 200 years ago. Outside each business is a QR code that links to a corresponding advert from an early 1820s newspaper. Over a dozen sites have been identified so far. Take a stroll around town, visit local shops and explore the history of Pensacola through today's technology. Visit historicpensacola. org for more information.
FPAN ARCHAEOLOGY LAB VOLUNTEER DAYS The FPAN Archaeology Lab
is open to volunteers to help rough sort artifacts recovered from local archaeological sites. No experience is needed, but all volunteers are given a brief orientation by a professional archaeologist on their first day. Upcoming volunteer days are Tuesday, Aug. 31; Wednesday, Sept. 1; and Tuesday, Sept. 7, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Contact northwest@fpan.us or visit flpublicarchaeology. org/nwrc for more information.
BALLET PENSACOLA'S 2021-2022 SEASON IS HERE The Ballet Pensacola
season is here. The season will open at the historic downtown Cultural Arts Center on
Friday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. with Artistic Director Darren McIntyre's original production of "Dracula." This haunting and legendary tale is sure to spookily delight your taste and ballet bite as it travels from Transylvania to London in a pursuit of chaotic seduction, lust and frightful encounters inspired by Bram Stoker's original fable. Other seasonal performances include "The Nutcracker," Dec. 17-19, and Wizard of Oz, April 22-24 and April 30-May 1. For more information, visit balletpensacola.org or call (850) 432-9546. Season Tickets are available for purchase for as low as $73 for all three performances, plus applicable facility fees, through the Ballet Pensacola website at balletpensacola.org/performances/ticketinformation.
NEW HOURS AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART PMA is now open from
10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and noon-4 p.m. on Sunday. For tickets and information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
DRAG SHOWS AT DOLCE AND GELATO Head to Dolce and Gelato, located
at 2050 N. 12th Ave., for regular drag shows. Next dates are Aug. 20-21. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.
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a&e happenings PMA EXHIBITION TOURS Join PMA
Director Nick Croghan for a brief tour of "A Dead Reckoning: Navigating Contemporary Ceramics" from 1-1:30 p.m. On Thursday, Aug. 26, from 1-1:30 p.m., PMA curator Anna Wall will host a brief tour of "End of Century" featuring glassware and prints from the permanent collection. Tours are free with museum admission and, as always, free for members. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART The next showing at Pen-
sacola Cinema Art is "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit," playing at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, and Saturday, Sept. 18. All tickets are $8. Reserve your seats by emailing jpncinema@gmail.com or texting (863) 446-7300. PCA is located at 220 W. Garden St. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for information about streaming movies such as "Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation" and "Los Hermanos/The Brothers," an exclusive first-run film.
FUNHOUSE: THE CYBER BALL HOSTED BY TERRAH CARD Celebrate
Terrah Card's birthday at her monthly drag show at Dolce & Gelato, located at 2050 N. 12th Ave., Friday, Aug. 27, starting at 7 p.m. Admission is $10. Visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola for more information.
OPEN STUDIO: SARAH HUMMEL JONES The Aug. 28 Open Studio is
inspired by ceramic artist Sarah Hummel Jones. Participants will use polymer clay to create simplified and idealized food sculptures similar to those in her piece "Cry On Demand" currently on view in the exhibit "A Dead Reckoning." Open Studio is Saturday, Aug. 28, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost is $12 for adults and $10 for children under 13. Visit facebook.com/pensacolamuseum for the link to get tickets.
"A DEAD RECKONING: NAVIGATING CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS" EXHIBIT AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART "A Dead Reckoning: Navigating
Contemporary Ceramics" is now on view at Pensacola Museum of Art, which asks viewers, "Where is the field of American ceramic art going?" For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
"END OF CENTURY" EXHIBIT AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART End
of Century, an art exhibit featuring Art Nouveau glassware and works on paper, is a new exhibit at the Pensacola Museum of Art. This special exhibit includes items from the museum collection as well as the collection of local art supporter and educator Dr. Patrick M. Rowe. Dr. Rowe received his Ph.D. in Art History at Florida State University in 1989 and taught art history at the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College until his retirement in 2010. He has served on the Pensacola Museum of Art Board and on the August 26, 2021
PMA Collections Committee and has acted as a dedicated supporter and resource for museum staff throughout the years. In 1988, Rowe began taking an interest in 18th and early 20th century printmaking, which led to his impressive collection of works from the time period, many of which are showcased in End of Century. End of Century will be on view at the Pensacola Museum of Art until Oct. 10. Visitors can learn more about the exhibition, sign up for additional programming opportunities and purchase tickets through pensacolamuseum.org.
NEW EXHIBIT AT BLUE MORNING GALLERY The current Spotlight on Art
is "Serendipity," a collective show featuring potter Tammy Caspersen and photographer Suzanne Tuzzeo. The show promises bold color and unique finds and twists with a fun, carefree feel and is on view at Blue Morning Gallery, located at 21 S. Palafox. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for more information.
PENSACOLA BEACH ART WALK ON THE BOARDWALK Stroll the Pensacola
Beach Boardwalk Sundays through October from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and check out local art vendors, listen to live music and enjoy local restaurants and bars at 400 Quietwater Beach Road.
SCRIPTEASERS WITH PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Scripteasers, Studio
400's and Pensacola Little Theatre's Script Reading Club invites you to monthly script readings at PLT, 400 S. Jefferson St. Want to bring your scripts for the group to read and discuss? Contact Pensacola Little Theatre to get in queue. The group reads prospective scripts for future seasons as well as new scripts that need a table read before the next edit. Not a playwright but love to read out loud? This is your easy, fun theatre night. Fascinated by the play selection process? Sit in for a listen and usually a lot of laughs. Visit facebook.com/pensacolalittletheatre for more information and the latest dates.
SEVILLE5 HAUNTED TOURS Seville
Quarter's haunted tours offer a different look at Pensacola's history as guides weave tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more. Choose your experience from three ongoing tours—Seville Haunted Luncheon and Ghost Tour, 11 a.m. every third Tuesday of the month; Seville Haunted Gallery Night Tours, 7 p.m. every third Friday of the month; Seville Sunday FunDay Haunted Tours, 4 p.m. last Sunday of each month. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.
OPEN MIC AT THE GORDON Show off your talents on the second Thursday of every month at The Gordon's Open Mic showcase from 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. The Gordon is located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. Visit thegordon.org for more information. 19
a&e happenings STAND-UP COMEDY AT THE REX THEATRE Visit The REX Theatre every
Friday at 8 p.m. for national stand-up acts. Tickets are $26-$35 at the door. For more information, visit rexpensacola.com.
COMEDY MAGIC SHOW AT THE REX THEATRE Comedy magician Tom Coverly,
known as "The Illusionist," performs Saturday nights at The Rex Theatre, located at 18 N. Palafox. Shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10-$35. For more information, visit rexpensacola.com.
OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy
some homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five minutes depending the number of sign-ups. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.
NEW CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Per-
forming Arts (MMPA), a boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness and "Mommy and Me" instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children
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as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult. MMPA is dedicated to the safety and well-being of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixonmagic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.
BLACK CITIZENSHIP IN THE AGE OF JIM CROW "Black Citizenship in the Age
of Jim Crow," a traveling exhibition from the New York Historical Society Museum & Library with additions from the African American Heritage Society of Pensacola, is now on view at Artel Gallery. To learn more about it, visit africanamericanheritagesociety.org. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.
CRAFT CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH ON NINE MILE Learn a new craft or meet
up with other makers at Studio South. Tuesday is Knit Night 4-7 p.m., and Sit & Stitch is Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Both classes are free. For a full calendar of events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS AT FIRST CITY ART First City Art Center of-
fers a wide range of classes and workshops for artists of all levels. Classes include glass blowing, ceramics, painting and drawing, kiln-forming, stained glass and more. For a complete list of classes and times, visit firstcityart.org.
LIVE MUSIC
BANDS ON THE BEACH Bands on the Beach is back. The free concert series features shows each Tuesday night, from 7-9 p.m., from April to October at the Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach. UPCOMING DATES: •Aug. 31: High Time Band •Sept. 7: Memory Lane BLUES ON THE BAY The Blues on the
•Sept. 9: Blenders •Sept. 16: CrossTown •Sept. 23: Reunion Band
YARDLIGHTS AT THE 5 BARREL The
YardLights will perform at The 5 Barrel, located at 121 S. Palafox, on Friday, Aug. 27, from 7-10 p.m. Visit facebook.com/yardlightspcola for more information.
LADY FEST 8 VIRTUAL SHOW The show must go on. Lady Fest 8 features Don't Feed the Plants, My Fault/Your Fault, Tuffcookie, Rat Daughter and Cookies and Cake. The livestream will begin at 4:20 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28. Visit linktr.ee/bugghouse for more information.
Bay free concert series continues at Community Maritime Park, located at 351 W. Cedar St. Concerts are 6 p.m. on select Sunday evenings. Bring your coolers and lawn chairs and take a spot in front of the Hunter Amphitheater. Last date is Aug. 29 with Modern Eldorados.
TYLER OVERHEU Musician Tyler Over-
ST. CHRISTOPHER'S CONCERT SERIES Thursday evenings starting Sept. 2,
performing at Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave., from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29. Visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola for more information.
visit St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, located at 3200 N. 12th Ave., for an outdoor concert. Food and drink concessions are available. Alcoholic beverages are not available for sale. •Sept. 2: Not Quite Fab
heu will perform at Dolce & Gelato, located at 2050 N. 12th Ave., on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.
KATIE DINEEN AT DOLCE AND GELATO Musician Katie Dineen will be
for more listings visit inweekly.net
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August 26, 2021
21
free will astrology WEEK OF AUGUST 26 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries mythologist Joseph Campbell advised us to love our fate. He said we should tell ourselves, "Whatever my fate is, this is what I need." Even if an event seems inconvenient or disruptive, we treat it as an opportunity, as an interesting challenge. "If you bring love to that moment, not discouragement," Campbell said, "you will find the strength." Campbell concludes that any detour or disarray you can learn from "is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege!" Few signs of the zodiac are inclined to enthusiastically adopt such an approach, but you Aries folks are most likely to do so. Now is an especially favorable time to use it. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): The bril-
liant Taurus dancer and choreographer Martha Graham spoke of "a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action," adding that "there is only one of you in all time." She added, "It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open." But even if you do this very well, Graham said, you will nevertheless always feel "a divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest" that will fuel you. This is the perfect message for you Tauruses to embrace in the coming weeks.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): There's growing scientific evidence that we make ourselves stupid by complaining too much—or even by listening to other people complain a lot. Excessive negative thoughts drain energy from our hippocampus, a part of our brain that's essential to problemsolving. This doesn't mean, of course, that we should avoid dealing with difficult issues. But it does suggest we should be discerning about how many disturbing and depressing ideas we entertain. According to my reading of the omens, all this will be especially useful advice for you in the coming weeks. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Your
brain contains one hundred billion nerve
By Rob Brezsny
cells. Each cell has the potential to be linked with tens of thousands of others. And they are always busy. Typically, your grey matter makes a million new connections every second. But I suspect your number of connections will increase even beyond that in the coming weeks. Your most complex organ will be working with greater intensity than usual. Will that be a bad thing or a good thing? It depends on whether you formulate an intention to channel your intelligence into wise analysis about important matters—and not waste it in careless fussing about trivial details.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): "You should have a sticky soul," counsels author Elizabeth Berg. "The act of continually taking things in should be as much a part of you as your hair color." I especially endorse that attitude for you during the next four weeks, Leo. Your task is to make yourself extra magnetic for all the perceptions, experiences, ideas, connections and resources you need most. By Sept. 23, I suspect you will have gained an infusion of extra ballast and gravitas. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): "I sing like
the nightingale whose melody is crowded in the too narrow passage of her throat," wrote author Virginia Woolf. That was an insulting curse for her to fling at herself. I disapprove of such behavior—especially for you in the coming weeks. If you hope to be in alignment with cosmic rhythms, don't you dare say nasty things about yourself, even in the privacy of your own thoughts. In fact, please focus on the exact opposite—flinging praise and appreciation and compliments at yourself.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): The blogger at www-wlw.tumblr.com says the following are the top tender actions. 1. Fastening clothes or jewelry for your companion. 2. Letting them rest their head on your shoulder. 3. Idly playing with their hands. 4. Brushing a leaf out of their hair. 5. Locking pinkies. 6. Rubbing their back when you embrace. 7. Both of you wearing an item that belongs to the other. Dear Libra, I hope you will employ these tender actions with greater frequency than usual in the coming weeks, Libra. Why? In my astrological opinion, it's a ripe time to
boost your Affection Quotient with the allies you care for the most.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Naturalist Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal, "I feel slightly complimented when nature condescends to make use of me without my knowledge—as when I help scatter her seeds in my walk—or carry burs and cockles on my clothes from field to field. I feel as though I had done something for the commonweal." I mention this, Scorpio, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to carry out good deeds and helpful transformations in nature's behalf. Your ability to collaborate benevolently with plants and animals and elemental forces will be at a peak. So will your knack for creating interesting connections between yourself and all wild things. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): You may have never heard of Sagittarian artist Baya Mahieddine (1931–1998). At age 16, she experienced a splash of acclaim with a show in Paris. Famous artists Pablo Picasso, Henry Matisse and George Braques came. They drew inspiration from Mahieddine's innovative use of color, elements from her Algerian heritage, and her dream-like images. Picasso even invited her to work with him, exulting in the fresh perspectives she ignited. But her art never received the full credit it warranted. In accordance with astrological omens, this horoscope is a small way of providing her with the recognition and appreciation she deserves. It also authorizes you to go out and get the recognition and appreciation you deserve but have not yet fully received. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19):
"Who knows what is unfolding on the other side of each hour?" asked Capricorn poet Juan Ramón Jiménez (translated by Capricorn poet Robert Bly). "How many times the sunrise was there, behind a mountain. How many times the brilliant cloud piling up far off was already a golden body full of thunder!" Your assignment, Capricorn, is to imagine what is unfolding just beyond your perceptionLB0245 and understanding. ButINW here's MchUltraOrgSeltzer Final the twist—You must steer your mind away
from inclinations to indulge in fear. You must imagine that the events in the works are beautiful, interesting, or redemptive. If you're not willing to do that, skip the exercise altogether.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "Better
than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup," wrote author Wendell Berry. I mostly agree with that sentiment, although I will also put in a good word for certain kinds of arguments. There are moments when it's crucial for your psychological and spiritual health that you initiate a conversation about delicate issues that might lead to a dispute. However, I don't think this is one of those times, Aquarius. In my astrological opinion, picking dew-wet red berries is far more sensible than any argument. For further inspiration, read this testimony from actor Natasha Lyonne—"I definitely would rather take a nap than get angry."
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): For
painter Vincent van Gogh, love wasn't primarily a sentimental feeling. Nor was it an unfocused generalized wish for health and happiness in those he cared for. Rather, he wrote, "You must love with a high, serious, intimate sympathy, with a will, with intelligence." His love was alert, acute, active and energized. It was animated with a determination to be resourceful and ingenious in nurturing the beloved. For van Gogh, love was always in action, forever moving toward ever-fresh engagement. In service to intimacy, he said, "you must always seek to know more thoroughly, better and more." I hope you'll make these meditations a top priority during the next seven weeks. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: This is what I do to earn a living. Let me know what you do— newsletter@freewillastrology.com.
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freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2021 041521.pdf
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news of the weird INEXPLICABLE Metro News reported on Aug. 15 that authorities in the village of Wonersh in Surrey, England, are stumped by a serial baked bean bandit who is pouring the savory legumes on doorsteps, cars and into mail slots. Officers have promised to step up patrols in the area, but residents are seeing the lighter side: "What halfbaked idiots would do this? I hope they get thrown in the can!" and "Absolutely Heinzous crime." REPEAT OFFENDER A Davenport, Iowa, man was arrested on Aug. 12 after nonchalantly entering a home and rummaging for children's dirty underwear, then sitting down next to a juvenile on the couch. The QuadCity Times reported that Brock Joseph Beert, 30, was led out the back door and waited for police while sitting on a fence. Beert was charged with second-degree burglary and will face the court for those charges after a sentencing hearing on Aug. 19 for another burglary earlier this year. FINE POINTS OF THE LAW Paul Flores, 44, of San Pedro, California, is facing the court for the 1996 disappearance and murder of Kristin Smart, Yahoo News reported. On Aug. 11, Bob Sanger, Flores' attorney, filed a motion requesting a hearing to recuse the entire district attorney's office. Sanger argued that prosecutors have a conflict of interest because they've been wearing purple clothing during the hearing, which was Smart's favorite color. He also said the victim witness coordinator has been sending a "prejudicial message" to witnesses that the DA's office is on Smart's side. Specifically, Sanger said, Detective Clint Cole had worn a purple tie every day of the hearing. Sanger's motion will be heard on Aug. 25. BRIGHT IDEA New York City subway motorman Terrell Harris is in trouble with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority after letting his girlfriend take a train for a joyride on Aug. 13. According to NBC New York, the couple posted photos to social media showing them in the cab, with her operating the controls through several stops. Interim NYC Transit President Craig Cipriano called the incident an "egregious violation of public trust. Something that I haven't seen in my 32 years here." Harris has been "taken out of service." PUPPY LE PEW A Nylabone dog treat plant in Neptune City, New Jersey, has neighbors holding their noses after the company consolidated its manufacturing at the site recently. "It's nauseating," Linda Williamson, who lives nearby, told NBC New York. "Instant headaches." Nylabone President Glen Axelrod said the company has spent more than $2 million on odor abatement, charcoal filters and other fixes. "If it were a
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
bakery, you'd be smelling baked food; if we were a steakhouse, you'd be smelling steak," he said. But ... it's not. "You can't enjoy your own yard in this beautiful neighborhood," complained Linda Colucci. While neighbors consult with lawyers about their next moves, Axelrod said the company will continue to explore solutions to the noxious odors. RUBBISH In Bathside, Harwich, England, resident Irene Slater, 59, has been "gobsmacked" by the theft of garbage bags from outside her home—four times! She keeps the full bags outside because of the smell, but someone obviously appreciates the bouquet, according to the Harwich and Manningtree Standard, sneaking up in the dark of night to take them away. Slater and her neighbors are concerned that the thieves are looking to steal their identities. "It's just so strange— why would you steal a bin bag?" Slater asked. "It's certainly not as bad as being burgled, but it still makes you think." •Freddie Gillium-Webb, 29, from Hampshire, England, was tasked in August with a cleaning job he won't soon forget, the Daily Mail reported. After a tenant was removed for not paying rent, Gillium-Webb went in to clean the apartment and found a pile of approximately 8,000 beer cans several feet deep, but that wasn't the worst of it. "The smell was terrible. The kitchen was full of food waste and in the living room there were half-eaten kebabs and moldy loaves of bread all over the floor," Gillium-Webb said. "The toilet was piled high with toilet paper and feces, it was disgusting. He'd never flushed it by the looks of it." He said he vomited three times during the cleanup and used 100 large trash bags and 10 bottles of bleach. Still, Gillium-Webb was empathetic: "The tenant might have had depression and he probably had a drinking problem, based on the amount of cans. You need help sometimes, but you can't live like that." THAT WAS FAST Steven James Jordan, 31, launched a Twitter account on Aug. 8 and tweeted 186 times within three hours. His account was suspended on Aug. 9, and by Aug. 12, Law & Crime reported, Jordan was booked into the Pinellas County (Florida) jail for threatening tweets. Sheriff's spokesperson Deputy Amanda Sinni said Jordan targeted Activision Games in reference to video games and said he was going to blow up Disney executives' homes, even tagging the company in the tweets. Jordan admitted to writing the tweets but said he posted "stupid things" and didn't want to be arrested. He has a previous conviction for threatening to open fire at a Masonic lodge in Clearwater, Florida. {in}
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2021 Andrews McMeel
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com August 26, 2021
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Independent News | August 26, 2021 | inweekly.net