Independent News | August 27, 2020 | Volume 21 | Number 35
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winners & losers
outtakes
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5
news 6, 8
From the worst, the best has grown.
pensacola votes
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9 publisher Rick Outzen
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winners & losers
Lumon May / myescambia.com
winners LUMON MAY Incumbent and older brother Lumon May gave his little brother LuTimothy an old-fashioned butt whooping in the Escambia County Commission District 3 Democratic primary, crushing him by 6,700 votes and 78 points. Most candidates in a two-person race can get 20% of the voter by merely having their name on the ballot, especially when they spend over $25K and have the same last name as the incumbent. Not LuTimothy. May faces write-in Jason Laird in the general election. A SLEEPING COUNTRY is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
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MICHELLE SALZMAN In the GOP primary for Florida House District 1, Salzman sent incumbent Mike Hill packing, beating him by 1,048 votes and four percentage points. Two years ago, Hill defeat Rebekah Bydlak, 48.1%-45.2%, with a promise to place a Donald Trump star in downtown Pensacola. This time, 2,377 more votes were cast. Salzman had a solid ground game that picked up nearly 80% of the undecided vote in the last days of the primary. Salzman faces Democrat Franscine Mathis in the general election. DELARIAN WIGGINS In the nonpartisan Pensacola City Council District 7 primary, Escambia County deputy Delarian Wiggins avoided a run-off with 52.9% of the vote. Newcomer Brenton Goodman finished with 26.7%, followed by James Gulley with 20.5%. Goodman got into the race in mid-June, spent nearly $14K and knocked on plenty of doors, but Wiggins had been in the race for over a year and had earned name recognition when he ran against Lumon May in 2016. ALEX ANDRADE In early July, Florida
House District 2's representative chances in the GOP primary looked dim. Cris Dosev had a nine-point lead due to more name recognition. With the help of endorsements from Rep. Matt Gaetz and Gov. Ron DeSantis and the support of Florida House leadership, Andrade swung the vote by over 31 points. Andrade faces Democrat Dianne Krummel in the general election.
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Larry Walker / ecua.fl.gov
losers LARRY WALKER Challenger Kevin Ste-
phens defeated incumbent Larry Walker for the District 5 seat on the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority board by 2,745 votes and 19 points. Walker was first elected in 1988 when "EC" in ECUA stood for "Escambia County." Voters had grown tired of annual rate hikes and not being allowed to see a grand jury report that was issued two years ago but has been tied up in appeal by the ECUA's former attorney. It also helped that Stephens put $10,000 of his money in the campaign and outspent Walker, $20,940 to $17,053.
JANICE GILLEY The Escambia County
administrator has benefited from three commissioners—Jeff Bergosh, Lumon May and Steven Berry—being distracted with their re-election campaigns. All three won their primaries, and Gilley can expect a much more active board with greater expectations of her administrative abilities. Frustrations with her inability to get things done surfaced in the commission's meeting on Thursday, Aug. 20, though she tried to misdirect their ire to her subordinates. The commissioners showed little enthusiasm for her PowerPoint presentations and her inability to post her CARES Act plan on the county's website prior to the meeting.
FAR-RIGHT POLITICS, PSEUDO-QANON
State Rep. Mike Hill was their poster child. In the past, his formula to elections was to be pro-life, pro-gun, pro-Confederacy, pro-Trump and anti-LGBTQ. It didn't matter that he was the most ineffective lawmaker in Tallahassee and couldn't deliver any funds for much-needed projects in his district. His buddy Cris Dosev tried a similar formula, which appeared to be working for a time. Thinking they had won victories on reopening the beaches and preventing a mask mandate, the Qs went after Jeff Bergosh, Lumon May and Steven Barry, hoping to elect people more friendly to Commissioner Doug Underhill's and their agenda. The Qs went 0-5 in Escambia County. Zero, Nada, Zilch.
inweekly.net
outtakes By Rick Outzen
BALLOTS SPARK CHANGE Michelle Salzman's victory over State Rep. Mike Hill was one of the biggest upsets of the Aug. 18 primary, not only in Escambia County but in the entire state. Beating an incumbent is considered nearly impossible, but we've seen our share of upsets over the past two decades. In 2006, most political observers thought Escambia County Commissioner Tom Banjanin would hold onto his seat as long as he wanted. The three-term county commissioner was seen as a one-man political machine that campaigned tirelessly. He also had the support of what many politicos saw as the largest political block in District 4—Pensacola Christian College. Young newcomer Grover Robinson IV took on Banjanin and not only defeated the incumbent but won the GOP primary by more than 2,400 votes. Robinson had amassed a huge campaign war chest, but his victory was more due to the soccer moms who walked the streets and stood on corners holding signs and waving at motorists to elect someone they believed would break the stranglehold the status quo had on the county. Robinson's victory was seen as a mandate for change in local politics. It was no coincidence that his primary win came at the same time the Community Maritime Park referendum passed. Two years later, the unbeatable incumbent was Escambia County Sheriff Ron McNesby, but Ronnie "Goliath" Mac met his David in the GOP primary. Smart money and the daily newspaper saw the sheriff as a sure thing. McNesby had raised $229,381 to David Morgan's $59,008. McNesby's supporters included attorneys, developers and business leaders. The Pensacola News Journal endorsed him. WCOA's Luke McCoy touted McNesby's achievements daily on the "Pensacola Speaks" radio show. McNesby had an army of deputies led by his risk manager Mike Holloway and Lt. Rex Blackburn putting up signs throughout the community. McNesby was a guaranteed, safe bet to be re-elected to a third term according to the power brokers. Only a fool would challenge the McNesby political machine.
Retired Air Force officer and private investigator David Morgan was the fool who challenged the most powerful elected official in Escambia County. In 2004, Morgan placed second in a three-man race in the Republican primary with only 10 months of campaigning and less than $16,000 to spend. McNesby had $161,976 in his campaign account, and third-place finisher Doyle Thomas had $22,885. McNesby won 18,887 votes to Morgan's 7,884. On Sept. 22, 2006, Morgan announced his candidacy in front of the office of Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford. In his speech before a small crowd of supporters, Morgan said that the early filing would help him better compete for campaign dollars and endorsements. When asked why he was running, Morgan stated, "I don't need the job. My wife and I are financially secure. I'm rather a reluctant candidate, but people have been approaching me over the past few months about running again. Someone needs to run. If not me, then who? If not now, then when?" A little shy of two years later, Morgan outpolled McNesby, 13,565 to 10,354, and the News Journal brain trust went into shock. The last memorable upset didn't directly involve an incumbent, but the referendum ended his political dynasty. In 2018, Escambia County voters had to decide whether the public school system would continue to be run by an elected politician or by a professional educator appointed by the school board. Superintendent Malcolm Thomas was in the middle of his third term. He held a tight grip on the district and minimized low school grades, school safety issues and the district being at the center of the state's largest charter school scandal. The school board refused to challenge him. Based on Thomas' popularity, few believed voters would approve the referendum for an appointed superintendent, but they did, 62,418-61,508. The school board will select the new superintendent on Sept. 1. Change can happen and often starts with a ballot. {in} rick@inweekly.net
Only a fool would challenge the McNesby political machine.
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JAIL TESTING LIMBO
Rick Outzen Commissioner Lumon May went into the Aug. 20 county commission meeting with a goal of finding out why the Escambia County Jail had tested only a dozen inmates after County Administrator Janice Gilley assured the board that any prisoner who requested a COVID-19 test would be tested. Prior to Aug. 10, the county's policy was to only test inmates who showed symptoms of the virus. The jail had tested 214 inmates and had 152 positive results—a positivity rate of 71%. In July, Inweekly received a letter signed by 53 female inmates in Escambia County's work release building pleading, "Please help us. We do not have a voice." The women said that seven of them were exhibiting symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. Even though Commission Chairman Steven Barry and Commissioner May had insisted that Gilley make testing available to all jail prisoners, the women wrote, "They are still not testing these individuals that are showing key symptoms of COVID-19 and have been for over a week. They are only treating symptoms, giving ibuprofen and cough drops." At the commissioners' agenda review on Thursday, Aug. 6, two Escambia County commissioners spoke out in support of the county allowing inmates and staff at the county jail to be tested for COVID-19 if they requested it. "Any inmate that requests to be tested I think should be tested," said Commis66
sioner May. "And I know that that's been somewhat of a challenge, but I would love to have support." Commissioner Doug Underhill agreed. "Yeah, Janice, when we take the liberty of a citizen, we take on the obligation and responsibilities because we take away their ability to go and get tested themselves," said Underhill. "I really don't care what the cost or time involved is. No citizen who's incarcerated by Escambia County who asks for a test should be denied a test."
"I really don't care what the cost or time involved is. No citizen who's incarcerated by Escambia County who asks for a test should be denied a test." Doug Underhill On Saturday, Aug. 8, Gilley told the commissioners that the testing policy at the jail would change. She said Corrections Chief Rich Powell had requested medical staff to "prepare for administrating of tests not only for those who request them but also those who volunteer to be tested." Gilley wrote in an email, "We do not know the number of requests that may be received and will be coordinating with the FDOH (Florida Department of Health) to ensure that we have enough tests and support to conduct them." Unfortunately, the COVID-19 testing didn't increase at the jail, but Inweekly learned that the Florida Department of
Corrections had tested approximately 1,500 inmates housed at its Century Correctional Institution from July 30-Aug. 3 using its medical contractor and standard COVID-19 viral tests. The tests revealed 753 inmates were positive for the virus. "The great majority of inmates at Century CI who have tested positive showed mild or no symptoms of the virus when they were tested," reported the department in an Aug. 11 press release. If the state was able to test 200-300 prisoners a day, why was the Escambia County Jail testing only two or three? At the Aug. 20 board meeting, Chief Powell told the commissioners that prisoners had been reluctant to be tested after they were told what the testing process entailed and that they would be put in isolation in the jail infirmary pending the results. "Why wouldn't we just do a rapid test where we would get the response back in 15 minutes?' asked Commissioner May. Powell replied, "I don't know, sir. We were dealing with Sacred Heart's lab. That's our testing center." "Mr. Chairman, to me, there's no excuse that we're not doing rapid testing," said May. "That is a CARES Act expenditure. We've got 50-plus million dollars. It helps our employees. I'd would like to see you move forward with the rapid testing." He continued, "Because you're telling me that I'm in a jail and I'm going to be in solitary for 14 days, either you test me whether I'm negative or positive—I may just take my chances. But if you tell me that I'll have the results back in 15 minutes, which is not a deep swab—it's a light swab—I think people will be more inclined." Gilley pointed out that she had rapid testing as part of her CARES Act plan. She said, "Chandra (Smiley of Community Health Northwest Florida) is waiting for us to approve that so that she can actually contract with it." "I think that we have a relationship with them that she would start today in testing because they are a partner and we give them a half a million dollars every year," said Commissioner May. "So I think she values that, and she would start testing if you would just reach out to her." Inweekly interviewed Jessica Gomez, who was released from the county jail recently. She said that conditions in the main jail were unsafe and "unable to be sanitized or cleaned, period, in order to prevent any kind of infectious disease even outside of COVID." When an inmate worker in her pod tested positive, the jail supervisors refused to test the other prisoners. "They've declined us testing up until the week that I was released, Aug. 11," said Gomez. "They started to tell inmates that, 'Sure, you can get COVID testing. However, you have to be housed in the infirmary,' which is where it's disgusting."
She explained, "It's a danger to go to the infirmary, more or less, because, number one, there's no supervision. There's been several deaths. A friend of mine that I kind of got close to while I was in there, she had a direct family member die due to the care, or lack of, from the infirmary guards."
"They started to tell inmates that, 'Sure, you can get COVID testing. However, you have to be housed in the infirmary,' which is where it's disgusting." Jessica Gomez Gomez continued, "I also witnessed Ms. Mary Smith, an elderly lady that went into the infirmary and was positive COVID. She said, 'I was in there for three days. They gave me an ounce of Gatorade one time. When I asked for toilet paper, they declined. He said, 'Use your hand.'" She said prisoners in the work release facility lose their privileges and are threatened if they complain about COVID-19. Gomez said, "They tell you in work release, 'We don't talk about the COVID over here. If you want to talk about the COVID, you can go back over to COVID-land in the main jail.'" She added, "They tell you if you're persistent and you want to push the issue, you're considered inciting a riot, which is a new charge, and they'll move you back over COVID-land."
"They tell you if you're persistent and you want to push the issue, you're considered inciting a riot, which is a new charge, and they'll move you back over COVID-land." Gomez When she was released, Gomez immediately went and got tested and is waiting on her results. During the CARES Act portion of the Aug. 20 meeting, the commissioners did approve the Escambia County Rapid Testing Program that would provide 30,000 tests to be administered by Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital and 20,000 ID NOW Rapid Test Kits administered by Community Health Northwest Florida through Dec. 30. These tests are for residents without COVID-19 symptoms and for residents without insurance. While the rapid testing program didn't specify an allocation for jail inmates, the commissioners clearly expect to see the testing at the county jail to increase. Let's see if it happens. {in} inweekly.net
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SALZMAN'S SURPRISE WIN
Michelle Salzman / michellesalzmanforhouse.com
Rick Outzen Michelle Salzman's victory over Mike Hill was the biggest upset of the Aug. 18 primary. Many considered Florida House Representative Hill unbeatable, even though he has been considered one of the least effective lawmakers in Tallahassee. Two years ago, Hill won the House District 1 seat with 48% of the vote against Rebekah Bydlak (45%) and Lisa Doss (7%). He had represented House District 2 from 2013-2016, losing in a Florida Senate GOP primary to Rep. Doug Broxson. Newcomer Michelle Salzman defeated Hill in the 2020 Republican primary, 52.5%-47.5%. She will face Democrat Franscine Mathis, who beat Barbara ScottShouse in her primary, in the November general election. When she first decided to run, few people gave her chance of defeating Hill, who had heavy support among the leaders of the Republican Party in Escambia County. She shared with Inweekly that people would tell her, "I like what you say, but nobody can beat Mike. We love what you're trying to do, but you can't beat him. You really shouldn't do this." 88
She replied, "You know what, I'm not doing this because I can win; I'm doing this because it's what I think I should be doing. Somebody needs to do this."
"You know what, I'm not doing this because I can win; I'm doing this because it's what I think I should be doing. Somebody needs to do this." Michelle Salzman Last September, a poll of Republican voters in House District 1 found Hill had 71% support, Salzman with 10% and 19% undecided. Inweekly asked her how she turned around the race. "I saw a quote about a year ago, 'Never create more enemies than you can defeat,' and I used that quote the entire year," said Salzman. "I never posted it anywhere. I didn't want anybody to know that was my strategy, but the idea was don't create opposition—minimize opposition as much as possible because more people will vote against you—then they'll vote for you." She knocked on over 14,000 doors and
did it without much fanfare because she didn't think people would take her campaign seriously. "Everything I did was so strategic down to the motivational posts that I started posting every day," Salzman said. "So people would see a continuous positive conversation from me and not come at me with something negative about an issue." She joined every GOP group possible, including the Escambia Republican Executive Committee, Women for Responsible Legislation and Republican Women of Florida. Salzman said, "Gosh, those people adored Mike. We would go to meetings and nobody would talk to us, but we would go anyway." She added, "I joined every club I could, even though I knew they hated me being there. But if I was there in the room, they couldn't rally against me. It was grueling, but it worked." Salzman shared that friends and meeting the voters in her district kept her motivated during the grueling campaign. "I had so many people in my corner, and I had people calling me all the time and lifting me up," she said. "When I had a bad day, I would go knock doors, and it made it all better because I'm telling you, when you get out there and you talk to just those real people, they're good folks." One of the biggest challenges was dealing with local party leadership that clearly wanted Hill to retain the House seat. Even though she was a delegate for her precinct, they almost completely shut her out of most meetings. "Oh yeah. They're not very nice. They're very divisive," said Salzman. "I wouldn't even get the invites to the meetings until the last minute, if I even got them at all. They had a Trump kickoff party. I wasn't officially invited by the organization, but I went anyway, and it turned out it was a love fest for Mike Hill—Everything Mike Hill, everything." She continued, "It took a lot of humility to stand in rooms of people that just absolutely do not like you, that they worshiped Mike Hill. I remember the third or fourth REC (Republican Executive Committee) meeting that I went to, they had him as a guest speaker." She said that Hill's supporters Bill Fetke and Barbara Mayall did everything they could to squash her spirit—"Scott Lunsford calls them 'The Beverly Hillbullies' because they stand on Beverly Parkway waving for Mike Hill and they're bullies." After knocking on 14,000 doors, what did she learn about House District 1? "I learned that they are really core Christians—that is the number one thing," Salzman said. "They really fight really hard to be able to practice their Christian beliefs and input those Christian beliefs into their own children."
A majority were pro-life, and nearly 100% were pro-Second Amendment and loved dogs. "On the doors that I knocked, I would say maybe 60% of them were hardcore pro-life, but almost 100% were hardcore pro-gun and pro-Christian, and every other door I knocked had a dog," she laughed. "So we like dogs. I was like, okay, dog, dog, dog, no dog, no dog, dog, dog, dog, no dog. We started making notes because my driver was just like, 'Michelle, this just crazy. Everybody has dogs.'" As she knocked on doors, she had to explain that state lawmakers can help with infrastructure needs in the county. Salzman pointed out that Rep. Hill had the ability to get state funds to repair roads and bridges. "Wouldn't you like that overpass to be there at Beulah Middle School? Why didn't we do that? Do you know that would have been Mike's bill?" she told voters. "The learning curve was the biggest hurdle for me overall because people didn't understand what Mike's job really was," explained Salzman. "And they thought if you wrote a bill, you were going to create law. No, you have to write a bill to get money. You have to write a bill to take away a law or to change a law." The winner of the November general election will be the first woman to ever represent District 1 in the Florida House and only the fifth female lawmaker in Escambia County's history. Salzman hopes to be an inspiration to other women. "There were many doors I knocked on that men told me that I needed to go home and take care of my family, 'What are you doing this for? You have a good life with your husband. Does your husband know you're here? Where are your children? Who's cooking your dinner. Is your house clean?' I can't tell you how many times that was a question for me," she shared.
"I hope that this provides some sort of inspiration for other women, even especially in my district, that you can do that." Salzman "I hope that this provides some sort of inspiration for other women, even especially in my district, that you can do that," said Salzman. "If you want to keep a traditional Christian value and you want to take care of your family and do all those things, you can do that. But you know what else you can do? You can be a community leader. You can be a legislator. You can be all those things and still be a wonderful woman, a wonderful wife, a wonderful mom and a wonderful Christian." She added, "You don't have to pick one or the other." {in} inweekly.net
"Everyone with a child enrolled to an Escambia County school is invited to participate in the public portion of the meeting and to ask questions that they would like addressed," said Godbehere. Families are invited to submit questions, ideas or concerns prior to the meeting by sending their questions to pensacolapao@gmail.com by Thursday, Aug. 27. The Sept. 3 meeting will be hosted by ECSD and can be viewed live on the ECSD's Board Meeting feed, as well as on Facebook on the page Escambia Schools Public Relations. The agenda will be available prior to the meeting on the ECSD Military Families Information page escambiaschools.org/military.
FINALLY Last fall at the Pensacola Cham-
ber's State of the Military luncheon, NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Captain Tim Kinsella made it clear that Escambia County's public education system is one of the biggest challenges facing Pensacola— one that scares military families away from wanting to move to the area. "I need everybody in this room to be part of that, of getting to a solution that gives our families the option, a choice where they can feel safe and secure in the knowledge that their kids are going to get a good education," said Capt. Kinsella. "They shouldn't have to sacrifice their children's education to serve our country." School officials were highly offended and disputed the commanding officer's
statements. However, the school board did agree to form a council to improve educational services and communication between the Escambia County School District and military families. The council will hold its first meeting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3—11 months after Kinsella's speech.
"They shouldn't have to sacrifice their children's education to serve our country." Tim Kinsella The ECSD NASP Military Council cochairs are the school district's Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Steve Marcanio and NAS Pensacola's Executive Officer Commander John Godbehere.
CASE DISMISSED On Thursday, Aug. 20, attorneys for Jason Uphaus, the Black Lives Matter protester who was nearly run over by an angry driver at the foot of the Chappie James Bridge, announced that charges against him had been dropped. Chris Klotz, of the Stevenson Klotz law firm, said that the State Attorney's office dropped the charges against Uphaus after Klotz filed a Stand Your Ground motion. A statement from the State Attorney indicated that the driver of the car was not cooperating with the prosecutors. "We have felt all along that Mr. Uphaus was acting in self-defense when the driver of the vehicle threatened to run over him and his fellow peaceful protesters," said Klotz. The driver not only threatened the safety of Mr. Uphaus and the protesters; he willfully ignored the instructions of the police officer directing traffic away from the crowd." The attorney asserted that it was clear that the driver of the vehicle knew that he was in the wrong. Klotz said, "We hope that police and prosecutors will take a second look at this driver's dangerous actions." He added, "Our client, Mr. Uphaus, was the victim of a criminal battery in this case, and that has been clear from the beginning. We're glad that justice has prevailed and
that Mr. Uphaus can move forward without a wrongful criminal charge against him."
OPIOID CONVICTION Last November, U.S. marshals arrested a doctor and his wife living in Gulf Breeze on federal charges related to the illegal distribution of Oxycontin. Dr. David Lelio, a psychiatrist, had recently moved to the area after being hired by Gulf Coast VA Health Care System. He and his wife, Nadja Kujanson-Lelio, were extradited to Wythe County, Va. On Wednesday, Aug. 17, the Lelios pleaded guilty to charges that they conspired to illegally distribute prescription opioids to patients. The scheme used by the couple was similar to those reported by Inweekly in February 2018, "Opioid Crisis: Fighting to be Drug-Free." Between 2016 and 2019, the couple admitted that Lelio wrote more than 60 prescriptions for oxycodone to patients and that these prescriptions did not have a legitimate medical purpose. The prescriptions were written with the understanding that some or all of the prescriptions would be shared with KujansonLelio, according to prosecutors. The couple then would reimburse patients for the cost of filling the prescriptions. What sparked the investigation was Wythe County deputies finding the body of Michael Miles in a home with multiple oxycodone prescriptions prescribed by Lelio in February 2019. Miles' cause of death was ruled to be "acute fentanyl and heroin intoxication." Both Lelio and Kujanson-Lelio will be sentenced on Dec. 10. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia, Wythe County Sheriff's Office, Virginia State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration collaborated on the investigation of this case. NEW MEDICAL EXAMINER State Attorney Bill Eddins has recommended Dr. Deanna Oleske to the new chief medical
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examiner for the First District of Florida. She will meet with all four counties of the district to negotiate the terms of a contract. Once that is accomplished, Oleske will be submitted to Gov. Ron DeSantis for appointment. Oleske is currently the associate medical examiner for District 23 Medical Examiner's Office in St. Augustine, covering St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties.
DOWN TO FOUR The Escambia County
School District last week took a step closer to its new superintendent following the school board's selection of a group of finalists vying for the job. Semi-finalists still in the running include Dr. Earl Johnson, Keith Rittle, Dr. Timothy Smith and Keith Leonard after the school board declined to keep Marques Stewart on their list of candidates. Aside from comments indicating general support for each of the remaining candidates—"I just really want to have more conversations with him"—Escambia school board members weren't too talkative about selected finalists, each of which will be further considered during upcoming interviews. Some insight was gained, however,
010 1
through the selection process—the only applicant to be selected as a finalist by all school board members was Smith, a school administration official with three decades of experience in Orange County. Additionally, school board member Paul Fesko did speak briefly about Leonard and what he called "growing your own." Leonard is a local candidate, has worked in the district for more than three decades and currently serves as Escambia's assistant superintendent of Human Resources Services. "I don't want to expel just because he's homegrown," Fesko said. "In fact, I think that's a positive."
"I don't want to expel just because he's homegrown. In fact, I think that's a positive." Paul Fesko On Thursday, Aug. 27, the finalists will answer questions from the public during a virtual "Meet and Greet" at 6 p.m. The school board members will meet one-onone with each candidate the following day,
and the board is expected to select the new superintendent on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
CPAC TACKLES RACISM As the Pensacola Citizens Police Advisory Committee hammered out its priorities and mission on Tuesday, Aug. 18, discussion fell to what several members referred to as the "elephant in the room." "Racism—we have to be upfront about it," said committee member Hale Morrissette. The conversation regarding racism came as members considered a lengthy list of proposed priorities. The list was composed of various priorities identified by committee members, including issues such as police training and attrition, as well as the concept of community trust. Rev. Joseph Marshall, chairman of the advisory committee, said that people in the community understood that there was an issue regarding the policing of minority individuals and the police department's relationship with that community and that there was hope the committee would be addressing that issue. "Out in town, they're already talking," Marshall said. "They are waiting for us to do something and not just meet, meet, meet, meet."
Name-checking several Black members on the committee, the chairman commented that they too understood what the core issue was when considering police-community relations. "This is super important," Morrissette would say later. "We're not being divisive when we bring this up." Fellow member Charles Bare, however, said he was offended by Marshall's comments and that he wanted to seek input from across the community when considering the committee's focus. "I know my experiences are different than your experiences," Bare told the chairman. "I don't need you to point out that my skin color is different." "Nobody's saying anything to hurt your feelings," Morrissette told Bare. "We're saying people are getting hurt right now." Several members of the group, including Marshall, offered general apologies to each other for the tenser moments of conversation during Tuesday's meeting. Facilitator Cedric Alexander stressed that the group was heading into complicated territory and advised they take it easy. "Don't be too hard on each other," he said.
inweekly.net
Alexander also summed up the committee's mission nicely—"How do we get people to trust their police department again, because they don't now?" By the end of the meeting, members had selected two of items of focus from their list of potential priorities. For now, the advisory committee will concentrate on the issues of building trust between the police and the citizens they serve, as well as the mental health of both citizens and police officers.
BENCHES TO RETURN Recently,
concerns were raised about the removal of benches in Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza along South Palafox downtown. It was surmised that perhaps the benches had been removed to discourage the gathering of homeless people in the plaza. Mayor Grover Robinson said this was not the case and that the city was simply performing maintenance on the benches. "They are being refurbished," he said. "They will be back." In the past, city officials have attempted to address the use of park benches as places for people to sleep by passing ordinances aimed at the homeless. Robinson stressed that the current removal of the benches along MLK plaza was for refurbishing purposes only. "The park benches will be back," he said. "We expect to have them back more comfortable and ready for you to use."
ROTH CONTINUES FAMILY LEGACY
When Dr. James Andrews began to lay the groundwork in the mid-2000s that lead to the opening of Andrews Institute in 2007, his goal was to recruit an all-star team of area physicians. One of those physicians was Dr. Charles Roth, who had previously worked at Gulf Coast Orthopedics. Dr. Charles Roth had an established practice and reputation in the surrounding Pensacola area prior to joining Andrews Institute and had one "assistant" who worked closely with him during those times—his youngest son, Travis. "I remember my dad was very humbled to be one of the physicians chosen to work alongside Dr. Andrews at the new facility," said Dr. Travis Roth. "He always said it was one of the best decisions he made for his career."
"He always said it was one of the best decisions he made for his career." Dr. Travis Roth Dr. Travis Roth will continue the legacy and reputation his late father established at Andrews Institute. Dr. Charles Roth passed away on Feb. 5 from a long, hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. His connection to Andrews Institute and Dr. Andrews goes beyond his father's August 27, 2020
legacy. When in medical school, Dr. Andrews reconstructed his ACL. He also worked with Dr. Andrews on the sidelines of Auburn University football games during his fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Ala. As Dr. Roth begins his tenure as an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Andrews Institute, he is motivated to take care of the community that shaped him and looks forward to the opportunity for growth. "Andrews Institute is such an amazing facility," said Dr. Roth. "This is a big opportunity for me at a place that has excellent resources, from community outreach to research." Dr. Roth treats patients by appointment at Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze and at Baptist Medical Park–Nine Mile in Pensacola. For more information, visit andrewsinstitute.com.
COX CHARITY GRANTS Cox Communica-
tions employees will award $50,000 to various nonprofits across the company's Southeast footprint through employee-funded Cox Charities Community Investment grants. Grant applications are now being accepted from 501(c)(3) organizations at coxcharitiesser.org through Sept. 20. Applicants will receive their funding status in October, and grant winners will receive payments in December. Cox Charities, the company's charitable giving initiative, supports area nonprofits that further its mission to strengthen Cox communities through programs that positively impact people in the areas of education, health and human services, environmental sustainability and the arts. Area nonprofits can apply for grants up to $5,000. "This year has been challenging for local organizations of every kind, and our employees are happy to provide continued financial support of our community partners," said Erin Monroe Wesley, vice president of government and public affairs for the Cox Southeast region. "Now more than ever it's important to get resources to nonprofits who are making a difference. Although times have changed, our commitment to the community remains the same." The Cox Southeast Region includes Florida's Gulf Coast (Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview), Central Florida (Gainesville and Ocala), Middle Georgia (Macon and Warner Robins) and Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, La. In addition to the Community Investment grants, Cox Charities offers Innovation in Education grants to pre-K-12th grade teachers/ classrooms to promote students' ingenuity and imagination through the innovative use of technology. This year, employees in the Southeast region pledged over $170,000 to Cox Charities. For more information about the Cox Charities Community Investment grant and to access grant applications, visit coxcharitiesser.org. {in}
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HOW TO STAY INFORMED This week, we want to share some rapidfire tips to help you fight feed fatigue and stay informed without totally losing it. MAKE A SCHEDULE. Use a read-it-later app, like Pocket or Instapaper, to save articles you find while scrolling social media. Then, set aside a chunk of time every day (like your lunch break or an after-work happy hour) to read the pieces you saved. KNOW YOUR STANDARDS. One of the problems with our modern digital news landscape is that it's diluted the authority of ethical and professional journalism by over-saturating the market with junk news, shady "analysis" sites and straight-up misinformation. Check out the Society of Professional Journalists (sjp.org) to get a crash course on journalism standards you can consider when choosing where to invest your time and what outlets to support. DIGEST OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS. These days, it's very easy to create echo chambers where we only hear our viewpoints confirmed and differing opinions lampooned. While we're not telling you to invite hate speech, misinformation or propaganda into your news routines, we challenge you to find a few reputable outlets or public figures on the "other side of the aisle" to save you from forming a bias-bubble. KEEP SOCIAL MEDIA SOCIAL. This is your official permission slip to let the professionals do their jobs and stop feel-
ing like you have to be a keyboard crusader. Support and amplify experts, but don't feel bad for unfollowing or unfriending nebulous social media connections who have become unhealthy and/or unhelpful noise. SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTERS. Chances are, everything from your local newspapers to national newsrooms to political campaigns to important nonprofits have a regularly scheduled newsletter that can get you up to speed in just a few minutes a day. Bonus points if you find a daily news digest that you can commit to reviewing daily. PICK A FOCUS AREA. As much as you might want to, you can't care about everything at once with high intensity and careful scrutiny. Allow yourself the space to be a generalist about the big things and find one (or two) subjects or issues that you are particularly invested in or passionate about to follow more closely. LISTEN WHEN YOU CAN'T READ. Utilize your commute, your daily skincare routine, even just the time you spend doing the dishes to listen to news podcasts or live streams of municipal meetings or informative webinars. Audio is a busy citizen's secret weapon. GO LONG FORM. When you're ready to get serious about your knowledge on a subject, issue or public figure, it's a great time to pick a book, full-length documen-
tary or long-form article to immerse yourself in. It will help with feed fatigue, and, chances are, you'll learn even more than a typical news segment can teach you. FORM AN ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP. Remember what we said about picking a focus? Find a few friends with different focuses and commit to checking in regularly to share what you're learning about that area. You'll have built-in structure and purpose to your news consumption and the group will benefit from a personalized digest from people they know and trust. HONOR YOUR LIMITS. The key to avoiding burnout is to give yourself space and time to rest and process. Find windows when you consciously step away from the news cycle. We promise it will keep on cranking without you, and you'll be better prepared to be a force for good if you are healthy and well-rested. USE YOUR POWER FOR GOOD. Here's a challenge—When you'd like to fire off a few comments or roast someone in the group chat, take a breath and see if you can redirect that time and energy to contacting your elected representatives or making a few calls for a campaign you support. FIND THE SOURCE. Stay grounded by getting as close to primary sources as you can. Outlets that do original fact reporting, nonprofits with boots on the ground and the public offices of elected officials
can get you information without the noise that accompanies a lot of "convenient" news sources or social media feeds. GET A SUBSCRIPTION. Found an outlet, expert or nonprofit that you rely on to keep you informed? Invest in their work! And if they don't offer subscriptions (like this paper—hint, hint), that means they are advertiser supported. So take a look at the ads and remember those local businesses the next time you're looking to spend some money around town. REFLECT ON WHAT YOU READ. Set aside time to process what you're learning each week. A simple journaling habit or even just a file of notes on your reaction to current events will help you mark time and make progress toward being a responsible and informed citizen. FIND THE GOOD. Let yourself find a few places where the light can get in. Allow yourself to indulge in some fun lifestyle content or follow a few famous animals on Instagram. We all need some positivity to keep ourselves going.
*Pensacola Votes is a nonpartisan voter education and civic engagement guide developed by the team at Inweekly to empower local voters to show up and stay focused. Got questions? Send them to us at pensacolavotes@gmail.com, or send us a direct message on Instagram, @pensacolavotes.
GENERAL ELECTION DATES TO REMEMBER OCT. 5 Voter Registration Deadline | OCT. 24 Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request Deadline | OCT. 24-31 Early Voting | NOV. 3 Election Day
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WEEK OF AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 2
Arts & Encouragement hope, help and other signs of humanity at a time when we really need it...
Growing Through It By Sydney Robinson
Photos courtesy of The Farm
In the early days of nationwide shutdowns due to COVID-19, news reports from all corners of the U.S. informed Americans who had just wiped grocery shelves clean that some large-scale farmers were dumping their produce in a time when fears about food shortages were at their peak. In response to the reports and the outrage that followed, farmers all over reached out in frustration to explain how it could be that a farmer in Idaho might have nothing to do with his once valuable crop of potatoes other than simply dump them into a shallow grave. The short story? A massive difference in the way they sell, transport and package food supplies for food service versus in your grocery produce section—which meant that farmers would see negative profit if they were able to even get their product to your Publix shelves. Locally, our Florida- and Alabamabased farmers and the markets which support them struggled to adapt to their August 27, 2020
own unique challenges alongside the rest of the country. Inweekly spoke to some of those local farmers and the businesses that work alongside them to review the last six months from their perspective.
"A MIRACLE"
William Wendt of Wendt Farm and Nursery in Pace has spent a lot of time pondering the fact that while the upheaval of a global pandemic isn't something he would want to face again, 2020 has offered a surprisingly successful year for his family and his farm.
" I've been in the produce business for 25-plus years, and I've never seen it like it was this time as far as the demand." William Wendt "This is one of the best years we've had in the vegetable business," Wendt said.
"Come June when we opened our market [in Pace], it was unbelievable. I've been in the produce business for 25-plus years, and I've never seen it like it was this time as far as the demand. Everybody wanted fresh produce." Wendt credits the success of his farm to the support of the local community, calculated risks and a bit of luck. "[In April,] we had about 50 thousand dollars' worth of Easter lilies, and 95% of our sales were canceled." With Easter all but canceled and the year's profits on the line, the Wendts took to social media and called on their supporters to help alleviate their abundance of lilies. "We were overwhelmed with support of our community and friends," said Wendt. "We sold every lily we had. I call that a miracle." Still, Wendt says he knows area farmers that were left with crops they could not sell for one reason or another. "I know of other growers who didn't have that opportunity and they piled [their crop] in the dumpsters."
MAKING A MARKET
No farmer wants to accept a loss and watch their hard work rot in the ground. Thanks to some quick and resourceful planning from Meredith Elliott of Maeday Farm, many other farmers may have been saved from that same fate. Maeday Farm was getting ready to celebrate its one-year anniversary at Palafox Market when the coronavirus forced the market to close in mid-March.
"We had a bunch of farmers with a bunch of produce, and we just couldn't wait, so we started our own market." Meredith Elliott Just days after the weekly market was halted, Elliott teamed up with the owner of East Hill Market, Susan Countryman, to 13
provide space for area farmers to sell their fresh produce and other perishables. "We had a bunch of farmers with a bunch of produce, and we just couldn't wait, so we started our own market," Elliott said. The only certified organic farm in the area, Maeday Farm grows and sells between 30 and 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables. For safety reasons, the market is limited to 12 to 15 farmers, and the parking lot setup enables them to maintain recommended social distancing guidelines. The hope is that Palafox Market is able to return, but so far, Elliott says she hasn't heard much about what the plan may be, so until then, she'll be at East Hill Market on Saturday mornings. In addition to that market, Maeday Farm customers have flocked to their newly launched CSA program, which a farmto-doorstep concept which has gained in popularity this summer. It's so popular, in fact, that their fall CSA already sold out.
"BEST HAS GROWN"
Local market The Farm (formerly Flora Bama Farms) would appear to be an agricultural jack of all trades. While operating as a walk-up market for locals and visitors, the business also serves as an educational hub and meeting place for area farmers looking to learn and connect in the name of agriculture. Sandy Veilleux, part-owner of The Farm and founder and co-owner of the Black Garlic Market Inc., says that six-plus months of pandemic has shown her the true meaning of community. "We've all helped each other through," said Veilleux. "What a community we have when you think about it."
"We've all helped each other through. What a community we have when you think about it." Sandy Veilleux
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A supplier for more than 200 restaurants in the region, The Farm's customers were treated to specialty items in early summer when restaurant buyers went dormant in the quietest part of the shutdown. "[After that,] we were able to take some wholesale products that previously were for chefs and we take it to the retail market. We had some really exciting things that people can't usually buy—some great microgreens," she told Inweekly. "From the worst, the best has grown," said Veilleux. "A lot of this brought everybody together. It's what we do naturally every day. No one gets left behind, and if one person has a struggle, everyone helps out."
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In the heart of downtown, a community garden has continued to struggle through the summer heat and lingering pandemic limitations. , lead gardener at From the Ground Up Community Garden, says that the last several months have left her feeling overwhelmed to say the least. "I'm very much like the garden—a little overgrown, immersed in the weeds and just trying to push my way out, surrounded by overgrown fruit."
From the Ground Up is a nonprofit project supported by Innisfree Hotels and is funded partially through corporate sponsorship and partially through public fundraising events like live concerts in the garden.
"I'm very much like the garden—a little overgrown, immersed in the weeds and just trying to push my way out, surrounded by overgrown fruit." Elizabeth Eubanks In March, Eubanks said the garden's funding was paused and, with it, the droves of volunteers the garden relies upon to function dried up. Eubanks says the garden was able to raise some cash to continue paying for limited maintenance, but she could only allow small groups of volunteers to come assist. "It's really important for the plants to be harvested, so I began opening up harvest days, but it's really hard to explain what to do and not to do if you haven't harvested before." The garden would typically have hundreds of volunteers through the spring and summer between students from nearby schools, Boy Scouts looking for badges and community members who work in exchange for a piece of the harvest. "From March to May, we lost 1,000 volunteers, which translates to about 3,000 man-hours," Eubanks said. In addition to losing volunteers, Eubanks has been unable to schedule or host any fundraising events. "We've lost four or five concerts, a movie and the Slow Ride. I honestly just don't know how [future events are] going to go. I don't even want to start planning until I see how the school year starts," she said. With the new school year comes an additional responsibility for Eubanks, who divides her time between From the Ground Up and the garden at the Dixon School of Arts and Sciences, where she is planning how to provide virtual instruction to the students. Eubanks says the community garden is in need of donations, volunteers and individuals who are interested in renting the space for private events. "I'm overwhelmed," said Eubanks. "Every time you kind of breathe and think it's going to be OK, then there's a reminder that it's just not OK right now." {in} Learn more about these local farms and agricultural businesses: WENDT FARM AND NURSERY facebook.com/wendtfarmandnursery MAEDAY FARM maedayfarm.com THE FARM thefarmofpensacola.com FROM THE GROUND UP COMMUNITY GARDEN fromthegroundupgardenpensacola.com inweekly.net
August 27, 2020
15
a&e happenings Attending "normal" events might not be happening yet—but that doesn't mean local businesses and nonprofits aren't still keeping the community connected in creative ways.
NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
PHS HOSTS BACK TO SCHOOL PHOTO CONTEST Enter your back-to-school
pics to win prizes and support Pensacola Humane Society. Whether your kids are homeschooling, attending in person or a mix of both, snap a cute back-to-school pic with your kids and pets and enter to win. You can vote on your favorites for a $1 donation now through Aug. 28. All proceeds benefit Pensacola Humane Society. Encourage your family and friends to vote for your pet—the more votes that you get, the more the shelter animals win. A $1 donation feeds three shelter cats or two shelter dogs for one day. For more information, visit pensacolahumane.org.
KITTEN AND CAT ADOPTIONS AT PETSMART Many beautiful cats and kittens will be looking for their forever homes Saturday, Aug. 29, noon-4 p.m. at PetSmart, 6251 N. Davis Highway. All cats are up to date on shots and tested negative for leukemia, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip and flea pill. Minimum donation fees are $90 for kittens up to one year and $55-$75 for adults. Community cat information available; learn to help cats in your neighborhood. Bring hand sanitizer, wear a mask and follow distancing guidelines.
FIFTH SUNDAY FOOD DRIVE AT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH Tender Hearts
Caring Hands will be serving more than 150 families each month, as well as over 100 homeless clients with their regular food drives. On Sunday, Aug. 30, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., you can drop off donations of nonperishable food items at Ministry Village at Olive, located at 1716 E. Olive Road. Donations can also be dropped off at Ministry Village office any weekday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/ministryvillage.
PENSACOLA OSTEOPATHS HOSTS IN-CLINIC FOOD PANTRY Pensacola
Osteopaths' in-clinic food pantry is open and available any time that the clinic is open, which is typically Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., for both patients and members of the community who are concerned about hunger and income during the COVID-19 crisis. Anyone is welcome for as long as there is food available—no questions asked. "As a doctor, I cannot ensure good health outcomes when my patients are hungry or when they're worried about their kids going hungry," said Dr. Alexys Hillman. "I've never been the type to stand by, see a situation and not take action. If there's something I can do to help, I'm going to do it, and in this case, an in-clinic food pantry helps a lot of people." Pensacola Osteopaths is located 14 W. 616 1
Jordan St., Ste. C. Donations to the food pantry are accepted. For more information, call 368-7528.
DOGGIE BATHE-INS RESUME The Pen-
sacola Humane Society 2020 Doggie BatheIn season has begun, with proceeds going to fund its foster program and kitten supplies. Bathe-ins offer low-cost dog bathing and flea dips during the warm weather season. Events are held the third Saturday of the month, April through October, and continue as follows—Sept. 19 and Oct. 17. Charges are based on the dog's weight and range from $8-$11. Please bring your own towels, or you may rent a towel for a $1 donation. Pensacola Humane Society is located at 5 N. Q St. For more information, visit pensacolahumane.org.
ARTS + CULTURE
PLT PRESENTS: A SLEEPING COUNTRY WAKES UP THE COURTROOM
The Pensacola Little Theatre proudly presents the first production of their '20-'21 season, "A Sleeping Country." This Studio 400 production is written by Melanie Marnich and directed by Kyle Golden. Show dates are Aug. 28-31 and September 3-5. "A Sleeping Country" is a dreamy comedy about sleep lost and hope found. Julia, a woman from New York City with a serious case of insomnia, travels to Venice seeking help from a sleepless heiress who might be a distant relative. What she discovers is the difference between being an insomniac and being truly awake. Live performance dates and streaming options will be available. Watch website for details at pensacolalittletheatre.com. There will be limiting seating in the theatre, and masks will be required at live performances. Tickets are available online and by calling the Box Office at 432-2042.
FLICKS ON THE FIELD: SPACE JAM
Join the Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce at the Pensacola Greyhound Track, 951 Dog Track Road, on Friday, Aug. 28, for a free family-friendly drive-in movie featuring "Space Jam." The show will start at dusk on the Wind Creek Casino outdoor movie screen. Enjoy the movie from the comfort of your vehicle, or bring lawn chairs or a blanket to watch while safely socially distancing. Concessions will be available at the location. For more information, visit business.perdidochamber.com.
METALLICA DRIVE-IN CONCERT EXPERIENCE Watch Metallica's first show
of 2020 safe from the comfort of your own car. The drive-in concert experience will be Saturday, Aug. 28, at 8 p.m. at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. Tickets are $115 per car (up to six people) and includes four free digital downloads of Metallica's "S&M2" album. To purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.
MUSEUMS UPDATES+NEW EXHIBITION The T.T. Wentworth and Pensacola Museum
of Art (PMA) are now open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Both museums are operating at limited capacity. To ensure social distancing guidelines are kept, visitors must reserve a $5 timed ticket online. The tickets are good for both museums for one day only. PMA's latest exhibition opens. "…I Forgot to Laugh" demonstrates how artists in recent years have used humor to explore identity, social injustice and the absurdity of modern life. By subverting expectations through surprising materials, challenging the notion of fine art and using humor to create space for taboo subjects, these artists show the power of tackling serious topics with levity. Other exhibitions on display are "DocuFlorida 3" and "Lessons in Ink" at the T.T. Wentworth Museum. You can also still enjoy virtual tours of exhibitions and collection highlights. For more information on both, visit pensacolamuseum.org and historicpensacola.org.
ARTEL GALLERY'S EXHIBITIONS ON DISPLAY Artel's latest exhibition is titled
"The Good, The Bad & The Ugly." The exhibition is on view now-Sept. 3. Other exhibited shows include "Places I Went To, People I Saw" and "How to Disappear by Summer Sevi." For more information, visit artelgallery.org.
COLLECTION UNCORKED: AT HOME
The Pensacola Museum of Art has teamed up with Wine with Hilary Shaffer and Pot Roast & Pinot to bring their popular "Collection Uncorked" wine tasting into your home. Collection Uncorked invites visitors to learn more about the permanent collection through curated wine and art pairings. Chief Curator Anna Wall and Shaffer, a certified specialist of wine, are collaborating to match works of art with wines whose flavor profile or origins complement the art, artist or subject matter. This limitededition curated box of three wines allows you to recreate the experience at home. Inside, you'll find reproductions of the works of art with narratives to guide you on your journey. Each box is $65. Order by noon on Wednesday of each week and pick up at Pot Roast & Pinot the following Saturday. For more information, visit potroastpinot. com/product/collectionuncorked.
BALLET PENSACOLA VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING The Ballet Pensacola Virtual Programming Series gives ballet fans a look at performances in the comfort of their own homes—or anywhere their devices take them. Utilizing a new soundstage built by the ballet's technicians, the artists will reimagine, repurpose and relaunch two beloved ballets from the Ballet Pensacola repertoire—"Alice in Wonderland" (a 2017 premiere) and "The Matrix " (a 2013 premiere). For more information, visit facebook.com/ balletpensacola.
PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA "VIRTUALLY TOGETHER" Be sure
to follow Pensacola Symphony Orchestra on Facebook to see videos of orchestra musicians performing special works from their homes. To watch, visit facebook.com/ pensacolasymphony.
OPERALIVE Pensacola Opera is keep-
ing patrons connected through their new online series OperaLIVE. Episodes typically include things like interviews and performances with artists, plus appearances by Pensacola Opera staff. For updates on new episodes or to watch past ones, visit facebook.com/ pensacolaopera. You can also subscribe to their channel on YouTube.
WORKSHOPS AT STUDIO SOUTH
Face-to-face workshops have resumed at Studio South. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road, Ste. 101. For more information and to see a complete list of July events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com.
SINGERS' CINEMA Every Friday after-
noon through August, enjoy a movie pick from the Choral Society of Pensacola. Information on each week's movie and where to find it online will be available on their Facebook page, facebook.com/choralsocietyofpensacola. Some can be viewed free; most are available for rent for under $5. Watch the movie over the weekend, and then join the Choral Society Monday evenings for a Zoom session to share your thoughts.
CALL FOR ARTISTS
FCAC JURIED SHOW Calling all local artists to submit their work for Gallery 1060's Third Annual Juried Show at First City Art Center. All media is welcome. Entry Fee is $20 for FCAC members, $25 for non-members. Curbside drop-off dates are Thursday, Aug. 27, 1-4 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 28, 1-4 p.m.; and Saturday, Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Full details and requirements can be found on Gallery 1060's website at gallery1060.com/2020-juried-show. PIECES ADRIFT ART SHOW Keep Pensacola Beautiful is recruiting artists to participate in their Pieces Adrift Art Show and Silent Auction. Pieces Adrift is a Keep Pensacola Beautiful programming fundraiser and pollution awareness event. Artists are welcome to participate with any level of experience, whether hobbyist or professional. Each piece submitted should be comprised of at least 50% litter. Due to COVID-19, KPB recommends using your discretion when picking up litter off the ground. Art pieces may also be created using trash from your home. Artists may also pick through sorted bins of trash at the KPB office left over from last year. "Pieces Adrift is a creative and unique way to unite the community in achieving a common goal—making Pensacola a beautiful place to live, work and play. It brings awareness to the perpetuating issue of inweekly.net
a&e happenings litter and ocean pollution on our beaches and roadways. By repurposing trash as art, we hope to inspire our community to be mindful of what and how they throw it away," says Madelyn Newton, Marketing and Development, VISTA. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 1. For more information, please email marketing@keeppensacolabeautiful.org.
LIVE MUSIC
OPEN JAM AT ARTEL GALLERY Artel
Gallery is open from 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays for open jam with Pensacola Folk Music Society. Feel free to visit and listen to music. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.
SIPS AND SERENADES Hang out curb-
side at the Pensacola Little Theatre for live performances from local and national talent and to-go cocktails. Mask wearing is encouraged. Events are 6-9 p.m. on select weekends. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for more information and dates.
KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS Sing
your heart out Sundays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, or just enjoy drinks friends with $4 Smirnoff and $6.50 domestic pitcher drink deals from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/mugsjugs.
LIVE MUSIC AT HUB STACEY'S Sit back
with good food and live music at Hub Stacey's, located at 312 E. Government St. For a full calendar of bands, check hubstaceys.com.
LIVE MUSIC AT PARADISE BAR & GRILL Enjoy live music at Paradise, located at 21 Via De Luna Drive. For more information and a full calendar, visit paradisebar-grill.com.
LIVE MUSIC AT RED FISH BLUE FISH
Live music is back at Red Fish Blue Fish from 6-10 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. For a calendar of bands, visit facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.
LIVE MUSIC AT WATER PIG BBQ Enjoy BBQ with a view and live music 6-10 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays at Water Pig BBQ. For a calendar of bands, visit facebook.com/facebook.com/waterpigbbq.
FITNESS + RECREATION
41ST ANNUAL PENSACOLA LADIES BILLFISH TOURNAMENT The 41st An-
nual Pensacola Ladies Billfish Tournament is Aug. 27-29. This year's host marina is Santa Rosa Yacht Club. Registration at Santa Rosa Yacht Club will begin Saturday, Aug. 28, from 5-7 p.m. Captains Meeting to immediately follow registration close at 7 p.m. Strict social distancing guidelines will be enforced. Saturday, Aug. 29, Santa Rosa Yacht Club scales open from 5-7 p.m. Awards to immediately follow weigh-in close at 7 p.m. For more information, visit santarosayachtclub.com.
RALLY FOR THE EARTH Join Earth Ac-
tion, Inc. to stand together and demand the August 27, 2020
protection of the earth. Hear from speakers on what actions you can take to make change locally and nationally. The rally will be 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Corrine Jones Park, 620 E. Government St. For more information, visit facebook.com/earthethics.
R(UN) FOR ONE VIRTUAL RACE Due
to COVID-19, the R(un) for One is now a "Run Where You Are" virtual event in the Pace area. Register for R(un) Where You Are in Florida and support Lifeline's (un) adopted ministry by choosing your own one-mile or 5K track. You can run with a group or gather a team and run together Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 a.m. Registration is $30 for the 5K race or $15 for the one-mile fun run beginning at 8:45 a.m. For more information, visit p2p.onecause.com/runforone5k/event/runforone-pace-fl.
BALLPARK GOLF RETURNS TO BLUE WAHOOS STADIUM Eagles In The
Outfield, Blue Wahoos Stadium's popular target golf experience, will return to the ballpark Thursday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 13, offering fans the exclusive opportunity to golf at the baseball stadium. Tee times are available from 5:30-11:00 p.m. on Thursday, 4-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2:30-8:30 p.m. on Sunday and can be booked online at milb.com/pensacola/events/golf. The course features one dozen targets set up at varying distances across the outfield. Golfers, teeing off from beyond the outfield fence, compete to earn points by hitting the targets with their tee shots. Each tee time gives golfers an hour of unlimited shots from their tee box. Groups of up to six can book a station at the Coors Deck Tee Box, located on the Coors Light Party Deck in right field, for $120 and enjoy shaded seating and direct access to the outfield bar and grill. Groups of four can book spots at the Scoreboard View Tee Box, located beneath the scoreboard at the stadium, or the Centerfield Tee Box for $80. Both right-handed and left-handed clubs will be available for participants to use, but golfers may bring their own clubs. Only short irons (sand wedge, pitching wedge, 9-iron) will be permitted for safety reasons. $5 from every booking will be donated to the First Tee of Northwest Florida to help youth across the Panhandle learn life lessons and develop their character while gaining access to the game of golf.
GULF COAST BREWERY RUN Thurs-
days at 6 p.m., join Pensacola Runners Association for a 5K fun run. Enjoy a free beer after the run and complimentary games such as cornhole, ping pong and more. Gulf Coast Brewery is located at 500 E. Heinberg St. For more information, visit facebook.com/gulfcoastbrewery.
MEDITATIONS IN THE LABYRINTH
Join Empathic Practice and Felipe Muñoz for weekly mediations 5:30 p.m. on Fridays.
The meditations are held at Long Hollow Park on Guillemard Street and are an opportunity for people to get together and practice guided meditations, singing bowl meditation and labyrinth walk meditation. All classes are free, although donations are accepted. Social distancing will be practiced. Bring your own mat or pillow. For more information, visit facebook.com/empathicpractice.
BACKYARD YOGA AT ADONNA'S BAKERY Get your yoga practice in the backyard of Adonna's Bakery. Classes are 9 a.m. Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m. Sundays, weather permitting. Cost is $10. Class size is limited to 12 to allow for social distancing. Register through the fitDEGREE app. For more information, visit facebook.com/diskolemonade.
BEER GARDEN YOGA Join Coastal County Brewing Company Saturdays at 9 a.m. for the new Yoga in the Garden Series. Classes will be led by Tara Taylor, a highly experienced instructor from Breathe Pensacola. All skill levels are welcome. Cost is $10 and includes a pint of beer after the class. Coastal County Brewing Company is located at 3041 E. Olive Road. For more information, visit facebook.com/coastalcounty. YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Stretch
your muscles with Beginner Yoga at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (at the Nine Mile store) Thursdays; 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays; and 11:45 a.m. Wednesdays. Funky yoga is at 6 p.m. (eight-person limit) on Tuesdays. Vinyasa Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Wednesdays. All classes are at Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St. unless otherwise noted. For more information, visit everman.org.
GARDENING ON THE GULF COAST WITH BECCA The next meeting is 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St. For more information, visit everman.org.
RELATIONAL COMMUNICATION WITH ESPERE METHOD Class is 5:30
p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St. For more information, visit everman.org.
TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION Class is 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St. For more information, visit everman.org.
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LA LECHE LEAGUE Class is 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St. For more information, visit everman.org. MEDITATION ON TWIN HEARTS & ENERGY HEALING Class is 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St. For more information, visit everman.org. for more listings visit inweekly.net
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free will astrology WEEK OF AUGUST 27 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writes, "Some stuff can be fixed; some stuff can't be. Deciding which is part of maturing." I offer this meditation as your assignment in the coming weeks, Aries. You are in a phase when you'll be wise to make various corrections and adjustments. But you should keep in mind that you don't have unlimited time and energy to do so. And that's OK because some glitches can't be repaired and others aren't fully worthy of your passionate intensity. You really should choose to focus on the few specific acts of mending and healing that will serve you best in the long run. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "There
are all kinds of love in the world, but never the same love twice," wrote author F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is true even between the same two people in an intimate alliance with each other. The love that you and your spouse or friend or close relative or collaborator exchanged a month ago isn't the same as it is now. It can't be identical, because then it wouldn't be vibrant, robust love, which needs to ceaselessly transform in order to be vibrant and robust. This is always true, of course, but will be an especially potent meditation for you during the next four weeks.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): As a professional writer, novelist Thomas Wolfe trained himself to have keen perceptions that enabled him to penetrate below surface appearances. And yet he wrote, "I have to see a thing a thousand times before I see it once." In other words, it was hard even for him, a highly trained observer, to get a deep and accurate read of what was going on. It required a long time and many attempts—and rarely occurred for him on the first look. Even if you're not a writer, Gemini, I recommend his approach for you in the coming weeks. You will attune yourself to current cosmic rhythms—and thus be more likely to receive their full help and blessings—if you deepen and refine the way you use your senses. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): It's
sometimes tempting for you to seek stabil-
By Rob Brezsny
ity and safety by remaining just the way you are. When life pushes you to jump in and enjoy its wild ride, you may imagine it's wise to refrain—to retreat to your sanctuary and cultivate the strength that comes from being staunch and steadfast and solid. Sometimes that approach does indeed work for you. I'm not implying it's wrong or bad. But in the coming weeks, I think your strategy should be different. The advice I'll offer you comes from Cancerian author and aviator Anne Morrow Lindbergh—"Only in growth, reform and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found."
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): "To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work," says author Sister Mary Lauretta. Have you been making progress in accomplishing that goal, Leo? According to my astrological analysis, fate has been offering and will continue to offer you the chance to either find work that you'll love better than the work you're doing, or else discover how to feel more love and excitement for your existing work. Why not intensify your efforts to cooperate with fate? VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): "Self-love
is also remembering to let others love you. Come out of hiding." Poet Irisa Yardenah wrote that advice, and now I'm passing it on to you, just in time for a phase when you will benefit from it most. I mean, it's always good counsel for you to Virgos to heed. But it will be especially crucial in the coming weeks, when you'll have extra potential to bloom in response to love. And one of the best ways to ensure this extra potential is fulfilled is to make yourself thoroughly available to be appreciated, understood and cared for.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Libran poet
Wallace Stevens wrote that if you want to be original, you must "have the courage to be an amateur." I agree! And that's an important theme for you right now, since you're entering a phase when your original ideas will be crucial to your growth. So listen up, Libra—If you want to stimulate your creativity to the max, adopt the fresheyed attitude of a rookie or a novice. Forget what you think you know about everything.
Make yourself as innocently curious and eager as possible. Your imaginative insights and innovations will flow in abundance to the degree that you free yourself from the obligation to be serious and sober and professional. And keep in mind that Stevens said you need courage to act this way.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "As
idiotic as optimism can sometimes seem, it has a weird habit of paying off," writes author Michael Lewis. According to my analysis, the coming weeks will provide you with ample evidence that proves his hypothesis—on one condition, that is—You will have to cultivate and express a thoughtful kind of optimism. Is that possible? Do you have the audacity to maintain intelligent buoyancy and discerning positivity, even in the face of those who might try to gaslight you into feeling stupid for being buoyant and positive? I think you do.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):
Author Rebecca Solnit writes, "The things we want are transformative, and we don't know or only think we know what is on the other side of that transformation." Her statement is especially apropos for you right now. The experiences you're yearning for will indeed change you significantly if you get them—even though those changes will be different from what your conscious mind thinks they'll be. But don't worry. Your higher self—the eternal part of you that knows just what you need—is fully aware of the beneficial transformations that will come your way when you get what you yearn for.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): At
age 22, future pioneer of science Isaac Newton got his college degree just as the Great Plague peaked in 1665. As a safety precaution, he proceeded to quarantine himself for many months. During that time of being sealed away, he made spectacular discoveries about optics, gravity and calculus—in dramatic contrast to his years as a student, when his work had been relatively undistinguished. I'm not predicting that your experience of the 2020 pandemic will prove to be as fruitful as those of your fellow Capricorn, Isaac Newton. But of all the
signs in the zodiac, I do think your output could be most Newton-like. And the coming weeks will be a good time for you to redouble your efforts to generate redemption amidst the chaos.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): The
rapper named Viper has released over 1,000 albums. In 2014 alone, he created 347. His most popular work is "You'll Cowards Don't Even Smoke Crack," which has received over three million views on YouTube. According to The Chicago Reader, one of Viper's most appealing features is his "blatant disregard for grammar." I should also mention that he regards himself as the second Christ and uses the nickname "Black Jesus." So what does any of this have to do with you? Well, I'm recommending that you be as prolific, in your own field, as he is in his. I'm also inviting you to experiment with having a fun-loving disregard for grammar and other non-critical rules. And I would love to see you temporarily adopt some of his overthe-top braggadocio.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "If you
don't ask the right question, every answer seems wrong," says singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco. I suspect you may have experienced a version of that predicament in recent weeks, Pisces. That's the bad news. The good news is that I expect you will finally formulate the right questions very soon. They will most likely be quite different from the wrong and irrelevant questions you've been posing. In fact, the best way to find the revelatory questions will be to renounce and dismiss all the questions you have been asking up until now. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: What could you actually change about your life that would give you a great sense of accomplishment?
freewillastrology.com
freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2020
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news of the weird THE CONTINUING CRISIS Government restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 have had no effect on a growing trend on the island of Okinawa, Japan, called "rojo-ne" (literally, sleeping on the road), which local authorities blame on the island's balmy weather and people's habit of overindulging in "awamori," a traditional rice-based liquor. Okinawa police have fielded more than 2,700 reports of rojo-ne in just the first six months of 2020, The Guardian reported, putting the island on pace to match last year's 7,000 reported incidents, which resulted in 16 accidents and three deaths. Tadataka Miyazawa, the police chief, said he "didn't even know the term 'rojo-ne' before coming to Okinawa." PUTTING ON THE BRAKES Organizers of Philadelphia's 12th Annual Naked Bike Ride have canceled the event, scheduled for Aug. 29, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press reported. Ride organizer Maria Serrahima said she hopes people will be able to return next year and that riders are "taking advantage of the emptier streets and riding—masks up." The Philly Naked Bike Ride attracts thousands of riders and covers a 10mile course taking in the city's landmarks such as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. AWESOME! People living around Olten, Switzerland, got a surprise on Aug. 14 when it began snowing cocoa powder. Strong winds that morning distributed the cocoa dust from a malfunctioning ventilation system at the Lindt & Spruengli chocolate factory nearby, delivering enough to cover at least one car, the Associated Press reported. The company offered cleaning services, but no one took them up on the offer. The ventilation system has been repaired. •The very last Blockbuster store, in Bend, Oregon, is offering Deschutes County residents three one-night sleepovers through Airbnb on Sept. 18, 19 and 20 for $4—about the cost of a video rental, Oddee reported. Lucky movie lovers will have a pull-out couch, bean bags and pillows for their viewing comfort, plus 2-liter bottles of Pepsi and snacks to enjoy during a marathon of "new releases" from the '90s. "Nothing can replace going to the store with loved ones to browse the shelves and find a movie that suits whatever mood you're in," said Sandi Harding, the store manager. IRONY A mystery unfolded in the Mystery section of the Walla Walla (Washington) Public Library in late July when workers performing renovations during the COVID-19 shutdown demolished a section of shelves and discovered a disintegrated paper bag with five full cans of Hamm's beer and an opened bag of Godzilla Heads gum. Library staff determined the hidden snacks dated back to the 1980s, CNN reported. Library director Erin Wells posited that "somebody had stashed it there and maybe thought they could get it later ... but there was no way to get it out."
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
FINE POINTS OF THE LAW Utica (New York) City Court Judge Ralph Eannace was outraged, but did not set bail for defendant Anthony Walker on Aug. 13, which surprised even Walker, who had been arrested for the second time in two days for leading police on a highspeed chase. "Because, I guess, of the new bail reform law," Walker said, Judge Eannace said he had no choice but to let Walker go. On Aug. 9, Walker had hit another car while driving a Maserati that had been reported stolen. "I plan to do the right thing this time, man. I'm tired of this," he told WKTV, apologizing if anyone was hurt. Utica police noted that Walker made the same pledge after his first arrest. "Yeah," said Walker, "I did take them on a high-speed chase ... nobody's perfect." HAPPY ENDING Residents of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, have been cheered recently by the unexpected presence of a corn stalk growing up through a crack in the pavement at a busy intersection. Dubbed the 57th Street Corn, the stalk had its own Twitter account and was hailed as a symbol of resiliency and hope in hard times; Mayor Paul TenHaken called it "amaizing." But on Aug. 19, the Argus Leader reported, neighbors found the plant had been ripped from the ground overnight, prompting sorrow on social media and a flower memorial. "I didn't want to see her story end like that," said resident Chad Theisen. Together with his children, Theisen rescued the corn stalk, renamed it Cornelia and is nursing it back to health in a 5-gallon bucket. He hopes to find a permanent home for Cornelia, now a local celebrity, with the city's help. JOYRIDE Sheriff's deputies in La Push, Washington, said they received a report of a suspicious person trying to rent an airplane without a pilot's license or insurance at the Jefferson County International Airport on Aug. 18. The man, later identified as Richard Jordal, 59, then tried his luck at Tailspin Tommy's, another plane rental business at the airport, KIRO reported, and was again refused, but surveillance video showed Jordal returning later to steal the keys to a Cessna airplane, which he fueled up before taking off and flying erratically, according to authorities. Business owner Nataliya Yeshyrina and her husband watched the plane on radar: "Altitude would change dramatically from 5,000 feet to 2,000. Up and down and then doing loops and doing twirls." Authorities said a possible plane crash was reported around 10:30 p.m., but no wreckage could be found in the heavily forested area that evening. A U.S. Navy helicopter crew returned the next morning and found the plane, with Jordal unconscious inside. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. {in}
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2020 Andrews McMeel
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com August 27, 2020
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Independent News | August 27, 2020 | inweekly.net