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Independent News | August 5, 2021 | Volume 22 | Number 31

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winners & losers

outtakes

news

6, 7

We’re a community.

feature story

buzz 8

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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inweekly.net

August 5, 2021

winners & losers

Cassidy Gadsby / Pensacola State College

winners CASSIDY GADSBY The Navy Corpsman

LAWSUIT VS. SKANSKA U.S. District

OLIVER CAVER The five-year-old organized another "Little Rodeo" to pick up litter, this time on Pensacola Beach. Nearly a hundred people collected 475 pounds of trash in one hour. The Caver family also started the nonprofit "Clean Horizons" to encourage others to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Caver has written a children's book: "Litter, Litter, Please Come Here."

EMERALD COAST UTILITIES AUTHORITY No ECUA board members

and Pensacola State College honor student was named a 2021 Coca-Cola Military Leaders of Promise Scholar, one of 25 active duty members nationwide to receive the honor and the accompanying $1,000 scholarship. The scholarships are provided by the CocaCola Scholars Foundation, which awards 200 scholarships annually–25 of which are reserved for active-duty military or veterans.

PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S CHORUS

The nonprofit arts education program will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 13, 2022. Its Carnegie Hall performance will feature the world premiere of a new composition written by Artistic and Executive Director Alex Gartner, marking his third appearance in the hall.

GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE

In the year 2020, more than 4 million visitors to Gulf Islands National Seashore spent $180 million in nearby communities, according to a new National Park Service report. The 2020 revenue contributed to 2,390 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $225 million. In the Florida areas of the national seashore, visitors spent $142 million, creating an economic benefit of $178 million. The Gulf Islands is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. As the nation's largest national seashore in the park service, it has tremendous visitation year-round.

NIKKI FRIED The Agriculture Commis-

sioner Nikki Fried suspended 22 licenses held by individuals involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Her Division of Licensing has the ability to immediately suspend a license if the licensee is charged with a felony or certain other disqualifying offenses. Once a judgment is rendered, if the sentence disqualifies, FDACS can revoke the license.

losers Court Judge Lacey Collier ruled Pensacola Bay Bridge contractor Skanska was operating under maritime law when its barges hit the Pensacola Bay Bridge during Hurricane Sally, making it more difficult for local businesses impacted by the bridge's closure to collect damages. Nearly a thousand claimants filed suit against Skanska, including commuters whose detour around the Garcon Point Bridge added hours to their route, businesses that suffered revenue loss without passerby traffic and government entities. They will have to wait for a trial in September to see if the claims will be limited to only those who suffered physical damage from the barges.

face an election this year, so they approved rate increases. For the average water and sewer customer using 6,000 gallons per month, the added cost will be $1.06. The cost of a single 90-gallon sanitation container, including recycling and bulk service, will jump $1.85 from $24.54 to $26.39 per month. The last rate increases were in 2019 when the board approved a 2.3% rate increase for water and sewer and a 5% increase for base sanitation collection. In 2017, the ECUA board voted to raise sanitation collection fees by 5% and water and sewer rates by 3%. Hmmm, there seems to be a pattern.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Santa Rosa County's interim attorney Greg Stewart resigned last week, two weeks after County Administrator Dan Schebler announced his resignation and Assistant County Administrator Mark Murray left for a job at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. Stewart, who works with Tallahassee law firm Nabors, Giblin and Nickerson, has served as the county's main interim attorney since December 2020. Unlike Escambia County, where fired department heads had held their jobs less than two years, these professionals had tenure with the county. Schebler had worked four years with Santa Rosa County, starting as an assistant administrator. Murray had been with the county three years. inweekly.net

outtakes By Rick Outzen

REMEMBER TRILLIUM The last week of July, the Pensacola City Council voted 4-3 for a project for the Community Maritime Park's parcels 4 and 5 that include a conference center and an entertainment establishment. The decision was not what Mayor Grover Robinson and the Community Redevelopment Agency staff recommended because the proposal wasn't the one that best met the plans the council had approved for the park. Assistant CRA Administrator Victoria D'Angelo had analyzed all three proposals. She looked at how they incorporated elements of the West Main Master Plan and Waterfront Framework Plan, facilitated public access and connectivity to adjacent sites, activated the waterfront, strengthened neighborhoods, increased downtown residential and other key urban core CRA plan principles. Based on her analysis, the mayor recommended Inspired-Dawson, which didn't have a conference center and entertainment center. Maybe the city council members weren't aware of the city's history with the property. Nearly 20 years ago, city voters overwhelmingly rejected a project for an auditorium across the street from Pensacola City Hall because they believed city leaders could do so much more with the land than having a big meeting place and outdoor festival park. In 1996, the City of Pensacola bought the old Trillium site, the largest vacant waterfront parcel in downtown Pensacola, for $3.63 million. The land had been a Chevron fuel tank farm that had been shut down in the 1980s. When the city bought the 27.5 acres on Main Street, the Washington-based Trillium Corp owned the site. The city was looking for a site to host its growing number of festivals, taking pressure off Seville Square and Bartram Park. The city conducted an $80,000 study of the land along Pensacola Bay and formed a 43-member committee to help formulate the Pensacola Waterfront Development Plan for the Trillium property, Palafox Pier, Commendencia Slip and Barracks Street. The plan for the Trillium site was a $40 million project that included a 16-acre park and an $18 million auditorium to replace the ancient Bayfront Auditorium. In November 2002, Pensacola

City Council approved the plan, 8-2, and began the design work. Councilman Marty Donovan helped to form Citizens Against Trillium to push for a public vote on the project. The chamber and others joined in the fight because they felt a meeting space on prime waterfront real estate made little sense and would have no economic impact on the declining downtown area. Over 8,500 registered city voters signed a petition to overturn the plan. Citizens for Waterfront Access was formed to help push for the auditorium and festival park. The city council tried to rescind its vote to avoid a mail ballot and possibly work out a compromise with those opposed to the park, but Citizens Against Trillium demanded a vote. Inweekly opposed the Trillium plan because we felt a new Bayfront Auditorium wouldn't revitalize downtown Pensacola. When we surveyed other cities with more vibrant downtowns, we found mixed uses—retail, commercial, entertainment and residential housing—worked the best. We were also fascinated by the number of towns with minor league ballparks under consideration in their downtowns. According to then-Supervisor of Elections Bonnie Jones, the mail ballot referendum drew 54.9% voter participation, the highest voter participation ever on a single issue in the city or county. The turnout for the city's first mail-out election in January 2001 had only 38.6% participation. The 2006 Community Maritime Park referendum drew 17,385 votes on a full primary ballot. The 2009 City Charter vote had only 14,070 votes cast. For the Trillium referendum in March 2003, 19,101 people mailed in their ballots. The Trillium plans lost by a 4,611-vote margin, 7,245-11,856. Will Pensacola voters rise up and demand the council vote for projects to continue downtown's growth? Probably not. But the proposal approved last month isn't written in concrete. The mayor and council have the opportunity to revisit the vision and incorporate more of the West Main Master Plan and Waterfront Framework Plan during negotiations with Carson Lovell. Let's hope they do.{in} rick@inweekly.net

Inweekly opposed the Trillium plan because we felt a new Bayfront Auditorium wouldn’t revitalize downtown Pensacola.

August 5, 2021

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READY FOR THE OPEN DOOR

Kerrith Fiddler / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola

By Rick Outzen Pensacola's next city administrator has prepared his entire life to be in charge of a municipality. On Monday, July 26, Miami native Kerrith Fiddler got his chance. At this weekly press conference, Mayor Grover Robinson announced the promotion of Fiddler, replacing City Administrator Keith Wilkins, who will step aside on Sept. 30 and serve as an advisor until his full retirement in December. "Change is inevitable for any organization, but I am proud of the leadership team we have built at the City of Pensacola to help make these kinds of transitions as smooth as possible," Mayor Robinson said. "I am confident that Kerrith's wealth of knowledge and insight from his years of experience in local government, along with his experience here at the City of Pensacola, make him the perfect fit to lead our organization as the next city administrator." In July 2019, Robinson hired Fiddler as an assistant city administrator responsible for overseeing the city's community development departments, including Public Works & Facilities, Community Redevelopment Agency, Economic Development, Parks & Recreation, Constituent & Neighborhood Services, Inspection Services and Planning & Zoning. Fiddler joined the city from Kissimmee, Fla., where he served as the Public Works and Engineering Director for the City of 66

Kissimmee from December 2014-February 2019. He had held several city and county positions in the Miami-Dade County area before then. Each job prepared him for the next promotion. His first municipal job was as a bus driver for Miami-Dade Transit, thanks to the encouragement of an older friend. "I wasn't even thinking about public service," Fiddler told Inweekly days after the mayor's announcement. "While I was in school doing my AA degree in architecture at Miami Dade Community College, I had a buddy of mine that was a bus operator down in Miami-Dade County. For some reason, I was enamored with the fact that he worked for local government and made decent money."

"For some reason, I was enamored with the fact that he worked for local government and made decent money." Kerrith Fiddler The friend told him the transit would help him to get a commercial driver's license (CDL), but it would be better if he had one when he applied. Fiddler said," So I went ahead and went to a local school down there to get my CDL license. And by the time they started hiring, I had already had the CDL Class B license. So that's how I got into local government, as a bus operator."

While working on his Bachelor of Design in architecture at Florida International University, he applied for a draftsman position with Miami-Dade County because there were "so many different departments you can move around" not only with the county but also the 26 cities and towns in the surrounding area. Fiddler interviewed for an engineering drafter position for Miami-Dade County's Water and Sewer Department without realizing his high school education gave him an edge. "I'm this young black kid, bus operator, and was an architect major, not an engineer," said Fiddler. "The section supervisor told me to get the job, I needed to know AutoCAD, the computer-aided drafting software. I'd been using AutoCAD since I was 14 in high school. He didn't know that. So they sat me down in front of a computer, and I just blew their minds away with what I could do." He smiled, "That's how my career really began in the public sector once I became an engineering drafter." When he was passed over for an engineer position, Fiddler took a brief break from local government and worked as project manager for a 3D rendering company run by one of his former FIU professors but decided the private sector wasn't his passion. He applied and was hired as an engineer for the City of Hallandale Beach and later moved on to be the city engineer for Miami Gardens, the third-largest municipality in Miami-Dade County. Still hungry for more reasonability and bigger challenges, Fiddler kept applying for positions and not getting them. He told Inweekly, "I just kept pushing on, and I said, 'Well, Kerrith, just prepare yourself." Fiddler continued, "And in retrospect, I probably wasn't ready, and even with a lot of the other jobs that I applied for. However, I was hungry; I was young. I just always had this drive in me to do more." He took classes and became a Certified General Contractor, Certified Roofing Contractor, Certified Plumbing Contractor, Certified Floodplain Manager and Qualified Stormwater Inspector. Fiddler was hired as the Assistant Public Works Director for the City of North Miami, where he supervised operations and divisions of the Public Works Department and managed over $20 million in capital improvement projects. Then he moved his family to the city of Kissimmee to become its Public Works and Engineering Director. When Escambia County was searching for a county administrator in 2019, Fiddler applied but failed to make the final cut. His wife, Chevette, grew up in Pensacola and encouraged him to apply for the assistant city administrator position—"and the rest is history." Fiddler will take over city operations on

Oct. 1. When asked to describe his leadership style, he said, "I'm not a micromanager. I learned a lot from my former city manager down in Kissimmee, probably one of the best supervisors I've had, so charismatic and down-to-earth." Fiddler continued, "But what I loved about him was he wasn't a micromanager. He allowed his department heads to really run their departments. Now don't get me wrong, if it was something that he wanted us to do, he would step in and let us know." He said it's important not to make decisions without talking to his staff. "While the ultimate decision may lie with me, a lot of times, the decisions I make are because I've had those conversations with my staff. And honestly, that's just how I feel," said Fiddler.

"I played three sports, so I feel like you've got to involve your team and not micromanage and allow your department heads to run their departments and help you do your job." Fiddler "As far as my management style, I feel like I'm big on a team. I played three sports, so I feel like you've got to involve your team and not micromanage and allow your department heads to run their departments and help you do your job." Fiddler believes having a general contractor license has helped him deal with challenges in the building community while the city is in a construction boom. "What being a contractor has done for me is I can look at it from both perspectives. I look at it from the private side, but then I'm also a government employee," he said. "I can put myself in both shoes, and I can have that empathy when needed, and I can have these educated conversations with my building officials, the mayor and a private contractor." Fiddler added, "A lot of times, I'll start my conversation, or when they're frustrated, and they call, the first thing I say is, 'Look, I understand; I'm a contractor.' The fact that I speak that same language goes a long way." What's his advice to today's youth? "Number one, don't give up," said Fiddler. "Number two, keep that hunger and understand that you're probably not going to get that opportunity as soon as you would like to get it. However, everything happens for a reason. Stay hungry because once you lose that hunger, you become complacent; you become content." He said, "You have to prepare yourself so when opportunity does knock, you can open up the door." {in} inweekly.net

CONNECT YOUTH TO GOVERNMENT

Lumon May with Lakiem Dennard / Photo Courtesy of Escambia County

By Rick Outzen Over the past two weeks, Escambia County and the City of Pensacola have celebrated their summer youth employment programs. Commissioner Lumon May developed the program at the county, and Mayor Grover Robinson brought it over to the city, first under the county and then as an independent initiative at the city. The mayor said of the commissioner, "He's the one that gave me the idea and inspiration for doing this. I think it's a great program, and we're very happy to have done it this year." On Friday, July 30, the city held a ceremony honoring its 13 paid interns. Mayor Robinson told the interns, "We want to be training and creating the next level of talent for our community. So we hope we gave you some training, but I also hope we expose you to the opportunities in public service because there are great careers here to make your community better." He added, "We'd love to see you do these big things right here in Pensacola. We're showing that we lead the world in a number of things. We would love to see you come back here and have the opportunity to be a part of it." August 5, 2021

Escambia County's Summer Youth Employment Program participants were recognized by Commissioner May and the Neighborhood & Human Services staff for their hard work this summer during a ceremony Friday, July 23, at the Brownsville Community Center. The program gave approximately 100 youth the opportunity to get paid work experience in various county departments, as well as the Supervisor of Elections office and the Escambia County School District. The youth worked up to 30 hours a week, gaining valuable experience all summer while learning workforce etiquette, such as professional dress, timeliness and respect. Youth Employment Program participants also received job readiness training and post-employment briefings, giving them feedback about their job performance. Community and Media Relations workers Danielle Leatherwood, Madilyn Smith and Taylon Stokes created an interview explaining the program to the audience. Leatherwood interviewed Commissioner May. "Our summer youth employment program is really not about a job, but it's about career exploration," said Commissioner May when asked about the program. "It's about an opportunity to learn more about your government."

He added, "I want to grow at home. I want young people to have the opportunity if they so desire to be able to get a job, to be gainfully employed and live here in Escambia County." Commissioner May got the idea for the program from his sister LaRuby May, a former Washington D.C. council member. In 1979, Mayor Marion Barry doubled the city's youth intern program. His Summer Youth Employment Program provided District youth ages 14-24 with summer work experiences through subsidized placements in the private and government sectors. The program became the first paid job for many teenagers in the nation's capital. This year, over 11,000 youth participated in the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. When he was elected District 3 county commissioner in 2012, May wanted to duplicate the program in Escambia. He was also motivated by what he heard from his constituents. At District 3 town halls, parents talked about how their sons and daughters had trouble finding jobs. "Many times, people would apply for a job and failed to get hired because they didn't understand how to navigate the system or lacked the soft skills to write resumes and complete the application process," Commissioner May said, "My goals were simply to get young people engaged in job opportunities and for them to learn to live not just for today but live for tomorrow." Positions in the Summer Youth Employment Program have become very competitive. Over 200 high school and college students applied for 100 jobs. Commissioner May told the students that they were "the best of the best." At the ceremony, a youth from each commissioners' district spoke about their experiences with the summer program.

"Our summer youth employment program is really not about a job, but it's about career exploration. It's about an opportunity to learn more about your government." Lumon May "This program has allowed me to contribute to our community in a way that feels impactful and also allows me to be a member of a team of educators with over 100 years of collective teaching experience," said Vitus Larrieu, who worked in the Math and Science Department of the Escambia County School District. "This program provides a unique opportunity for youths in our community to get a taste of impactful employment and inspire them to pursue careers in the county with purpose.

I hope this program continues to allow you to flourish." "I was placed in the Permitting Department," said Kendall Atkins. "My work experience was amazing. I went about the different paperwork you need to have your roof fixed, which can make it handy if a hurricane comes about." De'Shawn Brundidge worked at Escambia County Area Transit's ADA Department, reviewing and filing applications. "This program has been an absolute blessing for me, personally," Brundidge shared. "It's easy to get caught up in the paycheck because everybody likes to get paid. The fact that we were paid for our hard work is what's important. The hard work and the connections that have been forged through this program are priceless." He added, "Teaching us that hard work is essential for success puts us leagues ahead of our own peers." Sara Siler, a third-year Florida State University undergrad, worked in the county attorney's office. She plans to attend law school and said, "My favorite part of this program was the opportunity to thrive in a setting I hope to one day make a career out of." She continued, "Before I began this program, I knew I wanted to go to law school, but I had no idea if I would actually enjoy working in a professional legal setting. Now, after this experience, I begin my career path instead with a more informed and eager outlook." Recent UWF graduate Tyler Werkieser worked six weeks in the GIS division of the county's Development Services Department. "Before I started, I was essentially blind to the many hardworking people and good jobs that make up the local government and make sure it can function," said Werkieser. "Now I see how amenities we ordinary citizens can take for granted really are a luxury to have, thanks to the brilliant and diligent workers here." Commissioner May would like to expand the program by reaching out to more government agencies and local hospitals and asking them to participate. His sister, who works with the Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm on national mass tort litigation, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. She wasn't hesitant about the possibilities for the program. LaRuby said, "I would love to see the Summer Youth Employment Program grow to 1,000 participants. And it can happen." "I'm a big dreamer. I'm a big believer because I was mentored, and there were many people like Willie Junior and Hollice T. Williams that gave me hope and opportunity," said Commissioner May. "My dream is that we grow this program and that we increase its funding, so one day, we will have, like LaRuby said, 1,000 youth employed every summer." {in} 7

son of Milton. The state-created Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority issued $95 million in bonds in 1996 to build it, but the bridge never generated enough cash to cover the bond payments. When the authority went defunct in 2014, the bondholders became the owners, and FDOT took over maintenance and operations. The bondholders are owed more than $134 million, according to court filings. Gov. DeSantis suspended the toll for several months after Hurricane Sally, costing the bondholders another $20 million in toll revenue. If FDOT completes the purchase, control will transfer to Florida's Turnpike Enterprises, but that deal will require new laws that state lawmakers will have to pass during the 2022 session.

EMAIL TO HERSELF On July 22, Escambia

Former Sheriff David Morgan from Inweekly's 2012 Power List

MORGAN WITHDRAWS Locals were

shocked when former Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan sent a letter to his supporters saying that he would not run for Pensacola mayor next year due to family health issues. Many considered Morgan the frontrunner, especially after Mayor Grover Robinson announced he would not pursue a second term. Former City Council President Jewel Cannada-Wynn has pre-filed for the race, and Perfect Plain owner D.C. Reeves is expected to file in September. Morgan sent the following letter to Supervisor of Elections David Stafford on Monday, Aug. 2: Mr. Stafford, It is with regret that I must inform you, friends and political supporters, of my decision to withdraw from the 2022 Mayoral Race. Family medical issues, which I had prayed would resolve by the year's end, will not. Those with political experience know that campaigns are high-energy and intensive affairs, where candidates and their families must be solely committed to the effort. It is not fair to a candidate's supporters and the process itself to continue knowing you cannot remain fully engaged. We, of course, will be refunding all campaign contributions. Any expenditures to date will be paid by me. Susan and I thank all of you for your encouragement and support. You will all be forever in our hearts. Sincerely, David Morgan

The former sheriff's withdrawal may attract other candidates to get into the race. 88

GOBBLING UP GARCON On Wednesday, July 28, Gov. Ron DeSantis stood at the toll gate for Garcon Point Bridge and announced he wants to buy the span, also known as "Bo's Bridge," and lower the tolls from $4.50 to $2.30 for SunPass customers and $5 to $2.75 for cash customers. "Five dollars is just too much to pay for the more than 6,000 drivers that use the Garcon Point Bridge every day," said Gov. DeSantis. "I am pleased to announce that today, I am directing FDOT Secretary Thibault to reduce the toll rates on the bridge as soon as possible to bring them in line with other facilities across the state and erase 20 years of rate increases." Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault said it could take several weeks for toll rates to be lowered. "Over the next few weeks, we'll be doing the necessary reprogramming of IT systems to properly incorporate the new toll schedule, as well as, obviously, new signs," Thibault said. "We will also be training our toll collectors and customer service representatives on the new rates." State Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, said the governor's proposal would spur economic development in the region as the toll bridge connects U.S. 98 east of Gulf Breeze with Interstate 10 west of Milton. "You've never seen me cry in public. But this is so big," Broxson said. "This bridge is 30 years old. In 1992, there was a plan to put the bridge together on an ill-conceived traffic study that generated hardship for investors and certainly for the citizens of this county." The bridge was built due to the efforts of former Florida House Speaker Bo John-

County Clerk Pam Childers pronounced at the Board of County Commissioners meeting, "The state has determined it is illegal to have a 401(a) for elected officials. They emailed me yesterday." As Inweekly suspected, Childers received no such email on Wednesday, July 21—other than an email sent to her attorney that a form had been changed at her request. So what does the clerk do? She creates an email to herself that yet again changes her story about the circumstances surrounding the 401(a). In the email, Childers admitted that she never got a call back from the Department of Management Services ("DMS"), Division of Retirement. On July 22, after the BCC meeting, she claimed in an email to County Attorney Alison Rogers, "My communication was all verbal." When did leaving a voice message become considered "verbal communication?" Childers alleged that eliminating an option for elected officials to opt out of the FRS enrollment form somehow meant the state had determined not to allow it. However, there is no attached email from the state saying it isn't allowed or illegal. Then Childers came up with an entirely new narrative that the 401(a) plan isn't a local annuity. After nearly two months of her commenting in the media and at BCC meetings, the new email was the first time she said the plan—which has been in existence for over two decades— isn't a local annuity. In June, Childers and her attorney claimed the county should have backed out of the Unfunded Actuarial Liability (UAL) component of the Florida Retirement System rates to determine the rate used for the 401(a) plan for the commissioners. One of the most striking shifts in Childers' tale is the clerk claimed in her July 26 email, "I started my research on elected official's participation in the ICMA 401(a) on or around June 2021."

However, Childers told both PNJ reporter Jim Little and Inweekly that she began investigating the 401(a) a year ago, not last month, which both newspapers reported on June 15. The commissioners have received no notification from the FRS about their elections. The ICMA plan might not qualify as a local annuity, but the BCC and public need more than an email from the clerk to determine its legality. The melodrama and grandstanding aren't necessary.

WAGE AGREEMENT REACHED After three and a half years of negotiations, ECAT workers worked out pay raises with county administration on Friday, July 23. Upon ratification by ATU Local 1395 members and the Escambia Board of County Commissioners—Full-Time Bus Operators, 2.9% increase; Part-time Bus Operators & PartTime Trolley Operators, 3.95%; Customer Service Associates, 6%; Master Technician, 4.75%; Technician III, 4.5%; Technician II, 5.55%; Technician I, 3.55%; Fueler, 2%; Cleaner, 2.9%; Building Maintenance, 4.4%; and Grounds Maintenance, 4.95%. Plus, all ECAT bargaining unit employees are eligible to receive any additional increases potentially scheduled and approved by the Board of County Commissioners for the next fiscal year beginning on Oct. 1. According to ATU Local 1395 President Mike Lowery, his membership approved the wage increases on Thursday, July 29. "The workers ratified the MOA with 95% voting in support, 2% voting against, and 3% of the ballots were found to be voided," said Lowery. "The commissioners will now vote to approve at the next commissioners' meeting on Aug. 5." PARK DEVELOPER CHOSEN Having

twice rejected Mayor Grover Robinson's recommendations for high-density residential with a mix of retail, commercial and hotel space at the Community Maritime Park, the Pensacola City Council, by a 4-3 vote, chose the Carson Lovell proposal. Lovell's vision included a 1,000-vehicle parking garage, an 80-unit workforce housing project, an entertainment establishment and a 65,000-square-foot convention center. Council members Ann Hill, Jennifer Brahier, Sherri Myers and Casey Jones passed the proposal. The vote was a clear rejection of Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer's effort to have urban planners develop a vision for the remaining lots at the maritime park. He paid the city for lease options on the parcels and the consultants. He created a volunteer panel to review potential developers, and the council turned down the three finalists, forcing the city to restart the process. inweekly.net

The final plan still may change. The vote empowers Mayor Robinson to enter into negotiations with Lovell and hold workshops to iron out priorities and the final design. Stay tuned.

THE SOUTH'S BEST Southern Living has announced that Pensacola has been nominated for two categories for The South's Best 2022 Awards—"South's Best Family Getaway" and "South's Best Beach Town." Voting is open now through Sept. 15. You have the opportunity to cast votes for Pensacola as well as enter the giveaway for a chance to win a grand prize of $2,500 or one of three prizes of $500. Those interested in voting may do so by visiting the voting page below. Participants do not have to vote for categories inapplicable to Pensacola unless so desired. Vote online at southernliving.com/ souths-best/southsbestvote.

CITY SKATE PARK UPDATE At his

presser on Monday, July 26, Mayor Grover Robinson said he has been in discussion with Interim County Administrator Wes Moreno and county staff about the longawaited Hollice T. Williams Park to be built under the I-110 overpass. According to the mayor, the county prefers building out the project in one step and not breaking it up into several phases. "So it means the city is going to be responsible for the skate park," said Mayor Robinson. "There's about $700,000 or so that we need to put into it to finish up the skate park and the bathrooms to that area." He plans to bring the funding request to the Pensacola City Council in August. The mayor hesitated to give a completion date for the skate park, but he hopes to have it finished before leaving office in November 2022. Jon Shell, founder of Upward Intuition, has been pushing for the city's first skate park since 2015. In December 2018, the

August 5, 2021

Pensacola City Council members decided to assume responsibility for the park and fund the project.

PPP FORGIVENESS On Wednesday, Aug. 4, the U.S. Small Business Administration launched a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under $150,000 through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA. This new change will help rush relief to over 6.5 million smallest of small southeastern businesses. Lenders are required to opt in to this program at directforgiveness.sba.gov. The SBA is also standing up a PPP customer service team to assist borrowers with their forgiveness applications. Borrowers who need assistance or have questions should call (877) 552-2692, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

POSITIVE JOB MARKET Sometimes you

need to look deeper to understand statistics. According to data recently released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the unemployment rate for June in Escambia County increased to 5.6% from 4.8% in May. The June 2020 rate was 8.8%, or 12,571 people. Jeff Dyer, the director of Workforce Innovation for FloridaWest, found a silver lining—Escambia County's labor force is the highest it's ever been. "Our labor pool includes those who have actively look for work, either applying for unemployment or those who are working," Dyer told Inweekly. "This is kind of counterintuitive, but what that means is we've actually got more people because the labor force went up and the number of employed went up." He explained further, "We've got more people coming off the sidelines looking for work. It's a couple hundred increase (over May 2021), but the trend hopefully will continue in the right direction going forward."

Across the nation, there were more hires in June than they were in April and May combined, according to Dyer. FloridaWest CEO Scott Luth added, "It's a positive because it's more competitive for the jobs—more competition with more people seeking jobs and employers raising wages and offering incentives. Wages are 4% since the beginning of the year."

NEW NONSTOP FLIGHT Frontier Airlines has announced expanded service at Pensacola International Airport that now includes a nonstop flight to Orlando. The new route, scheduled to begin on Nov. 1, will operate three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "This added service from Frontier Airlines is exciting to see and further amplifies the growth we are seeing at our airport while improving upon our intra-Florida marketplace," said Airport Director Matt Coughlin. HOMEBUILDERS WIN Last week, the

First District Court of Appeal affirmed Santa Rosa Circuit Court Judge Darlene Dickey's temporary injunction against the collection of Santa Rosa County's school impact fee—a victory for the Home Builders Association of West Florida and 11 additional plaintiffs. The ordinance by the Board of County Commissioners in support of new funding for the School Board of Santa Rosa County went into effect May 1, 2020, with impact fees of $5,000 on each new home permitted in the county, $4,000 for each mobile home and $2,750 for each multi-family dwelling. In her ruling, Judge Dickey cited the county and school board's failure to establish the state-mandated "rational nexus and proportionately" standards, which restrict the use of new impact fees to the capital facilities needed to address the impact of new development. She also noted that the methodology used to establish the fee ignored impor-

tant geographic and demographic factors distinguishing the unidentified north and south ends of the county, did not utilize the most recent and localized data and contained numerous mathematical errors and inconsistencies. "In her 59-page order, Judge Dickey well-explains why the new School Impact Fee imposed on all new residential construction is not a valid fee but an unconstitutional tax," said Ken Bell, counsel for HBA of West Florida and several builders. "Forcing someone struggling to afford a new mobile home in Allentown to pay a $ 4,000 'user fee' so that others in Navarre or Gulf Breeze may have a new school is clearly not a 'user fee' but rather an unlawful tax. The school board may need to raise additional revenue to build new schools, but it must do so legally."

SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP Florida Res-

taurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) recently announced its partnership with the Blue Angels Foundation to raise awareness and funding to support wounded veterans and their families. "2021 marks the 75th anniversary of FRLA and the 75th anniversary of the Blue Angels," said Mike Campbell, the Blue Angels Foundation president. "How fitting is it the Blue Angels Foundation and FRLA are joining hands this year to begin a partnership that will raise awareness around veteran suicide and raise funds that will allow wounded warriors to complete posttraumatic stress protocol." It is estimated that more than 500,000 men and women who have served are living with post-traumatic stress disorder, and more than 52,000 have been wounded in battle. The Blue Angels Foundation supports the health and well-being of veterans as they transition back to the civilian community. To learn more and donate to the Blue Angels Foundation as they support our wounded warriors, visit bit.ly/3BJbBup. {in}

Downtown Co-Working Space Available Flexible, Shared Desk Spaces • Meeting Rooms Parking Printing/copying + mailbox availability Best in class Wi-Fi Monthly networking events Exclusive discounts on training Priority access to SCI Community Room (max. occupancy of 100 people) 24/7 access to co-work space

TheSpringPensacola.com

ARJUNA COLES Operations Assistant acoles@studeri.org 305.619.2767

GRACIE PRICE Entrepreneurial Manager gprice@studeri.org 850.637.5797

DC REEVES Chief Entrepreneur Officer dcreeves@studeri.org 850.232.2949

The Spring Co-Working Space 220 W. Garden St. Suite 100 Pensacola, FL 32502

The Studer Community Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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Dammit, we thought we had the COVID-19 pandemic under control. People were getting vaccinated, and locally, new cases had dropped to an average of less than 10 a day, and the positivity rate was well below 5%. The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) discontinued its daily reports on the virus, and Escambia County and the City of Pensacola dropped their COVID dashboards from their websites. Unfortunately, gone are the giddy days of spring when people discarded their face masks and crowded local events returned. The highly infectious days reminiscent of last summer and winter have returned, thanks in large part to the very contagious Delta variant. FDOH reported Escambia County had 1,627 new cases from July 23-29 and a positivity rate of 26%. For the same sevenday period last year, we only had 1,054 new cases and a positivity rate of 11.8%. According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention August 5, 2021

(CDC) Florida's COVID-19 case numbers hit new record highs this weekend with 21,863—that's more than any single day since the start of the pandemic. The Associated Press also reported that Florida hit its highest-ever number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations this past Sunday, Aug. 1, with 10,207. On Tuesday, Aug. 3, our local hospitalizations were up to 233. They had gotten as low as 19 on June 24, just to give you some perspective on how quickly and dramatically things have changed and started moving in the wrong direction. Of those being hospitalized, Baptist Hospital reported 84.5%. of its July admissions were unvaccinated. So why are cases rising? Well, like we said, the Delta variant is playing a major role. Plus, local vaccinations have pretty much stalled out. We've been around 44% for over a month. Also, people aren't getting tested when they have symptoms or think they have been exposed to COVID. Only 6,257 got tested

last week compared to 8,960 tested for the same period in 2020. All of these factors, combined with zero social distancing or masking rules, have led us to this place—where we're looking at a local COVID picture that's eerily similar to January, when vaccines weren't widely available yet. And we don't want to sound dramatic— but all signs point to another gloomy, eventless fall if we don't take this wave seriously. None of us want to quarantine again, so we need to start taking some precautions. First things first—if you're not vaccinated, get the shots. To help you navigate that process, on the next page we included a resource guide. The vaccines are safe and effective in preventing you from getting severely sick from the virus and its variants. Yes, there are some breakthrough cases, but when those infections occur among vaccinated people, the chances of hospitalization or death go down—way, way down. Next order of business—what do you do

during this new wave of infections if you're vaccinated? First, you need to understand that you can become infected with the Delta variant and spread it to other people. So if you've been exposed to someone with a suspected or confirmed COVID case, get tested. All the same rules from before apply here. And what about wearing a mask while vaccinated? The CDC says it's OK to go maskless around other vaccinated folks. But events and public places (like bars and restaurants) are tricky because in most cases, you don't know if everyone else has been vaccinated. Because we live in a high-risk area with rising hospitalizations, new cases and positivity rates, face masks—that cover both the nose and mouth—should be worn indoors again, especially if the place has poor ventilation, and at any crowded outdoor event where you can't keep a distance from strangers. For those of us who have been careful and gotten fully vaccinated, we know this is a pain in the ass, but we've got to do more to help stop this current wave. 11

VACCINE INFORMATION

ule may change from week to week. Visit myescambia.com for the most current dates and locations.

Everyone 12 years of age and older is now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Floridians are encouraged to pre-register at myvaccine.fl.gov. Once preregistered, they'll be contacted when the vaccine is available in their area. Floridians can also call the vaccine preregistration phone number for Escambia County, (866) 201-1025, or Santa Rosa County, (866) 201-7110. The state launched a way for homebound seniors to sign up to have the vaccine come directly to them. Please email homeboundvaccine@em.myflorida.com to put in your request.

FDOH-ESCAMBIA: Walk-ins are welcome Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the COVID-19 vaccine clinic located at 1295 W. Fairfield Drive. Same-day appointments can be made by calling (850) 595-6554. Questions can be directed to FDOHEscambia's COVID-19 phone line at (850) 595-6500, option 6.

source: myescambia.com

LOCATIONS

COMMUNITY HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Community Health Northwest Florida, in partnership with Escambia County, has resumed operations of its vaccination clinic inside Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. De Soto St. The clinic will be open to individuals age 18 and older every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Participants will have the choice of the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In addition to the Brownsville clinic, Community Health Northwest Florida offers ongoing on-site vaccination opportunities at select CHNWF locations. The sched-

VETERANS: The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System's Joint Ambulatory Care Center in Pensacola and the Biloxi Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Mississippi offers COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment only from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. based on availability.

THE FEDERAL RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM

This program makes it easier for individuals to access free COVID-19 vaccine at a pharmacy in their community—yes, free, even at the retail pharmacies. Participating local pharmacies include CVS, Walgreens, CVS, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walmart and Sam's Club. You should be able to secure an appointment quickly online or by calling the pharmacy directly. For more information, visit cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/retail-pharmacy-program.

TESTING SITES

source: myescambia.com

ASCENSION MEDICAL GROUP SACRED HEART: In Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, the sites include: Sacred Heart walk-in clinic inside the Walgreens, 6314 N. Ninth Avenue, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. AMG Sacred Heart walk-in clinic inside the Walgreens, 2237 W. Nine Mile Road, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sacred Heart walk-in clinic inside the Walgreens, 8220 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sacred Heart Urgent Care Center in Pace, 4435 Highway 90, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am.-3 p.m. Sacred Heart Urgent Care, 6665 Pensacola Blvd., Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sacred Heart's Urgent Care and primary care offices at Tiger Point, 4033 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Patients do not need to be established with an Ascension Medical Group physician. However, patients will need to see a health care provider who will evaluate them and then be able to provide a COVID-19 test.

RESOURCES Unfortunately, no one source carries all the COVID statistics. So if you want to say up to date on the state of things, you have to look in a few different places. Escambia County's dashboard only shows current hospitalizations. Visit bit.ly/3rH8WNc. The City of Pensacola's dashboard has current hospitalizations, a graph of the daily statistics to see trends and the status of Pensacola Police, Fire and Dispatch. Visit bit.ly/3yfJX6d.

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Photo by Evgenia Parajanian / Shutterstock.com

COMMUNITY HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Drive-through community testing for all ages is available Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. De Soto St. No appointment is necessary. Rapid test: For symptomatic individuals only. An appointment is required. Call the CHNWF COVID-19 Testing Call Center at (850) 390-4276 to be scheduled. All adult participants will be required to show a photo ID and wear a face covering at the appointment time. Please check the Community Health Northwest Florida Facebook page for updates and additional information. BAPTIST HEALTH CARE: Call the screening center at (850) 434-4080 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., to determine if you need an appointment. Online assessment screenings are also available at ebaptisthealthcare.org or by texting "Screen" to (850) 318-3080. The online assessment screening is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. FDOH-ESCAMBIA: COVID-19 testing is offered by appointment to all persons with or without symptoms every Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the FDOHEscambia Downtown Center, 1300 W. Gregory St. Call (850) 595-6554 to schedule an appointment. The center is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Questions can be directed to FDOH-Escambia's COVID-19 phone line at (850) 595-6500, option 6. Bring a valid form of identification. Cloth face coverings are required to enter the building for testing.

FDOH updates its weekly statistics on Fridays. You can see the latest data for the state and each county on cases, positivity rates and vaccinations. The state no longer reports deaths or breaks down statistics by age and other demographics. Visit floridahealthcovid19.gov. The CDC track COVID every week. You can find information on any county. As of Tuesday, Aug. 3, Escambia County was considered “high risk” for infection because the positivity rate was 31.42%. Visit bit.ly/3C1NzuE. The New York Times has an interactive COVID tracker and Delta Variant Map, but you have to be a digital subscriber. Visit nyti.ms/3rJdFOs. inweekly.net

August 5, 2021

It only takes one person to slash the statistics.

Did you know that 1 in 10 children Escambia County are victims of child abuse? It’s time to change that number. Visit KnowChildAbuse.org to learn to recognize, report and reduce child abuse.

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WEEK OF JULY 29-AUGUST 4

Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...

Every Kid Deserves a Party By Savannah Vasquez

Tracy Wise, Trudy King and Kathy Decker, the three founding members of The Birthday Party Pensacola / Courtesy Photo

Tracy Wise, Kathy Decker and Trudy King had found a rhythm. After three years of working together in the Manna Food Pantries' organic garden, the three women had formed more than a workflow—they had built a friendship. However, when a flood in May of 2014 ruined the Manna garden and the new facility did not have room for a fresh one, the three women were left looking for a new place to volunteer. "Very soon after the flood, Tracy called me and told me about an article she had read about in a Reader's Digest," said Decker. "The

article was about a group in Houston who were doing birthday parties for underprivileged children. We called Trudy to see if she was interested, and she was in. That is how The Birthday Party Pensacola was born." Now, the three women had their what, and it didn't take long for them to find their why. Just months after that first phone call, the new nonprofit went from conception to reality. On Oct. 13, 2016, they hosted their first birthday party at FavorHouse of Northwest Florida. "This one little boy from FavorHouse came up to us after the party and said, 'Will

you be here next year to give us a party?' It broke my heart," Decker said. "Some little kids have come up to us and said, 'We've never had a birthday party before.' We've had so many kids thank us." When it comes to who they serve and how they find out about the children, Decker said they come from all walks of life. Some are foster children; some are escaping abuse; some have parents who just don't have the financial means to give their child a birthday party. At The Birthday Party Pensacola, the only caveat is that the children they work with are affiliated with existing nonprofit agencies. The birthday parties look different depending on what organization the nonprofit is working with, Decker explained. For some, the group comes in once a month to host one large party for all the children with birthdays that month, and for others, the nonprofit creates customized birthday boxes for families to take home to use to create their own party. "Part of our mission is to empower people," Decker said. "We want kids seeing their parents giving their children the party. One time, we were at Ronald McDonald House cooking, and we saw a girl there having a party and they were using one of our boxes. We just saw the joy in the little girl's eyes. She was wearing the party hat and they had the cake, and we just thought, 'This is the reason we do it.'" Prior to the pandemic, The Birthday Party Pensacola hosted around four parties per month at different agencies. Today, the nonprofit focuses more on outreach through

its birthday boxes and newly added birthday backpacks. Although still hosting parties on a smaller scale, the organization has shifted its focus more to empowering families and agencies. While birthday boxes are made for simple parties, birthday backpacks are made for children who may not have a secure home or place to have a party. "Our backpacks have shelf-stable food, clothing items, toiletries and small toys such as fidget spinners and Play-Doh," said Decker. "It's so fun to watch kids open their backpacks because they are always thinking about their families and saying things like, 'My sister will love this' and 'I can't wait to show my brother that.'" Thinking back on five years of birthday parties, Decker said the most amazing part of the process is seeing the community come together to support the mission. From the little boy who hosted his own birthday fundraising effort to the people who continually donate their skills in cake baking and entertainment, every person who has given to the cause has made an impact in a child's life, she told Inweekly. "One little girl brought $62 of her own money that she was saving to go to Disney World and she said, 'I want other kids to have a birthday party. I don't need to buy anything at Disney World.' Those are the stories that make us cry," Decker said. "Basically, we just do birthday parties, but it's expanded so much to include so many people. We're a community. That's the best part of Pensacola; it's amazing." {in} For more on The Birthday Party Pensacola, visit hb2u.org.

Stock Market Losses? Hire a lawyer who is a former Merril Lynch stock broker.

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genemitchell.org August 5, 2021

a&e happenings GATHER FOR GOOD Visit Ever'man Cooperative Grocery & Café at 315 W. Garden St. on Saturday, Aug. 7, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for the Gather for Good adoption event. Meet adoptable dogs from the Pensacola Humane Society and help fill the Resource Rover with pet supplies to help the shelter care for its pets. Visit pensacolahumane.org for a list of the most-needed items. LITTER-ALLY OBSESSED WITH GELATO Meet pets available for adoption from

Pensacola Humane Society at Dolce and Gelato on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 5-9 p.m. Dolce and Gelato is located at 2050 N. 12th Ave. For more information, visit facebook. com/dolcegelatopensacola.

FLORIDA HUMANITIES ANNOUNCES NEW EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANTS FOR HUMANITIES ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Katie Dineen / Photo by Seek Wilder Photography

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 approxi616 1

mately 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.

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 BABY KITTEN SHOWER AT ALYSSA'S IN PACE You're invited to the Animal Allies

Baby Kitten Shower on Saturday, Aug. 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., at Alyssa's, 4586 Chumuckla Highway in Pace. Come play with and cuddle kitties and maybe adopt a kitten or two or three. As with other baby showers, Animal Allies is asking everyone to bring gifts. There is an urgent need for Purina One Kitten dry food, clumping cat litter, Friskies wet food and kitty toys. If you can't make it to the shower but would like to donate, you can drop off donations at 3700 Creighton Road, Ste. 10, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. And, of course, monetary donations are always welcome and needed. To donate online, visit aaflorida.org/donate.

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.

CALL TO ARTISTS

POSTER COMPETITION FOR 2021 GREAT GULFCOAST ARTS FESTIVAL IS NOW OPEN The Great Gulfcoast Arts

Festival is accepting submissions to its 2020 poster design competition through Aug. 6. The winning artist receives a $1,000 cash award. The winning design will be featured on posters, T-shirts and other GGAF promotional items for the festival. Posters have become a regional collector's item. GGAF is a three-day juried art show that draws more than 200 of the nation's best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen and other artists. This year's event takes place Nov. 5-7 in Seville Square and Bartram Park. Competing artists can find the complete list of rules and requirements at ggaf.org/poster. Entries need to be mailed or delivered to Duncan McCall Advertising, 4400 Bayou Blvd., Ste. 11, Pensacola, FL 32503. For more information or to contact GGAF, visit ggaf.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. 10: Slight Return Band •Aug. 17: Crosstown BLUES ON THE BAY The Blues on the

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 two dates are Aug. 8 with Astronauts and Aug. 29 with Modern Eldorados.

ALABAMA AND MARTINA MCBRIDE AT THE WHARF Alabama, with special

guest Martina McBride, will perform at The Wharf Amphitheatre, located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach, on Friday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $49. For more information, visit ticketnetwork.com.

LAGUNA'S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: BOAT UP CONCERT Laguna's

last summer concert is Friday, Aug. 6, with Jessie Ritter from 3-6 p.m. and Johnny Hayes & The Loveseats at 8 p.m. Boat up to Laguna's for this free concert. inweekly.net

a&e happenings THE TREES AT DOLCE AND GELATO

The Trees are back at Dolce and Gelato, located at 2050 12th Ave., 5-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

KATIE DINEEN AT GARY'S BREWERY

Musician Katie Dineen will be at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, located at 208 Newman Ave., Saturday, Aug. 7, at 6 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

GOLDEN SOUL DYNASTY PRESENTS HIP HOP COLLECTIVE Hear local artists

such as Jahsidiq, Rashawn Stallworth, Wyatt Coleman and more at Dolce & Gelato, located at 2050 12th Ave., on Saturday, Aug. 7, from 8-11 p.m. Cost is $5. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

PHIL TITTLE AT DOLCE & GELATO Phil

Tittle will be performing at Dolce & Gelato from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

PAT MEUSEL AT DOLCE & GELATO

Musician Pat Meusel will be at Dolce & Gelato 4-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

THOMAS RHETT AT THE WHARF AMPHITHEATER Thomas Rhett, with

CURT BOL JAZZ QUARTET Visit Five Sisters Blues Café, located at 421 W. Belmont St., Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and listen to Curt Bol Jazz Quartet. Visit curtbolband.com for more information.

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.

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. MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues

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

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Me-

special guests Rhett Akins & Gabby Barrett, will be at The Wharf Amphitheater, located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13 and 14. Tickets start at $15. Purchase yours at ticketmaster.com.

lodious Allen and The Funk Heads every Tuesday night at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, located at 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

JAZZ GUMBO Jazz Pensacola takes a

ARTS & CULTURE

jazzy trip to the past for August's Jazz Gumbo from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. The evening features The Horace Silver & Art Blakey Jazz Trumpet Legacy, performed by Allen Beeson, trumpet; Jonathan Martin, trumpet; Cynthia Domulot, keys; Tom Latenser, bass; Fred Domulot, drums. Cost is $10 for members, $12 for non-members and free to students with ID and military in uniform. Join Jazz Pensacola at the event and admission is free. For more information, visit jazzpensacola.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT RED FISH BLUE FISH PENSACOLA BEACH Head to Red Fish

Blue Fish for live performances from local bands Fridays and Saturdays all day. For musician lineups, visit facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.

SAXOPHONIST JIM ANDREWS AT ALICE'S RESTAURANT Saxophonist

Jim Andrews will be performing at Alice's Restaurant, located at 1504 W. Intendencia St., on the first Friday of every month from 6-9:30 p.m. August 5, 2021

AUGUST GALLERY NIGHT: BACK TO SCHOOL August Gallery Night is 5-10

p.m. Friday, Aug. 20. The theme is Back to School. For more information, visit gallerynightpensacola.org.

PNCO GALLERY NIGHT LAUNCH

PNCO soft opening will be held at Gallery Night on Aug. 20. To make the night special, they will be printing the first line of PNCO apparel right on scene. Purchase your apparel in advance online at pnco. life/gallery-night. Your ticket reserves your shirt for printing. On Aug. 20, show up anytime between 5-10 p.m. choose your favorite design, and watch it be prepped, printed and packaged.

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.

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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/ticket-information.

SIMONE SANDS, Realtor © cell 850-293-2292 office 850-434-2244

FREE CONCERT SERIES TUESDAYS 7  9 PM | GULFSIDE PAVILION

2021

NEW HOURS AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART PMA is now open from

SM 2014

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.

Slight Return Band | Aug 10

DRAG SHOWS AT DOLCE AND GELATO

Rock & Roll

Head to Dolce and Gelato, located at 2050 N. 12th Ave., for regular drag shows. Next dates are Aug. 20 and 21. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

SNOW WHITE AND THE PRINCE AT PLT

Pensacola Little Theatre presents "Snow White and the Prince," a Treehouse musical that puts a new spin on a classic fairytale. Show dates are 7:30 p.m. Fridays Aug. 6 and 13; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 7 and 14; 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Aug. 8 and 15. Two Thursday performances will be 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5 and 12, where tickets are half price. Tickets are $9-$33 with $2 discounts for students, military and seniors 65 and older. For more information, visit pensacolalittletheatre. com.

POPULAR LITERARY BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION: THE RIVER: A NOVEL BY PETER HELLER Join the Popular

Crosstown | Aug 17

Classic Rock, Blues and Everything in between!

We encourage all concert-goers to take appropriate COVID-19 preventative measures, socially distance themselves and follow the guidelines of our local health authorities.

For updates, call SRIA at (850) 932-2257, go to VisitPensacolaBeach.com or tune to Cat Country 98.7. Please, no glass containers or pets.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

KIDS BOOKS

Literary Book Club on Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St., for a discussion on Peter Heller's "The River," an exciting action/suspense thriller set in the Canadian wilderness involving two friends, a suspicious stranger and a perilous canoe trip.

PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S CHORUS AUDITIONS Pensacola Children's Chorus

auditions will be held Saturday, Aug. 7, and are open to students entering grades one-12.

909 N. 12th Avenue

pensacolapopcomics.com 17

a&e happenings PCC's season runs September-May with the aim of producing three fully staged, costumed and choreographed mainstage concerts—"Christmas on the Coast," "One World Many Voices" and "Showtime." However, these larger-thanlife performances reinforce more than vocal ability. Throughout the season, students are immersed in personal and social growth designed to equip singers with the tools to succeed beyond the rehearsal hall and stage. Interested families need to register for an audition time by visiting pensacolasings. org. Middle and high school singers should be prepared to learn a brief choreographed section to assess movement and learning style. All ability levels welcome. No prior experience or training is required. PCC is located in the Margaret Moore Nickelsen Center, 46 E. Chase St., on the campus of First Presbyterian Church in beautiful downtown Pensacola. For more information about the Pensacola Children's Chorus, please call (850) 434-7760 or visit pensacolachildrenschorus.com.

PMA EXHIBITION TOUR: A DEAD RECKONING Join PMA Director Nick

Croghan for a brief tour of "A Dead Reckoning: Navigating Contemporary Ceramics" 1-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12. Tour is free with museum admission and, as always, free for members. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART "Queen Bees" will be

showing at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13 and 14, at Pensacola Cinema Art. More information, including links to virtual screenings, is available at pensacolacinemaart.com. 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.

PMA OPEN STUDIO: LOUIS COMFORT TIFFANY Participants are invited

to Open Studio between 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. to explore and experiment with a variety of media and art forms inspired by artists and LB0245 MchUltraOrgSeltzer INW Final movements. Each project is suitable for

A S RE AL A S IT TA S TE S 818 1

all ages and abilities. An art educator will be on site to provide assistance with using tools and the creation of individual art. Cost is $12 for adults and $10 for children under 13. Includes museum admission. On Aug. 14, Open Studio will be inspired by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

bold color and unique finds and twists with a fun, carefree feel and is on view starting July 3 at Blue Morning Gallery, located at 21 S. Palafox. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for more information.

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.

"A DEAD RECKONING: NAVIGATING CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS" EXHIBIT AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART "A Dead Reckoning: Navigating

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.

OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or

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 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 photogra041521.pdf 2 4/7/21 8:48 AM pher Suzanne Tuzzeo. The show promises

SEVILLE 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. 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,

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 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. Tues-

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

inweekly.net

a&e happenings day 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.

FITNESS + RECREATION

DEADMAN'S ISLAND KAYAK (AND WALKING) TOUR Learn about the

unique history and ecology of Deadman's Island through a kayak and walking tour from 9:30 a.m.-noon on Thursday, Aug. 12. The event is open to the public, but RSVPs are required. Email ngrinnan@uwf.edu to reserve your spot. The tour is free, but cash donations are appreciated. Visit flpublicarchaeology.org/nwrc for more information.

HBA HOME & PRODUCT EXPO Nearly

75 exhibitors offer attendees ideas, products and plans to simplify homebuilding, remodeling or landscaping. Dates are 10 a.m. Aug. 14 and 15 at Pensacola Bay Center, located at 201 E. Gregory St. The expo is free and open to everyone. For more information, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

WEEKLY FRIDAY DANCE Get moving every Friday night with a dance sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Enjoy food from 6-7 p.m. Dancing is from 7-10 p.m. A variety of bands and music provide the tunes. Cost of admission is $6. Dances are located at 105 Kenmore Ave. in Pensacola. For more information, call (850) 476-5696. PENSACOLA FERRY SERVICE RETURNS The Pensacola Bay Cruises Ferry

Service is now re-open with daily service, seven days a week, 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. Tickets are $26 roundtrip for adults; $20 roundtrip for military, disabled persons and students; and $15 roundtrip for children 3-15. Children 2 and under ride for free. A locals card may be purchased for additional discounts. The ferry service operation schedule is available on pensacolabaycruise.com.

PENSACOLA PARKRUN The Pen-

sacola Rec Plex North parkrun is 7:30 a.m. Saturdays. The weekly timed 5K run or walk takes place at the University of West Florida and is open to everyone, regardless of fitness level. For more information, visit facebook.com/rpnparkrun or email recplexnorth@parkrun.com. August 5, 2021

BREATHE AND READ AT BODACIOUS BOOKSTORE AND CAFÉ Recenter yourself at this monthly event at Bodacious Bookstore and Café, with an instructor-led beginner yoga class and a group book discussion at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month. Bodacious Bookstore and Café is located at 110 Intendencia St. For more information, visit bodaciousbookstore.com.

WFPL MOLINO TRACK CHALLENGE

Put on your walking shoes and join the walking challenge at the Molino library. Just visit Molino's track, turn on your favorite fitness tracker app to log your progress, dial up your tunes or an audiobook and start walking. When you finish, come into the library and log your progress with staff on our track challenge board. The top walker in this program will win The Coldest Water Bottle. The Molino Branch Library is located at 6450-A Highway 95A. For more information, visit mywfpl.com.

BLUE WAHOOS GAMES It's the 2021

season for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Stadium capacity limits are expected to be implemented to ensure fan safety during the 2021 season and will be announced leading up to the season. For tickets and more information, visit bluewahoos.com. UPCOMING HOME GAMES: •6:35 p.m. Aug. 10-13 •6:05 p.m. Aug. 14 •4 p.m. Aug. 15

RELEASE & RENEW AT FITNESS IMPACT TRAINING At 8:15 a.m. on Mon-

days, Wednesdays and Fridays, release into a yin yoga flow centered around low-stress training for high-stress individuals. The focus will be on the basics of breath and openness in the shoulders, hips and spine. For more info, go to mindandmetta.online. Cost is $12 per class, and the location is 375 N. Ninth Ave., Ste. B. Limited space available. Ask about membership pricing.

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.

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. SOUL FLOW YOGA AT BEAUTIFUL YOU STUDIO Every Tuesday at 7 a.m., flow

and vibe with some soulful music to start the day. This hour-long class will center

a&e happenings around engaging the core through smooth yet strong yoga sequences. Cost is $10 per class or $99 for an unlimited 30-day pass. Located at 513 W. Intendencia St. For more info, go to mindandmetta.online.

YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Begin-

ner Yoga with John is 10 a.m. Thursdays, 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 12:15 p.m. Wednesdays. Funky Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Tuesdays. And Vinyasa Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Thursdays. All classes at Ever'man, 327 W. Garden St. For a full calendar of events, visit everman.org.

OCEAN HOUR BEACH CLEAN-UPS

Ocean Hour has picked up its weekly beach clean-ups in the Pensacola area Saturdays at 8:45 a.m. On Saturday, Jan. 30, volunteers will be at Philip A. Payne Bridge. Supplies will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own. For locations, visit oceanhourfl.com.

FOOD + DRINKS

GREAT SOUTHERN SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK Through Aug. 8, enjoy

three courses for $33 starting at 5 p.m. nightly at Great Southern Restaurants including The Fish House, Jackson's Steakhouse, Five Sisters Blues Café and Angelena's. For more information and menus, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.

020 2

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS: BIG TOP BREWING CO. The next installment of

Atlas Beverage Classes will feature Big Top Brewing Co. on Thursday, Aug. 5, with two classes at 5 and 7 p.m. Classes are $25 and include one tasting of each featured beverage. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Make yours by calling (850) 2870200 or emailing taylor@goodgrits.com.

COUPLES COOKS: COOL FOODS FOR A HOT SUMMER NIGHT Learn to cook

summer ceviche, corn and black bean salad, the ultimate Cuban sandwich and more with Pensacola Cooks' Couples Cook 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, at Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, located at 3624 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $70 per couple. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks.

VINO MAGNIFICO The next Vino Mag-

nifico is Tuesday, Aug. 10, at 5:30 p.m. at V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, located at 29 S. Palafox. Cost is $15 per person. Seating is limited and RSVP is required. Reserve your spot at vpauls.com.

FRIDAY THE 13TH WESTERN MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW

Improbable Cause Mystery Theatre brings you some Friday the 13th fun with its Western-Themed Murder Mystery: Wild Wild Death, 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13, at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St.

Seating is limited. Order your tickets now at $55 per seat general admission. For more information visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

CULTURES COOK: LATIN AMERICAN COASTAL CEVICHE Learn to make the

classic Peruvian "cebiche" among other dishes. 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at Pensacola Cooks, 3624 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $45 per student. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks.

HENNY PENNY SOUL LIVE COOKING SESSIONS Tune into the Henny Penny

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

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.

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.

BURGERS AND BORDEAUX AT UNION PUBLIC HOUSE Every Tuesday

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back

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.

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

inweekly.net

a&e happenings 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.

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 August 5, 2021

or online at districtstreaks.com. The District is located at 123 E. Government St.

KID-FRIENDLY

STORY WALKS This summer, the West

Florida Public Libraries will be hosting several story walks. Come down to the lawns at the Pensacola Library, Tryon Branch Library or Molino Branch Library and walk a story with your family. Several books will be on rotating display between the branches for your family to read and hop, skip and jump between the pages as you play pretend. The original story walk project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vt., and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. *Availability of story walks will be dependent on the weather. Visit mywfpl.com for more information.

TILTING TOOTHPICK TOWERS Inter-

ested in designing and building an original creation using toothpicks and gumdrops? Come join the STEAM team in exploring the mechanics of simple engineering while making a tasty treat Tuesdays and Thursdays in August from 10-11 a.m. at West Florida Public Libraries. •Aug. 10: Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. •Aug. 12: Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd. •Aug. 17: Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. •Aug. 19: Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A •Aug. 24: Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory St. •Aug. 26: Southwest Branch Library, 2248 Gulf Beach Highway. •Aug. 31: Geneaology Branch Library, 5740 N. Ninth Ave.

HULA HOOP CONTEST Swing and twist your way over to Tryon Branch Library on Aug. 17 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. for a fun little competition to see who can hoop it up. Judging is based on who gets fancy, who can last the longest and who gives it their best effort. Take a trip to the treasure chest if you are a winner. MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLES AVAILABLE AT WEST FLORIDA LIBRARIES

Mystery Book Bundles are available for preschool, middle grade and young adult readers. Preschool bags contain three new picture books. Middle grade and young adult bags contain two themed chapter books. All books can be checked out for three weeks. Mystery bundles are available at the Pensacola Library, located at 239 N. Spring St.; Tryon Branch Library, located at 1200 Langley Ave. and Southwest Branch Library, located at 12248 Gulf Beach Highway. Visit mywfpl.com for more information.

for more listings visit inweekly.net 21

free will astrology WEEK OF AUGUST 5 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Filmmaker

Federico Fellini had an unexpected definition of happiness. He said it was "being able to speak the truth without hurting anyone." I suspect you will have abundant access to that kind of happiness in the coming weeks, Aries. I'll go even further—You will have extra power to speak the truth in ways that heal and uplift people. My advice to you, therefore, is to celebrate and indulge your ability. Be bold in expressing the fullness of what's interesting to you.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "Look for a long time at what pleases you and longer still at what pains you," wrote the novelist Colette. What?! Was she making a perverse joke? That's wicked advice, and I hope you adopt it only on rare occasions. In fact, the exact opposite is the healthy way to live—especially for you in the coming weeks. Look at what pains you, yes. Don't lose sight of what your problems and wounds are. But please, for the sake of your dreams, for the benefit of your spiritual and psychological health, look longer at what pleases you, energizes you and inspires you. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): If you deepen your affection for butterflies and hummingbirds, I will love it. If you decide you want the dragonfly or bumblebee or lark to be your spirit creature, I will approve. You almost always benefit from cultivating relationships with swift, nimble and lively influences—and that's especially true these days. So give yourself full permission to experiment with the superpower of playful curiosity. You're most likely to thrive when you're zipping around in quest of zesty ripples and sprightly rhythms. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Life is

showing you truths about what you are not, what you don't need and what you shouldn't strive for. That's auspicious, although it may initially feel unsettling. I urge you to welcome these revelations with gratitude. They will help you tune in to the nuances of what it means to be radically authentic. They will

By Rob Brezsny

boost your confidence in the rightness of the path you've chosen for yourself. I'm hoping they may even show you which of your fears are irrelevant. Be hungry for these extraordinary teachings.

spiritual resources that ensure their suffering is a source of transformative teaching—and rarely a cause of defeat. Have you guessed that I'm describing you as you will be in the coming weeks?

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The next two

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Professor of psychology Ethan Kross tells us there can be healthy, creative forms of envy. "Just as hunger tells us we need to eat," he writes, "the feeling of envy could show us what is missing from our lives that really matters to us." The trick is to not interpret envy as a negative emotion, but to see it as useful information that shows us what we want. In my astrological opinion, that's a valuable practice for you to deploy in the coming days. So pay close attention to the twinges of envy that pop into your awareness. Harness that volatile stuff to motivate yourself as you make plans to get the very experience or reward you envy.

months will be a propitious time for you and your intimate allies to grow closer by harnessing the power of your imaginations. I urge you to be inventive in dreaming up ways to educate and entertain each other. Seek frisky adventures together that will delight you. Here's a poem by Vyacheslav Ivanov that I hope will stimulate you—"We are two flames in a midnight forest. We are two meteors that fly at night, a two-pointed arrow of one fate. We are two steeds whose bridle is held by one hand. We are two eyes of a single gaze, two quivering wings of one dream, twovoiced lips of single mysteries. We are two arms of a single cross."

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Virgo

spiritual author Don Miguel Ruiz urges us not to take anything personally. He says that if someone treats us disrespectfully, it's almost certainly because they are suffering from psychological wounds that make them act in vulgar, insensitive ways. Their attacks have little to do with what's true about us. I agree with him and will add this important caveat. Even if you refrain from taking such abuses personally, it doesn't mean you should tolerate them. It doesn't mean you should keep that person in your life or allow them to bully you in the future. I suspect these are important themes for you to contemplate right now.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): "People who

feel deeply, live deeply and love deeply are destined to suffer deeply," writes poet Juansen Dizon. To that romanticized, juvenile nonsense, I say—NO! WRONG! People who feel and live and love deeply are more emotionally intelligent than folks who live on the surface—and are therefore less fragile. The deep ones are likely to be psychologically adept; they have skills at liberating themselves from the smothering crush of their problems. The deep ones also have access to rich

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Poet Walt Whitman bragged that he was "large." He said, "I contain multitudes." One critic compared him to "a whole continent with its waters, with its trees, with its animals." Responding to Whitman, Sagittarian poet Gertrud Kolmar uttered an equally grandiose boast. "I too am a continent," she wrote. "I contain mountains never-reached, scrubland unpenetrated, pond bay, river-delta, salt-licking coast-tongue." That's how I'm imagining you these days, dear Sagittarius—as unexplored territory, as frontier land teeming with undiscovered mysteries. I love how expansive you are as you open your mind and heart to new self-definitions. I love how you're willing to risk being unknowable for a while as you wander out in the direction of the future. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Poet Ezra Pound wrote a letter to novelist James Joyce that included the following passage— "You are fucking with my head, and so far I've been enjoying it. Where is the crime?" I bring this up, Capricorn, because I believe the coming weeks will be prime time for you to engage with interesting souls who fuck with your head in enjoyable ways. You need a friendly jolt or two: a series of galvanizing prods; dialogs that catalyze you to try new

ways of thinking and seeing; lively exchanges that inspire you to experiment.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Blogger Mandukhai Munkhbaatar offers advice on the arts of intimate communion. "Do not fall in love only with a body or with a face," she tells us. "Do not fall in love with the idea of being in love." She also wants you to know that it's best for your long-term health and happiness if you don't seek cozy involvement with a person who is afraid of your madness, or with someone who, after you fight, disappears and refuses to talk. I approve of all these suggestions. Any others you would add? It's a favorable phase to get clearer about the qualities of people you want and don't want as your allies. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): I gave my

readers homework, asking them to answer the question, "What is your favorite rule to break?" In response, Laura Grolla sent these thoughts—"My favorite rule to break is an unwritten one: that we must all stress and strive for excellence. I have come up with a stressbusting mantra, 'It is OK to be OK.' In my OKness, I have discovered the subtle frontier of contentment, which is vast and largely unexplored. OKness allows me not to compete for attention, but rather to pay attention to others. I love OKness for the humor and deep, renewing sleep it has generated. Best of all, OKness allows me to be happily aging rather than anxiously hot." I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because I think the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to investigate and embody the relaxing mysteries of OKness. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Tell me what subtle or not-so-subtle victories you plan to accomplish by Jan,1, 2022. Newsletter@ freewillastrology.com

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news of the weird GOOD GUY WITH A GUN? An unnamed man in Yakima, Washington, was arrested on July 24 after a curious incident inside his home, KIMA reported. The man was stocking his refrigerator with soda cans when one exploded, witnesses explained to police. He pulled a handgun out of his waistband and fired a round into the bottom of the fridge. When police arrived, the man was outside his home in the alley, "yelling incoherently," police said, with a gun lying on the ground. He told police that he believed the people living in the basement were trying to kill him, but it turns out no one lives in the basement—because there is no basement in the home. He also told police he had found the gun, but he was arrested for seconddegree unlawful possession of a firearm and discharge of a firearm. WHAT A TRIP! Reza Baluchi of central Florida didn't get very far in his effort to walk on water from St. Augustine to New York City, Fox News reported. On July 24, Baluchi washed ashore in Flagler County, Florida, inside a bubble-like vessel, which he hoped to use to run (sort of like a hamster in a wheel) up the East Coast. He told sheriff's deputies that he had encountered "complications" that brought him back to shore. "My goal is to not only raise money for homeless people, raise money for the Coast Guard, raise money for the police department, raise money for the fire department," Baluchi said. This was not the first time he had been rescued after going to sea in a hydro bubble. BUT THE SQUIRREL SURVIVED On July 15, a 19-year-old driver from Hingham, Massachusetts, swerved to avoid hitting a squirrel in the road and ended up in the living room of a historical home built by Abraham Lincoln's great-grandfather in 1650. The Boston Globe reported that the unnamed driver "drove off the right side of the road, over the sidewalk and into the front of the house" around 6:30 a.m., where residents were still sleeping upstairs. The driver was issued a citation for failing to stay in marked lanes, police said. LEAST EMPATHETIC CRIMINALS Two girls, 16 and 17 years old, were walking to a gas station in Medina Valley, Texas, on July 26 when they noticed something in a drainage ditch. It turned out to be a dead man, whom investigators believe hanged himself from a railing using "what appeared to be a shirt," Fox News reported. When the girls came upon the body, they called a friend, who called 911. But before officers arrived on the scene, the girls allegedly helped themselves to the dead man's gold necklace, documenting the theft on Snapchat. The video was anonymously sent to the Bexar County Sheriff's office, and deputies charged both with theft from a human corpse—a felony. A friend of the

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

17-year-old told officers she stole it because it "matched her fashion style." RUDE Cary, North Carolina, resident John Michael Kantz, 60, was arrested on July 24 for ethnic intimidation and vandalism after he applied bumper stickers to cars in the parking lots of Mexican restaurants On the Border and Totopos Street Food and Tequila, WNCN reported. The bumper stickers read, "I (heart) being white." He also applied them in the restroom of one of the establishments. FETISH UPDATE Jorge Orellana-Arias, 38, was arrested on July 22 in East Haven, Connecticut, after a tenant in a building he owned recorded him entering her apartment and pawing through underwear belonging to her and her daughter. The woman first reported her landlord in May, then set up hidden cameras to prove her allegations. "The video, which was provided to officers, shows Orellana-Arias bringing female garments to his nose, apparently in an effort to sniff them," police told the Hartford Courant. On one occasion, he entered the apartment when the daughter was at home, but left quickly upon seeing her. Orellana-Arias was charged with third-degree burglary and released on bond. BAD BEHAVIOR Amanda Lee, 50, of Crewe, Cheshire, England, has been thumbing her nose at convention since the 1990s, urinating and defecating anywhere she chooses in the town's open spaces, CheshireLive reported. Finally, the Crewe Magistrate's Court issued a CBO (criminal behavior order) against her on July 12, which prohibits her from having alcohol in an open container; using abusive language or threatening behavior in public; contacting police without a genuine emergency; relieving herself in public; and entering one specific street, Preece Court. Police constable Alex Barker said Lee "has persistently shown no consideration at all for the actions her offending has had on others. There comes a point where you have to say enough is enough." The criminal penalty for breaching the CBO is a five-year prison sentence. BRIGHT IDEA Australian Olympic kayaker Jess Fox, 27, showed her MacGyver chops in Tokyo on July 27, using an Olympics-issued condom to repair her kayak before winning bronze and gold medals in different events. CTV News reported that Fox used the condom to hold in place a carbon mixture that is applied to the tip of the kayak. "Bet you never knew condoms could be used for kayak repairs," Fox posted on Instagram. "It gives the carbon a smooth finish." Smooth, indeed. {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com August 5, 2021

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