2026 PRIMARY GUIDE
Do you know a business or leader making a lasting impact in our community?
NOMINATE THEM TODAY!
The EntreCon® Awards celebrate the outstanding businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and community leaders who help shape the future of our community.
AWARDS GIVEN:
Rodney Jackson Minority-Owned
Business of the Year
Veteran-Owned Business of the Year
Female-Owned Business of the Year
Emerging Business of the Year
Small Business of the Year
Large Business of the Year
Nonprofit of the Year
Entrepreneur of the Year
Employer of the Year
Hosted by Studer Community Institute
FORWARD LEADING US
winners & losers winners losers
JASON LIBBERT The Pensacola Sports Board of Directors has named Jason Libbert as the organization's new President and CEO. Libbert returns to Pensacola Sports after 12 years as director of events, a role in which he helped build many of the organization's signature events. He brings more than two decades of experience in sports management, marketing and sponsorship development. Libbert succeeds Ray Palmer, who led Pensacola Sports for nearly 25 years. "Jason understands our mission, our partners and the important role Pensacola Sports plays in our community," said Board Chair Will Moore. Founded in 1955, Pensacola Sports is the lead sports tourism agency for Escambia County.
JOE PASSERETTI GrayRobinson has named Joseph A. Passeretti, B.C.S., managing shareholder of its Pensacola office. Passeretti, a member of the 2010 Inweekly Rising Stars class, was part of the founding team that launched the office in December 2024. He represents clients in complex civil litigation focused on construction law, commercial disputes and employment law, and he is boardcertified by The Florida Bar in Construction Law. Passeretti is past president of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association and chaired The Florida Bar's Construction Certification Committee in 20232024. "Joe exemplifies nearly two decades of civic leadership in this community," said GrayRobinson CEO Dean Cannon. Passeretti earned his law degree from the University of Miami.
MELANIE HENDRIX The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has named Melanie Hendrix, a teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, the 2026 Florida History Teacher of the Year. Since 2004, this distinguished award has recognized exceptional K–12 educators for their remarkable work in teaching American history. Nominees are recommended by students, colleagues or school leaders and selected by state committees of historians and educators. A veteran educator with 33 years of experience, Hendrix teaches AP U.S. History, as well as honors and regular U.S. History courses. She will receive a $1,000 honorarium, a curated collection of American history books and educational materials from the Gilder Lehrman Institute.
PSC PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
Zack Smith chaired the presidential search committee at the University of West Florida and "found" Manny Diaz Jr. to be the only worthy finalist. He's now chairing Pensacola State College's presidential search committee, and once again, it appears someone has already been anointed for the position. The next PSC president is required to have only a bachelor's degree. Leadership experience in business, the military or government is treated as equivalent to higher-education experience. The key is also having experience in state education policy and budgetary processes, which suggests the next president will be a DeSantis crony or a Florida legislator. Or Smith may think outside the box and recommend Manny Diaz Jr. to run both UWF and PSC.
NAVARRE BEACH FIRE DISTRICT New
Fire Chief Jonathan Kanzigg is working to pull the Navarre Beach Fire and Rescue District out of what he calls "a significant financial deficit." Last month, the district's governing board approved a 6.22% rate increase, raising annual fees by about $27 per property and generating roughly $74,000 in additional revenue. Kanzigg said reserve funds had been used to cover recurring expenses, masking the shortfall. The district secured a $300,000 line of credit and is seeking an interest-free advance from Santa Rosa County to cover October and November bills until tax revenue arrives. The fire chief has suspended staff travel and cut overtime costs.
DATA CENTER POLITICS
During the company's second-quarter earnings call last month, leaders of NextEra Energy, parent company of Florida Power & Light, showed little concern about a new law aimed at protecting consumers from the impacts of large-scale data centers. CEO John Ketchum said Florida's low-cost build environment remains attractive to developers. FPL President Scott Bores said SB 484, paired with a November rate settlement addressing data center electricity use, has given the company "a good foundation to build upon." Bores added that FPL is working with communities to identify suitable host locations and emphasized transparency in the siting process.
Jason Libbert / Photo Courtesy of Pensacola Sports
Paid by DC Reeves for Mayor
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
STOP SETTING IMPOSSIBLE GOALS
Aspirational targets for kindergarten readiness make good press releases. Realistic ones make actual progress.
The Business Alliance for Early Learning is a Florida Chamber Foundation initiative that aims to boost kindergarten readiness, improve thirdgrade reading proficiency and engage employers in early childhood education. It set a goal for all incoming students to be ready for kindergarten by 2030.
The goal sounds noble, but we won't achieve it. No Florida county, even those with the strongest school districts and the least poverty, has ever come close to 100% kindergarten readiness. Statewide, we're at 44%. In Escambia County, we just dropped 13.5 percentage points in a single year, from 49.5% to 36%. A target that requires the entire state to gain 14 percentage points a year, every year, for four straight years, isn't a plan. It's a pipe dream.
BIG GOALS FEEL GOOD I understand the appeal of "100% by 2030." It sounds like resolve. It raises contributions. Nobody wants to stand at a podium and announce a 60% goal, because 60% sounds like giving up on 40% of Florida's children.
But a goal that everyone privately knows is unreachable no longer functions as a goal. It becomes wallpaper. Boards vote to approve it, foundations include it in their annual reports and nobody is held accountable when year six of the 10-year plan arrives, and the number has barely moved. This is precisely where we are now. Nobody ever expected it to hit 100%. The goal was never a commitment. It was a decision by the marketing department.
In 2018, Achieve Escambia set a bold goal: 60% of Escambia County's kindergarten population would be ready for school by 2020. At the time, 46% of Escambia children were ready for kindergarten, ranking 54th among Florida's 67 counties. Last year, 16 of Escambia County's elementary schools reported that fewer than one in three kindergarteners were ready to start school. Six of the schools had fewer than 20% of their students ready. Achieve Escambia dissolved last summer.
Setting a bold goal didn't improve our schools or keep Achieve Escambia viable.
A realistic goal gives a board, a school district or a nonprofit a clear benchmark for honest evaluation. It lets a community say, "We aimed for 55% and hit 52%; here's what we're adjusting." An impossible goal produces one of two outcomes: silence or a slow redefinition of what "success" means so the original number stops being embarrassing.
BRIGHT BEGINNINGS This is exactly why I'll be watching how the Escambia Children's Trust (ECT) frames Bright Beginnings' targets over the next three years. Last month, ECT released its $3.5 million "Bright Beginnings" request for proposal (RFP) to establish a 0-to-age-6 readiness network. The RFP's key performance indicators—85% enrollment among eligible families, 75% of kindergarten entrants meeting readiness benchmarks and 90% of families connecting to a community resource—are specific, measurable and genuinely challenging given where the county stands today. That's the right kind of ambition. They're achievable but will require effort. They aren't a slogan a board can hide behind.
If ECT and its provider networks report back in three years that they have moved Escambia's readiness rate from 36% to 50%, that should be treated as a real win, even though it's nowhere near 100%. If instead the county quietly stops publishing the number or starts measuring something softer and less comparable, that would tell us the goal has become wallpaper, too. Big, round, aspirational numbers are useful for exactly one thing: getting a room's attention when a program launches. After that, they become a liability, because they set every future report up to sound like failure.
Escambia County doesn't need a goal that sounds impressive in a press release. It needs a goal that can be hit, missed by a little, adjusted and hit again. It isn't glamorous and won't make an exciting headline. It's also the only kind of goal that's ever worked. {in} rick@inweekly.net
$715,000
Top-floor, end-unit, two-story condo 2
3
GULF BREEZE WILL DO
(GBWD), a women's philanthropic organization, has officially opened its 2026 grant cycle. Local nonprofits, schools and community groups serving Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach (Zip codes 32561 and 32563) are invited to apply for funding through Sept. 1.
Since its founding in 2014, GBWD has awarded more than $543,000 to projects and initiatives that make a measurable impact in the community.
"Every year, we're moved by how clearly the grant proposals shine a light on real needs within our community, many of which aren't always visible to the general public," said GBWD president Leslie Perino. "It's incredibly meaningful for our members to help meet those needs and make a tangible impact, right here at home."
Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available in five categories: art, recreation and sports, education, hardship support services, public safety and environment.
Among GBWD's 2025 grant recipients: ARC Gateway received $4,080 for a sensory room at its Santa Rosa Adult Day Center; the Gulf Breeze Police Department received $7,044 to replace four aging AED devices for patrol cars; and the Santa Rosa Education Foundation received $8,011 to fund a full college scholarship for a local at-risk, low-income student.
GBWD is powered entirely by its members— women who each contribute $250 annually, with 100% of dues distributed directly to grant recipients. Every member has an equal vote in selecting which projects receive funding.
Applications and guidelines are available at gulfbreezewilldo.org. Grant recipients will be announced in November 2026. The deadline to become a 2026 voting member is Sept. 30.
that the investigation into the July 5 mass shooting in downtown Pensacola that left one person dead and six injured has largely concluded.
"We're moving very much past the investigation stage and now moving through to the court phase," Winstrom said, adding that he wants to protect the rights of those charged. "Those individuals who have been charged, they're entitled to a fair trial, and I don't want to corrupt that at all, but the detectives did an excellent job."
Winstrom, a former Chicago police commander, said, "This incident that happened July 5 with seven people shot is the most individuals shot I think my entire team has seen in the city of Pensacola."
He said two lives were lost as a result of the incident—one to gunfire and one by suicide—and he does not want the city to become desensitized to violence the way he saw happen in Chicago.
"We never want to be numb to violence," Winstrom said. "It's little comfort to PJ Sheppard's family, to Trevon Bradley's family. So, a very dark day for the city, and I hope nothing we ever have to deal with again."
The chief credited surveillance video, forensic evidence including shell casings and community cooperation with helping investigators identify suspects, including one final individual identified after police released photos publicly.
"Almost instantaneously we had feedback, individuals saying, 'I believe this is the person you're looking for.' We were able to put the final pieces to this puzzle together," Winstrom said.
He also credited downtown business owners for cooperating with investigators in the days following the shooting. "We felt that when we were
ernment, elected officials, which is wonderful," he said. "It puts us in a great position."
He said he hopes the department's response to the July 5 shooting will not be repeated anytime soon. "Hopefully that's it for crises," he said. "That's what we want."
RED LIGHT STUDIED
City Administrator David Stafford, filling in for Mayor D.C. Reeves at Tuesday's weekly press conference, provided an update on efforts to address one of Pensacola's most dangerous intersections: 14th Avenue and Gregory Street.
Stafford said the Florida Department of Transportation has completed collecting updated traffic counts on Gregory Street near the Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. Bridge and is now conducting a "warrant analysis" to determine whether the data supports installing a traffic signal at the intersection. That analysis is expected to be complete by the end of August.
Asked whether a traffic light was considered the best solution, Stafford said it was one of several options under discussion, noting the intersection is a concern shared by the mayor's office, police and fire officials.
said. "I want to say the whole city of Pensacola is not the place that is going to tolerate violence."
FIRST FIVE MONTHS Chief Winstrom took over the Pensacola Police Department five months ago after previously serving as the police chief in Grand Rapids, Mich. He shared that he has been surprised by how welcoming and supportive the department has been to him, an outside hire.
He said the department is reviewing its useof-force training and continuing to evaluate its pursuit policy. "We want to be a leader. We don't want to be catching up with some other police department in the region or in the country," he said. "We want to know that we're the gold standard of policing."
On staffing, Winstrom said the department currently has seven recruits in training who will fill existing vacancies, including openings in detective, vice and narcotics and traffic enforcement positions.
"People that live in Pensacola are going to see the level of customer service is going to go up," he said.
Winstrom also compared Pensacola to Grand Rapids, noting that despite Pensacola's smaller size, it functions as the cultural and economic hub of the Panhandle. "If you're looking to go to a good restaurant, you're going into Pensacola. You want something to do, you're coming to Pensacola," he said. "We really are the central hub of this region."
Looking ahead, the police chief said the department is watching budget uncertainty tied to potential state property tax changes but remains optimistic. "We have a very supportive city gov-
The intersection recorded 22 vehicular crashes and three motorcycle fatalities in 2025 through Dec. 8 of that year, according to city data. While the warrant analysis proceeds, FDOT plans to complete several safety improvements by September, including supplemental signage, pavement markings directing drivers toward Interstate 110, 35-mph pavement shields and speed feedback signs on the ramp coming off the Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. Bridge.
The update follows an April meeting between city and FDOT engineers that Reeves credited with breaking a logjam in the long-contested intersection dispute. Reeves said at the time that the key breakthrough was both sides agreeing a problem existed, rather than continuing to dispute it through competing emails.
City officials say concrete steps are underway, though a final decision on a traffic signal remains pending the completion of FDOT's analysis this summer.
NATIONAL CHAMPS
On July 26, Pensacola FC captured its first men's national championship, defeating Iron Rose FC (Roseville, Calif.) 1-0 in extra time at Norma Knobel Hunt Stadium in Denton, Texas.
The title match pitted the two highest-scoring teams in the League for Clubs' 2026 season—Pensacola FC with 49 goals and Iron Rose with 46—in a game that stayed scoreless through 90 minutes of regulation. Pensacola missed a chance to win in the 71st minute when a penalty kick struck the crossbar. The breakthrough came in the 113th minute, when Pensacola FC converted a second penalty for the game's only goal.
Team owner Justin Witkin discussed the championship run with Inweekly. Pensacola FC began in 2011 as the Texans, focused initially on a women's program that won national titles in 2012 and 2019. The men's side, now in its
2025 Gulf Breeze Will Do Grant Winners / Photo Courtesy of Gulf Breeze Will Do
sixth season, competes in the League for Clubs, the fourth tier of the U.S. Soccer pyramid, playing a compressed 14-game schedule from May to July.
To reach the final, Pensacola FC beat rival Tallahassee, then Daphne-based Union 10 for the Gulf Coast Conference title. A forfeit win over Capital City FC of Austin, Texas—after that team fielded ineligible players—advanced Pensacola to the South Region final, where the club beat a New York squad before topping Iron Rose in the national championship.
Witkin said he was caught off guard by his own reaction to winning a championship. "I was really surprised by the amount of emotion that I felt," he said. "When we won that trophy, I was just flying. And I was literally flying. The players picked me up and threw me in the air."
Witkin said, "It's not that often you get to say, 'I won a national championship,' I don't care what level … And we did it this year, and it felt darn good."
The win qualifies Pensacola FC for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The last panhandle team to reach that tournament was the Panama City Beach Pirates of the USL League Two's PDL in 2014.
Witkin also addressed the city's ongoing study into whether Blue Wahoos Stadium could be adapted for professional soccer, as part of continued talks about bringing USL Soccer to Pensacola. "There is no better place," he said. "If I could pick, I would number one always pick Wahoos Stadium. It's so wonderfully located."
PENSACOLA MAKES TOP 10 Millennials in the Pensacola metro area are buying homes at a rate that outpaces most of the country, according to a new national analysis released by RentCafe, an apartment search and rental market research firm.
The report, which examined U.S. Census data across 107 metro areas with the largest Millennial populations, found that 61.9% of Pensacola-area Millennials now own their homes— the 10th-highest homeownership rate in the nation. Pensacola trails only Grand Rapids, Mich.; Ogden and Provo, Utah; Lancaster, Pa.; and Minneapolis, Minn., along with Baton Rouge, La.; Boise, Idaho; Des Moines, Iowa; and Detroit, Mich.
Locally, the number of Millennial homeowner households rose from 19,172 in 2018 to 32,853 in 2023, a 71.4% increase over five years. The metro's Millennial renter trend is moving in the opposite direction: the number of Millennial renter households in Pensacola fell 12.6% over the same period, from 23,158 to 20,245.
The local decline in renters stands in contrast to the national picture. Across the country, Millennial renter households grew by 5% between 2018 and 2023, reaching 12.6 million, even as Millennial homeownership surged 74% nationally to 12.4 million households.
RentCafe's analysis attributes the strongest homeownership gains—both nationally and in metros like Pensacola—to a combination of income growth for Millennial workers and price
growth that remained below 20% over the study period. The report notes that metros with the highest homeownership shares tend to be small or mid-sized markets rather than major coastal cities, where high home prices continue to keep large shares of Millennials renting. Los Angeles, San Jose and San Diego, Calif. all reported Millennial rentership rates above 64%.
Nationally, the fastest growth in Millennial homeownership was concentrated in Florida and California, led by North Port, Fla., where the number of Millennial homeowners nearly tripled between 2018 and 2023. Lakeland and Jacksonville, along with Stockton and Oxnard, Calif., also ranked among the top five for growth.
On the rental side, Orlando posted the largest increase in Millennial renters nationwide, up 34% over five years, followed by Lakeland, Cape Coral, Palm Bay and Miami.
The report is based on RentCafe's analysis of IPUMS census data, with income and inflation figures sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The full report, including rankings for all 107 metro areas, is available at rentcafe.com.
BARKTOBERFEST HELP
The Pensacola Humane Society is seeking sponsors and vendors for the 20th Annual Barktoberfest, one of the Gulf Coast's largest pet-friendly festivals and the organization's second-largest fundraiser of the year.
Barktoberfest will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, at Seville Square and Fountain Park in downtown Pensacola. Businesses, organizations and community partners are invited to support the milestone event through sponsorships and vendor participation.
Since its debut 20 years ago, Barktoberfest has raised awareness for homeless pets while generating critical funding to support the Pensacola Humane Society's mission of caring for animals and helping them find loving homes. In 2025, Barktoberfest saw an estimated 4,500 event visitors and featured more than 70 vendors, including pet-centric and local area businesses, veterinary practices, animal rescue organizations and shelters offering adoption opportunities.
"On average, it costs our shelter more than $1,400 for every animal we intake," said Mary Donovan McClellan, vice president of development for Pensacola Humane Society. "That's why sponsorships and donations are such an important part of Barktoberfest. Every dollar stays right here to provide shelter, medical care and the opportunity for more pets to find loving families."
Sponsorship opportunities are available at multiple levels and provide businesses with visibility before, during and after the event while directly supporting animal welfare in the Pensacola community. Vendor applications are also now being accepted.
Additional information about sponsorships, vendor opportunities and the event is available at pensacolahumane.org/barktoberfest or by emailing barktoberfest@pensacolahumane.org. {in}
WHERE TO VOTE EARLY
VOTE EARLY AT 10 AREA LOCATIONS!
Saturday, August 8 through Saturday, August 15
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
Main Library, 239 Spring Street, Pensacola
Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A, Molino
Asbury Place, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola
Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W De Soto Street, Pensacola
Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse, 7500 N Century Blvd, Century
UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola
Robert D. Bender, Supervisor of Elections
Phone: (850) 595-3900
Fax: (850) 595-3914
Email: soe@escambiavotes.gov
Escambia County's voter turnout for primaries has dropped over the past three election cycles. Will this year be any different?
Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender hopes so. Primaries make binding decisions that impact our community for years, he said, and every voter has a reason to show up.
"Regardless of party affiliation, voters will have something to vote on because so many local races—such as school board and Pensacola mayor—are nonpartisan," Bender said.
The Supervisor of Elections office has already begun sending out vote-by-mail ballots. If you want to receive one, Thursday, Aug. 6 is the last day to make your request. If you read this issue after that date, you're out of luck, but you still have two voting options. Early voting begins on Saturday, Aug. 8 and continues through Saturday, Aug. 15, and you can always vote on primary election day, which is Tuesday, Aug. 18.
We put together this primary guide with the latest information from the Supervisor of Elections office, plus a roundup of all the state and local races and resources to help you learn more about the candidates. We also included key dates for the general election so you can start planning for that.
BALLOT BREAKDOWNS
In the U.S. Senate race, Sen. Ashley Moody has three opponents, and two Democrats are battling to represent their party on the ballot for the general election. This will be Moody's first U.S. Senate election since being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis after President Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio his Secretary of State in 2015.
In the special Republican primary in January 2025 to decide who would fill Rep. Matt Gaetz's seat, Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis easily beat nine opponents, winning 66% of the vote. This time, he faces Douglas Chico and John Frankman, who entered the 2025 GOP primary race but later withdrew after Trump endorsed Patronis.
With DeSantis leaving due to term limits, the governor's race will likely boil down to Republican Congressman Byron Donalds facing Democrat David Jolly, a former GOP congressman, in November. Donalds has Trump's endorsement and millions in his campaign coffers. Jolly named Gwen Graham as his running mate to sway Democrats in his favor. Will those advantages be enough to help them make it through their respective party primaries?
DATES TO REMEMBER 2026 PRIMARY GUIDE
AUG. 6 Primary Election Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request Deadline
AUG. 8-15 Primary Election Early Voting
AUG. 18 PRIMARY ELECTION
OCT. 5 General Election Registration Deadline
OCT. 19-31 General Election Early Voting
OCT. 22 General Election Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request Deadline
NOV. 3 GENERAL ELECTION
Please note that the ballot header for the governor's race reads "Governor/Lieutenant Governor." The Supervisor of Elections office said some vote-by-mail voters have mistakenly voted for two candidates, thinking they were choosing the governor and lieutenant governor. You can only vote for one candidate for governor. Jolly lists Graham as his running mate, but you shouldn't put a mark by her name. Some voters have made their own ovals and filled them in by Graham's name.
Selecting more than one candidate in this contest will result in an overvote, and your vote for governor cannot be counted.
Another DeSantis appointee, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, faces opposition—Frank William Collige—in the primary; meanwhile, two Democrats, Earle Ford and Annette Taddeo, vie to face him in November. GOP Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson faces challenger Matt Taylor in the Republican primary, and Joey Mendoza Atkins and Don Prichard are in the Democratic primary.
Two Republicans, Jon Fay and Trei McMullen, battle for the right to face Democrat Johnny Austin Thompson in November to fill the Florida House District 2 seat, which Alex Andrade had to vacate because of term limits.
One Escambia County Commissioner seat is
on the GOP primary ballot. District 2 incumbent Mike
faces Glenn Dorsey. Kohler has upset County Clerk Pam Childers, State Rep. Michelle Salzman and Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger this year. Will the trio derail his re-election bid?
The primaries for the Escambia County School Board are nonpartisan races, meaning everyone in their districts can vote, regardless of party registration. The mayoral primary is also nonpartisan, so all registered voters inside the city limits can vote. The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority and Pensacola City Council races will go directly to the November ballot.
Every Escambia County voter gets to vote in a School District referendum on whether to return the Superintendent of Schools position to an elected position. In 2018, a referendum establishing that the school board would appoint the superintendent passed 50.37% to 46.63%.
The school board chose the wording for the 2026 referendum so that an affirmative answer (Yes) is a vote making the position elected, not appointed. The board also demanded that it be placed on the primary ballot, hoping that the smaller primary turnout will ensure a return to an elected superintendent. With no organized effort to keep an appointed superintendent, the school board may have done enough to get its way.
Kohler
AUGUST PRIMARY RACES
We included the candidates' websites here so you can check out their platforms and qualifications. (i) means incumbent
U.S. SENATE
DEMOCRAT
Angie Nixon angienixon.com
Alex Vindman alexvindman.com
REPUBLICAN
Chris Gleason voteforgleason.com
Ashley Moody (i) ashleymoody.com
Neelam Taneja Perry perryforfl.com
Ernest "Ernie" Rivera ernie4senate.com
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 1
REPUBLICAN
Douglas Chico chicoforcongress.com
John Frankman frankmanforflorida.com
Jimmy Patronis (i) joinjimmy.com
GOVERNOR
DEMOCRAT
Evelyn Castillo-Bach evelynforgovernor.org
Thomas Eloy Fernandez facebook.com/ novaforflorida
Dayna Marie Foster fosterforflorida.com
David Jolly davidjolly.com
Dotie Joseph dotiejoseph.com
Stephann Norman sn4flgovernor.org
REPUBLICAN
Jay Collins jayforflorida.com
Byron Donalds byrondonalds.com
James Fishback fishback2026.com
Jim Holcomb jimholcomb4governor.com
Arthur Joseph McCaffrey
Daniel Nokovich nokovichforgovernor.com
Paul Renner voterenner.com
Rachel Rodriguez rachelforgov.com
James W. Shaw votejim.us
Caneste Succe succeforgovflorida.com
Bobby Williams bwflgov.com
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
DEMOCRAT
Earle Ford earleforcfo.com
Annette Taddeo annettetaddeo.com
REPUBLICAN
Frank William Collige frankforchange.com
Blaise Ingoglia (i) blaiseforflorida.com
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE
DEMOCRAT
Joey Mendoza Atkins joeyforflorida.com
Donald A. "Don" Prichard donprichardforfl.com
REPUBLICAN
Wilton Simpson (i) wiltonsimpson.com
Matt Taylor treadback.com
FLORIDA HOUSE DISTRICT 2 REPUBLICAN
Jon Fay votejonfay.com
Trei McMullen treimcmullen.com
COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 2
REPUBLICAN
Glenn Dorsey glenndorsey.com
Mike Kolher (i) votekohler.com
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 1
NON-PARTISAN (open to all registered D1 voters)
Kevin Adams (i) votekevinadams.com
Erin Toler erintoler.com
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 2
NON-PARTISAN (open to all registered D2 voters)
Paul Fetsko (i) vote4fetsko2026.com
Gerald Washington gerald-washingtoncampaign.b12sites.com
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 3
NON-PARTISAN (open to all registered D3 voters)
David Williams (i) davidwilliams3.com
Issac Williams isaacwilliamsforescambiacountydistrict3.com
CITY OF PENSACOLA MAYOR
NON-PARTISAN (open to all registered city voters)
Jasmine Brown jasminebrownformayor.com
Ann Hill theannplan.com
Darcy "D.C." Reeves dcreeves.com
Eric Shorter colericwshorterformayor.com
Alicia Trawick trawickformayor.com
Jermaine J. Williams jermaine4mayor.com
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
S hall the Superintendent of Schools of Escambia County, Florida, be elected by the majority of the qualified electors of Escambia County, Florida? YES or NO.
To see which of these races will be on your ballot, visit escambiavotes.gov/am-i-registered. The webpage lets you check the status of your voter registration, update your registration information, view your sample ballot and locate your polling location on Election Day.
INFORMATION RESOURCES
In addition to studying up on the candidates' websites, here are some other valuable resources to check out.
ESCAMBIAVOTES Essential voting information, such as sample ballots and polling locations, can be found on the official Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office website at escambiavotes.gov.
VOTE411 Launched by the League of Women Voters, VOTE411 is a non-partisan onestop shop for election information. To compare candidates, make a voting plan and more, visit vote411.org/florida.
FINANCIAL REPORTS
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections office has
the cam paign finance reports of all local candidates on escambiavotes.com under "Candidates." Reports for state and multi-county candidates can be found at dos.fl.gov/elections under "Resources: Candidates, Campaigns & Committees." The financial reports for U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives candidates can be found at fec.gov/data.
CHAMBER SURVEYS
The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce has released responses to its 2026 Candidate Questionnaire. Candidates for Escambia County Commission and Pensacola Mayor had the opportunity to answer six questions developed by the Chamber's Advocacy Committee. Visit pensacolachamber.com/community-relations.
WAYS TO VOTE
VOTE BY MAIL
All qualified and registered voters are permitted to vote by mail. To do so, you must request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to you by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6.
Mail-in ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, so be sure to get yours in the mail as promptly as you can. Once it's in the mail, you can visit escambiavotes.gov/ track-my-ballot to chart its progress. You can also sign up for automatic updates to your phone or email address by visiting BallotTrax at escambiavotes.ballottrax.net/voter.
If you are worried that you're cutting it close to the deadline or just decide you'd
EARLY VOTING
rather vote in person, you can drop your mailin ballot off in person at the Supervisor of Elections office (213 S. Palafox St., second floor). Just remember the deadline is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18.
You can also bring your mail-in ballot to any early voting location. Or simply request an in-person ballot during the early voting period or on election day. You no longer have to worry about surrendering your unused mail-in ballot because of technology improvements at the Supervisor of Elections' office that better track mail-in ballots.
For more on voting by mail in Escambia County, visit escambiavotes.gov/vote-by-mail.
For this primary election, you can vote early from Saturday, Aug. 8 through Saturday, Aug. 15. There are 10 early voting locations in Escambia County, and any registered Escambia County voter can vote at any early voting polling place. All early voting locations are open from 8 a.m.5:30 p.m. daily.
EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS
Supervisor of Elections Office
Main Library
Molino Community Center
Asbury Place at Cokesbury Church
Southwest Library
Bellview Library
Escambia County Extension
Brownsville Community Center
UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts
Billy G. Ward Courthouse
ADDRESS
213 S. Palafox St., Second Floor 239 Spring St.
6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
750 College Blvd. 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
6425 Mobile Highway 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
3200 W. DeSoto St. 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82
7500 N. Century Blvd, Century
For more on early voting in Escambia County, visit escambiavotes.gov/early-voting-locations.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
Tuesday, Aug. 18
•First, find your assigned voting location, which is based on your home address. We recommend visiting escambiavotes.gov/ precinct-finder to easily find your polling location. If your address has changed since you registered to vote, you can update your address at your precinct.
•Then head to that location between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Bring photo identification, and you should be good to go.
WHAT PENSACOLA'S MAYORAL HOPEFULS TOLD US
By Rick Outzen
vitations, telling us she is "focusing on written interviews and candidate questionnaires" because they better reflect "the style of communication I have valued throughout my career in journalism and public service."
Why is the primary so important? Four years ago, political newcomer D.C. Reeves won the office without having to face a run-off in the November general election, garnering 51% of the votes in a four-person field. This time, Mayor Reeves is running as the incumbent against four opponents: Hill, Jasmine Brown, Eric Shorter, Alicia Trawick and Jermaine J. Williams.
Can Reeves receive over 50% of the votes cast again and avoid a run-off? This may be the most intriguing question of the primary.
Our conversations with the candidates gave us five perspectives on Pensacola and how to move the city forward over the next four years.
WHY THEY'RE RUNNING
Mayor D.C. Reeves framed his campaign around continuity and results. He said, "I don't want to live anywhere else. I know how a city budget works and how to get projects done and across the finish line, and I've learned lessons, easy ones and hard ones along the way, and that comes with experience in elected office."
He pointed to rising citizen confidence numbers that have climbed from roughly 28%30% approval of the city's direction 15 years ago to 60%-70% today. Reeves cited the Baptist Hospital demolition and the New Palafox project as proof the strong mayor system works because one person, rather than a divided council, can push a vision through.
Alicia Trawick, a disaster recovery consul-
got vision, I've got knowledge, I've got experience and I've got leadership." He added that he would bring three fellow retired colonels into a Shorter administration. "If we can run CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] with 150,000 personnel, we can surely run Pensacola."
Jasmine Brown, a longtime grassroots organizer, said her political engagement began during Pensacola's fight with Florida Power and Light. She said, "I witnessed during that time that we have leaders who might have different interests, whereas the majority of Pensacolians might be considering a different path forward for how we want our city to be run."
Brown described her campaign as part of a broader movement: "This campaign is not just about me; it's about bringing on more leaders in this community, listening to the people and guiding this path forward so we can reimagine Pensacola the way Pensacolians want it."
AFFORDABILITY AND HOUSING
Every candidate named affordability as a top concern, but their prescriptions differed greatly.
Shorter said Pensacola's version of affordable housing starts around $200,000, which he called out of reach for most working families. He said, "We keep hearing the term 'affordable housing,' but no one ever says what afford-
Brown was the most direct about where she believes existing recovery dollars went. She said, "Very recently, we had money from the state to go towards repairing the houses that were damaged during Hurricane Sally, that was specifically intended to go towards low- and middle-income homes, and that money was not placed where it should have been. Instead, our current mayor wanted to send that money to fix up the port downtown."
She called for public land and public funds to guarantee low- and no-barrier shelter and housing options: "We need an abundance of housing."
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Reeves and Trawick centered infrastructure discussions on jobs and storms, respectively. Reeves said the next four years will focus on building a workforce pipeline to fill the wave of shipbuilding jobs arriving regionally, from Birdon in Pensacola to Ingalls in Pascagoula, Austal in Mobile and Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City. He said, "This is now a regional issue, and we have to compete."
Trawick said stormwater flooding is the city's biggest long-term threat. She said, "That's my bread and butter, really. Flooding is the number one threat. Power lines fall into water when it floods, and then people get electrocuted."
ment experience to city hall.
"I understand how to manage hundreds of millions of dollars, billions of dollars sometimes, in disaster recovery funds," she said, "and I feel like the city needs a leader who has that experience and can understand the mechanics of grants management."
Trawick said her campaign has knocked on more than 13,000 doors since January, and that the process has reshaped her own priorities along the way. "Animal services has taken, like, a real leap to the top of my platform and my priorities," she said. "Going around knocking on 13,000 doors, you're in the streets a lot. I'm seeing all these stray animals in our community. I recognized that there was a need and started meeting with animal rescue organizations."
Jermaine J. Williams, a community organizer and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing's peer specialist of the year, cast himself as a listener first. He said, "I'm a guy that's just tired of screaming to be heard, so I figured I'd take someone's job to listen to other people."
Williams described his social work experience as training for the office: "When I go on a suicide crisis call, no one wants to know if I'm a Democrat or a Republican. They want to know, 'Can you help save my daughter?' It teaches you how to listen, how to really come down to a human level and get to the root problem of complicated problems."
Col. Eric Shorter, a retired military officer and Pensacola native whose grandfather, Abe Pierce, ran the historic Abe's 506 Club, said his 30 years of service and lack of ties to developers make him the outsider the city needs.
"I'm a true son of Pensacola," he said. "I've
He proposed using grant money to rehabilitate older homes in Brownsville without displacing longtime residents and to build new affordable housing on vacant lots there, modeling the effort after the Belmont-DeVilliers revitalization.
Reeves instead pointed to job creation as the lever that city government can actually pull, citing the roughly 2,000 jobs expected from the Birdon America shipbuilding deal at the Port of Pensacola and an upcoming Aug. 26 workforce summit with state officials. He said, "What you can have control over is whether we are creating jobs. Are we creating high-paying jobs?"
He added, "Someone that may only have a $15-an-hour job can now get a $30-an-hour job with no training, or very little training."
Trawick said she has met affordable housing developers who told her they could build in the city if a roughly $100,000 funding gap per project were filled through HUD or other grants. She said, "So we're back now to the conversation of, what are our values, what are our priorities and how is that directing our spending? If these developers are saying, 'Yes, I want to create and develop attainable housing, but I can't because I need this $100,000 gap filled by the city,' and the city needs to go after the grant funding, then why isn't the city doing that?"
Williams drew a distinction between "affordable housing" and what he called workforce-affordable housing. "Big difference," he said. "Some of these places that's considered affordable, you go check the price on Google and you're like, affordable to who?"
He added that grant money is going unclaimed under the current administration: "There's a lot of money available out there, and I just don't think the current administration is doing everything they can to get certain grants, or they're not using them in the right way."
She said the city should pursue FEMA hazard mitigation funding well ahead of the next major storm, calling it "blue skies" preparation: "We will have a storm. It's not if; it's when."
Shorter sees tremendous opportunity at the Port of Pensacola. He argued the city has created "a bottleneck" by overseeing the port without funding it. He proposed folding it into a national strategic defense initiative as an auxiliary port and said he would push to codify that at least 25% of jobs created there go to Pensacola residents.
"A rising tide will lift all ships, beyond a shadow of a doubt," he said. "We could probably establish shipping lines to Saudi Arabia and be doing storage for various companies."
Williams said he did not want to commit to specific infrastructure projects without first consulting experts, but he repeatedly returned to remote work as an economic strategy. He said, "That's one of the rare good things that came out of COVID, the boom in working from home. We can take their money and pump it into our local economy, and we don't have to worry about the big brick and mortar moving here, driving up the price of the homes."
Brown tied infrastructure directly back to her housing argument, saying flood-resilient home repairs should have taken priority over the Palafox project. "We just needed to see a prioritization with people's homes and them being safe and able to withstand these storms," she said, adding that the city's spending choices reveal its true values.
All five candidates who spoke with us ended on some version of the same pitch: that they, not their opponents, are the ones actually listening to Pensacola. Voters will get the final word on Aug. 18.
Videos of the five interviews are available at youtube.com/@coloronthedog. {in}
•
Arts & Entertainment
Ghosts, Grief and Folk-Punk with Sideswept Bangs
shame, loneliness or the ache of wondering whether you deserve healthy love. Through their Pensacola-based indie-folk and folk-punk project Sideswept Bangs, Coby weaves those threads into songs that invite listeners to find pieces of themselves in the music.
"Maybe you've also lost someone close to you, or maybe you've felt lonely and scared, searching for hope in a hopeless situation," Coby said. "Not quite in the same way I have, but in a way that's similar enough that you don't feel quite so alone."
Sideswept Bangs began in isolation during COVID-19, when Coby returned home to Birmingham, Ala. after college life abruptly came to a halt. Already carrying the grief of losing a longdistance partner to suicide the year before, songwriting became less about making music and more about surviving.
"I found songwriting to be really cathartic," Coby said. "Sharing my music online gave me a way to stay connected with people during a time of isolation."
Although music had always been part of her life—from choir and piano to years of playing saxophone and bassoon—it wasn't until 2020 that songwriting became her primary creative outlet. The songs that emerged were deeply introspective.
head above the water so to speak, I wouldn't see the other side of my early 20s," Coby said. "So, I think that's why a lot of my songs are about wanting acceptance and companionship. I knew that going at it alone was an impossible fight."
Those feelings found their way into Coby's first album "Waterworks," particularly in songs like "Stain" and "Out of Place," which capture the fear of pushing people away simply by needing them.
"Those songs grapple with needing people to lean on and vent to in a difficult time and feeling guilty for doing so," she said. "It was kind of about feeling like too much and not enough at the same time. Feeling like you're not worthy of love in new relationships because of the mistakes you've made in the past."
Having lived their entire life in the South, each place they've called home has left its own imprint on both their songwriting and sense of self.
Growing up queer in Birmingham, Coby often felt unsafe being fully themself. Tallahassee, where they moved for college, was the first place they began coming out of their shell. Relocating to Pensacola in 2024 helped them discover the kind of person they wanted to become.
"The Pensacola community has been one of the most accepting places I've lived by far, which is strange to say when thinking about
"But it really compelled me to branch out in my songwriting and explore myself in a way I never thought possible before."
The move also led them deeper into the folk-punk community.
"When I first started booking live shows as someone who is bisexual and transfeminine, I found that a lot of the singer-songwriter spaces in Northwest Florida cater to predominantly straight white crowds," Coby said. "I never really felt at home in those spaces."
Instead, they found belonging in alternative scenes.
"What really drew me to folk-punk more than anything is the DIY ethos and the radical acceptance that comes with being a countercultural movement," they said. "So many artists I look up to are trans, queer or have otherwise been historically excluded from popular songwriting spaces. There are lived experiences that someone who isn't queer will simply never have, and those are the stories I think are worth telling."
The scene's roots in DIY organizing, mutual aid and anti-capitalism gave Coby a new framework for understanding one of their most popular songs, "Beggars."
Written while living in Tallahassee, the song grew out of witnessing the city's housing crisis and the stark divide between college students
and unhoused residents. Rather than offering easy answers, the song questions what it means to own so much while others have so little.
"I've always been a big collector of various things like vinyl records, trading cards, even license plates. 'Beggars' is kind of a critical assessment of my role in that issue: how can I have so much when there are people who have next to nothing?" Coby said. "Is getting rid of it all actually solving anything, or is it just me trying to quiet my own conscience?"
Playing the song in folk-punk spaces gave it new meaning.
"I've seen 'No One Turned Away for Lack of Funds,' on so many show flyers and 'Pay What You Can' written across merch tables," they said. "For all the struggles and hardships people in this scene are facing, they're finding joy not in expensive material things, but in playing shows, connecting with others, creating for the sake of creation and carving out a space where money is kinda meaningless."
During their upcoming benefit show at 309 Punk Project, that spirit of mutual aid will be central. Sideswept Bangs joins Caca Del Diablo, Mourning Glories, Bangarang Peter and Spider Bucket to support the Ellis-Chambers family following the loss of their daughter, Aleka. All proceeds from the show go to the family.
Coby is also preparing to release a new EP, 'The Yips,' featuring songs that have become staples of recent live performances. For anyone wondering whether their own songs are worth sharing, Coby hopes their story offers encouragement.
"Your bedroom indie project doesn't have to stay in the bedroom," they said. "Go hit up an open mic night, meet people, book shows, play to your friends and tell them to bring their friends. If you're passionate about what you do, it'll shine through, and the right people will care about it." {in}
SIDESWEPT BANGS @sidesweptbangsmusic
BENEFIT SHOW AND CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR THE FAMILY OF ALEKA ASH ELLIS-CHAMBERS
WHAT: A benefit show featuring Sideswept Bangs, Caca Del Diablo, Mourning Glories, Bangarang Peter and Spider Bucket
WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8
WHERE: The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St.
COST: Suggested $5-20 donation
DETAILS: @thehandlebar850
a&e happenings
joy complimentary trolley transportation 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7. Galleries include Blue Morning Gallery, Sarah Soule Webb Studio, Reverie Fine Arts Collective, Joe Hobbs Gallery, Quayside Art Gallery, Artel Art Gallery, Artwalks Seville, Brent Lofts Art Gallery.
HISTORIC 1877 TALL SHIP ELISSA NATIONAL SAIL TOUR
The 1877 tall ship will be visiting Pensacola on the last stop of its Sail250 voyage. Free deck tours are 9 a.m.-noon Friday, Aug. 7, 11 a.m.5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 and Sunday, Aug. 9. You can also experience a day sail 2-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 and a Sunset Cruise 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8. For details and tickets, visit galveston250.com/ports/ pensacola-florida.
PORTRAIT SESSIONS WITH ASHA DORE
Sign up to have your likeness added to Asha Dore's animated film, which will be screened 6 p.m. Aug. 15 at 309 Punk House. Portrait sessions are 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, Monday, Aug. 10 and 6-9 p.m. and Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Details available at facebook.com/309punkproject.
LIVE MUSIC
BANDS ON THE BEACH The weekly concert series takes place 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday through Oct. 27 at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Free to attend. Upcoming dates: 9th Avenue Brass Band on Aug. 11 and Paperchase on Aug. 18. For more information, call the SRIA at (850) 932-2257 or go to visitpensacolabeach.com for the latest updates.
LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ
CARDS ON THE COAST 2026
Enjoy live music Thursdays through Sundays at Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St. Upcoming dates: The Glenn Parker Band 6-10 p.m. Saturdays; Curt Bol Quintet 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays; and John Wheeler 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays.
To preview ALL of the 2026 Parade of Homes go to paradeofhomespensacola.com
NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
POINTE GRAND PENSACOLA GRAND OPENING SUPPORTING PENSACOLA
Shop collectable cards from 80-plus vendors 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at the University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 72. Visit cardsonthecoastshow.com for details.
SAENGER THEATRE SUMMER MOVIE
HUMANE SOCIETY Pointe Grand Pensacola will be celebrating its grand opening with Pensacola Humane Society with their mobile adoption unit on site 1-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at 8651 Airway Drive. Visit facebook.com/pointegrandpensacola for details.
BENEFIT SHOW/CELEBRATION OF LIFE
FOR THE FAMILY OF ALEKA ASH ELLISCHAMBERS Join 309 Punk House for a fundraiser show for the family of Aleka Ash EllisChambers 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. If you cannot make it to the show, you can donate at this link: gofundme.com/f/support-foraleka-ash-ellischambers-family.
ARTS & CULTURE
BROADWAY IN PENSACOLA 2026-2027
Season subscriptions to Broadway in Pensacola are available now at broadwayinpensacola.com. Performances will take place at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. The 2026-2027 season includes "Waitress" Oct. 26-27; "The Wiz," Jan. 12-13; "Mystic Pizza," March 18-19 and "Legally Blonde—The Musical," April 29-30.
VISIT PENSACOLA STORYTELLING SERIES: ROCK PAINTING WORKSHOP
Join Pensacola Rocks! for a free rock painting workshop 10-11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at the Visit Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. Details at visitpensacola.com.
DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID Pensacola
Little Theatre presents the classic fairytale. Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6 and Friday, Aug. 7; and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 and Sunday, Aug. 9. Tickets are $15 and up. Thursday performances are half-price for adult tickets. Details available at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
FIRST FRIDAYS ART WALK Explore participating galleries in downtown Pensacola and en -
SERIES The historic Saenger Theatre has announced the lineup for the summer movie series. Its theme is "The Sound and the Story: Five Decades of Steven Spielberg and John Williams." Screenings are 3 p.m. at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $7 per person. Full concessions are available at each screening. Dates are: "Jurassic Park" on Sunday, Aug. 9; "Catch Me If You Can" on Sunday, Aug. 16 and "Lincoln" on Sunday, Aug. 23. Details available at pensacolasaenger.com.
A VERY SPECIAL SCREENING WITH WHITMER THOMAS Enjoy live comedy and music. Event is 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
ANIMATION CELEBRATION Join Pensacola Museum of Art for an exclusive evening 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Event is inspired by Enchanted Drawings: Magic of Animation. Attendees can view original artwork, enjoy live music and entertainment from Milan the Magician, food and drink and more. Purchase tickets at pensacolamuseum.org/event/animation-celebration.
CATS & CHARMS: A JEWELRY MAKING MORNING Join the Coastal Cat Café 9:45-10:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 to make charm jewelry and play with adoptable cats. Cost is $28 per person and includes materials for two pieces of jewelry. Located at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. Tickets are available at coastalcatpcola.com.
OMGITSWICKS & FRIENDS Comedy show is 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at pensacolasaenger.com.
WUWF PRESENTS RADIOLIVE The next RadioLive is 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6 in the Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Featured artists are Of a Feather, Red and Revelers and Abe Partridge. Tickets are $10. Reserve yours at radiolive.org.
THE CONSTELLATIONS Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
GIRLS TRIP PENSACOLA WITH DEJ LOAF & TAY MONEY A night of female entertainers and artists 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at vinylmusichall.com.
RAQ BABY Show is 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
VISITANT Show is 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
LITTLE STRANGER Show is 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at vinylmusichall.com.
STEVE FORBERT Show is 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
KATIE DINEEN'S ALBUM RELEASE SHOW Show Is 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
HEROES FOR GHOSTS Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
ALABAMA Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets available online at pensacolabaycenter.com.
a&e happenings
THE EMO NIGHT TOUR Show is 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at vinylmusichall.com.
BOUNTY TX Show is 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.
OPEN MIC AT ALGA BEER CO. Country
Club is hosted by Brett Patterson of Snake and the Rabbit every Monday night. Sign-ups start at 6 p.m. and music starts at 6:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Visit facebook.com/algabeerco for more details.
MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE
QUARTER
The Blues Society of Northwest Florida brings blues to Florida 7 p.m. Mondays at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Food and drink specials start at 8 p.m. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLO -
NY Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.
LIVE MUSIC NIGHTLY AT THE DISTRICT
Enjoy music and fine dining at The District: Seville Steak & Seafood, 123 E. Government St., every Tuesday through Thursday starting at 6 p.m. Their regular weekly schedule is Tuesday Night Jazz with Love Brynnevere, Wednesdays with Platinum Bones and Thursdays Dan Lovelock on the piano. They also have live music on Fridays and Saturdays during happy hour starting at 4 p.m. Visit facebook.com/districtsteaks for details and updates.
MUSIC RX: JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR
ORDERED Jazz Pensacola and Escambia County Medical Society present free concerts on the first Wednesday of the month in the cafeteria of Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, 5151 N. Ninth Ave. from 1:30-3:30 p.m. For more information, visit jazzpensacola.com.
ROSIE O'GRADY'S DUELING PIANO SHOW
Watch the famous dueling piano show 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Rosie O' Grady's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Doors open at 7 p.m.
NOCHE TROPICAL: LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER Presented by Latin Flavor Entertainment every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.
OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY
Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.
VIBE IRIE REGGAE: LIVE IN THE COURTYARD Enjoy Vibe Irie Reggae band 4-10 p.m. Sundays at the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.
LIVE MUSIC AT CALVERT'S Listen to live music 5-8 p.m. Sundays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. Visit facebook.com/ calvertsintheheights for details.
FOOD + DRINKS
ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS: ASESINATO TEQUILA The next Atlas Beverage Classes are 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6 at 600 S. Barracks St. Cost is $30 and includes beverage tasting paired with appetizers. RSVP required. Call (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com to reserve a spot.
RED CARPET HOLLYWOOD MURDER
MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE Going Noir
Mysteries and dinner from Chef Rusty Strain. Event is 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at pensacolasaenger.com.
BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AT COASTAL
COUNTY BREWING Take part in CCB's backyard blowout before school begins with a giant water slide, games, house and specialty brews, sweet treats for kids, live music and more 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at Coastal County Brewing, 3041 E. Olive Road.
PASTA MAKING Cooking class is 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Ste C. Cost is $70 per students and available at pensacolacooks.com.
AUGUST SUPPER CLUB AT THE WELL
Event is 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 at The Well, 42 E. Garden St. Details and registration is available at ticketsilver.com/perfectplain.
BODACIOUS TOUR: ASIAN WINE FU -
SION Enjoy wine pairing from Sarah of Touton Wine & Spirits and selected bites from Chefs
Daniel Train Ed Lordman 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are $99.49 and available via Eventbrite.
CRAVIN' ASIAN: FILIPINO FLAVORS
Cooking class is 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Tickets are $60 and available at pensacolacooks.com.
PICKLE FEST AT GARY'S BREWERY Visit Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. for a weekend of cold brews and pickle everything 3-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, 12-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 and 1-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. Details available at facebook.com/garysbrew.
MEXICAN FIESTA: AUTHENTIC TACOS WITH VIVIANA'S TORTILLAS Cooking class is 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Tickets are $70 and available at pensacolacooks.com.
DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE QUARTER Drink specials and laid-back vibes are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. every weekday throughout the entire Seville Quarter complex with $2 off all liquor drinks and $1 off all beer and wine. Must be 21 or older. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.
for more listings visit inweekly.net
free will astrology
WEEK OF AUGUST 6
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In the early days of aviation, navigation instruments were rudimentary, and the skies were often a blur of clouds, darkness, or featureless horizons. Pilots sometimes relied on a technique called "dead reckoning:" good instinct bolstered by simple instruments like compasses and stopwatches. I suspect you will benefit from practicing a metaphorical version of dead reckoning in the coming weeks. You may not have all the data you would like, and the path ahead might be less than clear. But you already possess enough hints and inklings to make thoughtful approximations. If you're alert and flexible, listening to subtle signals within you and around you, your evolving estimates will guide you uncannily close to the right destination.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Nineteenthcentury poet Emily Dickinson rarely left her comfortable home in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her favorite activity was to sit in her bedroom and compose her odd, unique, brilliant poems. Eventually, she wrote 1,800 of them, though few were published during her lifetime. Today she is renowned as one of America's great literary geniuses. Her story reminds us that magnificent growth may emerge from simple and humble circumstances. I suspect you will thrive if you borrow her strategy during the coming weeks. You don't need a hubbub of flashy events to evoke your beauty. A period of creative stillness could amplify your imagination and inspire your dazzle.
willingness to be a curious, gracious student is your superpower.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In Renaissance workshops, apprentice painters learned their craft by assisting masters with small tasks. They mixed pigments, prepared canvases and cleaned up. There was a valuable trade-off for this humble work. Being in proximity to mature brilliance often spurred the fledgling artists to harness their own creative powers. I suspect this dynamic is relevant for you, Gemini. Now is a favorable
By Rob Brezsny
time to be alert for unexpected teachers and lessons. Be ready to apprentice yourself to captivating experiences where you might learn what you didn't even realize you needed to know. Your willingness to be a curious, gracious student is your superpower.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): If you knew you were going to live to 95 in reasonably good health, what additional careers or adventures might you pursue? Visualize your lifespan stretching out before you like a wide winding road, where you will have plenty of time not just to survive, but to experiment, wander and reinvent yourself. Would you train for a new craft or profession? Would you move to another country for a while and apprentice yourself to a language, landscape, or tradition that has always piqued your curiosity? I invite you to take a concrete step that moves you in the direction of interesting future fun.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Within most galaxies are dense clouds of gas and dust that astronomers call "star factories." Here and there, the magic of gravity gradually gathers together diffuse material into concentrated clusters until nuclear fusion ignites, creating brilliant new suns. I suspect you will be operating a metaphorical star factory in the coming weeks and months, Leo. Small ideas, fragments of plans, or tentative experiments could coalesce in productive ways. Through your patient attention and care, luminous concentrations of useful beauty will emerge.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Virgo biologist Stephen Jay Gould argued that evolution isn't a ladder of progress but a branching bush of experimentation. Most species that ever existed are extinct, but they weren't failures. For a very long time, they were successful experiments in being alive, well adapted to their environment. When conditions changed, they ended. That's how evolution works. Let's apply this lesson to your life, Virgo. If a part of your world is concluding, celebrate and thank it, then bid it a fond farewell. Feel grateful that it succeeded completely at what it was meant to do and gave you all it had to give.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Your sense of purpose is intensifying. Your people need you more than ever, and your gifts are ripening just as
they are most valuable to your community. But I must add that the road ahead will not be frictionless. You will have to outmaneuver diversionary tactics and dispel pockets of confusion. To serve as a shimmering catalyst of beauty and truth for your allies—and a shrewd strategist in the presence of deflections—lean into the paradoxical counsel attributed to Jesus: be gentle and pure like a dove, yet keenly perceptive and discerning like a serpent.
Opt for what's soulful instead of what's crisp and neat.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Concrete continues to cure beyond the time when it's first poured. After seven days, it has 70 percent of its ultimate strength, and after 14 days, 90 percent. It usually keeps getting sturdier for a few months, even years. I propose that we use this as a metaphor for what you're working on, Scorpio. The foundations you established a while back are still solidifying. Projects that are working pretty well are still developing potency. This is a good thing! Everything is slowly improving through processes you're not actively managing.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Here's your assignment: find yourself a pair of enchanted pants that will bring you good luck and stir up fun. How will you know that they're authentically charmed? Because when you put them on, you will instinctively wander toward adventures that expand your understandings about life. They may also lead you to explore places and situations that aren't truly forbidden or taboo, but which you have oddly avoided as if they were forbidden or taboo. Finally, your enchanted pants are likely to inspire you to dream up a few crazy good ideas that will turn out not to be mostly good and not at all crazy.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In classical music, a "fermata" is a symbol on the sheet music that instructs the instrumentalist to hold a note longer than its written duration. How long? It's unpredictable. The musician decides. I think your life would benefit from a metaphorical fermata or two, Capricorn—maybe even more. You
won't come to a protracted pause, but you will engage in strategic prolonging, extending certain notes beyond their expected duration. Examples? Lingering longer in a conversation from which you're inclined to exit early; staying with an ambiguous emotion rather than rushing to resolution; allowing a project to develop more leisurely than you might if you were simply pushing for sheer efficiency. Opt for what's soulful instead of what's crisp and neat.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Fate is subtly but insistently pressuring you to stop squandering energy on half-hearted, hand-me-down desires. Why? So your real, holy obsessions can move to the center of your attention. The tepid wishes and lukewarm yearnings are being exposed for what they are: distractions that nibble away at your time and passion without fully feeding your soul. As these mediocre drives fade in importance, you'll be exultant to see how much more fire, clarity and juice you have available for the few burning, churning yearnings that truly belong to you.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): The Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean is so deep that if Mount Everest were located at the bottom, its peak would be over a mile underwater. The deepest point in the ocean could swallow the highest point on land with room to spare. The world holds more below than above. Please meditate on this fun fact, Pisces. I hope it inspires you to understand that your most interesting power often lies in the depths, not the peaks. While others are summiting, you're descending into the mysterious, fathomless interiors. Your explorations may not photograph well because they happen in darkness. But they are the source of your strength.
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: True or false? "In the same way that you judge others, you will be judged." {in}
freewillastrology.com tinyurl.com/u9u9u9u freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com BrezsnyAstrology@gmail.com © 2026 Rob Brezsny
news of the weird
NOT GREAT, BOB David Cifaldi, 32, was hiking Granite Mountain in Montana on July 20 when he tripped over a rock and impaled himself with one of his hiking poles—and managed to hike the 10 miles back with the pole through his side, the New York Times reported. Cifaldi, an ER nurse, assessed his wounds and determined that because there was no blood and that he could take deep breaths, he was in good enough shape to get himself to safety. One friend radioed ahead for help and walked ahead to warn other hikers—especially those with children—about the "gnarly" sight. The other friend walked behind him to watch for further signs of injury. The trek took about six and a half hours, and Cifaldi was in good enough spirits to joke around with his friends. They "started making shish kebab jokes," Cifaldi said. "By the end, they were calling me 'Bob' on the way out." He was cared for in Billings, at the very hospital where he works. Doctors there successfully removed the pole, but additional surgery could still be in Cifaldi's future. "I'm not an amateur hiker," he said, adding that this was "just a freak accident." [The New York Times, 7/27/26]
PAIN IN THE NECK A circus performer is recovering after his wife and fellow performer accidentally shot him in the neck with an arrow from a crossbow during a show, the Associated Press reported. Ana Daza Tavera, 42, and Edwin Cuervo Rangel, 38, were doing their regular sharpshooting act at a county fair in Middletown, New York, on July 24, when the accident occurred. The circus was canceled for the night, and Cuervo Rangel was airlifted to a hospital, where the arrow was removed and the wound site stitched up. Ringmaster Benjamin Jackson said that there was "no blood leaking out. There was a little around the hole where the arrow went in, kind of like getting your ear pierced," he said. The circus resumed its regular schedule, but the sharpshooting act is on hold while Cuervo Rangel makes a full recovery. [AP, 7/27/26]
WILD THINGS Facing the loss of federal grants for a program that studies marmots, a group of researchers from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has turned to an unusual source for financial support: an OnlyFans page called OnlyMarms, UPI reported on July 28. Professor Daniel Blumstein, the head of the program, says they will also continue to seek traditional funding sources. "[The OnlyMarms page is] going to be G-rated, and we're not going to sexualize this," Blumstein said. "We're just going to have fun with sharing." Masters student Emily Renkey runs the page. "Sometimes I'm just posting the videos I think will get the most 'awws,'" she said. "But my favorite is when I find footage of a particular behavior and I can use that to educate people." Fans of the page can leave tips to support the group's research. [UPI, 7/28/26]
NATURE GONE WILD On July 24, WJTV reported that a six-foot-iguana made a break for it inside a Memphis FedEx, after a man opened a package that contained the large lizard. In a video of the incident, a man is seen opening a large
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
box and the iguana, named Titan, jumps out. "He was shipped overnight, and I expected him to be stiff for a minute like most reptiles after shipping. Nope. Titan came out ready for all the smoke," owner Roderick Duncan said. Duncan and FedEx employees eventually captured Titan, who ran around the store. Appreciative of the assistance from the FedEx employees, Duncan said, "They handled it like champs." [WJTV, 7/24/26]
•Meanwhile, over in Gold Hill, Colorado, a bear broke into an unlocked car overnight and, unable to get out, laid on the horn. All night. KOSI reported on July 22 that when the owner came upon his car the next morning, he saw the driver's side airbag had been deployed and the interior ransacked. Afraid to get too close, he devised a plan, no doubt inspired by parents of children with loose teeth: He tied a rope around the car door handle, walked a safe distance away ... and yanked. The door flew open and the bear ambled out and into the woods. [KOSI, 7/22/26]
MOWING WHILE INTOXICATED An Iowa woman was arrested on July 24 for driving a riding lawn mower in a Casey's convenience store parking lot outside Iowa City, The Smoking Gun reported. The witness indicated that the driver, Michelle Hudson, 36, seemed to be intoxicated. A breath test showed she was under the legal limit, but the police report said Hudson did not perform well on the field sobriety test and "showed measurable signs of impairment." Hudson's driver's license was suspended after a 2022 conviction for driving her SUV while under the influence of meth. After the lawn mower incident, she was arrested for operating under the influence and driving while barred. She is being held in the county jail without bond while she waits for her court appearance. [The Smoking Gun, 7/27/26]
CASTAWAY On July 21, Kai Sato of California was rescued by the crew of a container ship after spending a month stranded at sea. The Guardian reported that the 39-year-old man set sail from the Catalina Islands in California on June 7 with the intention of completing his first solo trip across the Pacific Ocean; but a few weeks into the journey, his mast broke, his phone died and he ran out of gas trying to use the boat's motor to steer. "I was literally like a sitting duck, just getting taken south by the current going way off course," he said. After a brief period of despair, he managed to cobble together some repairs using PVC pipes and kayak paddles, collected drinking water from a plastic bag that collected condensation, and ate fish and squid that jumped into his boat. Eventually, his boat drifted into a shipping lane between California and Hawaii, where he was rescued by the crew of a container ship. [The Guardian, 7/27/2026] {in}
