Independent News | December 28, 2017 | Volume 18 | Number 51 | inweekly.net
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winners & losers
outtakes
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news
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Raise your hand if you’re ready to say farewell to the dumpster fire of a year that was 2017?
buzz
cover story
a&e
11
16
8
publisher Rick Outzen
graphic designer Michael Daw
editor & creative director Joani Delezen
contributing writers Duwayne Escobedo, Jennie McKeon, Jeremy Morrison, Shelby Nalepa, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp
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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. © 2015 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Thank you
Studer Community Institute’s early learning projects are made possible by the support of our community partners, sponsors and donors. Their generosity is improving the quality of life by building a vibrant community. $100,000 or more:
• Brain Bags launched at local hospitals; • Baptist Healthcare • Sacred Heart Healthcare System/ Ascension • West Florida Hospital • Lessons on early brain development for new mothers
$25,000 or more
• Baby Steps book helps parents track milestones
$10,000 or more
• Local moms part of University of Chicago research
Chris Janes
• First in Florida LENA Start parent groups launched • Parent Outreach partnership with Area Housing Commission
Fredric G. Levin of Levin, Papantonio
Marcus & Cindy Michles
Bobby Switzer One Palafox Place
Kim & Julian MacQueen
Brooke and Chad Henderson
$5,000 or more Bear Family Foundation
Chris Pate
Dawson Family Foundation Trust Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
• Make Play Smart bringing learning to play spaces
$1,000 or more Apple Corps Foundation Dick and Carolyn Appleyard Lavern and Dick Baker Bear General Contractors BBVA Compass Burns Family in honor of Ronald McDonald House
$500 or more Connie Bookman Karen Burke Scott Burton Elisabeth Buswell Mark and Madrina Ciano Jason Crawford
$100 or more
Robert Brown Jennifer Buckley Judy Burns Michael Burroughs
Combined Insurance Services COX Miller Caldwell CPC Office Technologies Escambia County Commissioners Shirley Cronley Downtown Pensacola Rotary Highpointe Hotel Corporation Patrick Elebash FSA Investment Group
Ryan Greenhut IHMC International Paper Foundation Stephanie Jaubert Allen Kress Levin and Rinke Realty Lincoln Property Company McGuire’s Irish Pub Mickelson Construction Services Jodi Mickelson
Morette Construction Autumn Morris Myslak Family Peggy Nickelsen Mort O’Sullivan - Warren Averett Philip Partington Pensacola Beach RV Pensacola Beach Mardi Gras, Inc. SMP Architects Tia and Fred Robbins
Andrew Rothdefer Sandy Sansing Foundation SmartBank Jon Shell Todd Torgersen Fred Vidgosky Cynthia Warren Melvin Warren Vince Whibbs
Angela D’alessandro David Deliman Randy Hammer Huron Consulting Group Kazoo Kares Foundation Shannon Libbert Dan Lindemann
McKenzie Lohbeck Kevin Mair Scott Malone Jan and Ron Miller Stephen Moorhead Curt Morse Jean Pierre N’Dione
Outerspaces Landscapes Parker Payne Beverly Pica Janet Pilcher Megan Pratt Dr. Ed Ranelli Andrew Rothfeder
Lisa Nellessen Savage Josh and Kristen Sitton Christopher Tonn Charlie Ward Kyle Watson Cody and Hannah Whitehair Brian and Cristina Williams
Karla Eddins Kim Franklin Clint Hill Andrew Hobbs Chris Horak
Amanda Hurd Landry Leidner Deborah Mclemore Ricki McWilliams Cherie Meguess
John Miller Salon San Carlos Sharon Morette Michelle Salzman Aldria Walker
LEARN HOW YOU CAN HELP Nicole Webb Bodie (850) 748-2027 nwebb@studeri.org studeri.org
Donations received as of 12.5.17. In-kind donations are not included. The Studer Community Institute is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 47-5657008) and is registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to solicit contributions (Registration #CH48388.) Donors can deduct contributions under Internal Revenue Code section 170.
December 28, 2017
A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not imply, endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.
3
winners & losers
Lisa Nellessen-Savage, executive editor of the Pensacola News Journal, believes that 2017 was the year of the people. People were engaged in local, state and national issues more than ever before. We agree and here are a few of the grassroot efforts that were winners in our books.
EMERALD COASTKEEPERS The environmental group has new life and held over a half dozen cleanup days for Carpenter’s Creek. With little support from the Hayward administration, the army of volunteers are fighting to restore the creek to its former pristine state. Fortunately, Commissioner Grover Robinson has stepped in and the creek is one of the county’s top RESTORE projects. PENSACOLA WOMEN’S MARCH In
January, an estimated 2,000 people braved a lightning storm to rally for the equal rights of women. The event lasted hours, with speakers and marchers braving a torrential downpour in solidarity with millions of marchers across the globe, including an estimated 500,000 in Washington, DC.
DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE PROTEST
Acting against the president’s executive order allowing for the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline to continue, over 100 Pensacolians joined Earth Action in solidarity with Native American activists in Standing Rock, North Dakota. The march began at Plaza de Luna at the end of Palafox and stopped at the bust of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in MLK Plaza.
WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY The same day hundreds protested for and against the Confederate monument in Lee Square, the League of Women Voters celebrated
Women’s Equality Day with a silent demonstration on the corner of Palafox and Garden streets. In addition to signs, the women made a strong visual impact by dressing up in red capes and bonnets—a nod to the popular dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood and recent Hulu hit “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
TANYARD City Administrator Eric Olson
ignored the residents’ protests of dump trucks and diesel pumps running 24/7 while the city built the Government StreetCorinne Jones stormwater pond, but his callousness has driven the association to speak out even more. Leaders got the city to remove a historic marker the honored Corinne Jackson, instead of Corinne Jones. They have made it known that they don’t want the fish hatchery in their neighborhood.
WEDGEWOOD These people are sick and
tired of being sick and tired. They successfully fought for the closure of the Rolling Hills landfill and are battling the expansion of other borrow pits in their neighborhoods.
NORTH HILL The oldest neighborhood
association in the state of Florida has supported the efforts in the Tanyard and Rolling Hills. They weren’t able to stop the construction of the ECUA tank on North Palafox Street but continue to force the mayor and council to follow its development policies.
TALCUM POWDER ALERT Did you or a loved one regularly use talcum powder and later develop ovarian cancer?
OVARIAN CANCER FROM TALC Medical studies show that women who use talcum powder in the genital area face an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Talcum powder lawsuits allege manufacturers knew of the risk and chose not to warn women about the danger. We are reviewing these cases now at no cost to you. Call us today to find out if you have a claim. 212 W. Intendencia Street Pensacola, FL 32502 | 850-444-0000 www.stevensonklotz.com 44
inweekly.net
outtakes
by Rick Outzen
UNFINISHED BUSINESS We had several big news stories in 2017, but three still remained unresolved, though I suspect some wish they would quietly go away before the 2018 elections.
PELICANS G LEAGUE TEAM
In early June, we learned Mayor Ashton Hayward traveled to New Orleans to pitch to the NBA New Orleans Pelicans the Pensacola Bay Center as the possible home for its developmental league team. His presentation had a few problems. The City of Pensacola doesn’t own the Bay Center, and he had done no costbenefit analysis of bringing the team here. Most people like the idea. The Escambia Board of County Commissioners agreed to let staff negotiate with city and Pelicans officials, but Inweekly learned from Assistant County Administrator Amy Lovoy that the team has put any deal on hold while it looks at other options. Meanwhile, Jay Patel is hoping Triumph Gulf Coast will fund a new civic center. SMG, the manager of the Bay Center, made an offer to renovate the current facility but received a lukewarm reception from the BCC.
CONFEDERATE MONUMENT
In August, Mayor Hayward said he wanted the “Our Confederate Dead” monument at Lee Square on North Palafox Street to come down and possibly put in a museum where it can be presented in the proper context. Councilman Larry Johnson followed with a statement in support of the mayor and taking down the monument. Hayward and Johnson received praise
and criticism. The mayor refined his position to he would follow the city ordinance regarding historic monuments that called for the relocation of the monument to be presented to the city council and a council vote 30 days later. He had his staff put his position, the transcript of the radio interview, and the ordinance on his Transparent Pensacola page on the city website. However, Mayor Hayward and Councilman Johnson have yet to put the relocation of the monument on the council agenda. Leadership is more than statements to the press. The public is still waiting for resolution.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
The FY 2018 budget shows $40.8 million for detention—a $12.5 million jump over FY 2013 when Sheriff David Morgan last ran the county jail. In August, ACLU of Florida issued 14 recommendations on how the county could make its criminal justice system more cost effective, operate fairly and keep the community safe in its report “Smart Jail for Escambia.” The report found that Escambia County’s incarceration rate is roughly 80-percent higher than the state average. Escambia County’s Public Safety Coordinating Council formed a subcommittee, chaired by Judge Tom Dannheisser, to review the ACLU report and come back with recommendations. The subcommittee has met twice. Let’s hope we aren’t still talking about these same issues a year from now. {in} rick@inweekly.net
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR 2018
Jayer Williamson / Courtesy Photo
By Rick Outzen The expectations for State Rep. Jayer Williamson (R-Milton) are high for the 2018 legislative session that begins Jan. 9. Over the summer, House Speaker Richard Corcoran appointed the freshman lawmaker to serve as vice chairman of Government Accountability, the only vice chairmanship of a full House committee given to a legislator in only his second year of office. With the new position came an office on the second floor of the House Office Building. First-term representatives usually have their offices on the 14th floor. His office is next to the committee staff and the chairman, Rep. Matt Caldwell (R-North Fort Myers). Caldwell is running for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture so this is his final session in the Florida House. If Williamson does a good job, plays his politics well and gets re-elected next year, he could move into the chairmanship. Williamson relishes the opportunity and appreciates the new access to House resources.
“I want to try to work as hard as I can and try to learn things as much as I can,” he told Inweekly. “Instead of calling and setting up a meeting for the next day, when I want to talk to a transportation staff, I just walk across the hall into their office. I look forward to using that and trying to learn as much as I can because the more I learn then the better that I can serve the people of District 3 and of Northwest Florida.” In a November interview on “Pensacola Speaks,” Rep. Caldwell praised Williamson’s work ethic. “Our committee oversees all the transportation issues, all the natural resource issues, local, state, federal government, and military issues,” said Caldwell. “I’m proud to have Jayer Williamson as a partner to help me oversee that, and maybe cue him up for great things in the future.” The respect is mutual. Rep.Williamson said, “Chairman Caldwell is to me what you want to be as a chairman of a committee. Just the way that he runs the committee is very much the way that I like committees run. When there’s a moment where there needs to be some humor, he has that perfect dose of humor, but he runs a very tight meeting. It's very much by the rules, and he recognizes people, gets to the point that you want to make and goes to the next person to make sure that those meetings are run very tight and in a proper manner.” Caldwell has let him be involved in setting the committee agendas and nearly every other aspect of being a chairman. “He wants to set me up for the future, so he's been such a great resource to me,” Williamson said. “It's just been great for me to have that type of mentor. A guy from Ft. Myers that didn't know anything about me, and really took me under his wing and let me learn the process under him, and he's a great person for me to look up to and emulate.” The vice chairmanship caused his previous committee assignments to shift. “I stayed on Transportation & Infrastructure, which falls under Government
Accountability,” he said. “They moved me off of Children, Family & Seniors, which falls under Healthcare and put me into Oversight, Transparency & Administration, which also is Government Accountability.” Williamson added, “I sit on the Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations, which is the money side of things and is very much complimentary to the policy side of government accountability. I guess I'm getting a degree in government accountability.” “Hopefully I can be a subject matter expert for my class and then I can make myself more valuable for the next Speaker of the House and the Speaker of the House after that,” he said. “Then hopefully I can get another vice chairmanship or a chairmanship and just try to really roll up my sleeves and work and learn.” Williamson has sponsored several bills that are working their way through the House committee process. HB 725 requires a governing body of local government to post its permit and inspection fee schedules and link to annual building permit & inspection utilization reports on its website. Williamson considers this a transparency bill. “There's been some issues across the state where it's hard to find out where these permitting fees are going to,” he explained. “In some areas these monies are being used on different things that maybe are not appropriate, so we're going to make them put up on a website the fee schedule.” He continued, “We're going to make them put on a schedule where this money is going to, how the money that's being generated by the building department, how it's being spent because it should be going back to that public service of inspecting jobs, plan reviews and making sure the structures in those communities are built in a timely manner and adequate to the code. So that's a bill that I'm excited about.” HB 755 provides exemption from public records requirements for information obtained by persons and agencies from First
Responder Network Authority and Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. Williamson is concerned that terrorists could find out where the cell towers are in Florida through a public record request. “In Florida, we have very strict Sunshine Laws so we have to do a public records exemption to make sure that a terrorist couldn't simply go and do a public records request and find out where these cell towers are across our state and where the infrastructure for this First Net Program is going to be housed and blow those up before they do their terrorist act,” he said. Williamson believes the bill will have the support of Gov. Rick Scott. He said, “That’s going to be a pretty neat bill that will have us set up if there ever is a terrorist act that happens in the state of Florida, we will have the adequate bandwidth for all of our EMS, first responders and police officers to use that to make sure that they're taking care of the people in our state.” He knows that the 2018 legislative session will be busy because of his new responsibilities, but Rep. Williamson looks forward to the challenges.
"I'm going to work as hard as I can for the people of my district and of Northwest Florida." Jayer Williamson "There may be more meeting requests with me being a vice chairman of Government Accountability, but I'm going to try to work as hard as I can to fulfill those obligations because the more things that I take on, the more people that I have coming to me, I think that puts us in better position for me to represent the people of my district and that's why they sent me there,” he said. “I'm going to work as hard as I can for the people of my district and of Northwest Florida.” {in}
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PIROLLI PRAISED The National Academy of Inventors named Peter Pirolli of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition and 154 other inventors from around the world to its class of 2017 NAI Fellows. Election as an NAI fellow is among the highest professional accolade bestowed to academic inventors at universities and research institutions worldwide. Before joining IHMC earlier this year, Pirolli was a research fellow in the Interactive Intelligence Area at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) where he studied human information interaction. “This is a wonderful recognition for Peter,” said IHMC founder and CEO Ken Ford. “Peter is a leader in the field of complex human-information interaction systems. It doesn’t surprise me that NAI would name Peter a fellow. Peter holds 74 patents and is among the most talented and versatile researchers that I know.”
"It doesn’t surprise me that NAI would name Peter a fellow. Peter holds 74 patents and is among the most talented and versatile researchers that I know." Ken Ford With the election of the 2017 class, there are now 912 NAI Fellows worldwide who collectively hold more than 32,000 patents. NAI fellows have helped create more than 9, 400 technologies and companies which have generated 1.3 million jobs and more than $137 billion in revenue. “To say I’m humbled by being named an NAI Fellow is an understatement,” said Pirolli. “I have worked with so many great people over the years and this recognition would have never happened without their friendship and support.” Pirolli joins Ford and five previously elected NAI Fellows affiliated with IHMC, including researchers William J. Clancey and David P. Fries, and board members 88
William S. Dalton, Alain T. Rappaport and T. Dwayne McKay.”
BEST WILDLIFE DESTINATION The
Luxury Travel Guide recognized Perdido Key as the Wildlife Destination of the Year for 2017. The Luxury Travel Guide Awards represent the pinnacle of travel and tourism achievement, championing the best in their respective field. All winners of the Luxury Travel Guide Awards are subject to the same rigorous assessment criteria, carried out by in-house professionals. This ensures only the most deserving hotels, destinations, companies and individuals walk away with one of these prestigious accolades and gain a place in the awards winners’ guide which will be distributed to over half a million readers around the world. The Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce wrote in its press release, “The locals, visitors and people who admire the Perdido Area are to be thanked for this extraordinary award. Due to the extravagant online presence of beautiful shared photos and stories, Perdido Key has grown within the past year to become one of the most desirable wildlife destinations in the world.”
HAYWARD TOUTS AIRBNB Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward defended his TV commercial touting Airbnb in a viewpoint given to FloridaPolitics.com. The opinion piece came after he refused last week to answer questions from Florida Politics reporter Scott Powers and PNJ reporter Jim Little.
"For both our community, and our state, a major priority is to not only maintain the current levels of tourism we enjoy, but to attract even more visitors." Steven Barry “For both our community, and our state, a major priority is to not only maintain the current levels of tourism we enjoy, but to attract even more visitors,” he wrote. “One key step we can take is to embrace the sharing
economy: empowering middle-class residents in Pensacola and elsewhere to provide transportation options through Uber or Lyft or alternative lodging through Airbnb, HomeAway or Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO).” He said that over 300 people in Pensacola have used Airbnb to share their homes with 25,000 travelers and earned $3 million. He urged other mayors across the state to consider looking for ways to work with the short-term rental industry. “There are a handful of Florida cities that have chosen to crack down on short-term rentals and penalize taxpaying homeowners,” wrote Hayward. “I fear this will have a chilling effect on tourism, and I know it has already alarmed many residents in my community. I am committed to working with all of Pensacola’s residents — those who choose to share their homes and those who don’t — to spur innovation and grow our local economy while avoiding overregulation.” One Florida Politics reader questioned Mayor Hayward's knowledge of Airbnb. She pointed out a Chicago Tribune article that reported 81 percent of Airbnb’s profits are from rental properties, owned by investors without any stake in Florida.
"They thought they were moving into a community, not a rotating group of dozens of strangers on a weekly basis." Paula “Legislators should be listening to their constituents who live in communities that are zoned single-family,” she wrote. “They thought they were moving into a community, not a rotating group of dozens of strangers on a weekly basis. No one is opposed to the sharing economy, but communities zoned single-family should be just that.” She said the short-term renters have led to 20 percent of the full-time residents leaving Anna Maria Island in Manatee County. “See what happens to the hospitals, schools, hairdressers, dentists, small shops and restaurants that rely on fulltime residents,” wrote the reader identified as Paula. “Volunteers are residents, not short-term renters. Transients come in, spend a little money, and leave. They are not invested in the community in the ways that matter.” She challenged Mayor Hayward, “Don’t believe Airbnb’s Mom and Pop stories – that is the only story told – and told by you as well, mayor. Where have you addressed the investor-built mini-hotels that have de-
stroyed communities? You haven’t. Shame on you with your one-sided approach.”
CITY RESIDENTS PLEASED Accord-
ing to the latest UWF Haas Center poll conducted for Mayor Ashton Hayward, Pensacola residents are generally pleased with city services. Based on the grading system created by the Haas Center, the increases in satisfied and very satisfied residents when compared to the 2016 study were in City Streets (3.29-3.42), Stormwater Infrastructure (3.07-3.16), Cleanliness (3.67-3.76) and Athletic Facilities (3.67-3.68). The satisfaction grades dropped on all the other city services, except for Community Centers (3.69) and Value for Taxes Paid (3.62) which remained the same as 2016. The biggest drops were in Communications (3.69-3.55), Sanitation Services (4.04-3.92) and City Lighting (3.60-3.48), which the Haas Center considered significant declines. The Haas Center used the available phone numbers from census tracts inside the city limits. In total, 532 people completed the entire questionnaire. To supplement phone calls, Haas Center staff directly approached people at the Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival, Barktoberfest and Veterans Day Parade. The survey also found 76.7 percent believe the city is headed in the right direction—a 7.4-point increase over 2016. Mayor Hayward interpreted that statistic as his job performance evaluation. He said in a press release, “The fact that three out of four residents say that we are on the right track is strong confirmation that the energy and resources that are being invested in Pensacola are in line with the direction that our community wants to go.”
MEETING SCHEDULE The University of
West Florida Military & Veterans Resource Center is holding a Marketing & Branding Veterans Workshop on Jan. 6. The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program offers you tuition-free, online and on-campus instruction. To learn more and register, visit veteransflorida.org/veterans/veterans-florida-entrepreneurship-program. The League of Women Voters of the Pensacola Bay Area will host a Constitution Revision Commission presentation by Dr. Carol Weissert, Director of the Leroy Collins Institute and Professor of Political Science at Florida State University, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the Main Library, 239 N. Spring St. The meeting is open to the public. {in} inweekly.net
DIFFERENCE MAKERS 2017 DIFFERENCE MAKERS
For the past decade, the Studer Family has recognized those people and organization in our community that are making a difference. Here the ones recognized this past year: Alan Moore Ali Berkowitz Allee Millsap Amanda Haggard Ambersley Foundation Amy Miller Ascend Cares Foundation Autism Pensacola Autumn Wable Baptist Healthcare Barbara Bess Barbara Sawyer Bill Vilona Blues Angel Music Foundation Brandon Brewer Brock Neighbors Bubba Watson Cannon Citations Capstone Adaptive Learning Carla Tucholsky Carleton Ulmer Carol Carlan Cassidy Koch Chance Ryon Charles Bone Chris Stafford Chris Taylor Courtney Jones Dan Shugart Dave Mathews David Bear Deb Moore Diamond Hadley Donna Tucker Donnie McMahon Dr. Joyce Hopson Dr. Judy Bense Dr. Usha and Mahadeb Kundu Ed Blanc Ed Carson Egas “EJ” Gomes
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Escambia County School Readiness Coalition Evan & Harry Levin Every Child A Reader in Escambia Feeding the Gulf First Place Partners Fred Levin Freddy Donovan Georgia & Johnny Blackmon Greg Pron Hakeem Douglas Harold E. Marcus Harry Harper Heather Jackson Horizons of Okaloosa County Humane Society of Pensacola Hunter Werenskjold Impact 100 Pensacola Bay Area Jacki Knudsen Jacob Hebert Janet Speranzi-Cannon Jennifer Davidson Judy Ishee-Patton Kaitlin Englund Kara Cardona Kathy Smith Katie Bobos Keith Hoskins Kelly Jasen Kenneth & Carolyn Turk Kevin Mair La’Ronnieca Maye LaRuby May Laura Knisbell Lauren McCurdy Lauren Meadors Leadership Pensacola Leonie Dupuis Linda O. Dye Lloyd & Robin Reshard
Madrina Ciano Malcolm Griffith Mark Faulkner Mary Wilson Megan Chapman Melissa Farrell My Father’s Arrows MyCareerShines Naval Air Station Pensacola Nolan Intermoia Panhandle Charitable Open Pen Air Federal Credit Union Pensacola Delta Enrichment Center Pensacola Lighthouse Association Picasso Knowles Tommi Lyter Publix Raven Ransom Ronnie Cole Ryan Dawkins Samuel Friday Santa Rosa Kids’ House Southern Youth Sports Association Sunday’s Child Sydney Stone Taylor Suwarow Terry Gathman Theresa Zahn Tim Brown Tim Wenger Timothy Jones Troy Rafferty Tyrone Reese UWF College of Business Executive Mentor Program West Florida Historic Preservation William & Graciela Bedford Yvette McLellan
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By Joani Delezen and Jennie McKeon
Raise your hand if you're ready to say farewell to the dumpster fire of a year that was 2017? Yeah, us too. In the spirit of moving on and looking ahead, let's start by loading up our calendars with good stuff we actually want to see and do in 2018.
December 28, 2017
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An American In Paris Feb. 16-18
Aladdin
April 20-22 and 27-28
PENSACOLA OPERA
BROADWAY IN PENSACOLA SERIES
PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE
pensacolalittletheatre.com Performances at Pensacola Cultural Center
Wit
ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade Feb. 10 pensacolamardigras.com
FemFest
Feb. 12-18 facebook.com/femfestpcola
Pensacon: Pensacola Comic Con Feb. 23-25 pensacon.com
Ciclovia Open Streets March 24 pensacolaopenstreets.com
Pensacola JazzFest April 7-8 jazzpensacola.com
June 1 fiestaoffiveflags.org
Pensacola Beach Air Show July 14 newsairshow.com
Pensacola Greek Festival
Pensacola Crawfish Festival May 4-6 fiestaoffiveflags.org
Hangout Fest
May 18-20 hangoutmusicfest.com 212 1
March 3
In A Forest Dark and Deep Little Women Little Women: School Show April 11
Short Attention Span Theatre May 4-6 and 10-13
The Odd Couple June 8-10 and 14-17
Foo Foo Festival
July 14-15 and 21-22
Frank Brown Songwriter's Fest Nov. 8-18 fbisf.com
Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 2-3 naspensacolaairshow.com
The Snow White Variety Show Mary Poppins
CULTURAL PERFORMANCES BALLET PENSACOLA
balletpensacola.com Performances at Pensacola Cultural Center
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story Feb. 6
March 26
May 30
SELECT CONCERTS AND COMEDY SHOWS VINYL MUSIC HALL vinylmusichall.com
They Might Be Giants Jan. 28
Futurebirds Jan. 31
Less Than Jake Feb. 9
G Love & Special Sauce Feb. 11
July 27-29, Aug. 2-5 and 9-12
Rebirth Brass Band
PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Marc Broussard
pensacolasymphony.com Performances at Saenger Theatre
Beethoven and Blue Jeans Jan. 13
Mozart Madness
Blue Wahoo's Home Opener April 11 bluewahoos.com
24 Hour Theatre: Spring
Nov. 2-4 ggaf.org
Nov. 1-12 foofoofest.com
Jan. 18
Rent 20th Anniversary Tour
Jan. 26-28, Feb. 1-4 and 8-11
April 6-8 and 12-15
Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival
Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Pensacola Interstate Fair
Sept. 28-30 fiestaoffiveflags.org
pensacolasaenger.com Performances at Saenger Theatre
Jersey Boys
March 9-11 and 15-17
Pensacola Seafood Festival
May 19
Jan. 20-21
Oct. 12-14 pensacolagreekfestival.com
Oct. 18-28 pensacolafair.com
April 28
Madama Butterfly
March 16 and 18
Pen Air Grand Fiesta Parade
Symphonie Fantastique Music for Families
Man of La Mancha
We can't think of a better way to start planning your best year ever than by having a packed list of local happenings as a guide. From popular festivals like Hangout to concerts and cultural performances, here's a snapshot of the upcoming year's events you won't want to miss.
April 7
pensacolaopera.com Performances at Saenger Theatre
Jan.26 and 28
Coming to Hangout Fest 2018: St. Vincent / Photo by Nedda Afsari
Russian Spectacular: Gil Shaham Plays Tchaikovsky
Feb. 3
All You Need is Love: A Beatles Tribute
Feb. 21
Feb. 25
The Soul Rebels March 1
The Wailers April 15
Ty Segall April 21
Feb. 10
Papa Haydn March 3
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BOOKS TO READ IN 2018… BECAUSE THEY'LL BE MOVIES If you want to get a head start on pop culture, here's a list of books you'll want to check out before they make it to the big screen.
Call Me by Your Name
People have been calling out Oscar predictions since "Call Me by Your Name" started limited screenings in November. It shares the love story between a 17-year-old boy and a 24-year-old grad student in Italy. Even if you've already seen the movie, take the time to read the 2007 novel by André Aciman. Playing in select cities now
Ophelia
Time to brush the dust off your CliffsNotes. This year, Shakespeare fans should be on the lookout for "Ophelia," a retelling of the play Hamlet told from the perspective of the tragic heroine. The movie is based on the book by Lisa M. Klein. Daisy Ridley stars as Ophelia. In theaters January
Molly's Game
Free Wine Tasting Every Thursday AWM 5pm - 7pm
The Jungle Book
Maybe you already read Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book" in preparation for the live-action Disney film in 2016. Well, you have another chance to see the movie as Warner Bros. makes their own version of the tale starring Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis and Christian Bale. In theaters Oct. 19
27 S. 9th Ave. | 850•433•9463 AragonWineMarket.com
Between Shades of Gray
Nope, not part of the "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy. This movie is based on the novel by Ruta Sepetys, which follows an aspiring artist in 1941 as her and her family is deported to Siberia. There's no set date yet for when the movie, which is titled "Ashes in the Snow" will be coming to the big screen though. In theaters sometime next year
Based on the autobiography from Molly Bloom, "Molly's Game" follows the story of an Olympic-class skier who runs the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and then became an FBI target. The book is getting the Aaron Sorkin treatment and is already creating some awards season buzz. In theaters Jan. 5
The Bell Jar
A Wrinkle in Time
The Hate U Give
The time-traveling classic by Madeleine L'Engle is being re-imagined with "Selma" director Ava DuVernay and Disney studios. You're definitely going to want to watch the movie thanks to big names such as Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon and, um, Oprah. Brush up on the book before you travel by tesseract. In theaters March 9
Let’s Wine!
Kirsten Dunst is directing "The Bell Jar" based on the Sylvia Plath book by the same name. It's not the first time this story has been on the big screen, but with Dakota Fanning playing the protagonist Esther Greenwood, viewers are excited to see how this story is retold. In theaters sometime next year
EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH
When "The Hate U Give" was released in early 2017 by writer Angie Thomas about a 16-year-old girl called to testify after witnessing a police shooting, it quickly made it to the top of must-read lists. In theaters sometime next year
Ready Player One
Steven Spielberg is bringing the sci-fi adventure that is "Ready Player One" to the big screen. The story follows a creator of a virtual reality world who challenges users to find his Easter Egg and have his fortune. Fans of "Master of None" will be happy to see Lena Waithe in the cast. In theaters March 30
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Time to pick up that book you keep seeing at the Target checkout line. Director Richard Linklater is bringing the quirky book by Maria Semple "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" to theaters this year. The story follows 15-year-old Bee as she looks for her anxiety-ridden mother who disappeared. In theaters May 11
December 28, 2017
13
PODCASTS TO BINGE IN 2018
One thing is certain. Podcasts are not a fleeting fad. If anything, they are only getting better and more prevalent. Not sure where to start, or unsure about what to listen to after "My Favorite Murder"? Here's some suggestions to look out for in the new year.
Oprah's Super Soul Conversations
Who doesn't want a weekly dose of Oprah? If you've watched Super Soul Sunday on OWN or the live feeds on Oprah's Facebook page, now you can download the conversations to your podcast feed. Hear Shonda Rhimes talk about the power of saying "yes" or Joe Biden reflect on his career and life.
Thirst Aid Kit Futurebirds / Photo by Jason Thrasher
PENSACOLA BAY CENTER pensacolabaycenter.com
Jim Gaffigan Feb. 11
Justin Moore March 24
SAENGER THEATRE pensacolasaenger.com
SIGNATURE ROAD RACES, TRAILS AND TRIS Pensacola Beach Run: Half Marathon 10K/5K Jan. 13 pensacolarunners.com
Double Bridge Run: 15K and 5K
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Feb. 3 doublebridgerun.com
WUWF Presents: Capitol Steps
Blackwater 50K Ultra Trail Run Challenge
Jan. 17
Jan. 19
Travis Tritt Jan. 20
An Evening with Ronnie Milsap presented by Big Spring Entertainment Feb. 16
Feb. 17 werunwild.com
Bayou Hills Run: 10K, 5K and Kids Run March 3 bayouhillsrun.org
McGuire's 5K Prediction Run
Daniel O'Donnell
March 10 mcguiresirishpub.com
Jonny Lang
Rock n' Fly: Half Marathon and 5K
Feb. 20
Feb. 21
Robert Cray Band Feb. 22
Brain Candy Live Tao Drum Heart
Fiesta of Five Flags 10K and 5K
April 25
Joe Bonamassa May 17
Don't let the title fool you, this is a comedy podcast. Season 4 begins in 2018 with a new "Belinda Blinked" novel and probably more cringe-inducing ways to describe body parts. Don't worry, you don't have to listen to Season 1 through 3 to get up to speed.
Lovett or Leave It
Fans of "Pod Save America" are probably already on board for this new podcast from speech and screenwriter Jon Lovett. From the Crooked Media family of podcasts, the show talks about politics in a very frank and funny way.
The Daily
If you haven't already started listening to The New York Times' podcast, "The Daily" then add this 20-minute show to your
From economics majors to business neophytes, NPR's Planet Money is for anyone. The show discusses economics in a very practical and entertaining way and explores other topics such as Bitcoin, space and more.
Nancy
Best friends Kathy Tu and Tobin Low discuss life for LGBTQ individuals in this podcast from WNYC studios. They share stories with people from all walks of life, because as the bio says "everyone's a little bit gay."
More Perfect
Decisions made by the Supreme Court shape our life in American more than we probably know. This Radiolab podcast researches and explores major SCOTUS decisions in each episode.
The New Yorker Radio Hour
The famous "New Yorker" magazine creates stories in a whole new medium in this weekly show presented by editor David Remnick.
Homecoming
If you haven't yet listened to the radio drama from Gimlet media, do so now. The show is currently being worked into a TV show for Amazon. Because it not just about books being made into movies anymore. It's podcasts being made into TV shows too.
Blackwater 10 mile Trail Run Challenge March 24 werunwild.com
Celtic Woman
My Dad Wrote a Porno
Planet Money
March 17 runrocknfly.com
March 9
March 10
Brought to you by the same website that helps you find out what kind of waffle you are, this BuzzFeed podcast is two lovely ladies, Nichole Perkins and Bim Adewunmi, talking about the men they fancy from books, movies, TV shows, cartoons...you name it. And to top it all off, each episode ends with some amazing fan fiction.
morning routine to get updates on the day's news and listen to short interviews from NYT journalists.
May 5 fiestaoffiveflags.org
Pensacola Triathlon April 29 tripensacola.com
Pensacola Marathon and Half Marathon
Nov. 11 marathonpensacola.com 414 1
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Katrina Andry: Depose and Dispose (of): Bull, color reduction woodcut, 2017 (detail)
407 S. Jefferson St. Pensacola, FL 32502 850.432.6247 pensacolamuseum.org Museum Winter Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun. 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mon. Closed
December 28, 2017
KATRINA ANDRY: DEPOSE AND DISPOSE (OF) Jan. 12 – March 18, 2018 Lewis Bear Family and Greenhut galleries
Sponsored by
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WEEK OF DECEMBER 28-JANUARY 3
Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
'Tis the Season to See a Movie By Joshua Encinias
COCO
Since the year 2000, Christmas week has consistently been the highest grossing week of the year at the box office. The obvious reason is once you’re done opening presents, what else are you supposed to do? Hang out with family? Sure, but if you’re going to hang out, better do it in a dark room without talking to one another. This holiday season has no shortage of movies to see. There’s “The Greatest Showman,” starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Effron and Michelle Williams, about P.T. Barnum and the birth of show business. There’s also “Downsizing” which is the heady Matt Damon dramedy about shrinking to six inches to live in a community where a hundred thousand dollars is worth a few million. To give you some ideas beyond those releases, we picked five other films to see over the holidays. “Coco” and “The Last Jedi” are already in theaters (and worth seeing again). Same with “Lady Bird” which is an Oscar-front runner about the comedy and drama of girls growing up. “The Post” is Steven Spielberg’s latest, about Nixon-era politics in the newspaper industry, with an allusion to current issues with the press. Lastly, “The Shape of Water” goes where no mute, female janitor has gone before: into the arms of an amphibian man.
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By the time Christmas has come and gone, most filmgoers will have already seen Pixar’s “Coco.” But for those who only go to the movies at Christmas, this is the best non-Star Wars movie of the season. “Coco” follows a boy named Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) into the afterlife on Día de los Muertos to receive a blessing from the deceased Mexican entertainer, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). The film is filled with marigolds of vivid, neon colors. Marigolds are the flower used on Día de los Muertos to remember deceased loved ones, and in the film, a bridge of them connect the world of the living and the dead. “Coco” isn’t the first Disney movie about the afterlife. Walt Disney created “The Skeleton Dance” in 1929, but this story has a full cast of characters who live in the Mexican village of Santa Cecilia, Miguel’s hometown. His family rejects Miguel’s pursuit of music which sends him on a quest to discover why, in a musicallyrich culture, his family rejects it. The story’s plot is zany, if not tedious at times, but it changes gears in the most heartwarming way during the second act. It should also be noted that “Coco” is Pixar’s first musical. The soundtrack is sung in Spanish and others in English, and all of the Mexicaninspired tunes are catchy.
STAR WARS EPISODE 8: THE LAST JEDI
Kathleen Kennedy has lead Lucasfilm with an iron fist since George Lucas retired. Most recently, she hired Ron Howard to replace Phil Lord and Christopher Miller on “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” The “Star Wars Story” standalone films were sold to the public as more experimental, auteur-driven projects than their Episode counterparts. That hasn't proved to be the case. Instead it's proved that in Hollywood, this is the era of producer auteurs. Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” picks up where J.J. Abrams’ “The Force Awakens” leaves off. But after the fun rehashing of previous Star Wars plots in “Awakens,” it's really up to Johnson and Kennedy to bring something new to the table in this eighth episode. We already know that this is Carrie Fisher’s last go around as General Leia and Luke Skywalker lets us know what's up with the Jedi. One
hopes Luke means the Jedi should go the route of integration, with a worldview that's less black and white and gnostic. And the porgs look cute.
THE POST
Steven Spielberg is set to wow the diaspora of Obama-era politicos with his upcoming film “The Post.” Originally titled “The Pentagon Papers” the title was shortened, assumedly to speak to President Trump's ongoing war with the news media. The story follows Washington Post journalist Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) and the Post’s first female publisher Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) in exposing the public to the Pentagon Papers in 1971, which revealed the bill of goods the Nixon administration sold to the American public to fuel the Vietnam War. One thing “The Post” guarantees is that Streep and Trump will go for a second round come awards season. We can’t wait for that.
horny, mute janitor and her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins), the repressed homosexual artist. They help the captured amphibian man (Doug Jones) escape from his torturer, a George Wallace-like character named Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon). The film oscillates between gorgeous aquatic imagery and truly grotesque occurrences. “The Shape of Water” is the only movie we can say that is not for the weak of stomach but is for the tenderhearted.
LADY BIRD
Writer-director Greta Gerwig’s new film “Lady Bird” is packed with the ‘brain trust’ of American theater: Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Lois Smith. Joining them are some of the finest young actors of their generation with Saoirse Ronan as Lady Bird, Lucas Hedges and Timothée Chalamet as her two love interests, and Beanie Feldstein as Lady Bird’s doting best friend, Julie. Usually movies about teenage girls center around one guy, but in “Lady Bird,” there’s not one guy, there’s two, and they’re both wrong. The true heart of the story is about the love between Lady Bird and her mother. The movie asks the question, what is personhood for young women?
THE SHAPE OF WATER
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, “The Shape of Water” follows a mute janitor working at a lab who falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape. The movie is an allegory of the 1960s Civil Rights movement with progressive characters, but they’re characterized like they’re in an episode of “Leave It To Beaver.” There’s Elisa (Sally Hawkins), the
STREAM ON
Even if you don’t have time to make it to a theater this holiday season, just an hour or two of downtime can bring some perspective to the hectic pace of holiday travel and parties. So if you can take the time for yourself, we have a few suggestions for holiday streaming. We picked five movies that use humor and wit to deal with family drama that the holidays often amplify. The movies are easily found on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and we note where to find each one.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Available on Amazon Prime Video, directed by Jodie Foster Most holiday movies are about cheer. “Home for the Holidays” is about surviving inweekly.net
HENRY GAMBLE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
them. With a grasp of the stress, sense of temporary displacement of adults revisiting their childhood, and lingering conflicts that rear their ugly head year after year, director/actress Jodie Foster made a timeless holiday film. Set at Thanksgiving in the mid-1990s, Claudia (Holly Hunter) is sexually harassed at work and loses her job in one fell swoop. Losing her winter coat when flying home, Claudia wears her mom’s extra, oversized, puffy jacket for the duration of the trip. The coat physically swallows her up and foreshadows the drama and hijinks to come. Claudia’s parents, Adele (Anne Bancroft) and Henry (Charles Durning), fuss with food, their plans and each other. They’re in their 60s and reflecting on the disappointments one racks up in a lifetime. They’re played endearingly true to life by Bancroft and Durning, as hilarious and infuriating. When brother Tommy (Robert Downey Jr.) shows up unexpectedly, all hell breaks loose.
MOONSTRUCK
Available on Amazon Prime Video, directed by Norman Jewison Like “Home for the Holidays,” “Moonstuck” is a family comedy about people who tend to get ignored by the movies: lower-middle class people who are looking for purpose and love ( just like every other class of people). Cher plays Loretta Castorini, a bookkeeper in Brooklyn who falls in love with the brother of the man she agreed to marry. Danny Aiello plays Loretta’s fiance, Johnny Cammareri, and Nicolas Cage plays his brother Ronny, the one-handed love interest. When we meet Loretta, she’s let herself become an oldmaid. Her mother, played by the incredible Olympia Dukakis, is always on her case about settling down with Johnny. But when she accidentally meets Johnny’s brother Ronny, Loretta is swept off her feet by his rough, masculine charm. While Johnny is tending to his dying mother in Italy, Loretta and Ronny have a swift love affair that transforms Loretta while stirring up trouble for everyone else. December 28, 2017
Available on Netflix, directed by Stephen Cone Co-starring “Stranger Thing’s” Joe Keery (aka Steve Harrington), “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party” is about the titular Henry Gamble, his mega-church evangelical culture, and one swimming pool birthday party where everyone’s defenses come undone. The movie is a coming of age story for Henry and a coming to terms story for his evangelical parents. In the film, adults pressure Henry’s guests with judgmental behavior and knowing gestures. However, people, like wood, splinter in every which direction when pressure is applied. By the final act, the adults and kids make choices that surprise even themselves. The film inhabits the grey zone of everyday experiences and scenes about freedom and forgiveness run amok in the best way. “Henry Gamble” isn’t an explicitly Christian film, as in, it doesn’t attempt to catechize. But it does articulate that highest of Christian virtues: grace.
THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (NEW AND SELECTED)
Available on Netflix, directed by Noah Baumbach Another movie about hilarious family dysfunction, this time with Hollywood A-listers Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler and Emma Thompson. Baumbach’s “Meyerowitz Stories” is akin to “The Royal Tenenbaums” before it: three siblings (all from different mothers and the same patriarch father, Hoffman) reunite after years apart, and the relationship with their artist-father is toxic and in need of mending. When medical trauma hits elder Meyerowitz, the three siblings have to deal with the underlying issues between them as they spend more time with each other than they have in years. The siblings’ tensions boil over after an unfortunate visit to see their father. If you’ve seen any movies by Baumbach, you know family dramedy is familiar territory for the director. “The Meyerowitz Stories” is a highlight among his work for its wit, true sources of familialanger and tension, and the literary denouement.
SOUTHERN FAMILY
Available on Amazon Prime Video, directed by Keith Wilson The first half of Keith Wilson’s 14-minute documentary shows his southern family in their element among family members, cooking and loving one another. The family is led by two matriarchs: great-grandmother Meemaw and grandmother Nannie. They go for a visit to see Keith in San Francisco and it’s there where Keith comes out as gay to the family. “Southern Family” spends the rest of its time interviewing Meemaw and Nannie as they rock anxiously in a recliner. They sound fearful and cry, but theirs is a fear of breaking through barriers, not resentful fear of the unknown. While it isn’t reminiscent of every coming out story, the documentary is hopeful with raw honesty and unconditional love. {in} 17
calendar Arts & Culture
≥Events
PMA GALLERY TOURS
2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
≥Current Exhibits
FEAR AND FOLLY: THE VISIONARY PRINTS OF FRANCISCO GOYA AND FREDERICO CASTELLON
On view through Dec. 31. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org PHILIC/PHOBIC On view through Dec. 31. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
Sculpture by Chris Borthwick / On view at Pensacola Museum of Ar t
REBELS WITH A CAUSE: AMERICAN IMPRESSIONIST
WOMEN On view
through Dec. 31. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
FINE LINES OF FASHION On view
through Jan. 6 Fashion illustrations by Julie McGrath. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org EYE CANDY On view through Jan. 5. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org PSC ART FACULTY AND STAFF EXHIBIT
On view through Jan. 12. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu CROSSING BOUNDARIES: ART AND THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
On view through Jan. 14. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
CONTAINED PLAY
On view through Feb. Artists from the University of West Florida Advanced Sculpture: Public Art course—Katie Carff, John Davis and Michael Stewart—created this accumulation of orbs and light as part of their coursework. Main Street Façade Sculpture Garden at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org DOCUFLORIDA On view through Feb. 4. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org PHILATELY & FRIENDSHIP: THE ART OF ACE On view through
Feb. 27. Exhibition of 50 illustrated envelopes created by members of Art Cover Exchange. T.T. Wentworth,
Jr. Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org PENSACOLA CULTURAL CENTER ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: NINA FRITZ
Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St.
≥Workshops & Classes
POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week
workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.
INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every
Monday from 6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center. Classes are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week
workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. CLAY SCULPTURE
Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.
for more listings visit inweekly.net
Stock Market Losses? The Capitol Steps in Concert Friday, January 19, 2018, 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Saenger Theatre Tickets available beginning December 1 through Ticketmaster 800.745.3000.
wuwf.org | 850.474.2787
Hire a lawyer who is a former Merril Lynch stock broker.
Gene e. mitchell attorney and counsellor at law
Representing retirees and other investors
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news of the weird THE VOICES IN OUR HEADS In Parkland, Washington, state troopers and Pierce County Sheriffs officers responded to a call on Nov. 25 about a man who had stopped his SUV in the middle of an intersection and was waving around an AK-47 and screaming about "lizard people." The 54-year-old Eatonville man obeyed when officers ordered him to lie on the ground, but resisted being handcuffed until officers tased him. He told them he had "snorted methamphetamine to lose weight" and that President Donald Trump had called his home to warn him that the lizard people were coming and his family members were already being held hostage by the "alpha dragon," according to The News Tribune. "The lizard people are real," he told police, explaining that he wanted to attract attention so that his "story could be documented for history." YIKES! Claudell Curry, 82, and his wife, Odell Marie, 83, heard a loud crashing noise as they watched TV in their San Bernardino, California, home on the evening of Dec. 10. Imagine their surprise when it was NOT Santa Claus, but instead a block of ice the size of a car engine, which had torn through their roof and landed on their bed. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said about a similar incident in November that the ice might have dropped off a passenger airliner, having formed after a leak in the galley. Neither of the Currys was hurt, but "We shiver every time we think we could have been in bed," Claudell told The San Bernardino Sun. AWESOME! Chuck E. Cheese restaurants are undergoing an evolution of sorts, and employees at the location in Oak Lawn, Illinois, were only following company protocol when they took sledgehammers to the plastic head of the animatronic mouse on Nov. 28. In a video recorded by a reporter with the Oak Lawn Patch, two female employees half-heartedly strike Chuck's head for several minutes before it finally breaks apart. Meanwhile, other workers load furniture and games into a moving van. The Oak Lawn location has closed after experiencing a particularly difficult period, as it became the scene of violent brawls and gang activity. But they won't have Chuck E. to kick around anymore. INEXPLICABLE A suburban parking lot in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has been the scene of repeated crashes, as drivers there can't seem to avoid the Sage Hill Rock—a large boulder surrounded by yellow cement curbs. At least three photos of cars that have collided with the rock—two hung up on it and the third tipped over on its side—were posted on social media over the weekend of Dec. 2, according to the CBC. "I don't know how you miss this big rock," said Brangwyn Jones, who
by the Editors at Andrews McMeel
lives in Sage Hill. An employee of a nearby business said the rock was placed in its spot to keep people from driving over the curb. The management company of the retail center had planned to remove it, but an uproar from community members ("It's far too entertaining!") may have stalled those plans. UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT The Jilin Daily newspaper in eastern China has provided a handy guide for residents about what to do in case of a nuclear attack from North Korea. Cartoons illustrate how to wash radioactive contaminants from shoes with water and use cotton swabs to clean out ears. "If war breaks out," commented the state-backed Global Times, "it is not possible to rule out the Korean Peninsula producing nuclear contaminants, and countermeasures must be ... spoken openly about to let the common folk know. But at the same time, there is absolutely no reason to be alarmed." IT'S GOOD TO HAVE GOALS Ryan Nanni, a sportswriter for SB Nation, had just one career goal for 2017: He wanted to wear the bloomin' onion costume at the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. He had hinted repeatedly on social media about his wish, but Outback Steakhouse didn't take notice until he challenged the chain directly on Twitter on Dec. 5: "How many retweets is it going to take for you to let me fulfill my destiny and become Bloomin' Onion Man?" The Tampa Bay Times reports that when Outback set the bar at 10,000 retweets, Nanni collected more than 13,000 in just 24 hours. "We should've made that harder," Outback tweeted to Nanni. However, Nanni will wear the costume only during the third quarter of the Jan. 1 contest, with a "professional" representing Outback through the remainder of the game. INEXPLICABLE Ja Du of Tampa, Florida, was born a white male named Adam Wheeler. Today, he is not only transsexual, but also considers himself transracial, saying he identifies as a Filipino. "Whenever I'm around the music, around the food, I feel like I'm in my own skin," Du told WTSP-TV in November. Du even drives a motorized rickshaw called a Tuk Tuk, a vehicle used for public transportation in the Philippines (but which Filipinos call "trisikels"). However, some Filipino-Americans are less than welcoming, claiming that Du has overlooked centuries of their people's struggle. "To say you are that race is both unrealistic and problematic," said Jackie Fernandez, a Filipino-American journalist. She believes Du has crossed a line between "cultural appreciation and appropriation." {in}
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2017 Andrews McMeel
@VOLUMEONESALON
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com December 28, 2017
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Independent News | December 28, 2017 | inweekly.net