Independent News | December 23, 2021 | Volume 22 | Number 51
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winners & losers
outtakes
4
5
news 6, 7
They avoid the nitty-gritty.
feature story
buzz 8
10
publisher Rick Outzen
graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk
editor & creative director Joani Delezen
contributing writers Gina Castro, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, Sydney Robinson, C.S. Satterwhite
contact us info@inweekly.net
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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. © 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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December 23, 2021
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winners & losers
Photo Courtesy of Blue Wahoos
The Winners & Losers team refused to name any losers two days before Christmas, claiming it's in their contract. We didn't know they had a contract.
PENSACOLA BLUE WAHOOS The team
was chosen as the Double-A South's nominee for the Minor League Baseball CommUNITY Champion Award for its commitment to community service during the 2021 baseball season. The CommUNITY Champion Award replaces the previous league-specific awards. The Blue Wahoos won the Southern League Community Service Award four consecutive years before transitioning into the Double-A South in 2021. The team's staff and players participated in hundreds of hours of community service and made over $600,000 in charitable and in-kind donations. The team's annual reading program reached over 6,000 local elementary school children. Staff partnered with Waste Management to renovate multiple baseball and softball fields, and players created an online baseball clinic for local youth athletes.
RUSSELL BERTLES The Ferry Pass
Middle School band director has been selected to ride on a float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena. The Tournament of Roses will provide a special float honoring band directors from across the country. Approximately 280 band directors from all 50 states will accompany the float. Bertles is one of only seven band directors from Florida to be selected and the only participant from Northwest Florida.
MEG PELTIER The Pensacola Beach
Chamber of Commerce has hired Meg Peltier as its new executive director and Visitor Information Center manager. Peltier first came on the scene in Pensacola in 2000 as an on-air radio announcer for My 107.3 and morning show host for Soft Rock 94.1. In 2006, she left radio to serve as president and CEO of the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce, which she held for five years. Peltier has worked with Premier Island Management Group and helped lead the Pensacola Little Theatre as its executive director in other previous roles. She has been with the Studer Family of Companies for the past six years. 44
EDIBERTO "EDDY" CRUZ Global Con-
nections to Employment selected Cruz as the 2021 Veteran of the Year. He is the first recipient of this new, prestigious recognition. While serving as an infantryman in the United States Marine Corps in Afghanistan, his armored military vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Cruz walked away with hearing loss, back pain, tinnitus and depression. He made the difficult transition to civilian life and graduated from California State University Monterey Bay with a degree in computer science with a concentration in computer networking. He is a software developer with GCE and serves in the Air National Guard.
BRETT CYPHERS The Northwest Florida Water Management District executive director will leave his position early next year to care for his oldest daughter as she goes through cancer treatments. Cyphers has been with the district for almost 10 years. He joined in June 2012 as assistant executive director and became executive director in December 2014. His work in Florida's government began as a member of the Senate's reapportionment staff in 2001, and he went on to serve in the administrations of Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist. MANUEL RODRIGUEZ Innisfree Hotels
has promoted Chef Rodriguez to corporate director of Food & Beverage, overseeing all dining and drinking experiences at Innisfree's Gulf Coast properties in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina. Rodriguez, who is classically trained in culinary arts and has spent more than a decade leading professional kitchens, joined the Innisfree family in 2020 to direct culinary operations at one of its hotels. He quickly showed that his organizational skills, managerial talents and passion for culinary excellence were worthy of a much bigger assignment. Innisfree Hotels CEO Ted Ent praised the chef for his great vision and plan to elevate the hotels' food and beverage offerings across the board. inweekly.net
outtakes By Rick Outzen
TWO PAPERS, TWO VOICES Pensacola is a two-newspaper town thanks to your readership and the support of area businesses. Somehow over the past 22 years, we've survived threats, hurricanes, recessions, oil spills and pandemics to deliver the stories behind the headlines and connect the dots differently than our Gannett-owned competitor. Several years ago, the late John Appleyard shared a white paper that showed our city has had several newspapers before the media chains swallowed up the presses across the country. Our first newspaper, the Floridian, was published by former Army Major Corry Nicholas from 1821-1824. The Gazette & Advertiser followed it and competed for 30 years for readers with the Argus, which claimed to be the voice of agriculture, the Democrat & Advocate and the Neutral, which carried articles in English and French. By 1857, those newspapers faded, and the Observer appeared on the scene. The paper operated until residents abandoned the city during the Civil War, only to resume publication in 1968. The newspaper later shut down and was replaced by the Pensacola Advance, with Stephen Mallory Jr. as part of the ownership, and the Pensacola Gazette. In 1881, Mallory's group bought out the Gazette and merged it to create the Advance-Gazette, a "strictly Democrat" paper. More papers were launched. J. Dennis Wolfe published the Pensacola Commercial, located in the Blount Building. Wolfe regularly challenged railroad magnate W.D. Chipley. John O'Conner started the Pensacolian but later closed it to become co-owner with Chipley of the Pensacola News to combat Wolfe's editorials. In 1897, Chipley and Wolfe died. Percy Hayes bought the Pensacola News and a man, whom Appleyard identified as M. Loftin, started the Pensacola Journal. In 1922, John Perry Sr. bought the Journal and began to build a network of weekly and daily publications. Two years later, Perry acquired the News and created the Pensacola NewsJournal Company with a daily circulation of 6,000. In 1968, his son, John Perry Jr., sold his newspapers to Gannett, who would eventually combine the two newspapers—one delivered
in the morning, the other in the evening—into one publication, the News-Journal. The Gannett empire wouldn't be challeged in Pensacola until 1999 when we published our first issue. Congressman Joe Scarborough would start his own weekly, The Florida Sun, soon afterward. We battled for market share for 18 months until Scarborough convinced the ownership groups to merge into the Independent Florida Sun with him at the helm. The News-Journal sat on the sidelines watching the circus. Scarborough would later tire of the newspaper business, leaving town for the Big Apple. I came back, and Independent News became a force with its coverage of the recovery from Hurricane Ivan, the referendum battle for the Community Maritime Park, the Billings murder case and the BP oil spill. More reporters covering the news was good for Pensacola, and the competition pushed both newspapers to get better. Readers got to see two sides of issues. The NewsJournal wanted the county to develop OLF-8 into a town center for the Beulah area and Navy Federal Credit Union, adding thousands more residences in one of the most congested areas in Escambia County. Inweekly listened to Beulah residents and found few wanted more houses. The economic development proposed for OLF-8 had been represented in the worse possible light to sway public opinion toward the town center. Fortunately, the commissioner adopted a hybrid plan. The inexperience, incompetence and hubris of Janice Gilley were ignored by the daily, which chose to focus its ire on four county commissioners—not the one facing ethics charges but the other four guys. Stephen Barry, Robert Bender, Jeff Bergosh and Lumon May aren't immoral crooks, and fortunately, their constituents agreed. And despite the daily newspaper's recommendations, most of Pensacola would choose the Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm over the PNJ's favorite, Morgan & Morgan, any day. We will continue to be the other voice. And it's okay if you don't agree with us all the time. {in} rick@inweekly.net
More reporters covering the news was good for Pensacola, and the competition pushed both newspapers to get better.
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PENSACOLA'S SCOOTER PROBLEM
Photo by Tim Bednarczyk
By Jeremy Morrison Electric rental scooters can be a convenient, even a fun way to get from point A to point B—given that points A and B aren't too far apart, or at least within the geofence parameter … and given that you're not speeding, riding in large groups, drunk or performing stunts. Just ask David Forte. "From a personal standpoint, I like 'em," Forte said recently. "When I was in Atlanta, I jumped on it and did it—it was fun." But that was in Atlanta. In Pensacola— where Forte serves as deputy city administrator—it's a little different. He conceded, "They're a struggle." Six months ago, the Pensacola City Council approved a one-year pilot program for scooters, contracting with two different companies to unleash fleets onto the streets. While the scooters are certainly utilized, the experiment has gone alright. There have also been issues, with concerns focusing primarily on riders misusing the scooters. "There are some things that have come to light. Some people are definitely not doing it right," Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said recently. Included in the "not doing it right" column would be items such as drag racing, renting a scooter for someone younger than 18 years old, riding on the sidewalks and taking the scooters onto the interstate. With this city's pilot scooter program hitting the halfway point—and with only 66
one of the two companies actually deployed thus far—officials will soon be looking to improve things with tweaks to the municipal ordinance addressing scooters. "Some of these are an intentional disregard for appropriate rider's age and usage; that's what we're hoping to target," Mayor Robinson said. "There is also some just plain carelessness in dealing with traffic laws." Ordinance tweaks, such as addressing items like hours of operations and allowable speeds, may help with some issues, but the "just plain carelessness" part may be more challenging to address. Officer Mike Wood, the spokesman for the Pensacola Police Department, points out that bicycles have been around for quite a while, as have well-established bike laws. Yet, there are still accidents involving a bicyclist, and there are still people who do not observe the existing rules of the road. "It's not the bicycle or scooter that's the problem," Wood said. "It's the operator." The Pensacola City Council will be considering possible fixes to its scooter problem in January. A pretty good preview of that discussion recently unfolded within the sphere of the Pensacola Downtown Improvement Board, an organization comprised of downtown businesses. "We've just been getting comments from the business owners about the scooters," said DIB Executive Director Walker Wilson. "You know, folks are worried about safety issues." Walker decided it'd be a good idea to toss a survey out to DIB members, get a
read on how everyone felt about the new addition of rental scooters to the downtown landscape. The survey results, revealed during a December board meeting, were not glowing and alternately described as "predominately negative," "very, very, very against scooters" and "negative, even on the positive ones." "Somebody wrote," the DIB board members were informed, "that while they were taking the survey, they saw somebody drive into a parked car outside their window." DIB Chairman Michael Carro summed up this sentiment nicely—"I like the idea of scooters; I hate the blight, and I hate the immaturity." In addition to concerns about use and safety, complaints also center on how the overall business model involves riders leaving the scooters wherever their destination happens to be. It is not uncommon to see multiple scooters at one location, especially downtown, perhaps some overturned on the ground. "I mean, six deep on each corner," said Escambia County Commissioner Robert Bender during the DIB meeting. "They are littering our streets with their devices."
"I like the idea of scooters; I hate the blight, and I hate the immaturity." Michael Carro Forte acknowledged there were issues to be addressed but pointed out that few people lodge accolades, only complaints. Also, he said, the scooters were an environmental-plus, with the logged rides thus far saving the equivalent of 42,000 pounds of CO2. However, Bender disagreed, wondering how many riders were using the scooters instead of a motor vehicle and how many were using them for "entertainment." "I think a lot of those rides would not have occurred had it not been for them doing burnouts or slides or going around and around and around the block," Bender said. Forte acknowledged that changes were needed to address certain issues—"it's been a little bit wild, wild West out there." But he also assured the DIB board that things would likely improve after January. "I look forward to the March timeframe, after two or three months of the modified ordinance and seeing where we're at," he said. Among the changes to regulations
surrounding scooters, the city council will likely be considering tweaks to the hours of operation, as well as potentially lowering speed limits. Forte said that other discussions might also unfold, like the possibility of charging scooter vendors a per unit or ride fee or requiring that scooters be parked in a specified area, but that such discussions would be looking ahead to the end of the one-year micro-mobility device pilot program, as a contract was already in place. Also unlikely to change is the number of scooters each vendor can have. For the term of the pilot program, each is allowed 250. The scooters around town now are Bird scooters, which will soon be joined by Veo scooters—a sit-down variety—in January or February.
"I don't know if 500 devices are appropriate; I think it should probably be quite a lot less than that." David Forte "I don't know if 500 devices are appropriate; I think it should probably be quite a lot less than that," Forte said, adding that the city was stuck with that number until July, at which time the city council will decide if it wants to continue the program. "We may have to ride that out." Among city council members, there appears to be an appetite for a discussion about rental scooters and possible changes to the city's approach to them. "They are very problematic," said Councilwoman Sherri Myers. "I see them parked in the middle of curb cuts and sidewalks, which is a violation of the ADA." Councilman Delarian Wiggins said he would support a 10 p.m. cutoff time for the scooter operations. In contrast, Council President Ann Hill said she had a mostly positive impression of the scooters thus far, though she had gotten some negative feedback. "I have received some complaints of underage riders, riders not observing stop signs and riders going way too fast on sidewalks," Hill said. "I would recommend that scooter enthusiasts pay attention to the rules of the road and practice courtesy if they would like this option to continue." Councilman Casey Jones agreed that a curfew on scooter use might circumvent some problems but added he enjoyed having the new traveling option around town. He shared, "My impression is that most of the issues that we are seeing are happening at night." "I like having rental scooters available as an alternative means of transportation and have ridden them several times myself," Councilman Jones said. "I believe they have a place in a vibrant city and that we just need to work out some kinks." {in} inweekly.net
TOP OF THE HILL
Ann Hill / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola
By Jeremy Morrison After a year serving as vice president for Pensacola City Council, Ann Hill moves up to the top spot, having been elected president in November. President Hill said she didn't go looking to lead the council but is happy to be doing so. "I was nominated. I didn't lobby for the job," the new council president clarified. "I figured it was part of our responsibility when asked. When I was nominated, I was very honored I was selected, but it wasn't my objective to be council president." And now that she heads up the city's legislative body, what will a Hill presidency look like? By her description, it seems it will be a reasonably democratic aff air. "I see that job as more of a servant role rather than a leadership role," President Hill said. "Every council person has things they want to achieve while they're in office, and I think it's the council president's duty to make sure all those objectives are treated fairly, that they're given plenty of time to discuss their objectives and if everybody agrees we pass them."
As President Hill said, each councilperson comes to the city council with their respective objectives, goals, things they would like to achieve. What are her aims during this year of her presidency? After a moment of consideration, Hill rattles off a collection of municipal issues and then stops—"How long do you have?" "I mean, I could spend the rest of the morning telling you things I hope to get on the agenda in the next year," she laughed. First, heading into January, there's the issue of the homeless encampment beneath the interstate. The council has extended the encampment an eviction moratorium. Still, Mayor Grover Robinson has said the camp must be cleared next month due to an impending greenways project being begun by the Florida Department of Transportation. Hill stresses that the encampment is a sensitive issue. "I think that has to be done humanely and legally," she said. The council issued an eviction moratorium due to both circumstances associated with the COVID pandemic and because there is not enough shelter space in the area to relocate the campers to. If the city forces people out without being able to direct them to available shelter, it risks a likely winnable lawsuit. While the city has recently allotted about $1.5 million to initiatives geared to provide shelter beds, it remains to be seen if that will suffice. "I'm trying to walk that line between not being sued and finding a place that isn't too confrontative with the neighborhood," Hill said, referencing pressure from residents living nearby the encampment. Also on Hill's radar—affordable housing. The city is on a mission to realize 500 affordable housing units within fi ve years, and that's going to take some work. "I think if you look at the way housing is going up now, almost everything that is being built is, at least in my district and the
surrounding downtown and nearby, luxury apartments, and we don't have builders committed to doing affordable housing," Hill said. "There's just no profit in it right now because of all the expensive prices going up." The council president suggests donating vacant properties throughout Escambia County to the cause in hopes of stimulating the construction of affordable units. "Maybe giving the lots to whoever is building the house so that would take that primary price off of the retail price," she said. And then there's the issue that Hill is perhaps the most passionate about—water. Water quality and water access. The council president recalls being present when Bruce Beach was recently formally reopened. It was a special day. "I was right there when they opened the gate at Bruce Beach," Hill said. "We just decided, you know, it's been closed too long, and it's time to make it public and make it open to the public, and the city went along with it." During a discussion about potentially leasing the Baylen Street slips—downtown's only public boat slips—to a private interest, Hill said that she felt that the public's interest in a public waterfront was in full view. "The majority of people that responded to the announcement didn't even know there were public slips there. And even when we first discussed it, I did not know that we had the moorings, where people were already using it," Hill said. "Once they found out about it, they did not want to compromise and give it over to a private company. They wanted the city to have maybe nine or 10 slips and maybe a kayak stop there. I think just making it well known was the first step." The advantage to the city of having an accessible waterfront, a municipal beach, the council president said, is as obvious as the ocean itself. "I think that there's something about being on the waterfront. Why do people go to the beach?" Hill said. "It's just a pleasure to be out in nature and to feel that you could spend some time. If you want to play with
your kids or just meditate, it's all there, and you have that environment of really beautiful trees and butterflies—that's just something I think humans enjoy being around, and that's why I want to make sure that we don't have that far to go before we reach that beach." During a recent council discussion on how best to spend American Rescue Plan Act funding, a glimpse was on display of what President Hill's leadership style might look like. "I think at the last meeting I said something about 'let's just discuss, you know, the AARPA proposals and see where it goes,' and I was immediately told that, 'Wait a minute; we don't want everybody talking for 15 minutes,'" Hill recalled. The new president said she would like to allow her fellow council members time to unwind respectfully, but that may not always work out. "I think that there is a balance," Hill said. "My personal leanings are to have dialogue as long as takes to get everybody on record as to how they feel, but on the other hand, I realize time is limited." She continued, "I would say that I'm not a timer person, but if that's the way they want to do it, then I will go ahead and do that. But I really want us to feel free to communicate and take whatever time we need to get our ideas across." But Hill's not too concerned about council dynamics or how members will work together. When she looks around the dais—at a council with a slate of fresh members that has been described as progressive—she sees a team ready to work well together for the benefit of the city. "I think that we have a very thoughtful council. I think that they take the issues seriously and do the deep dive that it takes," Hill said. "I think that we're all working towards a better quality of life. I don't call that necessarily progressive." She added, "I call that happiness and making people want to live here, and I don't see how we could have too much conflict in that." {in}
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the manager at Loaves and Fishes because he felt so embarrassed that he lived at Loaves and Fishes. So he shared the story to let the young children recognize it doesn't matter where you start; it matters where you end. And we all can give back." The Pensacola News Journal did not cover the event. The daily newspaper also missed May's Summer Youth Program graduation. It's easy for the daily newspaper to bash what it ignores.
WINDING DOWN CAMP It looks like
MARITIME PARK TALKS Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson told Inweekly that he plans to bring an agreement to the council in January that will lead to the development of Lots 4 and 5 at the Community Maritime Park. The mayor and consultant Andrew Rothfeder have been negotiating with the Dawson Company and Emmitt Smith Enterprises to be the master developer of the two parcels. "We got an initial offer back," said the mayor. "It was a little bit all over the place. It was not as tightened up as we would like it to have been. We have been trying to respond back and get them tightened up a little bit. But our whole goal is still to have something by the end of this month that we can bring to council in January." The agreement will give Dawson and Smith time to do their due diligence and come to the city with a final development plan. Robinson said, "They would be given some time to evaluate and given some due diligence, but they need to respond to us like, 'Okay, what's your lease rate going to be? How much are you putting into the parking spaces? How many parking spaces are you going to have? What's the design going to look like?'" He continued, "These things that I think we do need a little bit of agreement on. We don't have to solve everything, but we have to solve a lot of the questions related to costs and what benefit the people are getting and then be able to go from there." TOUGH LOVE On the day the daily newspaper accused Escambia County Commissioners of not caring for children, Commissioner Lumon May hosted his fall banquet for Southern Youth Sports Association 88
players, ages 12-14, and their families at the Brownsville Community Center. The children were recognized for both athletic and academic achievements. "We had eight kids who had all A's on the honor roll," May told Inweekly. "Rep. Andrade presented bikes from Onbikes Pensacola to the young people for their accomplishments. State Attorney Ginger Madden and Assistant State Attorney Frederick Longmire gave great remarks." The decision was made to host a separate banquet for 12- to 14-year-olds because of the increase in gun violence. Commissioner May explained, "There's been so many accidents, so many deaths, and we wanted to have hardcore information for our children. We wanted to give them tough love. We wanted them to understand that the choices that they make, there'll be consequences." May had Shemeka Hankins address the audience of 200 people. He said, "Shemeka became pregnant when she was 14, and by the time she was 16, she had had her second baby. But today, she mentors down at the May Center at Legion Field every single day. She owns two companies. She's a supervisor at Navy Federal. She makes six figures, and she came back and shared her story about not giving up and how don't let a mistake or not even two mistakes hold you back." The commissioner continued, "Terrell Hankins talked about Raymond Palmer bringing him home from practice and going home where they had no heat and no water. And then, when they were lucky enough to move into Loaves and Fishes, he would be dropped off after leaving practice from SYSA. He would tell all the kids that his mother was
the homeless encampment beneath a stretch of Interstate 110 near downtown Pensacola will soon be no more because of safety concerns and park development plans. Plus, the pandemic has eased, and funding has been directed toward homeless initiatives. During his weekly presser conference on Monday, Dec. 13, Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson turned much of his focus toward this issue, stressing the multiple reasons he felt the homeless encampment—currently protected via a municipal eviction moratorium—should be moved in January. "We've got a plan; we need to be executing; we need to be moving forward with that plan," Mayor Robinson said. In January, the mayor said, the Florida Department of Transportation will request people leave the encampment so that development can begin on the long-planned Hollice T. Williams Greenway project. He said, "DOT is ready for us to get people out of there." The relocation will be eased because of the council's vote to allocate more than a million dollars in federal funds to initiatives aimed at creating bed space at shelters. "That funding is flowing in that direction," said Neighborhoods Administrator Lawrence Powell, clarifying that the city was looking to efforts from Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola, Canopy of Hope and Bright Bridge Ministries, in realizing the needed shelter space, adding that in total, the organizations will be putting 42 beds online. "Long story short—part of the transition is being worked by those providers, those 501(c)(3) entities in partnership with the city, so hopefully as we transition towards an exit of individuals out from under the bridge, we'll be transferring them to safe facilities and with coordinated care as well," Powell said. Mayor Robinson said if necessary, the city could also tap into $180,000 the council approved to put people up in motel rooms if shelter space was unavailable. "Potentially. I mean, one way or another, we can make all that work," he said. Mayor Robinson also stressed that the city had been continually transitioning folks out of the camp into shelters. Unfor-
tunately, those people get replaced with new individuals entering the camp. "I think the issue is—when do we stop allowing people to come in? I think you'd be shocked if we stopped letting people move in," Robinson said. "We can move everybody out real fast. I think the question is, will we have people moving back in?"
THEN THERE'S SAFETY At his presser, Mayor Robinson added another reason to move the campers—public safety. On Saturday, Dec. 11, a driver had an accident on I-110 above the Pensacola Police Station. "There was an individual not paying attention; they were looking at their cell phone; they ran up on the interstate. Thank goodness we had no significant damage," Robinson said. Still, though, the occasion provided a good lesson. The mayor said, "Obviously, I think it showed all of us why we've really got to plan to move people out from underneath the Interstate. That's why the state doesn't like having people there. I mean, anything can happen, having accidents like that." Mayor Robinson held up this "sobering event" when poo-pooing any talk of extending the eviction moratorium. "It's dangerous; any number of things can happen," he said. "Obviously, if things had gone worse and that car had had more momentum and that had happened over where the people were, we'd have people killed that were sleeping under the interstate." SCHOOL CONCERNS, TOO Local school officials have expressed concerns about a facility catering to the homeless slated for 2200 N. Palafox St., near Pensacola High School (PHS). Mayor Robinson noted PHS's "significant, deep, rich history in our community," dubbed it a "great school" and said it has "a very good future as we move forward." And the existing service center planned for Palafox would "have to conform with any rules and laws that are associated with being the distance they are to PHS." "I don't think any of the things that are happening in the city are doing anything that will be detrimental to Pensacola High School," Robinson said. The mayor also noted that the property in question was formerly a public health clinic serving the same community— "Sometimes people get emotional and forget about the way things have functioned for a long time. They get caught up in the moment of an issue, and they don't really think about how it all works together." "I'm not sure what's going," Robinson said. "I hope it's not just saying, you know, 'We don't want poor people within a thousand feet of PHS'—that's going to be difficult to do." inweekly.net
MAKING STORMWATER BEAUTIFUL
The stormwater pond near the intersection of Market Street and Summit Boulevard is not one of Pensacola Councilwoman Sherri Myers' favorite landscapes. It is not, she stresses, among District 2's more picturesque offerings. "This stormwater pond is hideous," Myers said. "It looks like a borrow pit." The Market Street stormwater pond was once more or less shaded from sight, but a recent flurry of development in the area has opened up the view. Now, the stormwater pond—which will soon be dug deeper—is circled by a rusty chain-link fence, but that will quickly change. The city plans to transform the area surrounding the pond into a greenway. "I'd say at least a half a mile all the way around," Myers said, "just a place to relax and walk around." The councilwoman said that she has long wanted to see the area developed into a public space, and that effort has begun to take shape with the recent allocation of $230,000 to the project. "What the council wants to do is start with this pilot project," Myers said, explaining that the Market Street greenway project could lead to similar efforts elsewhere in the city. When completed, Myers envisions the Market Street greenway as a jewel of District 2. A lush public space for people to enjoy. A virtual garden geared toward attracting butterflies and bees "to make this a pollinator-friendly greenway." According to City Council Executive Don Kraher, this greenway project will get underway probably in April or May. In addition to planting trees in the area, the project will also include the installation of a sidewalk. This project is being funded from a variety of municipal pots. Myers is using a $30,000 District 2 allocation stemming from development fees for cutting trees in the area. Another $100,000 comes directly from the city's Tree Trust Fund, which
December 23, 2021
derives money from the same development fees. And a final $200,000 is coming from the city's unassigned fund balance. Councilwoman Myers hopes the project will also attract the attention of private investors of the surrounding business community that has evolved near the stormwater pond, who might pitch in for other various elements to enliven the greenway. "I think that's going to be an important aspect of the project too because we want this to be a community project," Myers said.
RENTAL HELP Renters in Escambia
County who require assistance with overdue rent and utility bills due to COVID-19 can apply for emergency rental assistance through the Escambia County Emergency Rental Assistance (ERAP) Program. The application portal opened in October and is available in English and Spanish. Appointments for in-person assistance can be made by calling (850) 403-6044. Learn more at myescambia.com/erap. Emergency rental assistance may be provided to eligible low-income Escambia County residents and families who: •Have been financially impacted by COVID-19; •Have total household income at or below 80% Area Median Income; •Are at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and •Have not received any other rental assistance for the requested months. •Both the renter and the landlord must submit an application through the portal. Reimbursement will be paid directly to the landlord or utility provider. The program can cover up to 12 months of overdue or late rent and utility bills for households in Escambia County. Additional details for rental assistance for landlords and renters can be found at myescambia.com/erap.
AN EVENING IN ISRAEL The Global
Corner will celebrate this year's Passport
Program with a fundraiser on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Pensacola Opera, 75 S. Tarragona St. "An Evening in Israel" will feature authentic Israeli food and signature Israeli wine and take a peek at this year's in-school curriculum. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Global Corner's educational in-school Passport Program in area elementary schools, which, this year, showcase the country and culture of Israel. Tickets are $60 (early bird special until 1/1/22), $70 at the door. The Global Corner is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching the children of our community about other countries, languages and cultures. Since its founding in 2008, it has led local elementary school-aged students on more than 78,000 "virtual international adventures" to countries around the world including Japan, Spain, Egypt, Brazil, Russia, India, Italy, Kenya, Australia, China, Argentina, Canada, Germany, and this year, Israel.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WUWF
is among 75 public media stations selected to participate in the Digital Transformation Program, a virtual program developed by the Poynter Institute to educate, assist and coach public media senior leaders and their staff on the best strategies and tactics to transform their organization's digital operations and culture. The training is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). "Being selected for this program is a tremendous opportunity for WUWF," said Pat Crawford, WUWF executive director. "We have a talented, versatile and capable staff who understand the importance of transforming our organization to become digital-first and audience-centric. We look forward to developing a well-constructed digital strategy and executing it successfully, creating greater opportunities for meaningful engagement with our audiences."
The program includes online coaching and training to Crawford and staff members to accelerate their digital transformation efforts. "CPB's commitment to advancing innovation and diversity continues to be reflected through our strategic investments helping system leaders advance a digitalfirst, audience-centric approach," said Patricia Harrison, CPB president and CEO. "The program will provide coaching and resources to help stations become more agile and leverage digital content, platforms and data to grow and engage new and existing public media audiences." In addition to one-on-one and peer group coaching sessions, the program will include a series of educational webinars, work exercises and resource materials that span the program curriculum. The program will be delivered to four groups of up to 20 public media leaders and their station's personnel at a time. The groups will have staggered start and end dates over the course of two years, with a new group starting every three months. "The selected participants are some of the nation's most trusted sources citizens turn to for local news and information," said Poynter President Neil Brown. "Our partnership with CPB will help public media outlets build digital-first strategies that inspire an even greater—and more sustainable—connection to grow with their communities." The stations selected, include 40 public radio stations, 16 public television stations and 19 joint licensees. They will join the five National Multicultural Alliance Organizations—Black Public Media, the Center for Asian American Media, Latino Public Broadcasting, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Vision Maker Media—to form four cohorts of 20 public media leaders, who will participate in the nine-month program. The first cohort will begin training in January. {in}
9
This year has been a black hole where time seemed to run slower than a Pensacola City Council meeting. We watched insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as Trump's supporters tried to prevent Joe Biden from taking over the White House. We've seen our congressman disappear from the streets of Pensacola while jumping on any national talk show that would have him. In Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, we've seen the acrimony of national politics creep into our local school board and commission meetings. Facebook still rages with personal attacks and wild conspiracy theories. COVID dashboards disappeared in Florida in June and may never return—as long as Ron DeSantis rules the state—while more die from the coronavirus without notice or fanfare. Health care workers, teachers and other frontline workers remain our biggest heroes, but we've also seen more significant donations to local causes than any year in recent memory— topped by $40 million to the University of Florida from the estate of the late Fred Levin. In short, a lot happened in 2021—some good, some bad. This annual issue offers us a chance to reprise the most significant winners and losers of the past year. We hope you enjoy it.
winners BIGGEST WINNER: COMMUNITY HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Thanks to Community Health, over 36,000 people have received COVID-19 vaccines—more than one out of every 10 persons vaccinated in Escambia County. When the state wanted to test how vaccines could be effectively made available to senior citizens, Community Health and Commissioner Lumon May partnered to pilot a program at the Brownsville Community Center. Under CEO Chandra Smiley, the no-cost and low-cost health care organization served Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with 17 locations. Smiley told Inweekly recently, "What we've been able to do in the last 20 months is show the community what living our values really looks like. And whether you're coming in for a vaccine or you're coming to see your doctor or to receive behavioral health support or case management services, it's those values of dignity, respect and compassion that uphold our mission and that we strive to honor each and every day because the patients that we care for and the communities that we're here to serve deserve nothing less than that."
BEAR FAMILY FOUNDATION
Baptist Health Care Foundation received a $4.5 million gift commitment from the Bear Family Foundation—the largest gift ever donated to the foundation. The health center on the new Baptist Health Care campus will be named the "Bear Family Foundation Health Center" in the family's honor.
ROBERT BENDER
The Board of County Commissioners chairman worked long hours to develop a hybrid master plan for Outlying Landing Field 8 (OLF-8). Bender got DPZ CoDesign, Navy Federal Credit Union, FloridaWest and Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission to openly discuss possible solutions that met the desires of their groups and the community. Bender truly moved the discussion forward.
TOM DANNHEISSER
The Fairest of Them All Equal Justice Awards named Judge Dannheisser the "Fairest of Them All" in Circuit 1. The awards provide a 010 1
scientific basis to objectively evaluate felony court judges in Florida's 20 judicial circuits concerning impartiality and overall fairness in criminal sentencing.
JAMIL DAVIS
One of the Pensacola Dream Defenders leaders was promoted to the Florida Lead Organizer for Black Voters Matter. His first act as lead organizer was testifying in front of the Florida House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Subcommittee in opposition to the DeSantis anti-protest bill last January.
GARY DIAMOND
On Monday, Sept. 20, the Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighter was posthumously honored as Florida's Career Firefighter of the Year during the 2021 Fire Service Awards. Last year, Diamond was shot and killed in the front yard of his Molino home. In 1982, Diamond began his Escambia County Fire Rescue career as a volunteer firefighter at the Ensley Volunteer Fire Department and eventually transferred to the Molino Volunteer Fire Department. In 2006, he joined Navarre Beach Fire Rescue as a career firefighter and EMT. He retired from Navarre Beach Fire Rescue as a captain.
ADAM ELY
The University of West Florida created the CISO Fund Cybersecurity Scholarship Endowment with a $50,000 gift from Ely, a technology executive and chief information security officer for Fidelity. The endowment will provide scholarship support for students to launch or advance cybersecurity careers through the UWF Center for Cybersecurity's workforce development programs.
BILL HAMILTON
Pensacola State College's athletic director announced his retirement. While serving in the dual role of baseball coach and athletic director, Hamilton led the PSC Pirates baseball team to its first-ever state championship in 2004. His overall record was 703 wins and 468 losses, making him the all-time PSC career leader in wins.
HUNT FAMILY
The Hunt family committed $250,000 to support the new Baptist Health Care campus.
The family has a long-standing history with Baptist. Ann Hunt served as a Baptist Women's Center volunteer for 25 years. Her husband, William, was a Baptist Health Care Foundation board member and served during the mid1980s when Gulf Breeze Hospital was built.
TERRY KELLEN
Over 40 years ago, Kellen organized the women's tennis group at the Roger Scott Tennis Center that evolved into the Greater Pensacola Ladies Tennis League, which holds nearly 1,000 members. She served as the first president of the GPLTL and the Scott Women's Tennis Association. Pensacola honored Kellen by naming hard court No. 1 "The Terry Kellen Court."
LEE FAMILY
Jessica Lee, the Lee family and Kia AutoSport of Pensacola donated $250,000 to the new Baptist Health Care campus. The donation will go toward the chapel located inside the new hospital.
FRED LEVIN
Few people celebrated being in the Winners column like the world-renowned trial lawyer and philanthropist Fredric G. Levin. He made the list for a $40 million gift from his estate to the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law. The Levin family's lifetime contributions to the University of Florida total more than $60 million with this generous gift.
KATHLEEN LOGAN
Marquis Who's Who presented Logan with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors individuals based on such factors as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility and prominence in a field. In 2020, Logan established Together Pensacola: Building Our Community, a citizens' group promoting positive race relations in the Pensacola area.
DONNIE MCMAHON III
In May, Pensacola State College officially christened the Donald McMahon III Center for Cybersecurity in honor of his $250,000 gift to the college. PSC's Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Cybersecurity also bears McMahon's name. He served on the PSC Foundation Board of Governors from 1995-
2008 and was selected a Governor Emeritus when he stepped off the board.
MORETTE FAMILY
A healing garden located in the town square of the new Baptist Health Care campus will be named the Morette Healing Garden in honor of a $250,000 gift from the Morette family and their construction firm, Morette Company.
WENCESLAUS "WEN" MUENYI
The UWF alumnus was named a winner in the Meda Million Dollar Challenge, the nation's largest business competition for minority-owned businesses. Wen's company, HercLeon, received $200,000 in the contest that attracted more than 200 entrants. Wen was among five winners who shared a portion of the $1.2 million winnings.
TIM O'KEEFE
The University of West Florida recognized Dr. O'Keefe as Dean Emeritus in honor of his service to the UWF College of Business. O'Keefe led the College of Business as interim dean and then dean from August 2013 until May 2019. As head of the college, he expanded the footprint and influence of the Florida Small Business Development Center at UWF and established the Center for Entrepreneurship, Center for Supply Chain Management Excellence, Louis Maygarden Center for Financial Literacy and Student Engagement and Advising Center.
PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE
For the third consecutive year, Pensacola State College's online Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program has been listed among the best in Florida and the nation by U.S. News and World Report. In the "Best Online Bachelor's Programs 2021 Edition," Pensacola State's online BSN program was ranked second among Florida College System institutions. Also, PSC tied for eighth among all Florida colleges and universities and was ranked 53rd in the U.S. by the publication.
TROY RAFFERTY
The Levin Papantonio Rafferty partner was featured in the Best Lawyers 28th edition of "Lawyer of the Year." Rafferty was recognized for his mass torts litigation and class action lawsuits. He has also been recognized as one of Florida's top lawyers by Florida Super Lawyers. The American Trial Lawyers Association has selected Rafferty as one of inweekly.net
the Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He is a fellow in the International Society of Barristers.
CHRIS RUTLEDGE
The CEO/president of Gulf Winds Credit Union was chosen as CEO of the Year by the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions. Rutledge has served as Gulf Wind's CEO and president since 2002. During his tenure, the credit union has grown from 29,000 members to over 76,000 members.
bandwagon, announcing he will nominate Trump for Speaker of the House if the GOP takes control of the House in 2022 and holding rallies with Marjorie Taylor Greene. He has been seen everywhere but in his district. Gaetz has avoided press conferences with local media and dodged an interview with Creative Learning Academy's seventh grade.
CHARLIE CRIST, NIKKI FRIED & ANNETTE TADDEO
The Sansing Family has a passion for helping children. This year, they presented a $150,000 gift to Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research. The foundation also gave $100,000 to the Children's Home Society of Florida, supporting the organization's work to strengthen families and help more children realize their full potential throughout the panhandle. The Sansing Foundation donated $100,000 to Gulf Coast Kid's House to support its mission to end child abuse and heal families.
The Democratic Governors Association may have already conceded the 2022 Florida governor's race. The DGA has no plans to contribute big bucks to Florida Democrats as they seek to unseat Gov. Ron DeSantis. Over the past two gubernatorial election cycles, the organization had spent over $15 million in Florida. DeSantis beat Democrat Andrew Gillum by only 32,463 votes, with other candidates siphoning 100,652 votes away from the major party candidates. Incumbent Rick Scott won over Charlie Crist in 2014 by 64,145 votes. Libertarian Adrian Wylie received 223,356 votes.
MARGARET AND HARRY STOPP
JOSEPH LADAPO
SANSING FAMILY FOUNDATION
The couple donated $250,000 to support the new Baptist Health Care campus. Margaret Stopp has served on Baptist boards since 2009 and currently serves as the board chair for Baptist Health Care Foundation.
UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA
The University of West Florida is No. 1 in the Florida State University System for Metric 1 of the Florida Board of Governors' 2020-21 performance-based funding model. More than 79% of UWF bachelor's graduates are employed or furthering their education one year after graduation. UWF also excelled in median wages of bachelor's graduates employed full-time one year after graduation, with a median salary of $45,200.
NORMAN VICKERS
The founder of Jazz Pensacola has been named a "2021 Jazz Hero" by the Jazz Journalists Association. Dr. Vickers is one of only 23 persons nationwide to be honored this year. Jazz Heroes are united in determination to keep jazz in the air and our ears. Kudos to Pensacola's harmonica-playing physician.
losers BIGGEST LOSER: MATT GAETZ
Inweekly readers voted Matthew Louis Gaetz II the year's best scandal in our Best of the Coast survey. Local politicians have hovered most of the year waiting to see if Donald Trump's once-favorite congressman is either indicted or resigns. In March, The New York Times reported the Department of Justice had opened an investigation into allegations that Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-yearold girl in violation of federal sex trafficking laws. Gaetz repeatedly denied the allegations. In August, the media reported convicted sex trafficker and former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg had provided evidence against Gaetz, but no charges have been filed against the congressman. Gaetz has stayed in the limelight—jumping on the #FreeBritney December 23, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointed state surgeon general refused to wear a mask when visiting State Sen. Tina Polsky. The Democratic lawmaker from Boca Raton is dealing with breast cancer and requested Ladapo and the aides wear masks as a COVID-19 precaution during the meeting. Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson called the encounter "unprofessional." Ladapo defended his actions, telling the media he cannot communicate clearly "when half of my face is covered." Several officials asked DeSantis to withdraw Ladapo's nomination, which the Florida Senate must approve.
UF ADMINISTRATION
First, we learned that the University of Florida administration fast-tracked the hiring of California doctor Joseph Ladapo to give him cover when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him surgeon general. Then, we found out the University of Florida initially prohibited three professors from providing expert testimony in a lawsuit challenging a new law that restricts voting rights. The UF president eventually changed his mind—about the testimony, not Ladapo—after pressure from alumni.
MARCUS MAY
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court upheld the conviction of the former Newpoint Education Partners CEO, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering and fraud involving charter schools across Florida. Inweekly first broke the story in March 2015 when a whistleblower came forward with allegations of grade tampering and mishandling of funds.
JOHN THOMAS
Inweekly also broke the story of the Pensacola insurance broker who took money for insurance policies that didn't exist. Thomas pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering
charges related to selling fraudulent insurance policies to his clients in exchange for approximately $4.8 million in insurance premium payments. He faces 20 years in prison for wire fraud, 10 years for money laundering and 20 years for money laundering to conceal the proceeds of specified unlawful activity.
NHAN THANH VO
The man described as a "major drug dealer that has major ties throughout the country" by Sheriff Chip Simmons was arrested after a four-month investigation that led to the service of search warrants at nine locations in Escambia County and two in Santa Rosa County. Sheriff Simmons said the investigation began after a series of violent crimes in Escambia County and ended in the largest asset seizure in county history, including $1.72 million in cash, gold bars and jewelry.
PAM CHILDERS
The Escambia County Clerk/Comptroller received accolades from the daily newspaper regarding her battle with commissioners over their 401(a) annuity plan. But her story changed from meeting to meeting. She claimed she never called the plan illegal, even though she is on video using the word at two different meetings. And, for some reason, she refused to join the county in asking for the Florida Attorney General to review the issue. The latest is Childers will stop making payments to the commissioners' retirement accounts. We expect her to whine when the lawsuit is filed.
CRABZILLA
We know MLB minor league affiliates have to have promotions to attract fans, but the Crabzilla uniforms were the most hideous outfits ever worn by a sports team. The uniforms, auctioned at the game with proceeds going to charity, featured violently orange tops and equally offensive orange pants. A cartoon crab made unflinching eye contact from the rear of the pants. Crab claws crawled down the legs of the pants. Please, never again. The nightmares won't stop.
EMAIL ATTACKS
Over the past several years, a slimy political pattern has developed in county government—creating emails that attack one's opponent and can be leaked to the press or released later through a public record. The email then gets published on social media and maybe in a newspaper without verifying the data's accuracy. The county's medical director files a confidential complaint with a state agency and then places all the info in a memo. A constitutional officer claims she was told a commissioner called her a bad name and put the hearsay in an email without having any audio of the incident. A county director documents an after-hours phone call from a vendor accusing a commissioner of "tanking" the county's defense in a civil lawsuit. All are click-bait that get a jump on the truth and put those targeted on the defensive.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY JAIL
The county had to fix design flaws in its new $142 million correctional facility, making it difficult for attorneys to meet with their clients. The 840-bed jail that opened in June doesn't have enough spaces to allow for privacy and confidentiality for attorneyclient meetings. Public Defender Bruce Miller told the daily newspaper that the new facility was designed to be a correctional institution and not pretrial detention, making access to legal counsel an "afterthought in the design."
JANA STILL
Interim County Administrator Wes Moreno fired the county's human resources director. Still was one of former County Administrator Janice Gilley's stranger hires. She had never worked in an HR department, having spent seven years with the Mobile Personnel Board as a personnel classification and assessment specialist. When she came to Escambia County, Still was in charge of labor negotiations and 1,527 employees. Similar to how City Administrator Eric Olson and COO Tamara Fountain used Edward Sisson, another unqualified HR director at the city of Pensacola, Still appeared to be Gilley's hatchet person who ran off or fired older, experienced county workers.
ROBERT SAMPSON
The Department of Veterans Affairs employee pled guilty to video recording eight fellow employees in the bathroom at the Veterans Affairs Joint Ambulatory Care Center in Pensacola. Sampson admitted to placing a hidden camera, disguised to look like a cell phone charger power adapter, in a restroom at the Pensacola VA Center approximately 17 times. When VA employees discovered the recording device and notified the VA Police, Sampson attempted to wrestle the employees for control of the device. Sampson later admitted that he had placed the device in the restroom to record individuals in the restroom and would later watch the footage.
JOEL GREENBERG
The indicted former Seminole County tax collector appears to be at the center of the reported federal investigation of Rep. Matt Gaetz concerning allegations involving sex with a teenage girl that supposedly Greenberg hooked him up with. He allegedly recruited "sugar babies" for his buddies. Greenberg has yet to be sentenced as he cooperates with federal prosecutors.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY COMMISSION
County Commissioners Sam Parker, Bob Cole and James Calkins reversed course and dropped their land-use amendment that would have endangered the water supply of the south end of the county. The trio wanted to allow borrow pits in the protected water overlay district in East Milton. Citizens called them out. State agencies balked and wanted more data analysis done to support the pits. Local newspapers blasted the decision. Commissioner Cole moved to drop the amendment in late February. His motion passed unanimously. {in} 11
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inweekly.net
WEEK OF DECEMBER 23-29
Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
Mallory Luana and the Revolutionary Blood Energy of Art By C. Scott Satterwhite
Mallory Luana / Courtesy Photo
Mallory Luana describes theirself as a Haitian American Black Indie artist whose work is strongly influenced by their ancestry and activism for the Trans and Black Lives Matter movements. Originally from South Florida, Luana moved to Pensacola to attend the University of West Florida where I met them as a first-year college student. Since then, they've been active in the local punk scene, often selling their work at shows and fighting against racism within the larger community and activist circles. Luana was recently selected as the 309 Punk Project's Artist-in-Residence. INWEEKLY: I remember you first as a student at UWF and then later seeing you at punk shows selling buttons and small prints. How long have you considered yourself an artist? LUANA: I think I've considered myself an artist since third grade. In Broward County, where I was born, raised and grew up, they annually do a "fire safety poster art December 23, 2021
contest" across the whole Broward school district. When I was in third grade, I was the winner for the entire county. I've called myself an artist ever since. But my skills were definitely fine-tuned, and my art style developed in my four years in high school, especially during my AP Art Portfolio high school courses. INWEEKLY: That's funny since you won a poster contest in my class when you were a student. Surely your third-grade poster was different than the one you did for my class, though. How has your art changed since your early years? LUANA: In my early years, I was using a lot of pencil and graphite in my work. I drew a lot of still-lifes, portraits, animals, anime [and] comic fan art, etc. A lot of my earlier works and skills when I was a teen developed majorly when I joined the online DeviantArt community. I believe one of the main changes of my art over the years has been finding my top favorite medium to use—watercolor. I love painting with watercolors.
INWEEKLY: So many people have commented to me about your use of color. You do some incredible work with watercolors. Do you have anyone, or anything, in particular that influenced your art? LUANA: Art actually runs in my family in many ways. My stepfather is a wellknown poet, sculptor and painter both in South Florida and his native country of Haiti. My grandmother lived as a respectable seamstress in Haiti and continued to happily create sewn garments for her family during her retirement years. She even taught me how to sew DIY outfits for my dolls and stuffed animals growing up. My older brother, Wesly, was one of the most major influences in my art since I could hold a colored pencil in my hand. During my formative years, he taught me a lot of the basic art skills. We even had the exact same art teacher in high school. His art passion and drive has grown to primarily the music industry, hence him owning a successful music and recording studio in Hollywood, Fla. [See: westhetechproductions.com] While I definitely gravitated to traditional visual art way more, many online and local artists, creators and painters give me inspiration on the daily. I often will share their work and spread the word about them in any way I can. We support each other. I also have been influenced by classical artist like Van Gogh and Matisse. INWEEKLY: Correct me if I'm wrong, or pointing to the obvious, but I see a lot of witchcraft in your work. Am I right? Where does this come from? LUANA: I'm a witch—Specifically, a Haitian Voodoo Practitioner, who also dabbles in generic open practice stuff to be able to connect with other witches and practitioners of "occult" practices. Haitian Voodoo is a very closed practice. So since I live somewhere where [there] is not many Haitian voodooists around, I connect with other full-time witches and practitioners via open practice means. No matter how much activism and protests I do, my closest friends are those who I spend time doing full moon rituals with, exchange protection charms, gather for kitchen witchery, collect moon water with, share revelations from loa, deities and entities in a safe space
without judgment, etc. They are the people I trust most in this world. Witchcraft and my practice is just a part of my daily and nightly life, so naturally, my art reflects that. INWEEKLY: You're pretty involved with a lot of organizations. Which ones do you feel most passionate about? LUANA: At the moment, I am passionate about no organizations except 309 [Punk Project] because I feel 309 is giving me space to be my 100% authentic me and has not shown any form of deception towards me so far in this year of 2021. INWEEKLY: There's still a few more days left in 2021, but let's hope that 309 will keep up that trend. On that note, do you see yourself as more of an artist or activist? LUANA: I will always be more of an artist than an activist. I think my personality and power in terms of activism is only respected by a few. And it is always a possibility for me to completely not give labor towards other activists who don't respect me or my chosen methods of activism. My activism is completely channeled from my Haitian ancestors. And that energy? It terrifies Americans—even leftist activist Americans. I will always be present as an artist, but as an activist? Some groups honestly do not deserve this energy, and that's the truth. They can always contact me when they're ready for some Haitian revolution blood energy, though. Just saying. INWEEKLY: Calling up Toussaint L'ouveture! People get ready! Thinking of revolutionary energy and art, where do you see the intersections between activism and art? LUANA: Art has such a wide range of ways to spread the word of social justice issues through graphics. I do think we have to be careful on how, artists especially, our work is used as a lukewarm form of activism. Basically, there are too many people who think sharing on social media meaningful and strong activist-centered art is all they need to do each year. A share of a graphic here and there. A hashtag here, and that's it … and they avoid the streets. They avoid the nitty-gritty. They avoid confrontation. They live in their comfortable "allyship." And that's not enough. {in} For more with Luana, visit patreon.com/malloryluana and instagram.com/malloryluana. 13
a&e happenings
Photo by Tim Bednarczyk
HOLIDAY EVENTS
•Community Maritime Park •Bayfront Parkway – surface lot •Belmont-DeVilliers – surface lot •South Palafox Marina – surface lot
homes during the holidays, Escambia County Animal Welfare Center is running a December adoption special. Until Dec. 31, all cats and kittens are $10 and dogs and puppies are $25. Adoption fees include spay or neutering services, microchips, heartworm tests and the initial vaccinations including rabies vaccinations. Escambia County residents will be required to purchase a separate $11 license at the time of adoption. Visit PetHarbor to see all of the adoptable pets at the Animal Welfare and Adoption Center. The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive. Hours of operation are Monday - Friday from noon-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Follow the Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center on Facebook to stay up to date on adoption events, shelter news and more.
PENSACOLA WINTERFEST Celebrate
ESCAMBIA COUNTY ANIMAL WELFARE CENTER OFFERING HOLIDAY ADOPTION SPECIAL To help pets find
ALL I WANT HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY
The Downtown Improvement Board has announced the return of the "All I Want" $1,000 giveaway. Every time you make a purchase of at least $10 at downtown restaurants, bars and shops, you can earn an opportunity to win a $1,000.00 downtown Visa gift card. The promotion runs through Dec. 24. For more information, visit downtownpensacola.shop.
DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA PARKING FEES WAIVED Fees for city-owned street
parking in downtown Pensacola will be waived Dec. 19-26 during Parking Amnesty Week, allowing downtown visitors to shop, dine, and enjoy the holiday lights and attractions without paying for parking. The free parking applies only to cityowned on-street parking, identified by teal blue PARKPensacola signage. The free parking excludes parking lots, garages and privately managed parking spaces. For a map of cityowned parking, visit cityofpensacola.com. In addition to Parking Amnesty Week, free parking is available at the following locations: 414 1
Christmas in downtown Pensacola with Santa and a cast of holiday characters at Winterfest Plaza, 223 S. Palafox. Various holiday-themed trolley tours run Nov. 26-Dec. 24. For more information, visit pensacolawinterfest.org/tickets.
VISIT PENSACOLA HOLIDAY TRAIL RETURNS Visit Pensacola has announced
the return of the Pensacola Holiday Trail, an easy-to-use list of holiday-themed activities taking place in Escambia County and hosted on the Visit Pensacola app. To encourage residents and visitors to get out and take part in all the destination happenings, Visit Pensacola will award Pensacola experience packages to five lucky users who check in to the Pensacola Holiday Trail. The Pensacola Holiday Trail contest will run through Saturday, Jan. 1. For more information, visit visitpensacola.com/holiday-trail.
p.m. for lunch service and 5 p.m.-until for dinner service. Open Saturday, Jan. 1, from 5-10 p.m. Call (850) 469-9898 for reservations. Five Sisters Blues Café: Located at 421 W. Belmont St. Open Friday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for lunch service and 4-9 p.m. for dinner service. Open Saturday, Dec. 25, from 4-9 p.m. for dinner service. Closed Sunday, Dec. 26. Open Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for lunch service. Open 4-9 p.m. for dinner service. Open Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4-9 p.m. for dinner service. Walk-in service only. Call (850) 433-9450 or email events@ goodgrits.com through Dec. 28 to order your New Year's Eve Grab and Go package, which includes smoked brisket, collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread. The six-person package is $45 plus tax. Angelena's Ristorante Italiano: Located at 101 E. Intendencia St. Open Friday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch service and 5-10 p.m. for dinner service. Open Saturday, Dec. 25, from 5-10 p.m. for dinner service. Closed Sunday, Dec. 26. Open Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch service and 5 p.m.-until for dinner service. Open Saturday, Jan. 1, from 5-10 p.m. Call (850) 542-8398 for reservations.
EAST HILL SLEIGH RIDE The Second Annual East Hill All-Vehicle Sleigh Ride will take place through the streets of East Hill on Thursday, Dec. 23, at 5:30 pm. The processional will leave from Bayview Senior Center at Bayview Park. There is no sign-up or cost to participate, but all vehicles must be decorated for the holidays and must be able to go at least 5 mph. No parade throws allowed. There is a GoFundMe page for this event to raise money for the Gulf Coast Kid’s House. More details (including a map of the route) can be found on the event’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ events/435718204275922. HOLIDAY RAMBLE AT ODD COLONY BREWING CO. Enjoy a holiday consor-
Enjoy works of art from Paint Out Group at First City Art's 1060 Gallery's "So Chill" exhibit through Jan. 17. First City Art is located at 1060 N. Guillemard St. Visit firstcityart.org for more information.
tium of all things local and festive including Holiday vinyl classics spun by Eric from Revolver Records, goodies from Chef Jordan of Craft Bakery and beer releases. Stop by 4-11 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for more information.
HOLIDAY HOURS AT GREAT SOUTHERN RESTAURANTS Take the family out for
FLORA-BAMA CHRISTMAS POTLUCK
FIRST CITY ART HOLIDAY EXHIBIT
holiday dinner at Great Southern Restaurants. The Fish House: Located at 600 S. Barracks St. Open Friday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch service and 3 p.m.-until for dinner service. Open Saturday, Dec. 25, for dinner service from 5 p.m.-until. Closed Sunday, Dec. 26. Open Friday, Dec. 31, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch service and 3 p.m.-until for dinner service. Open Saturday, Jan. 1, from 5 p.m.-until for dinner service. Walk-in service only. Jackson's Steakhouse: Located at 400 S. Palafox. Open Friday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch service and 5-10 p.m. for dinner service. Open Saturday, Dec. 25, from 5-10 p.m. for dinner service. Closed Sunday, Dec. 26. Open Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m.-2
Beginning at noon on Christmas Day, FloraBama invites patrons to bring a covered dish. The turkey and ham will be provided. Serving begins at 1 p.m. Live music will be playing all around the bar to help spread Christmas cheer for all to hear. Flora-Bama is located at 17401 Perdido Key Drive.
CALL TO ARTISTS
2022 PENSACOLA JAZZFEST POSTER Jazz Pensacola invites fine artists and graphic designers to submit renderings for the 2022 Pensacola JazzFest. The commission is $500. The Jazz Pensacola Board of Directors will consider all renderings and make a selection. Initial drafts are due by
Jan. 18, 2022. If selected, the completed submission deadline is Feb. 24, 2022. The poster design should reflect the deep, rich, diverse jazz music heritage of Pensacola and communicate a sense of place. Submissions should conform to a vertical orientation using a ratio that will fit, with margin, on a final poster size of 18 inches wide by 24 inches high. All content must be the submitter's original creation and must be unpublished. The submitter must have all rights to images and graphics used in the final artwork and during the design process. The poster must include the name of the festival, 2022 Pensacola JazzFest. The festival event information, including date, location, sponsors and any additional information, will be added to the poster in the graphic production process. There is no need to include this information within the artwork. Any mixed media suitable for twodimensional mechanical reproduction is allowed, including both hand-drawn and computer-generated graphics. Submissions must be in low-res (72 PPI) JPEG format and emailed to info@jazzpensacola.com. There is no limit to the number of entries by a single artist. Each entry must include the artist's name, address, email and telephone number. The selected artist is responsible for the preparation of the art for highresolution reproduction. The artist will be contacted following the selection process and receive technical specifications for the production file.
REGIONAL WRITING CONTEST SEEKS "IN FOCUS FLASH MEMOIR" ENTRIES
West Florida Literary Federation is sponsoring "In Focus: A Contest for Flash Memoir," a creative nonfiction contest with cash prizes and an opportunity for publication. Luke Wallin, professor of creative writing, former editor of The Louisville Review and award- winning author of national acclaim who lives in Rhode Island, will serve as a guest judge. The judging panel will be looking for entries that distill a personal experience and share the heart and essence of it in order to impact readers with a keepsake take-away. Contest entries will be read with the name of the writer concealed. Contest Facilitator Claire Massey asks writers to "share your moments of truth, the crossroads and rest stops on your journey, the images that define who you were and who you are." Contest entries will be accepted electronically in January 2022. Any resident of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton or Bay counties in Florida or Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties in Alabama, 18-years or older is eligible to participate. Members of West Florida Literary Federation and the Florida Writers' Association are also eligible to enter. Non- members pay a $10 submission fee. For more questions email Massey at westfloridaliteraryfederation@gmail.com or visit wflf.org. inweekly.net
a&e happenings ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART "The Card Counter" will
be playing Dec. 23 and "Blue Bayou" will be playing Dec. 24, 28 and 30. All showtimes are at 1 p.m. PCA is located at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $8, cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for more information.
PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy
shopping for a variety of handcrafted wares at Pensacola Arts Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket.
EASY GOING GALLERY ART MARKET
Every Sunday, Easy Going Gallery and Carter J Studios present a weekly art market Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Easy Going Gallery, located at 701 N. V St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Vendors can participate for a $20 fee. For more information, contact easygoinggalleryart@gmail.com.
VISIONARY APONTE: ART AND BLACK FREEDOM Visionary Aponte: Art and Black
Freedom is from creator José Antonio Aponte, a free black carpenter, artist and former soldier who was also the leader of an ambitious antislavery conspiracy in Cuba in 1812. The exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art through March 27, 2022. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for more information.
2000 MEN: BLACK POLITICIANS DURING RECONSTRUCTION A new exhibit
at the Pensacola Museum of History shares the stories and histories of Black politicians during the Reconstruction period. The Pensacola Museum of History is located at 330 S. Jefferson St. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.
UWF HISTORIC TRUST 9/11 EXHIBIT
An exhibit honoring victims lost and others impacted by the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, is now on display on the second floor of the Pensacola Museum of History. The University of West Florida Historic Trust curated the exhibit, 9/11 Remembered, which runs through January 2022, with items on loan from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York and the History Museum of Mobile. The gallery includes a section of the I-beam from one of the World Trade Center towers and a helmet and other items worn by first responders who responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Visitors can also view a video of newsreels from 20 years ago on projectors and a video from NAS Pensacola that features military members who responded to the 9/11 attacks. For more information on UWF's Historic Trust, visit historicpensacola.org.
FINDING 1821 Finding 1821 is part of the
UWF Historic Trust's Suddenly American exhibit. Using historic newspapers, maps and documents, it is possible to locate where December 23, 2021
businesses stood in the 1820s. From taverns to parasol shops, each site on the Finding 1821 trail reflects a local establishment that was near that location 200 years ago. Outside each business is a QR code that links to a corresponding advert from an early 1820s newspaper. Over a dozen sites have been identified so far. Take a stroll around town, visit local shops and explore the history of Pensacola through today's technology. Visit historicpensacola.org for more information.
WE ARE NOT A MOVEMENT. WE ARE MOTION ITSELF. Using source material
from the 309 Archives, AnArchivist transforms linear time into a cyclical dimension with the announcement of a new beginning, while also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the eight-week Zine Challenge of 2001 and the playful/poetic/participatory aesthetic of the Pensacola DIY scene. The exhibit is on view at PMA through Jan. 2. PMA is open TuesdaySaturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays from noon-4 p.m. For more information about exhibitions, programming or support, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD, REIMAGINED The Kingdom of This World,
Reimagined provides a new look at the real and imagined stories told in Alejo Carpentier's 1949 historical novel "The Kingdom of This World," which recounts the Haitian Revolution in his signature literary style—lo real maravilloso, or the marvelous real. This exhibit will be on view at the Pensacola Museum of Art through Jan. 9, 2022. The PMA is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays from noon-4 p.m. For more information about exhibitions, programming or support, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
SCRIPTEASERS WITH PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Scripteasers, Studio 400's
and Pensacola Little Theatre's Script Reading Club invites you to monthly script readings at PLT, 400 S. Jefferson St. Want to bring your scripts for the group to read and discuss? Contact Pensacola Little Theatre to get in queue. The group reads prospective scripts for future seasons as well as new scripts that need a table read before the next edit. Not a playwright but love to read out loud? This is your easy, fun theatre night. Fascinated by the play selection process? Sit in for a listen and usually a lot of laughs. Visit facebook.com/pensacolalittletheatre for more information and the latest dates.
OPEN MIC AT THE GORDON Show off your talents on the second Thursday of every month at The Gordon's Open Mic showcase from 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. The Gordon is located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. Visit thegordon.org for more information. OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy
some homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five minutes depending on the number of sign-ups. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. 15
a&e happenings NEW CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Performing
Arts (MMPA), a boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness and "Mommy and Me" instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult. MMPA is dedicated to the safety and well-being of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixonmagic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.
GENDER PORTRAITS Gender Portraits is
a project from artist Drew Riley of the Austin Creative Alliance. The nonprofit organization supports sex and gender minorities using art as a foundation for education, activism and advocacy. The exhibit is on view at Voices of Pensacola, located at 117 E. Government St., through January 2022. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.
BLACK CITIZENSHIP IN THE AGE OF JIM CROW "Black Citizenship in the Age
of Jim Crow," a traveling exhibition from the New York Historical Society Museum & Library with additions from the African American Heritage Society of Pensacola, is now on view at Artel Gallery. To learn more about it, visit africanamericanheritagesociety.org. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.
CRAFT CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH ON NINE MILE Learn a new craft or meet
up with other makers at Studio South. Tuesday is Knit Night 4-7 p.m., and Sit & Stitch is Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Both classes are free. For a full calendar of events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS AT FIRST CITY ART First City Art Center offers a wide
range of classes and workshops for artists of all levels. Classes include glass blowing, ceramics, painting and drawing, kiln-forming, stained glass and more. For a complete list of classes and times, visit firstcityart.org.
LIVE MUSIC
MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Blues Society of Northwest Flori-
da and Seville Quarter present Monday Night Blues, the longest running weekly Blues Jam in Florida, starting at 7 p.m. with an opening and followed by the Blues Jam at 9 p.m. Seville
Quarter is located at 130 E. Government St. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.
Music Society. Feel free to visit and listen to music. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.
LIVE MUSIC AT RED FISH BLUE FISH PENSACOLA BEACH Head to Red Fish
KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS Sing your heart out Sundays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, or just enjoy drinks friends with $4 Smirnoff and $6.50 domestic pitcher drink deals from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/mugsjugs.
SAXOPHONIST JIM ANDREWS AT ALICE'S RESTAURANT Saxophonist Jim An-
LIVE MUSIC AT HUB STACEY'S Sit back
Blue Fish for live performances from local bands Fridays and Saturdays all day. For musician lineups, visit facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.
drews will be performing at Alice's Restaurant, located at 1504 W. Intendencia St., on the first Friday of every month from 6-9:30 p.m.
RAY COLEY AT CAZADORES MEXICAN RESTAURANT Ray Coley performs oldies mix with jazz and blues every weekend with keyboard, horn and flute. Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. and a jazz set on Sundays from 12-3 p.m. on the patio at Cazadores Mexican restaurant, located at 8183 W. Fairfield Dr. Weather permitting.
CURT BOL JAZZ QUARTET Visit Five Sisters Blues Café, located at 421 W. Belmont St., Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and listen to Curt Bol Jazz Quartet. Visit curtbolband.com for more information.
with good food and live music at Hub Stacey's, located at 312 E. Government St. For a full calendar of bands, check hubstaceys.com.
MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues Society of Northwest Florida bring the "Blues" back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District, located at 130 E. Government St. every Monday night in End O' the Alley starting at 7 p.m. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.
TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Me-
lodious Allen and The Funk Heads every Tuesday night at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, located at 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.
OPEN JAM AT ARTEL GALLERY Artel Gallery is open from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays for open jam with Pensacola Folk
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December 23, 2021
17
free will astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 23
By Rob Brezsny
you celebrate and enhance the fortunes of others, your own fortunes will thrive.
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): You may
become a more audacious storyteller in 2022. You could ripen your ability to express the core truths about your life with entertaining narratives. Bonus—The experiences that come your way will provide raw material for you to become even more interesting than you already are. Now study these words by storyteller Ruth Sawyer—"To be a good storyteller, one must be gloriously alive. It is not possible to kindle fresh fires from burned-out embers. The best of the traditional storytellers are those who live close to the heart of things—to the earth, sea, wind and weather. They have known solitude, silence. They have been given unbroken time in which to feel deeply, to reach constantly for understanding."
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Taurus
author May Sarton wrote a poem celebrating her maturation into the person she had always dreamed she would be. "Now I become myself," she exulted. "It's taken time, many years and places; I have been dissolved and shaken, have worn other people's faces." But at last, she said, "All fuses together now, falls into place from wish to action, word to silence. My work, my love, my time, my face: gathered into one intense gesture of growing like a plant." I invite you to adopt Sarton's poem as a primary source of inspiration in 2022. Make it your guide as you, too, become fully and richly yourself.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In 2012, the
writer Gore Vidal died the day after Gemini writer Maeve Binchy passed away. They were both famous, though Bincy sold more books than Vidal. Vidal was interesting but problematic for me. He was fond of saying that it wasn't enough for him to succeed; he wanted others to fail. The misery of his fellow humans intensified his satisfaction about his own accomplishments. On the other hand, Binchy had a generous wish that everyone would be a success. She felt her magnificence was magnified by others' magnificence. In 2022, it will be vital for your physical and mental health to cultivate Binchy's perspective, not Vidal's. To the degree that
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Cancerian
political leader Nelson Mandela was wrongly incarcerated for 27 years. After his release, he became President of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize. About leaving jail in 1990, he wrote, "As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison." Although you haven't suffered deprivation anywhere close to what Mandela did, I'm happy to report that 2022 will bring you liberations from limiting situations. Please adopt Mandela's approach as you make creative use of your new freedom.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): French poet André Breton wrote, "Je vous souhaite d'être follement aimée." In English, those words can be rendered as "My wish is that you may be loved to the point of madness" or "I wish you to be loved madly." That's got a romantic ring to it, but it's actually a curse. Why would we want to be loved to the point of madness? A person who "loved" you like that might be fun for a while but would ultimately become a terrible inconvenience and ongoing disruption. So, dear Leo, I won't wish that you will be loved to the point of madness in 2022—even though I think the coming months will be an interesting and educational time for amour. Instead, I will wish you something more manageable and enjoyable—that you will be loved with respect, sensitivity, care and intelligence. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Many people in our culture are smart intellectually, but not very smart emotionally. The wisdom of feelings is undervalued. I protest! One of my great crusades is to champion this neglected source of insight. I am counting on you to be my ally in 2022. Why? Because according to my reading of the astrological omens, you have the potential to ripen your emotional intelligence in the coming months. Do you have ideas about how to take full advantage of this lucky opportunity? Here's a tip—Whenever you have a decision to make, tune in to what your body and heart tell you as well as to what your mind advises.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Holocaust
survivor Viktor Frankl said that a sense of meaning is crucial. It's the key gratification that sustains people through the years: the feeling that their life has a meaning and that particular experiences have meaning. I suggest you make this your theme for 2022. The question "Are you happy?" will be a subset of the more inclusive question, "Are you pursuing a destiny that feels meaningful to you?" Here's the other big question—"If what you're doing doesn't feel meaningful, what are you going to do about it?"
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Scorpio guitarist Rowland S. Howard spoke of "the grand occasions when love really does turn into something far greater than you had ever dreamed of, something auto-luminescent." Judging from the astrological configurations in 2022, I have strong hopes and expectations that you will experience prolonged periods when love will fit that description. For best results, resolve to become more generous and ingenious in expressing love than you have ever been. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):
"I've been trying to go home my whole life," writes poet Chelsea Dingman. I know some of you Sagittarians resist the urge to do that. It's possible you avoid seeking a true and complete home. You may think of the whole world as your home, or you may regard a lot of different places as your homes. And you'd prefer not to narrow down the feeling and concept of "home" to one location or building or community. Whether or not you are one of those kinds of Centaurs, I suspect that 2022 will bring you unexpected new understandings of home—and maybe even give you the sense that you have finally arrived in your ultimate sanctuary.
Yanagihara—"Find people who are better than you are—not smarter, not cooler, but kinder, and more generous, and more forgiving—and then appreciate them for what they can teach you, and listen to them when they tell you something about yourself, no matter how bad—or good—it might be."
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Sometime during the Northern Song Dynasty that ruled China from 960 to 1127, an artisan made a white ceramic bowl five inches in diameter. About a thousand years later, a family in New York bought it at a garage sale for $3. It sat on a mantel in their home for a few years until they got a hunch to have it evaluated by an art collector. A short time later, the bowl was sold at an auction for $2.2 million. I'm not saying that 2022 will bring a financial event as dramatic as that one. But I do expect that your luck with money will be at a peak. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In the Quechuan language spoken in parts of Peru, the word "takanakuy" means "when the blood is boiling." Every year at this time, the community of Chumbivilcas stages a holiday called "Takanakuy." People gather at the town center to fight each other, settling their differences so they can forget about them and start over fresh. If my friend and I have had a personal conflict during the previous year, we would punch and kick each other—but not too hard—until we had purged our spite and resentment. The slate between us would be clean. Is there some humorous version of this ritual you could enact that wouldn't involve even mild punching and kicking? I recommend you dream one up! THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: A year from today, what do you want to be congratulating yourself for? newsletter.freewillastrology.com
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): To
ensure that 2022 will bring you the most interesting and useful kind of progress, take good care of your key friendships and alliances, even as you seek out excellent new friendships and alliances. For best results, heed these thoughts from author Hanya
freewillastrology.com
freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2021
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news of the weird THAT'S SO HAUTE Politix, a menswear brand in Australia, celebrated Movember (when men grow mustaches to raise awareness of men's health care concerns) with a special suit of clothing made of mustache hair, Oddity Central reported. The Mo-Hair suit's fabric was made by Melbourne artist Pamela Kleeman-Passi, who collected hair from salons and individuals. "When hair is on your head, it looks really beautiful," she said. "But when it's off the body, it immediately becomes disgusting ... I'm interested in the polarity between what's really voluptuous and what's really repulsive." If you're interested in the Mo-Hair suit, sorry: It isn't commercially available. PEOPLE WITH TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS ... OR, TRY THE DECAF Mark Smith of Cass County, Missouri, filed a class-action lawsuit in late November against Folgers Coffee Co. and its parent company, J.M. Smucker, for misleading label information about the serving sizes and quantity of coffee in its canisters. Smith says the company has "grossly misinterpreted the number of cups of coffee" that can be made from a container, calling it a "classic and unlawful bait-and-switch scheme," The Kansas City Star reported. Folgers rebutted by saying that the label offers two ways to make coffee, and its label uses the words "up to" when describing how much a canister could make. UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT Nicole Gregory, 28, was arrested on Nov. 22 in St. Petersburg, Florida, after a sheriff's deputy observed her dropping baggies containing fentanyl. According to The Smoking Gun, Gregory admitted to selling the opioid, saying she gets $10 per "bump." But she had a good(?) reason: She was selling the drugs "to make money to pay for an attorney for a pending drug charge." Actually, two charges: one in August and one in October. Along with the fentanyl, Gregory was most recently found to have meth, morphine and Oxycodone. THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS You may be grousing about your mail taking FOREVER to get to your mailbox, but that's nothing compared to a couple in Chicago, CBS Chicago reported. Last year, a postal worker tossed a package onto Vera and Donald Rideaux's front porch—then pulled away in his vehicle, hitting the Rideauxs' van, "and he kept backing the truck up, back and forth, back and forth, pulling my car at the same time," Donald said. The worker got out of his truck, looked at the car, and "got back in it and he drove off," Vera added. The couple called the USPS but as of Dec. 7, there had been no resolution of the $1,467 in damages caused to their van. A spokesman said drivers are supposed to notify immediate supervisors when they're involved in an accident but wouldn't confirm that such a report had been made in this instance.
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
NEW WORLD ORDER Those seeking euthanasia in Switzerland now have the option to use a 3D-printed "death capsule" called the Sarco, Oddee reported on Dec. 7. Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International, an Australian company, explains how the pod works: A patient enters the coffinlike capsule, closes the lid (which includes a large window), answers a few questions, and then activates a series of events with a single button. At that point, the chamber is flooded with nitrogen, but the occupant will not feel like they're suffocating or choking, he says. "There is no panic. The person will feel a little disoriented and may feel slightly euphoric before they lose consciousness. Death takes place through ... oxygen and carbon dioxide deprivation." After five to 10 minutes, the patient is deceased. "The machine can be towed anywhere for the death," Nitschke said. "It can be in an idyllic outdoor setting or in the premises of an assisted suicide organization." GET DOWN Cable network BET broke a Guinness World Record in Harlem by recruiting 536 people to dance in the world's longest soul train line. The line included original dancers from the "Soul Train" TV show, as well as a marching band and hundreds of local residents. A Guinness official was there to make sure participants followed the rules, including dancing "in pairs for at least 40 feet to qualify as a soul train." The group took the record from Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona, which gathered a 426-person soul train line in 2014. LOST AND FOUND A lost ring will soon find its way home—after 70 years. Kelly Stewart of Richfield, Utah, found the ring in 2019 while using his metal detector in the yard of an abandoned home. It's a 10-karat gold ring from the 1943 class of the Colorado School of Mines, inscribed with the initials "R.W.D." Kelly found a 1948 yearbook from the school on eBay, which revealed the ring's likely owner: Richard William Deneke. Deneke is nearing his 100th birthday at a nursing home in Georgia, and Stewart plans to mail the ring back to him. "I think it's amazing," Deneke told Stewart in a phone call. INEXPLICABLE Keeta Neville, 34, was detained on Nov. 6 for trespassing in Norfolk, Virginia, The Smoking Gun reported. She was charged with disorderly conduct and assault on officers during her arrest—but that's not the most interesting thing about this incident. Neville's head and face were covered with a cream-colored "paintlike substance" when she was apprehended, although the nature and source of the substance aren't known. Neville remained in custody until her December court date. {in} From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2021 Andrews McMeel
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com December 23, 2021
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Find your future. The Center serves as downtown Pensacola’s cultural and artistic hub. It is home to local theatre, ballet, education, events, community organizations and more. As we look to the future, we plan to reimagine our space, and we invite you to join us on the journey. learn more at findyour center pensacola.com
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Independent News | December 23, 2021 | inweekly.net