Inweekly Dec. 5 2019 Issue

Independent News | December 5, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 48

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winners & losers

outtakes

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news

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6, 8

Where we ended up was not some freak turn of events.

buzz

cover feature 13

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contact us info@inweekly.net

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Michael Daw

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite

a&e 17

Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. © 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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inweekly.net

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Th 4 3

Miracle On

winners & losers

STREET

The Play

winners

MILTON BAKERY Bakery manufacturer

Adapted by Mountain Community Theatre Based on the Twentieth Century Fox Motion Picture “Miracle on 34th Street”

From The Novel By Directed By

Valentine Davies Kathy Holsworth

December 13-15, 19-22, 2019 Pensacolalittletheatre.com

Produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANYof Woodstock, Illinois.

and ingredient supplier Dawn Foods recently announced the winners of its annual Sweetest Bakery in America contest, and local favorite Milton Quality Bakery took top honors as the best full-line bakery in Florida. Milton Quality Bakery is a fourth-generation family-owned bakery that has been serving Milton and surrounding communities for more than 50 years. Frances Michener, along with her son Eric Michener and grandsons Chance and Ezra Michener, carries on the business with the tried-and-true recipes developed by Frances' husband, Mitch, and father, Lenzo Malone. VALMAE AND RON BESSER The Bessers were ardent advocates for the University of West Florida. In 1999, the Bessers established two endowed scholarships—one for the Department of English and another for the Department of History. In 2010, Val Besser established a third scholarship endowment, created specifically for students working in theatre design and technical theatre programs. After Val's passing in summer 2019, the University learned it will receive a gift of approximately $2 million in support of their scholarship endowments.

OBAMACARE Florida leads the nation

again in Affordable Care Act sign-ups. Since Nov. 1, when the enrollment period began, 463,066 Floridians have signed up for health insurance next year under the act, according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The agency tracks enrollment in the 39 states that use the federal exchange. The period ends Dec. 15.

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losers

FLORIDA CENSUS The 2020 census is coming, and Florida is one of only five states that has failed to set up a statewide committee to help ensure everyone is counted, according to Florida Politics. We can't be asleep at the wheel on this. Billions of dollars are at stake. OUTDATED SEXUAL ASSAULT LAW

Under Florida law, anyone over the age of 16 who is molested but not penetrated can at best hope their assailant spends a year behind bars—a first-degree misdemeanor. For victims, the potential punishment is far less than a sex crime, and the statute of limitations is far shorter, the Palm Beach Post reported. Sexual battery, a felony charge, applies to instances of intercourse or digital penetration, not fondling. Lewd or lascivious offenses for fondling or indecent exposure also constitute a felony but only for victims under 16.

OHIO STATE LAWMAKERS Legisla-

tion has been introduced that would jail doctors for "abortion murder" unless they re-implant ectopic pregnancies, which occur when the embryo is implanted in the fallopian tube, not in the uterus. The bill also proposes punishing women and girls as young as 13 with "abortion murder" if they have an abortion and creates a new law called "aggravated abortion murder," which would be enforced with the death penalty. Please no one tell State Rep. Mike Hill about this legislation. We don't need another embarrassment.

inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

THE YEAR OF THE TEACHER Malcolm Thomas' replacement may have a fully-loaded treasure chest to rebuild the Escambia County School District into one that is competitive with the other districts in Florida, thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican Governor has laid out the largest budget in state history—$91.4 billion—for state lawmakers to consider during the 2020 legislative session, which begins Jan. 14. The proposal includes a $1 billion shot in the arm for public schools and teachers. The foundation of his 2020 education budget recommendation is increasing the minimum salary for teachers to $47,500. According to the National Education Association, Florida ranks 26th in the nation for starting teacher pay at $37,636. DeSantis' proposal will bump Florida's ranking for starting teacher pay to second in the country. "We are experiencing a teacher shortage in Florida," said Governor DeSantis. "My proposal to increase the minimum salary for teachers to $47,500 will help alleviate this shortage and elevate the teaching profession to the level of appreciation it deserves. This is long overdue, and I look forward to working with the legislature to make this a reality." The pay boost is excellent news for Escambia County, which has had trouble hiring qualified teachers in math and sciences during the last term of Thomas' tenure as school superintendent. While the state has lowered grading standards so that very few schools "earn" below a C grade, true improvement in our schools can't happen without qualified, motivated teachers and principals.

The Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran agrees. He has repeatedly said, "Getting a great teacher in front of every child is the number one proven way to get great outcomes for students." Education has been a top priority of Governor DeSantis' administration. During the 2019 Legislative Session, the Governor worked with the Florida Legislature to secure $10 million in funding dedicated to career and technical education for the newly created Florida Pathways to Career Opportunities Grand Program. He also got lawmakers to appropriate another $10 million to fund teacher professional development in computer science and reward those teachers for earning credentials to teach high-quality computer science courses. Unfortunately, Superintendent Thomas rejected a $2.3 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant for vocational training that would have dove-tailed well into the state's emphasis on career and technical education. He didn't like that the district would have actually been measured on its performance. An appointment superintendent won't be fussy about metrics since her contract will call for annual job evaluations. Since vocational training and career certifications will most likely be part of his evaluation, Thomas' replacement should revisit the issue with Triumph Gulf Coast. With the Governor's "Year of the Teacher" budget, the appointed superintendent should be poised to lift the district out its mediocrity. {in} rick@inweekly.net

He didn't like that the district would have actually been measured on its performance.

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OBSTACLES TO OPPORTUNITY

Brian Wyer / Photo by Tru'Soul Life Photography

By Jeremy Morrison The American dream can remain elusive for individuals residing anywhere within the nation's population tapestry. Still, there is one demographic subset that faces a particularly steep climb to the summit— African American males. The statistic is nothing new. Statistics and studies have long triggered alarm bells. "It's something people know has always been an issue," said Brian Wyer, president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce. Community organization Achieve Escambia is currently attempting to figure out the dynamics of this equation at the local level. Statistically speaking, what are the disproportionate hurdles encountered by black males in the region? And why? And what can be done to improve this scenario? "Where does this problem live? What are the indicators around it?" said Kimberly Krupa, the Achieve Escambia executive director. The organization has engaged a data analysis firm to provide a useful picture of the region to better identify problems and solutions. Krupa said, "So we can see where some of the inequities are." Detailed data will undoubtedly be necessary, but some of the challenges facing an African American male in Escambia and elsewhere in America are well-known, recognized and multi-layered. Chief among these obstacles impeding opportunities are a tilted educational landscape in critical early-learning years, a justice system that effectively blacklists youth who run afoul of the law and an employment market increasingly out of sync with levels of education, training and experience. "The first part is just having that discussion," said Wyer. "You have to figure out what the problems are and then figure a way out to make it equitable for people." 66

REDIRECTION

Traditionally, suicide rates are considerably lower for blacks than for whites. This is still the case, although there is an alarming rate increase for African Americans. According to a recent study in the Journal of Community Health, suicide rates among black teenage girls doubled, while black males saw a 60% increase between the years 2001 and 2017. Jerry McIntosh, president of local organization Movement For Change, thinks this uptick is due to the sometimes bleak landscape facing African Americans, particularly when it comes to young men.

"That's why we're talking about suicide now. It's all tied to access to jobs, access to things they want to accomplish in life." Jerry McIntosh "That's why we're talking about suicide now," McIntosh said. "It's all tied to access to jobs, access to things they want to accomplish in life." But what are the roadblocks? What is blocking access to education, to jobs, to a better life? Rodney Jones, the local NAACP chapter president, thinks the challenges start early. While some kids show up to school well-fed, studied up and with plenty of support at home, others do not. They instead come to school behind in various ways, perhaps hailing from less than ideal home environments and expected to learn the same as their classmates with the solid night sleep and nutritious breakfast. "They walk out of these environments into your environment," Jones said, pointing out that some families might not be stressing the importance and value of

school or obtaining a good education. "In many households, it's not even promoted to go to college or get some professional job." Krupa said that one key area of focus needs to be ensuring that children receive all available resources before entering the public school system. She points to Pre-K, or 4-year-old kindergarten—a free, but voluntary, program as a point of concern—explaining that facilities offering the service need to make sure they are adequately preparing their students. "They're not babysitters anymore; they're teachers," Krupa said. Farther down the road, considerable challenges dimming the prospects of black males are criminal records. With that population receiving a disproportionate amount of attention from law enforcement, it's understandable that a higher percentage would have a criminal record—frequently for low-level crimes. And that type of thing can knock a life off track. "There is no upward mobility because many of them, before the age of 17 or 18, may have a felony on their record," Jones said of young black men's professional prospects with a record. "They can't go into the military; they can't be a policeman; they can't be a fireman. You can't even work sometimes in the construction business," McIntosh said. "It's unfair and unjust as far as I'm concerned. The only thing left for them is selling drugs or getting into trouble on the streets." Jones is familiar with these circumstances. He faced challenges. "I was one of those kids," he said. "I needed a little more." That history is likely what led to his present, where he operates a juvenile justice diversionary program. He not only works with cognitive therapy and rehabilitation issues, but he also helps get people educational and employment resources. Last summer, he saw 42 of his participants get jobs. "They'll send them to me for redirection if you will," Jones said. Krupa hopes another type of redirection will help inspire young African American students to dream beyond their daily horizons. She said that introducing students to career paths that they would not otherwise be familiar with could result in broadening the scope of what an individual considers within their grasp.

For example, Krupa points to the foodservice industry. Students might feel comfortable going into such an industry because they see examples of it everywhere, but it also happens to be an industry ripe for automation. In contrast, aviationoriented industries are seeking specially trained technicians for better-paying work.

"How do we get students that are in middle school to look at these jobs? Like, culinary is not the future." Kimberly Krupa "How do we get students that are in middle school to look at these jobs? Like, culinary is not the future," Krupa said. "It's exposure. People in their lives are working in food service, not aviation."

PLAYING CATCH-UP IN A RIGGED GAME

It's not difficult to imagine the many reasons that black Americans encounter more challenges than their white counterparts in this country. It is a population that has been disadvantaged from the onset. African Americans did, after all, begin their journey in this country as captives forced into slavery. And it hasn't exactly been all roses since the Emancipation Proclamation. "Segregation was only, like, 55 years ago," Wyer pointed out. That means that only since the middle of the last century did African Americans receive the theoretical fair shake on a level playing field. But, of course, the shake wasn't always fair, and the playing field was hardly level. "We're still, as a group, generations behind," Wyer explained. "Generationally-wise, we haven't had the opportunities." But let's back up and take a moment to pause at the national heartbreak that is slavery. It is within this nightmare that Wyer traces the seeds of the current challenges facing African Americans and specifically black males. Aside from the physical abuse involved in the slave trade, Wyer points out that male slaves were typically conditioned to be more submissive—"taking away their pride, kind of taking away the strong father figure, even in slave days"—which he thinks has had a cultural impact. "Children grow up thinking they have to be more submissive," he said. With such a historical skew, Wyer said, it's going to take a concerted effort to create navigable avenues to success for a population who has not had the advantages of their fellow travelers. "The only way we're going to be able to catch up is by putting things in place that help African Americans," Wyer said. "If you don't intentionally do it, it's not going to happen. You can't just hope and wish for it." {in} inweekly.net

December 5, 2019

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THE ART OF EDUCATION and math specialists specifically to work with these students. Dixon's emphasis on the arts also has a lot to do with engaging students. With offerings like dance, sewing, yoga, a drum program or piano lab, not to mention visiting artists, students are presented with a learning environment they want to immerse themselves in. "We call it turning on the light," Curry said. "We are exposing them to as many things as possible, which makes them want to come to school."

EVERYONE'S KIDS

Photo Courtesy of Dixon School of Arts and Sciences

By Jeremy Morrison It's about halfway through the school year, and things appear to be humming along nicely at A. A. Dixon School of Arts and Sciences in Pensacola. "It's amazing and interesting and 'Oh, my gosh' all at the same time," said Dr. Donna Curry, the school's executive director. Curry's voice is full of excitement and hope, much like the school's guiding philosophy itself, which emphasizes how each student is "beautiful and unique" and incorporates an arts-centered approach to not only educate children but also to serve as a community hub. A. A. Dixon is a private school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The school focuses on at-risk students and features an impressive slate of arts programs, as well as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) centric curriculum.

"We're the best-kept secret in Pensacola. People are asking what we're doing and how." Dr. Donna Curry "We're the best-kept secret in Pensacola," Curry laughed, noting how that is quickly changing as the school continues to lay down a track record. "People are asking what we're doing and how." Last year, A.A. Dixon's growth potential was evident as its former property reached its capacity limitations. 88

"We could not grow. It did not allow the real estate for us to grow," Curry said. "We were really kind of bursting at the seams," agreed Julian MacQueen, founder of Innisfree Hotels. Innisfree is a primary benefactor of the Dixon school. Most recently, the organization ponied up $1.25 million towards refurbishing a new property for the school so that it could grow. "We doubled our enrollment overnight, from one year to the next," MacQueen said. In its new locale at 1201 N. H Street, home of the original A.A. Dixon public, the school now serves nearly 300 students. MacQueen expects that number to also climb to capacity. "I think we're going to end up with a waiting list for that school," he said. This wouldn't be entirely surprising. The school is experiencing notable success with students that might well have fallen through the cracks of Escambia County's public education system. Last year, for example, the school's entire eighth-grade class could read at the appropriate level. That's kind of a big deal. "They all graduated on grade level," Curry said. "That's not easy to do."

A SCHOOL'S MORE THAN A SCHOOL

As Curry and her staff prepared for moving A.A. Dixon to its new location, they did so with a sense of mission. They understood that the school's new haunt offered a unique opportunity for the surrounding neighborhoods. "It's a wonderful opportunity to reach the community," Curry said. By reestablishing a school in an area that had been left wanting for one, Dixon would be

more than a school serving students but also a hub serving those students' parents and families and the broader community. It could serve to educate, energize and inspire. "We have a belief that schools are an integral part of the neighborhood," MacQueen said, describing how the absence of such a hub presents a hurdle for a community. "You're really handicapping that neighborhood because there's nothing to rally around." With this in mind, Curry and her staff made the rounds in their new neighborhood this summer, inviting local students and their families on a shared journey. "We knocked on some doors in Morris and Attucks courts and said, 'We're here, and we'd like to see you in school,'" she recalled, adding that the response has been encouraging. "To sit in a community that wants a community school—they just come." These are precisely the types of students for which A.A. Dixon is designed. They are students that face economic obstacles and ones that too-often have difficulty getting their footing in the public system. "These are kids that have, in many ways, been rejected by the system, and the system is not reacting to their needs," MacQueen said. Many of the students at Dixon came to the school needing to catch up. They lagged a year behind in basics like reading or math—"or, sometimes, two years behind," Curry noted— and needed something more than they were being afforded in the public system. They needed specialized attention, maybe a different approach altogether. "We also have to have a lot of things in place to get them up to speed," Curry said, explaining that the school employs reading

A.A. Dixon is a stepupforstudents.org school. Students must apply through the organization, with admission based on financial need. The school receives $7,000 for each student admitted. "We use the majority of it to hire the best teachers on the planet," Curry said. But Dixon also receives a good bit of charitable love from Innisfree and others. For example, much of the recent renovations at the new location were done via in-kind donations of services by a collection of businesses and professionals. "We think that the business community has a role in making these types of changes," MacQueen said, explaining how he feels the local education landscape can benefit from private partnerships. MacQueen credits his wife, Kim—an English-trained Montessori teacher—as the driving force behind Innisfree's partnership with A.A. Dixon. The couple is hoping their involvement not only improves the community's academic offerings but also leads to its students being able to reach higher than they might have been able to otherwise. "The circle of poverty has to be stopped, and this is the place you put your stake in the ground," MacQueen said. Since A.A. Dixon moved into its new location, MacQueen has been reminded on multiple occasions exactly why Innisfree is plugged into the school. Parents seek him out to let him know the impact the school is having, academic and otherwise. "Coming up to us and shaking our hands and saying thank you so much," he said. "Several people came up to us with tears in their eyes, saying, 'We never thought we'd be able to walk our child to school.'" Such expressions of gratitude are important. They're validation that the school is having its intended impact. And MacQueen is just as pleased by this as the students and their families because he understands something that a lot of people have yet to grasp—these are his children. These are the community's and world's children that are starting to thrive. "Once we realize there's no 'us' and 'them' and look at this in a holistic way," MacQueen said, "these are 'our' kids, not 'their' kids." {in} inweekly.net

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process quick. Anyway, what I'd like to say is just that I would rather rescind my name from the ballot at this time, as well." Moore said he appreciated the nomination and hoped to one day serve as council president. He added, looking at CannadaWynn, "I came in convinced who I wanted to support for that position—not because of a box on the demographics checklist that would be marked, or even because it's your last year, but the caliber of character you've demonstrated that I've seen up close here over the last year. So I'd rather rescind my name and then support Ms. CannadaWynn as our president for the next year. The council voted unanimously for Cannada-Wynn, who has announced she would not seek re-election. "I just want to thank this council for their support," said Cannada-Wynn. "Over the years, we have worked together for the betterment of our community for this city. We have done great things here as a city council, and I actually want to thank you for entrusting that leadership to me."

TURTLE TALK Turtles are plentiful in the

Florida panhandle, and there are folks who still consider them to be a tasty meal— even protected varieties of turtles, such as the gopher tortoise. "Most of 'em are the old-timers who were around during the depression," said Rick O'Connor. "They called 'em Hoover's chicken." Sea turtles, too, can be on the menu, particularly their eggs. O'Connor, who now serves as the Sea Grant extension agent for Escambia County, recalls a surreal scene during his time working in Dauphin Island off Alabama's coast in the late 1970s and early 1980s—"We had a guy come up and say, 'What's going on with the sea turtles? We can't find the eggs anymore—they make the best pies and cakes.'" O'Connor presented a lecture this month outlining the region's turtle-particulars and the risks posed to the species by a black-market trade often linked to Southeast Asia. The presentation wrapped up this year's The Science Hour series, presented throughout the year by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Escambia County Extension. Turtles—a lot of different types—call Escambia and the surrounding area home. "It's very wet; it's very humid; it's very muggy. And turtles love it," O'Connor said, pointing out that the region also has plenty of rivers and streams in which the turtles travel. "There's all these different highways for turtles to move on." Florida, as a whole actually, is quite popular with turtles. And the Southeast United States in general, O'Connor noted, 010 1

is one of two turtle "hotspots" on the planet, with the other being Southeast Asia. Insofar as species diversity for turtles, the U.S. ranks the highest with 88 different varieties of turtles. Florida ranks fifth in species diversity with 38 different varieties, just after Brazil and ahead of a collection of Southeast Asia nations rounding out the top 10 list. Within the state of Florida, 15 different types of turtles are found in the panhandle region. Narrowing it down further, six are only found in the eastern panhandle, and four are only found in the western panhandle. Three types of turtles are only found in the Escambia-Santa Rosa area within Florida. They are the spiny soft-shelled, the Alabama red-bellied and the Mississippi Diamondback Terrapin. The Diamondbacks—which, like all turtles in the state, enjoy some level of protection— are pretty hot in the pet trade right now. A man was recently pulled over with a truck full of them up in North Carolina. It's unsure if the turtles were collected in Escambia, but the scene seemed suspicious. "He had $17,000 of cash in his pocket," O'Connor said. The soft-shelled turtle also faces some risks. They're among the varieties sometimes found headed out of the country at places like the Tampa airport. "They're very popular as a food item," O'Connor said of the soft shells. "There's a lot of black-market stuff going on with these guys." Florida offers protections to all variet-

ies of turtles. The state lists three as imperiled—the alligator snapper, the Barbour's map and the Suwannee cooter. Other types, the state allows for possession of up to one turtle per person per day for noncommercial purposes in recognition that there are people who consider the animals a food source. Locally, people can have up to two turtles of species like the box turtle and Escambia map turtle. The gopher tortoise, however—that so-called "Hoover's chicken"—is completely off-limits. Only found in the Southeast U.S., the gopher tortoise's habitat is feared to be shrinking due to increasing development. "They were basically gone in Louisiana, " O'Connor said, noting that the turtle was also disappearing from Mississippi. "Most of them they're finding now are on the military bases." But the gopher tortoise is still around in the Escambia region. Their burrows can sometimes be found even in long-developed areas. O'Connor said, "I still see these occasionally in East Hill."

COUNCIL HARMONY Before the

Pensacola City Council held its special workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 26, Councilwoman Sherri Myers had withdrawn her name, leaving only District 4's Jared Moore and District 7's Jewel Cannada-Wynn on the ballot for council president. After the meeting was called to order, Moore asked to speak. He said, "What I have to say could probably make this

"Over the years, we have worked together for the betterment of our community for this city." Jewel Cannada-Wynn Councilman P.C. Wu, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Council President Andy Terhaar, voiced his support and admiration for the incoming president, noting that she had attended his swearingin ceremony when he took over as the president of the Florida League of Cities. "I cannot tell you the day that I got installed as president for League of Cities, to look over and see this marvelous woman there," said Wu, "but my admiration is for her emotional stability, her persistence, her intelligence, her charm, her leadership. It is just my honor to cast my vote for you because I have utmost admiration for you." The vote for the vice president was also by acclamation. After Myers and Councilman John Jerralds withdrew, Moore was elected without opposition. "I could not have scripted this better when I walked in here with my opening statement because everything has flowed exactly perfectly, and I commend you for your actions," said Wu. "Mr. Jerralds, you have been an exemplary councilman. You have earned this position. It is not coming to you by default but is coming for you because of your actions and how you have conducted yourself."

PHILANTHROPY HONOREES The

Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), West Florida Chapter, announced recipients of the 2019 National Philanthropy Day awards during its annual luncheon. inweekly.net

The late Rob Zitzewitz and his wife Judie were named the 2019 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraisers of the Year. This award is for individuals with a proven track record of ongoing, significant time and commitment for one or more organizations. Karoline Barkley was named the 2019 Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy of the Year. This award recognizes services by an individual or a group of young people ages 10-23 who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering and leadership in philanthropy. Gulf Power Foundation was named the 2019 Outstanding Charitable Foundation of the Year. This award honors a family or business foundation that demonstrates outstanding commitment through financial support, innovation, encouragement and motivation of others to take leadership roles in philanthropy and national, international and/or community involvement. United Way of West Florida was named the 2019 Philanthropic Service Organization of the Year. This award recognizes a community-based organization that is not otherwise connected to a foundation or business, whose grant programs, donations and charitable activities significantly enrich the community. Hill-Kelly Dodge and Ascend Performance Materials were both named the Philanthropic Businesses of the Year. This award honors a corporation or business in Northwest Florida that demonstrates outstanding commitment through financial support, encouragement and motivation of others to take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement. Julian and Kim MacQueen were named the 2019 Philanthropists of the Year. This award recognizes exceptional generosity and civic responsibility demonstrated by significant financial contributions to charitable organizations in the community. The late Sally McConnell was named the 2019 Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year. This award is given

to a fundraising professional of at least five years who has been involved in the Association of Fundraising Professionals Chapter, shaping and molding not just their nonprofit of employment but the profession as a whole.

WALKER LEADS In an InWeekly/Political Matrix poll of 533 likely Republican voters living Escambia District 5 voters, we found that Larry Walker has the lead for the re-election for his ECUA race over challenger Hope Lunsford by 12 percentage points. The incumbent received 37.7% of the votes, Lunsford 23.5% and 38.8% were undecided. In the 2016 GOP primary, Walker garnered 60% of the vote in a race against Jim Taylor. Four years earlier, he received 76% of the vote in a three-person race. GULF BREEZE WILL DO A group of Gulf

Breeze women formed Gulf Breeze Will Do (GBWD) to serve as a funding tool to help other nonprofit organizations and individuals who are trying to make a difference in the Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach communities. Grant funding is provided by collective annual membership dues, all of which are distributed back to the community. Every member has a vote on which organizations receive grant funding. Among the recipients were The Arc Gateway, $4,494, to purchase iPads for their music program; Gulf Breeze High School Track Team, $10,000, to purchase track and field pole vaulting landing pads and equipment; Gulf Breeze Elementary School, $9,980, to purchase music instruments and band equipment for the fifth grade band; and Gulf Breeze High School Mathematics Department, $9,938.79, to purchase "smart boards" for math classrooms. Gulf Breeze Will Do has awarded more than $300,000 to initiatives in the Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach communities since its inception in 2014. The 2020 Membership Drive is currently underway. Annual dues are $250 per person, and membership is open to women 18 years of age or older. To join, visit gulfbreezewilldo.org.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida (RMH) has its annual Holiday Open House 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10. Sweet treats will be provided as well as house tours. Santa will make a special appearance, and holiday family photo opportunities will be available courtesy of Foto2Go, Appleyard Agency and Digital Now. During the Holiday Open House, and throughout the month of December, you can help our families have a happy holiday season by selecting a tag from the RMH giving tree. Those who contribute will receive a limitededition Ronald McDonald House ornament for their donation. For additional information on the giving tree, please contact Morgan, morgan@rmhc-nwfl.org. DECEMBER FOOD DRIVE FoodRaising

Friends and the UF/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program are hosting a food drive through December. Each month will have an emphasis on a specific healthy food. December's donation is whole grain cereal. As FoodRaising Friends' primary focus is providing low-income families with free nutritionally dense foods, the organization is hoping to improve donations by choosing healthier options for the recipients. Donations can be dropped off at the UF/IFAS Extension office, 6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton. For more information, contact Trevor Parrish, t.parrish@ufl.edu.

JAZZFEST APPLICATIONS Jazz Pensacola is calling arts and crafts exhibitors to submit applications for the 2020 Pensacola JazzFest, taking place April 4-5 at Seville Square in historic downtown Pensacola. Application forms can be downloaded at jazzpensacola.com. Only original art and handmade crafts will be accepted. No commercial/ mass-produced products will be accepted. All entries are $200 for a 10'-by-10' canopy or smaller. All fees go to support Pensacola JazzFest, a free event for the community. Jazz Pensacola is a nonprofit organization of business and professional people, musicians, teachers, students and listen-

ers working together for the purpose of advancing jazz music and education in Pensacola and the surrounding area.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute and Faith Health Network will host A Heart for Life community health fair 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, Cobb Center, 601 E. Mallory St. Free health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight will be offered, along with limited benefit screenings. Once screened, attendees can meet with a clinical team member to review their results as needed. Local vendors will be present to share health and community resource information. The Technical Coordinating Committee of the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) will meet o8:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9, Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. TPO Citizens' Advisory Committee will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, iPensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. The TPO will hold a public meeting at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11, Tiger Point Community Center, 1370 Tiger Park Ln, Gulf Breeze. The Florida SBDC at UWF offers the "Starting a Business" workshop from noon4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at Synovus, 125 W. Romana St. The fee is $50 (required, non-refundable online payment). To register, visit sbdc.uwf.edu and click on "Training & Events." Escambia County and District 3 Commissioner Lumon May will host the third annual Holiday Youth Extravaganza at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. De Soto St. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival (GGAF) is proud to support art programs and outreach in our communities by offering grants to local arts organizations. Each year, GGAF awards grants to local nonprofit organizations in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties for community arts projects. Applications for 2020 Grants are being accepted through Dec. 9 and are available at ggaf.org/grants. {in}

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inweekly.net

Over the past two decades, the "Winners & Losers" column has been the first article scanned by many of our readers. In the beginning, the very thought of choosing winners and losers every week set us apart from other media outlets, which is why we did it. Politicians loved and feared the column, while readers couldn't wait to read it. This annual issue offers us a chance to revisit some on the most significant winners and losers of the past year. We hope you enjoy it.

WINNERS JUDY BENSE

The University of West Florida President Emeritus was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame, which honors up to three women each year who have made significant contributions to the improvement of life for women and all Florida citizens. Bense is the first inductee from Northwest Florida. This past year, she also was named the 2019 recipient of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Evelyn Fortune Bartlett Award.

GEORGIA BLACKMON

The League of Women Voters Pensacola Bay Area presented the Pensacola native its Making Democracy Work Award. Blackmon has been a champion for more than 30 years in the African American community to ensure its inclusion as an integral component in the leadership and decision making of local government. She has worked to educate the general public on the role of African Americans, who have contributed to the prosperity, growth and positive direction of the area. December 5, 2019

The City of Pensacola's Public Works and Facilities Department repaired approximately 9,350 linear feet of sidewalk and installed 215 curb ramps as part of the city's Americans with Disabilities Act Sidewalk Assessment. Another 18,750 linear feet of sidewalk is expected to be repaired by 2023, along with an additional 1,806 curb ramps.

Hospital, Dr. Fleming helped to establish the first intensive and cardiac care units in the region. At Sacred Heart Hospital, he started the hospital's first open-heart surgery unit. Dr. Fleming joined forces with Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Ken Ford to establish the region's first nuclear cardiology department. He and his wife, Carolyn Fleming, wrote the award-winning musical "Seaplane" and helped create the Evenings in Olde Seville Square.

BRIAN CLARK

MARIA GOLDBERG

CITY OF PENSACOLA PUBLIC WORKS

The Pensacola Council of the Navy League presented the 2019 Margaret Flowers Civic Award to NAS Whiting Field Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Clark. The award recognizes military members who contributed volunteer time to local religious, civic, educational, fraternal and other service organizations and whose work "greatly enhances the quality of life" in the communities in which they live and serve. Clark, the NAS Whiting Field volunteer program coordinator, volunteered at 96 community service events and served more than 533 hours with local charities.

JACK FLEMING

The medical pioneer and patron of local arts and a proud son of Pensacola passed away at the age of 94. At Baptist

The director of marketing, public relations and events for Great Southern Restaurants led the successful effort to get a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker for BelmontDeVilliers, only the second marker along the trail in Florida. Goldberg worked with the Belmont-DeVilliers Neighborhood Association and local African American historians to complete the application that documented the area's rich musical heritage.

KEITH HOSKINS

Navy Federal Credit Union hired Hoskins to serve as senior vice president of the credit union's Greater Pensacola Operations. USN Ret. Captain Hoskins served as the commanding officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola and was a Blue Angels pilot. Most recently,

Hoskins served as the general manager of Gulf Power's western district.

CLAY INGRAM

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed the former state representative, who had served as the Greater Pensacola Chamber's CEO for the past four years, to be his Volunteer Florida CEO. Volunteer Florida coordinates volunteer organizations across the state and administers more than $30 million in federal and state funding for national service and volunteer programs.

MELISSA KEENER

The Pensacola Allstate agent convinced more than 27 Allstate teammates to volunteer for a backpack drive. Her group project was a success, with nearly 250 backpacks collected. It also allowed Keener and her fellow Allstate agents to earn a $20,000 Allstate Foundation grant for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida.

JENNIFER LANDIS

The American College of Health Care Administrators presented the 2019 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award to the executive director of the Life Care Center of Pensacola. The award, named in honor of visionary ACHCA member Eli Pick, is based on criteria ranging from facility census to survey results. 13

FRED LEVIN

The attorney and University of Florida alumnus was honored at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in recognition of the 20th anniversary of his $10 million donation to the law school—the largest cash gift in the history of the University of Florida and the second-largest cash donation ever to any public law school. In March, Levin donated an additional $6 million to the law school to be used for scholarships.

MCGUIRE MARTIN

The McGuire's Irish Pub owner contributed McGuire's 5K's sign-up fees to help the family of Pensacola Police Department Officer Stephen Grogan, who has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Martin and his family, members of the Irish Politicians Club and PSC student scholarship recipients later this year celebrated the most recent gift of $35,000 from IPC members to the Molly McGuire Culinary Arts Endowed Scholarship fund, plus the donation of $25,000 from McGuire Martin and his family.

RON AND JAN MILLER

The couple named Pensacola State College as the beneficiary of their $2.5 million Charitable Remainder Unitrust. The Millers have long been active leaders and have supported such groups as Manna Food Pantries, Pace Center for Girls, Pathways for Change, Pensacola Opera and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida.

PENSACOLA BEACH ELEMENTARY The U.S. Department of Education presented the charter school with a plaque commemorating its selection as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Only four other elementary schools in Florida also received the designation. The award marked the second National Blue Ribbon

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for PBES. The first was in 2007 during the Bush administration.

JAILA ROBERTS

ESPN visited Booker T. Washington High School to celebrate Roberts making it into SportsCenter's iconic Top 10 plays list. Roberts, a three-time Player of the Year as selected by the Pensacola News Journal, made the SC Top 10 for a spectacular shot she nailed last January to win a game against Pine Forest. She is now in her freshman year at the University of North Alabama.

SALTMARSH, CLEAVELAND & GUND

One of the largest CPA-led business advisory firms in the Southeast announced celebrated its 75th anniversary. Founded in Pensacola in 1944 by Thomas Saltmarsh, Harold Cleaveland and Charles Gund with only a handful of employees, today, the firm has more than 150 employees and offices in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Orlando, Tampa and Nashville.

AUGUSTA M. SIMON

The University of West Florida's first African American instructor co-founded the UWF Black Student Union. Dr. Simon was the first African American resident hall advisor and was on staff for The Voyager, UWF's student newspaper. In February, she received the UWF Alumni Trailblazer Award at a ceremony hosted by the Office of Equity and Diversity.

RUTHIE SPEIGHT

The Pensacola Young Professionals named Speight as its executive director. Speight graduated from the University of West Florida with her bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2014 and her master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology in

2016. She has worked for the Studer Group and Studer Education. She has been a PYP member since 2015, and she served on its board for this past year.

DONA AND MILTON USRY

Pensacola State College received a $100,000 donation from the Usrys to establish the Dona and Milton Usry Endowed Accounting Scholarship for full- or parttime Pensacola State students majoring in the field of accounting with a 2.5 or higher grade point average.

JEFF WEEKS

The University of West Florida received a $50,000 gift from UWF alumnus Jeff Weeks to establish the William J. "Bill" Weeks Endowment Scholarship in honor of his father. The scholarship is reserved for first-generation college students majoring in fine arts, performing arts or communications within the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.

JAYER WILLIAMSON

GOPAC, a Republican political training organization, named the state representative to its 2019 Class of Emerging Leaders. The class is made up of promising legislators selected for their potential and ability to impact their state. He was honored as the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida's 2017 and 2018 Legislator of the Year, Florida Farm Bureau's 2018 Champion for Agriculture and Americans for Prosperity 2017 Champion of Economic Freedom.

TORI WOODS

The Junior League of Pensacola (JULEP) inducted Woods to serve as the 2019-2020 president. She is the first African American president in the Junior League of Pensacola's history. Woods has been a member of the Junior League of Pensacola for four years and is a past recipient of both the Member Merit and annual Ray of Sunshine membership awards. Woods also serves as president of the Escambia County Council of PTAs/PTSAs.

LOSERS JAMES CALKINS

The husband of Maria Calkins, legisla-

tive assistant for State Representative Mike Hill (R-North Escambia), protested what he claimed to be Hill's exclusion from the signing ceremony of SB 168 in Okaloosa County. He said it was particularly shameful because Hill was the "first black Republican representative." The irony is Hill doesn't refer to himself by his race. On "Morning Joe" in 2013, Hill said, "I'm not an African American. I'm an American." The state lawmaker has repeated that statement over the years.

CENTURY NATURAL GAS

The Town of Century's gas department has lost over $1 million since Oct. 1, 2015, because it couldn't track its natural gas resales due to inaccurate meters, users not receiving bills and billing inaccuracies. According to Town Manager Buz Eddy, the town couldn't account for 45% of natural gas purchased for resale. The future does appear to be brighter. Pensacola Energy is replacing 10 commercial gas meters, and the Florida Public Utilities has proposed a plan to replace the remainder of the meters to increase billing accuracy.

MIKE ERTEL

The newly appointed Florida Secretary of State abruptly resigned after the Tallahassee Democrat obtained photos of him in blackface and dressed as a "Hurricane Katrina victim" at a 2005 Halloween party that was held two months after over 1,800 people died when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It's hard to believe Ertel was the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections for 14 years before DeSantis appointed him.

ECSD READING GAP

When the Spring 2019 FSA English Language Arts Grade 3 Assessment State Report was released, the scores revealed the Escambia County School District's difficulty in teaching its economically disadvantaged students. The schools in the higher-income neighborhoods had the largest percentages of students scoring a Level 3 or higher. The west side and inner-city schools struggled, and 10 schools scored less than 40%.

GBHS ADMINISTRATION

Santa Rosa School Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick recommended that Gulf Breeze

inweekly.net

High School Principal Danny Brothers be suspended for five days and Assistant Principal Tori Baker be fired after an investigation revealed Baker allegedly changed her daughter's grades for the 2018-19 school year to bump up her ranking to second in the class. The changes were made without informing or consulting with the child's teacher, according to district records. Baker later resigned.

HENRY HAWKINS

NorthEscambia.com revealed the Century mayor paid $1,751.70 to fly from the West Coast to his community two potential vendors, Tyson Diaz-Lapham with ADC Energy and Mark Endo of Emesgy Consulting. The men wanted to sell Century $200,000 worth of energy-saving upgrades at three town properties. The town of Century had refused to provide unredacted documents showing the names of the travelers after the town council had reimbursed Hawkins for the trips. Hawkins later reimbursed the town.

JANICE KILGORE

Interim County Administrator Amy Lovoy hired Kilgore to assess the "root issues in EMS/ Fire that led to the vote of no confidence by the firefighters' union, determine "the communication chain for information dissemination" and identify "cause/causes of the perceived divisiveness and tribalism within the department." She was also to seek any evidence of retaliation or a climate of favoritism. Instead, she gave a verbal report primarily on aging equipment, staffing, pay ranges and funding for the departments. The board had no interest in her continuing her work.

MILTON HIGH ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

State Attorney Bill Eddins investigated alleged violations involving athletics at Milton High School, primarily supplements paid to sports coaches. It was alleged that these supplements were being made improperly and in some cases, paid to individuals who did no work associated with the supplement. Based upon its review, the state attorney's office determined that there was insufficient evidence to establish that a crime had been committed. However, policy violations had been committed and were referred to the Santa Rosa County School District.

JUDY MOREHEAD

An Alabama circuit judge sentenced the former CEO of the Navarre Beach Chamber of Commerce to five years in prison for her role in defrauding an elderly woman and another couple out of $300,000 to pay her own personal debts. Morehead was also ordered to December 5, 2019

pay $250,000 in restitution, according to the Alabama Securities Commission. Morehead served as the head of the chamber from October 2015 until her resignation in June 2017.

SAVE OUR CITY

Fourteen years ago, the political action committee attacked Quint and Rishy Studer for being greedy carpetbaggers for pushing for the Community Maritime Park. The group was convinced the park was a boondoggle that would bankrupt the city. For the past three years, the city’s property values have increased by 21.5%, according to Mayor Grover Robinson.

EDWARD SISSON

On Mar. 1, the mayor’s office announced that its chief human resources officer had resigned. Following the contract given to him by former Mayor Ashton Hayward, Sisson received a $60,000 severance package. Before being hired by Hayward in 2014, Sisson had never held an H.R. director or assistant H.R. director position. He wrote his own job evaluation a year later, asking for a grander job title and pay raise after taking credit for his ability to get rid of city employees. No tears were shed when he walked out of city hall. Mayor Grover Robinson hired Ted Kirchharr to fill the Human Resources Director position. The pompous “chief human resources officer” title has been discarded.

CHRISTOPHER GENE SUMMERS

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrested the pitiful “Bonnie & Clyde” duo of Summers and Angela Christine McKinney in under 10 minutes after Summers exited the Wells Fargo bank on Nine Mile Road and got into a vehicle where McKinney was waiting, according to media reports. Deputies recovered all the stolen money after the briefest bank robbery getaway in county history.

UNITED WAY OF SANTA ROSA

The nonprofit, formerly led by Milton Mayor Guy Thompson, had its charter jerked by United Way U.S. Board of Trustees based on a review by the Membership Accountability Committee. The Santa Rosa County chapter was later absorbed by United Way of Escambia County.

MIKE WEAVER

In April, the former Escambia County public safety director told the county commissioner that the nearly $6 million writeoff of uncollected ambulance bills was because of a “software glitch.” However, an internal investigation has revealed there was no such “glitch” after no testimony or documentary evidence was found to support the claim. {in} 15

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inweekly.net

WEEK OF DECEMBER 5-11

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

Universal Drawl By Jeremy Morrison

Photo Courtesy of High Road Touring

Mike Cooley is on the road again. Alone. "I wouldn't want to tour by myself all the time," the musician said. "You know, I understand that comics, it drives them crazy after a point because they tour by themselves all the time. That's why they die to get into television or something." He wouldn't want to do it all the time, but on occasion, Cooley does enjoy taking a break from fronting Drive-By Truckers alongside bandmate Patterson Hood to play a quick string of solo shows. This November, he hit a few such dates out West before heading back to play a few down South this month, including in Pensacola. Looking ahead to his return to Pensacola State College's Ashmore Fine Arts Center, Cooley said he appreciates the intimacy solo shows offer. "It's something I do once or twice a year, and it gives me a chance to do the

songs a different way," he said. "Sometimes I get ideas for writing new stuff—getting into a quieter thing and forcing myself out of what I'm used to. It's fun." For more than 20 years, Drive-By Truckers has laid down a raucous, soulful soundscape that depicts a Southern United States in all its rich complexity. It's a world painted in vivid prose and set to music that ranges from a rage to a whisper. It's a world that flirts with descriptives like Southern Gothic but then coyly avoids any genre pigeonhole. Cooley said the Truckers never set out to be a particularly Southern band. They just wrote what they knew. "It was just who we were. It was just what we were familiar with," he said. "It's what's been around us all our lives. It's our family; it's our schoolmates; it's our coworkers; it's the boss you had, the first job you had, you know?" While much of the Truckers' catalog

wonders if the country is still "maybe, kind of deals with Southern subjects and stothe voice of reason a lot of the time when the ries, Cooley said that over the years, he's world seemed to be going crazy." learned that the band's songs speak to a "Up until now, we've been the ones kind of rural-urban cultural divide that crosses taking the lead away from crazy, and now we're regional and even national boundaries. kind of leading the charge toward it," Cooley "The more you learn, the more you said. "That's what bothers me the most." learn every place is the same. And it's not Looking toward the future, the musician just America. I've seen it in Europe," Cooley expresses a skeptical optimism about the said. "Cities are cities. Rural areas are rural long-term and a feeling of hopelessness for areas. And people who inhabit them are the near term—"If you're bothered by what who and what they are. The set of values you see now, hold on, it's gonna get a lot worse and the differences in those set of values before it gets better, no doubt about it"—and are the same. The only thing that changes wonders when he'll be able to stop writing is the language and the accent." While the Drive-By Truckers have never protest songs and return to telling stories. "Family, your life, where you are in your shied away from political material—2001's life. And stories, there's always stories. It's double album "Southern Rock Opera" not always easy to think of the ones that are prominently featured George Wallace—the going to make the best songs or the ones to band has in recent years put out work with write down, but stories, stories of people, real an unmistakable message. Among other issues, the most recent album addresses race people," Cooley said. "I'd hate to lose sight or just lose all ability to just tell those stories and relations and gun violence. to talk about life and family and growing, lovCooley points out that the "American ing and losing, things that are real, things that Band" album came out in 2015, prior to are real and universal." {in} the election of Donald Trump and what he views as further societal erosion. Even as the band wrote songs that touched on issues that would develop into flashpoints, he never fully saw the craziness coming. WHAT: A solo show with Mike Cooley of the "I kind of feel stupid for not seeDrive-By Truckers ing it," Cooley said. "Now, I look at it, WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11 and it's like the writing was on the wall WHERE: Pensacola State College, Ashmore Fine as plain as day. Where we ended up Arts, 1000 College Blvd. was not some freak turn of events. It COST: $11 was almost inevitable I think." DETAILS: performingarts.pensacolastate.edu The issues that America appears to be wrestling with worry Cooley. He

MIKE COOLEY

Adoption • Paternity • Dependency/DCF Hearings Prenuptial Agreements • Postnuptial Agreements Divorce • Child Custody and Timesharing Child Support • Child Support Modifications Alimony • Collaborative Divorce • Divorce Mediation • Pre-Suit Family Law Mediation

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17

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS THURSDAY 12.5

VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 3 p.m.

Included with Historic Pensacola admission ($4-$8, free to UWF students). Tours begin at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza. historicpensacola.org

WINE AND WHISKERS HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

3-6 p.m. Tour Pensacola Humane Society and clinic while enjoying a snack and a glass of wine. RSVP to Eloise at palavas@aol.com. Pensacola Humane Society, 5 N. Q St. ARC GATEWAY WREATHS OF JOY GALA

5:30 p.m. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. arc-gateway.org THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER 7:30 p.m. $10. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com CAROL AND GOOSE HOLIDAY HAHA 8 p.m. $5-$10. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola

FRIDAY 12.6

CHRISTMAS ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW 9

a.m.-4 p.m. Free. St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 3200 N. 12th Ave. CHRISTMAS CARAVAN HOME TOUR 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $15 per person. St. Christopher's Episcopal Church 3200 N. 12th Ave. scpen.org VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 3 p.m. Included with Historic Pensacola admission ($4-$8, free to UWF students). Tours begin at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza. historicpensacola.org WINTERFEST PERFORMANCE TOUR 60-minute trolley trip around downtown Pensacola. $16-$24. Dec. 6-7 and 13-14. pensacolawinterfest.org/performance-tour TIKI CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISER FOR PENSACOLA LIGHTHOUSE 5-9 p.m. $35

per person. Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, 2081 Radford Blvd. facebook.com/pensacolalighthouse

OUR GIFT TO PENSACOLA: PENSACOLA BAY HARMONIZERS' CHRISTMAS PROGRAM 7-8 p.m. Gadsden Street United

Methodist Church, 901 E. Gadsden St.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS 7:30 p.m. $7-$18, free to UWF

students. University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg 82. uwf.edu/cfpa THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER 7:30 p.m. $10. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com

WHITE TIE ROCK ENSEMBLE: A WHITE TIE CHRISTMAS 8 p.m. $28 and up. Saenger The-

atre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

SATURDAY 12.7

CHRISTMAS CARAVAN HOME TOUR 10

a.m.-3 p.m. $15 per person. St. Christopher's Episcopal Church 3200 N. 12th Ave. scpen.org

DECK THE HALLS: A HOLIDAY LUNCH EVENT 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Traditional

carols performed by Pensacola Opera. Limited seating; reserve your table by calling 469-9898. Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. greatsouthernrestaurants.com PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HOLIDAY PROGRAM 10:30 a.m. and 1

p.m. Free. Holiday reading, performance and visit from Santa Claus. Pensacola Children's Museum, 115 E. Zaragoza St. historicpensacola.org WINTER WONDER RIDE 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Slow ride (less than five miles) through downtown Pensacola. Ride begins at 120 Church St. pensacolachamber.com/leadership-pensacola PICS WITH SANTA AND MUTT PARADE 1-4 p.m. $10 suggested donation, $5 parade entry fee. Spahr Brewing Co., 3541 W. Fairfield Drive. facebook.com/spahrbrewing WINTER MARKETPLACE AT DOLCE 2 p.m. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola PENSACOLA LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTMAS GALA

3-7:30 p.m. Free. Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, 2081 Radford Blvd. facebook.com/pensacolalighthouse VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 3 p.m. Included with Historic Pensacola admission ($4-$8, free to UWF students).

Tours begin at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza. historicpensacola.org POLAR EXPRESS PAJAMA PARTY 3:30 p.m. $7 a person. Enjoy "The Polar Express" on the IMAX screen. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd. navalaviationmuseum.org BAREHAND COLLECTIVE HOLIDAY MAKER'S MARKET 4-9 p.m. Gary's Brewery &

Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. facebook. com/barehandco SANTA PUB CRAWL 2019 4-10 p.m. $15$25. O'Riley's Irish Pub Downtown, 321 S. Palafox. facebook.com/orileys.dtown PERDIDO FLICKS ON THE FIELD: THE GRINCH 5 p.m. Free. Pensacola Greyhound

Track Field, 951 Dog Track Road. LIGHTED BOAT PARADE 6:30 p.m. Parade leaves from Sabine Marina around Santa Rosa Sound. Santa will meet kids at Quietwater Shell at the boardwalk at 8 p.m. visitpensacola.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS 7:30 p.m. $7-$18, free to UWF

students. University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg 82. uwf.edu/cfpa THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER 7:30 p.m. $10. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com HANDEL'S MESSIAH 7:30 p.m. $30 and up. Complete performance. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com DRAG THE HALLS 7:30-10 p.m. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/ dolcegelatopensacola

SUNDAY 12.8

SANTA PAWS 2-5 p.m. Donations encouraged. Gulf Coast Brewery, 500 E. Heinberg St. facebook.com/pensacolahumane SURFING SANTA PARADE 2 p.m. Parade starts at Avenida 10 and ends at the Gulfside Pavilion, where kids will be able to meet and greet with Santa until 3 p.m. visitpensacola.com A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS 2:30 p.m. $7-$18, free to UWF

students. University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg 82. uwf.edu/cfpa THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER 2:30 p.m. $10. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road, Pace. panhandlecommunitytheatre.com VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 3 p.m. Included with Historic Pensacola admission ($4-$8, free to UWF students). Tours begin at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza. historicpensacola.org POLAR EXPRESS PAJAMA PARTY 3:30 p.m. $7 a person. Enjoy "The Polar Express" on the IMAX screen. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd. navalaviationmuseum.org

MONDAY 12.9

JAZZ PENSACOLA'S JAZZ JINGLE 6 p.m. Free. Non-perishable food donations will be collected. Phineas Phogg's, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

TUESDAY 12.10

JOHN APPLEYARD TALK: PENSACOLA CHRISTMAS PAST 9 a.m. Free. Pensacola Visitor

Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St.

VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 3 p.m.

Included with Historic Pensacola admission ($4-$8, free to UWF students). Tours begin at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza. historicpensacola.org

WEDNESDAY 12.11

VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 3 p.m.

Included with Historic Pensacola admission ($4-$8, free to UWF students). Tours begin at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza. historicpensacola.org CRAFT NIGHT: DIY HOLIDAY CARDS 6-9 p.m. $10. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco BODACIOUS BELLS JINGLE MINGLE 6-10 p.m. $45 for adults, $15 for children and $80 for couples. Holiday cooking demonstration and tasting. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com

calendar THURSDAY 12.5

WORK ON THE FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Every Thursday. Three miles north of Deaton Bridge Road. meetup.com/ftawesterngate YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org WWII REMEMBRANCE 10-11:30 a.m. Celebration of WWII vets; performance from Tate High School. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd., Ste. B. navalaviationmuseum.org LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org GLITZ AND GLAM: THE OPERA FASHION SHOW 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $50-$75. Fundraiser

for Pensacola Opera. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox. pensacolaopera.com 818 1

CLAWS AND PAWS 5 p.m. Union Public

House, 309 S. Reus St. facebook.com/ unionpensacola ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS 5 and 7 p.m. $20 per person. Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. Ninth Ave. facebook. com/aragonwine YAPPY HOUR 5-10 p.m. Through Feb. 27. 5% of proceeds benefit Escambia County Animal Shelter. Red Fish Blue Fish, 5B Via De Luna Drive. redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.com RADIOLIVE 6 p.m. $10. Ben Bedford, Hiroya Tsukamoto, The New 76ers and The Macs. Museum of Commerce, 201 E. Zaragoza St. radiolive.org MEDITATION AND ENERGY HEALING 6 p.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road. END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com ANDRYA ALLEN AND LOCAL POETS SHOWCASE 6:30 p.m. From the Ground Up Com-

munity Garden, 501 N. Hayne St. fromthegroundupgardenpensacola.com

AN EVENING WITH SEAN OF THE SOUTH

7-10 p.m. $30. Fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. Imogene Theatre, 6866 Caroline St., Milton. facebook.com/bbbsnwfl RIFF RAFF: CRANBERRY VAMPIRE TOUR

8 p.m. $20-$70. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

FRIDAY 12.6

ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 10 a.m. Pensacola

Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

EVER'MAN COOKS: COOKING WITH HONEY WITH BECCA FRITSCHLE 11 a.m. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HAPPY HOUR COOKOUT 5 p.m. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com ACOUSTIC SONGWRITERS NIGHT 6 p.m. Every Friday through March 27. Frazier's Country Wines, 3130 Barrancas Ave. fromthegroundupgardenpensacola.com MONSTER TRUCK SHOW 7 p.m. $15-$30. Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. monstertruckz.com

inweekly.net

calendar PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS VS. HUNTSVILLE HAVOC 7:35 p.m. $5 and up. Pensacola Bay Center,

201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

NIRVANNA: TRIBUTE TO NIRVANA 8 p.m.

$12-$30. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.

SATURDAY 12.7

PARKRUN/WALK MEETUP 7:30 a.m. University

of West Florida, Rec Plex North Field, 11000 University Parkway. parkrun.us/recplexnorth OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UP 9-10 a.m. Naval

Live Oaks at 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway; Bob Sikes Fishing Bridge at the Grand Marlin parking lot. oceanhourfl.com SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road. PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com YOU SELL IT HERE FARMER'S MARKET 9 a.m.-

Hangout Fest Announces 2020 Lineup

PENSACOLA COMEDY FESTIVAL JANUARY 2 - 5 DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA

69 events to leave everyone

satisfied!

gilbert gottfried donnell rawlings orny adams

Photo Courtesy of Hangout Music Fest Guess who’s coming to the beach? Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Marshmello and Lana Del Rey. Yup, it’s true—those are the 2020 Hangout headliners. Hangout Fest is going all out for their 11th year and we're beyond excited to see not one but two badass females topping the bill, plus Megan Thee Stallion and Jhené Aiko too.

nic Fike, Mt. Joy, Omar Apollo, Orville Peck, Snakehips, Surfaces, Doja Cat, SAINt JHN, Scarypoolparty, Bea Miller, Getter, Shallou, The Aces, Missio, Barns Courtney, SNBRN, Blunts & Blondes, The Glorious Sons, Whipped Cream, 99 Neighbors, Elderbrook, NOTD, Paul Cauthen, Raveena, Regard, Bren Joy, Luttrell, Taska Black, Pluko, Bailey Bryan, Dan Luke and the Raid, Duskus, Mattiel, MEMBA, Lucii, Perto, KennyHoopla and Softest Hard.

Here’s the complete lineup (as of Tuesday, Dec. 3): Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tickets go on-sale Monday, Dec. 9 at 10 Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Marshmello, a.m. You know they tend to sell out, so Lana Del Rey, Cage The Elephant, Juice you better act fast if you want to go. WRLD, Illenium, Kane Brown, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Louis The Child, The Head and the Heart, RL Grime, Jhené Aiko, Megan Thee Stallion, FINNEAS, Madeon, Quinn XCII, Moon Taxi, The Band WHEN: Friday, May 15-Sunday, May 17 Camino, Oliver Tree, T-Pain, WHERE: Gulf Shores, AL Tove Lo, Big Wild, Wallows, TICKETS: On sale Monday, Dec. 9 Chelsea Cutler, Alec Benjamin, DETAILS: hangoutmusicfest.com YUNGBLUD, Jai Wolf, Domi-

Evil Dead: The Musical

improbable Cause Mystery Theatre Stand-Up • Sketch • Improv • Film Festival Workshops • Panels • Game Shows • street party

and more!! QUINT & RISHY

STUDER

HANGOUT MUSIC FEST 2020

December 5, 2019

tickets on sale now! ComedyPensacola.com 19

calendar 2 p.m. Free admission. Every Saturday. 8600 Pensacola Blvd. facebook.com/yousellithere DEBBY'S KITCHEN: SEAFOOD GUMBO 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org MONSTER TRUCK SHOW 2 and 7 p.m. $15$30. Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. monstertruckz.com BIKE PENSACOLA SLOW RIDE 2:30 p.m. Empathic Practice, 801 E. Cervantes St. facebook.com/bikepensacola PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS VS. HUNTSVILLE HAVOC 7 p.m. $5 and up. Pensacola Bay Center,

201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

SATURDAY SWING OUTS 8 p.m. $5. Saturdays.

Breathe Yoga Studio, 505 S. Adams St. GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St. IMPROVABLE CAUSE 10:30 p.m. $11. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for adults. Free valet parking and 15% off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via De Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach MONSTER TRUCK SHOW 2 p.m. $15-$30. Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. monstertruckz.com FMW AUDUBON BIRDS & BREW 3-5:30 p.m. Free. James P Morgan Memorial Park, Pensacola Beach. fmwaudubon.org UWF SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT 7:30 p.m. Free, tickets required. Center for Fine and Performing Arts, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. uwf.edu/cfpa TREADLES, DITHERING, YAM, RAT & DAUGHTER 8 p.m. $5. chizuko, 506 W. Bel-

THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN 10 a.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco

mont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola NGHTMRE'S THE PORTAL TOUR 8 p.m. $25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com 2ND SUNDAY STRINGERS COMEDY 9 p.m. $10. O'Riley's Irish Pub Downtown, 321 S. Palafox.

TRANSMISSION MEDITATION WORLD SERVICE 10:30 a.m. Ever'man Educational

MONDAY 12.9

SUNDAY 12.8

Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org YOGA IN THE GARDEN WITH BRIANA 10:30 a.m. $12. Gary's Brewery and Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. facebook.com/garysbrew BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

020 2

GARDENING ON THE GULF COAST 9 a.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com

ECUA RECYCLING 3 p.m. Ever'man Education-

al Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 6 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com VEGAN COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $25. Butternut squash frittata, red fennel hash and apple berry cobbler. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. eotlcafe.com EARTH ETHICS 6 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org COLTER WALL 9 p.m. $20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

TUESDAY 12.10

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum viewing area, 1878 S. Blue Angel Parkway. Use West Gate Entrance. TRYON FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 4 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com PILATES FUSION 4:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 4-6 p.m. Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com PILATES FUSION 4:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

VINO MAGNIFICO 5:30 p.m. V. Paul's Italian

Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com

FIBER FREESTYLIN' AT STUDIO SOUTH

5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Open to all knitters, crocheters, weavers and more. Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com FUNKY YOGA 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road. COUNTRY TWO-STEP DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12. Whiskey Runners Saloon, 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com THE WORD ALIVE 7:30 p.m. $15-$18. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

WEDNESDAY 12.11

PILATES FUSION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE CRUISE 10:45 a.m.1 p.m. $85 per person; kids 12 and under are $25 off. Condor Sailing Adventures, 997 S. Palafox. condorsailingadventures.com ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com AFRICAN DANCE FITNESS 5:30 p.m. Every Wednesday through Dec. 18. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson St. facebook.com/ facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie

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21

free will astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 5 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In

composing this oracle, I have called on the unruly wisdom of Vivienne Westwood. She's the fashion designer who incorporated the punk aesthetic into mainstream styles. Here are four quotes by her that will be especially suitable for your use in the coming weeks. 1. "I disagree with everything I used to say." 2. "The only possible effect one can have on the world is through unpopular ideas." 3. "Intelligence is composed mostly of imagination, insight and things that have nothing to do with reason." 4. "I'm attracted to people who are really true to themselves and who are always trying to do something that makes their life more interesting."

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "I'm drowning in the things I never told you." Famous make-up artist Alexandra Joseph wrote that message to a companion with whom she had a complicated relationship. Are you experiencing a similar sensation, Taurus? If so, I invite you to do something about it! The coming weeks will be a good time to stop drowning. One option is to blurt out to your ally all the feelings and thoughts you've been withholding and hiding. A second option is to divulge just some of the feelings and thoughts you've been withholding and hiding—and then monitor the results of your partial revelation. A third option is to analyze why you've been withholding and hiding. Is it because your ally hasn't been receptive or because you're afraid of being honest? Here's what I suggest—start with the third option; then move on to the second. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): I've got

some borderline sentimental poetry to offer you in this horoscope. It may be too mushy for a mentally crisp person like you. You may worry that I've fallen under the sway of sappy versions of love rather than the snappy versions I usually favor. But there is a method in my madness—I suspect you need an emotionally suggestive nudge to fully activate your urge to merge; you require a jolt of sweetness to inspire you to go in quest of the love mojo that's potentially available to you in abundance. So please allow your

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heart to be moved by the following passage from poet Rabindranath Tagore—"My soul is alight with your infinitude of stars. Your world has broken upon me like a flood. The flowers of your garden blossom in my body."

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Try saying this and notice how it feels—"For the next 17 days, I will make ingenious efforts to interpret my problems as interesting opportunities that offer me the chance to liberate myself from my suffering and transform myself into the person I aspire to become." Now speak the following words and see what thoughts and sensations get triggered—"For the next 17 days, I will have fun imagining that my so-called flaws are signs of potential strengths and talents that I have not yet developed." LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): An interviewer asked singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen if he needed to feel bothered and agitated in order to stimulate his creativity. Cohen said no. "When I get up in the morning," he testified, "my real concern is to discover whether I'm in a state of grace." Surprised, the interviewer asked, "What do you mean by a state of grace?" Cohen described it as a knack for balance that he called on to ride the chaos around him. He knew he couldn't fix or banish the chaos—and it would be arrogant to try. His state of grace was more like skiing skillfully down a hill, gliding along the contours of unpredictable terrain. I'm telling you about Cohen's definition, Leo, because I think that's the state of grace you should cultivate right now. I bet it will stimulate your creativity in ways that surprise and delight you. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Poet Juan

Felipe Herrera praises the value of making regular efforts to detox our cluttered minds. He says that one of the best methods for accomplishing this cleansing is to daydream. You give yourself permission to indulge in uncensored, unabashed fantasies. You feel no inhibition about envisioning scenes that you may or may not ever carry out in real life. You understand that this free-form play of images is a healing joy, a gift you give yourself. It's a crafty strategy to make sure you're not hiding

any secrets from yourself. Now is a favorable time to practice this art, Virgo.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In accordance with current astrological omens, here's your meditation, as articulated by the blogger named Riverselkie—"Let your life be guided by the things that produce the purest secret happiness, with no thought to what that may look like from the outside. Feed the absurd whims of your soul and create with no audience in mind but yourself. What is poignant to you is what others will be moved by, too. Embrace what you love about yourself and the right people will come." SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "I swear I

became a saint from waiting," wrote Scorpio poet Odysseus Elytis in his poem "Three Times the Truth." According to my reading of the astrological omens, you may be in a similar situation. And you'll be wise to welcome the break in the action and abide calmly in the motionless lull. You'll experiment with the hypothesis that temporary postponement is best not just for you but for all concerned.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

"My greatest asset is that I am constantly changing," says Sagittarian actress and activist Jane Fonda. This description may not always be applicable to you, but I think it should be during the coming weeks. You're primed to thrive on a robust commitment to self-transformation. As you proceed in your holy task, keep in mind this other advice from Fonda. 1. "One part of wisdom is knowing what you don't need anymore and letting it go." 2. "It is never too late to master your weaknesses." 3. "If you allow yourself, you can become stronger in the very places that you've been broken." 4. "The challenge is not to be perfect. It's to be whole." P.S. And what does it mean to be whole? Be respectful toward all your multiple facets and welcome them into the conversation you have about how to live.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): You can't escape your past completely. You can't loosen its hold on you so thoroughly that it will forever allow you to move with limitless

freedom into the future. But you definitely have the power to release yourself from at least a part of your past's grip. And the coming weeks will be an excellent time to do just that—to pay off a portion of your karmic debt and shed worn-out emotional baggage.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Aquarian playwright August Strindberg didn't have much interest in people who "regurgitate what they have learned from books." He was bored by stories that have been told over and over again; was impatient with propaganda disguised as information and by sentimental platitudes masquerading as sage insights. He craved to hear about the unprecedented secrets of each person's life—the things they know and feel that no one else knows and feels. He was a student of "the natural history of the human heart." I bring Strindberg's perspective to your attention, my dear one-of-a-kind Aquarius, because now is a perfect time for you to fully embody it. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "It's no fun being in love with a shadow," wrote Piscean poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. And yet she indulged profusely in that no-fun activity and even capitalized on it to create a number of decent, if morose, poems. But in alignment with your astrological omens, Pisces, I'm going to encourage you to fall out of love with shadows. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to channel your passions into solid realities—to focus your ardor and adoration on earthly pleasures and practical concerns and imperfect but interesting people. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Evil is boring. Rousing fear is a hackneyed shtick. More at bit.ly/evilisboring.

freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2019

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news of the weird EWWWWW David Paul Wipperman, 61, of Largo, Florida, was taken into custody Nov. 21 in response to a road rage altercation a few weeks before, the Tampa Bay Times reported. According to arrest reports, during the incident, Wipperman left his truck and approached a woman driving a Kia sedan. She rolled down the window and apologized to Wipperman, who then spit the food he was chewing into her face, and some of it went into her mouth, the report said. Next, he allegedly opened her driver's side door and began screaming at her, pointing his finger in her face. He was charged in Pinellas County with felony battery and burglary of an occupied vehicle and held on $12,500 bail. PICKY, PICKY In Boca Raton, Florida, a robber approached a Wells Fargo bank branch teller with a very specific request on Nov. 18, reported WPLG. Sandy Hawkins, 73, entered the bank that morning and told the teller, "This is a robbery. I have a weapon," and put his hand in his waistband to indicate a gun, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrest report. The teller started counting out $100 bills, eventually totaling $2,000, the affidavit said, but Hawkins explained that was too much money, and he only wanted $1,100. Authorities said the teller made the adjustment, then slid the bills through the window to Hawkins, who left the bank. When detectives caught up with him the next day, he told them, "I will make this easy" and showed them a note he had written, which read, "Give me $1,100. Now, No Alarms, Hope to get caught." He was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on robbery charges. BRIGHT IDEAS Elementary and middle school students in Bandung, Indonesia, have been spending too much time with their smartphones, according to Mayor Oded Muhammad Danial, who has come up with a clever distraction. In midNovember, authorities began distributing 2,000 baby chicks in cages with signs that read: "Please take good care of me." AFP reports the students will be required to feed their pets before and after school and can keep them on school premises if they don't have space in their backyard. Danial said the chick project, dubbed "chickenisation," is part of a larger endeavor by President Joko Widodo to broaden students' education. "There is an aspect of discipline here," said Danial. •Eighth-graders in the Payatas district north of Manila in the Philippines have come up with a way to help rid city streets of dog feces and maybe even lower local construction costs. The "bio-bricks" they've developed are made of 10 grams of poop, which the students collect and air-

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

dry, and 10 grams of cement powder, Reuters reported on Nov. 20. The students say their bricks can be used for sidewalk pavement or small structures, such as backyard walls. They admit the bio-bricks have a faint odor, but assert that it will fade with time.

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COMPELLING EXPLANATION In Bainbridge Township, Ohio, a 60-year-old man called police on Oct. 22 after firing two warning shots into his backyard, WOIO reported. The unnamed man told officers he was trying to scare an animal away, but when asked if it might have been a bear, he said, "It ain't no ... bear because it was jiggling my doorknob." The homeowner went on to tell police the animal had to be Bigfoot because it was 7 feet tall, and it comes to his home every night because neighbors feed it bananas. He also speculated that a woman who was missing from the area was taken by the "creature." However, officers found no large animal tracks in his yard and suggested he call again if he witnesses anything suspicious. MULTITASKING As college student Morgan Taylor got her nails done in a High Point, North Carolina, salon on Nov. 20, she was shocked when one of the nail technicians spread out a tarp on the shop floor and began butchering meat with what appeared to be a kitchen knife. "I asked them what it was, because just seeing them unload flesh and bones was a little bit shocking," Taylor told WFMY. "They said it was deer meat, and they were splitting it up between the workers to take home. It had already been skinned; they were sectioning it." Taylor reported the shop to the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, which told WFMY its "inspectors have not received a complaint within memory of butchering in a cosmetic shop." It declined to comment further on the open investigation. WAIT, WHAT? Zhang Binsheng, 30, of Harbin, China, finally sought a doctor's attention after three months of struggling to breathe through his nose, Metro News reported in early November. Zhang told doctors at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University that he couldn't sleep and also had a constant smell of decay in his nostrils. X-rays revealed Zhang had a tooth stuck in his nostril. The tooth, which Zhang had lost when he was 10 years old after a fall from the third floor of a mall, had somehow rerooted and continued to grow in his nasal cavity. It was removed in a brief surgery, and Zhang is said to be recovering. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2019 Andrews McMeel

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The Capitol Steps in Concert Friday, January 17, 2020, 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Saenger Theatre Tickets available beginning November 1 through Ticketmaster 800.745.3000.

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