Inweekly feb 1 2018 issue

HOW TO CARE IN 2018 WITHOUT LOSING YOUR F***ING MIND

Independent News | February 1, 2018 | Volume 18 | Number 56 | inweekly.net

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winners & losers

outtakes

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5

news 6, 8

For so long we've been told to play things safe.

cover 13

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publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Michael Daw

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Duwayne Escobedo, Jennie McKeon, Jeremy Morrison, Shelby Nalepa, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp

a&e

calendar

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contact us info@inweekly.net

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. Š 2015 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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February 1, 2018

3

winners & losers

Larry Reed / Courtesy Photo

Jack Latvala / Courtesy Photo

LARRY REED The University of West Florida

JACK LATVALA State law-enforcement officials have found probable cause to open a criminal investigation into possible wrongdoing by former Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who announced his resignation last month. FDLE launched the review after Senate Special Master Ronald Swanson, a former judge, found that Latvala may have broken state laws by promising legislative favors in exchange for sex. In addition to the quid pro quo allegations, Swanson found probable cause to support allegations that Latvala had repeatedly groped Senate aide Rachel Perrin Rogers.

winners

music professor has been recognized for a milestone of career service by the Florida Music Education Association with its 50 Year Music Education Service Award. Reed has taught musical education to students from pre-Kindergarten to senior adults for the past 56 years, including 34 years at UWF. In addition to teaching, Reed has presented precursor lectures for the Masterworks series for the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Before joining UWF, he was an arts administrator at Escambia County School District, associate professor of music education at Eastern Kentucky University, and associate professor and director of choral activities at Campbellsville University in Kentucky.

SOCIAL MEDIA According to the New

Schools Tim Wyrosdick, Santa Rosa School Board Members, and members of the Santa Rosa Education Foundation Teacher of the Year Selection Committee announced Cosky as the Santa Rosa Teacher of the Year 2019.

Cosky teaches earth and space science along with advanced placement environmental science at Gulf Breeze High School.

York Times, as many as 48 million of Twitter's reported active users—nearly 15 percent—may be bots, automated accounts designed to simulate real people. In November, Facebook disclosed to investors that it may have up to 60 million automated accounts. The revelations make the newsfeeds of those accounts susceptible to manipulation. When Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen criticized the number of fake followers on the Twitter accounts of local candidates, his Twitter followers tripled overnight as the bots went after him.

CARLA ROSS The teacher at Marketing

RYAN ZINKE The Secretary of the Interior

ERIN COSKY Santa Rosa Superintendent of

and Entrepreneurship Academy at Washington High School was named the Escambia Teacher of the Year 2019. Ross launched the first student-run credit union at her school, a branch of Pen Air Federal Credit Union. In addition, she and her students built the nationally recognized "Cat Shack," a student run school spirit store and snack bar that offers alternative food choices for students.

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losers

announced the exemption of Florida from the Trump administration's expanded oil and gas offshore drilling proposal without getting an approval from his boss. The Washington Post reported that Zinke used nearly $40,000 from a wildfire preparedness fund to pay for flights at a time when officials in California had just finished fighting two massive wildfires at enormous expense.

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507 CHIPLEY AVENUE

outtakes

by Rick Outzen

FBI: FIDELITY, BRAVERY, INTEGRITY. The attacks by President Donald Trump and other GOP leaders on the Federal Bureau of Investigation disturb me. My generation was raised respecting the FBI. We watched Inspector Lewis Erskine, played by Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., and his team in episodes based on actual FBI cases. FBI agents were the good guys.

Since living here, I've known several FBI agents and their families. I coached Gulf Breeze Sports Association basketball with Terry Ware. I served on boards at St. Ann's Catholic Church with Jim Sammon. Terry and Jim quietly gave back to their communities. It was a good feeling knowing they served in the FBI because they lived daily the law enforcement agency's motto, Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity.

I don't know what their political views were, but I do know Terry and Jim were patriots. They didn't go about their investigations differently if the president was a Republican or Democrat. The agents that I have met over the years are cut from the same cloth.

James Comey was fired apparently because he failed to pledge loyalty to President Trump and stop looking into the Russians interference in the 2016 elections. President George W. Bush appointed United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where one of his first investigations was into President Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of Marc Rich. Bush later appointed him Deputy

Attorney General. Comey left the Department of Justice during Bush's second term but was brought back by President Barack Obama to lead the FBI. Comey replaced Robert Mueller, who is now the special counsel in the investigation into Russian interference. Mueller served as FBI director under both Bush and Obama from 2001-2013, making him the longest-serving FBI director since J. Edgar Hoover. He is a decorated war hero, serving as a Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War and receiving the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for heroism and the Purple Heart Medal.

Trump has attacked his integrity unmercifully.

Then, there is Andrew McCabe, the deputy FBI director who stepped down on Jan. 29, under pressure from the president. McCabe was part of the investigation of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. He also secured the arrest of Ahmed Abu Khattala for suspected involvement in the 2012 Benghazi attack. Both of which should have pleased the Republicans. However, McCabe's "sin" was he married a Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for the Virginia Legislature in 2015.

The FBI needs to be left alone to do its job.

We should judge their work after the investigations are completed and not try to undermine them before their work is done. {in} rick@inweekly.net

We should judge their work after the investigations are completed and not try to undermine them before their work is done.

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5

SPROUT: HEALING WITH LOVE

Sprout / Courtesy Photo

By Brooke Weber Sprout, the 2-year-old golden retriever, has been making a difference in patients' lives at The Studer Family Children's Hospital at Sacred Heart since her first day at work on Monday, Nov. 6.

She works 40 hours a week, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and specializes in snuggling and loving.

Sprout's favorite part of her job is the kids, Child Specialist Julia Humphries said.

"She loves them. She loves the staff too, but there's something special about her bond with the kids."

All types of children come through the 66

clinic, and they all adore Sprout. She makes them forget where they are and allows the kids to feel comfortable and brightens their days.

"She's a great incentive, because the kids that come usually come more than once," Humphries explained. "They build relationships with her, and she knows who the kids are when they come in."

Humphries said Sprout always knows the perfect place to lay with a child. She knows whether to snuggle up and give them what they need or to be silly and make the child have a good laugh.

Sprout does all kinds of things with the kids. She plays games and children love to try to do all her tricks. They jokingly call Sprout "Swiffer" because she turns into this

giant puddle of perfect, golden retriever that looks as if you can mop the whole floor with her.

Humphries said they have one patient who frequents the clinic on whom Sprout has left her mark.

"The patient was very shy, so slowly Sprout and I started coming in," she said.

"We were talking and laughing with Sprout one day, and she gets on the ground and rolls on her stomach. She was being so silly with him, and his mom walked out of the room, and she turned around and looked at me and tears started rolling down her face."

The mother told Humphries full of emotion. "You just don't know the last time I actually saw him really laugh. He puts on a good show for you all, but a real laugh. I haven't seen it."

Sprout has her own certain way that she does things. Sometimes she goes straight to the patient and wants to get on the bed, sometimes she goes straight to the parent or straight to the sibling. Humphries said she has a natural gift for it. "It is so odd how she knows, but she knows."

"We actually went in the room the other day, and the mom was trying to lead Sprout to the patient, and I was like you know just spend a minute with her I think she's been wanting to say hello to you," she explained. "As soon as she started petting her she just started crying.

Sprout knew she needed her, she was trying to give to her child, but at the time she was the one that needed the love."

Humphries said this is one of those services that we're trying to think of different ways to serve the community and not just through medicine. "You have to think about their emotional needs and how to make them comfortable when they're going through something that's really tough. She's one of those things that we realized through other children's hospitals that really make a difference."

Sprout's primary job is therapeutic intervention. She works with goal-oriented therapies, such as a sibling that's going through the end of life with the patient. Sprout helps them open up and talk about things. Humphries shared, "Trauma, sexual abuse and for things like that Sprout is a great asset. The children just feel more comfortable with the dog."

They also use Sprout for occupational therapy whenever the kids are having surgery.

She helps them walk around when they're not quite feeling up to it.

"We just had a child who had shoulder surgery, so they were working on rotation of the shoulder," Humphries said. "So, what is a better way to rotate your shoulder than to pet or brush Sprout."

The coolest intervention Humphries has seen so far with Sprout has been with teenagers. "She is so helpful. I have known some of these kids for five years, and I have learned things about them with Sprout that I would have never known. Important things that are

crucial to their healthcare and well-being that I would have never known without her."

LOCAL CELEBRITY

Sprout is a local celebrity around Sacred Heart. She sports a new bow every day and has her very own Sprout trading cards with her headshot and bio, as well as complimentary cards to leave patients if Sprout missed them that day.

When she has on her vest at the hospital, Sprout is all business. Out of uniform, she's a regular dog. Humphries said, "Now when she doesn't have the vest on she is a full dog. She has the best time. We play Frisbee, tennis ball and she rolls in the grass, but when she is here, she knows she has a job to do."

Sprout came from Canine Assistants in Milton, Georgia, which is outside of Atlanta. They have a farm where they raise the dogs specifically to be service animals as individual service animals or for hospital therapy. Sprout was specifically picked and trained to work in a hospital starting at 8-weeks-old.

A typical workday for Sprout varies, but her well-being throughout the day is the most important. She gets lots of breaks during the day, more breaks than a human gets, Humphries said laughingly. "She's supposed to get 15-minute breaks for every hour that she works. We make sure that she gets her rest."

At lunch, Sprout gets some dog time.

She sleeps for about 30 minutes and then she takes a 30-minute walk around the block. They make sure that she gets her exercise, they go out to a lot and take her vest off to throw the ball and let her enjoy her breaks.

The hospital provides everything for her. Food, beds, treats and even lint rollers because unfortunately, she does shed. We say that "golden hair adds flare" around here, Humphries explained. "It's kind of like a little badge of honor to have a Sprout hair here and there."

You can find Sprout at Shampoochies on Langley Avenue once a week for grooming.

"They do it for free for us, which is so helpful because it has to be done every week. We brush her every morning and every night," Humphries said. "It's a lot of work to keep her in shape to work in the hospital, and you have to think about those types of things because you want to be respectful to the people around you."

The Therapy Dog program is entirely donor funded. They needed $40,000 in donations before the hospital could purchase Sprout. We're getting close to where we can get another one, but it takes a lot of work and fundraising, Humphries explained.

She added, "Our goal is to expand, greatly expand in the next few years especially with the new children's hospital coming out." {in} inweekly.net

February 1, 2018

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THE DEVIL WE KNOW

By Rick Outzen Last week, the documentary "The Devil We Know" debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival to a sold-out crowd and received a standing ovation. The film exposes how DuPont dumped the Teflon manufacturing ingredient C8 into the air and water in West Virginia. A panel of scientists studying the health data from about 70,000 residents in the Mid-Ohio Valley determined C8 was linked to six human diseases.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Atlas Films Stephanie Soechtig directed, wrote and produced the film. "The Devil We Know" was her third film to be shown at Sundance. In 2014, she won acclaim for "Fed Up" that spotlighted our addiction to sugar and the ensuing obesity epidemic.

Soechtig and her documentary crew spent two years interviewing residents in the Parkersburg, WV area. She focused on individuals who believe they have suffered because of C8 contamination. She interviewed a farmer who sold part of his farm to DuPont and subsequently documented the deaths of over 150 of his cattle and the deformities of countless calves.

Joe Kiger, a school teacher, and his wife Darlene were also interviewed for the film. Kiger has liver disease attributed to C8. In an interview with deadline.com,

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Kiger recalled when he realized something was wrong in his town.

He said, "There were things going on in the community, such as dogs dying all over the neighborhood with tumors, young boys with testicular cancer. It was a real mess."

Kiger helped organize a grassroots effort to educate his neighbors about the health issues to DuPont to correct the problem. He eventually contacted an attorney that led to the lawsuit highlighted in the documentary. The Kigers attended the Sundance premiere.

"There were things going on in the community, such as dogs dying all over the neighborhood with tumors, young boys with testicular cancer. It was a real mess." Joe Kiger Pensacola attorney Mike Papantonio was also in the audience at Sundance. Last year, he and the Levin Papantonio's C8 trial team helped secure a $920-million settlement against DuPont, related to the company's Washington Works plant that was discharging the C8 into the air and water around the Ohio River Valley. The firm won the Special Litigation (Environmental) category in the National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers recognition program for its efforts in the C8 case.

The C8 class action wasn't Papantonio first battle with Dupont in West Virginia.

In 2007 as lead trial counsel in the environmental class action case of Perrine v.

Dupont, he received a jury verdict for the

community of Spelter with an estimated value in excess of $380 million. A civil jury ruled that DuPont was negligent in creating a 112-acre waste site tainted with arsenic, cadmium and lead.

Unfortunately, neither case was more than a three-day, national news story. Papantonio sat down with Inweekly to talk about why "The Devil We Know" and similar documentaries have become so important.

"Corporate media is unwilling to tell those stories because they get so much money in advertising from these companies." Mike Papantonio "Corporate media is unwilling to tell those stories because they get so much money in advertising from these companies," he told Inweekly. "Now that's not typical of a local news organization, but it's very typical, though, of ABC, NBC, MSNBC and other national news organization that I've been involved with firsthand that they would not allow me to tell stories about companies that were killing people with bad products, endangering entire communities with environmental catastrophes."

He added, "It was very, very difficult to be allowed to talk about stories like that."

Documentaries have become the new vehicle to get out the story.

"What we found is the way that stories are told and not forgotten is mostly through documentaries," said Papantonio.

"This particular documentary is a great example of a story that is already occurring in towns all over the country. When people go into the theater, and they see this story, they will recognize this is happening in their backyard and do something about it."

Papantonio has been involved in four documentaries, including Oscar-nominated "Jesus Camp." He said, "'Jesus Camp' had the bad luck of being nominated the

TALCUM POWDER ALERT

same year that 'Inconvenient Truth' made it in. However, it wouldn't surprise me if this film also receives a nomination."

He praised the filmmakers for taking a complicated story and bringing it all together. Papantonio said, "The thing that I think that they did the best was put a human side to it. This documentary does a really good job following the people that had birth defects because of the C8, the people who suffered from cancer because of C8, the people who have lost the use of their arms and legs because of this product."

Have the lawsuits lead to Dupont changing its behavior? According to Papantonio, no.

"The behavior not only hasn't changed; it's gotten worse," he said. "They've contaminated the drinking water up in Cape Fear by dumping something called Gen X into the waterways. And Gen X is just as dangerous as C8."

Papantonio believes there needs to be a culture change. Pointing to Wall Street scandals during the Obama administration, he said, "In the end, not one of them went to prison. And that's a culture. We're creating a culture in this country where it's okay to steal if you have an Ivy League degree, you have a lot of money, and you live in a penthouse in New York."

He explained, "If you went to an Ivy league school and you're an MBA working on Wall Street, and you wear an Armani suit and have a Rolex watch and are driving around in a luxury vehicle, you have a special standard of justice where you don't go to jail. If a 17-year-old is out selling two ounces of marijuana on a street corner with a hoodie on, he's going to prison."

Our culture's acceptance of that double standard of justice must change, according to Papantonio, before the culture and the conduct of a corporation like DuPont will change.

"They have a criminal mind," said Papantonio of Dupont. "That's the best way I can tell you. They're a criminal enterprise, and they simply get away with their criminal conduct." {in}

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9

A VIOLENT WEEK The Escambia County

Jayer Williamson / Courtesy Photo

BO'S BRIDGE RESCUE PLAN The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee last week approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Jayer Williamson (R-Pace) that would allow the state to refinance and acquire the Garcon Point Bridge, also known as "Bo's Bridge."

The 3.5-mile toll bridge, which originally had the backing of former House Speaker Bolley "Bo" Johnson, has never been able to attract enough motorists and generate enough tolls to pay off the bonds. With the bonds in default, all of the toll money goes to bondholders, although it does not cover the full cost of the debt, which has ballooned from the original $95 million bond issue to $135 million in debt as of July 1.

Rep. Williamson told the News Service of Florida that he is offering the proposal to let lawmakers decide what they want to do with the bridge, which has long been a controversial issue in the western Panhandle.

"Even though it may not be favorable personally or politically for me, it's time to try to take action and find a resolution that will be best for the community and the state," Williamson said.

He also said state action would be dictated by what the new traffic and revenue study showed.

"By the passage of this bill we're not tying any hands and saying we have to do anything," Williamson said. "It's saying that we may. So we can always walk away from that deal if the T and R (traffic and rev010 1

enue) study doesn't represent the numbers that we think it should."

But Williamson noted that if the state does nothing, it will continue to face the rising costs of operation and maintenance on the facility. And he said that as the bridge ages, and as long as the bondholders are owed money, the state may be required to do major repairs and even replace the bridge under the original agreement.

"It's a bad situation," Williamson said.

"This is in hopes of trying to find some type of resolution that while maybe not making anybody happy but finally moving forward with something."

"By the passage of this bill we're not tying any hands and saying we have to do anything," Williamson said. "It's saying that we may. So we can always walk away from that deal if the T and R (traffic and revenue) study doesn't represent the numbers that we think it should."

But Williamson noted that if the state does nothing, it will continue to face the rising costs of operation and maintenance on the facility. And he said that as the bridge ages, and as long as the bondholders are owed money, the state may be required to do major repairs and even replace the bridge under the original agreement.

"It's a bad situation," Williamson said.

"This is in hopes of trying to find some type of resolution that while maybe not making anybody happy but finally moving forward with something."

Sheriff's Office had to deal with five gunrelated incidents during the week of Jan. 21-Jan 27.

Around 5 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, deputies arrived on the scene near the 500 block of Forest Park Drive to find 21-year old Darmichael Vershawn Turner suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Turner was transported to an area hospital.

About 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, ECSO deputies responded to a gunshot victim on 48th Ave. near Lillian Highway.

On Monday, Jan. 22, two men got into a gunfight at noon at the busy intersection of W Street and Fairfield Drive. Fortunately, no one was injured, but a dash cam video of the incident received national attention.

Two incidents occurred on Sunday, Jan. 2. Just after 4 a.m., two males knocked on a door and forced their way into a home on Ivey Street in Century, according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The men demanded cash from the resident at gunpoint and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. There were no injuries.

Later that afternoon, several male juveniles got into an altercation at the Carriage Hill Apartments on Michigan Avenue.

Two suspects then pulled guns and started firing at one another striking a few apartments. No one was injured.

DEATH TRAP West Cervantes Street from Palafox Street to Pace Boulevard has had 31 accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists since 2011. Two pedestrians have been hit since the first of the year, one of whom died from her injuries.

The statistics were provided by the Pensacola Police Department, but it's difficult to get an accurate number because officers code incidents differently. After reviewing the PPD report and comparing the list with media reports, Inweekly discovered four more incidents that the newspaper added to the list.

Of the 31 people hit, seven died—three in the past ten months.

"The corridor needs to stop being fatal," wrote Mike Kilmer, president of the Historic Brownsville Community. "We are also working very hard to return this corridor to one around and along which a unified business and residential community can once again thrive."

He added, "The Atkins plan which has been added to the TPO long-term plan (currently unfunded) offers a couple of potentially wonderful solutions to this."

SECOND CHANCES AMENDMENT

The Second Chances Voting Restoration

Amendment gathered enough signatures to be placed on the November ballot as Amendment 4. League of Women Voters of Florida deserves much of the credit for the successful petition drive.

"League members have been working diligently and consistently on this issue for years, and we are thrilled that our efforts and the efforts of so many other dedicated organizations and citizens have achieved this momentous accomplishment," said Pamela Goodman, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida.

Nearly 1.5 million people in Florida who have served their time and paid their debts to society are permanently excluded from voting. This amendment will make sure Floridians who have paid their debts in full are given the opportunity to have their voices heard. The amendment specifically excludes those individuals who have committed murder or a felony sexual offense.

"Through the hard work of Florida voters and unwavering dedication of a truly grassroots movement, we have reached a historic milestone and have officially placed the Second Chances Voting Restoration Amendment on the ballot," said Desmond Meade, chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy and spokesperson for Second Chances Florida Campaign. "Voters took matters into their own hands to ensure that their fellow Floridians, family members, and friends who've made past mistakes, served their time and paid their debts to society are given a second chance and the opportunity to earn back their ability to vote."

The League urged its members to spread the message of Florida For 4 and vote Yes on Amendment 4 in November.

SHELTER REOPENS The Escambia County Animal Shelter celebrated its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting on Monday, Jan. 29 at 8:30 a.m. Over 500 volunteers participated in renovations of the shelter.

The renovations were funded by a $75,000 grant from greatergood.org's Rescue Rebuild, a volunteer program that works to rebuild, repair and renovate animal shelters and rescues in need. The grant was applied for by Friends of the Escambia County Animal Shelter, a nonprofit organization that supports the shelter through resources, outreach, education and more.

In addition, the renovation process is also being filmed for an episode of Shelter Me, an uplifting film series that celebrates shelter pets and the people who help them that will be broadcast nationally on PBS. Escambia County Animal Services inweekly.net

Manager John Robinson said the renovations focused on increasing adoptability while making the animals' time at the shelter more comfortable and enjoyable. Many of the issues with the animal shelter's current setup stem from the fact that it was built about 20 years ago when shelters were not designed to promote adoptions and create a welcoming atmosphere for the public.

"This is going to make a huge difference for the shelter in so many ways and I am beyond thankful again to the non-profit, Friends of Escambia County Animal Shelter for applying for this grant and the opportunity to make this huge change at the shelter," Robinson said.

AMBASSADORS NEEDED United Way of Escambia County is seeking volunteers for its 2018-19 Ambassador Program, formerly known as the Loaned Executive Program.

Each year, employers lend key personnel to United Way to serve as Ambassadors. By volunteering a few hours each month, these individuals help raise funds to meet critical needs in our community; addressing gaps in education, health, and financial stability. Each Ambassador supports between four and six companies by planning and implementing successful fundraising campaigns.

The Ambassador Program is designed to help participants gain a better understanding of the needs of our local community while building lasting relationships with Escambia County's current and future leaders.

"Having served as an Ambassador, I cannot speak highly enough of my experience," said Julie Emmons, campaign manager. "Coming from a United Way Partner Agency, I was able to not only broaden my knowledge of what other nonprofits were doing in the community, but also meet amazing corporate partners who make our work possible, and network with key community leaders."

The Ambassador program launches with participation in the Community Investment Process, an opportunity that allows Ambassadors to witness how donations support local nonprofits selected to receive funding. There is a time commitment of approximately 10 hours per month from March through December.

To become an Ambassador, download an application at unitedwayescambia.org/ap. Applications will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 9. For more information, contact Julie Emmons at julie@unitedwayescambia.org or 444-7143.

MOVE TO AMEND On Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 7-9 p.m., the Northwest Florida Move to Amend will host a coalition building discussion and strategy session on challenging corporate February 1, 2018

rule and creating democracy at the J. Earle Bowden Building, 120 Church Street.

The organization asks fellow justice and progressive advocacy group representatives and concerned individuals to engage in a gathering to grapple on ways to come together.

"Let us respect each other's interests and work—to build an authentic local movement for democracy in which the voices of all are heard, the needs of all are met and basic fairness of all is achieved," said leader Mike Potters in a written press release.

Facilitating the discussion and strategy session will be Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, national director of Move to Amend, president of the Board of Directors of Democracy Unlimited, and a Local Democracy Fellow for the Liberty Tree Foundation. She has served as a member of the National Leadership Team of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom's campaign to Challenge Corporate Power, Assert the People's Rights, the STORY (Strategy Training and Organizing Resources for Youth) Board of the Center for Story-Based Strategy and as a Principal with Program on Corporations Law and Democracy.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR The Escambia County Waste Services Department will host a Regional Roundup on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 8 a.m. until noon at Escambia High School, 1310 N. 65th Ave. Residents can dispose of all types of clean, dry, recyclable electronics including computers, monitors and terminals, keyboards, mice, printers, TVs, copiers, gaming systems, remotes, fax machines, stereo systems, cell phones and telephones.

Electronics that have been gutted will not be accepted. Appliances, including fans and air conditioners, are not accepted.

The Office of Supplier Diversity, City of Pensacola, and the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce host the 2018 Pensacola Supplier Diversity Exchange on Tuesday, Feb. 6, from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Corinne Jones-Sanders Beach Resource Center, 913 S. I St. The Pensacola Supplier Diversity Exchange will include a panel discussion, networking opportunities and one-on-one interviews.

Autism Pensacola's Kids for Camp application period for the 2018 summer learning lab kicks off Tuesday, Feb. 6, with an informational meeting at 6 p.m. in the Pollak Training Center, 1000 E. Fairfield Dr. Kids for Camp serves children, teens, and young adults on the autism spectrum, ages 2-25.

Dates for this summer's program are June 18-July 24. Application period is Feb. 6-Feb. 28. Childcare is available for the meeting, but reservations are necessary. Sign up online at bit.ly/k4camp2018. {in}

January 26-28, February 1-4, 8-11

Pensacola Little Theatre’s Amateur Production of

850.432.2042 / www.PensacolaLittleTheatre.com JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR® DREAMCOAT is presented through an exclusive arrangement with R & H Theatricals and The Really Useful Group Limited. www.rnh.com

11

Martha’s Trouble

presents

RadioLive

Katrina Andry: Depose and Dispose (of): Bull, color reduction woodcut, 2017 (detail)

THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola

Featuring

DANA COOPER GURF MORLIX MARTHA’S TROUBLE

03/01/18

6:00 p.m.

Doors 5:00 p.m.

Tickets $10

available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787

Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM

407 S. Jefferson St. Pensacola, FL 32502 850.432.6247 pensacolamuseum.org Museum Winter Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sun. 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Mon. Closed

KATRINA ANDRY: DEPOSE AND DISPOSE (OF) Jan. 12 – March 18, 2018 Lewis Bear Family and Greenhut galleries

Sponsored by

F R I D AY , F E B R U A R Y 9 – W E D N E S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 1 4

Valentine’s Day B MAKE IT SPECIAL AT OUR HOUSE

Celebrate early! From Friday, February 9, through Tuesday, February 13, we’ll be offering Valentine’s Day specials throughout each day as well as serving from our standard menus. On Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14, Chef Billy Ballou will offer a special feature with lunch service from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and two dinner features with dinner service beginning at 3 p.m. In addition, our current lunch and dinner menus will be available.

For details, visit fishhousepensacola.com.

(850) 470-0003 · 600 S. BARRACKS ST. · OPEN DAILY 11 A.M. 212 1

inweekly.net

HOW TO CARE IN 2018 WITHOUT LOSING YOUR F***ING MIND

By Stephanie Sharp

Was one of your 2018 resolutions to stop retweeting and join the resistance, but you're not sure how to start? Or maybe you just want to be able to check your social media feeds without wanting to scream or watch cable news and not cry?

Join the club.

Looking back, it's easy to see where the influx of civic and political action-oriented resolutions and goals has come from. The last few years have begged the question: "Is every new year going to be the worst year ever?" And not to jinx 2018 already, but between political conflict, celebrity deaths, natural disasters and protest movements, it

February 1, 2018

seems like a week without a gut-wrenching breaking news cycle isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Add to that the reality that modern life makes it nearly impossible to completely unplug or even get healthy distance from the 24-hour news cycle and the subsequent onslaught of commentary and you've got a recipe for burnout.

Whether it's the chronic stress from constantly consuming information or the emotional hangover after a major news event, we need to consider the emotional and mental side effects of how we engage politically and civically.

It's natural to need a media sabbatical after a rough few weeks of news, but letting yourself get so burnt out that you check out of the process completely is not a good look for any responsible citizen.

We owe it to the individuals, groups and communities that have worked hard to gain momentum and establish dialogues, locally and nationally, to keep having the hard conversations and making progress.

Inweekly spoke to two experts in our community about how to stay engaged this year without totally losing it.

Mary Guiterrez is the executive director of Earth Ethics, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-

profit organization dedicated to helping the environment and the animals which inhabit it. Trish Taylor is a mindset and life coach and the author of the new book "Why Am I Scared? Face Your Fears and Learn to Let Them Go." Each has experience and some worthwhile advice for safely and effectively navigating the tumultuous path to civic and political engagement.

Consider this your guide for speaking out about what's important to you, while standing up for your own well-being and mental health. If you want to fight the good fight, you have to prepare for the long haul.

13

1. GET SOME PERSPECTIVE. Whether you've got tunnel-vision on one issue or are trying to take on all of the world's problems from behind your keyboard, hopelessness and despair can sneak up on you when you've got a hundred tabs open on your web browser. Take a deep breath and remember that the world is not, in fact, ending. Give yourself some time to get a realistic pulse on what's going on with you personally, then locally in your community, regionally, nationally and globally.

"We do have the power to make a change," said Gutierrez. "Even if it doesn't seem like it, we do have the power."

Knowing that we have the power, individually and as communities, to make positive changes, can be just the empowerment and stabilizing pillar we need to get moving on what matters to us.

2. BREAK THE CYCLE. From social media to broadcast news, there are engineers and strategists working hard to keep you looking at your screens for as long as possible. If your screen time makes you tense or upset, consider pruning what you're consuming online.

Taylor noticed this alarming trend of internet-induced stress negatively impacting the offline lives of her clients and friends, prompting her to cull her own Facebook feed and create a group that was only for sharing positive, uplifting content (and the occasional cute animal video).

"People were telling me that they were so tired," said Taylor. "But they wanted to connect with people."

Her advice for avoiding the dark rabbit hole of the internet and not losing your cool?

"Unfollow, unfriend, scroll on, ignore."

You don't have to swear off screen time completely, but you can adjust what you're consuming so it's more about connection and entertainment than debates and frustration. After all, that's what social media is really for.

3. PICK YOUR BATTLES. There are so many worthy causes out there to support and stay informed on as a concerned citizen, but it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing situation.

Choose a few issues or organizations close to your heart to fight for and trust that there are other people out there with

different interests and skill sets to fill in where you can't be of service.

Not sure where to begin? Consider your personal experiences, interests and skill sets. Align those with your passions and resources, then do some research. Even global issues, such women's rights or children's health, have local flashpoints that are sparking change at home.

For example, in her work fighting for the environment, Gutierrez knows that there are many levels of important causes and issues.

She suggests that anyone looking to get involved should start in their local communities.

"Get engaged with what's happening locally. If you can take on more, start taking on more. Go to your representatives about addressing particular issues. Then, move to a larger scale."

4. MAKE A PLAN. Just like any other resolution or goal, getting engaged with political or civic causes is much more effective when you have a plan to follow.

Once you've chosen the causes or issues you'd like to fight for and researched how you can help, break out your calendar and schedule your contributions. Whether donations, volunteer hours, calls to representatives or lifestyle changes, make the next step easier to take by committing to it like you would an appointment or social outing. The same goes for elections, meetings, fundraisers and community events.

To-do list additions like "Call state representatives about upcoming vote" or "Hang 10 flyers to promote next month's fundraiser" are way more manageable and realistic than "Cure cancer" or "Solve world hunger." Not only do you get the satisfaction of knowing you're contributing to a cause you care about, you also get a sense of accomplishment that comes from reaching personal goals.

Gutierrez noted that once you get educated on an issue, it's a good idea to get a handle on what you can personally contribute to the cause.

"Everyone is built differently, you have to step back and realize what your strengths and weaknesses are," she said. "Don't get overwhelmed and try to do too much."

5. FIND A COMMUNITY. Beyond the comfort of making connections with people who have similar values and passions, getting involved in organizations and

community groups can make your contributions more effective. Gutierrez says there's no need to reinvent the wheel when getting involved; many groups and nonprofits have built a foundation of activism and engagement through years of work and development.

"They have the experience and they've done this kind of thing before, they'll be able to teach you the most effective approach," said Gutierrez.

Take some of the burden off of yourself and meet like-minded friends? That's a winwin in our book.

6. ESTABLISH HEALTHY BOUNDARIES AND SELF-CARE PRACTICES. Turning your focus from consuming news and commentary to real-world action can make a big difference in your stress levels and outlook, but boundaries and self-care are still vital to maintaining a positive and effective seat at the table.

Taylor uses many different techniques with her clients to help them identify and overcome negative patterns and blocks in their lives. Part of her practice includes neurolinguistic programming, through which she helps clients identify a break state: an opportunity to shift from where you are to where you want to be.

If you find yourself feeling stressed or upset by what you're reading online or seeing on the news, recognize that you're reacting negatively and then change your activity. Put your phone down, walk away from the screens, take a walk or do an active chore. Anything to physically move away from the emotional state that you want to get out of.

In addition to removing yourself from the moment, adding healthy habits to your daily life (like exercise and meditation) can help you cope with external stressors.

"We can build up strength and emotional resilience, so we're not so emotionally affected by everything we read or see," said Taylor.

7. STAY INFORMED AND INSPIRED. No matter what's happening in the news or appearing on ballots next election, the two most important things you can do are stay informed and inspired. Maintaining a balance of the two will keep you energized and encouraged.

"I do encourage engagement at all levels, with all issues," said Gutierrez. "Just pick your passion and follow it."

If you find yourself losing hope or becoming discouraged, Taylor suggests going back to simple practices of gratitude and kindness. She believes those individual choices could be the most impactful actions of all.

"Could you change somebody's life, today, in a small way?" {in}

2018 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT DO: Diversify your news sources. A different perspective can be enlightening.

DON'T: Rely only on social media to stay informed. Commentary can cloud the facts and issues.

DO: Seek facts and primary sources, especially during elections and national crises.

DON'T: Assume everything you read online is true. Nothing is exempt from a closer look or extra research.

DO: Set boundaries for your time and energy. Prioritize positivity and productivity whenever possible.

DON'T: Try to save the whole world at once. You're only one person with 24 hours in the day.

DO: Reach out if you're struggling to cope. There are plenty of resources and support available.

DON'T: Project your pain onto strangers on the internet. You'll only make yourself and others feel worse.

DO: Prune your social media of negativity and conflict. If you can't unfriend, unfollow.

DON'T: Create an echo chamber of confirmation bias. Sometimes it's okay to agree to disagree.

DO: Remember that the internet never forgets. Once you put it online, you can't take it back.

DON'T: Read the comments. It's still never worth it. Seriously.

DO: Trust your gut and take care of yourself.

DON'T: Lose perspective on what really matters.

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414 1

inweekly.net

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 1-7

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

"It's About Being Free"

By C.S. Satterwhite

superheroes, whether they be comic book superheroes or actual Civil Rights activists. Things of that nature and of the darker melanated variety.

INWEEKLY: Why do think that's important right now?

STEELE: Right now, representation definitely matters. I feel at times that the Black American population lacks as much representation as we need. So from there, it's warms my heart to see superheroes of the darker skinned variety take precedent, such as Luke Cage or Black Panther or Black Lightening.

We decided it would be great to focus on that to make sure that the younger kids, the next generations to come, understand that we're all superheroes. Despite the flaws you carry, you can do something amazing with your spirit.

Jamal Steele / Courtesy Photo Without a doubt, Jamal Steele is definitely a rising figure in the regional hip-hop scene. Originally from Atlanta, Steele came to Pensacola some years ago and performs in the hip-hop collectives BlackSuperheroMuzik and SuprNatrl, as well as the occasional solo gig. As an artist and activist, Steele's presence is ubiquitous throughout Pensacola. Whether performing with Big Lo at the popular Bars>Bullsh!t at chizuko, co-hosting Pensacola Poetry at Constant Coffee, or sharing the mic with the NAACP and Stronger Together representing Black Lives Matter at Open Books, Steele is everywhere.

I interviewed Steele at the 2018 Women's March in downtown Pensacola where we spoke of hip-hop, Black representation and the supernatural.

INWEEKLY: Can you tell me about BlackSuperheroMuzik?

STEELE: Sure. BlackSuperheroMuzik is a collective with myself and another MC out of Pensacola named Efayeme. Basically, we've been friends since 2005 or 2006.

We've been doing music together since 2015. From there, we just decided that we'd work better as a collective. We still operate as solo artists, but we are a collective that just decided to make some music that focused on who we feel are some of the great February 1, 2018

INWEEKLY: When you say "collective," what specifically do you mean? Clearly, if you use the term "collective," you mean something bigger than a duo.

Something political.

STEELE: Oh yeah, well, myself, Efayeme, Gina Mae The Jones, Benjamin Staxx, Mysstory B. Jones and 2Live1Mind7 are part of a collective known as SuprNatrl. Our mantra, or principle, is to carry ourselves with a supernatural state of mind, realizing that through the music and art we create we are carrying out some supernatural actions within ourselves as well.

INWEEKLY: Do you see yourself as part of the Afrofuturist movement?

STEELE: Honestly, I do, because we can definitely get into that lane.

INWEEKLY: Who do you see as the people influencing you going in this direction?

STEELE: Me personally, I've been influenced heavily by artists like Outkast, Andre 3000, just as an MC period. I'm also heavily influenced by Nas and Scarface. I love to tell stories, and I feel that Scarface is one of the greatest storytelling MCs. Also, artists such as D'Angelo, Marvin Gaye,and Fred Hammond.

Kirk Franklin as well. So I have a vast variety of influences, but I'm honestly just as influenced by the movement and everything that's going on around us currently.

INWEEKLY: These are pretty bleak times, to say the least, which makes Afrofuturism

interesting. Maybe this work is for future generations. Maybe this work speaks to a different time, a time we're still trying to imagine. So I'm interested in the future, but also right now, how do we hold on. So what's giving you hope?

STEELE: Definitely what inspires me right now is knowing that we, as people of color and marginalized people, are finally speaking out and not holding back. For so long we've been told to play things safe. We've been told how to effectively bring change within a sphere of influence. So for now, it's no longer about being told how, it's about carrying out the best way that we know how without allowing anyone to dictate to us what it is that we should do or how we should go about doing it.

INWEEKLY: So how does that work with the music?

STEELE: It's about being free. Free to create in any way you see fit. Being free to go about creating in a style that suits who you are as a person. Just making sure that you live up to the culture and represent it.

INWEEKLY: You were recently on tour.

How did that go? What was coolest moment for you?

STEELE: That was with BlackSuperheroMuzik. I think the greatest thing that happened was I'm originally from Atlanta and we actually got to play in Atlanta during that tour.

That was my first time performing in Atlanta, my home. For family members to be able to come out and see me is a great, great feeling.

They accepted me with open arms, and let me know, "Hey, this is your city." Whenever you want to come back, come do what you can.

That was the greatest part of the tour.

INWEEKLY: Do you plan to go on tour again anytime soon?

STEELE: Actually, I'm looking possibly to go on tour again late summer, early fall.

Just solo that time.

INWEEKLY: Do you see yourself as more of a poet or as a rapper? Where do you think the lines are?

STEELE: I honestly see myself more as an MC. I can go into the lane of being a spoken word artist, but I definitely, definitely see myself as more of an MC. I've been drawn to the hip-hop culture since I was seven or eight years old. Just know-

ing that you have no limits, no boundaries to present who you are in the best way you know how. Just being free to create in any way that you possibly can has given me the best drive to be the best MC I could possibly be. That's specifically my lane when it comes to supernatural, wanting to make sure that I'm the best MC possible that's representing our crew the best way that I know how.

INWEEKLY: What's your philosophy on the supernatural?

STEELE: Supernatural is just allowing, for me, to let that spirit to freely flow within you, and allowing the spirit to speak through you.

When you tap into the supernatural, you yield to that spirit. You allow it to dictate how it is that you move. How it is that you command the crowd, or command the people that you've been called to lead.

INWEEKLY: Where do you think politics falls into this?

STEELE: This that we're at now.

INWEEKLY: The Women's March?

STEELE: Yeah, the Women's March. It's definitely a supernatural experience. The individuals who organized this event also organized many events in the area, they allow the ancestors and they allow the spirits who guide them to make this most effective event that this could possibly be. I feel that this plays a huge part in politics. Just allowing those before us to effectively make us great leaders for this generation [and] the future generations to come.

INWEEKLY: This goes back to what you were saying about the supernatural, and even Afrofuturism. The ancestral voices coming back from the past, through you in the present, and into the future generations.

STEELE: Yeah—like, we're always here.

We're never gonna leave. {in}

BARS>BULLSH!T

WHAT: A hip-hop showcase featuring regional and local MCs including Jamal Steele WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2 WHERE: chizuko, 506 W. Belmont St. COST: $5-$8 DETAILS: facebook.com/chizukopensacola 15

calendar 'GET OUT' SCREENING 1 p.m. $5. Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. pensacolacinemaart.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS 5 and 7 p.m. $20 per person. Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com MEDITATION FOR PLANETARY PEACE 6 p.m.

Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org RADIOLIVE 6 p.m. $10. Monroe Crossing, Carrie Elkin and Danny Schmidt. Museum of Commerce, 201 E. Zaragoza St. radiolive.org PERFECT PENSACON RELEASE PARTY 6-10 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco SELECT LATIN DANCE LESSONS AND PARTY

The Devil Makes Three / Photo by Giles Clement

THURSDAY 2.1

SNOWBIRD ROOST 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. $15.

Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox. visitpensacola.com LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PENSACOLA 'POP UP' OPERA EXCERPTS 'MAN OF MANCHA' 10:30 a.m. Pensacola

State College, Milton Campus, 5988 US 90. pensacolastate.edu

SOUTHWEST BRANCH LIBRARY BOOK CLUB

10:30 a.m. "Almost Sisters." Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway. mywfpl.com

6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Cha Cha, Bachata and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com

tional Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

BARS > BULLSH!T 8 p.m. chizuko, 506 W. Belmont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola

2050 N. 12th Ave.

MYFEVER, LEEM OF EARTH, ERIC ANDREW TAYLOR 9 p.m. $5. The Handlebar, 319 N.

WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. City Grocery,

HAPPY HOUR COOK OUTS 5 p.m. Drink specials,

free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com ADMIRING THE HUSH ARBOR 5:30 p.m. Memorial and remembrance of enslaved people.

Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site, 5709 Mill Pond Lane. historicpensacola.org DATE NIGHT DANCING 6:30-8 p.m. $15. Learn the basics of several romantic ballroom and country dance styles in group classes that keep partners together. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com LOCAL SHOWCASE: LANG HOLLOMAN & THE SOUL BELLS, SPEARMAN BREWERS 7 p.m. $5. Vi-

nyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA 7 p.m. $25-$30.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT 7:30 p.m. $17. Pensacola Little

National Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd. navalaviationmuseum.org.

OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Single Fin Cafe, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/singlefincafe

FRIDAY 2.2

7 p.m. $32-$62. Proceeds benefit Autism Pensacola. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. saengertheatre.com

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR YOUR GARDEN 10 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org 'I, TONYA' SCREENING 1 p.m. $5. Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. pensacolacinemaart.com PILATES MAT 1:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educa-

MICHAEL JACKSON: A THRILLING TRIBUTE

ICE FLYERS VS. EVANSVILLE THUNDERBOLTS

7:05 p.m. $15-$29. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT 7:30 p.m. $33. Pensacola Little

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

Tarragona St.

SATURDAY 2.3

PENSACOLA DOUBLE BRIDGE RUN 7 a.m.

Start line is Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. pensacolasports.org 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 COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com NAMASTAY FOR THE BEER 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco SEED STARTING WITH PAUL FLORES 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org JUNIOR HUMANE SOCIETY ADOPTION 12-4 p.m. PetSmart, 6251 N. Davis Highway. pensacolahumane.org SAUSAGE MAKING WITH PAT JOHNSON 1-3

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

127 Palafox Place Suite 100 (850)466-3115 autumnbeckblackledge.com

EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH NOW OPEN ON SUNDAYS 616 1

inweekly.net

calendar p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org KREWE OF WRECKS KIDS AND KRITTERS PARADE 1 p.m. for registration. Parade starts

at 2 p.m. $5 entry for "kritters", kids are free.

Casino Beach, 7 Casino Beach Blvd.

PCARA PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS 'GRANDPARENTS 101' 2:30 and 7 p.m. $20. Pensacola

High School Auditorium, 500 W. Maxwell St.

MARDI GRAS BEER RELEASE: NAME THE BEER PARTY 5-8 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing

Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco MACHINE HEAD 7 p.m. $22-$25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com ICE FLYERS VS. EVANSVILLE THUNDERBOLTS 7:05 p.m. $15-$29. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com MOZART MADNESS 7:30 p.m. $10. First United Methodist Church, 6 E. Wright St. pensacolasymphony.com

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT 7:30 p.m. $33. Pensacola Little

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com PINK FLOYD LASER SHOW 8 p.m. $36-$45.

Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. saengertheatre.com DANCE PARTY 8-midnight. Partner dancing on the best wood dance floor in the area.

DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com IMPROVABLE CAUSE 10:30 p.m. $11. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

SUNDAY 2.4

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs Park,

Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant.

GROUP MEDITATION 9-10:30 a.m. Free.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PUBLIC ICE SKATE 1:30-4:30 p.m. $9-$12.

Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com SUPER BOWL ON THE BIG SCREEN 2 p.m. The Vineyard at 12th Ave., 1010 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/pensacolavineyardbistrowinebar JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT 3 p.m. $33. Pensacola Little

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

SOUTHEASTERN TEEN SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: SHENANIGANS 4-5 p.m. Free. 1010 N.

12th Ave. setsco.org/first-city-shakespeare

MONDAY 2.5

PILATES MAT 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 5:30 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. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. MARDI GRAS PARTY: HANDS-ON STUFFED PORK CHOPS IN A CAST IRON SKILLET AND KING CAKE 6-8:30 p.m. $64.50. SoGourmet,

407-D S. Palafox. sogourmet.com February 1, 2018

BALLROOM DANCE LESSONS 6:30-8 p.m. $10. Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, and more.

Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com SONGWRITERS AND POETS OPEN MIC 7-9 p.m.

Goat Lips, 2811 Copter Road. goatlips.com BREW I.Q. TRIVIA NIGHT WITH JARRELL HENDRIX 7-9 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing

Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco FACULTY RECITAL: SHEILA DUNN, COREY MCKERN, AND BLAKE RILEY 7:30 p.m. Free,

tickets required. Center for Fine and Performing Arts, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway. uwf.edu.

HIP-HOP DANCE LESSONS 8-9 p.m. $10.

Learn hip-hop moves from professional instructor. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com

BURGER

CRAVE

TUESDAY 2.6

COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m.

SoGourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com O'RILEY'S PINT RUNNERS 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays through Jan. 30. O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox. orileyspub.com COUNTRY DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. $10.

Country Two Step, East Coast Swing, Competition Choreography and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com MOVIES AT THE REX 7 p.m. $5. The REX, 18 N. Palafox. pensacolacinemaart.com UWF LAMBDA COALITION MEETING 7 p.m.

Building 36, room 191. University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway.

COMEDY NIGHT 7 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY 7:30 p.m. $48 and up. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. saengertheatre.com UWF MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS DR. BOYAN BONEV FACULTY RECITAL 7:30 p.m.

30 south Palafox

James Owen Presents:

Classical Mystery Tour

Free, tickets required. Music Hall, Center for Fine and Performing Arts, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway. uwf.edu.

WEDNESDAY 2.7

ART FILMS AT THE REX THEATRE 12 p.m. $10

(cash only). The REX Theatre, 18 N. Palafox.

UWF MUSIC DEPT. PRESENTS LOVE IS IN THE AIR AND MUSIC 12 p.m. Free. Old Christ

Church, 405 S. Adams St. uwf.edu

PENSACOLA OPERA PRESENTS 'THE THREE LITTLE PIGS' 4 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239

N. Spring St. mywfpl.com WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Margaritaville Beach Hotel, 16 Fort Pickens Road.

PILATES & PINOT 6-7 p.m. $12. Pure Pilates Downtown, 426 S Palafox. purepilatespensacola.com WATERBOYZ SLOW SKATE 6-7 p.m. Every Wednesday. Skate starts and ends at Waterboyz, 380 N. 9th Ave. waterboyz.com YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

for more listings visit inweekly.net

February 10, 2018 • 7:30 pm Saenger Theatre

Call Now for Tickets

850.435.2533 Pensacolasymphony.com

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inweekly.net

news of the weird NEWS THAT SOUNDS LIKE A JOKE In Turkmenistan's capital, Ashgabat, drivers of black cars are facing high costs to repaint their cars white or silver after President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov banned black vehicles because he thinks the color white brings good luck. Police began seizing dark-colored vehicles in late December, and owners have to apply for permission to repaint and re-register them. The average wage in Ashgabat is about $300 a month (or 1,200 manats); one Turkman told Radio Free Europe that he was quoted 7,000 manats for a paint job, but was told that the price would rise within a week to 11,000 manats. "Even if I don't spend any money anywhere, I will be forced to hand over pretty much my entire annual salary just to repaint," the unnamed man said, adding that his black car had already been impounded.

BRIGHT IDEA Noting that "nobody else has done it," on Jan. 4 Nebraska state Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus proposed a novel constitutional amendment with the goal of stimulating growth in western Nebraska: Delegate complete or partial sovereignty over a designated, limited and sparsely populated area. "If I were a major business, I would not want Omaha or Lincoln ... telling me what to do," Schumacher said. The Lincoln Journal Star reported that the senator believes his concept would attract businesses looking for no state or local taxes and no state or local regulations. It presents the opportunity to "have your own state," he explained. The Nebraska legislature must approve the resolution before citizens get a chance to vote.

PUBLIC SAFETY Tennessee's legislature has a newly renovated home in the Cordell Hull building in Nashville, so Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and House Speaker Beth Harwell have been busy outlining some new rules.

"Hand-carried signs and signs on hand sticks" will be strictly prohibited because they pose a "serious safety hazard." Animals, too, will be turned away at the door, reported The Tennessean on Dec. 21. But in a dizzying twist of irony, McNally and Harwell will continue a policy they enacted last year, which allows holders of valid gun permits to bring their weapons into the building.

MY KINGDOM FOR A BURRITO Tampa, Florida, resident Douglas Jon Francisco, 28, was arrested for DUI after he mistook a Spring Hill bank drive-thru lane for a Taco Bell.

On Jan. 17, around 5 p.m., the bank branch manager noticed a driver passed out in a blue Hyundai sedan in the drive-thru lane. When the manager went out to the car and banged on the window, Francisco woke up and tried to order a burrito, according to the Tampa Bay Times. After being set straight about the bank not serving Mexican fast food, Francisco drove around to the front of the building and parked, where deputies found him and administered a field sobriety test, which he

by the Editors at Andrews McMeel

failed. "He made several statements that were differing from reality," a Hernando County Sheriff's deputy reported.

•A Facebook event calling for a candlelight vigil to remember a destroyed Taco Bell restaurant in Montgomery, Alabama, started as a joke. But according to United Press International, about 100 people showed up on Jan. 21 to pay their respects to the popular fast-food restaurant, which burned on Jan. 17 after electrical equipment sparked a fire. The owner promised to rebuild and "have a true celebration upon re-opening."

TAKE THAT! In Dresden, Germany, police reported that two men were injured on Jan. 15 after hitting each other with their cars in consecutive accidents. The first man, 49, pulled into a handicapped parking spot, then saw his mistake and backed out, accidentally hitting a 72-year-old man walking behind the car. The two men exchanged information for a report, then the older man got into his car and reversed out of his parking spot, hitting the younger man. Both men suffered only slight injuries, according to the Associated Press.

FOR THE LOVE OF ANIMALS Richard the 15-year-old pony, of Bridgton, Maine, has had a rough winter. He was suffering from cancer of his penis and infection when temperatures plummeted to negative 25 degrees, which caused frostbite. As a result, part of the animal's flesh broke off while he was being examined, the Associated Press reported. The Animal Rescue Unit in Bridgton has taken responsibility for the pony and has raised more than $4,000 for his care, including reconstructive surgery. Brogan Horton of Animal Rescue Unit said the goal is for Richard to live out his life pain-free.

CLICHE COME TO LIFE Outdoorsman Sergey Terekhov, 64, had just let his dogs out to run before a January hunting outing in Russia's remote Saratov region when one of the dogs bounded back to him and clawed the trigger of Terekhov's double-barreled shotgun, shooting the man in the abdomen. The Telegraph reported that his brother rushed Terekhov to the hospital, but he died less than an hour after the shooting.

ROAD RAGE Distracted driving caused long backups and at least one minor traffic accident on Jan. 20 as a man wandered along I-95 in Philadelphia — in the buff. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the stripped-down man walked along the shoulder and in and out of the right lane around noon, throwing items at cars before being taken into custody by police.

His name was not released. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2018 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com February 1, 2018

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Independent News | February 1, 2018 | inweekly.net