Inweekly Jan 2 2020 Issue by Inweekly

Independent News | January 2, 2020 | Volume 21 | Number 1

FREE â–¶

winners & losers

outtakes

news 6

I remember thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, I’m in show business.’

buzz

cover feature 11

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

15, 21 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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January 2, 2020

CHEERS PENSACOLA!

winners & losers

Cedric Alexander

winners

THANK YOU FOR 4 AWESOME YEARS & MANY MORE TO COME

309 SOUTH REUS ST. | 850.607.6320

CEDRIC ALEXANDER Alexander was

sworn in as the representative for District 3 on the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Board at its December meeting. On Nov. 26, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him to fill the seat left vacant since Elvin McCorvey passed away on Jan. 20. His term will expire in November 2020. A Pensacola native, Dr. Alexander began his career in 1977 as a deputy with the Leon County Sheriff's Office. He earned his bachelor's and his master's degrees from St. Thomas University and his doctorate from Wright State University. He served as deputy chief and chief of the Rochester Police Department and as federal security director with Homeland Security overseeing the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

GULF POWER Gulf Power and sister com-

pany Florida Power & Light Company, under parent NextEra Energy, Inc., were recognized on Site Selection magazine's annual Top U.S. Utilities in Economic Development list. While owned by the Southern Company, Gulf Power worked with more than 185 companies resulting in approximately 60 location or expansion announcements since 2013. We hope new owner NextEra will continue the investment in Northwest Florida.

HAZEL BARNES The Baptist Health Care

Foundation received nearly $300,000 from the Estate of Hazel Barnes to support Lakeview Center. Barnes was grateful for the compassionate care provided by Lakeview Center. All contributions made to the foundation are applied to patient care, services and leading-edge technology within Baptist Health Care.

John Rutherford

losers

JOHN RUTHERFORD The GOP congress-

man from Jacksonville had a unique argument when he defended President Donald Trump during the impeachment floor debate. He insisted the Democrats were assisting Russia President Vladimir Putin by pursuing a purely partisan impeachment of President Trump. Rutherford said, "President Putin and his cronies in Russia have been waging war on our elections with the goal of sewing discord and division in America. Do you think it has been successful?" What? Putin and Trump are best buds, right?

RANSOMWARE Pensacola was among four U.S. cities that were hit with ransomware in December. The other three cities were New Orleans; Galt, Ca.; and St. Lucie, Fla. According to Emsisoft, a firm that specializes in monitoring ransomware, ransomware hit 103 federal, state and municipal agencies, 759 healthcare providers, and 86 schools and universities in 2019.

HARLEY BRIAN PALMER The owner of Harley's Automotive & Performance, LLC entered a plea to racketeering, organized fraud, four counts of dealing in stolen property and six counts of grand theft before Judge Jan Shackelford on Dec. 18. Between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2018, victims took their vehicles to Harley's Automotive with the expectation that they would be repaired. Money was exchanged but the repairs were never completed. Harley sold several vehicles without the consent of the owners. Several vehicles ended up at a recycling company and were destroyed and unrecoverable.

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

WHAT'S AHEAD You can never predict the future, but here are the stories I will be watching in 2020.

ECUA GRAND JURY REPORT

In July 2018, an Escambia County Grand Jury completed its review into complaints and allegations involving the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority. Based upon its review, the Grand Jury returned a report that was sealed by the Court. All matters contained in this report have remained secret for 18 months while ECUA and its attorneys have tied it up in appeals, which leads us to believe that whatever is in it must be damaging.

SCAPE IMPLEMENTATION

Terry Horne, executive director of the Center for Civic Engagement, told CivicCon participants last month the Pensacola City Council would hold in January a workshop to establish the priorities of the various elements of the waterfront redevelopment plan produced by SCAPE. Funding should be no problem since the council has already approved a $17 million bond issue. However, Council President Jewel Cannada-Wynn hinted to Inweekly reporter Jeremy Morrison that some of the funds may go to other projects. The workshop may take a detour from SCAPE plan.

EMS INVESTIGATION

Earlier this year, the Florida Department of Health launched an investigation into the Escambia County's Emergency Medical Services after County Medical Director Dr. Rayme Edler alleged that several EMS employees had falsified training documents. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers have twice visited

the county's public safety offices to seize county documents. Commissioner Doug Underhill has praised Dr. Edler as a hero. Commissioner Jeff Bergosh appears to have sided with others in the EMS department. Buy some popcorn, sit back and watch this one unfold.

MATT GAETZ'S FUTURE

The Republican congressman is the highest-profile politician from Northwest Florida since Reubin Askew sought the Democratic nomination in the 1984 presidential election after two successful terms as Florida governor. Gaetz is all-in for President Trump and will likely be a popular surrogate for the president on the campaign trail. But where does he go from there? If Trump wins re-election, will Gaetz get a cabinet post? Will he run in 2022 for a statewide office? Will he join Fox News? And what happens to him if Trump loses? It's a reality version of "Game of Thrones."

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APPOINTMENT OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

The process has been running slower than molasses, but the public and media need to stay engaged. An advisory committee will narrow the list of applicants for the board to interview this summer. The people that the school board appoints to the committee will be crucial. Let's hope no one tries to sabotage the process. And these are a few more to keep an eye on—County Administrator's hires, Mayor Robinson's Citizen Advisory, Pensacola Entrepreneur Initiative and the Pensacola City Council races. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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WHAT A DECADE By Rick Outzen We entered the last decade on the heels of a recession and with people hungry for change locally. The Community Maritime Park still hadn't been built. The city of Pensacola had approved a charter that did away with the city manager form of government, but the city-county consolidation effort never got off the ground. Over the last 10 years, Inweekly covered several events that have had a profound impact on our communityâ€”some positive, some not. However, many of them have put us on a path that should make the 2020s spectacular. Here are the stories we consider the most significant by year.

2010 BP OIL SPILL

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon platform exploded off the coast of Louisiana, killing 11 workers and creating the largest environmental disasters in American history. An estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico. After several failed efforts to contain the flow, the well was declared sealed on Sept. 19, 2010. A federal government report pointed to defective cement on the well as the cause of the disaster, faulting mostly BP but also rig operator Transocean and contractor Halliburton. BP eventually agreed to pay out $20.8 billion for its part in the disaster, and funds have been pumped into our community to improve our environment and diversify our economy.

tive reporting. Since our report, the school's grade has hovered near the bottom in the state for public middle schools. Last year, the school district hired Rensselaerville Institute to run Warrington Middle. The Warrington Middle investigation revealed the failure of Thomas' administration to build any sustainable success in its economically disadvantaged schools and planted the seed that the county needed an appointed professional running the district, not a politician. Last year, the county voters approved moving to an appointed superintendent that will assume the reins next November.

2012 BLUE WAHOO STADIUM OPENS

Six years after Pensacola voters approved a referendum to build the Community Maritime Park, the multi-use stadium opened April 5, 2012. The stadium holds 5,038 people and has been used for such things as UWF football, NCAA baseball, SYSA Soul Bowl, festivals, graduations and other events year-round. While Blue Wahoos Stadium is the smallest ballpark in the Southern League, the team is a three-time recipient of the Southern League Ballpark of the Year and has finished first or second in the league in attendance five times. Many see the stadium as the catalyst for the resurgence of downtown Pensacola. Over the past three years, the city's property values have increased by 21.5%.

2013 UWF FOOTBALL PROGRAM LAUNCHED

In 2008, we published in our April Fool's issue that the University of West Florida was launching a football program that would play its games at Maritime Park. Five years later, our parody became reality when UWF President Dr. Judy Bense announced a timetable for the establishment of the university's football team. Pete Shinnick was hired as the head coach in January 2014. The first recruiting class was signed a year later. The first year of varsity competition was the 2016 season. The Argonauts has advanced to the national championship game twice, in 2017 and 2019. Not bad for a start-up.

2014 JAIL EXPLOSION

2011 TARNISHED TURNAROUND

Inweekly's report on Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas' ill-fated attempt to make Warrington Middle School the highest-achieving middle school in the district was a finalist for the Sunshine State Awards for best investiga66

On April 30, 2014, about a half-hour before midnight, the Central Booking and Detention Facility exploded. Two inmates housed in a holding cell on the first floor in the booking area died. The blast injured approximately 11 correctional officers and 162 inmates. The building was a total loss, the largest non-hurricane related loss in the history of Escambia County. Initially, the public was told by county officials that there were no reports of gas leaks before the explosion. Prisoners

claimed the CBD was plagued with odors of natural gases and that several people complained of headaches and nausea. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined the odor was natural gas and the county failed to contact Pensacola Energy to inspect the facility.

2015 YMCA, URBAN CORE & SOUTHTOWNE CONSTRUCTION

The groundbreakings of a downtown YMCA, Urban Core and Southtowne on Jefferson and Intendencia streets signaled the next wave of growth for downtown Pensacola. More than half of the donations for the new YMCA facility came from the Levin, Studer and Bear families. The Studers also demolished the old Pensacola News Journal building to make way for their $50-million apartment building and spent another $14.3 million to build the Urban Core, a mixed-used building on the site of the daily newspaper's parking lot. The buildings have expanded downtown dining and retail eastward and connected Palafox Place with the city's historic district. The residents and new businesses have created a new vibrancy to downtown Pensacola.

about the environment. A recent Inweekly/ Political Matrix poll found 57% believe the county is more polluted than 20 years ago, and 63.9% believe local officials put the needs of corporations above those of the public.

2018 ST ENGINEERING OPENS

After years of combined community effort, ST Engineering (formerly known as VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Inc.) opened its $46 million maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Pensacola International Airport. The MRO facility is capable of serving a number of aircraft and will employ over 400 people. The city of Pensacola has been working towards building three more MRO hangars at a cost of $210 million. When completed, Pensacola will have the second-largest MRO campus in the country.

2016 MAYOR HAYWARD FIRES CHIEFSÂ

Mayor Ashton Hayward spent three months and over $60,000 investigating Fire Chief Matt Schmitt and Deputy Fire Chief Joe Glover before he fired the two veteran firefighters. The men were investigated for six allegations made by Chief Human Resources Officer Edward Sisson after the chiefs had filed EEOC complaints against the city. Both men filed separate lawsuits back in 2016 accusing the city of race discrimination and retaliation. Hayward quietly settled the lawsuits in October 2018 for $575,000. Needless to say, Mayor Grover Robinson didn't retain Sisson.

2017 IP PLANT EXPLOSION

An explosion at International Paper's Cantonment mill resulted in an estimated $80$120 million in costs. According to IP, the cause of the explosion was a gas build-up due to an electrical failure. Debris from the explosion covering surrounding areas in the Woodbury Circle neighborhood, and the plant didn't resume full operations until April. People flocked to community town halls to voice concerns about health and property but were given few details. Media was given a tour of the Woodbury Circle where workers in HazMat suits cleaned homes and yards but weren't allowed to tour the IP plant facility. The explosion rekindled local concerns

2019 SHOOTING OF TYMAR CRAWFORD

In July 2019, Tymar Crawford was shot and killed by a Pensacola Police Department detective Daniel Siemen following a traffic stop. The public had to wait four months to see the video of the shooting while PPD, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney's Office investigated what happened. The PPD's internal investigation found Siemen had violated the department's use-ofdeadly-force policy, and Police Chief Tommi Lyter terminated his employment. However, an Escambia County grand jury last week returned a No True Bill, after the the jurors determined that criminal charges were not appropriate. Siemen has appealed his firing. Crawford's family has hired Joe Zarzaur to represent them, so more legal battles are ahead. Mayor Grover Robinson has committed to more training for his officers and forming a citizen advisory to oversee city operations, including police.{in} inweekly.net

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UWF-ANDREWS PARTNERSHIP The

University of West Florida Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine announce an expanded athletic training partnership that will allow UWF athletes additional access and resources from Andrews Institute. Andrews Institute currently serves as the official medical partner, providing UWF athletics with team physicians. UWF and Andrews Institute signed a contract in which Andrews Institute will continue serving in this role and expand the partnership as the official sports medicine provider of UWF athletics for healthcare and orthopedic and sports medicine. Andrews Institute is the exclusive Official Medical Partner and Official Sports Medicine Provider of University Athletics Department for medical services including, but not limited to, athletics, athletic training, physical therapy, orthopedic and sports medicine. "We are excited to expand our great relationship with the University of West Florida," said Dr. David Joyner, Andrews Institute executive director and senior vice president. "What the University of West Florida stands for is truly astounding. We see this partnership as our world-class team taking care of another world-class team." Andrews Institute will provide certified athletic trainers and athletic-training services for the 400 UWF student-athletes under the medical direction of team physicians Dr. Roger Ostrander and Dr. Joshua Hackel. Andrews Institute will also grant UWF athletes access to a full-time sports medicine physical therapist at Baptist Medical Park - Nine Mile on University Parkway. "Two great organizations are joining to forge a transformative partnership that provides the highest quality care for our studentathletes," said Dave Scott, UWF athletics director. "We are grateful for Andrews Institute's support and thrilled to have this world-class organization right in our own backyard." For more information about the University of West Florida Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, visit goargos.com.

TRUMP LEADS IN FLORIDA According to an Inweekly/Political Matrix poll of 727 likely Florida voters, President Donald Trump leads all five of the top Democrat candidates. However, the margins are very thin. Joe Biden did the best in a head-to-head comparison with 43.3% as opposed to Trump's 51.2%. Newcomer to the race, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, came close as well with 42% of the vote, leaving Trump with 52.7%. The remainder of the top five were fairly distant. The largest margin of separation is between Trump and Mayor Pete Buttigiegâ€” Trump with 54.7% and Mayor Buttigieg with 37.8%. Following up the pack is Trump over Sen. Bernie Sanders 55%-39.2% and Trump over Sen. Elizabeth Warren 53.1%- 39.5%. The state is very divided. In the northern part of Florida, Trump beat Biden by 31.1 points, in the central part, Biden beat Trump by 1.8, in southwestern Florida, Trump beat Biden by 11.2 points, and in southeastern Florida, Biden beat Trump by 17.1. Among women voters, Trump beat Biden by 4.5 points, Bloomberg by 12.7, Buttigieg by 18, Sanders by 17 and Warren by 13.2 points. The persons sampled had a voting score of 100% for the general election cycles. The voters called were those only with landlines and were called using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system during the hours of 3-5 p.m. between Dec. 14-15. The Margin of Error for this study is +/- 4.5% with a confidence level of 95%. HONORING BROXSON Flags were flown at half-staff on Dec. 18 in honor of former state lawmaker John Broxson, who died last week. Gov. Ron DeSantis directed lowering the flags at the State Capitol, the Santa Rosa County Courthouse and Gulf Breeze City Hall. In a tweet last week, DeSantis said the former lawmaker was a "great public servant for the people of Northwest Florida." Broxson served in the Florida House from 1962 to 1964. He was elected to the Florida Senate in 1966 and served until 1972. Broxson, 87, was the brother of Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze. He served as sheriff of Santa Rosa County

from 1959 to 1961, succeeding his father, who was killed in a car accident. After his time in the legislature, Broxson served on the Santa Rosa County Commission from 2004 to 2008.

GULF COAST SCIENCE FESTIVAL The Pensacola MESS Hall is partnering with local organizations to celebrate science in our community through the third annual Gulf Coast Science Festival. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in scientific discovery at the Field Trip Day, Expo Day and the gala MESS Hall Goes Gourmet. Families will fill Seville Square on Saturday, March 28, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to enjoy a day of free science-powered fun provided by dozens of Pensacola area businesses, schools, libraries and museums. The event will bring hands-on learning, interactive activities and experiments to inspire learners of all ages in all things STEM. The event is free and open to the public. In addition to the Expo Day, the exhibitors will share their enthusiasm for science with 500 students during the free Field Trip day on March 27. This program gives middle school students an opportunity to learn about possible careers in science as well as discover the joys of scientific discovery. This year's event will close with MESS Hall Goes Gourmet, a celebration of the science of food. The event also raises funds for Pensacola MESS Hall's efforts to increase STEM education in our community throughout the year. "The Science Festival is an exciting opportunity for us to share the research and development that happens at our local facility every day. Our employees who volunteer at this event enjoy demonstrating the kinds of work our chemical engineers do and how we use science to make our products," said Hattie Larson, Environmental, Safety, Security and Health program manager at Ascend Materials. Ascend has participated in the festival every year and will participate again this year. "Sharing research with the community through the Science Festival is a great chance for our students to improve their communication skills while also demonstrating the work

we do at UWF," said Jaromy Kuhl, dean of Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering at the University of West Florida. "Last year, we had numerous fields represented, from psychology to mathematics. This year, we hope to bring even more students and departments." Highlights from previous years included building towers with the Society of American Military Engineers, checking for counterfeit money with Navy Federal Credit Union, a virtual reality tour of historic BelmontDeVilliers with Kukua Institute and watching birds of prey from the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida. The event is presented by the Pensacola MESS Hall, which brings a variety of hands-on activities for exploration, from mazes to giant blocks. "Through the Science Festival, attendees see first-hand the variety of science going on in our community. The event is a chance for these organizations to demonstrate their work and inspire future generations to pursue these fields," said Megan Pratt, executive director of the Pensacola MESS Hall. "We are also excited to include our gala gourmet fundraising event in the festival weekend as a chance to build our capacity to reach learners beyond this event and across our community." More information about these activities is available at the Science Festival website, gulfcoastsciencefestival.org.

WEEK-TO-WEEK PREDICTORS In a new study published in the journal Health Psychology, University of Florida researchers examined how people's thoughts, feelings and behaviors during one week can predict weight change the following week. Knowing what factors play a role in week-to-week weight change may help people manage their weight during challenging periods, such as the holidays, said lead author Kathryn Ross, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of Clinical and Health Psychology in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, part of UF Health. "Based on our findings, weighing yourself regularly, tracking your calories and engaging in physical activity might be particularly important strategies for preventing extra weight gain

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during the holidays," said Ross. "Most people tend to experience some weight gain around the winter holiday season, but people who continue to self-monitor their calorie intake and weight are less likely to gain weight during this time. It may be that the act of writing everything down helps you say no to extra treats, or it may be that keeping track of what you eat and drink can help you make adjustments." In addition to self-monitoring, the researchers found people who were most successful at losing weight made food choices consistent with their weight-loss goals and placed greater importance on staying on track with goals. They also reported more positive mood, less boredom with weight-control efforts, less hunger and less temptation to eat foods "not on plan." Conversely, people who regained weight were less likely to self-monitor, engaged in less physical activity and had a less-positive mood, more stress and greater temptation to skip planned physical activity, and felt that staying on track took more effort. On the basis of the data gathered during the study, Ross and her team have developed a predictive weight-gain algorithm they are using in a new $3 million study funded by the NIDDK. Following a weight-loss intervention, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups that will be followed for two years using a smartphone-based weightmaintenance program. One group will receive the current standard for extended careâ€” monthly follow-ups on a fixed schedule from an interventionist to discuss barriers to weight maintenance and problem-solving strategies. In the other group, if the smartphone app detects a participant may be in a high-risk period for weight gain, an interventionist will contact the participant to offer support. The goal is to gain an even better understanding of how healthcare providers can help individuals navigate the challenges of weight loss and weight-loss maintenance. "Current weight-loss interventions don't work the same for everybody, and that variability is even greater during the weight-loss maintenance period," Ross said. "The one-sizefits-all approach isn't going to be our answer forever. Our hope is that we will start to build the foundational data we need to develop personalized interventions for weight control."

ADDY APPLICATIONS The Pensacola

chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) is now accepting entries for the American Advertising Awards through Jan. 16. The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting more than 40,000 entries every year in AAF club competitions across the country. Its mission is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising. Conducted annually, the AAF Pensacola American Advertising Awards are the first of a three-tiered national competition. Across the January 2, 2020

country, local entrants vie for recognition as the very best in their markets. AAF Pensacola's annual awards gala honors the advertising work of creative minds in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. District winners are then forwarded to the national stage of the American Advertising Awards. This year's local American Advertising Awards gala will be March 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Hilton Pensacola Beach featuring a speakeasy theme. The 1920s style prohibition era event will showcase the work of this year's top advertising professionals and students. For more information, visit aafpensacola.com/addytips.

TOURISM GRANTS Visit Pensacola is accepting event grant applications for events occurring May 1-Sept. 30, 2020. Grant workshops will be held at 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 and 15 and 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 and 16 in the UWF Historic Trust Bowden Building, 120 Church St. All applicants are encouraged to attend one workshop, as you will receive extra points during the scoring process if you attend. You may send your RSVP to Barbara Williams at bwilliams@visitpensacola.com. Deadline for submissions is 3 p.m. on Feb. 11. The grant committee will meet to discuss and score applications at 2:30 p.m. on Feb 17-18 in the UWF Historic Trust Bowden Building, 120 Church St. The grant committee will then send their recommendations for awards to the Visit Pensacola Board of Directors meeting on Feb. 26 for their final approval. For more details, visit visitpensacola.com.

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TEACHING SCHOLARSHIPS The 20192020 application info for the FREA teaching scholarship has been released to Escambia School District counselors and contacts. High School seniors must apply online this year by the deadline, Jan 20, 2020. Qualifications, instructions are on the Florida Retired Educators website, frea.org/ scholarship. A personal interview is required and will be scheduled in early February with the scholarship committee after the applications are reviewed. Questions? Contact senior counselors at local high schools, or call Melinda Beckett at melindabeckett@cox.net. MARK YOUR CALENDAR Community

Forums on the appointed school superintendent will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the cafeteria at Beulah Middle School, 6001 W. Nine Mile Road, and 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, in the cafeteria at Tate High School, 1771 Tate Road. All input gathered during the events will be collected and provided to the Escambia County School Board members. Chappie James Museum celebrates General Daniel "Chappie" James' 100th birthday from 2-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones Resource Center, 913 S. I St. Semi-formal attire. Tickets are $65. Purchase tickets at the museum, 1608 Martin Luther King Drive. {in} 9

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12/18/19 3:34 PM

Out with the old; in with the new. That's how we are starting this new decade, and we hope you are, too. Because let's face it, 2019 was kind of a mess. Sure, there were some bright moments—like Lizzo saving our collective souls and the U.S. Women’s soccer team's big win. But for the most part, the past 12 months have been a blur of scan-

January 2, 2020

dals, disappointments and heartbreaking headlines. And even though we know 2020 is going to be exhausting, too—it’s an election year, after all—we're still welcoming it with open arms and minds. Around the Inweekly offices, we can’t think of a better way to start planning a fresh year than by having a few wellcurated lists as a guide. That's exactly

why we always put together this handy Year in Preview issue every January. From popular festivals like Hangout to can'tmiss concerts like Cher, it’s a snapshot of some of the upcoming year’s best local happenings and a (somewhat ranked) collection of some super random, super entertaining things we’re anticipating most in the new year.

20 THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2020

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Lana Del Ray

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A New Ocean We say this pretty much every year, but we really think 2020 will be the year that we finally get a new Frank Ocean record. He released a few new tracks in the fall of 2019, and it’s officially been four years since “Blonde”—which, if you’re keeping score, came out four years after “Channel Orange.” More “Euphoria” HBO has confirmed that the waytoo-grown-up high school drama is coming back for a second season. We don’t know much yet, but we do know that Zendaya will be back as Rue, so that’s enough for us. Power Blondes This year, theaters will be graced by not one, but two movies about iconic blondes—“Barbie” (played by Margot Robbie) and “Legally Blonde 3” (with Reese Witherspoon back as Elle Woods, of course). Cher Cher—yes, that Cher—is bringing her “Here We Go Again Tour” to Pensacola Sunday, March 22. If you’re smart, you’ll buy a ticket now. You know good seats go fast at the Bay Center. “Wonder Woman 1984” Who isn’t excited to see the sequel of this female superhero movie after the first featuring Gal Gadot?

The Live-Action Remake of “Mulan” Live-action remakes of Disney movies are not always cool, except when they are “Mulan.” Then, they are always cool.

#HTGAWM Finale Whether you’re ready or not, the TV gods have decided it’s time to say goodbye to law professor Annalise Keating (aka Viola Davis) and producer Shonda Rhimes’ unpredictable plotlines with this sixth season of “How to Get Away with Murder.”

10.

Nicole Kidman in “Nine Perfect Strangers” Everyone who loves “Big Little Lies” should prepare to bing-watch Nicole Kidman star in another Liane Moriarty book-turned-TV-series in 2020—Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers.” #SangeetProject Power couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are teaming up for a new untitled wedding reality show. After their grandiose wedding nearly broke the internet, we’re here for it. Selena Returns If “Lose You To Love Me” didn’t make you cry (or at least use a sad face emoji), do you even have a heart? After Selena Gomez dropped that heartfelt ballad and the empowerment pop anthem “Look At Her Now,” we’re dying to hear “Rare,” which will be her first album in five long years.

11.

(Another) Selena Returns It’s hard to imagine Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla not portrayed by J-Lo, but “The Walking Dead” actress Christian Serratos is an acceptable alternative. "Selena: The Series” comes out this year on Netflix.

12.

“Transcendent Kingdom” Yaa Gyasi wrote one the best debut novels of the past decade (“Homegoing”), so it's no surprise her follow-up is one of the most anticipated books of 2020. Slated for a July release, “Transcendent Kingdom” is about a Ghanian family and their struggles to assimilate to small-town life in Alabama.

13.

“Never Have I Ever” Mindy Kaling honestly does it all. “The Office” actress, comedian and writer will co-write, create and produce “Never Have I Ever,” a show inspired by her own childhood, for a Netflix debut this year.

14.

Billie Eilish On Tour After performing upside down on “Saturday Night Live,” Billie Eilish is starting to develop a rep for killing her live performances. Who knows what wild carnivalesque trick she will try on her 2020 tour, including her headlining slot at Hangout Fest.

15.

Hangout Fest Again, Billie Elish will be there. And we don’t wanna name drop too much, but the festival will also be bringing Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone and Lana Del Rey to the beach this May.

16.

“She Is Miley Cyrus” With her on-again, off-again relationship with Liam Hemsworth, new tattoos and seemingly chronic identity crisis, fans could use a record like “She Is Miley Cyrus.” It didn’t drop in 2019 as predicted, so we have a feeling it will happen in 2020 … probably with a tour, too.

17.

New Summer Olympics Sports Five new sports, three of which are extreme, were added to the lineup of the 2020 Summer Olympics—baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing. Who’s excited for Tokyo 2020?

18.

“I Forgot to Laugh: Humor in Contemporary Art” After this year’s duct tape banana ordeal at the Art Basel (if you know, you know), this Pensacola Museum of Art summer exhibit sounds intriguing.

19.

“Top Gun: Maverick” Calling all Tom Cruise fans. Get out your aviators.

20.

“Katy Keene” OK, we admit it. “Riverdale” is our guilty pleasure. And, frankly, with comic book roots, this soap opera teen drama is downright cool. We can’t wait to see another Archie comic come to life in the CW spinoff “Katy Keene,” starring Lucy Hale of “Pretty Little Liars” fame. inweekly.net

PLAN YOUR YEAR A 2020 LOCAL EVENT CALENDAR ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS

CULTURAL PERFORMANCES

Pensacola Indie Fringe and Comedy Festival

balletpensacola.org

Jan. 2-5 comedypensacola.com

Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade Feb. 22 pensacolamardigras.com

Pensacon

Feb 28-March 1 pensacon.com

Ciclovia Open Streets

BALLET PENSACOLA Paquita and Rocketman: The Music of Elton John Feb. 21-23

Mary Poppins April 17-19 & 24-26

PENSACOLA OPERA pensacolaopera.com

Don Giovanni Jan. 24 & 26

March 28 pensacolaopenstreets.com

Easy to Love

Blue Wahoos Home Opener

Il trovatore

April 9 bluewahoos.com

Pensacola Crawfish Festival

Feb. 13

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA pensacolasymphony.com

Beethoven & Blue Jeans Jan. 11

Mozart Madness Feb. 1

CATS

Feb. 15 & 16

Jersey Boys March 5

The Color Purple May 23 & 24

From Hollywood Feb. 8

SELECT LIVE MUSIC EVENTS AND SHOWS

Russian Spectacular

Vinyl Music Hall

Feb. 29

Verdi: Requiem March 28

Center Stage: A Benefit Concert April 3

March 20 & 22

The Music of Triumph

PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE

Music for Families

April 25

vinylmusichall.com

Evil Dead: The Musical Jan. 2-4

Rising Appalachia Jan. 19

Hawthorne Heights and Emery Jan. 21

Citizen Cope

April 26-28 fiestapensacola.org

pensacolalittletheatre.com

May 16

Hangout Fest

Improvable Cause

AJJ

Jan. 11

BROADWAY IN PENSACOLA SERIES

Schoolhouse Rock LIVE!

Waitress

Whitney

May 15-17 hangoutmusicfest.com

Grand Fiesta Parade May 29 fiestapensacola.org

Pensacola Beach Air Show

Jan. 24-Feb. 9

Pensacola Seafood Festival

Other Desert Cities

Foo Foo Festival

May 22-June 7

Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival

March 20-29

May 1-9

Rock of Ages

Hand to God June 12-20

Nov. 6-8 ggaf.org

PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART EXHIBITIONS pensacolamuseum.org

100 Faces of War On view until Jan. 19

John Markowitz On view until Feb. 2

66th Annual Youth Art Focus Jan. 31-March 1 Middle School, High School & Educator Opening Reception - Feb. 4; Elementary School Opening Reception - Feb. 7

Whitney / Photo by Olivia Bee

STEAM 2020

Feb. 14-April 6 Opening Reception - Feb. 14

66th Annual Members Exhibition March 13-April 26 Opening Reception - March 13

Poppy Garcia: Thoughts & Prayers March 13-April 26 Opening Reception - March 13

UWF BFA Exit Show April 17-May 10

I Forgot to Laugh: Humor in Contemporary Art May 8-Aug. 2

Selections from the Permanent Collection May 22-Sept. 6

SLIP: Contemporary Ceramics Aug. 14-Jan. 10, 2021

Mike Brodie Sept. 18-Dec. 6

Antarctica: Photographs by Wade Jeffrey Dec. 18-April 4, 2021

January 2, 2020

Feb. 3

Feb. 14-23

Winnie the Pooh

Early November foofoofest.com

Jan. 15 & 16

Jan. 31

Short Attention Span Theatre 2020

July 8-11 visitpensacolabeach.com

Sept. 25-27 fiestapensacola.org

pensacolasaenger.com

Jan. 24

Art by Poppy Garcia 13

Against Me! March 28

Circa Survive March 29

PENSACOLA BAY CENTER

Pensacola Beach Run: Half Marathon 10K/5K

pensacolabaycenter.com

Jan. 11 pensacolarunners.com

Lauren Daigle

Double Bridge Run: 15K/5K

Feb. 20

Cher

March 22

JoJo Siwa

Feb. 1 doublebridgerun.com

Blackwater 50K Trail Run & Relay

May 29

Feb. 15 runpensacola.com

SAENGER THEATRE

McGuire’s 5K Prediction Run

WUWF presents The Capitol Steps

Rock N Fly: ½ Marathon & 5K

pensacolasaenger.com

Jan. 17

Travis Tritt Jan. 30

Black Violin

March 7 mcguiresirishpub.com

March 21 runrocknfly.com

Bayou Hills Run: 10K, 5K and Kids Run

Feb. 11

March 28 bayouhillsrun.org

Gordon Lightfoot

Pensacola Triathlon

Feb. 19

Dennis DeYoung Feb. 21

Joe Bonamassa Feb. 26

Brian Regan March 12

Rain: A tribute to the Beatles April 5

Celtic Woman Celebration

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Award-Winning Chef Omar Torres to the H2O Team.

SIGNATURE ROAD RACES, TRAILS AND TRIS

April 26 tripensacola.com

Pensacola Women’s Half Marathon

Nov. 8 facebook.com/pensacolasports

GALLERY NIGHT DATES & THEMES gallerynightpensacola.org

April 19

•Jan. 17 Theme: Lunar New Year

Michael Jackson: A Thrilling Tribute

•Feb. 28 Theme: Pensacon

May 29

•March 20 Theme: Dancin’ in the Streets •April 17 Theme: Gallery Night 5k •May 15 Theme: Cars, Stars & Stripes

Chef Torres has carefully prepared our new delectable menu made with locally-sourced ingredients inspired by the coast.

•June 19 Theme: Throwback to the ‘80s •July 17 Theme: Blues, Jazz & Soul •Aug. 21 Theme: Back 2 School Blowout!

Join us for lunch or a romantic dinner!

•Sept. 18 Theme: College Tailgate Night

Located at the beautiful Hilton Pensacola Beach.

•Oct. 16 Theme: Halloween Carnival •Nov. 20 Theme: Pensacola Heritage

850.343.6791 | h2opensacolabeach.com

•Dec. 18 Theme: Christmas Movies Cher / Photo courtesy of Warner Records

414 1

inweekly.net

WEEK OF JANUARY 2-8

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

Say "Yes" To Laughs By Savannah Evanoff

Donnell Rawlings

The Pensacola Indie Fringe and Comedy Festival has nearly 70 events, and Julio Diaz can tell you the exact comedic formula responsible for the massive event—improv. "In improv, you're never supposed to negate what the person says before you," Diaz said. "The common thing is you say, 'Yes, and,' and then you build on what they said. You don't necessarily say that out loud, but that's the attitude. We kinda take, 'Yes, and,' to the next level with this group." Indie Art Council Pensacola started building on the success of last year's sold-out performances of "Evil Dead: The Musical" and then improvised its way to an entire comedy festival with stand-up performances, workshops, panels and a street party. Legendary comedian Gilbert Gottfried* will be headlining the inaugural event. Other

headliners include Donnell Rawlings and Orny Adams and another round of "Evil Dead: The Musical" for those who missed it last time or just want more singing and splattering. Indie Art Pensacola recruited Emily Dillon, co-founder of Stingers Comedy, to help book comedians. She also won Inweekly's Best Comedian category in Best of the Coast 2019. "It basically means my name is easier to spell than other people's and I can harass people more than most," Dillon joked. But in all seriousness, Dillon was eager to get involved and bring awareness to Pensacola's comedy scene. "I love my comedians like they're my family," Dillon said. "I've been hosting shows in Pensacola since 2012. I used a room down at The Jellyfish. So I have relationships with these people I've had for seven years. I know it's totally selfish, but I'm so excited to see them again and see everyone mingle and help expand their comedy portfolios but also to bring so much laughter and happiness to Pensacola." Recent events, namely the shooting at NAS, reminded her how important laughter is for healing. She remembers being at her

of Jacksonville comedy," Dillon said. "She's day job on Dec. 6 and mentally preparing relatable. She's snarky. She's hilarious." for that night's performance at The ImoCorey Mack from New Orleans fregene Theatre in Milton. quents Pensacola. He will perform at an "I sat there at my desk crying, tryevent at chizuko. ing to figure out how to go on a stage and "He mixes beatboxing and stories about make people laugh on purpose after such a New Orleans," Dillon said. "He's a storyteller. tragedy," Dillon said. "I felt that's the best Half the time, he's not even doing his material; time. That's the one time people need you he's off the cuff. He's improv at its best." the most. But how do you balance that with Diaz also suspects people will enjoy paying your respects and acknowledging the horrible thing that happened but, at the Murder Gras, a collaboration between Pensacola Mardi Gras and murder mystery same time, not giving it power?" dinner theatre company Improbable Cause This aspect of comedy is largely why she and Compton Smith founded Stingers Comedy. Mystery Theatre. All shows will include a catered dinner and prizes for the attendee "We wanted people to come into a who discovers whodunit. room, watch a comedy show, forget the "If you've seen the movie 'Knives Out,' woes of their day and what's going on in the which is out right now and fantastic, that's the world and completely detach from that and kinda thing that this is," Diaz said {in} laugh," Dillon said, "and then leaving feeling better than they did when they showed up." Dillon looks forward to the local musicians performing at the festival but also highlighted a few "next level" out-of-towners she can't wait to watch. Derrick Stroup from ColoWHAT: Pensacola's first comedy festival that rado speaks Dillon's comedy love will include stand-up, improv, stage produclanguage, she said. He will perform tions and more at the Saturday, Jan. 4, show at WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 2-Sunday, Jan. 5 Perfect Plain Brewing Co. WHERE: Multiple venues throughout down"They say he's like an angry town Pensacola auctioneer, yelling and screaming COST: $40 for a weekend pass (there also VIP and at people," Dillon said. "He could individual event options) read my mother's obituary and make me laugh." DETAILS: comedypensacola.com Christina Schriver will perform at *To read our interview with Gottfried, turn to page 21 the same event. "They call her the godmother

PENSACOLA INDIE FRINGE AND COMEDY FESTIVAL

夀漀甀爀䴀漀琀漀爀挀礀挀氀攀䰀愀眀礀攀爀⸀

䴀䤀䌀䠀䰀䔀匀䈀伀伀吀䠀

䄀挀挀椀搀攀渀琀 ☀ 䤀渀樀甀爀礀䰀愀眀礀攀爀猀

㄀ⴀ㠀 ⴀ㐀㌀㠀ⴀ㌀㘀㘀簀䘀漀爀吀栀攀嘀椀挀琀椀洀猀⸀挀漀洀倀攀渀猀愀挀漀氀愀 ⴀ 䘀漀爀琀圀愀氀琀漀渀䈀攀愀挀栀 ⴀ 䌀爀攀猀琀瘀椀攀眀

January 2, 2020

SCI Leadership Development Great places to work = more jobs

2019 Overall Leadership Development Impact

93%

9.4 out of 10 8.9 out of 10

Would Recommend SCI Leadership Development Programs

The leadership development branch of the Studer Community Institute aims to help organizations by providing training and tools that help create great places to work. Results follow talent and talent follows place.

Average Value Rating

These business and community leaders have made a commitment to build healthier businesses and reinforce the economic base of our community, making this a better place to live, work and play.

Average Speaker Rating

2,806 individuals

570

unique organizations

have taken part in SCI sponsored skill development Leadership Development Rachael Gillette / rgillette@studeri.org

220 W. Garden St. #100 Pensacola, FL 32502

Morgan Milbradt / mmilbradt@studeri.org Stephana Gaudin / sgaudin@studeri.org

studeri.org

Terri Wojtys / twojtys@studeri.org The Studer Community Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

616 1

Founder

Quint Studer / quint@quintstuder.com

inweekly.net

calendar THURSDAY 1.2

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 LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PUBLIC ICE SKATE 2-6:30 p.m. $9-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com MTV "MAD" REAL WORLD POP-UP BAR 4 p.m. through Jan. 5. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS 5 and 7 p.m. $20. 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 PENSACOLA COMEDY FESTIVAL 5-10 p.m. $20$400. Various locations. comedypensacola.com 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 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. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. eotlcafe.com

FRIDAY 1.3

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

Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

EVER'MAN COOKS WITH BECCA FRITSCHLE

11 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PENSACOLA COMEDY FESTIVAL Noon-11 p.m. $20-$400. Various locations. comedypensacola.com PUBLIC ICE SKATE 2-6:30 p.m. $9-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com 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

January 2, 2020

Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.

10 a.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco FORAGING WITH KAT AND MARNI 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee

SATURDAY 1.4

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

BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY PRESENTS: LED ZEPPELIN 8 p.m. $31 and up. Saenger The-

atre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and

munity Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org JOHN APPLEYARD TALK 9 a.m. Pensacola Visitor's Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. visitpensacola.com BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum viewing area, 1878 S. Blue Angel Parkway. Use West Gate Entrance. ASTARA STUDY GROUP 1:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org TRYON FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 4 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com 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 POURS & ENCORES 5:30-7 p.m. Live singalong and performances from Pensacola Opera. Odd Colony Brewing Co., 260 N. Palafox. pensacolaopera.com

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. Location TBA. 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.-2 p.m. Free admission. Every Saturday. 8600 Pensacola Blvd. facebook.com/yousellithere EVER'MAN COOKS: DEBBY'S KITCHEN 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PENSACOLA COMEDY FESTIVAL 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m. $20-$400. Various locations. comedypensacola.com PENSACOLA MARDI GRAS KICK-OFF 4 p.m. Free King Cake provided by Bluejay's Bakery, music and a second line jazz band street performance. Downtown Pensacola. pensacolamardigras.com ICE FLYERS VS. MACON MAYHEM 6:35 p.m. $15 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. DARREN KNIGHT 8 p.m. $28 and up. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.

Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ASHTANGA YOGA WITH GARY JR. 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. Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS BRIDAL EXPO 11 a.m. $10.50-$16. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 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 PENSACOLA COMEDY FESTIVAL 11 a.m.-9 p.m. $20-$400. Various locations. comedypensacola.com GREG BOND 1-5 p.m. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola GILBERT GOTTFRIED 4 p.m. $14 and up. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com B.A.R.E. BALL 8 p.m. $60 per person, includes membership card. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

brary, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com 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 WOW FACTOR 5:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org JAZZ JAM 6:30 p.m. $10-$12, free to students with ID and military in uniform. Featuring trumpeter Roger Villines. The Vineyard, 1010 N. 12th Ave. jazzpensacola.com

Flea Market, 1717 N. T St. PILATES FUSION 10:30 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org VINYASA YOGA 6 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WEST COAST SWING DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12. Whiskey Runners Saloon, 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com

SUNDAY 1.5

TUESDAY 1.7

TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 7:15 p.m. Ever'man Education-

THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN

MONDAY 1.6

RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Li-

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. 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

WEDNESDAY 1.8

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

calendar Arts & Culture

ferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

≥Events

100 FACES OF WAR EXPERIENCE On

PMA GALLERY TOURS 2:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

≥Current Exhibits

SMALL MATTERS WITH GUEST ARTIST KATHY BREAZEALE

On view through Jan. 3. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org

PIGMENT OF OUR IMAGINATION On

view through Jan. 10. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org

BEIRUT: PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BECHTOLD On view

through Jan. 19. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jef-

818 1

view through Jan. 19 at Pensacola Museum of Art. Traveling exhibit from Smithsonian. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

JOHN MARKOWITZ: RECENT WORKS On

view through Feb. 2. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org COTTON FIELDS TO CONGRESS: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF EARL HUTTO On

view at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org GALLERY DAYS

Noon-4 p.m. Saturdays. Featuring local artists. To be featured, contact

Angel at 941-7354586 or call the restaurant at 4770035. TGI Fridays, 1240 Airport Blvd.

Workshops & Classes

POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-noon, Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every Mon-

day from 6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center. Classes are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for nonmembers. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY SCULPTURE

Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

Call for Artists

Jazz Pensacola invites fine artists/ graphic designers to submit renderings for the official 2020 Pensacola JazzFest poster. The commission is $300. The

poster design should reflect the deep, rich, diverse jazz music heritage of Pensacola and communicate a sense of place. Submissions should conform to a vertical orientation using a ratio that will fit, with margin, on a final poster size of 18 inches wide by 24 inches high. All content must be the submitter's original creation and must be unpublished. The submitter must have all rights to images and graphics used in the final artwork and during the design process. The poster must include the name of the festival—2020 Pensacola JazzFest. The submission deadline is Jan. 6, 2020. If selected, the completed art deadline is Feb. 28, 2020. For more informa-

tion, call Jazz Pensacola administrator Alice Crann Good at 433-8382, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., or visit jazzpensacola.com.

Bars & Nightlife

≥Live Music

THURSDAY 1.2

LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m.

Five Sisters Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. fivesistersbluescafe.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com JIM ANDREWS 6:30 p.m. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com SAUCY FUZZ 7 p.m. Hub Stacey's 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com OPEN COLLEGE JAM WITH MIKE BOCCIA

7:30 p.m. Goat Lips

Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. DUELING PIANOS

8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com OPEN MIC/JAM

8-11 p.m. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. Use our instruments or bring your own. LIVE MUSIC 8 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. End O' the Alley Courtyard, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

FRIDAY 1.3

LIVE JAZZ WITH JOE OCCHIPINTI Noon.

The Drowsy Poet Coffee Co., 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Five Sisters Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. fivesistersbluescafe.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com RAY 'BIG DOG' COLEY

6-9 p.m. Cazadores Mexican Restaurant 8183 W. Fairfield. JOHN RIPLEY 6:30 p.m. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com MIKE BOCCIA 7:45 p.m. Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. DUELING PIANOS

8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

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January 2, 2020

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By Savannah Evanoff

A "Good Date" with Gilbert Gottfried

Gilbert Gottfried / Photo by Arlene Gottfried

Gilbert Gottfried doesn't cringe when he hears his own voice. After all, he's made a career out of it. The comedian and voice actor was the sound of Iago the parrot in "Aladdin" and Kraang Subprime in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," and his dirtiest, most offensive jokes are told in the same exaggerated shriek of a voice for his stand-up act—which earned him a spot on season six of "Saturday Night Live." No, hearing his own voice doesn't bother him. Other things kinda do. "I still watch myself on TV or a movie and I'll go, 'Wait, I don't really walk that way," Gottfried said. "I don't make those faces.' In my mind, as I'm doing it, I'm Tom Cruise." It's no surprise Gottfried has a podcast—though he admits it was his wife Dara Kravitz's idea. Gottfried isn't exactly tech-savvy. He's like your grandma, he said, unsure if the "on" button really turns things on. Does it even need to be plugged in?

Yeah, podcasts are peculiar. "I was feeling really comfortable being the person interviewed, where I could sit back and say, 'Boy, this interviewer's an idiot,'" Gottfried said. "Now I feel like, 'Wait a minute, now I'm the idiot. I'm the one with the dumb questions.' It reminds me—when I'm in an interview or on stage—think of it as a good or bad date. A good date, three hours go past, and you feel like you've just been talking for five minutes. A bad date is five minutes go by and you feel like you've been there for three hours." In Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast (with co-host Frank Santopadre), some of his best "dates" were with Dick Van Dyke, Neil Sedaka, who practically put on a private concert, Bruce Dern and Sonny Fox, who threw a major curveball with fascinating war stories. Choosing guests is tricky. "All these people I admired, how many are around anymore?" Gottfried said. "Two or three times, we asked someone to do the show and they agreed and then died a couple of days later. I was originally gonna call it the 'Before It's Too Late' show. I feel like the Grim Reaper sometimes."

"Two or three times, we asked someone to do the show and they agreed and then died a couple of days later. " Gilbert Gottfried His other side hustle is Cameo, in which people pay for him to read a script in a personalized video. "A baseball player—I think it's Brett Favre or something—he got in trouble; there was a mini scandal there because he read what they gave him to read," Gottfried said. "It didn't sound like anything bad, and then it had secret messages in it for some white supremacist Nazi group. I feel like, 'If they pay me, I'll do

messages for Al-Qaeda.' Just give me the correct pronunciation of infidel." Gottfried doesn't mind the gig. There are no small parts—this he knows.

"If it was 39 cents, it would've been too much." Gottfried "My all-time favorite voiceover job was Disney had called years after 'Aladdin' was out and they were putting out whatever," Gottfried said. "I went to the recording place, got in the booth and over the phone, the director's calling from California, and he said, 'We just need Iago the parrot to laugh.' I faced the mic and I went, 'Haha.' They said, 'OK, great. Thanks for coming.' I got a check for that. If it was 39 cents, it would've been too much." Gottfried landed the iconic "Aladdin" role practically by accident. No one in it predicted how huge it would become, he said. "I remember watching it in the theater and they got to the cast and started playing 'A whole New World,' and the audience started cheering," Gottfried said. "I remember thinking, 'Oh my goodness, I'm in show business.'" His kids have seen it, but Gottfried's career successes are equivalent to dad jokes—cute, but mostly unimpressive. "I remember years ago, somehow 'Popeye the Sailor Man' came up, and I said to my daughter, 'Oh, that's an old cartoon around when I was a kid,'" Gottfried said. "My daughter said, 'Were you in it?' They think in terms of that." And having kids hasn't changed Gottfried's crude stand-up comedy a bit. "What I've always said is my career walks the tightrope between early morning children's programming and hardcore porn," Gottfried said. "Luckily, I've been able to, for the most part, stay on that tightrope … I feel like if either one of my

kids says a dirty word, I can't with a straight face reprimand them. I'll start laughing, because I'm like, 'I'm not the person to tell them this.'" Gottfried really can't explain his long and diverse career. He has stupidity on his side, he said.

"I didn't think in terms of the odds of making it. I think I've remained just as stupid." Gottfried "I didn't think in terms of the odds of making it," Gottfried said. "I think I've remained just as stupid. Whenever I'll get frustrated or depressed about how my career's going at any certain point, I'll think, 'Man, there were millions of people I'd see every night hitting the same clubs as I was for years in a row, and I don't know where any of them are. I don't remember their names or what they looked like.' I think, 'Oh Christ, I could've been one of those.'" Gottfried is a household name, but for some reason (maybe an offensive one), he doesn't yet have an episode on Jerry Seinfeld's Netflix show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." But he did once make an appearance on Jay Leno's "Garage." "There was an article about me in Vulture, and the title is 'Gilbert talks about his career and why he'll never be on "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,"' but if they asked me, I'd do it," Gottfried said. {in}

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free will astrology WEEK OF JANUARY 2 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): "We are all hostages of the joy of which we deprive ourselves," wrote poet Odysseus Elytis. Isn't that an astounding idea? That we refuse to allow ourselves to experience some of the bliss and pleasure we could easily have; and that we are immured inside that suppressed bliss and pleasure? I call on you, Aries, to rebel against this human tendency. As I see it, one of your main tasks in 2020 is to permit yourself to welcome more bliss, to aggressively seize more pleasure, and thereby free yourself from the rot of its nullification. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): At age 22, Taurus-born Dutch citizen Willem de Kooning sneaked into the United States. He was a stowaway on an Argentina-bound freighter and stealthily disembarked when the ship made a stop in Virginia. As he lived in America during subsequent decades, he became a renowned painter who helped pioneer the movement known as abstract expressionism. His status as an illegal immigrant rarely presented any obstacles to his growing success and stature. Not until age 57 did he finally become an American citizen. I propose we make him one of your role models in 2020. May he inspire you to capitalize on being a maverick, outsider or stranger. May he encourage you to find opportunities beyond your safety zone. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): When

Pensacola

British novelist E. M. Forster was in his late 30s, he had sex with another person for the first time. Before that, he had published five novels. After that, he produced just one more novel, though he lived till age 91. Why? Was he having too much fun? Looking back from his old, age, he remarked that he would "have been a more famous writer if I had published more, but sex prevented the latter." I suspect that sensual pleasure and intimacy will have the exact opposite effect on you in 2020, Gemini. In sometimes mysterious ways, they will make you more productive in your chosen sphere.

(850) 434-2060

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): "Every

113 Palafox Place (Across from Saenger Theatre)

part of our personality that we do not love will regress and become hostile to us," wrote poet Robert Bly. I don't know anyone who doesn't suffer from this problem at least a little. That's the bad news. The good news for us Cancerians (yes, I'm a Crab!) is that 2020 will be a favorable time to engage in a holy crusade to fix this glitch—to feel and express more love for parts of our personality that we have dismissed or marginalized. The result? Any self-sabotage we have suffered from in the past could dramatically diminish.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): As a young

adult, Leo-born Raymond Chandler worked as a fruit-picker, tennis racquet-stringer and bookkeeper. At age 34, he began a clerical job at the Dabney Oil Syndicate and eventually rose in the ranks to become

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By Rob Brezsny

a well-paid executive. The cushy role lasted until he was 44, when he was fired. He mourned for a while, then decided to become an author of detective fiction. It took a while, but at age 50, he published his first novel. During the next 20 years, he wrote six additional novels as well as numerous short stories and screenplays—and in the process became popular and influential. I present this synopsis as an inspirational story to fuel your destiny in 2020.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): The fame of Virgo-born Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474–1533) has persisted through the ages because of "Orlando Furioso," an epic poem he authored. It tells the story of the Christian knight Orlando and his adoration for a pagan princess. This great work did not come easily to Ariosto. It wasn't until he had written 56 versions of it that he was finally satisfied. I suspect you may harbor an equally perfectionistic streak about the good works and labors of love you'll craft in 2020. May I suggest you confine your experiments to no more than 10 versions? LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Leonardo da Vinci worked on his painting "The Last Supper" from 1495 to 1498. It's a big piece—about 15 by 29 feet. That's one reason why he took so long to finish. But there was another explanation, too. He told his patron, the Duke of Milan, that he sometimes positioned himself in front of his painting-in-progress and simply gazed at and thought about it, not lifting a brush. Those were times he did some of his hardest work, he said. I trust you will have regular experiences like that in 2020, Libra. Some of your best efforts will arise out of your willingness and ability to incubate your good ideas with concentrated silence and patience. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): By 1895,

Henry James had already published 94 books. He was renowned in the U.S. and England and had written the works that would later lead to him being considered for a Nobel Prize. Then, at age 52, although he was not physically fit, he decided to learn how to ride a bicycle. He paid for lessons at a bicycle academy and cheerfully tolerated bruises and cuts from his frequent falls as an acceptable price to pay for his new ability. I admire James' determination to keep transforming. Let's make him a role model for you in 2020. May he inspire you to keep adding new aptitudes as you outgrow your previous successes.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

When Sagittarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven created the "Eroica" symphony in the early 1800s, many observers panned it. They said its rhythms were eccentric, that it was too long. One critic said it was "glaring and bizarre," while another condemned its "undesirable originality." This same critic concluded, "Genius proclaims itself not in the unusual and fantastic but in the beautiful and sublime." Today, of course, Eroica has a different reputation.

It's regarded as a breakthrough event in musical history. I'll go on record here, Sagittarius, to say that I suspect you created your own personal version of "Eroica" in 2019. 2020 is the year it will get the full appreciation it deserves, although it may take a while. Be patient.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): I'm

going to speculate that sometime in the next six months, you will experience events that years from now you'll look back on as having been the beginning of a fresh universe for you. What should you call this launch? I suggest you consider elegant terms like "Destiny Rebirth" or "Fate Renewal" rather than a cliché like the "Big Bang." And how should you celebrate it? As if it were the Grand Opening of the rest of your long life.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): In

2020, I believe you will be able to summon the insight and kismet necessary to resolve at least one long-running problem, and probably more. You'll have an enhanced ability to kick bad habits and escape deadends and uncover liberating truths about mysteries that have flustered you. Frustrations and irritations you've grudgingly tolerated for far too much time will finally begin to wane. Congratulations in advance, Aquarius! The hard work you do to score these triumphs won't always be delightful, but it could provide you with a curiously robust and muscular kind of fun.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Let's say

you wanted to dress completely in silk— shirt, pants, vest, scarf, socks, shoes, hat, underwear all made of silk. And let's say your dream was to grow and process and weave the silk from scratch. You'd start with half an ounce of silkworm eggs. They'd hatch into 10,000 silkworms. Eventually, those hardworking insects would generate five pounds of silk—enough to create your entire outfit. So in other words, you'd be able to generate an array of functional beauty from a small but concentrated amount of raw material. By the way, that last sentence is a good description of what I think your general approach should be in 2020. And also by the way, dressing in silk wouldn't be too crazy an idea in the coming months. I hope you'll have fun cultivating your allure, style and flair.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Start dreaming about who you can be in 2020. My long-range audio horoscopes are at realastrology.com.

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news of the weird UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT WJAR reported that an unnamed substitute teacher was fired on Dec. 16 for smoking marijuana in a classroom at North Attleborough High School in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. Peter Haviland, principal at the school, said students reported the incident and the teacher was removed from the school premises. Haviland also said the teacher not only used the drug, but led a discussion in class about marijuana. Campuses in the district are drug-free. Well, they were. UPDATE Last year during the holiday season, former NASA engineer Mark Rober of Santa Clarita, California, created a glitter bomb exploding package in response to having a package stolen from his front porch. This year, Rober has a new and improved version: When it is touched, the BBC reported on Dec. 17, the box explodes in glitter and emits an unpleasant odor along with a soundtrack of police chatter. As a coup de grace, it also takes a video of the thief and uploads it to the cloud. One of the sponsors for Rober's project is "Home Alone" actor Macaulay Culkin. Rober calls it a labor of love: "I have literally spent the last 10 months designing, building and testing a new and improved design for 2019," he said. FAMILY VALUES It may not be the oldest fruitcake still (mostly) uneaten, but it could be the most beloved. The Detroit News reported that the Ford family of Tecumseh, Michigan, has been cherishing Fidelia Ford's fruitcake since 1878â€”over five generations. Julie Ruttinger, great-greatgranddaughter to Fidelia, inherited the confection from her father, Morgan Ford, who kept it in an antique glass compote dish in his china cabinet until his death in 2013. It doesn't much look, or smell, like a fruitcake anymore ("Smells like old people," Morgan once said), but Ruttinger is determined to keep Fidelia's legacy alive. Each year, Fidelia made a cake that was meant to age until the next Christmas season. But in 1878, she died before her cake could be enjoyed. When Morgan was buried, the family tucked a piece of the cake into his jacket pocket. "He took care of it to the day he left the Earth," Ruttinger said. "We knew it meant a lot to him." IRONY Two workers with the Chicago Park District were spreading salt on an icy lakefront bike path on Dec. 11 when their pickup truck hit a slick spot and slipped into Lake Michigan, the Associated Press reported. It was halfway into the water before it got stuck on a breakwall. The workers were able to escape the truck and move to the shore uninjured. Park District spokesperson Michelle Lemons reminded Chicago residents that the path slopes toward the water and lake levels are high. "It might not look like it's dangerous, but it could still be a sheet of glass," she said.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

NO GOOD DEED Virginia Saavedra, 37, ran to a home in Sophia, North Carolina, on Dec. 11, telling the resident she had just escaped being kidnapped by a stranger. When the man let her sit in his truck to warm up while he called 911, Saavedra allegedly stole the truck, according to the Randolph County Sheriff's Office. Officers responding to the 911 call spotted the truck and engaged in a 26-mile high-speed chase before trapping the truck. The Associated Press reported Saavedra then rammed a patrol car before trying to flee on foot. She was eventually charged with more than a dozen crimes, including felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government official. BRIGHT IDEA Around 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 18, an unnamed 17-year-old girl jumped a fence at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California, and climbed into the cockpit of a private airplane parked there. She put the pilot's headset on and was able to start one of the engines of the small plane, but instead of flying away, she steered the plane into a chain-link fence, causing substantial damage to the aircraft, the Fresno Bee reported. Airport officials said she appeared disoriented when officers reached the plane, but no others were endangered in the incident. She was booked into juvenile hall on charges of theft of an aircraft. GOVERNMENT IN ACTION A sharp-eyed Twitter user spotted an unexpected country on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Tariff Tracker list: Wakanda. The fictional country from the "Black Panther" film made the list of free trade agreement partners. USDA spokesperson Mike Illenberg told NBC News on Dec. 18 the agency had used Wakanda to test the tracking system and had forgotten to remove it from the list. "The Wakanda information should have been removed after testing and has now been taken down." OOPS A driver in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, caused an "enormous bang," according to witnesses, on Dec. 14 when he lighted a cigarette in his closed car after spraying air freshener. Nearby buildings shook from the impact, and the car's windshield was blown out, along with windows of nearby businesses, the Manchester Evening News reported. The driver sustained only minor injuries. West Yorkshire Police said the situation could have been worse and implored people to open their windows when using aerosol cans and open flames. {in}

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

@VOLUMEONESALON

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com January 2, 2020

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