Inweekly June 25 2026 Issue

LIES, DECEIT & ABUSE OF POWER

IN THE HIRING OF ESCAMBIA COUNTY'S LIBRARY DIRECTOR

Sundays with Quint

Thoughtful reflections, practical wisdom, and life lessons from Quint Studer. A book to inspire every week of the year.

Five Great Reads One Great Community

Discover inspiring books from authors who have helped shape our community, celebrate our teachers, tell Pensacola’s story, and share unforgettable local experiences.

Right Idea, Right Time

The inside story of the vision, struggle, and determination behind Pensacola’s Maritime Park.

The Extraordinary Gift of Our Teachers

A heartfelt tribute to the educators who change lives every day and shape the future of our children.

Living the Wahoos Life

Go behind the scenes of Pensacola baseball with stories, memories, and the spirit of the Blue Wahoos.

Building a Vibrant Community

A roadmap for creating stronger cities, better workplaces, and thriving communities through leadership and vision.

winners & losers winners losers

WILL CONDON Ascension has named Will Condon chief executive officer of Ascension Sacred Heart Health System, effective July 1. A Pensacola native, Condon most recently served as interim market lead following three years as Pensacola market president. During his tenure as hospital president, Condon led Sacred Heart Pensacola to become Northwest Florida's only Level I Trauma Center and earn Level IV Maternal Levels of Care designation. The Pensacola campus has received a Leapfrog Health Grade "A" for five consecutive years and has ranked among the nation's top 50 cardiovascular providers for nine consecutive years.

SHAKILA DUFF Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Shakila Duff received the 2026 Margaret Flowers Outstanding Military Volunteer Award during the Pensacola Navy League's Military Recognition Day on June 12. Duff, stationed at the Naval Air Technical Training Center, logged more than 150 volunteer hours in the Pensacola area. Her service included operations support for the Health and Hope Clinic, coordination of the Health and Hope Gala, distribution of assistance packages to homeless and elderly residents and participation in the local Egg Fest charity event. Rear Adm. (Ret.) Don Quinn, a Navy League board member, presented the award. Named for longtime Navy civil servant Margaret Flowers, the honor recognizes service members who demonstrate exceptional community commitment.

BUONA FORTUNA LODGE #2835 At its June 11 general membership meeting, Buona Fortuna Lodge #2835 of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America recognized four scholarship recipients. The lodge, marking its 20th anniversary, has awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships over its history. This year's recipients include Isabel Teresa Puno (Buona Fortuna Lodge Scholarship), Talon Burdett (La Famiglia Scholarship), Francesca Messina (Russo Family Scholarship) and Grace Wippler-Shaw, who received the inaugural Dinelli Family Women in STEM Scholarship. Each recipient also received the Dante Medal, recognizing academic excellence, leadership and community service.

PAM

CHILDERS The Escambia County Clerk of Courts came to the June 17 commission meeting as a constitutional officer defending her independence. She left having undermined her own credibility. She insisted she never sought outside legal opinions on the community impact grants, only to have attorney Alex Andrade produce her own email to the state CFO questioning whether the payments were lawful. Her claim that the lawsuit is a personal vendetta designed to "ruin her financially" collapsed when Andrade explained that the strict liability statute she fears applies only if she won the case that the payments were illegal. She built the trap and stepped into it herself. Most telling was her explanation for signing over $1.5 million in grant checks over 12 years before suddenly refusing. She blamed the county attorney and the commissioners. Everyone, apparently, except herself.

FLORIDAWEST

At Escambia County Commission's meeting on June 17, FloridaWest CEO Chris Platé blamed the media for saying that his economic group was in "active negotiations" to build a data center. On May 22, WEAR-TV reported that Platé said he was working with a company that wanted to build a 100,000-square-foot facility somewhere in the middle of the county. Nearly a week passed before Platé tried to clean up the confusion by telling the News Journal, "We're not even close to having active negotiation." In the void of information, grassroots efforts against the data centers gained momentum. FloridaWest has no one to blame but itself for not moving quicker to correct any misinformation and get out its position on data centers. A PNJ article printed six days later doesn't move the needle.

ZACK SMITH The man who led the search committee that chose Manny Diaz Jr. to be University of West Florida's president will also lead the Pensacola State College (PSC) presidential search. As PSC board chair, Smith formally appointed himself and other PSC trustees to conduct the search. Smith, of course, will chair the search committee.

Will Condon / Photo Courtesy of Ascension Sacred Heart Pam Childers / Photo Courtesy of escambiaclerk.com

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

IN YOUR HANDS

This week's cover story lays out the lies, deceit and abuse of power behind the hiring of Escambia County's new library services director. What happens next is up to the Board of County Commissioners, Mayor D.C. Reeves, the Pensacola City Council—and you.

County staff claimed the Library Board of Governance has a merely advisory role in hiring the director and overseeing the West Florida Public Libraries system. That's not true. Despite the county attorney's opinion, I don't believe County Administrator Wes Moreno had the authority to hire whomever he wanted. The board's original documents and meeting recordings show a joint city-county entity built to work free of political interference as it oversees the library's day-to-day operations.

GOAT? At Moreno's request, Mayor D.C. Reeves removed the most experienced board member, Lori NeSmith, who challenged the shady handling of the hiring process. Remarkably, Reeves consented without taking the time to call NeSmith—the co-founder of Oren International, a major Pensacola employer—and ask what was actually happening.

The mayor still has a chance to stand up for public libraries and for the city's rights in overseeing the library system. But first, he owes NeSmith an apology. I can only imagine how differently he would have treated her if she were an out-of-town business owner looking to set up shop in Pensacola. Reeves can be the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) here, or the goat.

The Pensacola City Council has several library advocates, especially Jennifer Brahier and Charles Bare, but the others tend to follow the mayor's lead. If Reeves isn't interested, they may not challenge the county on this.

The county commissioners have done more than label the library board "advisory." County Administrator Moreno told commissioners that the library board was rude and hateful to him and his staff during an Oct. 27 meeting. The meeting audio refutes that.

Public records show Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger, her aide Melanie Luna and other county officials spreading rumors that Bradley Vinson, whom the Board of Governance had unanimously recommended, "bombed" her interview. They alleged Vinson lacked managerial experience. Hofberger and Luna even said that Vinson took off her shoes during the interview. All of it was false.

SHOW UP Moreno says he doesn't read newspapers or blogs. He has told the commissioners not to worry because the controversy will blow over. He has favors to offer and is confident the board will keep him around.

Commissioner Hofberger has no plausible reason to act; she and Luna wanted Bell-Rivera in the library director job. To stop cronyism, three of the five commissioners must vote to change course—but right now I count two votes, at best.

The third vote must come from pressure you apply. Petitions and email campaigns don't move commissioners; records show Hofberger and Luna answered constituents who advocated for Vinson with cut-and-paste replies. What moves them is people showing up, again and again, at commission meetings. Bring your kids and grandkids. Speak respectfully. Demand change.

Let the commissioners know you've scrutinized this hiring process. Ask them to hire an employment lawyer who can independently investigate the Bell-Rivera hiring, and another firm to define the Board of Governance's actual legal authority over the library system.

We know public pressure works. At the June 17 commission meeting, dozens showed up demanding a ban on data centers, waving signs reading "People Demand a Ban" and "No Data Center." The commission has already scheduled a follow-up meeting on it.

You have the power to stop the hollowing out of our library system. Don't let Moreno and his minions make you believe your voice doesn't matter. It does. {in} rick@inweekly.net

$715,000

Top-floor, end-unit, two-story condo 2 bedroom, 3 bath, close to pool

By Tom St. Myer

STEVE BAHAM TAKES HIGH-PROFILE CITY JOB

"We want to see a critical ecosystem to support not just new industry, but existing industry as well," he said.

WORKFORCE TRAINING

That ecosystem starts with workforce training.

One of Baham's proudest accomplishments occurred during his time in Louisiana when he helped secure a major John Deere manufacturing expansion project in Thibodaux.

The project involved competition among facilities across the country for production of a new cotton-picking machine to be exported worldwide.

To help secure the investment, Baham worked with education and workforce partners to create specialized training programs that produced qualified workers ready to enter the workforce immediately.

The effort included recruiting students from technical colleges as well as high school graduates entering the workforce right out of school.

He believes similar workforce strategies can help Pensacola retain young talent.

When Steve Baham looks at Pensacola, he sees a growing city. But he also sees an opportunity to build an ecosystem where businesses thrive, young people find careers and workers can afford to live in the city.

The City of Pensacola hired Baham as its new economic development director, placing him in charge of the city's Economic Development Department and Community Redevelopment Agency. The position comes with the responsibility of developing and implementing long-range strategic plans designed to strengthen the city's economy while supporting redevelopment efforts.

"When you look at Florida, I see Pensacola— it's not the size of Orlando or Tampa or anywhere like that—but I see it as one of those growing cities that's going to be a unique kind of little shining star, especially in the Florida panhandle," Baham said. "It is going to continue to be like a beacon for this area."

The 46-year-old arrives with about 17 years of economic development experience, including two years as economic development director for Citrus County and nearly 15 years with Louisiana Economic Development, where he served in various leadership roles.

"Having someone with the experience of Steve on board as the Birdon project moves forward, the trajectory at the port and many, many other things, it's a great time in both those areas in the city and I'm glad to have somebody with the immense experience Steve has," Mayor D.C. Reeves said.

Baham replaces Erica Grancagnolo, who served as Pensacola's economic development director from February 2023 to January 2026. During her tenure, Grancagnolo oversaw major changes, including the American Magic headquarters project and Project Maeve, the shipbuilding initiative at the Port of Pensacola.

Baham cited the Port of Pensacola and Pen-

sacola International Airport among assets that attracted him to the position.

"You've got the airport bursting at the seams, literally, and then you have the port, which is going to be bursting at the seams," he said. "We've got a lot of focus on redevelopment in our traditional downtown areas and the like. It is a unique opportunity to kind of meld all those things together for the betterment of the city and the betterment of the citizens that live here."

STRENGTHENING EXISTING BUSINESSES

A key component of Baham's approach will be coordinating economic development initiatives that zero in on redevelopment, workforce development and housing efforts.

"This department is focused, obviously, on the city proper," Baham said. "It's really to wrangle the city's needs from an economic standpoint and business standpoint and mold that with those redevelopment efforts, and tie all of those resources—including workforce development, as well as workforce housing and housing redevelopment inside the city—to our industrial growth or commercial growth."

Baham will collaborate on projects with FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, the countywide economic development organization led by CEO Chris Platé.

Baham described the relationship as complementary, with FloridaWest focused on marketing Escambia County to prospective employers, while his economic development office pushes for projects within city limits.

"Those guys are out there. They're marketing the county, they're marketing the city, they are going out there to hunt and bring in the kill," Baham said of FloridaWest. "If it's something that is going to fit inside the city, we step in as well and help bring it over the finish line."

While recruitment of new employers is important, Baham said one of his priorities will be

strengthening support for existing businesses already operating within Pensacola.

"We're actually putting together a game plan and a structure to actually focus on being present and available for our existing industry and our existing businesses," he said.

Those efforts will include meeting regularly with employers to identify challenges and opportunities.

"We want to find out what their issues are, find out what their pain points are," Baham said. "It's just being a good resource for our business community."

MARITIME OPPORTUNITIES

Baham sees significant opportunities tied to the maritime industry and the Port of Pensacola, particularly as the city continues pursuing shipbuilding and marine technology projects.

One project already drawing attention is Birdon, the Australian shipbuilding company planning operations at the Port of Pensacola. Baham believes major manufacturing projects create ripple effects that extend beyond the initial employer.

"A project like that tends to spur spinoff business," he said. "It's in the maritime industry for shipbuilding, but it is akin to a Honda plant, Toyota plant or Ford plant. You don't just get that plant with all of those workers. You get the suppliers and the providers and all that come along with it."

As vessel technology continues evolving, Baham expects opportunities for technology firms specializing in autonomous systems and advanced maritime equipment.

"You get those ancillary businesses, but they're in the tech industry, those new companies that are going to be providing that technology that helps finish out those vessels," he said. "That is an area that we can really tap into."

Beyond recruitment and expansion efforts, Baham believes workforce development and housing availability will determine whether the City successfully competes for future projects.

"It's been expressed to me that we're concerned that our young folks are growing up, and once they get out of high school, they're going elsewhere to make a living," Baham said. "We want to give our youth, or our future, the opportunity to stay here."

AVAILABLE HOUSING

The most pressing challenge tied to economic growth is housing. Baham said communities across the nation are wrestling with workforce housing shortages and affordability concerns.

"You get the company, you get the workforce, but the last part that has become very vital in economic development, especially the last few years, is housing," he said. "It's workforce housing, it's availability of housing, affordable housing."

To address this, Baham wants to explore public-private partnerships involving employers, developers and the city. His goal is to ensure economic growth benefits existing residents rather than pricing them out of the market.

"What we don't want to happen is we bring in 1,000, 2,000 new jobs over a several-year period and those people are coming from outside the city or outside the county," Baham said. "We want these opportunities for our people who live here already."

As he begins his tenure, Baham said he will work closely with the grants office to pursue outside funding opportunities while maintaining a broader focus on long-term economic strategy. Mayor Reeves established both the economic development department and the grants office early in his term.

For Baham, success ultimately means creating opportunities that allow Pensacola residents to build careers, purchase homes and raise families without leaving the community.

"We want them to remain here and then raise their families here," he said. "We're focused on expanding those opportunities for our future." {in}

Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola

PUBLIC PURPOSE FIGHT On June 17, the Escambia County Commission voted 3-1 to join two Pensacola nonprofits in a lawsuit against Clerk of Courts Pam Childers, who refused to issue $7,000 in community impact grants the board had unanimously approved.

The vote sets up a court battle over a fundamental question in county government: who has the authority to determine what constitutes a valid public purpose—the Board of County Commissioners or the clerk's office?

First Tee Gulf Coast and the Warrington Emergency Aid Center filed a writ of mandamus in April seeking to compel Childers to issue the payments. Their attorney, Alex Andrade, also sought a declaratory judgment and raised the possibility of personal liability against Childers under Florida Statute 129.09. Under that statute, a clerk who issues an illegal payment "shall be liable" for that amount.

Andrade told commissioners that because the lawsuit challenges a 1985 county ordinance authorizing community goodwill payments, Florida Statute 86.091 required the county to be named as a party. The only decision before the board, he said, was which side to join.

"If you come in as a plaintiff based on the county's position of these funds and the expenditure of these funds being legal, it would clarify the issues, resolve a lot of the procedural ticky-tacky stuff that could delay the resolution of the question," Andrade said.

Commissioner Mike Kohler framed the vote in simple terms. "We have to decide: do we believe we control public purpose, or do we have one constitutional officer that distorts public purpose? I believe that this board decides public purpose."

From the dais, Childers argued her case and pushed back on several characterizations of her actions. She denied requesting an Attorney General opinion on the payments, saying she had only put state officials on notice that litigation was coming. She insisted her office has an independent obligation to scrutinize individual

center discussion to the agenda after the public forum, where speaker after speaker cited concerns about water consumption, power grid strain, noise and light pollution, environmental contamination and the minimal number of permanent jobs data centers typically provide.

"I'm never going to vote for a data center," May told the room. "On the record."

Christy Rosen, a District 5 resident and cofounder of the local Indivisible chapter If Not Us, opened public comment by challenging the board to answer basic questions about any proposed facility: how much water it would consume daily, how much electricity it would require, what tax incentives were under discussion and how many permanent local jobs would be created. She said none of those questions had been answered, apparently due to a nondisclosure agreement.

Rogers said she would bring a draft ordinance to the July 23 meeting, with a public hearing scheduled for Aug. 6. All five commissioners indicated agreement.

MEDICAID FRAUD

SPIN State Rep. Alex Andrade, who has chaired the Florida House Health Care Budget Subcommittee for two years, says Gov. Ron DeSantis' newly announced Medicaid integrity initiative is more about protecting the governor's legacy than protecting taxpayers.

DeSantis unveiled the initiative June 12, promising enhanced provider screening, advanced fraud detection technology, enrollment moratoriums for high-risk provider categories and a statewide revalidation of all active Medicaid providers.

Andrade told Inweekly the announcement amounts to political cover.

expenditures, not merely accept appropriations at face value.

"Words matter. Details matter. The expenditure that comes through this county for my office to pay matters," she said.

Childers also accused Kohler and Andrade of attempting to ruin her financially through the personal liability count in the lawsuit, which she said seeks $1.5 million from her directly.

Andrade responded by pointing out that his reply to the clerk's motion to dismiss the lawsuit attached an email Childers sent to the state CFO's office before any demand letter or lawsuit was filed. In that email, she wrote that she did not believe property tax dollars should be given to commissioners' nonprofit organizations of choice. Andrade argued the strict liability threat was Childers' own creation, a risk she would only face if the court agreed with her legal theory that the payments were unlawful.

Commissioner Steve Stroberger, the swing vote with Commissioner Steve Barry absent, said he was uncomfortable suing a fellow constitutional officer but wanted a definitive legal answer. He said, "I need to know who decides."

The commission conditioned its participation on an agreement that Childers would not be held personally liable for any checks written to nonprofits if the court ruled in her favor.

Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger cast the lone dissenting vote. During the debate, she mentioned placing the repeal of the 1985 community goodwill ordinance on a future commission agenda but received little support from her fellow commissioners.

DATA CENTER BAN More than 30 residents, carrying "People Demand a Ban" and "No Data Centers" signs, packed the Escambia County Board of Commissioners meeting on June 17, demanding a permanent ban on data centers in the county. By the end of the meeting, commissioners had directed county staff to draft a ban ordinance, with a public hearing targeted for Aug. 6.

Commissioner Lumon May added the data

Misha Moyer Phillips, recently elected without opposition to the Escambia Soil and Water Conservation District, told commissioners that the county's Land Development Code does not define a data center and does not list it as a permitted or conditional use in any zoning district.

Brandy Johnson, who authored a change.org petition that had gathered 5,396 signatures, told the board that seven out of 10 Americans oppose data centers in their communities. She cited reports of groundwater contamination in Georgia and raised concerns about health impacts on residents living near such facilities.

FloridaWest CEO Chris Platé addressed the crowd at Chair Ashlee Hofberger's invitation and stated that FloridaWest, the county's economic development alliance, had never been in active negotiations to build a data center in Escambia County. He said the phrase "active negotiations" had originated with media coverage, not with his organization. He added that no proposal, incentive commitment or pending public action existed before the board, the PensacolaEscambia Promotion & Development Commission or FloridaWest.

Platé stated that FloridaWest does not pursue standalone or hyperscale data centers, and the regional power grid cannot support one. He cited Florida Senate Bill 484, signed this year, which requires large utility users exceeding 50 megawatts to pay for their own infrastructure rather than passing those costs to residents.

Commissioner Mike Kohler said he had independently confirmed with Platé that no negotiations were underway. Commissioner Steve Stroberger said he had been misrepresented in media coverage and stated he did not support data centers.

May used the forum to raise environmental justice concerns, noting that any proposed data center would likely be sited in a low-income or minority neighborhood, citing a history of environmental injustices in the county.

County Attorney Alison Rogers outlined the legal path forward. She recommended framing the measure as a general regulatory ordinance rather than a moratorium, citing Florida Senate Bill 180, which restricts local governments from imposing more restrictive land-use rules. The ordinance would not require review by the planning board.

"I think this is more about trying to provide cover for future legacy reviews than anything else," Andrade said. "Once you pull up the hood on the car that was the DeSantis administration, there's been fraud in SNAP and Medicaid into the billions of dollars for the past several years."

Andrade pointed to the state's handling of behavioral analysis services—care provided to Floridians with autism, mental health conditions and disabilities—as a prime example of executive mismanagement. When Florida moved behavioral analysis into its managed care system in February 2025, the transition was supposed to reduce fraud. Instead, costs climbed from $1.7 billion the prior year to $2.3 billion, a jump Andrade attributes directly to decisions made by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

AHCA directed managed care companies not to review or flag suspicious claims during an initial continuity-of-care period. Andrade says that hands-off posture extended further when AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris was facing a Florida Senate confirmation vote, with managed care plans told to avoid generating complaints to legislators until she was confirmed.

Florida's SNAP program tells a similar story. The state's error rate—the share of benefits paid to ineligible recipients—has risen from roughly 4 to 5 percent under Gov. Rick Scott to approximately 15 percent under DeSantis, making Florida one of the worst states in the country. Under provisions in the Trump administration's reconciliation legislation, states with error rates above 10 percent will bear a greater share of program costs. Andrade warned that Florida could face $1 billion in new general revenue obligations next year to cover existing SNAP benefits.

Andrade also addressed the Hope Florida Foundation, stating that former Chief of Staff James Uthmeier funneled $10 million in Medicaid funds to his own PAC and then to the Republican Party of Florida. The foundation has yet to file a Form 990 disclosing how those funds were used.

Andrade terms out of the Florida House this year.

NEVER ADVISORY County Administrator Wes Moreno and HR Director Nikki Powell have been telling Escambia County commissioners and the

Photo Courtesy of First Tee of Northwest Florida

public that the West Florida Public Library Board of Governance is an advisory body, which contradicts the resolution that created the board and the meeting video in which commissioners voted to adopt it.

Resolution R2013-17, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 22, 2013, established the Board of Governance and defined its duties in terms that go well beyond an advisory role. The video of the BCC meeting revealed that Interim County Administrator George Touart, responding to commissioners' questions, described the WFPL board's authority in unambiguous terms.

"The Board of Governance will run the library system," Touart told commissioners. "The Board of Governance would be totally in charge of the library system."

Touart described the board's place in the county's organizational structure as a department, not a committee. "The Board of Governance will be the department," he said. "The Library Board has the policy-making authority of that department."

On the question of hiring authority over the library director, Touart was clear: "This board will have final say-so about the director/manager of the library system."

Touart also distinguished the Board of Governance from standard appointive boards. "This is

not just like appointing any political board, for lack of a better word," he said. "This is a working board that will have a lot of responsibility."

He closed the discussion by leaving no doubt about the board's standing: "The Governance Board will be the authoritative board."

The current dispute comes amid controversy over Moreno's decision to bypass the Board of Governance's recommendation in selecting a new library director. The board recommended Bradley Vinson for the position. Moreno appointed Christal Bell-Rivera instead.

NEW PALAFOX CELEBRATION

The City of Pensacola asks the public to join city officials for the New Palafox Dedication Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4. The ceremony will take place at the Plaza Ferdinand VII mid-block crossing on Palafox Street, located between East Government Street and East Zarragossa Street.

The $10-million investment in the iconic downtown street began in early January and was completed on schedule on May 24. The project improved the streetscape, adding new stormwater piping, ADA curb ramps, wider sidewalks, improved intersections, mid-block crossings and other pedestrian-oriented improvements.

"Join community leaders, residents and visitors as we celebrate the dedication of the New

Palafox and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States," the announcement stated. "This special occasion recognizes the completion of a transformative project that enhances downtown Pensacola while honoring the history and character of our city."

City on-street parking remains free all day, except for Main Street which is limited to two hours. Palafox Market and other downtown events will be taking place simultaneously and parking availability may be limited.

For more information on the project, visit thenewpalafox.com

VETERANS OUTREACH

The Escambia County Veterans Services Office invites veterans in Escambia County to an outreach event to discuss veteran benefits with an accredited Veterans Service Officer. The event will take place from 9 a.m.2 p.m. on Thursday, July 2 at the Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95-A North.

Assistance is provided on a first-come, firstserved basis at no charge. No appointment is required. Veterans Services Office staff members will be available to help with topics including reviewing VA benefits, filing a VA claim and reevaluating VA disability. Additional vendors include the Escambia County Property Appraiser, Council on Aging of West Florida, Legal Services

of North Florida, Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging, Pensacola Vet Center and United Way of West Florida.

For more information, contact the Veterans Services Office at (850) 595-2409 or vso@myescambia.com. Learn more about the Escambia County Veterans Services Office at myescambia. com/veterans-services.

PRIMARY CALENDAR

The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office is where you can register to vote, change parties and find your voting precinct. You can request a vote-by-mail ballot in person or online and track it after you return it.

Important Dates

Voter Registration and Party Change Deadline: July 20

Vote-by-Mail Request Deadline: Aug. 6

Early Voting: Aug. 8-15

Election Day: Aug. 18

Supervisor of Elections Office

213 S. Palafox St., Second Floor

Phone: (850) 595-3900

TDD: (850) 595-3913

Email: soe@escambiavotes.gov

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday Website: escambiavotes.gov {in}

LIES, DECEIT & ABUSE OF POWER

IN THE HIRING OF ESCAMBIA COUNTY'S LIBRARY DIRECTOR

By Rick Outzen

science master's program but wouldn't complete it until May 2026. The soonest she could legitimately meet the qualifications would be 2036.

Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno decided Christal Bell-Rivera should be the next West Florida Public Libraries (WFPL) director, even though she didn't meet the most basic requirement. Bell-Rivera has never worked as a professional librarian.

In a normally functioning government, that might have ended things. Instead, it was only the beginning. Over the following seven months, Moreno and his staff rewrote job requirements, nearly shut down the library's governance board, orchestrated the removal of a dissenting member and spread rumors attacking the library board's chosen candidate.

When the Board of County Commissioners approved Bell-Rivera's hiring on March 5, four commissioners said they trusted Moreno's judgment. Public records show the commissioners need to revisit the issue before they lose the public's trust.

Inweekly has reviewed hundreds of emails, text messages, board minutes and documents, listened to meeting recordings and conducted multiple interviews. The magnitude of what those records reveal is unlike anything in this paper's 27year history.

TWO PROBLEMS

The hiring controversy has two distinct dimensions. The first is Bell-Rivera's qualifications. The second is what Moreno did to the Library Board of Governance and its recommendation when the board refused to go along.

Bell-Rivera came to WFPL in June 2022 after 14 years with the Florida Division of Motor Services, where she rose to senior highway safety specialist. Library Director Todd Humble brought her on as his aide. In March 2023, Humble promoted her to deputy director, the title she held when Moreno made her interim library services director in August 2025.

When Humble was hired in 2015, the county required a master's degree in Library Science, a minimum of 10 years of professional work in a public library open at least 40 hours per week and a preferred five years of post-degree managerial experience.

Bell-Rivera had nine months of administrative experience and 30 months in a managerial role inside the WFPL system—but none of it as a credentialed librarian. She was enrolled in a library

The county skirted the experience issue by rewriting the job requirements. With a few keystrokes, Human Resources changed the 10-year professional library experience to a minimum of seven years of professional work experience in a public library. The five years of post-degree experience could be in managerial and administrative roles. A "combination of education and/or experience equivalent" would satisfy the requirements. Bell-Rivera's years at Motor Services would count the same as library managerial experience. She no longer needed to have ever worked as a librarian, before or after earning a degree.

Problem one appeared solved. Problem two was harder.

In 2013, County Resolution R2013-17 created the WFPL Board of Governance with a defined role: oversee management of the system, make budget recommendations to the commission and recommend who should be hired as library director. The board would evaluate the director annually and could ask the county administrator to remove one.

Morena needed the board to recommend Bell-Rivera. When it didn't, he and his staff conspired to recast the Board of Governance as merely advisory, paint its members as rogue and uncooperative and, with the help of a commissioner's aide, sideline the one member most likely to hold the line.

PLAN A: RUSH TO HIRE

At the board's Aug. 25 meeting, Bell-Rivera made it clear she hoped the board would simply recommend her for the permanent position. Board member Lori NeSmith, the longest-serving member, had participated in two bylaw reviews. She had studied Resolution R2013-17 and the underlying agreement between the county and city.

NeSmith said, "I believe that there is a process we need to go through to get to that point, Christal."

Chair Blaine Wall and the other members— John Bullock, Liza Campbell and Joyce Hopson— agreed. The board voted to formally ask for county guidance on how to proceed and affirm the board's role in the hiring process.

The next day, Wall emailed Moreno asking

for clarification on the hiring process, the timeline and "the defined responsibilities for the Governance Board in relation to these actions." He pointed out that Resolution R2013-17 and the board's bylaws "explicitly allocate a role to the Board in the hiring and appointment process." He invited Moreno or "a knowledgeable representative" to attend the next board meeting.

Moreno didn't come. He sent Assistant County Administrator Wesley Hall, who reported that HR said the board would be "in an advisory role as we move forward." According to NeSmith, Hall's attitude was, "Don't worry—the county's got it handled." HR wouldn't begin the search until Oct. 1 (when the new fiscal year started) and had yet to finalize the job description.

Two weeks later, Moreno met with Wall privately. According to Wall, the county administrator said he preferred that Bell-Rivera get the job. The library board chair reiterated the board's charge under its bylaws to conduct a search and make a recommendation.

The rush-to-hire strategy had failed. Time for a new plan.

PLAN B: STALL AND ELIMINATE OPPOSITION

After the August meeting, Bell-Rivera cut off board members from direct communication with library staff. Any board request for records or information would be routed as a formal public records request.

"The board interaction with staff went from wonderful to adversarial, in my mind, overnight," NeSmith told Inweekly.

NeSmith wasn't deterred. She tracked down David Bryant, who served on the board during the 2015 director search. His notes and the board minutes showed a process nothing like what was now being pushed on the board. In March 2015, County Administrator Jack Brown and HR Director Tom Turner met with the library board and, within two weeks, agreed on the job description, pay range and a nationwide search. In May and June, the board reviewed 23 applications, conducted two rounds of interviews and recommended Todd Humble, whom Brown then hired. No hidden agendas, no power plays, no melodrama.

By late October 2025, the library board had spent two months encountering delays, incomplete documents and shifting explanations. When

HR Director Nikki Powell showed up to the Oct. 27 meeting with no job description, no salary information and no substantive materials, the board was stunned.

Moreno would later tell commissioners that he and his staff had been treated "rudely" and "hatefully" by the library board. The recording of the Oct. 27 meeting shows no such thing. The tone was frank and at times pointed, but professional throughout.

"I was not pleased that they showed up empty-handed, but there was nothing but respect from our board to the county," NeSmith said. "We wanted them included. But they did not have a vote at the end of the day."

The meeting made it clear to Moreno that the Board of Governance would not submit to his wishes. Maybe he could break its resolve if he got NeSmith, who raised questions about the county's shady hiring process, kicked off the board.

The county administrator called Mayor D.C. Reeves on Oct. 31, complaining about NeSmith. He asked the mayor to take the extraordinary step of removing her from the board. The mayor did the favor for Moreno, even though NeSmith only had four months remaining before her term expired.

Text messages show that Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger's aide, Melanie Luna, instructed the mayor's office on how to execute the removal. Luna was copied on the email notification sent to NeSmith. Mayor Reeves declined to be interviewed for this article.

The removal of NeSmith didn't make the board submit to Moreno's will, but HR made sure Bell-Rivera remained in line for the job, even though she lacked a master's degree.

The Board of Governance pressed on, completed its process and on Feb. 20 unanimously recommended Bradley Vinson, Escambia County School District's coordinator of media services, naming WFPL's Library Public Services Division Manager Chris Hare as its alternative.

Moreno chose Bell-Rivera. Assistant County Administrator Debbie Bowers wrote Wall that while the county valued the board's input, Bell-Rivera was "hands down the top candidate."

PLAN C: THE WHISPER CAMPAIGN

The public reaction was immediate and skeptical. Wall wrote that ignoring the board's unanimous recommendation after a comprehensive

vetting process risked undermining "governance integrity and public trust." Citizens raised concerns about Bell-Rivera's qualifications. Moreno, Bowers and Powell never publicly gave much of a reason for why she had been chosen over Vinson.

When the hiring came before the commission on March 5, Moreno was on medical leave, so Bowers handled the presentation. She told the board, "When I did the research, I talked to Nikki. I looked at Christal's resume. I looked at the fact that it says 'or equivalent experience.'"

Bowers added that Bell-Rivera had "kept operational continuity" while serving as interim director.

Commissioners Steven Barry, Ashlee Hofberger, Lumon May and Steve Stroberger voted to support Moreno's pick. May tried and failed to have the item tabled until Moreno could attend a meeting. Commissioner Mike Kohler dissented, believing the Board of Governance's recommendations should be respected.

Of Moreno, Barry said, "If he's willing to put his goodwill with his board—who employs him— on the line for Ms. Bell-Rivera, I've got 14 years of confidence and trust in Wes' decision-making, and I'm going to support that."

Stroberger agreed: "I'm sure he took everything into account, and I trust his decision."

Hofberger had already come out in support of Bell-Rivera. She said, "Sometimes the heart that somebody has, and the passion they have for the job that they do, along with other relevant experience, combines and makes them the perfect fit for the job."

After the vote, Inweekly heard rumors of a subversive campaign to disparage Vinson inside county government. We requested the text conversations of Hofberger and Luna.

They were damning. Luna texted Hofberger that Moreno told her Vinson "bombed her interview." There is a problem with that claim: Moreno didn't attend the Feb. 20 in-person interviews. Assistant County Administrator Bowers did. Luna also texted Hofberger: "Nikki came by and said Bradley has ZERO managerial experience." Commissioner Hofberger repeated the claim in a text to Pensacola City Councilmember Jennifer Brahier, writing that Vinson had no managerial experience and that "the rumors around our office is that she did terrible in that interview." Bowers emailed Commissioner Stroberger that Vinson had "never managed anything except an elementary school library."

The public records told a different story about Vinson and her interview.

Bradley Vinson brought more than two decades of library work to her application. She volunteered in a high school library in North Carolina, worked at Florida State University's Strozier Library and held positions in circulation, cataloging and children's services at the Escambia County Public Library.

After earning her Master's in Library Science in 2006, she was hired as WFPL's primary cataloger in Technical Services, where she managed other catalogers. She was named head of Children's Services in 2013, supervising staff and coordinating programming across all branches. She later served as a school librarian, then became the Escambia County School District's Coordinator of Media Services in 2023, overseeing school libraries across the district. She also served on the Library Board of Governance from 2019 to 2023.

The managerial experience Powell, Hofberger and Bowers said didn't exist was clearly listed in Vinson's job application.

Inweekly listened to the interviews with Vinson and Bell-Rivera. Vinson answered all 14 questions in detail—addressing staff retention, budgeting, emerging risks, conflict resolution and book challenges. She did not bomb her interview. And Bell-Rivera's interview did not support the "hands down" assessment Bowers put in writing.

THE POLICY THEY SAID NEVER EXISTED

Every applicant in this hiring process, including Vinson, had to agree to a condition on the job application: "I understand that I am not to list a sitting Escambia County Commissioner as a reference and will not contact any Commissioner about this job posting."

That language traces back to 2011, when Commissioner Wilson Robertson was accused of tampering with the hiring process for the Escambia County Equestrian Center. On Oct. 20, 2011, commissioners voted to add the prohibition to all job postings. The policy also established a "recruitment selection blackout period" during which no commissioner or aide could contact HR or the selection committee about the recruitment, hiring process or salary until an offer had been accepted.

The public records show Luna sat in on BellRivera's interview and was in ongoing contact with HR Director Powell. Records also show Bell-Rivera met with Luna and Hofberger two days after her first interview for the position she was seeking.

Under the 2011 policy, Bell-Rivera should have been disqualified.

Moreno told the commissioners the policy had never been enacted. Deputy County Attorney Kristin Hual backed him: "There was a board action, a directive, but it was never implemented. It was never incorporated into any of the policy manuals."

Moreno said he would fix the oversight.

Inweekly obtained an email from Randy Oliver, who served as county administrator in 2011. On Oct. 24 of that year, Oliver informed the commissioners that the HR procedures, including the blackout period, were "effective immediately."

The policy was real. It was implemented. And no one on the dais questioned Moreno's claim that it wasn't.

The county administrator has yet to place the policy on the commissioners' agenda.

WHAT'S NEXT

The county wants the public to move on. Christal Bell-Rivera and HR Director Nikki Powell both declined interview requests. County Public Information Officer Kaycee Lagarde told Inweekly: "Our focus is on moving forward and ensuring the continued success of our library system."

Meanwhile, the Library Board of Governance is down to three members. Moreno has yet to present candidates to fill the county's two vacancies. He told the media that he wants to screen the applicants, even though the commissioners, not Moreno, appoint board members.

The board created to protect the public's interest in its library system has been hollowed out. The hiring policy meant to prevent political interference and cronyism was declared nonexistent. The candidate the board unanimously chose was smeared by false claims from county officials.

Together, this constitutes an abuse of power—deployed against a governance board, a qualified candidate and ultimately, the public the library serves. {in}

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PRIDE EVENTS

TAME COFFEE AND PERFECT DAY BOOKS

Visit The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Saturday, June 27 to shop Perfect Day Books and grab a drink from TAME Coffee. For more information, visit instagram.com/tame.espresso and instagram.com/perfectdaybookstore.

HAIRCUT FUNDRAISER FOR SUNDAY'S

CHILD

You can book a free gender-affirming haircut with Salon San Carlos now through June 27 with donations benefiting Sunday's Child. The salon is located at 528 W. Garden St., No. 1-3. Visit salonsancarlos.com for details.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

FAVORHOUSE ROUND-UP A country-western themed fundraiser supporting Favor House 7-10 p.m. Friday, June 26 at the Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. Tickets are $75 per person. Details and tickets are available at favorhouse.org/roundup.

SAVE OUR SHELTERS SUMMER SALE Save

Our Shelters (SOS) program is having its dog days of summer sale now through July 11. Purchase family-fun baskets, patriotic 250-year celebration baskets and much more. All proceeds go for spaying/neutering of community dogs. Sale is located at the Happy Dog Resort, 1401 W. Cervantes St.

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal

Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Beef 'O' Brady's, 1 New Market St., Cantonment (on Nine Mile Road near Pine Forest Road). The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOP -

TION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens 10 a.m. and also has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage,

potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women, as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.

ARTS & CULTURE

SPEED FRIENDING AT ODD COLONY Meet new people at this Odd Colony event 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 25. Located at 260 N. Palafox St. Details available at facebook.com/oddcolony.

JOE HOBBS PUBLIC FORUM Enjoy a live art demonstration and discussion from Joe Hobbs 6 p.m. Thursday, June 25 at 260 S. Tarragona St. Admission is free. Get tickets at bit.ly/4tP6brv.

SWEET TEA MURDERS LIVE: AN EVENING OF PENSACOLA CRIME STORIES Crime

historian Michael Earl Simmons shares the story of Judias "Judy" Buenoano Thursday, June 25 at Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 and available at michaelearlsimmons.com.

GALLERY 1060: MEMBERS SHOW Join First City Art for a reception of the annual Members Show 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 26 at 1060 N. Guillemard St. The exhibit will be on view through July 10. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

FILM SCREENING WITH 309 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE TALAMIEKA BRICE Screening of Talamieka Brice's latest documentary 6 p.m. Friday, June 26 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Details at facebook.com/309punkproject.

VISIT PENSACOLA STORYTELLING SERIES: HANDS-ON WATERSHEDS AND DISCOVER CARPENTER CREEK Learn the important role of Carpenter Creek 10-11 a.m. Friday, June 26 at Visit Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St.

PUNK ROCK PROM Doors open at 6 p.m. Located at Betty's, 506 W. Belmont. Tickets are $23 and available on eventbrite.com.

SUMMER PAINT AND SIP AT GARY'S BREWERY Painting class with The Traveling Painter is 2-4 p.m. Sunday, June 28 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Tickets available at thetravelingpainter.org.

METAPHYSICAL FESTIVAL Experience a day of insight and community 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, June 28 at Golden Hour Yoga and Tea House, 2950 N. 12th Ave. Details available on Facebook.

PINTS, PAINTS & PATRIOTISM Make your own red, white and blue sign 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2 at Coastal County Brewing Co., 3041 E. Olive Road. Cost is $30 per person. Details available at coastalcountybrewing.com/shop/ols/ products/pints-paints--patriotism.

10 GOOD MEN: THE FINAL STORY OF THE B-17

Enjoy a screening of the documentary featuring first-hand accounts from 10 of the last remaining World War II veterans who flew the B-17. Showtime is 7 p.m. Friday, July 3 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details at pensacolasaenger.com.

ROAD TO REVOLUTION EXHIBIT AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF HISTORY "Road to Revolution: Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the American War for Independence" highlights how Pensacola helped shape the outcome of the American Revolution. Developed in partnership with America250, the exhibit explores how a Gulf Coast port played a pivotal role in a global conflict. The exhibit is on display through May 2027. The museum is located at 330 S. Jefferson St. For more information about the UWF Historic Trust, visit historicpensacola.org.

THE POETICS OF PAINTING: A CELEBRATION OF THE LINEAGE AND LEGACY OF JOHN MARKOWITZ Pensacola Museum of Art exhibit features more than 50 works of art created by Markowitz's mentors and students on view through Aug. 4. The Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

THE ART OF ANIMATION Pensacola Museum of Art exhibit featuring illustrations from the Gerald and Vicki Adcox collection. On view through September 6. Visit the museum at 407 S. Jefferson St. Find more details and museum hours at pensacolamuseum.org.

WEST GARDEN DISTRICT ARTISAN

MARKET Shop local vendors and artisans 1-6 p.m. Fridays starting May 1 at Del Mar Plaza, 1617 W. Garden St. For more information, contact info@ub-pensacola.com.

FIRST FRIDAY AT BLUE MORNING

GALLERY Visit Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox St., 5:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month for a reception with wine, live music and occasional artist demonstrations. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for details.

MOVIE NIGHTS AT MUGS & JUGS Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, hosts monthly movie nights. Watch their website for dates and movie announcements at mugsjugsbar.com. All movies are screened 9 p.m. on select Saturdays.

CLUB 27 COMEDY SHOW Visit Lili Marlene's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. on the first and third Sundays of the month for a night of comedy. Doors open at 6 p.m. show starts at 7 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION

LECTURES Learn Pensacola and Northwest Florida history through interesting, informal lectures every other Tuesday at The Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. The lecture starts at noon and lasts one hour. Lecture cost is $5 for non-members and is free to members. Lunches are $12. For reservations, call (850) 380-7759.

PENSACOLA CINEMA ART FILM SCREENINGS Pensacola Cinema Art will screen films select weekends during the summer season at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $10, and payment is cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for their complete schedule.

PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.

BTB COMEDY Watch live stand-up comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers,

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artists and crafters on North and South Palafox streets at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/ downtownpensacola.

SUNDAY MARKET ON PALAFOX Rain-orshine market is Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Located in downtown Pensacola, between Chase and Gregory Streets in the MLK Plaza. Market features handmade crafts, art, baked goods, international cuisine and fresh produce. Visit smopalafox.com for details.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS

OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pensacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with real ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. After your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

LIVE

MUSIC

BANDS ON THE BEACH The weekly concert series takes place 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday through Oct. 27 at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Free to attend. Upcoming dates: Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs on June 30 and Al Joslin Elvis Tribute on July 7. For more information, call the SRIA at (850) 932-2257 or go to visitpensacolabeach.com for the latest updates.

LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ

Enjoy live music Thursdays through Sundays at Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St. Upcoming dates: Cat Daddy Blues Band 6-10 p.m. Thursday, June 25; The Glenn Parker Band 6-10 p.m. Saturdays; Curt Bol Quintet 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays; and John Wheeler 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays.

PENTAGRAM Show is 6 p.m. Thursday, June 25 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets at thehandlebar850.com.

BOP TO THE TOP Celebrating 20 years of Hannah Montana and High School Musical 9 p.m. Friday, June 26 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets and details available at vinylmusichall.com.

VOTERS DRIVE ACOUSTIC SHOW WITH THE UNDERGROWTH Chill acoustic show 5-9 p.m. Friday, June 26, doubling as a voter registration drive. Anyone who can prove that they're eligible to vote in Escambia County, or anyone who registers onsite to vote, will gain free entry. Entry cost otherwise is $10. DM @the.undergrowth on Instagram for location or keep an eye out for the official flyer.

DAY26 Show at Vinyl Music Hall, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 27 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets and details available at vinylmusichall.com.

WHITE TIE ROCK ENSEMBLE Show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Details and tickets available at pensacolabaycenter.com.

EMO EDM NIGHT Play Pensacola hosts emo night 9 p.m. Saturday, June 27. Enjoy emo music, vintage arcade games, drinks and more. Located at 16 S. Palafox St.

PENSACOLA SONGWRITER ROUND SERIES WITH KATIE DINEEN, NIKKI FORGIONE, ERIC MELVIN AND GRACE MICHELLE Show is 3 p.m. Sunday, June 28 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets at thehandlebar850.com.

THE PRINCESS CONCERT Music from various films and Taylor Swift hits. Performance is 3:30 p.m. Monday, June 29 at Sanger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at pensacolasaenger.com.

THE IRON ROSE, THE GLORIOUS FLAWS, PAUPER'S GRAVE Show is 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.

BOBBY RUSH AND ALEX HARRIS Show is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at vinylmusichall.com.

OPEN MIC AT ALGA BEER CO. Country

Club is hosted by Brett Patterson of Snake and the Rabbit every Monday night. Sign-ups start at 6 p.m. and music starts at 6:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Visit facebook.com/algabeerco for more details.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER

The Blues Society of Northwest Florida brings blues to Florida 7 p.m. Mondays at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Food and drink specials start at 8 p.m. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLO -

NY Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

LIVE MUSIC NIGHTLY AT THE DISTRICT

Enjoy music and fine dining at The District: Seville Steak & Seafood, 123 E. Government St., every Tuesday through Thursday starting at 6 p.m. Their regular weekly schedule is Tuesday Night Jazz

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with Love Brynnevere, Wednesdays with Platinum Bones and Thursdays Dan Lovelock on the piano. They also have live music on Fridays and Saturdays during happy hour starting at 4 p.m. Visit facebook.com/districtsteaks for updates.

MUSIC RX: JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR

ORDERED Jazz Pensacola and Escambia County Medical Society present free concerts on the first Wednesday of the month in the cafeteria of Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, 5151 N. Ninth Ave. from 1:30-3:30 p.m. For more information, visit jazzpensacola.com.

ROSIE O'GRADY'S DUELING PIANO SHOW

Watch the famous dueling piano show 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Rosie O' Grady's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Doors open at 7 p.m.

NOCHE TROPICAL: LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER

Presented by Latin Flavor Entertainment every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY

Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

VIBE IRIE REGGAE: LIVE IN THE COURTYARD Enjoy Vibe Irie Reggae band 4-10 p.m.

Sundays at the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

LIVE MUSIC AT CALVERT'S Listen to live music 5-8 p.m. Sundays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. Visit facebook.com/calvertsintheheights for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

DINNER WITH STRINGS ATTACHED Enjoy a special menu from Chefs Miller and Taylor and live music from Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Thursday, June 25 with seatings at 5:30 and 7 p.m. The regular menu will also be available. Make your reservations by calling (850) 469-9898 or visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.

PENSACOLA BEACH (PARODY) MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE Going

Noir Mysteries and Seville Quarter present this Pensacola Beach-themed murder mystery dinner 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27 at Heritage Hall, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $69 plus fees. Details and tickets available on eventbrite.com.

TIKI TAKEOVER LUAU Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St., hosts Tiki Takeover Luau 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, June 27 with a specialty cocktail menu, pig roast, vendors, fire dancers and limbo contest. Details available at facebook.com/ gardengrain.

4TH OF JULY CHARCUTERIE BOARDS

Cooking class is 3-5 p.m. Friday, July 3 at Pensaco -

la Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Tickets and details are available at pensacolacooks.com.

DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE QUARTER Drink specials and laid-back vibes are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. every weekday throughout the entire Seville Quarter complex with $2 off all liquor drinks and $1 off all beer and wine. Must be 21 or older. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

MARTINI MONDAYS AT DOROTHY'S Martini menu with specialty prices at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.

MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from at Wisteria, 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

BAR BINGO AT SEVILLE QUARTER Bar

Bingo is 8 p.m. Mondays at Apple Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Bingo is free to play with prizes, giveaways and bar tabs up for grabs for winners. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S

Gamers unite 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of bingo 6-8 p.m.

Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

MONDAY NIGHT SPAGHETTI SESSIONS

Visit V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox St., 5-9 p.m. Mondays for live music and spaghetti and meatballs from the Monday night menu.

MARTINI NIGHT AT THE KENNEDY Every Tuesday, The Kennedy, 1 S. Palafox St., hosts Martini Night, featuring all martinis from the menu for $10 from open to close (4-11 p.m.).

TRIVIA AT DOROTHY'S Play trivia 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. It's free to play, and prizes are up for grabs. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.

MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker at 6:30 p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tacos are on special Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine.

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Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.

TUESDAY TRIVIA AT PERFECT PLAIN Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for trivia nights 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at 50 E. Garden St. Visit perfectplain.com/upcoming-events for details.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT AT DOROTHY'S Reverse happy hour from 9 p.m.-midnight with other specials Wednesdays at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.

LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER Get on your feet with a social Latin dance—no partner required—and Latin music 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials and music from DJ DavidC continue after the dancing. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

TRIVIA WITH JAY AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

COLLEGE NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Specials with your college ID and music from live DJs. 8 p.m.midnight. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

KARAOKE THURSDAY AT SIR RICHARD'S Karaoke is 9 p.m. Thursdays at Sir Richard's Public

House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details. at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

KARAOKE AT DOROTHY'S Karaoke begins 8 p.m. Thursdays at Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.

COLLEGE NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER

College night is 8 p.m. Thursdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. Free beer pong tournament begins at 10 p.m. Drink specials include $2 bar drinks, $3.50 Fireball shots for ages 21 and older. Cover is $5 for ages 21 and older and $10 for ages 18-20. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

TAVERN TRIVIA Trivia is 9 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

WEEKLY SINGO AT PERFECT PLAIN BREW-

ING CO. Music Bingo Thursdays is 7-9 p.m. at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details are at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

TRIVIA UNDER THE TREES Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at 208 Newman Ave. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

THEMED DANCE PARTIES Visit Dorothy's, 309 S. Reus St. Fridays for themed dance parties with DJ Brody P 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Visit dorothyspensacola.com for details.

FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE QUAR -

TER Visit Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St., on Fridays for cold drinks, hot food and great vibes in the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter. Happy hour begins 11 a.m. Fridays with drink and food specials.

SEVILLE QUARTER'S FLIP MY QUARTER

Seville Quarter is flipping the script—and a few quarters—with its brand-new happy hour promotion, Flip My Quarter, 6-8 p.m. Fridays throughout the Seville Quarter entertainment complex. When you order a domestic draft beer, well liquor cocktail or house wine, tell the bartender to "flip my quarter." When they flip it, call it in the air. If you call it right, your drink is free.

FISH FRY FRIDAYS Fish and chips featured 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

JAMESON SPECIAL Enjoy $5 Jameson Irish Whiskey all night Saturdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER From 8 p.m.-midnight Saturdays, members enjoy $3.50 Crown & Drown cocktails at Phineas Phogg's inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Enjoy a $10 bottle of champagne with food purchase. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

LIVE DJ AT O'RILEY'S Dance to live DJ 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

B.A.R.E. NIGHT (BAR AND RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE NIGHT) Sunday nights at Seville Quarter belong to hospitality industry. Head to End O' the Alley at Seville Quarter 7 p.m. Sundays for B.A.R.E. Night. Not a member yet? Stop by and sign up for your B.A.R.E. Card, and start enjoying the benefits immediately.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool all day and play bar bingo 8 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

free will astrology

WEEK OF JUNE 25

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): The interest ing struggles you'll wage in the coming weeks will require your vulnerability: showing up ex actly as you are when you might rather fight or escape. Your warrior nature probably prefers a clear enemy or a definable problem you can confront, but the truer conquest will come from laying down your weaponry. I suggest you meet aggression with curiosity and engage chaos with receptive stillness. At least for now, your great est strength will be to remain undominated by your own reactive impulses. Think of it as an ad vanced martial art.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): In accor dance with astrological omens, I invite you to be inspired by this wisdom from artist Pablo Picas so: "I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it." He's propos ing that we treat a lack of expertise not as an em barrassment, but as a doorway. Instead of wait ing until we feel ready, trained and confident, he suggests we head into territory where we fum ble, guess and feel awkward. Our discomfort may lead to gratifying growth. So I dare you to ask yourself whether there's a capacity or skill you'd love to add to your repertoire but are too shy or timid to try. Then take small, imperfect steps to ward it, trusting that each move will teach you how to do what once felt impossible.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Humming birds keep track of every flower they visit and know how long it will take each one to replen ish its nectar. They maintain mental maps of many feeding sites and visit them on precise schedules. To ensure their survival, they can't waste energy on flowers that aren't ready yet. Your mind could work like this if you want it to, Gemini. Which people, places and projects need time to refill before you visit them again? Who have you been approaching too frequent ly, seeking their nectar before it has had time to regenerate? In the coming weeks, practice strategic patience with your resources. In your secret conversations with yourself, call your self "Hummingbird."

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Now is an aus picious time to declare a sweeping amnesty and

By Rob Brezsny

observe a personal season of pardon. To the best of your ability, release your clenched feelings about people who have caused you pain. Banish blame! Purge any lingering resentment and re gret that has curdled into self‑reproach. Celebrate atonement and absolution! Most vital of all, ex onerate yourself. Shed the guilt you've carried for missteps and missed chances. And please offer yourself a sweet gift: a ritual of renewal.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): If you happen to be swallowed whole by a dragon or whale some time soon, don't freak out. It's far preferable to being chomped into bits first, which absolute ly won't happen. You may indeed spend a brief spell inside the creature's dark belly, but I con fidently predict you will ultimately be deposited on the outside in one intact piece, after which you will only need to find your meandering way back home. The whole episode may be con founding or humbling, but I bet it will also scrub you free of a load of old karma.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Bees perform what scientists call a "waggle dance" to commu nicate the location of flowers to their hive mates. But the directions are sometimes imprecise, and the apparent sloppiness actually helps the hive. It forces other bees to explore more broadly, dis covering new food sources that the original bee missed. Perfect information would make them too efficient to be adaptable. Your precision is one of your gifts, Virgo, but right now I think you need strategic vagueness and fuzzy logic. Leave some directions unclear. Mistakes and misun derstandings might lead to discoveries that your perfect plans would have eliminated.

by chronos consciousness. We measure our lives by calendar dates and external schedules. But in the coming weeks, Libra, I recommend you stay on high alert for kairos rich pivots. For now, sus pend inquiries like "Am I on schedule?" and ask, "Are the circumstances ripe?"

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Ravens are strongly motivated to engage in elaborate play: aerial acrobatics, complex games, sliding down snowbanks and sharing food with non relatives. These behaviors lack an immediate payoff, yet support learning, motor skill development and social relationships. They seem to be both emo tionally rewarding and indirectly advantageous for survival and success over the long term. Let's ap ply this to you, Scorpio. Let's conclude that de light isn't wastefully frivolous and that pleasure doesn't need to justify itself through productiv ity. In the coming weeks, you may face pressure to explain or defend your joy, as if to prove it's worth it in some utilitarian way. Refuse. Like the ravens, engage in purposeless beauty and fun simply be cause it feels so good.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Glaci ologists studying ice cores can read Earth's cli mate history going back 800,000 years. Each lay er contains trapped air bubbles. These are time capsules that preserve the atmospheric compo sition of each moment. The ice remembers ev erything. You accumulate similar records, Sagit tarius. Each of your experiences leaves its trace. And in the coming weeks, you will have extra access to these archived layers of your own his tory. Memories and patterns you thought were lost will surface with intriguing clarity. I hope you study these revelations to glean insight about your long term patterns and cycles. It's time to see the Big Picture.

the coming weeks. People in your life need them even more than usual.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Horticultur ists practice "deadheading." They remove spent flowers from plants to encourage new vitality. Faded flowers drain energy that could go toward fresh growth. Plants that have been deadheaded produce more abundant blooms than those left to manage their own decay. I recommend a meta phorical version of this practice to you, Aquarius. You'll be wise to deadhead your emotional gar den. Certain attachments, once vibrant and nour ishing, have expired. They're not evil or wrong; they're simply finished. It's best not to keep di recting precious energy toward maintaining their faded forms. With gratitude for the old beauty, clear the way for new beauty.

Faded flowers drain energy that could go toward fresh growth.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): For maximum safety, be as uninteresting as possible. Shun risks that might shake up your beliefs and avoid adven tures that could expose you to people who aren't similar to you. If you really want to be certain about preserving your security and stability, as I'm recommending, the surest method is to retreat to your power spot and do nothing at all. WAIT! STOP! Dear Pisces, everything I just said was pure misdirection! I was joking! In fact, the opposite is true. The true way to nurture genuine safety and security is to pursue what sparks your curiosity and lights up your zeal. And the coming days are likely to provide you with plenty of chances to do exactly that.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In ancient Greek thought, kairos referred to the opportune mo ment. It meant the right timing, when circum stances aligned for action to be most effective. The term chronos, on the other hand, was about sequential time, which blindly marched forward without any regard for special moments or auspi ciousness. Most of us are more or less hypnotized

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Many people forget, but you know: Structure is the foundation for freedom, not a suppression of it. While others fantasize about escaping re sponsibility, you know that mastery is key to ev ery emancipation. When properly practiced, your flair for discipline adds vigor as well as rig or. More than any other sign of the zodiac, you are adept at using limits to give unlimited pos sibilities their specific shape. I trust you will ex press all these Capricornian powers to the max in

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Imagine what life would be like if you half-dissolved a big fear. tinyurl.com/55zz55xx {in}

freewillastrology.com newsletter.freewillastrology.com freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com BrezsnyAstrology@gmail.com © 2026 Rob Brezsny

news of the weird

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK A recently released video from the Pasadena Police Department shows one officer shooting another during what Police Chief Gene Harris categorized as "unsafe and out-of-policy horseplay." On June 15, the Los Angeles Times reported that during the incident, which occurred on Sept. 7, 2025, a police cruiser entered a department parking garage, where two uniformed officers were standing near a police SUV. In a move described as "inappropriate," one of the standing officers drew his handgun and pointed it at the cruiser before putting it away and smiling with his fellow officer. In response, the driver drew his own weapon, which discharged and hit the first officer in the shoulder. That officer has since recovered from his injuries, and the one who discharged his weapon is no longer with the department. The incident sparked an internal investigation, and the video was kept under wraps to protect the integrity of the investigation. It was released only after new evidence came to light that led to additional officers being put on leave. "This type of unprofessional behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated," Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo said. "The police chief assures me the incident has been thoroughly investigated and appropriate discipline taken, and I support the chief's decisions." [LA Times, 6/15/26]

ARTSY FARTSY A pop-up museum in Paris is taking an unusual approach, The Seattle Times reported on June 16. Rather than offering visitors visually pleasing paintings or sculptures, the Pont Neuf Cavern aims to stimulate guests' sense of smell. French street artist JR—the French Banksy— is behind the new installation on the Pont Neuf Bridge, Paris' oldest bridge, completed in 1607. As visitors enter the artificial cavern, they're met with the smell of petrichor, carefully crafted by olfactory expert Sarah Bouasse. "Usually I cross here without looking up once," said 67-year-old retiree Michel Dupre. "Today I felt the stones under my feet. And smelled them too. It makes you walk like a child again." The smells progress as visitors make their way through the tunnel, and a soundscape by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk and digital art by JR round out the experience. The exhibition will close June 28. Until then, admission is free, and visitors can enter any time of day or night. [Seattle Times, 6/16/26]

•One Scottish woman's home has become a local attraction after she decorated it to look like Barbie's Dreamhouse, the Mirror reported on June 9. Nicole Watt, 27, of Carluke, Scotland, says she was inspired by the Barbie fans in her life: her three young daughters. Watt says she spent six months and 5,000 pounds on the transformation, which included a Barbie-themed mannequin, palm tree, dressing table, surfboard, pink disco ball, flamingos and beach toys. She had some help, though: "The girls' papa and gran made the house, the surfboards, pantries, lampposts and palm trees—everything Barbie requires," Watt said. The display was constructed as part of a local community celebration day, and she plans to take it down as soon as the scaffolding needed for the dismantling arrives, though her children would prefer otherwise. "They don't want it to go down," Watt said. "They

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

think they can invite their friends over and stay there." Locals have been largely supportive of the display, with some even driving by to take photos, and the home has gone viral on social media. "This has been a lovely effort for her girls and the neighborhood," one commenter said. "Surely she doesn't have to take it down yet. It's so bright and cheerful."

[The Mirror, 6/9/26]

I JUST PLAY ONE ON TV Derek Schaufus, 30, of Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested on June 8 for obstruction by a disguised person and practicing law without a license, WKMG News 6 reported on June 11. Back in April, officers in Brevard County pulled over a woman during a traffic stop and discovered a controlled substance in her car. The woman called a friend of a friend, who claimed he was a lawyer. Enter Schaufus, who appeared on the scene in a suit and tie, claiming to be certified to practice law in both Georgia and Florida, and attempting to negotiate a deal for his "client." He could not, however, produce his credentials when officers pressed him. Further investigation revealed that Schaufus was, in fact, not a lawyer, and he was placed under arrest. [WKMG News 6, 6/11/26]

BANANA CHIP BANDIT Annette Nichols, 59, of Vero Beach, Florida, was arrested following a crime spree that lasted weeks, The Smoking Gun reported on June 9. Her charge? Stealing $300 worth of banana chips from two different Publix supermarkets. "It should be important to note that due to this ongoing theft of banana chips, [the Publix deli manager] has limited the amount of banana chip stock he puts on the shelf," the arrest affidavit said. Nichols allegedly stole 13 bags of chips altogether by simply not scanning them when she used the supermarkets' self-checkout stations to pay for her other groceries. Nichols was convicted in 2024 for retail theft from a nearby Walmart. After her most recent arrest, she was released from jail after paying the $150 bond on the misdemeanor charge.

[The Smoking Gun, 6/9/26]

KAYAKING UNDER THE INFLUENCE A 63-yearold man from Canada's Northwest Territories has been charged with impaired operation of a vessel and refusal to provide a breath sample after being caught trying to kayak while drunk. In what the RCMP call a "bizarre incident," the man allegedly stole a kayak and used a snow shovel to paddle around Lake Marion, the CBC reported on June 12. The kayak's owner alerted police about the missing vessel, and when police arrived, they found the man in the water, evidently too intoxicated to make it to shore himself. They rescued him from the water, then promptly arrested him. "On the water, the risks are higher; conditions can change quickly, there's limited equipment, and response times are often longer, which makes these incidents especially dangerous for both those involved and for emergency responders," RCMP Cpl. Kevin Kim said. [CBC News, 6/12/26] {in}