Independent News | June 30, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 26
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winners & losers
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Andrew Gillum / Photo by David Herring / shutterstock.com
winners
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KEVIN KOVACS Dr. Kovacs is the new head of school for the Dixon School of Arts and Sciences. Having begun his career as a classroom teacher in Boston, he has since served as an elementary and middle school principal and university professor in Palm Beach County. He also has served as Director of Schools for the nonprofit Center for Creative Education, where he worked to transform teaching and learning through a stronger focus on creativity and the arts. Dr. Kovacs values arts integration in the classroom, prioritizing students' differences and ability levels.
ANDREW GILLUM Last week, the U.S. Attor-
ADRIAN STILLS The general manager of Osceola Golf Course has been selected as the City of Pensacola's Parks and Recreation Director, responsible for overseeing the city's 94 parks, community resource centers, athletic facilities and community activities facilitated by the Parks and Recreation Department. Stills has served as the Interim Parks and Recreation Director since March, and he officially began his new role on Friday, June 17. He previously served as the first executive director and founder of First Tee of the Gulf Coast, a nonprofit youth development organization. His experience includes working as a golf instructor in Orlando and as a PGA tour member and player. He has earned a Florida State Golf Association Advisory Board certification. WES MORENO On WCOA 1370AM, Escambia
County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh praised the interim county administrator for realizing nearly a $1 million profit while purchasing 18 new dump trucks.
PEN AIR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION BauerFi-
nancial Inc. has announced that Pen Air has once again earned its highest 5-Star Superior rating. Having achieved Bauer's highest rating for the latest 129 consecutive quarters, the credit union has also been given the "Best of Bauer" status, a designation reserved only for those credit unions that have earned a 5-Star rating for 25 straight years or longer. A 5-Star rating by Bauer indicates that Pen Air is one of the nation's strongest credit unions, excelling in capital, loan quality, profitability and other financial areas.
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ney's Office for the Northern District of Florida announced that the former Democrat mayor of Tallahassee, who narrowly lost the 2018 governor's race to Ron DeSantis, was indicted on charges of wire fraud and making false statements to the FBI. Also indicted was Sharon Lettman-Hicks, a Gillum associate running this year for a state House seat. Gillum and Lettman-Hicks are accused of participating in a scheme to solicit money "from various entities and individuals through false and fraudulent promises and representations that the funds would be used for a legitimate purpose." In his statement to the media, Gillum said, "Every campaign I've run has been done with integrity. Make no mistake that this case is not legal; it is political." An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has violated the federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
TOWN OF CENTURY The little municipal-
ity at the north end of Escambia County has become the town that no one wants to lead. No one qualified to run for two Century town council seats as of the June 17 deadline. Leonard White and James Smith Jr. chose not to run for re-election. Incumbent Sandra McMurray Jackson was the only candidate to qualify for her seat and, thus, was automatically elected.
ERIC GREITENS The ex-Missouri governor last week released a Senate campaign ad that depicted him and a team of armed soldiers hunting down and shooting RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). The St. Louis Dispatch reported the conservative PAC Eagle Forum called the video "deeply disturbing." The Missouri State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police also criticized the ad. Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden alerted law enforcement. Greitens has claimed the ad was a humorous metaphor.
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outtakes
By Rick Outzen
OUR PIVOTAL YEAR On July 1, Inweekly celebrates its 23rd anniversary—a remarkable accomplishment in a media world in which daily newspapers are no longer daily and editorial boards have discontinued taking stands on local issues in every print edition. In our early days, no one would have bet that Inweekly would survive a hurricane, recession, environmental disaster, ice storm, flood, pandemic and other threats. We've had the help of great, dedicated editors, writers, graphic artists, photographers, advertisers and readers over the past 23 years. They have pushed us to dig harder, stretch outside our comfort zones and get better. Our investigative reporting has won awards and garnered statewide, national and international attention, including a profile in The New York Times and several documentaries. In our anniversary issues, I usually recount our origins and recap some of the highlights, but I would like to do something different and talk about a pivotal year for our newspaper. In 2004, we found our editorial voice and set the stage for future successes. In February 2004, in the last issue under The Independent Florida Sun, our staff pre-filed for all 10 Pensacola City Council races. A year earlier, city voters had rejected a plan to put a city auditorium and festival park on Pensacola Bay across from city hall. Who was willing to take on the city leaders? We wrote, "If no one else will answer the call, we stand willing and ready to give it our best shot." The city was saved by the staff sobering up. Our April Fools issue's front page boldly announced that Sheriff Ron McNesby had bought a naval sub—a satirical article that he had to explain at candidate forums months later. That same month, we did two in-depth interviews with attorney Mike Papantonio on the $70 million settlement concerning the pollution of our groundwater and Jackie Seale, the ringleader behind the Sandshaker drug ring. In May, we published our first Ballsy Plan for downtown Pensacola, which included building a baseball stadium, amphitheater,
maritime museum, new library and a city park at the end of Palafox. We also wanted to shut down the Main Street sewage plant. Most of those have happened. In June, we interviewed the mayor of Charleston, S.C., Joe Riley, about the value of a strong mayor. We explained the differences between Pensacola's city manager system and the strongmayor format. The public discussion started with us, and city voters approved a new charter five years later. In July, we tackled domestic violence with the help of Sue Hand and FavorHouse of Northwest Florida. Why? Escambia County had 10 domestic-related murders during the first seven months of 2004, the most in 25 years. In August, we investigated the murder of Scotty Joe Weaver, a young gay man who had been strangled, stabbed, doused with gasoline and set on fire in Bay Minette, Ala. We talked to his older brother, who said, "There's no doubt in my mind that hate—that homophobia—killed my little brother." In September, Hurricane Ivan struck and forced us to move to a leaking building on Navy Boulevard. We reported how the Main Street sewage plant had been overwhelmed by flood waters, sending raw sewage everywhere. We wrote about how insurance companies were mistreating homeowners. We warned readers about contractor scams. In October, we held our first Martini Night at Global Grill to preview our issue, reconnect to our downtown readers and help a new restaurant get back on its feet. The following month, we covered the mysterious death of former Commissioner Willie Junior, who was found dead under a Pensacola house after missing a court date a month earlier. And we finished the year with a joint investigation with WEAR-TV of abuse charges at a boarding school in north Santa Rosa County. We have had many good years since 2004, but I think you will agree that one was special. We appreciate your support, and thank you for tolerating my typos. {in} rick@inweekly.net
We appreciate your support, and thank you for tolerating my typos.
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VOTING TIPS FOR CITY ELECTIONS
Grover Robinson / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola
By Tom St. Myer A new mayor and at least one new council member will be sworn into office later this year as Pensacola prepares to transition to new leadership. Departing Mayor Grover Robinson and City Councilman Jared Moore, who returns to council without facing an opponent this election cycle, reflected on an extremely challenging four years. They also offered their recommendations on what voters should consider when casting their ballots in the upcoming city races. Fifteen months removed from announcing he would serve only one term as mayor and not seek re-election, Robinson said he has no regrets about his decision. "It was enough for me. It made me realize I needed to do something else. I'm comfortable with my decision." The COVID-19 global pandemic, Hurricane Sally and the social justice movement put Robinson and his staff in a reactionary mode for a significant portion of his term. Robinson said the city dealt with difficult issues as challenging as any period since World War II. Yet, the mayor considers his tenure a success and argues the city overcame all those challenges. "All our industries are up—the port, airport, gas company," Robinson said. "Yes, we're dealing with challenges with housing costs, but houses here have never had better value than they do right now … The question you ask yourself is, 'Are we making the community better?' I feel we're a lot better off now than we were four years ago." 66
Bouncing back from all the unexpected challenges to oversee the economy's growth stood out first and foremost for Robinson when he reflected on his term, but he cited the improved relationship between the mayor and city council, hiring talented employees and addressing homelessness through the allocation of federal funds as other highlights. His one regret is that many projects he pushed are still in the planning or construction phases, including the development of parcels at Community Maritime Park, Bruce Beach upgrades and addressing various stormwater issues. "I wish construction and some of the things weren't taking as long," he said. "I think we're going to get stuff done, but not in our term." Most responders to the 2021 Escambia County Quality of Life Survey, conducted annually by the Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy for the Pensacola Young Professionals, approved of Robinson's work in city hall, with nearly 60% of city residents rating his job performance as good or excellent. One of four candidates among former city council members Jewel Cannada-Wynn and Sherri Myers, political newcomer D.C. Reeves, and former Escambia County Sheriff Deputy Steven Sharp will be Pensacola's next mayor. Robinson suggests voters should consider whether the next mayor is capable of collaborating and finding common goals with others, particularly city council members. After the 2020 city elections, the mayor has had several battles with the council, failing at times to win the necessary four votes
for his initiatives to proceed. A more collaborative spirit has developed over the past few months. Robinson stressed the importance of having a strong senior leadership team. He told Inweekly that ideally, his successor will need to excel at putting together a talented staff to ease the burden. "Ideas are what you campaign on, but a lot more of what you do with the seat is finding good people to work with," Robinson said. "You're in charge of 800 people and administer what happens. These are things people don't think about as much. They want to look at this, they want to look at that, but identifying and getting good people around you is the most critical thing." Two city districts do have competitive races. Myers is terming out of her District 2. Former Councilman Charles Bare faces newcomers Brian Hoffman, Char Powell and Brian Wyer for the open seat. In District 6, incumbent Ann Hill contends with Maureen "Mo" Padden and Allison Patton. District 4 is locked in for the next four years, with Moore securing re-election after the June 17 deadline passed without any challengers qualifying. Moore is completing his first term on the council. In 2018, he defeated Chris Phillips, 2,0681,546, for the open seat. Moore serves as an operations manager for the family business J&M Valve, a supplier of industrial valves and tube fittings, and he previously served on the Pensacola Zoning Board of Adjustment and Planning Board. His previous experiences benefited him tremendously, but the councilman still dealt with a steep learning curve.
He quickly learned the importance of prioritizing goals to ensure that each department receives proper funding to deliver services to citizens. "It's a big organization with roughly $250 million of operations and 860 employees," he said. "Any organization where you have that much going on, it's going to take a while to learn what's going on there and bring value, no matter how much you think you know." A council member elects to serve for a myriad of reasons—money is not one of them. The council president is paid an annual salary of about $28,500, and the rest of the members earn about $21,500. "Some weeks, it may be 20 hours of work, but some weeks, I have no doubt it's 30-40 hours," Moore said. "I always have my business email up and city email up. I set some standards for myself. I want to be responsive to people when they write. I have two phones in my pocket at all times. At any time, I'm on the business phone or city phone trying to respond to those two things." Moore served as council vice president in his second year and as president in his third. He cited launching an active transportation master plan to assess how to make streets more accessible to pedestrians, cyclists and scooterists and addressing erosion at Bayview Park as two of his proudest accomplishments during his first term. One significant item remaining on his to-do list is addressing the archaic stormwater infrastructure throughout the city. The next few months will determine who will join Moore to address stormwater infrastructure. The District 4 councilman recommended anyone running for city council in the upcoming election or considering running in the future should read "The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues" by Patrick Lencioni. The three essential values consist of being hungry, humble and smart. Moore said hunger to make the community better is a prerequisite for a council member. It fuels him when mustering the energy after a long day to meet with a constituent or attend a council meeting that may last late into the night. Humility is recognizing six others serve on the council, and that means unilateral authority. Some ideas inevitably receive pushback from fellow council members acting in the best interests of their respective districts. Moore said how he deals with 55,000 perspectives from citizens is where being smart comes into play. How the council members deal with the perspective of the next mayor will be of the utmost importance. Moore is optimistic that whoever replaces Robinson will collaborate effectively with the council and act in the best interest of Pensacola residents. "The people of Pensacola pick, and whomever they pick, it's the job of the city council to be a team player for 55,000 who live in the city," Moore said. "We have to be team players and work with that mayor to steward the dollars and make Pensacola the best place to live." {in} inweekly.net
June 30, 2022
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CITY CHARTER 2.0
Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola
By Rick Outzen How Pensacola's government will operate for the next decade under the strong-mayor charter will be presented on the ballot to city voters this November. The Charter Review Commission—composed of nine citizens appointed by the mayor and council—completed its study of the charter and submitted its recommendations to the Pensacola City Council on June 23. Many of the changes are deleting the clauses that help the city transition from the city manager system to having an elected mayor as the city's chief executive officer, like how some council seats were initially only two-year terms to stagger council elections. But some proposals are significant amendments to the document approved by referendum in 2009. Inweekly discussed the recommendations with two commission members, former Mayor Mike Wiggins and attorney Jack Zoesch of the Beggs & Lane law firm. The commission made several changes to the mayor and council's powers and responsibilities. Mayor Ashton Hayward rarely attended council meetings, while his predecessor Grover Robinson has been present for most of them during his tenure. "There was always that debate—should the mayor go to city council meetings?" said Wiggins. "It was vague whether the mayor was required to go. We cleared that up. So the mayor, if he's not going to be at the meeting, has to send a designee to represent him at the city council meetings. And 88
I think that makes much more sense. It's much more practical." The commission voted to reduce the number of consecutive terms the mayor can serve from three (12 years) to two (eight years). Council members can continue to serve three consecutive terms. Limitations were placed on the mayor's power to fire employees. A department head may appeal any suspension, removal or other disciplinary action to the city council, which may overturn the act by an affirmative vote of a majority plus one— five council votes. "I voted against that. If you're going to have a mayor-council form of government, the mayor should be able to hire and fire," said Wiggins, the last mayor to serve under the city manager system. "That makes an awkward working situation as far as I'm concerned, but the commission didn't agree with me on that one, and it's in the report." The commission gave the city clerk and city more control over their staff. The mayor and council cannot suspend, remove or discipline any of their administrative staff. They serve at the pleasure of their bosses. Zoesch said this recommendation was a compromise based on how other city governments handle those departments. He said, "If the city clerk and attorney are powerful enough to have to be appointed and even require council approval to remove them, they ought to have some discretion in their hiring and firing." He added, "Since the new form was set with the mayor-council form, there's always talk about the mayor versus the council or which one has
the power here or there. I'm not sure that's exactly fair, but the city clerk and the city attorney work for the city as a whole. They're not more beholden to one or the other, and they shouldn't be. And I think this makes them more independent, frankly." The commission added that the mayor must cooperate with and in no way obstruct an inquiry into the conduct or dealings of any municipal office, department, agency or officer as permitted under the charter. Though the council has yet to exercise its investigative powers, Wiggins said, "I think what we put in clears up and solidifies that particular policy, whereas the council does have that ability, and if they should ever need it, there's no doubt about that, so I think that's good." Council also has the power to restrict how the mayor moves money around in the city budget. The Hayward administration came under fire for hiring outside attorneys and transferring funds from various departments to cover the cost without council approval. The commission has recommended, "Any modification of specific appropriations in the budget by greater than an amount set by ordinance, including but not limited to reallocating greater than said amount between departments, shall require the consent of the city council by an affirmative vote of a majority of city council members." "That's a big change. However, what originally was discussed was some specific dollar amounts, and we talked about that a lot," said Wiggins. "We went with letting the council set the spending limit by ordinance. I think we can live with that one because Amy Lovoy (the city finance director) came
to talk to us about it. She's also okay with keeping specific dollar amounts out of the charter." Zoesch also praised Lovoy's input. He said the change doesn't mean the mayor doesn't have the discretion to move funds but that the city council has the power of the purse. "I was skeptical about exactly what we would come up with because there seemed to be an arbitrary number proposed, but with her input, I think we hopefully made it a more workable situation for the finance department, the council and the mayor's office." The commission also clarified how council members can interact with city department heads and staff. The charter prohibits members from interfering with the administration. They can't order employees to do anything and must go through the mayor. The commission has recommended a minor exception from the prohibition. "Council members have always had the ability to investigate for inquiries and investigations, but we also plugged in the word ‘notifications,'" Wiggins explained. "If someone contacts a council member about his garbage not being picked up, you can't say you go take care of it, but putting that word ‘notification' in there clears up some of that communication between a councilman and city staff without having to go through the mayor's office for all of those small things that might crop up." The commission also addressed franchise agreements and public utilities. The city and Florida Power & Light are negotiating a new franchise agreement. Some council members have bounced around the idea of the city handling its electricity. The council recently delayed sanitation fee increases to listen to proposals to privatize the service. The board has recommended that before a franchise agreement is considered, there must be "a study on the feasibility of municipalizing that utility as well as securing a full and independent audit of the prior agreement." For municipalized utilities, the city must study the feasibility of privatizing that utility no less than once every 30 years. The city cannot create or dispose of any public utility without a referendum. "I thought that section did not belong in the charter," Wiggins said. "As a matter of fact, the mayor sent us his opinion on it, saying he thought it was a bit extreme also. But the majority said they wanted that. It'll be interesting to see what the city council says about that section." Both Wiggins and Zoesch enjoyed being part of the charter review process. "The takeaway I had above everything is this is what democracy looks like," said Zoesch. "You have an engaged group of people attending. We dove into the substance and the nuance of the issues. There wasn't this name-calling and nonsense that's so pervasive these days." He continued, "And there was respectful argument and discourse throughout. We disagreed on a lot. We agreed on a lot, but I don't think anybody ever shied away from sharing their opinion respectfully. And I think that was a really positive thing." You can find the charter recommendation and updates on the council's discussion of them on ricksblog.biz. {in} inweekly.net
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July 4th 6-9pm Community Maritime Park Join Levin Papantonio Rafferty this Independence Day! Enjoy Music, Fireworks & Free Family Fun on the Fourth of July! Proudly Celebrating our Armed Forces with a Concert by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra! Fantastic Military Jet Flyover and a Patriotic Performance on Pensacola Bay!
June 30, 2022
9
C.A. Weis Ambassadors / Courtesy Photo
C.A. WEIS AMBASSADORS C.A. Weis El-
ementary, Escambia County's sole community partnership, completed its seventh year and has been a resounding success for the students and surrounding neighborhood. Community Health Northwest Florida has a clinic at the school that provides health care on a sliding scale. CEO Chandra Smiley told Inweekly, "The clinic serves the entire community. We have children that are siblings of the students. We have children that are no longer at the school or do not attend the school, but they can come to the Weis Health cottage and receive their primary care services." She added, "Most of the children that are in that service area do qualify for Medicaid. So we are able to bill out for some of those services, but we're there to meet the need and take care of what the students are facing." Community Health's dental van makes regular visits, serving 74 children last month. The agency also provides eye care. Its optometrist goes on-site as part of the Weis Eyes Program. Smiley said, "She has her little bag, travels there, does the screenings. If any children need further evaluation, we can get them in at the clinic at Jackson Street, but if they need glasses, we go ahead and order it." She continued, "And we bring the glasses to the school. It's really cute. The kids pick out their frames, and they leave with a little bag and cleaning solution for their glasses." The Community Partnership School program is an initiative started by the Children's Home Society of Florida. Regional Director Lindsey Cannon said, "This has been the absolute hardest project I have ever worked on in my entire career but the one that is the most fulfilling because we're doing it together." The other partners are the University of West Florida and the Escambia County School District. Cannon praised Weis' principal, Dr. Kimberly Thomas. "She has been, really, a breath of fresh air coming in, eased all of our nerves about it and has 010 1
taken it to another level. We've been able to really create clear plans with her help." Cannon also bragged about the student ambassador program. "Our kids are participating in different ways. We have an elite ambassadors group that really focuses on skills related to soft skills, brotherhood, peer forming, building relationships and learning how to tie ties," she shared. "These kids all went to The District, where they dressed up with ties and used their soft skills to eat at a beautiful table. Many had not been to a place where they got to eat with real silverware. It was an amazing, life-changing experience." Can the Community Partner School program be duplicated at other Escambia County public schools? County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh believes it can. "I think it's an excellent idea. We put millions of dollars in these Title I schools," he told Inweekly. "A lot of these kids struggle, and I think anything you can do to provide those wraparound services is going to be a benefit—not just to students and their academic achievement, but to the community overall." Smiley and Cannon both said they would like to see the program expanded to other public schools. Smiley said, "It's something that we as a partnership would like to see. Because what we're doing at the elementary school can be replicated in a middle school or a high school." Cannon shared how the partnership works for the community around the school. "That is so impactful because when families come in for health care, they also might come in with other social issues that they need some support around. The clinic is able to pivot that to Children's Home Society for help. When I talk about the power of partnership, it's going together for the long haul that the magic of this program is in."
FLORIDA ABORTION BATTLES The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling drew fiercely polarized reactions in Florida, with Gov. Ron
DeSantis saying the state will "work to expand pro-life protections." The decision, authored by Justice Samuel Alito and backed by the court's conservative majority, had been expected after a draft opinion was leaked in May. It came a week before a new Florida law is scheduled to take effect that would prevent women from having abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion-rights supporters are fighting the Florida law (HB 5), with a Leon County circuit judge hearing arguments this week in a request for a temporary injunction to block it. Abortion clinics and a doctor are challenging the law under a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the law in April, issued a statement on Twitter praising last week's Supreme Court ruling in a Mississippi case, saying the "prayers of millions have been answered." "Florida will continue to defend its recently-enacted pro-life reforms against state court challenges, will work to expand pro-life protections and will stand for life by promoting adoption, foster care and child welfare," DeSantis said in the Twitter post. But Democrats and other abortion-rights supporters blasted the ruling as an attack on reproductive rights. State Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, predicted that Republicans could seek an "all-out" abortion ban in Florida. "With Florida Republicans cruelly proving their appetite for robbing women and girls victimized by the horrific trauma of rape, incest and human trafficking of their right to an abortion after 15 weeks—period, end of sentence, no exceptions— it is clearly only a matter of time before our state also debates an all-out abortion ban," Book said in a prepared statement. The Supreme Court decision came after decades of arguments by Republicans and other abortion opponents that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. State Sen. Kelli Stargel, a Lakeland Republican who was the Senate sponsor of the 15-week limit during this year's legislative session, said Roe v. Wade caused "profound" damage to the country. "Protecting the innocent children whose lives are ended through abortion was a defining issue for me as I made the decision to run for elected office. Today is a wonderful affirmation of the pro-life efforts of so many over the last 50 years, and I am incredibly grateful to the justices for their courage in speaking the truth in the face of tremendous adversity," Stargel, who is running for Congress, said after the decision was announced. Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, also praised the decision. "As an adopted child myself, I am grateful for this decision. The court is finally righting a grievous wrong," Simpson, who is running for state agriculture commissioner, said. On Monday, June 27, Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper heard arguments in the challenge filed by abortion clinics and a doctor to the new law. A South Florida Jewish congregation has
filed a separate lawsuit arguing, in part, that the law violates religious-freedom rights. House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, called the legal challenges a "hurdle" for the 15-week law. "In Florida, our attention must now shift to the state courts and the Florida Supreme Court as they evaluate HB 5 and determine its constitutionality here—an additional hurdle present in our state," Sprowls said. While the Supreme Court ruling reignited the political debate about abortion rights, groups such as the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops heralded it. "Now, decision-making on abortion policy is once again in the hands of the American people and their elected officials. This is a momentous step towards establishing a more robust culture of life," the Catholic bishops said in a statement. Meanwhile, abortion-rights supporters quickly announced they would hold rallies in opposition to the Supreme Court decision, including one held on the steps of the Old Capitol in Tallahassee. "Today is a dark day in history, with the Supreme Court's outrageous ruling overturning nearly 50 years of constitutional precedent protecting reproductive freedom and a woman's right to determine her own health care choices over her own body, and leaving it to the states," the Palm Beach County Democratic Party said in an email announcing two rallies over the weekend. "We will continue fighting. Turn outrage into action. Elections matter!" *Source: Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida
WATER SAFETY The Escambia County Children's Trust has about $8 million in its coffers. The trust is a countywide special taxing district created by referendum in 2020 with the mission of investing taxpayer dollars for services and programs that improve the lives, health and well-being of Escambia County's children and families. Last week, the trust announced a request for proposals to develop an awareness campaign that highlights the importance of water safety and/or early childhood education. The proposals are due July 27. Inweekly questioned why the trust was placing a priority on water safety. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families website, Escambia County has only averaged 1.2 child drownings annually over the past five years. According to the 2020 census, Escambia County has more than 19,000 children under the age of 5—about 6% of the county's total population. The most significant cause of child fatalities is sleep-related—an average of five annually, which is five times higher than drownings. From 2017-2021, there were 25 sleep-related deaths. This year, no children under the age of 5 had died from drowning. Executive Director Tammy Greer explained that the state legislature has placed a priority on water safety, citing a new statute that requires each public school to provide parents with information on the important role water safety educainweekly.net
tion courses and swimming lessons play in saving lives. "We have very little educational resources other than what DCF offers on its website for Escambia County," wrote Greer. "We contacted every local public swimming pool and YMCA to see where families can get free or reduced-price swim lessons. There is a dearth of resources and not enough lifeguards or swim instructors this year due to pandemic-related hiring challenges." She added, "While there are typically only one or two deaths per year, they are 100% preventable. This initiative is a preventative measure. One preventable death of a child is one too many." Greer pointed out that while state lawmakers passed this mandate on the school district, they provided no additional funding. "We felt that the developing informational materials that could be used by the school district and identifying the availability of swim lessons would be valuable to the community."
BATTLE OF THE BARRISTERS On Friday, June 17, Okaloosa Circuit Judge William Stone listened to the attorneys for the Escambia County Commission and Clerk Pam Childers battle over the county's 401(a) retirement plan. Though the plan has been in place since 1997, Childers has declared the plan illegal for Commissioners Robert Bender, Steven Barry and Lumon May, even though the cost to the taxpayers is the same as the commissioners' other retirement option, the Florida Retirement System. Weeks after the board fired her friend, County Administrator Janice Gilley, and she claimed she had been told that the commissioners had privately insulted her in an elevator, Childers reduced the checks to the 401(a) plan to 8% and then discontinued all payments at the end of 2021. The once-daily newspaper has spent a lot of ink bashing the commissioners and the Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm that represents the board for free. Attorney Troy Rafferty told Inweekly that the Friday hearing was "basically both sides asking to dismiss the other one's lawsuits," which he said was common in the early stages of most civil litigation. The attorney was impressed almost a hundred people joined the Zoom hearing to listen to the arguments presented over two hours to Judge Stone. "I'm excited that the public was involved because of the amount of misinformation that's being put out there," Rafferty said. "This has nothing to do with taxpayer money. This program costs the taxpayers nothing more than the Florida Retirement System." He explained that Barry, Bender and May are giving up lifetime benefits by participating in the 401(a). When a person in FRS dies, their spouses continue receiving benefit checks. Rafferty said, "This idea that somehow the clerk is protecting the taxpayers is just flat out wrong." He added, "The only way these taxpayers are losing money is because she's hired two law firms June 30, 2022
to try and continue this political vendetta against these three commissioners. That's all it is." For Rafferty, the clerk is lashing out at the commissioners to exact political revenge. He told Inweekly, "This is all just political fighting, and not by the commissioners, by her. This is the clerk picking this as an issue in order to try and be vindictive against constitutional officers."
LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE In the June 23 issue, Inweekly reported in "The Buzz" Pensacola Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier's concern that residents with family passes to the city's Roger Scott Pool were being turned away because summer day camps were reserving the pools most mornings. At his weekly press conference, Mayor Grover Robinson blamed the issue on the lack of lifeguards. He said the pool only has 25 spaces available for residents daily, but he hoped more would become available as the city hires additional lifeguards. "Clearly, over the last two years, we have made a concerted effort to shrink the number of people in the pool because of COVID," the mayor explained. "We thought the communication was clearly provided that this year we were going to be going wide open, and I think we still all plan to do that, but there have been some limitations by lifeguards, which have shrunk the number of occupants that were allowable." Noting that the city has not been training lifeguards during the past couple of years of the pandemic, Robinson said that he hopes more individuals can be brought on board after this swim season. "There's no reason for us not to have enough open spaces," the mayor said, suggesting parents encourage their teenagers to get trained as lifeguards. "We'd love to have a way to be able to train up some lifeguards to make sure we have enough." BURGER KING SCHOLARS GPS Hospitali-
ty, a franchisee with over 400 Burger King restaurants, recently announced it would award Burger King Foundation scholarships to 213 students in 13 states this graduation season. Since 2013, GPS Hospitality has supported 1,601 scholars. Scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors based on their grade point average and the impact the applicants have on their schools and communities through volunteerism and work experience. Burger King employees and their family members pursuing a traditional postsecondary education or enrichment programs are also eligible to apply. This year's winners include 30 employees and 183 seniors in GPS Hospitality's local communities. The Burger King Scholars selected for the 2022 program from the Pensacola area include: Nichole Azriel, Washington Senior High School; Henry Brooks, Pace High School; Melanie Brown, J. M. Tate Senior High School; Kade Mitchell, Milton High School; and William Toole, Abeka Academy. "We are passionate about making a positive, local impact," said Michael Lippert, GPS Hospi11
tality president. "I am proud of our team members who drive in-store donations that support the Burger King Foundation Scholarship program. Not only is it rewarding to be able to support students and employees in continuing their education but also to see the impact our team members and guests are making together in cities across the country." The Burger King Foundation Scholarship program is the Burger King Foundation's flagship program, established to honor the legacy of the Burger King brand's co-founder James W. McLamore, whose commitment to philanthropy and education made him a pillar of community service throughout his lifetime. Scholarship recipients are selected based on their grade point average (GPA), community service, financial need and leadership/work experience.
E-SCOOTER CORRALS The City of Pensacola has installed 15 new e-scooter parking corrals in various locations downtown to encourage the public to park courteously when using shared micromobility devices. Users who park an e-scooter in one of the parking corrals will receive a 50-cent credit on their account to apply toward a future ride. The micromobility vendors will send users in-app no-
tifications when they ride into a designated escooter parking area. After the rider ends the trip and takes the end-of-ride photo to confirm proper parking, they will see a summary screen that will display the trip length and ride credits earned. At his Monday, June 20, presser, Mayor Grover Robinson said that he was encouraged after seeing the corrals in action during Gallery Night on Friday. "I did see plenty of people using the scooters not like they were supposed to, going on the sidewalk, and that was discouraging," Robinson said. "However, what I did see is multiple people, when they got done with their scooters, bringing them to the corral area and putting them in there and taking a picture. I did witness that firsthand at multiple different locations." E-scooter parking locations are identified by a "P" icon in the Bird and Veo mobile apps. A map of parking locations is also available on the city's Shared Micromobility website. Riders are not allowed to end a ride on South Palafox, East Intendencia or East Government streets, as they are No Park Zones indicated by the franchise area map. If an e-scooter is parked on these streets, the rider will continue to be charged.
MONITORING BICYCLE TRAFFIC To better understand local multi-modal traffic, the city
of Pensacola is participating in the Florida Department of Transportation Non-Motorized Traffic Monitoring Program. Through this program, FDOT loans temporary bicycle and pedestrian counters to local jurisdictions twice a year for two weeks. Similar to collecting motorized traffic volume data, the non-motorized data collected can be used for safety studies, planning and programming FDOT facilities, pavement and trail maintenance, and more. Infrared cameras and bike tubes have been installed on Bayfront Parkway near the Pensacola Bay Bridge's multiuse path entrance. The city hopes to expand the number of counters and explore a partnership for continuous counter stations in the future. For more information about the Non-Motorized Traffic Monitoring Program, visit FDOT's website, fdot.gov.
SPARK BOARD The Junior League of Pensaco-
la has opened applications for their fourth annual Spark Board. Applicants must be in the 11th or 12th grade during the 2022-2023 school year and attend a school in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties or be home-schooled as an Escambia or Santa
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Wednesday
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Rosa resident. A full list of requirements and instructions on applying are available on the Junior League of Pensacola website at pensacola.jl.org/spark. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 31. The Spark Board provides a foundation of volunteerism and offers the opportunity for Spark Board members to understand the impact JULEP has on the Pensacola community, with the opportunity to apply for a $1,000 JULEP Scholarship. As a member of the Spark Board, young women will learn what it takes to become a leader in our community and work directly with Junior League of Pensacola members and today's community leaders. Through this training, Spark Board members will learn leadership skills, professionalism, self-esteem and other valuable skills. Spark Board members will have opportunities to volunteer at key JULEP events and projects throughout the community, as well as develop a philanthropic project for JULEP to execute. In addition, the participants will benefit from interacting with other young women their age from across the community. If additional information is needed, please get in touch with the organization at info@juniorleagueofpensacola.org. {in}
3
NIGHTS OF FIREWORKS!
DOUBLE-A AFFILIATES
NEXT HOMESTAND: JULY 12-17 VS. CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS TUNE IN TO CATCH THE GAMES ON
GAME TIMES
Friday
July 1 • 6:35 pm Hawaiian Shirt Giveaway! First 1,000 fans (21+)
FIREWORKS
Saturday
July 2 • 6:05 pm
Pensacola’s BEST Fireworks after the game! Navy Baseball Night!
MILITARY FAMILY
Sunday
July 3 • 6:05 pm
Independence Day Weekend Fireworks and special Stars & Stripes uniforms!
Mon.-Fri. 6:35 pm | Sat. 6:05 pm | Sun. 6:05 pm
All pre-game activities start 45 minutes prior to game time. inweekly.net
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▶rules Just like we have every summer for the last 22 years, we’re asking all of you to play favorites and vote in our Best of the Coast poll. That means all of your most important opinions—like who really makes the best lattes in town—are finally going to be heard.
And don’t worry if you can’t get through the full ballot in one try. Voting is open through July 21, so you can take it one section at a time. You can also vote online if that’s more your style—at inweekly.net—starting Friday, July 1. {in}
•No photocopies or faxes will be accepted. •Vote in at least 15 categories. Ballots with fewer than 15 categories completed will not be counted. •Ballots must be postmarked by July 21, 2022.
▶mail your ballot to
Best of the Coast c/o Inweekly, PO Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591
▶required info Name
Or vote online at inweekly.net July 1-21
community, media & culture
services
health & wellness
Best Nonprofit
Best Gym Best Personal Trainer Best Boutique Fitness Studio Best Yoga Best Yoga Instructor Best Pilates Best Fitness Classes Best Fitness Instructor Best Bootcamp Best Weight Loss Program Best Running Club Best 5K Best Place to Walk/Run Best Place to Ride Your Bike Best Hospital Best General Care Physician Best Chiropractor Best Dentist Best Orthodontist Best Endodontist Best Pediatrician Best Mental Health Professional Best OB/GYN Best Optometrist Best Dermatologist Best Plastic Surgery Best Physical Therapy Best Pharmacy Best Walk-In Clinic
Best Music Venue Best Band Best Concert/Concert Series Best Theatre Production
Best Hair Salon Best Hair Stylist Best Hair Colorist Best Barber Shop Best Men's Hair Stylist Best Day Spa Best Massage Best Massage Therapist Best Pedicure Best Manicure Best Hair Removal Best Facial Best Esthetician Best Skin Care Overall Best Bank Best Credit Union Best Financial Advisor Best Accounting Firm Best Residential Real Estate Agency Best Commercial Real Estate Agency Best Real Estate Agent Best Boutique Hotel/Inn Best Hotel–Pensacola Beach Best Hotel–Pensacola Best Apartment Complex Best Architecture Firm Best Law Firm Best Attorney Best Insurance Agency Best Vet Best Dog Groomer Best Doggie Day Care/Boarding Best Dog Training Best Construction Company Best AC Company Best Landscaping Best Interior Designer Best Framery Best Tattoo & Piercing Studio Best Tattoo Artist Best Special Event Space Best Caterer Best Florist Best Portrait/Family Photography Best Car Wash/Detailer Best Oil Change Best Auto Service Shop Best Window Tinting Best Green Business
Best Comedian
Best New Business
Best Comic Book Store
Best Charity Event Best Place to Work Best Boss Best Community Leader Best Rising Leader Best Politician Best Advocacy/Activist Group Best Place to Take Out-of-Town Guests Best Day Trip Best Annual Event Best Food Event Best Parade Best Regular/Reoccurring Event Best Free Thing To Do Best Neighborhood Best Pensacola Landmark Best Public Park Best Pet-Friendly Park Best Playground Best Palafox Market Vendor Best Makers/Craft Market Best Reason to Attend a Blue Wahoos Game Best Reason to Attend an Ice Flyers Game Best Youth Sports/Rec Program Best Dance Studio Best After-School Activity Best Summer Camp Best Place for a Birthday Party Best Local Celebrity Best TV Station Best Radio Station Best Radio Personality Best Morning Radio Show Best Podcast Best Website/Blog Best Scandal Best Person or Business to Follow on Instagram Best Business to "Like" on Facebook Best Way To Get Cultured Best Art Gallery/Museum Best Artist Best Photographer
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retail Best Car Dealership Best Bicycle Shop Best Boutique Best Men's Apparel Best Women's Apparel Best Children's Apparel & Gifts Best Accessories Best Consignment Store Best Thrift Store Best Athletic/Outdoor Store Best Furniture Store Best Home Décor & Accessories Best Antiques Best Vintage Shop/Seller Best Maker/Artisan Best Gift Shop Best Place to Buy Greeting Cards/Stationery Best Place to Buy a Book inweekly.net
Best New Store
Best Chinese Cuisine
Best French Fries
Best Jeweler
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Best Fried Chicken
Best Surf/Skate Shop
Best Thai Cuisine
Best Wings
Best Nursery/Plants
Best Indian Cuisine
Best Oysters
Best Hardware Store
Best Vietnamese Cuisine
Best Salads
Best Computer/Tech Store
Best Vegetarian/Vegan Cuisine
Best Place to Buy Local Produce
Best Music Gear/Instruments
Best Sushi
Best Vegetarian/Vegan Dish
Best Record Store
Best Gluten Free Options
Best Desserts
Best Liquor Store
Best Seafood
Best Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
Best Wine Shop
Best Steakhouse
Best Cakes/Cupcakes
Best Wine Tastings
Best BBQ
Best Cookies
Best Grocery Store
Best Soul Food
Best King Cake
Best International Food Market
Best Wine Menu
Best Original Menu Item
Best Gourmet/Specialty Food Shop
Best Original Menu
Best Lunch Specials
Best Chef
Best Weekly Special
weddings
Best Up-and-Coming Chef
Best Cooking Classes
Best Place to Propose
Best Wait Staff
Best Mobile Beverage Service
Best Place to Buy an Engagement Ring
Best Waiter
Best Local Food Manufacturer
Best Ceremony Venue
Best Waitress
Best Local Beverage Manufacturer
Best Reception Venue
Best Coffee Shop
Best Officiant
Best Barista
bars, drinks & nightlife
Best Bridal Store
Best Outdoor Dining
Best Bar Overall
Best Place to Rent a Tux
Best Place to Splurge
Best Night Club
Best Bridal Make-up Artist
Best Place to Eat Healthy
Best Bar–Downtown
Best Wedding Hair Salon
Best Place to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Best Bar–Cordova Area
Best Wedding Hair Stylist
Best Romantic Dining
Best Bar–North Pensacola/Nine Mile Road
Best Wedding Planner/Coordinator
Best Place for a First Date
Best Bar–West Pensacola/Perdido Key
Best Wedding Photography
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant
Best Bar–Pensacola Beach
Best Photobooth
Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant
Best Bar–Milton/Pace
Best Wedding Videography
Best Salad Bar
Best Wedding Band
Best Take Out/To Go
Best Wedding DJ
Best Food Delivery
Best Wedding Caterer
Best Restaurant for a Birthday Dinner
Best Wedding Cake
Best Restaurant for Sports Fans
Best Wedding Florist
Best Late Night Eats
Best Wedding Rentals
Best Restaurant to Take Out-of-Town Guests
Best Wedding Party Transportation
Best Gone-But-Not-Forgotten Restaurant
Best Daiquiris/Frozen Drinks
Best Place to Buy Bridesmaid Gifts
food
Best Bloody Mary
Best Place for a Rehearsal Dinner
*List the specific menu item if applicable
Best Place for Out-of-Town Guests to Stay
Best Uniquely Pensacola Dish
Best Place to Buy a Wedding Gift
Best Cup of Coffee
restaurants
Best Iced Coffee
Best Restaurant Overall
Best Latte
Best Restaurant–Downtown
Best Iced Tea
Best Restaurant–Cordova Area
Best Juices/Smoothies
Best Restaurant–East Hill
Best Pizza
Best Restaurant–North Pensacola/
Best Steak
Nine Mile Road
Best Burrito
Best Restaurant–West Pensacola/Perdido Key
Best Taco
Best Restaurant–East Pensacola Heights
Best Soup
Best Restaurant–Gulf Breeze
Best Deli
Best Restaurant–Pensacola Beach
Best Bread
Best Restaurant–Milton/Pace
Best Sandwich
Best New Restaurant
Best Chicken Salad
Best Bakery
Best Cheeseburger
Best Breakfast
Best Hot Dog
Best Brunch
Best Cheese Plate
Best Lunch
Best Appetizers
Best Food Truck
Best Mac-n-Cheese
Best Greek Cuisine
Best Pastries
Best Mexican Cuisine
Best Breakfast Dish/Menu Item
Best Italian Cuisine
Best Grits
Best Cajun Cuisine
Best Donuts
June 30, 2022
Best New Bar Best Happy Hour Best Drink Specials Best Cover Charge Worth Paying Best Day Drinking Best Drink Menu Best Specialty Cocktails Best Bushwacker Best Mimosa Best Martini Best Selection of Wine Best Margarita Best Signature Drink Best Selection of Beer on Tap Best Selection of Bottled/Canned Beer Best Brewery Best Local Beer Best Bartender Best DJ Best Drag Queen Best Sports Bar Best Sports Team Club Headquarters Best Neighborhood Bar Best Pet-Friendly Bar Best Hotel Bar Best Bar With a View Best Bar Ambiance Best Bar for Games Best Trivia Night Best Karaoke Night Best Bar for Live Music Best Bar Food
Or vote online at inweekly.net {in} 15
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inweekly.net
WEEK OF JUNE 30-JULY 6
Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
Leaning into Guilty Pleasures with Noiseheads By Savannah Evanoff
Noiseheads/ Photo by Matthew Coughlin
"I'm bored and the whole world's on fire." You'd have bet money this lyric was born amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nick Gray, the lead singer and guitarist of Noiseheads, actually wrote it a year earlier. He can sense the irony in "Just Fine," a song on the Pensacola rock band's upcoming EP. "A lot of these songs, it feels like they're responses to what we just went through, but they were all written before the pandemic, which is kind of amazing," Gray said. "The whole time, we're like, 'This stuff needs to come out now, but it's still too on the nose. It's not quite the right time.'" Now, it is the right time. Noiseheads are back and happier than ever. To be fair, they've been back after their twoyear hiatus since 2020, when they had to cancel all of their performances. But it wasn't all bad. The group got the chance to record with Lincoln Parish, a Nashville producer and original member of Cage the Elephant, and Steve Albini, June 30, 2022
a legendary producer who worked with Nirvana, Bush and Pixies. Now, Noiseheads has new music and their biggest headlining show at Vinyl Music Hall. "The show is the kickoff point for all of this, to show that we're back; we're here for good and we've got new music coming," Gray said. "It's a chance to bring people into this new era of the group. If anything, it feels like a fresh start to us. It's a chance to even more so hone our persona, really put out exactly who we are and who we want to be." They're a classic but new rock band (sans synthesizers), paying homage to rock artists of the 1990s and early 2000s. "For people who want to feel the nostalgia of those acts, of that time, whether they were growing up during that time or kids or even adults," Gray said. "Anyone who grew up listening to that music and wants to experience that again but with a fresh set of tunes, things that represent the culture today."
Noiseheads' dropped its debut album, "1994," in 2013, and they've had an online following ever since, Gray said. Still in the band today is Greg Nicholas (drums). The two have been inseparable since Noiseheads started, Gray said, connected through both having played in the drumline at their respective local high schools, Milton and Gulf Breeze. "We seem to be linked on some molecular level," Gray said. "The drumline community around here is very tightknit, so we knew of each other. I knew he could play drums, but he just so happened to have similar interests in music. The first time we jammed, we played a Pearl Jam song. I knew right then—this is the guy." They brought in Owen Finley (bass) two years ago. He, too, feels like family, Gray said. "We're all kind of goofy, so immediately, we were just joking around, and that hasn't changed in two years," Gray said. "Between the three of us, now we're kinda cooking." What Noiseheads is today was always Gray's vision—even after signing with an indie label in 2009 as a solo artist. "I thought that was my big break," Gray said. "I was 18 at the time. I thought that was gonna be it. They had all these contacts lined up. The recording studio we were at was a multi-million-dollar recording studio. It was a pretty legit thing, but we just didn't really click. They had a different idea of what the music should sound like." Gray wanted a 1990s slash 2000s rock sound; they wanted something more modern, he said. "After that, I was like, 'I don't want to do a solo thing. I want to be a real band where everyone contributes,'" Gray said. The name is derivative of all of Gray's favorite bands, featuring a sonic reference and an arbitrary object—like Radiohead, Sound Garden and Pearl Jam. While the style of music is mostly the same, the band's mentality has shifted. They're not old, but they're not "young bucks" either, Gray said.
"We've never tried to take ourselves too seriously, but especially as we've gotten older, we just don't really care what people think about the kind of music we do," Gray said. "I think that reflects in that it's more fun for us. The music is brighter. It's got a cheeky quality to it we've always felt was there. Some of the early stuff was a bit moody; some of it's kinda depressing, honestly, but this stuff is just fun." Gray compares the new EP to the fun nature of Aerosmith's music. "When you think of Aerosmith, you think of having a good time, a fun rock band, a fun rock record," Gray said. "All those legacy groups, we're just here to pay tribute to those people. All the guilty pleasures we would've tried to steer away from, we're leaning into now. I think life's too short—if anything, we've learned that over the last couple years. We just wanna have a good time." The first single, "Big Money," dropped in January with a video directed by Phil Thomas Katt. "Sorry," a song about a toxic relationship, dropped this past Friday. "It's just a fun tune," Gray said. "When you listen to it, it's like a good Aerosmith song or a good Guns N' Roses song. The lyrics are there, but it's more about the feeling. All the music has this bright feeling to it." Performing as the headliner at Vinyl Music Hall is a big deal to them because they're from Pensacola, Gray said. Like any other teenager or early adult, they all once despised the place they grew up in, Gray said. Now, after going other places, they can appreciate it, he said. "We've lived life a little bit and rather than hating it for what it's not, we've come to terms with loving it for what it is," Gray said. "I think that's all present in the pictures, the videos, the music, the show. We're in a happy place where we're at and we're proud of where we come from. Pensacola is weird but we love it. It allows us to do things like this, and we wouldn't have it any other way." {in}
NOISEHEADS AT VINYL MUSIC HALL
WHAT: Noiseheads with special guests YNICORNS and Feed Lemon WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 2 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox COST: $15 (plus fees) DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com, noiseheads.com 17
a&e happenings BEACH SEASON UPDATES
FREE TROLLEY RIDES TO PENSACOLA BEACH The 2022 Pensacola Beach Island Trolley,
Locally owned ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Prescriptions Compounding Vaccinations Supplements & gifts
operated by Escambia County Area Transit, will run daily from 4 p.m.-midnight through Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 5. Three trolleys will operate concurrently, running three routes. The eastern route runs from Casino Beach to Portofino, the western route runs from Casino Beach to Park West near the entrance gate to Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the commercial core route runs from Casino Beach to Grand Marlin with stops occurring along the new access road and at Pensacola Beach Boardwalk. Visitors can access the real-time trolley schedule four ways: •Visit the "Trolley Tracker" at visitpensacolabeach. com/trolleytracker •Call (850) 602-9384 and enter the trolley stop number •Text SRIA (space) and the trolley stop number to 41411 •Scan the QR code posted at each trolley stop with a smartphone
FOURTH OF JULY
SYMPHONY SPARKS & STARS On Monday,
6005 College Pkwy. 850.752.2100 FirstCityDrugs.com This pharmacy is independently owned and operated under a license from Health Mart Systems, Inc.
July 4, visit Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St., to watch the annual Sertoma Club fireworks show and Symphony Sparks & Stars with music from Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. This event is free and open to the public. Gates will open at 6 p.m. The Symphony Sparks & Stars show, held in the Hunter Amphitheater in Community Maritime Park, will be livestreamed on the stadium videoboard and on BlabTV. The symphony will begin playing at approximately 7:30 p.m. with fireworks starting at approximately 9 p.m. Games, inflatables and other activities will be available for children at the ballpark. Guests sitting on the field are encouraged to bring a blanket to sit on. Stadium concessions will be open with food and drink available for purchase.
THE FISH HOUSE CELEBRATES THE FOURTH OF JULY Visit the Fish House, 600
S. Barracks St., to celebrate the Fourth of July as they broadcast the fireworks show live. The Fish House will be open for walk-in dining, serving from our standard dinner menu all evening. In addition, on the Harborview Deck at Atlas Oyster House, we will be offering our special four-course food and wine dinner for $100 per person. Each table will have prime waterfront seating overlooking beautiful Pensacola Bay. All tables will have an unobstructed view of the thrilling fireworks show, which begins at 9 p.m. The table reservations are for 7 p.m. and will be yours for the evening—to come and go from as you please. For reservations, please call our events line at (850) 433-9450 or email events@goodgrits.com.
CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY ON PENSACOLA BEACH Let Pensacola Beach get you
into the patriotic spirit this Independence Day. A special Fourth of July fireworks display will start at 8:30 p.m. along the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk and Santa Rosa Sound. Arrive early to get a good spot on the beach or the boardwalk. 818 1
NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
July 1, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Visit vinylmusichall.com for details.
is hosting Bingo at Scenic Hills Country Club, located at 8891 Burning Tree Road, twice a month. Dates are July 12 & 26, Aug. 9 & 23, Sept. 6 & 20, Oct. 4 & 18, Nov. 8 & 22 and Dec. 6 & 20. Proceeds go to help local animals. The fun starts at 7 p.m. $10 gets you 30 cards. Winners share the pot. Food and drink will be available for purchase. You must be 18 years old to play.
DESI BANKS Actor and comedian Desi Banks
ANIMAL ALLIES BINGO Animal Allies Florida
LIFE'S A DANCE: BENEFITTING JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT Life's A Dance 2022 will show-
will perform at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 2. Tickets are $42.50$52.50. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for tickets.
INFERNO BURLESQUE AT VINYL MUSIC HALL Inferno Burlesque will be performing at
Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox, 7 p.m. Saturday, July 9. Tickets are $25-$40. Get yours at vinylmusichall.com.
case a star-studded evening of dance featuring world professional championship dancers Shannon and Shane Jensen; Instagram and TikTok superstars Miranda and James Derrick; cast members of Dancing with the Stars from ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," including Daniella Karagach, Pasha Pashkov, and Tristan MacManus. All will be performing a variety of dances, from the samba to salsa. Local celebrity couples will dazzle onlookers in a competition of both fundraising and dance skill. The show is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 30, at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $38-$203. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for details.
LIFE DRAWING GROUP AT ARTEL Artel's life
ARTS & CULTURE
EASY GOING GALLERY ART MARKET Every Sunday, Easy Going Gallery and Carter J Studios present a weekly art market Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Easy Going Gallery, located at 701 N. V St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Vendors can participate for a $20 fee. For more information, contact easygoinggalleryart@gmail.com.
WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART PCA is located at the Studer Communi-
ty Institute, 220 W. Garden St. "Downton Abbey: A New Era" will be showing at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23. Classic films are available for free through the PCA website. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for more information and the latest showtimes.
309 NEW ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 309 Punk
Project's new Artist in Residence is Skott Cowgill. Cowgill is a musician, zine author and visual artist. He began oil painting in Pensacola at the 309 Punk House. He relocated to San Francisco, where he has shown extensively and has collaborated with Andrew Schoultz, Tommy Guerrero and Mark Gonzalez, to name a few. His oil painting style is primarily wet on wet, and subjects range from images of human isolation to desolate landscapes where one might clear their head. Cowgill is a graffiti artist and has covered San Francisco in stencils of sunken boats. An exhibit of work is on view through July 2 with a closing reception on Saturday, July 2, from 7-11 p.m. Visit 309punkproject.org for events and information.
FLORIDA PUBLIC ARCHAEOLOGY NETWORK AT YOUR LIBRARY Join represen-
tatives from the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) to learn about underwater archaeology in your community and participate in an interactive activity. The mission of FPAN is to promote public appreciation of Florida's archaeological heritage through partnerships and community engagement. All ages are welcome. Dates are: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 30, at Molino Library, 6450-A Highway 95A.
YIKES! COMEDY PRESENTS HILLIARY BEGLEY Comedian Hilliary Begley will be per-
forming at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox, Friday,
drawing group meets every Monday, except holidays, from 6-9 p.m. in Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. For more information, contact Melvin at (850) 549-8783 or visit artelgallery.org.
PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy shopping
for a variety of handcrafted wares at Pensacola Arts Market Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 1401 W. Intendencia St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket.
THE MAROON MARINES: ARCHAEOLOGY AT PROSPECT BLUFF A new temporary exhibit
at The Destination Archaeology Resource Center, located at 207 E. Main St., features the story of the largest free black settlement in what is now the United States. This exhibit is sponsored by City of Pensacola Councilmember Teniadé Broughton. During the War of 1812, a fort was built by Black British Colonial Marines and Indigenous people along the Apalachicola River. Called "Negro Fort" by American officials, it eventually became the center of the largest free Black settlement in what is now the United States. When the war ended, the U.S. believed the fort threatened the institution of slavery and must be destroyed. To the Maroon people who lived there, however, the fort at Prospect Bluff was a beacon of freedom worth fighting for. For more information, visit fpan.us.
HARMONY DISCORD Harmony Discord is
the latest art exhibit at First City Art Center's Gallery 1060, located at 1060 N. Guillemard St. The exhibit is on view through July 30. An opening reception will be Thursday, June 16, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Visit firstcityartcenter.org for more information.
GOODS OF DESIRES PMA's exhibition Goods of Desires from artist Cindy Leung is on view through Sept. 4. The exhibit uses Chinese exports to address the complex relationship between consumerism, colonization and cultural hybridity, as they originated in the East and were popularized inweekly.net
Cooking Through the Chapters
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Send your future chef on a trip through the wonderful world of books! Each day of camp we will explore a new book and will cook themed meals that are featured in and inspired by the pages of that book. Over five days of camp, campers will learn the skills to be successful, safe, and creative chefs! Skills taught will include basic prep skills, knife skills and food prep techniques. Campers will be educated on healthy eating habits and will be engaged with hands-on cooking.
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a&e happenings in the West through trading and British colonization. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.
TAKING A LINE FOR A WALK This new exhibition at Pensacola Museum of Art highlights the diverse materials, techniques and subject matter artists have explored through drawing and printmaking over the last century. Artworks include selections from the PMA's permanent collection, works on loan from The Art Gallery at the University of West Florida and works borrowed from contemporary American artists. Featured in the show are pieces by Pablo Picasso, Käthe Kollwitz, Salvador Dali, Alexander Calder, Alex Katz, Sage Lewis and Richard Lindner. The exhibit is on view through Sept. 4 at PMA, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for more information. AMERICA'S EVERGLADES: THROUGH THE LENS OF CLYDE BUTCHER With his century-
old camera, Clyde Butcher has been exploring and documenting the Everglades for more than three decades. The result is a collection of large-format black-and-white photographs that capture untouched parts of the nation's largest subtropical wilderness. The exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St., through Sept. 18. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for more information.
MAPPING NORTHWEST FLORIDA EXHIBIT AT THE PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF HISTORY Visualized Landscapes: A Selection of
Northwest Florida Maps is now on view at Pensacola Museum of History.
The exhibit explores the shifting topography of Northwest Florida through a series of maps selected from the Trust Archive. Visualized Landscapes: A Selection of Northwest Florida Maps is on view on the second floor of the Pensacola Museum of History until August. For more information about the UWF Historic Trust or to purchase tickets, visit historicpensacola.org.
2000 MEN: BLACK POLITICIANS DURING RECONSTRUCTION A new exhibit at the Pen-
sacola Museum of History shares the stories and histories of Black politicians during the Reconstruction period. The Pensacola Museum of History is located at 330 S. Jefferson St. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.
FINDING 1821 Finding 1821 is part of the UWF
Historic Trust's Suddenly American exhibit. Using historic newspapers, maps and documents, it is possible to locate where businesses stood in the 1820s. From taverns to parasol shops, each site on the Finding 1821 trail reflects a local establishment that was near that location 200 years ago. Outside each business is a QR code that links to a corresponding advert from an early 1820s newspaper. Over a dozen sites have been identified so far. Take a stroll around town, visit local shops and explore the history of Pensacola through today's technology. Visit historicpensacola.org for more information.
SCRIPTEASERS WITH PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Scripteasers, Studio 400's and Pen-
sacola Little Theatre's Script Reading Club invites you to monthly script readings at PLT, 400 S. Jefferson St. Want to bring your scripts for the group to read and discuss? Contact Pensacola Little Theatre to get in queue. The group reads prospective scripts for future seasons as well as new scripts that need a table read before the next edit. Not a playwright but love to read out loud? This is your easy, fun theatre night. Fascinated by the play selection process? Sit in for a listen and usually a lot of laughs. Visit facebook.com/pensacolalittletheatre for more information and the latest dates.
and finally, free "Knit in Public" pop ups at various Pensacola locations. Visit studiosouthyarnco. com and follow SSYC @studiosouthpensacola on Instagram to find out the next sit and knit spot around town.
CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Performing Arts (MMPA), a
homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five minutes depending on the number of sign-ups. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.
boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness and "Mommy and Me" instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult. MMPA is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixonmagic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.
NEW SUMMER CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH Studio South Yarn Co has new summer
CRAFT CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH ON NINE MILE Learn a new craft or meet up with
OPEN MIC AT THE GORDON Show off your talents on the second Thursday of every month at The Gordon's Open Mic showcase from 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. The Gordon is located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. Visit thegordon.org for more information. OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy some
offerings—crochet and knitting classes for all skill levels as well as openings for the exclusive membership to "Unwind" on Thursdays and Saturdays,
other makers at Studio South. Tuesday is Knit Night 4-7 p.m., and Sit & Stitch is Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Both classes are free. For a full calen-
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a&e happenings dar of events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS AT FIRST CITY ART First City Art Center offers a wide
range of classes and workshops for artists of all levels. Classes include glass blowing, ceramics, painting and drawing, kiln-forming, stained glass and more. For a complete list of classes and times, visit firstcityart.org.
FOOD + DRINKS
COCKTAIL MAKING WORKSHOP Tap the Coast is hosting a workshop on how to make your favorite cocktails on Friday, July 1, from 6-7:30 p.m. at 1308 W. Nine Mile Road. Included for each person is a custom curated menu, recipe cards and supplies list, and a take-home barware set. Visit tapthecoast.com/cocktailclasses to register. STRANGER THINGS TRIVIA AT PERFECT PLAIN BREWING CO. Show off your Stranger
Things knowledge Tuesday, July 5, from 7-9 p.m. at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.
FINE WINE FRIDAY Visit The Nest General
Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, on the first Friday of every month for a wine tasting from 6-8 p.m. It's $35 a person and includes charcuterie and the opportunity to try their monthly wine club offerings in house. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.
MONTHLY WINE TASTING IN AGAPI GARDEN Visit Agapi Garden, at 555 Scenic Highway, from 5-7 p.m., to sample five wines for $10. For more information, call (850) 813-5683.
SUNDAY FUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE WELL
The Well, located at 42 E. Garden St., has expanded its offerings with a Sunday Funday Brunch cocktail menu including items such as Spicy Paloma made with Mezcal, a cold brew cocktail with Irish whiskey, a cucumber-infused spritz and a Bloody Mary spiced with house-made hot sauce and garnished with fresh pickled vegetables. Price range is $9-$12. Brunch hours are Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Other small plate offerings are available Thursday-Saturday from 4 p.m.-one hour before closing. For more information, visit facebook. com/thewellpensacola.
WEEKNIGHT HAPPY HOUR Every weeknight
before 6 p.m. at The 5 Barrel, get $1 off all The 5 Barrel pints, $2 wine by the glass and half off hummus plates when you buy a pint of beer. Visit the5barrel.com for more information.
TABLETOP TUESDAYS AT THE 5 BARREL
Join The 5 Barrel for a special Tabletop Tuesday event at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in March. A wide variety of games ranging from the classic chess to the crowd favorite Catan will be available. Players are welcome to bring their own games.
THURSDAY TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE 5 BARREL Gather a group for a weekly Thursday Trivia
Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at The 5 Barrel. There will be prizes for every round and select drafts for $3. Find out more at facebook.com/ the5barrel.
THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT
Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand. Thursdays from 7-9 p.m., test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. Gary's Brewery is located at 208 Newman Ave. For more information, visit facebook. com/garysbrew.
FINE WINE FRIDAY Visit The Nest General
Store the first Friday of every month for a wine tasting from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person and includes charcuterie and the opportunity to try our monthly Wine Club offerings in house. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.
PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is back
at its regular location in MLK Jr. Plaza. In a carefully planned, phased reopening, Palafox Market has launched with about half its regular vendors, showcasing food, farm produce and products geared toward safety and sanitation such as handmade soaps and face masks. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.
EVER'MARKET AT NINE MILE ROAD Visit Ever'Man at 1000 E. Nine Mile Road on the fourth Saturday of each month for the Ever'Market with food, music, giveaways, activities and more. Visit everman.org for more information. 200 SOUTH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
Seville Savories Food Tour will host a coffee tour of downtown Pensacola Tuesdays-Fridays from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tickets are available online at sevillesavoriesfoodtour.com.
Every first Saturday of the month, the businesses at 200 South will host Small Business Saturday to show support for local businesses. Bring a receipt from a purchase from any other downtown business and receive 10% off your bill at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge.
BURGERS AND BORDEAUX AT UNION PUBLIC HOUSE Every Tuesday night, enjoy a
PENSACOLA POSITIVITY'S SUNDAY MARKETSSunday Markets on Palafox Street happen
BAYOU BUZZ COFFEE TASTING TOUR
specialty burger and a glass of Bordeaux at Union Public House, located at 309 S. Reus St. For more information, visit facebook.com/unionpensacola.
WINE WEDNESDAY Visit The Nest General Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, every Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. for a wine happy hour. Deals include $1 off listed by-the-glass wines, a waived corking fee, charcuterie plates and a $15 ‘wine flight' option. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information. June 30, 2022
each Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in MLK Plaza on Palafox. Local makers, growers and creators gather each under the oak trees to sell their goods to the community. Interested vendors can request an application by emailing requeaskmikellah@ gmail.com. For more information, visit facebook. com/palafoxmarkets.
for more listings visit inweekly.net 21
free will astrology WEEK OF JUNE 30 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In her poem
"Two Skins," Bahamanian writer Lynn Sweeting writes, "There is a moment in every snake's life when she wears two skins: one you can see, about to be shed, one you cannot see, the skin under the skin, waiting." I suspect you now have metaphorical resemblances to a snake on the verge of molting, Aries. Congratulations on your imminent rebirth! Here's a tip—the snake's old skin doesn't always just fall away; she may need to take aggressive action to tear it open and strip it off, like by rubbing her head against a rock. Be ready to perform a comparable task.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "Imagine a
world 300 years from now," writes Japanese novelist Minae Mizumura, "a world in which not only the best-educated people but also the brightest minds and the deepest souls express themselves only in English. Imagine the world subjected to the tyranny of a singular 'Logos.' What a narrow, pitiful and horrid world that would be!" Even though I am primarily an English speaker, I agree with her. I don't want a world purged of diversity. Don't want a monolithic culture. Don't want everyone to think and speak the same. I hope you share my passion for multiplicity, Taurus—especially these days. In my astrological opinion, you'll thrive if you immerse yourself in a celebratory riot of variety. I hope you will seek out influences you're not usually exposed to.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Imagine you're
not a person, but a medley of four magical ingredients. What would they be? A Gemini baker named Jasmine says, "ripe persimmons, green hills after a rain, a sparkling new Viking Black Glass Oven, and a prize-winning show horse." A Gemini social worker named Amarantha says she would be made of "Florence and the Machine's song 'Sky Full of Song,' a grove of birch trees, a blue cashmere knee-length sweater, and three black cats sleeping in the sun." A Gemini delivery driver named Altoona says, "freshly harvested cannabis buds, a bird-loving wetlands at twilight, Rebecca Solnit's book "Hope in the Darkness," and the Haleakalā shield volcano in Maui." And now, Gemini, what about you? Identify your
By Rob Brezsny
medley of four magical ingredients. The time is right to re-imagine the poetry of YOU.
my dear—both for your own benefit and for the betterment of everyone whose lives you touch.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Filmmaker
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): One of my heroes died in 2021: the magnificent Libran author bell hooks (who didn't capitalize her name). She was the most imaginative and independent-minded activist I knew. Till her last day, she articulated one-of-a-kind truths about social justice; she maintained her uncompromising originality. But it wasn't easy. She wrote, "No insurgent intellectual, no dissenting critical voice in this society escapes the pressure to conform. We are all vulnerable. We can all be had, co-opted, bought. There is no special grace that rescues any of us. There is only a constant struggle." I bring this to your attention, Libra, because I suspect the coming weeks will require your strenuous efforts to remain true to your high standards and unique vision of reality.
Jean-Luc Godard believes there's only one way to find a sense of meaning, and that is to fill your life to the bursting point; to be in love with your experience; to celebrate the flow of events wherever it takes you. When you do that, Godard says, you have no need or urge to ask questions like "Why am I here?" or "What is my purpose?" The richness of your story is the ultimate response to every enigma. As I contemplate these ideas, I say: wow! That's an intensely vibrant way to live. Personally, I'm not able to sustain it all the time. But I think most of us would benefit from such an approach for brief periods now and then. And I believe you have just entered one of those phases.
People should try to understand you're only bossing them around for their benefit. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): I asked Leo readers to provide their insights about the topic "How to Be a Leo." Here are responses that line up with your current astrological omens. 1. People should try to understand you're only bossing them around for their benefit. —Harlow Hunt. 2. Be alert for the intense shadows you may cast with your intense brightness. Consider the possibility that even if they seem iffy or dicey, they have value and even blessings to offer. —Cannarius Kansen. 3. Never break your own heart. Never apologize for showering yourself with kindness and adoration. —Amy Clear. 4. At the moment of orgasm, scream out your own name. —Bethany Grace VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): It's your birth-
right as a Virgo to become a master of capitalizing on difficulties. You have great potential to detect opportunities coalescing in the midst of trouble. You can develop a knack for spotting the order that's hiding in the chaos. Now is a time when you should wield these skills with artistry,
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): You now have
the power to make yourself even more beautiful than you already are. You are extraordinarily open to beautifying influences, and there will be an abundance of beautifying influences coming your way. I trust you understand I'm not referring to the kinds of beauty that are worshiped by conventional wisdom. Rather, I mean the elegance, allure, charm and grace that you behold in old trees and gorgeous architecture and enchanting music and people with soulful idiosyncrasies. P.S. The coming weeks will also be a favorable time to redefine the meaning of beauty for yourself.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): It's the Season for Expressing Your Love—and for expanding and deepening the ways you express your love. I invite you to speak the following quotes to the right person: 1. "Your head is a living forest full of songbirds." —E. E. Cummings. 2. "Lovers continuously reach each other's boundaries." —Rainer Maria Rilke, 3. "You're my favorite unfolding story." —Ann Patchett. 4. "My lifetime listens to yours." —Muriel Rukeyser.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In the
coming weeks, make sure you do NOT fit this description articulated by Capricorn novelist Haruki Murakami: "You're seeking something, but at the same time, you are running away
for all you're worth." If there is any goal about which you feel conflicted like that, dear Capricorn, now is a good time to clear away your confusion. If you are in some sense undercutting yourself, perhaps unconsciously, now is the time to expose your inner saboteur and seek the necessary healing. July will be SelfUnification Month.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): A Tweeter
named Luxuryblkwomen articulates one of her ongoing goals: "bridging the gap between me and my ideal self, one day at a time." I'd love it if you would adopt a similar aspiration in the coming months. You're going to be exceptionally skilled at all types of bridge-building, including the kind that connects you to the hero you'll be in the future. I mean, you are already a hero in my eyes, but I know you will ultimately become an even more fulfilled and refined version of your best self. Now is a favorable time to do the holy work of forging stronger links to that star-to-be.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): A blogger
named Lissar suggests that the cherry blossom is an apt symbol for you Pisceans. She describes you as "transient, lissome, blooming, lovely, fragile yet memorable and recurring, in tune with nature." Lissar says you "mystify yet charm," and that your "presence is a balm, yet awe-inspiring and moving." Of course, like all of us, you also have your share of less graceful qualities. And that's not a bad thing! We're all here to learn the art of growing into our ripe selves. It's part of the fun of being alive. But I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will be an extra close match for Lissar's description. You are at the peak of your power to delight and beguile us. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Make amends to a part of yourself you have neglected, insulted or wounded. newsletter.freewillastrology.com. {in}
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news of the weird GREAT ART If getting a sound night's sleep is your aim, this "zero-star hotel" is not for you. Instead, the art installation in the village of Saillon, Switzerland, is meant to provoke deep thought about the state of our world. Brothers Frank and Patrik Riklin created a platform next to a gas station, upon which sit a bed and two bedside tables and lamps. There are no walls, ceiling or doors, and cars streak by on the road just feet away, Reuters reported. "In a nutshell, now is not the time to sleep, we have to react," Patrik said. "If we continue in the same direction we are today, there might be more anti-idyllic places than idyllic." The price for the no-sleep night: $337. OOOOHHHKKKAYYYYY He's the perfect husband: "Married life with him is wonderful. He doesn't fight with me. He doesn't argue and he just understands me." "He" is Marcelo, a rag doll that was made for Meirivone Rocha Moraes, 37, by her mother after she complained about being single, the Daily Mail reported. And to pile on to the Brazilian woman's joy, just months later, she found herself delivering Marcelo's rag baby! ("It's true, Marcelo got me pregnant. He didn't use a condom.") Not wanting to have a child out of wedlock, Marcelo and Meirivone were joined in holy matrimony before 250 guests and spent their honeymoon week in Rio de Janeiro, then returned to await the arrival of Marcelinho— an event that was livestreamed on May 21. She says the birth, attended by a nurse and doctor, was pain-free. "He was here in 35 minutes." EXTRA VALUE MEAL When a customer at a Carl's Jr. location in Skiatook, Oklahoma, near Tulsa, sat down on June 20 to eat his burger, he discovered something extra in the bag: a baggie with a "crystalline substance," Inside Edition reported. The manager replaced the man's meal and called police, who field-tested the substance and found it was methamphetamine. Officers arrested Bryce Francis, an employee of the restaurant, who was allegedly dealing drugs from the drive-thru window and told police he had put the packet in the wrong bag. He was held at the Osage County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. BABIES ON BOARD There's a baby boom coming to the NICU and Labor and Delivery department of St. Luke's East Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, Fox News reported on June 22—and it's an inside job. Thirteen neonatal nurses are pregnant, and one gave birth on June 3. "About every two weeks, someone else would announce, 'I'm pregnant,'" said Caitlin Hall, the new mother. The due dates are spread out through December. "To be able to experience this all together has been such a relief but also really exciting," said Ellie Kongs, one of the nurses. WHAT'S IN A NAME? Since 2013, when he was only 13 years old, Le'Genius Williams, now 22, of St. Petersburg, Florida, has spent a whole
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
lotta time in the criminal justice system, The Smoking Gun reported. After release from prison in 2020, he was arrested in 2021 and released on $12,000 bond in February. But his latest runin with law enforcement was on June 13, when he allegedly struck his girlfriend in the face with a handgun, then drove off in a truck with another man. When police caught up with him, they found loaded firearms, cocaine and fentanyl in the vehicle. Le'Genius, once again not living up to his name, was held on $77,000 bond, and his earlier bond was revoked. COMPELLING EXPLANATION When 35-yearold Gloria Harpel was confronted by police in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, on June 16, she was walking down the street wearing no clothing from the waist down, North Penn Now reported. Initially, Harpel told officers that she had thrown her pants down the storm drain, but later she said that snakes had eaten them. When taken into custody at 2:30 p.m., Harpel was making "nonsensical outbursts" and was sweating profusely; she was held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, where she presumably was issued a pair of trousers. THE TECH REVOLUTION Amazon announced at its Re:Mars event on June 22 that its virtual assistant Alexa will soon be able to mimic the voices of specific people—even dead people, the Associated Press reported. Rohit Prasad, senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa, said the feature would help build trust in Alexa, which has become "even more important during the ongoing pandemic, when so many of us have lost ones that we love. While AI can't eliminate the pain of that loss, it can definitely make their memories last." Just a minute, I have to ask HAL what he thinks. OOPS KXLY-TV reported on June 21 that a family in Spirit Lake, Idaho, has been left without a roof for three weeks after a contractor mistakenly tore the roof off their home. Jessica Hotvedt, the homeowner, said the contractor covered the house with a tarp and left a letter saying there had been a miscommunication and the crew had been sent to the wrong address. But now, no one will take the blame. The roofing company said their insurance would handle it; that company has denied the family's claims. In the meantime, rainy weather has caused mold and mildew inside the home, along with damage to floors, drywall and carpeting. Bids to reinstall the metal roof are coming in at over $70,000. The family has contacted the state's attorney general and the Better Business Bureau and is seeking legal counsel. "It was a very costly mistake and it should have been fixed," Hotvedt said. {in}
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2022 Andrews McMeel
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com June 30, 2022
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• Signature Olive Oils & Vinegars • Curated Wine & Cheese • Hand-crafted Lattes • Delicious Salads & Sandwiches S H O P I N - S TO R E O R O N L I N E | 4 0 7 S O U T H PA L A F OX S T R EE T | B O DAC I O U S S H O P S . CO M
BOD0695 INW Bodacious Evergreen Half pg ad.indd 1
Independent News | June 30, 2022 | inweekly.net
5/5/22 2:23 PM