Inweekly March 12 2020 Issue

A MAN & HIS “FAMILIAR FACES” A Look Inside Poppy Garcia’s Solo Exhibition t Pensacol Museum of Art Independent News | March 12, 2020 | Volume 21 | Number 11 | Photo by: Natalie Allgyer

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winners & losers

outtakes

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news 6

Apparently, Pizza Hut pizza is worse than cancer.

buzz

cover feature 13

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contact us info@inweekly.net

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

a&e 15

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

“Holding careless drivers accountable makes Pensacola safer for us all.”

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winners & losers

winners DR. LEONID YANOVSKIY The University of West Florida announced a gift of $150,000 by an anonymous donor honoring Dr. Leonid Yanovskiy, the director of strings in the UWF Music Department. The gift will support the Arthur Thal Scholarship Endowment, which benefits students studying any string instrument. Yanovskiy has been a member of both the UWF faculty and Concertmaster of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra for 20 years.

At UWF, Yanovskiy teaches violin, viola and string quartet and conducts the University Orchestra. The donor was inspired to donate after learning about the string program, especially the work of Leonid Yanovskiy, and felt compelled to support his and others’ efforts to recruit students and build the program.

PENSACOLA SPORTS Pensacola has been

selected to host the 2021-25 Sun Belt Men's and Women's Basketball Championships as a part of the league's partnership with Pensacola Sports, in collaboration with the Pensacola Bay Center, Pensacola State College and Visit Pensacola. The 2021 Sun Belt Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled with first-round and second-round games played at the Pensacola Bay Center and Hartsell Arena on the campus of Pensacola State College and semifinal and championship games played at the Bay Center. Both championship games are slated for live coverage with the women's final on various ESPN channels.

ANDY WILLIAMS, JR. The Pensacola

man has joined the elite ranks of less than 250 people who have given 100 gallons or more of blood in Florida since World War II.

Matt Gaetz / Twitter

losers MATT GAETZ Last week our congressman appared to mock coronavirus concerns by wearing a gas mask on the House floor while he voted on a bill that provided $7.8 billion in appropriations to address the outbreak as well as an additional $500 million to fund a telehealth program in an effort to help expand access to health services for seniors.

But Gaetz tweeted Monday that he is now self-quarantined after learning he came into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Karma, baby.

TED YOHO The Republican congressman from central Florida was one of four House representatives that voted against making lynching a federal hate crime. Republicans Louie Gohmert of Texas and Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Independent Justin Amash of Michigan joined Yoho, who isn’t seeking reelection. Sixteen members did not vote. The proposal, however, received broad bipartisan support and passed 410-4.

ERHABOR IGHODARO The LGBTQ

Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, condemned the homophobic campaign of Miami Gardens Councilmember Ighodaro, calling it “one of the most homophobic campaigns we’ve seen from a Democratic candidate this year.” Ighodaro is running for a Florida Senate seat against openly gay state Rep. Shevrin Jones. Rep. Jones would become the first openly LGBTQ state senator in Florida history if he wins the Democratic primary and is elected in November.

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

COUNTY DYSFUNCTION Pensacola recently has been in the national news, but not in a good way. As media outlets upped their coverage of the coronavirus, we were repeatedly mentioned as one of the places where someone died from the virus.

The impact on tourism has been immediate, and people are questioning what County Administrator Janice Gilley and her leadership team will do to combat the effect of the coronavirus on our economy.

Last Friday night, the Florida Department of Health tweeted that the coronavirus patient from Santa Rosa County that was hospitalized at Baptist Hospital had died. Sources in the Pensacola lodging industry shared with Inweekly that cancellations are “piling up.”

“The response from the county on the virus, in general, hasn’t been good this far, and with tourism, this could greatly impact county tax collections and seasonal jobs,” shared our source.

On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency to broaden his powers to respond to the coronavirus, including allowing him to deploy National Guard troops if necessary. The Division of Emergency Management has activated its ESF 18 partners—which includes chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and tourism partners. They hosted their first weekly telephone conference on Wednesday, March 11.

Commissioner Jeff Bergosh asked Gilley to place on the Committee of the Whole agenda—scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, March 12—a discussion of the county’s response to the coronavirus.

“As we see this coronavirus erupting nationwide and worldwide, I believe we need to be proactive in our leadership in discussing how we will handle an outbreak locally should we encounter such an event,” wrote Bergosh in his email to the county administrator.

Our county government’s dysfunction hurts us as the virus hits our community. The county has an inexperienced county administrator and director of communications and public information whose background has been messaging for community colleges. Visit Pensacola’s new chief executive officer won’t come onboard until April 20.

Meanwhile, the county administrator has thrown her most experienced emergency disaster leader, John Dosh, under the bus over issues inside Emergency Medical Services. The daily newspaper has blasted Dosh and his former boss, Interim County Administrator Matt Coughlin, over an alleged secret evaluation of the county medical director, Dr. Rayme Edler.

We’re not so sure the evaluation was secret. Gilley admitted at a recent public meeting that the report had been “handed off to particular individuals.” However, she didn’t name who were the individuals. Someone decided to hide the evaluation from the new county human resources director. Who? It wasn’t Dosh or Coughlin.

To deal with the impact of the coronavirus, we need to end the dysfunction in the county government and have much more transparency. {in} rick@inweekly.net

We’re not so sure the evaluation was secret.

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BERNIE, BIDEN OR BUST?

Bernie Sanders photo by Sheila Fitzgerald; Joe Biden photo by Matt Smith / Shutterstock.com

By Jeremy Morrison With an acutely narrowed field of Democratic presidential candidates, Florida voters will cast their ballots for the party's nominee in the state's March 17 primary election. Their choice—Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. Technically, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is still in the race, too, but she hasn't earned enough delegates to even qualify for the March 15 debate.

"We're promoting the idea that we're going to vote blue no matter who because part of our belief is that we'd be much better off with any Democrat than with Mr. Trump being in office," said Lilly Eubanks, chair of the Escambia County Democratic Executive Committee.

But Eubanks said she was disappointed that Florida voters wouldn't have a larger voice in who the Democratic Party's nominee is, with the state's primary falling so late in the campaign season. Especially, in the context of this season, where the week following Super Tuesday saw the field whittled in whiplash fashion.

"I think a lot of things have happened very quickly, very recently," Eubanks said. "A lot of things have been decided upon already without us having a say in it."

But Florida's primary—the biggest prize of the day at 219 delegates—is supposed to further clarify the next step for a party currently wrestling with its own identity. Will voters continue to push Biden toward the nomination in a show of moderate consolidation, or will Sanders' "revolution" be able to find a needed burst of energy?

"I think March 17 is going to be a very big 66

primary day with all eyes on Florida especially," said Alex Morash, press secretary for the Florida Democratic Party.

Regardless of who wins the nomination, party officials are hoping that the desire to beat President Donald Trump in the general election will overshadow any interparty debates between the progressive and moderate wings.

"Whichever candidate ends up being the nominee, they would be lightyears ahead in making progress for our country compared to the president," said Morash. "I think that will unify the party."

Maybe so. Maybe not. Britt Walker, a Sanders supporter from Valparaiso, for example, would see the party's nomination of Biden as a betrayal of sorts and, worse yet, a sure loss in November.

"It's a cruel joke to run Biden; he's not going to win," she said. "I wouldn't throw my support behind him; I wouldn't do anything. I would just, basically, give up."

WHO'S LEFT

The initial collection of Democratic candidates represented a rich and diverse field. Even here, in the reddest part of Florida, a number of those candidates had active local organizations.

"We had an Andrew Yang group, we had an Amy Klobuchar forming a little late, we had Elizabeth Warren, we had Mayor Pete and we had a Bernie group that's kind of a combined Santa Rosa-Escambia County group," Eubanks said.

The most active Democratic candidate during this primary season, Eubanks said,

has been Warren, who had a paid staff person in the area.

"She's the only candidate that's had a paid person in the Panhandle, that I know of," Eubanks said.

Carollyn Taylor, a member of the group Progressives of Northwest Florida, was that staff member Warren had working the Panhandle. She also ran the 2018 campaign of Jennifer Zimmerman, who unsuccessfully ran to challenge Matt Gaetz for his congressional seat.

"Obviously, it hurts to have your candidate drop out," Taylor said. "But I am a Democrat, and I do think that the most important issue here is defeating Donald Trump."

Prior to joining Warren's staff, Taylor volunteered for the candidate. She started knocking on doors last summer and getting to know Panhandle voters.

"It's been an interesting experience," Taylor said. "I think, up until last week, a lot of people were still undecided."

Those undecideds had a much clearer choice following Biden's Super Tuesday resurrection and the exit of Warren, along with Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg—the latter three of which threw their support to Biden.

Like her candidate of choice, Taylor hasn't yet decided whether she'll back Biden or Sanders.

"Elizabeth, on our staff call and our volunteer call, she said, 'Get that haircut you've been putting off, get some sleep and let's take a breath before we settle in,'" Taylor said, adding that she's interested to see who Warren herself will back.

Because Warren's progressive platform more closely aligns with Sanders than with Biden, it might seem logical that her supporters would flow into his camp. But tensions between the two campaigns may have spoiled any progressive partnership.

"We've got a lot of great Bernie-progressives out there, but there's a lot of hate that came from the Bernie campaign to us, so it's really hard to swallow to just jump on one side," Taylor said, explaining that some Warren supporters she knows are gravitating to Biden, who they think "feels safe." "It seems like he's leaning more progressive. He just tweeted a couple of days ago calling for a $15 minimum wage, so it seems like he's going a little bit more to the left."

Ed Banacia, a Pensacola Democrat, is a bit more enthusiastic in his support for Biden. And not because the candidate may be leaning more progressive, but rather because he doesn't.

"We need a candidate that understands that an America divided against itself cannot stand. We need a candidate that won't spark a revolution in response to a revolution that will only serve to keep us divided," Banacia said.

"We need a candidate that will stabilize and restore our democracy."

BLOWING IT AGAIN

Walker, the Sanders supporter from Valparaiso, first supported the candidate in 2016 and was completely game for round two this election cycle.

"I'm a huge Bernie fan," Walker said, explaining she particularly likes Sanders' plan for government-funded healthcare and college education.

But Walker is from Germany and not a United States citizen, which means she can't vote for Sanders or any other candidate. It also means she's familiar with the concept of government-funded healthcare and education.

"Since I'm from Germany, I'm familiar with a proper healthcare system," Walker said. "I studied in Germany for free; I got my MBA. It didn't cost me a penny. We've had in Germany everything that Bernie wants for so many years."

When Walker and her family think about the progressive measures Sanders is proposing, they are not thinking in the theoretical. She and her husband were both diagnosed with cancer last year, and they have two high-school-age kids currently considering their college plans.

Walker knows that someone like Sanders, a senator from Vermont who embraces the label Democratic Socialist, might be a tough sell to a lot of America. But she believes that's only because people are distracted by labels branded as "toxic."

"I think a lot of it has to do with education," she said. "Like, we learned in fifth inweekly.net

grade how our economies are run. We're a mixed-market economy in Germany, just like we are here. To label it socialism or capitalism—these countries, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, they all, like the U.S., are mixed-market economies. You know, we teach that in schools and here people learn, 'Oh, socialism is bad.' We run on the same systems; it's just scare tactics.

It's silly."

When Sanders lost out to Hillary Clinton in 2016, Walker was disheartened.

When he looked to be leading the field this year, Walker was hopeful her husband would be casting a ballot for Sanders in November. But then came South Carolina and Super Tuesday, and Biden bolted off life support and surged ahead in the delegate count.

"With Biden now having so many delegates more, which was really, really unexpected, we're going to lose. We're going to see 2016 again," Walker said. "I feel like we had the chance of a lifetime with Bernie Sanders, to get healthcare through, and it's like we got a second chance and we're blowing it. We're blowing it again."

A BIG PARTY

The schism in the Democratic Party is well illustrated in Florida, where a lawsuit was filed in Leon County last month aimed at keeping Sanders off the state's primary ballot. The suit claims that Sanders is an "independent interloping improperly" on the Democrat's ballot and thus diluting the vote.

Juan Penalosa, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, waved off the lawsuit as "ridiculous." Morash, the organization's press secretary, described all the interparty drama as a more cordial affair.

"From what we've seen," he said, "it's still one big party having a discussion."

And an interesting, animated discussion it is. Eubanks said that she thought such discussion throughout the primary season from all the varied field of candidates ultimately benefited the Democratic Party.

"A lot of those candidates brought out some really good ideas," she said. "I hope that whoever the candidate is will keep in mind what they learned from what all those other people had to say, the ideas that were brought out by many of the other candidates." {in}

2020 PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY LOWDOWN ELECTION DAY

Tuesday, March 17 Polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

EARLY VOTING

Happening now-Saturday, March 14

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS ESCAMBIA COUNTY

All of these early voting locations are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily except the Supervisor of Elections Office, which is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office 213 S. Palafox, Second Floor Main Library 239 Spring St. Molino Community Center 6450-A Highway 95A Genealogy Branch Library 5740 B, Ninth Ave. Southwest Branch Library 12248 Gulf Beach Highway Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds 6655 Mobile Highway Escambia County Extension 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment Brownsville Community Center 3200 W. De Soto St. University of West Florida Campus Lane, Bldg. 90

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

All of these early voting locations are open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily.

South Santa Rosa Service Center 5841 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections Office 6495 Caroline St., Milton

March 12, 2020

Pace Community Center 5976 Chumuckla Highway, Pace Tiger Point Community Center 1370 Tiger Park Lane, Gulf Breeze

WHAT'S ON YOUR BALLOT

It's a Presidential Preference Primary, so that means you only have one contest to think about. Florida is a closed-primary state, which means voters can only vote for candidates in their registered party. And yes, everyone who qualified is still on the ballot, so the list of Democratic nominees is pretty long even though only three candidates are still technically running (Biden, Gabbard and Sanders).

Republican Party Sample Ballot Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente Donald J. Trump Joe Walsh Bill Weld Democratic Party Sample Ballot Michael Bennet Joe Biden Michael R. Bloomberg Cory Booker Pete Buttigieg JuliĂĄn Castro John Delaney Tulsi Gabbard Amy Klobuchar Deval Patrick Bernie Sanders Joe Sestak Tom Steyer Elizabeth Warren Marianne Williamson Andrew Yang For more information visit escambiavotes.com or votesantarosa.com.

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CLEAN SWEEP UPDATE Escambia

County and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office will hold its first Clean Sweep in the Montclair area in April, according to Clara Long, the county's interim Neighborhood & Human Services Department director.

Last month, Commissioner Lumon May and Sheriff David Morgan held a joint press conference on the rise of gun violence in our community (Inweekly, "My Heart Bleeds," 3/5/20) and announced the return of Operation Clean Sweep. Since the announcement, Long has been working out the details with Chief Deputy Chip Simmons and Major Andy Hobbs.

Commissioner Robert Bender attended the presser to show his support for his fellow commissioner and the sheriff. At the agenda review on March 5, he pointed out what he learned about gun violence at the recent National Conference of Counties' Legislative Conference.

"It is all over the country that they are seeing more violent crime, that they are seeing this type of behavior throughout the country—so we are not unique," said Bender. "I just want to thank you, Commissioner May, for taking the leadership on that again, meeting with the sheriff and getting all the stakeholders there to come together along with the community to say that as a community and as a board, we're not going to support this behavior."

DOSH DEFENDED During the Gary Sansing Public Forum before the regular county commission meeting last week, Bob West, retired public safety director for the Santa Rosa Island Authority, defended John Dosh, the county's interim Public Safety director.

Earlier in the week, the daily newspaper reported that Dosh had done a confidential job evaluation of Medical Director Dr. Rayme Edler at the direction of the Interim County Administrator Matt Coughlin. The evaluation was hand-delivered to Coughlin and not discussed with Dr. Edler or placed in her personnel file.

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"I have known JD, or John Dosh, for around 30 years," said West. "I've known him to be a top-shelf, exceptionally good at what he did. He's just a great guy, in my mind."

Without identifying the culprit, West said he came to speak because of "what appears to be an attempt to ruin JD's reputation at this stage of his career."

"Let's make it clear, he did as directed," he told the commissioners. "If it didn't proceed or follow HR guidelines, great. Talk about his superior, okay? Blast his superior.

But how do you get a guy trying to be insubordinate? Why is he in the crosshairs?"

West later said as his time ended, "I would hope that somebody, probably Ms. Gilley, would clarify the record in my opinion, maligning JD over this fiasco. After all of his work, this is … He's a volunteer firefighter. He was the best emergency manager in the state. He has done nothing but exemplary stuff for you guys, so please intervene. Stop this before his name's irreparably damaged."

Commissioner Jeff Bergosh also defended Dosh and took a shot at the Pensacola News Journal.

"I agree with everything you said about JD," Bergosh told West. "He was put into an impossible situation, and it's been difficult for him. So I have nothing but the highest praise for him."

He added, "And I read that article in the News Journal as well. And like a lot of what you read in the News Journal, you have to take it with a grain of salt. Believe me. He ain't the only one that takes a beating. I don't like it either, but it doesn't reflect the truth."

However, Bergosh didn't cite what in the article wasn't true. The following day, he talked with Inweekly and said that he objected to the tone of the article and how it portrayed Dosh and Coughlin.

Commissioner Lumon May asked County Administrator Janice Gilley whether the information about the evaluations of Dr. Edler was accurate and whether she has resolved the differences between Doss' evaluation and the one conducted by

Corrections Director Rich Powell that was placed in Edler's file.

Gilley dodged the question—"Well, so evaluations are done annually, so the next ones would be done in June for the next year, so there has not been a subsequent evaluation that I'm aware of or we have not found one in the records that were done after the one that was reported in the paper."

May pressed, "I mean, there's an evaluation that didn't follow the proper protocol, and it's now a public document. There has to be a remedy. There has to be a discussion about it. It just doesn't go away."

He asked what was being done with Dosh's evaluation of Edler.

"So in my conversations with Mr. Dosh, what we have said was that I understood exactly what Mr. West said, which is that he was following protocols as he was instructed at the time," replied Gilley. "And so that did not come to light until recently that there was that evaluation that had been handed off to particular individuals."

The county administrator didn't name what "particular individuals" were handed Dosh's report. The PNJ article only identified Coughlin.

Commissioner May was clearly frustrated with how long the EMS issues have gone unresolved. He said, "I'd love to have the information brought forward so we can clarify anything that may or may not happen. If it's true, it's true. If it's false, it's false, but let's at least bring it forward."

Affairs Committee. He said of the amendment, "At that State Affairs Committee, it was done without my knowledge until I read about it in the press."

"When that committee met, that is when Alex amended it onto the train," said the lawmaker. "I very easily could have done the same thing at the same time had I known that I could have been at that committee to do so, but I wasn't present. I didn't know that was going to happen."

Andrade went on the air the following day and disputed Hill's story.

"I am baffled that in his fifth session in the legislature in Tallahassee, Rep. Hill still did not know or understand how amendments work," said Andrade, who is serving the second year of his first term. "Listen, that's one of the many reasons people just don't take Rep. Hill seriously over here. That crosses the political spectrum from conservative Republicans to moderate Republicans."

The committee bill for road designations had been identified for several weeks, and the meeting was publicly noticed.

That was "the one and only time you could amend it on to House Bill 391," according to Andrade. Hill simply dropped the ball and didn't keep up with the legislation.

Andrade said, "I'm just glad that General James, the first black four-star general in America, born in Pensacola, Tuskegee airman, is getting honored the way that the two cities in two counties asked me to honor him."

CAUGHT IN A FIB State Rep. Mike Hill has been upset that he didn't get credit for the Florida House State Affairs Committee approving the naming of the new Pensacola Bay bridge for General Chappie James.

He has attacked Rep. Alex Andrade, who amended the committee bill to include the name designation, accusing Andrade of "stolen valor" on social media.

At the end of February, Hill went on NewsRadio 1620 and claimed that he didn't know the committee bill—known as "the train"—was on the agenda of the State

BIAS TRAINING While the Pensacola Police Department's implicit bias training may result in a more enlightened municipal force, Cedric Alexander recently told the media that he can't say it will prevent an event like last summer's fatal police shooting, during which an unarmed man was killed after officers pulled him over.

"I think that anytime that we have training," Alexander said, "it has nothing to do, but wholly, in a total kind of way, help us understand who we are, to be more conscious of who we are. It becomes part

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POPPY GARCIA: BLESS YOUR HEART ON VIEW: March 13-April 16 PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART

March 12, 2020

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of everything else that we are trained to do.

But it does not say it's going to prevent an unfortunate or sad type of incident, of any type of death that may occur."

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson brought Alexander aboard recently to conduct training sessions with city police officers. Such training was recommended by a grand jury following the fatal shooting of Tymar Crawford by former Detective Daniel Siemen.

The training with the PPD, Alexander explained Feb. 25 during a press conference, has consisted of sessions centered on implicit biases. He said, "It is built into the brain, and it is really more of a fear response of the unknown."

Through exploring the concept of implicit biases, Alexander said that local police officers will become more aware and conscious of how they are interacting with various segments of the community. The training is being conducted in two-hour sessions, with the department's executive-level personnel receiving additional leadership training.

"It's not threatening training," Alexander said. "People don't feel like anybody's going to come in and get beat up about who they are or where they grew up or what their beliefs were."

TDC VOLUNTEERS The Escambia

County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for an appointment as a "Hotel/Motel Industry" representative on the Escambia County Tourist Development Council.

Applicants must be owners/operators of motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks or other tourist accommodations in the county and subject to the tax. Council members serve a four-year term of office and meet quarterly for approximately two hours.

Escambia County residents interested in serving on the Tourist Development Council are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve on the council by the close of business on Friday, March 20.

Resumes should be submitted to Shamara Jernigan, Program Coordinator, Board of County Commissioners, P.O. Box 1591, Pensacola, FL 32502, or emailed to boardapply@ myescambia.com.

Please be aware that resumes submitted to a BCC agenda for consideration will become part of the official minutes and are subject to public records requests.

SUMMER YOUTH JOBS Escambia County is seeking youth ages 16-24 who are interested

in an opportunity to get paid work experience this summer through the Escambia County Youth Employment Program. Applications are due Friday, April 3, by 3 p.m.

Qualified youth who are accepted into ECYEP will be able to work up to 30 hours a week at $8.56 per hour, with positions available in various county departments.

Participants will also receive job readiness training prior to job placement as well as post-employment briefings.

Limited positions are available. Requirements for the program are as follows—must be age 16-24 and must live in Escambia County, Fla. Applications can also be picked up during normal business hours at 221 S. Palafox Place, 4th floor reception desk or 3200 W. De Soto Street or online at myescambia. com. Incomplete application packets will not be accepted.

NAS REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

The Navy League-Pensacola Council will host a City of Pensacola & Community NASP Remembrance Ceremony for the victims of the Dec. 6, 2019, shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola Saturday, March 14 , starting at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Park.

The community is encouraged and

welcomed to attend this event in support of the fallen shipmates and their families. Due to limited seating, those attending are encouraged to bring a collapsible lawn chair. Parking areas around the Veterans Memorial Park will be available. For more information, please visit pensacolanavyleague.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR The Pen-

sacola City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, at Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. DIB Parking & Traffic Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Bowden Building, Room #1, 120 Church St. The community is invited to join the City of Pensacola, Port of Pensacola and Pensacola Yacht Club for a send-off celebration for American Magic as the sailing team prepares to leave Pensacola and continue training for the 2021 America's Cup. The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday, March 16, at the Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. Escambia County, City of Pensacola and the U.S. Census Bureau will host the Census 2020 Kick-Off Event at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at the Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St. Mayor Grover Robinson and Commissioner Lumon May will be among the speakers. {in}

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Poppy Garcia / Photo by Natalie Allgyer

A MAN & HIS "FAMILIAR FACES"

By Savannah Evanoff Poppy Garcia demands people's attention, but he doesn't ask for it.

The Pensacola artist won first place in Pensacola Museum of Art's members' show last year—and with it, a solo exhibition. Garcia didn't expect to win, he said, but he started conceptualizing his upcoming show, "Bless Your Heart, Bless This Mess," immediately.

He thinks the series of 100-plus 8-by-10inch pieces called "Familiar Faces" will capture viewers' attention. He describes them as contemporary iconography.

"They're basically character sketches of nonexistent characters," Garcia said. "Some of them have some pop culture references, but I tried to stay away from using existing characters unless I felt they were symbolic in a way. When you walk into a room, it's hard to avoid all these technicolor paintings hanging on the wall."

That half of the show is an evolution of a collection Garcia concocted 10 years ago that has since been sold. The painter and sculptor first started the small pieces as a bit of an experiment.

"I'm very detail-oriented and also very focused on clean lines and balance and all the things I was told are important about art," Garcia said. "Eventually, I got very caught up March 12, 2020

in those things … when you're existing with a certain set of rules, breaking out of those rules is always the most satisfying thing."

One piece from the original body of work is featured in the exhibit, but the two collections are different.

"The original body of work was just a face with a black background and that was it," Garcia said. "Now, these are technicolor with a massive amount of detailed illustration around them. It became much more of a story and more intention behind it than it originally had."

"The thesis behind the work is pretty cut and dry in that sense, that these characters are the manifestations of ourselves."

Poppy Garcia The works are made with no preliminary drawings. Each starts with a colorful abstract background from which Garcia pulls out an image. The theme is interconnectivity.

"A lot of the characters are just how I see the differences between everyone," Garcia

said. "The thesis behind the work is pretty cut and dry in that sense, that these characters are the manifestations of ourselves.

They exploit and shine a light on the intricacies and the connecting differences that exist between all of us in a bigger sense. In a lot of ways, these characters are obviously cartoonish monsters in some cases and exaggerated caricatures of humans and things like that. But, I feel like on a more basic level, a lot of them are relatable in a sense, whether it be due to their characteristics or the emotion they're showing or what have you."

Garcia recently installed the works with his close friend and exhibition technician Richard Rodriguez. Seeing his art line the walls is wonderful—especially given how much time he's spent on it, he said.

"I'm usually pretty dedicated to my process, and I'm a pretty isolated person for the most part," Garcia said. "I've been staying up until 4 or 5 in the morning almost every night just to work on these pieces. It got to the point where I felt like I was losing my mind, which I very well might have."

All those consecutive late nights added dimension to the show though.

"My goal was to paint 100 of these pieces, and I ended up conceptualizing an entirely new

body of work while I was doing those and also ended up accidentally doing 105," Garcia said. "I exceeded my goal by accident."

The second half of the show, "Thoughts and Prayers," is a larger multimedia installation.

Garcia loves creating big works of art— murals, installation sculptures—so this was his chance to do both, he said.

"It got to the point where I felt like I was losing my mind, which I very well might have." Garcia The undertone of both bodies of work transcended into a commentary on technology today.

"Before I started this body of work, I was very active on my social media and it was a big part of my artistic process in a lot of ways, as far as Instagram and things like that," Garcia said. "When I really started creating this body of work, I stopped all of it, mainly to take a break from it but also because I realized creating these pieces and being immersed into this work satisfied the same need as my social media was."

Garcia hopes the pieces will spark a similar experience for viewers.

13

A CRAFTY SOUTHERN PUB WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER MONDAY-SATIURDAY: LUNCH AND DINNER TUESDAY NIGHT: BURGERS AND BORDEAUX WEDNESDAY NIGHT: RIBS AND ROSE

309 SOUTH REUS ST. | 850.607.6320 FACEBOOK.COM/UNIONPENSACOLA

"I really hope they begin to take a moment to step back in their own way from this self-examination that's offered by social media and begin to actually look internally to themselves for those satisfactions as opposed to this technology box we all usually exist in," Garcia said.

Garcia will feature friends and actors in a performance art piece that heavily pertains to the same theme.

"The social media thing ended up sneaking its way into these bodies of work in a way," Garcia said. "It's funny to me, people scroll through 100 images in minutes on their phone.

To have 100 of these—not even large—images hanging on a wall I'm hoping will break people out of this idea that they're accomplishing anything when scrolling through a computer screen on their phone. The fact that we live in this time that that's something people are regularly addicted to is mind-boggling to me."

Garcia isn't judging. He gets it. He's been there.

"As someone who has at points posted daily and often through social media and also been a purveyor of those things and realized that at the end of the day, I'm getting nothing out of it," Garcia said. "It's just a time suck."

Garcia then delved into another unpleasant effect of social media.

"The performance itself speaks to this false identity that's created through social media interaction and this need and want to know who each other are while gaining no insight through these social media personas," Garcia said, "which transcends through the whole body of work this false identity issue in a time when people want to be more connected."

It bothers Garcia because he truly loves getting to know people.

"I love people more than anything," Garcia said. "But it's very hard to exist nowadays and really get to know people. In a way, I hope

my work bridges that gap. I hope it creates a dialogue that has no need for words."

Garcia hopes people will interpret his art how they choose.

"I guess that's what I'm trying to put across, not just with this body of work but all my work, it's not about me," Garcia said.

"It's about the viewer more than anything.

I'm merely the medium putting off these ideas that come to me. I'm just a channel."

"I love people more than anything, but it's very hard to exist nowadays and really get to know people." Garcia As a longtime artist in the area, Garcia believes this particular body of work will reveal his intense dedication to the craft. But he isn't sure people always see his earnestness.

"To me it was never really a comical thing, but I feel like to a lot of people, that's what it became, because a lot of my imagery is very playful; it's very cartoonish," Garcia said.

"For a long time, I felt like the only reason I was taken seriously is because people would experience me outside of my work … When people would only experience my work, they'd be like, 'I mean, this is cool, like funny cartoons,' which is fine as well. Everything's up for interpretation. At the end of the day, my work is very serious to me."

Garcia thinks this exhibition overall gives a more refined idea of what his work represents to him.

"I feel like this is the most honest I've been through my work," Garcia said. "I'm getting closer and closer to this place where I'm beginning to just not care about what ideas people may have about my work and stick to how I feel." {in}

POPPY GARCIA: BLESS YOUR HEART, BLESS THIS MESS EXHIBITION PROGRAMMING OPENING RECEPTION & COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 13 Celebrate the opening of PMA's spring exhibitions—Bless Your Heart, Bless This Mess and the 2020 Member's Show—with a community block party featuring Nomadic Eats food truck, live mural painting and The Members Show awards ceremony.

Free and open to the public.

ARTIST TALK & PERFORMANCE 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 3 Garcia will present a new group performance piece and discuss his artistic process. Free with museum admission.

WHAT: A solo exhibition by local artist Poppy Garcia WHEN: On view Friday, March 13-Sunday, April 26 WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org

414 1

ARTIST WORKSHOP 4-7 p.m. Saturday, April 25 Attendees can create their own familiar faces portrait during this lively painting class led by Garcia. Supplies included with ticket. Seating limited, visit pensacolamuseum.org for more details. inweekly.net

WEEK OF MARCH 12-18

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

Helping the Medicine Go Down

By Savannah Evanoff

The show will open with women from that sucks so much that you have cancer. I Improvable Cause and continue with comesigned up for lacrosse today.' Her exact words. dians Dillon, Smith, Gale MzUnderstood and I had bought the kids pizza. Vinny goes, 'What? headliner from New Orleans Jeff D. Jeff D is You have cancer? That sucks. Why does everyamazing, Dillon said. body always have to get cancer?' He bites the "He is a storyteller," Dillon said. "He's so pizza and he goes, 'Mom, why do you always sweet and he's so funny. He's very much a have to get Pizza Hut pizza?' … Apparently, humanitarian. When you watch him, you don't Pizza Hut pizza is worse than cancer." know whether to hug him or what. You want Dillon has dabbled in comedy since 2012 him to be your best friend, which I love." but wanted to perform standup routines her whole life.

"In my high school yearbook, it says secret ambition—to be a standup comedian," Dillon said.

It was Dillon's divorce that finally landed her one-liners in front of a microphone— specifically her first summer with no kids in the house.

"I'd never been without them; I didn't know what to do," Dillon said. "My friend's husband Much of the proceeds from the comedy was like, 'You want to do comedy, right? There's show will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma an open mic. You wanna go check it out?'"

Society and the Rally Pensacola Emergency Long story short, he didn't show up. But Fund, an organization that supports local Dillon still stepped onstage. families affected by childhood cancer. Dillon is "I told the guys that were there, 'This is excited to help locals. my first time. Just got kicked out of a 13-year "I said, 'We have to make this something marriage; I don't think getting kicked off a stage that means something,'" Dillon said. is going to hurt any worse,'" Dillon said. "I got "This has become my mantra, 'The only off the stage and they said, 'That was your first thing better than doing what you love for a time?' I was like, 'Yeah.' They go, 'You got it.' living is doing what you love to make a difIt was such a rush. I found my home. I found ference,'" Dillon said. "I know I have this gift where I belong."

Dillon struggled her whole life being good at of being able to bring people together with a common purpose, especially for something things … but not great. Comedy was different. that helps others."

She later founded Stingers Comedy with Dillon loves sharing her passion for comher friend Compton Smith in 2018. edy and hopes to host future Killing Cancer "He came to me and he said, 'Hey, you're with Comedy shows. She will prove cancer the matriarch of Pensacola comedy. I want to can be funny. start doing standup. I want to do this for real.

"No matter how bad the pain is, the jokes Let's start a company,'" Dillon said. are the sugar that makes the medicine go Now, they perform all over Northwest down," Dillon said. "I tell my friends, 'Don't wait Florida and recently helped organize the Penuntil someone tells you you're going to die besacola Indie Fringe and Comedy Festival. fore you start to live. Don't live in fear. Don't be Since being diagnosed with cancer, Dillon uses #killingcancerwithcomedy. When Stingers afraid of anything. Just do it. The worst thing in life is regret.'" {in} Comedy had the opportunity to host a comedy show at the Pensacola Little Theatre, the theme was inevitable.

"The idea is cancer is the bully WHAT: Comedy show featuring Improvable Cause, Emily on the playground," Dillon, Compton Smith, Gale MzUnderstood and Jeff D Dillon said. "He's WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 14 gonna beat you up, WHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. but you don't have COST: $15-$30 to let it beat you DETAILS: killingcancerwithcomedy.com down. Just laugh in the bully's face."

"This has become my mantra, 'The only thing better than doing what you love for a living is doing what you love to make a difference.'" Dillon

Emily Dillon / Photo by Nikki Hedrick

Emily Dillon doesn't shy away from a joke—especially if it's at cancer's expense.

The Pensacola comedian was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in September of 2016. It's a rare cancer—the same type that plagues retired professional basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and wrestler Roman Reigns.

"It's a type of chronic leukemia," Dillon said. "I will never be rid of it. It's forever. I joke I have that long-term relationship I've always been looking for."

Dillon takes a daily chemotherapy pill to combat the disease.

"My daily grind is dealing with the side effects of the chemotherapy," Dillon said.

"It's not what people traditionally think of when they think of chemo, but it takes a toll on you."

Dillon feels fortunate her symptoms are minor compared to her friends. She cites being tired, pale—it decreases melanin— and having bone pain and muscle cramping.

But, honestly, she's grateful.

"Twenty-five years ago, there was no cure," Dillon said. "You would've been talking to a dead woman."

And she has the good kind of cancer.

"The doctor tells me, 'If you're going to have leukemia, this is the one to have,'" March 12, 2020

Dillon said. "That's like saying, 'If you're gonna cut off a limb, it's best to cut off your right leg.'"

Enough about cancer, though. Dillon is a self-proclaimed goofball, and she's practically over telling the story—unless it has a punchline, of course.

"The only way I know how to deal with anything bad in my life is make jokes about it, which gets me in trouble sometimes," Dillon said. "But it helps me to cope."

"The only way I know how to deal with anything bad in my life is make jokes about it, which gets me in trouble sometimes." Emily Dillon Dillon doesn't feel the need to behave like a grown-up. And when it comes to finding out their mom has cancer, her kids followed suit.

Dillon has three children—Sofia, 19; Anja, 17; and Vincent, 12. They are cut so much from the same cloth. Dillon incorporated their reaction to the cancer news into an open mic night the same day she was diagnosed.

"Keep in mind, these are my children," Dillon said. "Our love language is humor. Anja goes—she's just like me—'Oh my gosh, mom,

KILLING CANCER WITH COMEDY

15

calendar THURSDAY 3.12

WORK ON THE FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m.-12:30

p.m. Every Thursday. Three miles north of Deaton Bridge Road. meetup.com/ftawesterngate COMMUNITY PILATES WITH EMILY 9 a.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org BREAKERSPACE ELECTRONICS 10:30 a.m.

Thursdays. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com MINDFUL EATING AND COOKING 11 a.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org QUILT, STITCH AND SEW OPEN SESSION 1-3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com NEIGHBOR'S NIGHT 4-9 p.m. $1 off beer and appetizers. Coastal County Brewing, 3041 E Olive Road.

FLIGHTS AND BITES 5-7 p.m. $20 per person.

Thursdays. Wine and food pairings. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine YAPPY HOUR 5-10 p.m. 5% of proceeds benefit Escambia County Animal Shelter. Red Fish Blue Fish, 5B Via De Luna Drive. redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.com MEDITATION AND ENERGY HEALING 6 p.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org MOLINO MELODIES 6 p.m. Thursdays. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road.

END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m.

End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SALVE MAKING FOR SKINCARE 6:30 p.m.

Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 3014 N. Ninth Ave. asherandbee.com MERCY ME 20/20 WITH JEREMY CAMP AND DAVID LEONARD 7 p.m. $28.75-$160. Pensacola

Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com BRIAN REGAN 7:30 p.m. $47.50. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

GRAPHIC NOVELS

CAROL AND GOOSE COMEDY: JOE KELLEY WITH SPECIAL GUEST DERICK MARCHEL 8

p.m. $5. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola

ST. PATRICK'S DAY CALENDAR

FRIDAY 3.13

PENSACOLA QUILT SHOW 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $7$10. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. pensacolaquiltersguild.org BACKYARD BOHEMIAN: 30-MINUTE MEALS

11 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

RAISE HELL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS 1 p.m. $7 (cash only). Pensacola Cinema

Art, Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com GARDEN CLUB 1-4 p.m. $36. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu KNIVES OUT 4 p.m. $7 (cash only). Pensacola Cinema Art, Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com HAPPY HOUR COOKOUT 5 p.m. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com PAINT N' PARTY 5:30-8 p.m. $33. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu COMPASSIONATE CUISINE VEGAN COOKING

6 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ACOUSTIC SONGWRITERS NIGHT 6 p.m.

Every Friday through March 27. Frazier's Country Wines, 3130 Barrancas Ave. fromthegroundupgardenpensacola.com TOM NEILSON 7 p.m. $10. 350 Pensacola Fundraiser. East Pensacola Heights Clubhouse, 3208 E. Gonzalez St. $5 LOCAL SHOWCASE 7 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com SNAILMATE, BIG LO, BLURRY, GOODFIRES, CRYSTAL CLEAN 7 p.m. $5. chizuko, 506 W.

Belmont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola

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

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

SATURDAY 3.14

PARKRUN/WALK MEETUP 7:30 a.m. Univer-

sity of West Florida, Rec Plex North Field, 11000 University Parkway. parkrun.us/ recplexnorth

FMW AUDUBON FIELD TRIP TO SOUNDSIDE PRESERVE 7:30 a.m. Free. Soundside Preserve,

4401 Soundside Drive. fmwaudubon.org

SATURDAY 3.14

O'RILEY'S IRISH PUB FIFTH ANNUAL GROG MARCH 4-11 p.m. $15. O'Riley's Irish

Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. orileyspub.com

TUESDAY 3.17

ST. PATRICK'S DAY AT O'RILEY'S IRISH PUB 9 a.m.-11:59 p.m. Drink specials,

live music and corned beef and cabbage special all day. O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. orileyspub.com

GO IRISH ON THE ISLAND PUB CRAWL

9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. $15 t-shirt benefits Covenant Care. Starts at Crabs We Got 'Em, 6 Casino Beach Boardwalk. pensacolabeachchamber.com OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UP 9-10 a.m. Two miles north at Chimney Park on Scenic Highway at Langley Avenue on the east side. oceanhourfl.com SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road.

PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com YOU SELL IT HERE FARMER'S MARKET 9 a.m.2 p.m. Free admission. Every Saturday. 8600 Pensacola Blvd. facebook.com/yousellithere

ST. PADDY'S DAY AT LAGUNA'S 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Free entry. Live music, food, green beer. Lagunas Beach Bar and Grill, 460 Pensacola Beach Blvd. lagunaspensacolabeach.com ST. PATRICK'S DAY AT SEVILLE QUARTER

11 a.m.-2 a.m. A full day of green beer, Irish drink specials, food, live music and the ceremonial kissing of the Blarney Stone. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com ST. PATRICK'S DAY DINNER 6 p.m. $65. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com ST. PADDY'S COSTUME CONTEST 7 p.m.

Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com PENSACOLA QUILT SHOW 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $7$10. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. pensacolaquiltersguild.org SPRING FAIR 10 a.m.-3 p.m. St. Mark United Methodist Church 2203 N. 12th Ave., facebook.com/stmarkpensacola ANIMAL ALLIES SPRING INTO LOVE ADOPTION EVENT 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pensacola Fair-

grounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. aaflorida.org

HUMANISTS OF WEST FLORIDA 10:30 a.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org COASTAL COUNTY BREWING GRAND OPENING Noon-midnight. Coastal County Brewing,

3041 E. Olive Road.

NIAVANA STUDIO FREE EMPOWERMENT SEMINAR Noon-3 p.m. 904 E. Scott St. ash-

erandbee.com

KIDS BOOKS

909 N. 12th Avenue

pensacolapopcomics.com 616 1

inweekly.net

March 12, 2020

17

calendar HERBAL CONDIMENTS COOKING CLASS 1 p.m.

$20-$25. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 3014 N. Ninth Ave. asherandbee.com

RAISE HELL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS 1 p.m. $7 (cash only). Pensacola Cinema

Art, Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com PUBLIC ICE SKATE 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m. $9-$12.

Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com CHESS CLUB 2 p.m. Saturdays. All levels welcome. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com NATURAL HEALING STUDY GROUP 2 p.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org KNIVES OUT 4 p.m. $7 (cash only). Pensacola Cinema Art, Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com SPRING BREAK BEACH SUNSET CRUISE 6-7:30 p.m. $20 per person. Saturdays through March 28. Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, 400 Quietwater Beach Blvd. pensacolabaycruise.com 1920S MURDER MYSTERY AT THE VINEYARD

7 p.m. $45. The Vineyard, 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 111. facebook.com/pensacolavineyardbistrowinebar DANCE PARTY 7 p.m.-midnight. $10 workshop, $10 party. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com KILLING CANCER WITH COMEDY 8 p.m. $15-$20. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com THE CHORAL SOCIETY OF PENSACOLA: MY

FAVORITE THINGS/YOUNG VOICES 2020 7:30

p.m. $15-$25. First United Methodist Church, 6 E. Wright St. choralsocietyofpensacola.org SATURDAY SWING OUTS 8 p.m. $5. Saturdays.

Breathe Yoga Studio, 505 S. Adams St. PINK FLOYD LASER LIGHT SPECTACULAR 8 p.m. $36-$45. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS 2 p.m. $27.50-$116.

Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND 3-5 p.m. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/ dolcegelatopensacola TRANSGENDER ALLIANCE 4 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org GEOFF TATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR 8 p.m. $30. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

SUNDAY 3.15

MONDAY 3.16

Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org KNITTING FOR BEGINNERS 3-4:30 p.m. $38.

Through March 30. Pensacola State College Milton campus, 5988 US 90. pensacolastate.edu

THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN 10 a.m.

TRANSMISSION MEDITATION WORLD SERVICE

10:30 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BIERGARTEN YOGA WITH GARY JR. 10:30 a.m. $12. Gary's Brewery and Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. facebook.com/garysbrew BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/ cafesinglefin VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for adults. Free valet parking and 15% off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via De Luna Drive. facebook. com/hiltonpensacolabeach CARD PLAYERS CLUB 1 p.m. Sundays. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

GARDENING ON THE GULF COAST 9 a.m.

AMERICAN MAGIC SEND-OFF CELEBRATION

5-7 p.m. Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. RESTORATIVE PILATES 5:15 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org GRAPHIC NOVEL GROUP 5:30 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 S. Spring St. mywfpl.com MOLINO BOOK CLUB 6 p.m. 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com THE ODDLING TROT 6 p.m. Mondays. Join Odd Colony running club for a three-mile run and enjoy $2 off pints after the run. Odd Colony Brewing Co., 260 N. Palafox. facebook. com/oddcolony

HANDS-ON SUSHI COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $60. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 6 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com CROHN'S AND COLITIS SUPPORT GROUP 6:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

TUESDAY 3.17

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org JOHN APPLEYARD TALK: W.D. CHIPPLEY 9 a.m.

Pensacola Visitor Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. OPEN STEAM LAB 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com THE BROKEN EARTH BOOK SIGNING 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Pensacola Visitor Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. RAISE HELL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS 1 p.m. $7 (cash only). Pensacola Cinema

Art, Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com ASTARA STUDY GROUP 1:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org POP-UP OPERA 1:45 p.m. Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 4-6 p.m.

Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com

ON THE WATER AND

OFF THE CHARTS! Fresh off the dock seafood. Spectacular waterfront view. Live entertainment and our legendary Southern hospitality. Year after year, the Fish House is rated one of the top restaurants in Pensacola.

Chart a course to our house and see why.

FISHHOUSEPENSACOLA.COM

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

818 1

inweekly.net

calendar BEGINNER YOGA WITH JOHN 4:30 p.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org FUNKY YOGA 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road.

COUNTRY TWO-STEP DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12.

Whiskey Runners Saloon, 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com ERIC JOHNSON 8 p.m. $25-$60. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

WEDNESDAY 3.18

SEWING AND QUILTING FOR GROWNUPS 10

a.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com BEGINNER YOGA WITH JOHN 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org POPULAR LITERARY BOOK CLUB: THE NICKEL BOYS BY COLSON WHITEHEAD 10:30 a.m. Pen-

Pensacola Little Theatre Presents sacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com WUWF BOOK CLUB 5-7 p.m. Discussion of Jeff VanderMeer's "Annihilation." Bodacious Bookstore and Cafe, 110 E. Intendencia St. facebook.com/wuwfpublicmedia

Winnie -The-

COOKING WITH CHEF IRV MILLER: ASIAN FUSION SUSHI 5 and 7:30 p.m. $45 per person.

Pooh

Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. greatsouthernrestaurants.com VINYASA YOGA 6 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

SOUTHERN GULF SHRIMP AND GRITS COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $60. So Gourmet, 407-D S.

Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com WEST COAST SWING DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12.

Whiskey Runners Saloon, 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com

THE EXPENDABLES' WINTER BLACKOUT TOUR

7 p.m. $18. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

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

Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

Dramatized by Kristin Sergel

From the stories of A.A. Milne

Directed by Stephen C. Lott

March 20-22, 26-29, 2020 850-432-2042 pensacolalittletheatre.com Produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois

Arts & Culture ≥Current Exhibits

≥Events

OPEN STUDIO: NATURE PRINTS

11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 14. $8 per participant or free to PMA members. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org NAUTILUS WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP

5:30-8 p.m. Saturday, March 14. $50. Quayside Gallery, 17 E. Zaragoza. quaysidegallery.com PMA GALLERY TOURS 2:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission.

Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org March 12, 2020

BIRDS AND THE "B's"

On view through March 24. Quayside Gallery, 17 E. Zaragoza. quaysidegallery.com TAG STEAM 2020 EXHIBIT On view

through April 1. TAG, University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. uwf.edu/steam2020 THE BLACK LINE On view through April 9.

1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONISM On

view through May 1.

Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu

DOCUFLORIDA 3 On view through May 3.

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

the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org GALLERY DAYS Noon4 p.m. Saturdays.

Featuring local artists.

To be featured, contact Angel at 941-735-4586 or call the restaurant at 4770035. TGI Fridays, 1240 Airport Blvd.

≥Workshops & Classes

THE GLASS CHARM

10-11 a.m. March 14.

Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com FIBER 101: NEEDLEFELTING 5:30-6:30

p.m. March 16.

Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com CROCHET 201: THE NEW GRANNY SQUARE 5:30-

7:30 March 18.

Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com FIBER FREESTYLIN' AT STUDIO SOUTH

5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Open to all knitters, crocheters, weavers and more.

Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com 19

calendar QUILT, STITCH AND SEW OPEN SESSION

1-3 p.m. Thursdays.

Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-noon, Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members.

For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every Monday

from 6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center.

Classes are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9

p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center.

Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members.

For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY SCULPTURE

Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center.

Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members.

For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

≥Call for Artists

Applications now open for 2020 Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival Artist applications are now open for the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, to be held November 6, 7 and 8, 2020, in Seville Square in historic downtown Pensacola. Cash prizes totaling $25,000

will be awarded.

Jury fee is $40. The deadline for entry is May 31. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is one of the best-regarded, most popular arts festivals in the United States.

The three-day, juried art show draws thousands of visitors and more than 200 of the nation's best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen and other artists.

Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival uses ZAPP to process applications online.

This online application process allows artists to directly upload digital images of their artwork for jury review. The result is that all artwork in the system is in a consistent, high-quality, digital format. The digital

images are presented to the jurors of each show and the system allows them to score online.

Artists can apply at ggaf.org/apply. For more information, visit ggaf.org.

RELL HENDRIX 7-9

Bars & Nightlife

POOL TOURNAMENT

≥Bar Games Thursdays

HAPPY HOUR 4:30-6

p.m. Half-off house wine, bar drinks and domestic beer. V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com LADIES NIGHT 5 p.m.

V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com MUSIC BINGO AT GARY'S 7 p.m. Gary's

Brewery and Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. facebook.com/ garysbrew

BREW IQ TRIVIA NIGHT WITH JER-

p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco POKER 8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road. ticketsportsbar.com 8 p.m. The Ticket 2, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. ticketsportsbar.com COLLEGE NIGHT 10 p.m. Drink specials, beer pong tournament starts at 10 p.m.

Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com Fridays HAPPY HOUR AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN 4-7

p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin HAPPY HOUR 4:30-6 p.m. Half-off house wine, bar drinks and domestic beer. V. Paul's Italian Ris-

torante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com WINE TASTING

5-7 p.m. Informative wine tasting in Seville Quarter Wine and Gift Shop. No charge for the tasting.

Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com POOL TOURNAMENT

8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road. ticketsportsbar.com Saturdays

HAPPY HOUR AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN 4-7

p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin

MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT 8

p.m. Seville Quarter Membership Card Holder Appreciation Night at Phineas Phogg's. 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com Sundays BAR AND RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE

(B.A.R.E. NIGHT) 7 p.m. Special prices for B.A.R.E. Card membership holders.

Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com Mondays TEXAS HOLD 'EM FOR FUN AND TRIVIA

7 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com TRIVIA NIGHT 7-9 p.m. World of Beer, 200 S. Palafox. wobusa.com/locations/palafox B.A.R.E All day.

Culverts, 3102 E. Cervantes. calvertsintheheights.com BAR BINGO 8 p.m.

Apple Annie's at

Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com DRAG-O-RAMA TALENT SHOW 9 p.m.-1

a.m. Pelican's Nest, 15 E. Intendencia St. MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA 9:30-10:30

p.m. Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. facebook.com/ mugsjugs

DRINK AND DROWN

11:30 p.m.-1 a.m.

Pelican's Nest, 15 E. Intendencia St. Tuesdays CROWLER NIGHT

4-10 p.m. Buy three crowlers, get one free.

Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco

for more listings visit inweekly.net All of the events listed in this calendar are subject to change or cancellation. We try our best to keep it up to date, but if you see something that's wrong or old, please let us know by emailing calendar@inweekly.net.

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

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

Let’s Wine!

Free Wine Tasting Every Thursday AWM 5pm - 7pm

27 S. 9th Ave. | 850•433•9463 AragonWineMarket.com 020 2

www.radiofreepensacola.com inweekly.net

March 12, 2020

21

free will astrology WEEK OF MARCH 12 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Giacomo

Puccini's famous opera "Tosca" premiered in 1900. It featured a heroine named Tosca. In 1914, Puccini's favorite Tosca, a soprano singer named Maria Jeritza, was performing in a production at New York's Metropolitan Opera. As she got ready to sing an aria entitled "I Live for Art," she stumbled and fell. Rather than struggle awkwardly to rise, she pretended that this was all quite natural—called for in the script.

She sang the entire piece while lying on the floor. Puccini loved it! Ever since then, most of the singers who have played the role of Tosca have sung "I Live for Art" while prone. I suggest you regard this as an inspirational teaching.

What lucky accidents could you make into permanent additions or enhancements?

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Taurus poet Gary Snyder said, "Three-fourths of philosophy and literature is the talk of people trying to convince themselves that they really like the cage they were tricked into entering."

Personally, I think that many of us, not just philosophers and writers, do the same thing.

Are you one of us? Your first assignment during the next four weeks will be to explore whether you do indeed tend to convince yourself that you like the cage you were tricked into entering. Your second assignment—If you find that you are in a cage, do everything you can to stop liking it. Third assignment—Use all your ingenuity, call on all the favors you're owed, and conjure up the necessary magic so that you can flee the cage.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): "Your body

is not a temple," declared author and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. "It's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." I half-agree with him.

I'm deeply devoted to regarding the body as an amusement park. It should be a source of endless fun and enjoyment. We have the right—indeed, I'd say a duty—to wield our bodies in ways that immerse us in the mysteries and miracles of pleasure. But here's where I disagree with Bourdain—I believe the body is also a temple that deserves our reverence and respect and protective tenderness. Your assignment in the coming weeks, Gemini, is to

222 2

By Rob Brezsny

raise your commitment to treating your body as both an amusement park and a holy temple.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Early in

his career, Cancerian painter Jean-BaptisteCamille Corot (1796–1875) sold only a few paintings. But eventually his luck improved.

Once he was financially successful, he became very generous. He wielded his influence to get jobs for other artists, and mentored many artists, as well. Sometimes he added a few dabs of paint to the finished works of younger, struggling painters, then signed the canvases with his own name so that the works could more easily be sold.

The coming weeks will be a favorable time to adopt your own version of Corot's approach toward those around you who could benefit from your help and support. (P.S. It's in your selfish interest to do so, although the reasons why may not be clear for a while.)

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Composer Brian Eno has testified that African music underlies and influences much of his work.

He exults in the freedom and unpredictability it encourages. Why? Here's one reason—In African songs, there are often multiple rhythms. And they're not locked together; they float freely in relationship to each other. Eno says this is different from Western music, whose salient quality is that all the rhythmic elements are contained "in little boxes"—locked into a tyrannically mechanical clockwork pattern.

According to my reading of the astrological omens, dear Leo, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to experiment with Eno's insight. How? Escape mechanical clockwork patterns and activate the "multiple, free-floating rhythm" metaphor in everything you do.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Are you interested in enhancing your mastery of togetherness? Are you open to my suggestion that you should seek out practical education about the arts of intimacy? Would you be willing to meditate on how you might bring additional creativity and flair into your close alliances?

If you answered yes to those questions, the next six weeks will provide you with ample op-

portunities to dive in to all that fun work. "Collaboration" and "cooperation" will be words of power for you. "Synergy and symbiosis" should be your tender battle cry.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): As you come to the climax of your Season of Good Gaffes and Lucky Bloopers, I'll remind you of folk singer Pete Seeger's definition of a "productive mistake." He said it had these five qualities—"1. made in the service of mission and vision; 2. acknowledged as a mistake; 3. learned from; 4. considered valuable; 5. shared for the benefit of all." Let's hope, Libra, that your recent twists and turns fit at least some of these descriptions!

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Would you consider making one more push, Scorpio? Can I coax you to continue your half-confusing, half-rewarding quest? Are you willing to wander even further out into the frontier and take yet another smart risk and try one additional experiment? I hope so. You may not yet be fully convinced of the value of these forays outside of your comfort zone, but I suspect you will ultimately be glad that you have chosen what's interesting over what's convenient.

P.S. In the coming weeks, you could permanently expand your reservoir of courage.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

A traditional astrologer might say that you Sagittarians typically spend less time at home than any other sign of the zodiac. Some of you folks even rebel against the idea that having a stable home is a health-giving essential. You may feel that you can't be totally free unless you always have your next jaunt or journey planned, or unless you always have a home-away-from-home to escape to. I understand and appreciate these quirks about your tribe but am also committed to coaxing you to boost your homebody quotient. Now would be a perfect time to do that. You're more open than usual to the joy and power of cultivating a nurturing home.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): The

more crooked the path, the faster you'll get to where you're going. Every apparent detour will in fact be at least a semi-valuable shortcut.

Any obstacle that seems to block your way will inspire you to get smarter and more resourceful, thereby activating lucky breaks that bring unexpected grace. So don't waste even a minute cursing outbreaks of inconvenience, my dear, because those outbreaks will ultimately save you time and make life easier. (P.S. During the coming weeks, conventional wisdom will be even more irrelevant than it usually is.)

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): When I was a young adult, I was unskilled and indigent. Many restaurants exploited my feeble prowess at washing pots and pans and dishes, but the meager wage they paid me barely kept me fed and housed. You will perhaps understand why, now that I'm grown up, I am averse to cleaning pots and pans and dishes, including my own. That's why I pay a helper to do that job. Is there an equivalent theme in your own life? An onerous task or grueling responsibility that oppressed you or still oppresses you? Now is a good time to find a way to declare your independence from it.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): I suspect

your fantasy life will be especially potent in the coming weeks. Your imagination will have an enhanced power to generate visions that could eventually manifest as actual events and situations. On the one hand, that could be dicey, because you can't afford to over-indulge in fearful speculations and worried agitation.

On the other hand, that could be dramatically empowering, because your good new ideas and budding dreams may start generating practical possibilities rather quickly.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: "In purely spiritual matters, God grants all desires.

Those who have less, have asked for less," wrote Simone Weil. Is that true for you?

freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2019

inweekly.net

news of the weird UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT For two whole years, Caelie Wilkes nurtured a lovely green succulent in her kitchen window. She watered it, wiped dust off its leaves, and forbade anyone else from caring for it. "It was full, beautiful coloring, just an overall perfect plant," Wilkes wrote in a Facebook post from Feb. 28. Recently, Upworthy reported, she decided it was time to transplant it into a pretty new pot. So imagine her dismay when she pulled up the succulent and realized it was plastic, rooted in Styrofoam with sand glued to the top. "How did I not know this?" she wondered. "I feel like these last two years have been a lie." Wilkes suffered some ridicule on social media, but her local Home Depot reached out with some real, living succulents that Wilkes can shower with love and attention.

BRIGHT IDEA An innovative jewel thief in Melbourne, Australia, was caught on camera using a fishing rod to burgle a Versace necklace from a store window on Feb. 24.

ABC News reports the thief carefully broke a hole in the window to avoid setting off the alarm, then spent almost three hours trying to hook the costume jewelry necklace, worth about $800. He worked with two different-sized rods before finally snagging the necklace. Store owner Steven Adigrati called the heist "outrageous and courageous," although he suspected the thief was unaware that the piece was relatively inexpensive. "This particular necklace looks a lot more expensive than what it is ... gold, bright, iconic Medusa head," he explained.

Police are still searching for the fisherman.

THE LITIGIOUS SOCIETY Chuck E. Cheese may be "where a kid can be a kid," but for one Portland, Oregon, patron, it's where a woman can get her long hair caught in a ticket machine. Ashreana Scott is suing Chuck E. Cheese's parent company for $1,000 after alleging her hair was tangled for 20 minutes in a machine that counts tickets for prize redemption, The Oregonian reported. In the lawsuit, Scott

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

said the Dec. 8 incident caused injuries, discomfort and headaches, and she wants a jury trial and a sign posted near the machine to warn others. A manager at the restaurant declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said the machines already have warning signs.

THE FOREIGN PRESSThe ancient legend about St. Patrick driving Ireland's snakes into the sea could only be salt in the wound of a 22-year-old man from Dublin, who appears to be the first person in Ireland to suffer a venomous snake bite, The Irish Post reported on Feb. 29. The man's pet puff adder bit him, prompting a visit to Connolly Hospital, where doctors consulted with experts from the National Reptile Zoo. James Hennessy, zoo director, explained that "puff adder venom is pretty nasty. It's going to start digesting and disintegrating all around the area of the bite, and that will continue up the limb as well.

It will then cause massive internal issues as well, if not treated." (FYI, scientists say it was probably the Ice Age that kept snakes out of Ireland.)

A DREAM COME TRUE Residents of Settecani, a small village in Italy, were startled on March 4 when their kitchen and bathroom taps began dispensing red wine rather than water, United Press International reported. Locals quickly identified the wine as Lambrusco Grasparossa, which is produced at a nearby winery, and officials there found a leak that sent wine from a silo into water pipes. Some quick-thinking residents said they bottled as much of the tap wine as they could before the problem was resolved. {in}

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

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com

Stock Market Losses?

Hire a lawyer who is a former Merril Lynch stock broker.

Gene e. mitchell attorney and counsellor at law

Representing retirees and other investors

850-232-5278 11 east romana street

www.attorneygenemitchell.com March 12, 2020

23

Thank you

Pensacon The largest independent fan convention in the southeastern U.S. for the 7th year in a row!

From the idea to conception, Pensacon makes a great impact in the community.

What a great win for the community!

Thank You to the Fans, Local Businesses, Visit Pensacola, Pensacola Area Chamber, City Leaders, Downtown Improvement Board, Gallery Night and the Pensacola International Airport THIS AD IS SPONSORED BY THE STUDER FAMILY Independent News | March 12, 2020 | inweekly.net