Inweekly March 14 2024 Issue

Richard Harwood Enough. Time To Build.

Civic engagement expert Richard Harwood is on a campaign to show us that real change starts in local communities. It’s time for active citizens to step forward and build together.

Richard is the President and Founder of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, and over the past 35 years, he has developed a philosophy and practice to teach communities how to:

• Tackle shared problems

• Create a culture of shared responsibility

• Deepen our civic faith

Attend this free presentation in person or watch a live stream on the Pensacola News Journal Facebook page.

Wednesday, March 20 6 p.m.

First United Methodist Church

2 E Wright Street

Downtown Pensacola

winners & losers winners losers

PENSACOLA SPORTS The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced it had selected Pensacola and Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park as its new home for the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship. The initial two-year agreement will conclude after the 2025 NAIA Women's Soccer Championship in December and will be hosted by Pensacola Sports. Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park also hosts the SEC Women's Soccer Championships. Last year, the Escambia County Commission invested $2.7 million for a large-scale upgrade, including new locker rooms and a complete re-sod designed for high-level college soccer.

PAUL & MATTHEW CHESTNUTT The father and son have been inducted into the Pensacola Sports Hall of Fame. Paul has been the radio voice of hockey in Pensacola from the Ice Pilots' inception in 1996 through the current season with the Ice Flyers. His son Matty, who has cerebral palsy, has been by his side. Paul created Matthew Chestnutt Scores! Charities, Inc., which allows Ice Flyers fans to pledge $1-$3 for each power-play goal the team scores during the regular season.

PENSACOLA EGGFEST Pensacola's foodie event donated a record amount of $131,000 to local charities this past week after seeing massive participation in 2023. The charities that received donations include Manna, Rally Pensacola, Studer Community Institute, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Hunting for Healing, Escambia Fire & Rescue, Pensacola's Finest Foundation, Escambia County Sheriff's Office Foundation, Ronald McDonald House and Guardian Ad Litem. Since its inception, Pensacola EggFest has given back more than $780,000. The 2024 Pensacola EggFest is Nov. 8-10.

PENAIR CREDIT UNION

The credit union earned five Gold and 16 Silver awards at the 2024 American Advertising Federation (AAF) Pensacola American Advertising Awards, which are the first of AAF's three-tiered national competition. Across the country, local entrants vie for recognition as the best in their markets. AAF Pensacola's annual Awards Show honors the advertising work of creative minds in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

NIKKI HALEY Super Tuesday wasn't super for the former United Nations ambassador who tried to stop the march of her former boss, Donald Trump, to the Republican presidential nomination. Her claim that 40% of Republicans wanted someone other than President Trump at the top of the ticket didn't pan out. With only 91 delegates compared to Trump's 1,062, Haley announced the suspension of her presidential bid on March 6.

CAMPAIGN MATCHING FUND

The Florida Legislature again will ask voters to repeal a program that provides state matching funds to gubernatorial and Cabinet candidates. On March 6, the House voted 82-29 to put a constitutional amendment (SJR 1114) on the November ballot that would eliminate the matching funds program, which voters approved in 1998. The Senate backed the repeal proposal on Feb. 28. In 2010, a similar amendment was on the ballot, but it only got 52.5% of the vote, short of the 60% needed for approval.

TINA DESCOVICH The Florida Senate declined to confirm the Moms for Liberty co-founder's appointment to the Florida Commission on Ethics, with Senate President Kathleen Passidomo saying the procedural move put Descovich's confirmation "on hold." The Senate allows two years for the confirmation process to be completed. A Republican-controlled Senate committee last month forwarded Descovich's potential confirmation to the full chamber, but she wasn't added to the slate for approval after Senate leaders voiced concerns that Descovich's political role with Moms could pose a conflict with her role on the ethics panel. Speaking to reporters, Passidomo said the procedural move would give time for a review of the concerns. "When we looked at it, we realized it's a two-year process. The governor can reappoint her. So we didn't feel pressure to do anything."

MIDGET WRESTLING Pensacola hosts the Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships. The Town of Century has midget wrestling. The Town Council unanimously voted to close Ivey Street from 3-11:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, for Odom's Bar to host an event with micro grapplers.

Nikki Haley / Photo by Juli Hansen / shutterstock.com

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

THREE IDEAS

The Escambia Children's Trust board of directors will hold a workshop at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 on the second floor of Building 26 on Pensacola State College's main campus. New board members have been added, and board treasurer David Peaden suggested the workshop would allow all the members to talk about the organization in a less formal setting.

I have a few suggestions for their discussion. In January 2023, I had Tom St. Myer talk with other children's service councils in the state. We posted their best practices (Inweekly, "Not Alone in Growing Pains," 1/12/23), which the board should consider.

IMPROVE GRANT REVIEW PROCESS

The Children's Services Council (CSC) of St. Lucie County has a budget like ours, $11.3 million, and serves as the gold standard with a successful 32year track record. St. Lucie's grant review panel includes experts in the fields covered by the grants. For example, a request for programs that provide mental health services would be evaluated by mental health professionals who are not associated with the applicants.

The staff and panel are trained in scoring the applications and presentations. St. Lucie has a 175-point rubric. The staff scores each application on all the points, while the grant review panel scores on fewer points. The staff reviews all the scores, checks for inconsistencies and ranks the programs in order.

The staff then compiles the recommendations and presents them to its board with any comments. The recommendations sit for about a month to permit applicants time to appeal if they disagree with their scores. The council then reviews them and votes on how to allocate the funds.

CEO Sean Boyle told St. Myer that no grant process is flawless, and several applicants have gotten frustrated with the outcomes.

"We do not have endless money," Boyle said. 'We usually get two to three times the request for funds than what we actually have. Rarely does someone get all that they ask for. We remind them that just because you didn't get funded doesn't mean it wasn't a good idea. We have to cut off somewhere."

Escambia Children's Trust needs experts in-

volved in the grant review process. If the Trust had them last year, we might have avoided the Urban Development Center debacle in Century, where nearly $200,000 was spent to help only 30 highschool and middle-school students. Too many grants were awarded on emotion with little or no analysis by experts of whether their programs would work.

MORE FOCUSED REQUESTS Leon County's

CSC and the Escambia Children's Trust were both approved by voters in 2020. Like the Trust, Leon County took pride in quickly getting out a lot of money. In the summer of 2022, the CSC had an open application process for funds and reviewed 61 submissions before awarding $1.6 million to 29 organizations.

Last year, Escambia County asked for outof-school proposals, reviewed 33 applications and awarded $5.1 million to 19 providers. Three programs, including Urban Development Center, cost taxpayers more than $400,000 before the board decided not to fund them for another year.

Leon County made the decision to narrow the focus of its grant requests. I've suggested Escam bia Children's Trust ask for pilot programs on spe cific indicators in its Needs Assessment Report and select a recipient for each indicator. The ones that work could then be scaled to other parts of our community.

In Cincinnati, bi3, a nonprofit dedicated to improving health in underserved communities, funded a pilot program to reduce extreme preterm births, the leading cause of infant deaths. They targeted the neighborhood with the most births. The extreme pre-term births dropped to zero within three years, and bi3 has cascaded the program to 12 other neighborhoods.

MEASURE

EVERYTHING The Trust staff and grant review committee let the providers decide on their outcomes and measurements. The result is that only some have an objective way of determining their success. The Trust needs to assess and evaluate all programs consistently using objective data that can be verified independently.

Let's see if the Trust's board listens this time. {in} rick@inweekly.net

KINDERGARTEN READINESS HITS RECORD HIGH

By Tom St. Myer

Annual kindergarten readiness reports from the Florida Department of Education usually trigger cringes among those associated with early childhood education in Escambia County. The county traditionally ranks among the worst in the state.

Those cringes turned into smiles in February when the report showed drastic improvement by the 2023-2024 kindergarten class.

Every kindergarten student is administered the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener within 30 days after starting school. Kindergarten readiness rates in Escambia improved by nearly 5% to 49.5% overall, a record-setting rate for the county. Escambia closed within two percentage points of the statewide average of 51.2%. That, too, is a significant improvement for a county that fell nine points shy of the statewide average in 2020 and remained four points behind last year.

"There's a whole lot of people doing a whole lot of work that needed to see that positive result," said Doug Brown, the Head Start executive director. His agency provides comprehensive early childhood education for ages 5 and younger, along with health, nutrition and parent involvement services to low-income children and families.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN

Students who participated in the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program deserve the lion's share of the credit for the improved scores. VPK students scored above 60% and outperformed other kindergarteners by nearly 25%. The number

by nearly 100 from those screened in fall 2022.

The number of students enrolled in VPK still pales in comparison to pre-COVID. Early Learning Coalition Executive Director Bruce Watson said up to 2,400 students participated in VPK before the global pandemic. If the county manages to match that total in the future, the possibility exists to surge above 50% and finally top the state average.

Watson partially attributed the success of VPK to the state's implementation of CLASS two years ago. CLASS stands for classroom assessment and scoring system. The observation-based tool measures the quality of teacher-child interactions in the classroom and puts an impetus on teachers to interact with students.

"You can't just stand up there and write on a board and expect children to know what's going on," Watson said. "Interactions are the key to success."

Dozens of interactive initiatives implemented by local early childhood education providers over the past few years positioned the kindergarteners for success. As Brown accurately described, "a whole lot of people" contributed to the improved scores.

Not coincidentally, the fall 2023 kindergarteners marked the first class since Studer Community Institute launched its Brain Bag education initiative in 2018.

Studer Community Institute partners with Baptist, Sacred Heart, Santa Rosa Medical Center and West Florida to provide brain bags to women in the mother-baby units. The bags include a storybook that uses landmarks in the community to

MORE HELP NEEDED

A significant percentage of the population misses out on early childhood development, particularly where the poverty rate is high. Fewer than 30% of kindergarteners at Oakcrest, Ensley, Lincoln Park, O.J. Semmes and Warrington qualified as kindergarten-ready. Overall, 10 elementary schools fell short of the 40% mark.

How to infiltrate those pockets of poverty and ensure early childhood education development occurs remains a Herculean task.

"The most important thing we can do to continue to make progress is meeting families where they are," said Kristy Craig, executive director of ReadyKids!, whose agency focuses on Pre-K students with a vision that every student starts kindergarten ready to learn. "We need to attend a lot of community events, put on a lot of community events and do everything we can to reach these families that are seemingly unreachable."

Watson said he and Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard exchanged emails about the kindergarten readiness results, and they plan to meet about how to address the low-performing schools. Increasing the number of schools that offer VPK is one possibility, but that costs money for a school district operating 16 VPK programs on a shoestring budget.

ing, a baby book that can be personalized to help parents track early brain development milestones, a toy and community resource information to help support parents.

Other Studer Community Institute initiatives include showing parents of newborn babies a "Build a Brain" video with easy-to-grasp concepts to prepare their child for success and using a text messaging program called "Basic Insights" to text parents twice a week to provide tips, activities and reminders to maximize early brain development.

"It's exciting to even think that we had even a tiny part in that 5% increase," said Shannon Nickinson, a former Studer Community Institute director who spearheaded the initiatives. "I really am hopeful that the efforts that kind of grew up around what we did in other pockets of the community are going to help show that not only can we hold that number, but we can certainly exceed the state average. I think, on the whole, we can agree it is woeful that only half of our kids are ready for school, but we certainly can beat that. We can beat that state number, and I think we can keep making progress."

Nickinson delivered her two children before the Brain Bag initiative. She recalls the Baptist Hospital staff providing information on how to feed and change the baby, steps to take if the baby had a high temperature and how to install the car seat. What she never heard was how to talk to her baby and the importance of the baby hearing words for brain development.

"They told me all kinds of information, but I think that it just wasn't something that was on the top of people's minds," she said.

Three of the five lowest-performing schools do not offer VPK, which means those students potentially miss out on a full day of education. The school district offers a free full-day Pre-K program for any student living in a Title One attendance area.

"I don't think either of us was too surprised by the schools that were having difficulties," Watson said. "You need to look at the schools that don't do VPK and how you can get them involved in an all-day program."

The absence of VPK programs at lowperforming schools is just one sizable hurdle the county is trying to clear in preparing students for kindergarten. A shortage of early childhood educators is another major concern preventing hundreds of children from learning in a classroom before VPK.

Watson said his agency's waitlist is about 500 children. The Early Learning Coalition is flush with classroom space filled with new toys and technology, but a shortage of educators prevents Watson from trimming down the waitlist.

The shortage of educators causes a ripple effect. Children miss out on vital early childhood development, and their parents miss out on childcare, limiting their work availability.

"We see the phenomenon of if you get a space in a center, you have two kids or three kids, and they only have one or two spaces, and most moms are not going to say, 'OK, take one, and I'll keep the other two,'" Nickinson said.

She added, "They're looking for childcare because they have a job or they recognize this benefit for their kids. But I mean, they need three spaces, not one. And if they don't have three, then they're not going to take one." {in}

JUSTICE FOR 'THE WHITE HOUSE BOYS'

pensation Program.

The unprecedented program compensates "living persons who were confined" at Dozier or the Okeechobee School, another reform school, between 1940 and 1975 and "who were subjected to mental, physical or sexual abuse perpetrated by school personnel."

Troy Rafferty and the Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm championed the survivors, many in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Rep. Michelle Salzman (RCantonment) and Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) guided the bill through their chambers.

Rafferty's journey with the Dozier survivors began in May 2021, when he, Mike Papantonio and Inweekly toured the abandoned Dozier campus with "The White House Boys"—a term the men gave themselves after surviving sexual abuse and torture in the small white building next to the school's cafeteria.

Cecil Gardner, 76, stood in front of the White House and shared how he was abused. "I was brought to this building behind us three times.

South Florida forensic anthropologists leading an excavation of Dozier property found human remains in 55 unmarked graves, "some with gunshot wounds or signs of blunt force trauma." Colson Whitehead fictionalized the school in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "The Nickel Boys."

PERSISTENCE

Rafferty accepted the challenge of convincing lawmakers to compensate the estimated 300 to 400 survivors for their suffering. Lawmakers in 2017 formally apologized to victims of the abuse. A memorial to the victims was dedicated at Marianna in January 2023. However, there had been little appetite for setting up a compensation fund. After his tour of the abandoned reform school, Rafferty met several times with House and Senate leaders and did make some headway.

"The process works," Rafferty said. "I was told last year it wasn't the right time; that it would be this year. Legislators have a lot of people pulling

at them in all directions, so I was just very grateful that they all listened, heard and acted."

He added, "And yes, would I have liked it to have been 15 years ago for these boys? Of course. But at some point, you have to have persistence."

For the past 15 years, Roy Conerly traveled with his fellow survivors to Tallahassee to tell lawmakers their stories. The Senate floor vote occurred on his 78th birthday March 4.

Conerly choked back tears as he told The News Service of Florida, "Every year, I was hoping it would happen on my birthday. I get messed up every time I come. It's not just because it's my birthday. Every time I come up here, I start sniveling."

Richard Huntly, 77, was at Dozier from 1957 to 1959. He watched the vote from the chamber's gallery.

"It's been a long, hard battle, but we've hung in there," Huntly told reporters. "Today, we have seen the other end of the tunnel. We see just a little bit of light; a little bit more than we are used to. It won't heal everything and make you forget everything, but at least we can say we won."

Rafferty testified at the House and Senate committee hearings and recalled his conversation with one lawmaker, a former prosecutor who would tell rape victims they only had to talk about their attack three times—in a deposition, a hearing and then at trial.

The state senator told Rafferty, "We've been making these guys come up here and talk about being raped and beaten and watch their friends be murdered for 15 years. It's time to stop making them come up here and relive these memories."

THAT SMELL

Before the House floor vote, Salzman shared why she took on the heavy lift of creating the compensation program.

"I just want to take you to a place for just a moment," Salzman said. "There's poor, and then there's dirt poor. You can literally smell poverty. If you've lived in it, you can always smell it. It's the smell of the rat poop. It's the smell of the roaches, the roach eggs, the dirt, the mold because it's not properly ventilated. You can always smell that."

She talked about how her alcoholic father

and uncle would come into her and her sister's bedroom at night and abuse them.

"The physical, emotional and sexual abuse was rampant through my childhood," Salzman said. "And there's no words to describe what it's like to be a young child and be ripped out of bed in the middle of the night from somebody that's supposed to be protecting you and taking care of you and beaten and sexually abused on a regular basis. There's no words."

She believed that her childhood experiences put her in a position to understand the trauma suffered by "The White Boys."

"Members, I don't belong here. This place is not my fit. You hear me say it all the time, but you can't have testimony without the test," Salzman said. "God places us in situations because he needs us to experience those scenarios so that you can go on and be better for other people and help other people get through those situations."

She added, "I stand here as the testimony for those that cannot fight for themselves. Those, like these victims in the gallery, Dozier and Okeechobee boys needed me to be right here, right here in this chamber, speaking the truth and sharing their story through every conversation with the agencies, house members, leadership, the governor's office."

Salzman said it was an easy choice to sponsor the bill when Rafferty asked for her help. "As I read the words off the pages, as I listened to the testimony from these victims, as I watched these documentaries, the heat just came over me. My face got flushed, and my throat swelled up. My stomach was turning, and I could smell the smell of that room. I can still smell it."

The trauma suffered by the Dozier survivors was all too real for her. "I lived it. I lived it. That smell will never go away, not for me, and certainly not for any of these boys up here."

Salzman turned to address the men in the gallery. "Gentlemen, we see you. We hear you. You are so loved. This is not your fault. You did not deserve this. What happened to you was not your fault. And today, your Florida legislature is going to put their money where their mouth is and vote where their heart is. And today, you will have justice. You have been heard." {in}

Dozier School Survivors / Courtesy Photo

this by who we talked to yesterday, that this was a flex by the mayor to underscore the exclamation point that he is above the city charter and has no regard for due process, the rights of citizens," Hill said. "But we are really sad to come to see it come down."

Green said, "What's most alarming is really the fact that there was a city charter that gave a process of referendum and the petition process. And really, every city resident should be very alarmed right now that we have no checks and balances of our city government and our local officials because they do not have to follow the city charter set by this precedent—as well as this violates our First Amendment rights of the United States Constitution and the state constitution because it's our literal right to redress grievances with our government that is just blatantly disregarded."

The city charter details how the referendum process works but does not require the city to delay action for 60 days while a group tries to gather the 4,138 signatures to force a referendum.

Green believes the delay is implied. "There's certain express powers that are expressly given by government, and then there's a thing called 'implied powers.' And if there's a decision that's made by the government and we have a process for it in our charter, it doesn't mean keep going with the decision. It means the representatives stop because the people are trying to speak."

"I'm not a lawyer, but this seems to me to be a simple case of making the citizen whole again," Hill said. "I mean, the city took action, they tore it down despite clear knowledge that not only a ref-

her group is looking for a lawyer to represent pro bono at least one of the petitioners.

"What the community, what the whole feels as far as next steps and legal action, that's on the community," Green said when asked about taking the case to federal court. "I'm not the legal spearhead of this. I'm not practicing law, but at the same time, the city government should be fearful for their unjust actions to the residents of the community."

Hill said her group was halfway in time and numbers in gathering petition signatures.

"We are still collecting signatures," she said. "We still believe that we can get it on the ballot to overturn this funding, and then, no pun intended, we will be in literal unchartered waters if the funding is overturned."

Hill continued, "The demolition should not have occurred. If it had just played out the way the charter outlines, we wouldn't have all of these legal weird things that are happening. So we're still collecting signatures at savepensacola.com."

THE MAYOR'S RESPONSE Mayor D. C. Reeves said he followed the charter when he allowed the contract to begin the demolition of the Malcolm Yonge Gym on Wednesday, March 6.

"I was elected into this position to deal in facts, and that's what I've tried to do at every step of this," the mayor said. "We don't deal in hysteria, and we don't deal in implied parts of the charter. As was just mentioned, you can start going down that road. We can imply a lot of things about how the city should or shouldn't operate.

But the bottom line is this—number one, there's nothing in our charter that outlines that we should wait for 60 days."

He gave an example of how 10 citizens could easily tie up the city.

"If 11 people bid on that and 10 people didn't get it, under this argument that's being made, those 10 contractors could get together and then stop anything from happening there for 60 days and then make counsel reconsider," Reeves said. "That's certainly not how it's written in the charter, nor does it mention anything to that effect. If that was the case, that would completely stop the wheels of government from doing anything."

He continued, "So while I know there's a lot of emotion around this, and certainly I don't expect folks you've had on before to agree with me or agree with me at all on most issues, but my job is to deal in what the facts are, and the facts are this building was condemned."

The mayor pointed out the gym hadn't had open access for 20 years and had been leased to a private organization for the past five years.

"If there is some anecdote that confirms that this was the direction to go, it only took a couple of the arches to be hit yesterday for the entire roof to come down, which is exactly what we've expected from the beginning," Reeves said. "That's why it was unsafe. And fortunately for those kids at Lighthouse Christian, no one was hurt or killed."

He added, "I always will respect the process that's in front of us, as we did with the injunction. That was not only a hearing denied, but the case dismissed, which didn't have to be the step; it was an additional step taken because of the lack of standing. So again, we'll continue to move forward. I think there's some great opportunity to do what I believe is a crisis in our city, and that's to house people. And we'll see what the CRA board decides from there."

The mayor wondered if the Save Malcolm Yonge Gym group had widespread support.

"If there's this huge protest over an idea or a thought or a proposal, it is our job to have our eyes and ears of the ground, but we have not seen that in this case, except from a handful of folks," he said. "And again, that's why is—because, at some point, deciding to do that subjectively would then open us up to have to do that every single time 10 people disagree with the decision by the council."

KATHY DENKLER SCHOLARSHIP Family and friends have established a scholarship fund in the memory of Kathy Denkler. The fund will cover tuition at the National Flight Academy, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, for one or two local students annually.

Her husband, Capt. Mike Denkler, USN (Ret.),

served as the commanding officer of NAS Pensacola from 1996-1999.

"Kathy's impact in the community was absolutely huge, and one of the most fun things she did starting out after we returned here was at the National Flight Academy," he shared. "She was part of the initial cadre of staff there to get the program running. And boy, I just remember her coming home many times and she was just excited about the faces of the kids and their futures and what the Flight Academy provided them."

Capt. Denkler added, "This is just the perfect way to have her memory and her commitment to the Flight Academy remembered for a long, long time for this fund to provide tuition for at least one to two folks per year."

Kathy was a North Carolina State University alumna and received her commission via the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. As an Intelligence and Space Operations Officer, she was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base (AFB) in Texas, Osan Air Base in South Korea, Langley AFB in Va., Buckley Space Force Base in Colo. and U.S. Atlantic Command in Va.

Her commitment to the nation and community was also highlighted by her positions with The Boeing Company (Missile Defense Sector), Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (NAS Pensacola), National Flight Academy and the University of West Florida.

Contributions are fully tax deductible. Friends have set a goal of raising $50,000 by March 27, Kathy's birthday. Checks should made payable to the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation with the Kathy Denkler Fund in the memo or remarks. To learn more, visit bit.ly/48LY3xw.

NEW NONSTOP FLIGHT

Silver Airways has a new nonstop service from Palm Beach to Pensacola. The new route expands Pensacola International Airport's connectivity and gives travelers more options for reaching their destinations. Silver Airways' decision to introduce this route demonstrates its confidence in the Pensacola market and commitment to serving passengers' needs.

"This addition builds our connection and opens up new travel opportunities for both Pensacola residents and visitors," said Matt Coughlin, the director of Pensacola International Airport. "We look forward to welcoming travelers from Palm Beach to Pensacola, serving as their gateway to the Gulf Coast."

With the introduction of this new route, Pensacola International Airport continues to play a vital role in enhancing regional connectivity and driving economic growth in the Pensacola area.

"This is another example of the demand to visit our city," said D.C. Reeves, the Pensacola mayor. "The commitment by Silver Airways to expanding services and investing in our region is a testament to the work Matt and his team are doing here."

To book flights online, visit silverairways.com.

EARLY POLL: GAETZ

LEADS Though he continues to insist he's not running, a recent poll has Congressman Matt Gaetz as the early

Malcolm Yonge Gym Demolition Project

favorite to be the Republican nominee for Florida governor in 2026, followed closely by Rep. Byron Donalds (R, Naples) and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

Kaplan Strategies polled 1,151 registered, likely Republican voters on Feb. 27 and 28. The survey revealed Gaetz starts off with a slight edge of 16%, compared to Donalds at 13% and Moody at 10%. Lt. Gov. Jeannette Nuñez was a distant fourth with only 3%. More than half (51%) were uncertain how they would vote in the 2026 GOP primary. The margin of error was 2.9%.

Gaetz had the highest name recognition of the gubernatorial candidates. His most substantial support was in the Florida Panhandle, where 32% said he had their vote. Donalds had nearly as much support in Southwest Florida with 29%. Moody had no region where she had more than 16% of the vote. Tampa Bay was the area with the largest percentage of uncertain voters at 59%.

SLAVERY RABBIT HOLE State Rep.

Alex

Andrade's remarks during a House floor debate regarding HB 1291, which involves banning any critical race theory (CRT) instruction in teacher preparation courses, went viral after Rolling Stone posted a video clip regarding how some slaves received payment for their labor.

"There is only one way to teach about slavery in Florida, and that is that it was evil," Andrade said. "But if we can't have an honest discussion and say that some slaves were paid for their work and were able to actually get a portion of payment that slave owners received for their labor, then we're afraid of teaching accurate history."

He continued, "If you were not aware that some slaves received payment—not payment that was good, not payment that was valid, not payment that was moral—but if we can't even have that discussion in this room, what hope do we have to teach and actually agree on facts? What hope do we have?"

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried called Andrade's comments "the latest example of the GOP's obsession with whitewashing history."

"Slavery was a horrific evil. This shouldn't be a bold statement, and Florida's teachers should be able to teach that in the classroom," Fried said in a written statement. "Florida Republicans' continued attempts to teach our children otherwise is immoral and outrageous, and every Republican elected in Florida should be put on record answering for Andrade's comments— any answer that tries to justify or whitewash the evils of slavery should be considered disqualifying for office."

A local reader wrote Inweekly, "How about the slaves that were raped or the young girls who were molested and had children that the slave owner never claimed? How about the free labor? How about men who had to watch the slave owner have sex with their wives and still say, 'Yes sir, mister?' What a sad time in our history; I am so disappointed in Alex."

Andrade responded to the criticism by sharing a video clip with Inweekly that had a more complete version of his speech.

He prefaced his remarks about an "honest discussion" of how some slaves were paid with: "Members, no one is saying that slavery benefited or was good or had any positive side effects."

The lawmaker told Inweekly, "I was debating against the argument that it's wrong to tell the stories of slaves who bought their freedom, and the fact that Frederick Douglass talks about how he was a skilled laborer before he escaped in his autobiography."

The National Humanities Center has a page on how some slaves bought their freedom. The page states, "Opportunities for most enslaved African Americans to attain freedom were few to none," and later notes, "A rare option was "self-purchase."

NEW SCI BOARD MEMBERS Studer Community Institute (SCI) announced four additions to its board of directors. Dr. Katie Crawford, Shannon Libbert, Sena Maddison and Linda "Sonshine" Moorer.

"I'm thrilled to have several new board members joining us here at SCI," said Katie Ballard, the executive director. "Each of them brings great enthusiasm for the work we are doing in the community and exciting ideas on how we can evolve and grow."

SCI focuses on making our community a better place to live by building brains, jobs and community. Core programs include early brain development initiatives and guidance to bolster entrepreneurs' ability to succeed and grow. It also offers skills training opportunities for business leaders and organizations.

The additions complement existing board members Kathy Sandstrom (chair), Will Dunaway, Van Masker, Mort O'Sullivan III, Joy Powell, Quint Studer, Bert Thornton and Bruce Watson.

EMERALD COAST EQUALITY Florida Gen Z leader and organizer Jayden D'Onofrio will speak at a free, public event hosted by Emerald Coast Equality from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, at 75 S. Tarragona Street. D'Onofrio chairs Voters of Tomorrow Florida and the Florida Future Leaders PAC. He will speak on the power of Gen Z and strategies for organizing Voters of Tomorrow youth voters.

Voters of Tomorrow is a Gen Z-led 501(c)(4) organization that engages and represents young Americans in politics and government. Florida Future Leaders is a collaborative effort of the Florida College Democrats and the Florida High School Democrats.

"Jayden and the young folks he works with are strategic, policy-focused and committed to ensuring that fresh faces and young voices are seen and heard in the political process, this election cycle and beyond," said Emerald Coast Equality president Jeff Nall.

Advance registration at mobilize.us/escambiadems/event/611603/ is requested as seating is limited. {in}

Nurturing the world within

We are worldbuilders. We develop great minds and inspired leaders. We help children write their own story. Gulf Coast Freedom Schools nurtures the world within through a free, six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program for students K-8th grade who reside in Escambia County.

Apply online by May 31, 2024 at gcfreedomschools.com

Where words change worlds

You can dance if you want to.

No, this isn't just a variation of the lyrics to Men Without Hats' 1982 song "The Safety Dance": it's the unspoken theme to Gallery Night's annual "Dancin' in the Streets" dance competition. Because, while everyone involved seems to come from a different dance background—or none at all—they all have the same mission: give people an opportunity to dance (safely).

It's why Michael Conrad pitched the dancecentric theme in 2019. Now the vice president, Conrad joined Gallery Night's Board of Directors shortly after Gallery Night was almost scrapped altogether.

"Just for the record, I'm a psychiatrist; I have no business running a dance competition," Conrad said. "But this is something I really wanted to see in Pensacola."

Dancers compete in the youth or adult category with one routine for a chance to win a $500 prize.

"We have judges and they come in; it's just

A SAFE PLACE TO DANCE

By Savannah Evanoff

like watching 'So You Think You Can Dance on TV,' except it's live and local," Conrad said. "It's just a fantastic event."

While 15 registered dance crews are on the lineup this time around—to be clear—everyone really is invited to dance. Devin Bonner, a new co-host of the event and Gallery Night board member, will wear a second hat as DJ.

"We found out we had a little lapse in the competition last year because there was a team that didn't show up on time," Conrad said. "We had a public dance … hundreds of people danced in the street as we played music. So we're going to intersperse the competition. As we have a little bit of extra time, we'll put on a hit from the '70s, invite everybody to come up, or from the '80s, or from the 50s or whatever—and invite anyone that wants to come up and dance to the music to do so."

The event has drawn dancers from other areas—like the Alabama State University Honeybeez, a Black plus-size female dance team, that

was amazing, Conrad said. This year will feature dancers from Mobile, Ala., he added.

"I'm grandiose enough to think we can become a national event, eventually—if you can keep drawing from Mobile in the Southeast, maybe go a little bit further and a little bit further and get a sponsor, get more prize money," Conrad said. "Of course we want people from Pensacola to participate, but to really make it a big deal, so we get some recognition for it. Again, it's probably a little bit grandiose—but maybe not."

CENTER STAGE

Everyone discovers dance in their own way. Ben Bravo's reasons were par for the course of an eighth-grade kid.

"It looked cool as shit honestly," Bravo said. "It looked cool, and I thought it would help me get girls, and I just kind of got so hooked on it. But as far as that goes, it's an outlet for me a lot of times. I'm very ADHD, so I'm just always mov -

ing at all times, and it's nice to be able to get that energy out in a productive way."

Bravo, now 25, is a second-generation member of the Wafflegang dance crew, which won Dancin' in the Streets in 2022. He is what's called a b-boy (aka a breakdancer).

"Each kind of dancing has its own set of foundations, so I'm very strict with b-boying," Bravo said. "And further into that, I just like to be different. I like to do things that I don't see other people do. I like to tell a story with my movement. I like to keep people captivated and entertained."

Bravo will perform this year with fellow Wafflegang crew member Nick Nasty.

"It's gonna be hot," Bravo said.

Dejanira Gaston (aka Deja D) and her younger sister, who goes by the dance name Lay Loochie, won last year's Dancin' in the Streets their first time participating. All the two want to do is spread dance—hence their co-ownership of QLD Presents dance company.

Wafflegang (@official_wafflegang)

Photo Courtesy of Gallery Night

The two practically danced out of the womb, Deja D said.

"Whenever we're dancing together, it's like we are in each other's brain sometimes," Deja D said. "We just are able to communicate in a great way in order for us to create magic is what I call it. That's what I love about us—we're so connected."

They grew up dancing at home, and after receiving encouragement from spectators, decided to dance in public as adults.

"It's been really, really good being able to go out and be a part of a community that you didn't know was here," Deja D said. "You're so much older than what you were when you were in high school, and you have nowhere to dance—and then you just see the community and see they have so much going."

The pair gigs around the city, from Palafox Market to Pensacola Arts Market; and Gallery Night is a monthly thing, she said. While their genre is hip-hop, Deja D specifically dances in the street styles of waacking and tutting, and Lay Loochie does Majorette dancing. They do TikTok dances together, too.

"Now that we are in the community, we are able to learn from a lot more people, so our dancing skills have gone up," Deja D said. "So we do a lot more than what we used to do—and now we know the terminology of what we do."

Deja D likens Dancin' in the Streets to a "community street party." Eventgoers are there to support the dance community, she said.

"They really idolize art and singing, and dance just kind of gets lost in the mix," Deja D said. "This is one time out of all Gallery Nights that dancers are actually represented and our hard work is put on a platform. Because we're always out there every Gallery Night—people see us; they know about us, but you don't know what we can actually do until we step foot on that stage at Gallery Night and show you the reason why we do what we do every day is because of this. We love to do this, and we love to put those smiles on people's faces."

"It goes to show that our community actually does care about us, and we don't go unseen."

This year's routine is a surprise, but it will blend choreography and freestyle. Last year's routine was shorter in length and left the crowd wanting more, she said.

"We plan to give the people what they wanted, and they're definitely getting more this year," Deja D said. "It's definitely going to be fun for sure. I think a lot of people might want to get up and dance with us. The kids are definitely going to like it too, because we have a little something-something for the kiddies too."

'THE POSITIVITY WE NEED'

Deja D wants to spread the word that there's a safe place for dancers 18 and older. Many adults will join them in dancing.

Don't be scared, she said.

"It makes me proud of my community because they're actually able to step out of that comfort zone and do a little dance-y dance, because people too scared to do dance-y dances nowadays," Deja D said. "I'm just like, 'Whenever you're ready to get down, Deja's here, honey. I'll get down with you.' We need positivity, and dancing is the positivity we need."

Bonner relates to the sentiment.

"Me being in the dance community for so long, I've seen so many young people come in that have seen us dancing and got inspired

and or older people that are like, 'Oh, I can't do breakdancing. I can't do any of that stuff anymore,'" Bonner said. "They see us dance, and we're like, 'You can still do this.'"

Bonner formerly worked at Center Stage Ballroom, as well as competed and performed. He enjoys watching Dancin' in the Streets evolve.

"Since I've gotten to watch and spectate, I know they've typically tried to step it up every year and bring more to the table, whether that's more of a structural kind of understanding, or a way they present everything," Bonner said. "I've just seen them step up from bare bones to where every year they're trying to bring more and more to the table to improve it."

Bonner has a passion for introducing the community to different ranges of available art, which is what fueled his semi-recent career transition to design and art. This shifted his perspective on other things, too—for instance, Carlos Kyles (aka Neekman), a dancer with special needs.

When Kyles discovered Bonner's involvement in the Pensacola arts scene, he made it known how badly he wanted to compete in Dancin' in the Streets; he's auditioned every year.

"I told him, 'All I can tell you, man, is just keep trying. You never know what can happen. Keep going forward, keep pushing,'" Bonner said. "I came to the board of Gallery Night with the understanding of being able to give anybody that lives in this community an opportunity. Because me being 37 now and starting art at a late point in my career, I was told, 'Oh, man, good luck. You're not gonna get anywhere in Pensacola with that.' And I was always like, 'No, our community is there for this, this is what our community is for.'"

Fast forward to now, and Bonner understands Kyles' plight. Bonner knew Kyles would audition again, so he rallied behind him.

"I went to the board and was like, 'Hey, I don't know how you guys are going to feel about this, but this guy needs a chance. He needs to at least be given a chance,'" Bonner said. "At least give him an opportunity to show that his hard work can be paid off and be represented in this community, as well. He wrote a very detailed description or mission statement behind his dance, and I very strongly felt it, because it was about bullying and how this helped him overcome that."

Kyles will compete under the group name Bully Recovery.

"At the end of the day, as long as somebody can have the courage to stand up and represent themselves in front of everyone, and not be scared, what better opportunity to help them do that than this, you know?" Bonner said. {in}

GALLERY NIGHT'S DANCIN' IN THE STREETS

WHAT: Gallery Night—a monthly event with artist vendors, live music, performers, restaurants, food trucks, shopping and more—will highlight dancers with a live dance competition during their March event

WHEN: 5-9 p.m. Friday, March 15

WHERE: Downtown COST: Free

DETAILS: gallerynightpensacola.org

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a&e happenings

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

IRISH PUB PAWTY Experience St. Catrick's Day on Thursday, March 14 at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. Sessions at 6 and 7 p.m. will include a complimentary beer while spending time with adoptable cats and kittens. Reserve your 15-minute slot at coastalcatpcola.com/waiver.

ST. PATTY'S PRE-FUNK Visit Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave., for the St. Patty's Pre-Funk starting 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16, featuring two Irish-style beers. Visit facebook.com/ garysbrew for details.

O'RILEY'S IRISH PUB CELEBRATES ST.

PATRICK'S DAY All O'Riley's locations will have drink specials and green beer. O'Riley's downtown, 321 S. Palafox St., will have Green Eggs and Kegs brunch Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17. O'Riley's Uptown, 3728 Creighton Road, will have bar games and a late-night DJ for a $5 cover charge. For more details, visit orileyspub.com.

GO IRISH ON THE ISLAND PENSACOLA BEACH ST. PADDY'S DAY PUB CRAWL

Imbibe at 17 participating Pensacola Beach bars, restaurants and hotels offering up a pot of gold

filled with Irish drink specials, live music and fun at the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce's 37th annual St. Paddy's Day Pub Crawl on Sunday, March 17 on Pensacola Beach. The pub crawl kicks off at 9 a.m. with two different routes. Download the Pub Crawl Pensacola Beach app. Register for the event at pensacolabeachchamber.com/goirish-on-the-island.

SHAMROCK STROLL This 5K fun run/walk, costume contest and pet parade starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 16 at 8579 Gulf Blvd. Sign up at business.navarrechamber.com.

SAINT CATRICK'S DAY YOGA Shamrock

and roll at Coastal Cat Café's St. Catrick's Yoga Extravaganze with Disko Lemonade. Yoga class is 9:45-10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 17. Located at 1508 W. Garden St. Tickets are $28 per person and available at coastalcatpcola.com.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

COUNCIL ON AGING KITE FESTIVAL

Council on Aging of West Florida's third annual Kite Festival will take place Friday, March 15-Sunday, March 17 on Pensacola's Casino Beach. This free community event features showstopping kites by Chicago Kite, along with stunt kite

demonstrations from SkyFX. The weekend will also include food trucks, kids' activities and more at the Gulfside Pavilion. Friday's event is 4-10 pm, with a lighted night fly after sunset, and Saturday's event starts at 10 a.m. with another lighted night fly, weather permitting. Sunday's kite flying is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit coawfla.org/kites-on-the-coast-

GUMBO COOK-OFF Rotary of Gulf Breeze Fundraiser is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, March 16 at the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center, 800 Shoreline Drive. Tickets are $20-$30. Admission for kids 10 and younger is free. Visit gulfbreezero -

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal

Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. The full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for bingo nights. You must be 18 to play. For more information, visit facebook. com/animalalliesflorida.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOP -

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

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens at 10 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.

CALL TO ARTISTS

SECOND ANNUAL SEEN PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION & JULIA GORTON AWARD

309 Punk Project invites emerging photographers based in Pensacola to submit to SEEN, a juried online exhibition that celebrates the work

of emerging DIY/punk photographers. SEEN will be juried by former 309 artist in residence Julia Gorton. All photographic media will be considered. The selected photographer will receive a $1,000 cash award and a solo exhibition at 309 Punk Project in 2025. All submissions will be exhibited on the 309 website. Submission deadline is March 20. Award announcement is April 1.

Emerging Artist Definition: Must be in their first five years of practice.

Directions: Send up to five images (yourname1.jpg, yourname2.jpg) and the corresponding titling information (Name | Title | Date | Size | Medium) to 309punkproject@gmail.com, with the subject line SEEN.

Media: All photographic media are welcome.

Bio/statement: An artist bio is a sentence or two describing biographical information about who you are and where you are from. The statement should explain the artist's intentions for their body of work. A strong artist statement supplements the visual information in a portfolio or exhibition so the reader and/or viewer can better understand it. This should be 200 words or less. Need help? Check out this site: gyst-ink.com/ artist-statement-guidelines.

MUSEUM MASTERPIECES ART AND ESSAY

CONTEST FOR KIDS Naval Aviation Museum Foundation (NAMF) will hold its third annual Museum Masterpieces Art and Essay Contest. The theme for this year's contest is "To The Rescue." This theme commemorates the 80th anniversary of the first mercy mission conducted by Naval and Coast Guard aviation's first helicopter, the HNS-1 Hoverfly in 1944. Naval, Marine and Coast Guard Aviators conduct many humanitarian operations including rescuing people at sea, delivering emergency aid and providing disaster relief for hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. All entries should communicate the theme. All public, private and home school students in grades kindergarten–12 are encouraged to participate. The contest calls for entries of original artwork from students in grades K–12 and essays from students in grades 6–12. The contest will be judged in separate grade level groups. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 29. Entries will be collected in February, March and April, and winners will be awarded in May. More information is available at navalaviationmuseum. org/contest.

Council on Aging Kite Festival / Courtesy Photo

a&e happenings

ARTS & CULTURE

CTRL ALT DRAG An alternative drag show hosted by Terrah Card at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

13 This Pensacola Little Theatre production has showtimes 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, 23, Fridays, March 15, 22, Thursdays, March 14, 21 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 17 and 24. Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for children and students and $2 discounts for seniors and military. Thursday performances are half off. Performances are at 400 S. Jefferson St. Get your tickets at pensacolalittletheatre.com.

COFFEE TALK AT GULF BREEZE LIBRARY

Coffee Talk, a non-fiction book club, meets noon the second Thursday of every other month beginning in January. The next date is noon Thursday, March 14 at Gulf Breeze Library, 1060 Shoreline Drive. Come listen and share your thoughts about this month's book, "We Share the Same Sky" by Rachel Cerrotti. Anyone ages 18 and older who has read the book is welcome to attend. Refreshments are provided by the Friends of the Gulf Breeze Library.

PAWS & BID: SILENT AUCTION WITH THE BUFF ARTIST Silent auction is 1-5:45 p.m. Friday, March 15 at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. To visit kitties during your visit, reserve a session at coastalcatpcola.com.

PENSACOLA OPERA'S DIE FLEDERMAUS

Pensacola Opera showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 15 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

GALLERY NIGHT The next Gallery Night is 5-9 p.m. Friday, March 15 on South Palafox Street. The March theme is "Dancin' in the Streets" with artists and performers along the street. Visit gallerynightpensacola.org for details.

CINEMAS IN THE SAND "Shrek" kicks off the 2024 Cinemas in the Sand event Friday, March 15 on Pensacola Beach. Movie starts at sunset at the Gulfside Pavilion stage on Casino Beach. All movies are free to the public. For more information, and weather updates, visit facebook.com/ visitpensacolabeach.

HERSTORY EXHIBIT OPENING RECEPTION Herstory focuses on accomplishments, challenges and boundaries women have overcome throughout history. Opening reception is 6-9 p.m. Friday, March 15 at Icon Modern Art Gallery, 213 S. Alcaniz St. Details are at iconmodernartgallery.com.

SILKSCREEN WORKSHOP Discover how to create vibrant prints in this hands-on silkscreen workshop noon-3 p.m. Saturday, March 16 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. No prior experience is necessary. Register online at pensacolamuseum.org.

HERSTORY SOIREE Celebrate women's performing arts with an Emmy-Award-winning keynote speaker, fire dancers, champagne and hors d'oeuvres and dancing Saturday, March 16 at Lily Hall, 415 N. Alcaniz St.

CUBED 2024 Watch artists transform the cube canvases 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 16 at the Museum Plaza, 300 S. Tarragona St. Featured artists include Lilly Stark, Dylan Nadsady, Sasha Suey-Stoler, Hannah Leggs, Katie Romano, Jaime Diffee, Lindsey Hampton, Sean Bush and Aidan Garcia. Visit pensacolamuseum. org for details.

JIM GAFFIGAN Comedian Jim Gaffigan makes a Pensacola stop on his "Barely Alive Tour" at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets and information are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.

MOVIE TIME TUESDAYS AT NAVARRE

LIBRARY Visit the Navarre Library the third Tuesday of the month for a movie. All movies begin at 4 p.m., and refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Navarre Library. This month's movie is "The Bad Guys" (rated PG, 2022) showing March 19 at 8484 James Harvell Road.

GOLDEN GIRLS: THE LAUGHS CONTINUE

Performance is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

SILENT BOOK CLUB AT BODACIOUS

Sundays are for quietly reading at Bodacious Bookstore & Café, 110 E. Intendencia St. Join the Silent Book Club 10-11 a.m. every Sunday. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

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

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

COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE

BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the first Thursday monthly at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.

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

THE MARKET AT GARY'S BREWERY Market

Perdido Key vendors will sell fresh produce, art, baked goods and more noon-5 p.m. the second Sunday of the month through May at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. The next date is Sunday, April 14. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

a&e happenings

PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/ downtownpensacola.

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

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

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with actual ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related

to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Shop small and buy art at Pensacola Arts Market 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month at Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave. Enjoy a local artisan and farmers market with more than 50 vendors, food trucks, plants, vintage clothing and décor, live musical performances, kids' crafts and games. This is a free event. Pensacola Arts Market is set up 4-9 p.m. every first Friday of the month and 2-6 p.m. every third Sunday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave.

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT

EVER'MAN Local vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners, speakers and more come together 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. This is a free indoor and outdoor event with door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. For a vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

PUNKDEMIC: THE SOUND THAT SAVED

US A photo show from Andrew Velasco is on view through March at 309 Punk House, 309 N. Sixth Ave. Visit facebook.com/309punkproject for details.

BIRDS AND HABITATS This Quayside Art Gallery all-member exhibit is on view through March 30 at 17 E. Zaragoza St.

UNTETHERED OPENING "Untethered" is a contemporary abstract art exhibition from local artist Lindsay Keeling on view through April 2 at Jaco's Bayfront Bar & Grille, 997 S. Palafox St.

FIESTA PENSACOLA 75TH ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE A collection of costumes, dresses and ephemera from the Fiesta events dating back to the 1950s is on view through April 7 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

THE FLUIDITY OF PERCEPTION Enjoy an exhibit from Chris Gustin and Nancy Train Smith in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society. The show is on view through May 17 at the Switzer Gallery at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd.

PMA MEMBERS SHOW The 70th annual Members Show is on view through May 25 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

INTENTIONAL EATING: DIABETIC FRIENDLY Cooking class is 6-9 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Suite C. Tickets available at facebook.com/ pensacolacooks.

SPRING SIP AND SHOP AT PERFECT PLAIN

This evening market with more than 20 vendors is 4-8 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details are at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

JAZZ AT JACKSON'S Ellen Vinson and Bobby Van Deusen will perform at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St. Seatings are 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14 with a specially prepared menu. For reservations, call (850) 469-9898.

PENSACOLA MESS HALL HOSTS PI DAY

PIE TASTING Taste test pie for Pi Day 6 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Pensacola MESS Hall, 418 E. Wright St. There will be pizza and dessert pies from restaurants including J's Pastry, Craft Bakery, Bubba's Pizza, Lost Pizza and more. Tickets are $31.42 and includes pie samplings and wine. Event is for those ages 21 and older. For more information and tickets, visit pensacolamesshall.org/ pi-day-2024.

ANGELENA'S SUPPER CLUB: PRIMAVERA SULLA COSTA, FEATURING SOUS CHEF

IAN GILLETTE From Positano to Amalfi, experience a spring evening on the Italian coast from Chef Ian Gilette, with wine pairings by Wine Director Brooke Parkhurst. The evening will start with crisp whites and move to lighter reds. Event cost is $150 per person (plus tax & gratuity). Event is 6 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Angelena's, 101 E. Intendencia St. Visit angelenaspensacola. com for details.

a&e happenings

CRAVIN' CAJUN: SPRING ON THE BAYOU Pensacola Cooking Class is 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 15, at 4051 Barrancas Ave., Suite C. Tickets are available at facebook.com/pensacolacooks.

GERMAN DINNER EXPERIENCE WITH CHEF EDWARD LORDMAN Dinner is 6 p.m. Friday, March 15 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Cost is $80. Tickets are available on Eventbrite or through the link at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

PAINTING WITH PINTS AT PERFECT

PLAIN Make seasonal artwork and enjoy one draft pint of your choice 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 17 at Perfect Plain, 50 E. Garden St. Tickets are $45 and available at justbeachydesigns.live or through the link on facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

ADULT ONLY EASTER EGG HUNT AT GARY'S BREWERY & BIERGARTEN Visit Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. for a 21 and older Easter egg hunt starting noon Sunday, March 17. There will be more than $1,000 in prizes throughout the hunt. Details are at facebook. com/garysbrew.

COOKING WITH CHEF IRV MILLER:

SEASONAL PALATE

The next cooking class is Wednesday, March 20 with classes at 5 and 7:30 p.m. at Jackson's, 400 S. Palafox St. Learn to prepare meals with seasonal seafood from Gulf Coast waters. Cost is $55 a person. Reservations are required. Reserve your spot by emailing jessica@ goodgrits.com or call (850) 686-3149.

THAI CURRY NIGHT WITH CHEF EDWARD

LORDMAN Dinner is 6 p.m. Monday, March 18 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are available on Eventbrite or through the link at facebook. com/bodaciousshops.

HANDS-ON SUSHI Learn to roll your own sushi 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are available on Eventbrite or through the link at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

SNIFF & SIP Join Wolfgang Events 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 21 at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. to meet other dogs and dog lovers.

ARTISAN PASTA CRAFTING Cooking class is 6 p.m. Monday, March 25 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are available on Eventbrite or through the link at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

GREEN THUMB WINE TASTINGS Join Green Thumb Wines for a wine tasting 6-8 p.m. every first Friday of the month at 9 E. Gregory St. Cost is $15 which can be applied to a bottle purchase of your choice. For more information and tickets, visit greenthumbwines.com/collections/events.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN

Partake in brunch specials, full café menu, espressos and bottomless mimosas until 1 p.m. Sundays at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin. com for details.

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT

AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

GAMER/JACKBOX NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S

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

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE

HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of Bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

75 CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.

BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for Bar Bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA

Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for themed trivia nights 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's

Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub. com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

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

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA O'Riley's Tavern hosts trivia 8 p.m.-midnight Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

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

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays. 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.

TRIVIA AT SIR RICHARD'S Flex your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

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free will astrology

WEEK OF MARCH 14

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) : I will never advise you to dim the flame of your ambition or be shy about radiating your enthusiasm. For the next few weeks, though, I urge you to find ways to add sap, juice and nectar to your fiery energy. See if you can be less like a furnace and more like a sauna; less like a rumbling volcano and more like a tropical river. Practically speaking, this might mean being blithely tender and unpredictably heartful as you emanate your dazzling glow.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Some spiritual traditions tell us the path to enlightenment and awakening is excruciatingly difficult. One teaching compares it to crossing a bridge that's sharper than a sword, thinner than a hair and hotter than fire. Ideas like these have no place in my personal philosophy. I believe enlightenment and awakening are available to anyone who conscientiously practices kindness and compassion. A seeker who consistently asks, "What is the most loving thing I can do?" will be rewarded with lifeenhancing transformations. Now I invite you to do what I just did, Taurus. That is, reevaluate a task or process that everyone (maybe even you) assumes is hard and complicated. Perform whatever tweaks are necessary to understand it as fun, natural and engaging.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Do you have a relative your parents never told you about? If so, you may find out about them soon. Do you have a secret you want to keep secret? If so, take extra caution to ensure it stays hidden. Is there a person you have had a covert crush on for a while? If so, they may discover your true feelings any minute now. Have you ever wondered if any secrets are being concealed from you? If so, probe gently for their revelation, and they just may leak out. Is there a lost treasure you have almost given up on finding? If so, revive your hopes.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Cancerian poet Pablo Neruda wrote this to a lover: "I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees." That sounds very romantic. What does it mean? Well, the arrival of spring brings warmer soil and air, longer hours of sunlight and nurturing precipitation. The flowers of some cherry trees respond by blooming with explosive vigor. Some trees

By Rob Brezsny

sprout upward of 4,000 blossoms. Maybe Neruda was exaggerating for poetic effect, but if he truly wanted to rouse his lover to be like a burgeoning cherry tree, he'd have to deal with an overwhelming outpouring of lush beauty and rampant fertility. Could he have handled it? If I'm reading the upcoming astrological omens correctly, you Cancerians now have the power to inspire and welcome such lavishness. And yes, you can definitely handle it.

Is there a person you have had a covert crush on for a while?

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) : Speaking on behalf of all non-Leos, I want to express our gratitude for the experiments you have been conducting. Your willingness to dig further than ever before into the mysterious depths is exciting. Please don't be glum just because the results are still inconclusive and you feel a bit vulnerable. I'm confident you will ultimately generate fascinating outcomes that are valuable to us as well as you. Here's a helpful tip: Give yourself permission to be even more daring and curious. Dig even deeper.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Unexpected mixtures are desirable, though they may initially feel odd. Unplanned and unheralded alliances will be lucky wild cards if you are willing to set aside your expectations. Best of all, I believe you will be extra adept at creating new forms of synergy and symbiosis, even as you enhance existing forms. Please capitalize on these marvelous openings, dear Virgo. Are there parts of your life that have been divided, and you would like to harmonize them? Now is a good time to try. Bridge-building will be your specialty for the foreseeable future.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Many of you Libras have a special talent for tuning into the needs and moods of other people. This potentially gives you the power to massage situations to serve the good of all. Are you using that power to its fullest? Could you do anything more to harness it? Here's a related issue: Your talent for tuning into the needs and moods of others can give you the capacity to massage situations in service to your

personal aims. Are you using that capacity to its fullest? Could you do anything more to harness it? Here's one more variation on the theme: How adept are you at coordinating your service to the general good and your service to your personal aims? Can you do anything to enhance this skill? Now is an excellent time to try.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Psychologist

Carl Jung said, "One of the most difficult tasks people can perform is the invention of good games. And this cannot be done by people out of touch with their instinctive selves." According to my astrological assessment, you will thrive in the coming weeks when you are playing good, interesting games. If you dream them up and instigate them yourself, so much the better. And what exactly do I mean by "games"? I'm referring to any organized form of play that rouses fun, entertainment and education. Playing should be one of your prime modes, Scorpio. As Jung notes, that will happen best if you are in close touch with your instinctual self—also known as your animal intelligence.

It's a fine time to get maximum enjoyment and value from your connections with such people.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) : Can Sagittarians ever really find a home they are utterly satisfied with? Are they ever at peace with exactly who they are and content to be exactly where they are? Some astrologers suggest these are difficult luxuries for you Centaurs to accomplish. But I think differently. In my view, it's your birthright to create sanctuaries for yourself that incorporate so much variety and expansiveness that you can feel like an adventurous explorer without necessarily having to wander all over the earth. Now is an excellent time to work on this noble project.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): You picked door No. 2 a while back. Was that the best choice? I'm not sure. Evidence is still ambiguous. As we await more conclusive information, I want you to

know door No. 1 and door No. 3 will soon be available for your consideration again. The fun fact is that you can try either of those doors without abandoning your activities in the area where door No. 2 has led you. But it's important to note that you can't try both door No. 1 and Door No. 3. You must choose one or the other. Proceed with care and nuance, Capricorn, but not with excessive caution. Your passwords are "daring sensitivity" and "discerning audacity."

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): My second cousin has the same name as me and lives in Košice, Slovakia. He's a Slovakian-speaking chemical engineer who attended the Slovak University of Technology. Do we have anything in common besides our DNA and names? Well, we both love to tell stories. He and I are both big fans of the band Rising Appalachia. We have the same mischievous brand of humor. He has designed equipment and processes to manufacture products that use chemicals in creative ways, and I design oracles to arouse inspirations that change people's brain chemistry. Now I invite you, Aquarius, to celebrate allies with whom you share key qualities despite being quite different. It's a fine time to get maximum enjoyment and value from your connections with such people.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): My Piscean friend Jeff Greenwald wrote the humorous but serious book "Shopping for Buddhas." It's the story of his adventures in Nepal as he traveled in quest of a statue to serve as a potent symbol for his spiritual yearning. I'm reminded of his search as I ruminate on your near future. I suspect you would benefit from an intense search for divine inspiration—either in the form of an iconic object, a pilgrimage to a holy sanctuary or an inner journey to the source of your truth and love.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: See a compendium of my Big-Picture Forecasts for you in 2024: https://tinyurl.com/bigpicture2024. {in}

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© 2024 Rob Brezsny

of the weird

THAT'S SPORTING The 2024 Iditarod race in Alaska got off to a messy start, Sporting News reported on March 7. On the first day, musher Jesse Holmes went mano-a-mano with a moose that became aggressive toward his dogs on the trail. Holmes punched the moose in the nose and went on his way. Soon after, Dallas Seavey and his dogs came upon a moose—it's not clear whether it was the same one—that was "threatening and belligerent." When the moose got entangled with his dogs, Seavey dispensed with the heroics and shot it. As per the Iditarod's rules, Seavey then stopped for about 10 minutes to field-dress the moose, but he was later assessed a two-hour penalty at the next checkpoint because "the animal was not sufficiently gutted by the musher." A third musher, Wally Robinson, ran across the moose carcass in the dark, on a trail curving through woods. Race Marshal Warren Palfrey confirmed that "we are making sure that every attempt is made to utilize and salvage the moose meat." So there's that.

CLOTHING OPTIONAL Looking for something light and airy to do at the end of April? Set your GPS for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Crafton Ingram Lanes, where Balls Out Bowling will return on April 28, according to WTRF-TV. The Pittsburgh Area Naturalists are hosting the event, which requires nudity (except women are allowed to wear bottoms). Participants must be 18 or older, and sexual activity is not permitted; harassment will result in being ejected from the bowling alley. And leave your cellphone at home; no photos or videos allowed. You won't have anywhere to carry it anyway!

THE PASSING PARADE As the last remaining Hooters restaurant in West Virginia prepared for demolition, residents of Kanawha City gathered on Feb. 23 for a candlelight vigil, WCHS-TV reported. The event, which started as a joke, got international attention, and hundreds of people showed up. "It's a lot of memories going down with that building," said Noah Collins of Rand, West Virginia. Tearful former Hooters employees reunited for one last time. "I started out coming in to get a job and it became so much more because I met so many lifelong friends and my co-workers," said Danielle Hughart. "This building right here was a legitimate iconic figure to the Kanawha Valley," declared co-organizer Leo Browning. The corporate office sent a box of calendars to distribute to those who attended the vigil.

SMOOTH REACTION Dr. Krisztina Ilko, 33, a junior research fellow and director of studies at the University of Cambridge Queens' College in England, lives in a medieval tower, the Independent reported. But on Feb. 29, Ilko became trapped in her bathroom for seven hours after the wooden door locked behind her and wouldn't budge. She couldn't signal or yell for help because the tower walls are thick, and there are no windows in the bathroom. However, she kept her cool and McGyvered the door open using an eyeliner (to push down the door's latch) and a cotton swab (to pull the locking mechanism away from

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

the door frame). "When ... the door opened, it was exhilarating because I didn't think it would work," Ilko said. Since the incident, she's had the lock removed.

POLICE REPORT In Kennesaw, Georgia, police responded to the Heritage Park Town Homes on Feb. 21 after a Toyota Corolla "rammed through the pool fence ... and (she's) in the middle of the pool," said the 911 caller. Fox5-TV reported that the driver suffered some sort of medical emergency and was unconscious when officers arrived; they were able to break a car window and get her out of the car. She was taken to a hospital and was expected to make a full recovery, according to Cobb County Police. The pool cover was so strong that the car didn't sink; a tow truck removed it from the cover later in the day.

•The Putnam County (Florida) Sheriff's Office was flooded with calls on March 2 after two low-flying F-15 jets from the Florida Air National Guard caused sonic booms, News4Jax-TV reported. "It destroyed my friggin' house!" one caller exclaimed, while others thought a bomb had dropped. "I have major damage, they flew right over my house. The lights were blown off the walls, there's glass everywhere," said another. The National Guard issued a statement saying they were aware of damage sustained by the sonic booms and had established a contact number for residents who had damage claims.

DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR

For Connor James Litka, 21, of Bloomington, Indiana, it was "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Litka arrived at a Porsche dealership in Louisville, Kentucky, on Feb. 21 and tried to buy a car with a fake $78 million check, WAVE-TV reported. When he was rebuffed, he searched around the back entrance to the showroom, looking for car keys. Salespeople summoned police, who charged him with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Turns out Litka tried the same stunt the day before at a Land Rover dealership, where he presented a $12 million check.

CHEEKY Rawiya Al-Qasimi, a female reporter, was covering an event in Riyadh on March 4 when a Saudi Arabian robot called Android Muhammad unexpectedly slapped her posterior during a live shot, the Daily Star reported. Al-Qasimi pushed the robot's hand away and rebuked him. Before the untoward touching, Android Muhammad introduced himself, saying, "I was manufactured and developed here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a national project to demonstrate our achievements in the field of artificial intelligence." Ironically, had he been a real man, he might have faced jail time for his inappropriate behavior. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird

© 2024 Andrews McMeel