Inweekly March 19 2026 Issue

BAY CENTER BATTLE

Two Studies, One Arena and The $114 Million Question

winners & losers winners losers

ANDY HOBBS Escambia County Chief Deputy Andy Hobbs lost his spot on the Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees, but he made the most of his time speaking up for President Dr. Ed Meadows, the PSC faculty and the Public Broadcasting System. Hobbs, who served as the board's vice chair and the chair of the Pensaco la State College Charter Academy, reflected the community's values and principles on the board. He clearly stated from the start that he would never put politics before the college's needs. His leadership on the board will be missed, but Hobbs set a strong example for other trustees to follow. Time will tell if they do.

AIRBNB Airbnb donated $40,000 to Pensaco la Habitat for Humanity through its Community Fund, a $100 million initiative launched in 2020 to support communities where the company op erates. Airbnb Pensacola Volunteer Community Leader Clara Reeves selected the nonprofit for the donation and celebrated during a volunteer build day with local hosts. Since 2023, Airbnb has contributed more than $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity organizations across Florida. State wide, the company has donated over $585,000 to Florida nonprofits focused on economic em powerment, environmental sustainability and ending abuse and exploitation. Pensacola Habi tat for Humanity President and CEO Sam Young said, "This generous donation will strengthen our ability to create and preserve affordable home ownership opportunities in the Pensacola area."

LANDRUM 5K Landrum has presented $18,000 to Lakeview Center from proceeds of its annu al 5K run/walk held last October. The funds sup port behavioral health services across Northwest Florida, where Lakeview Center served more than 29,000 children and adults last year for mental ill ness, substance misuse and intellectual disabili ties. The Landrum 5K highlights the proven link between physical activity and mental well‑being. According to the National Institutes of Health, regular exercise can reduce anxiety and depres sion, improve mood and boost cognitive func tion with as little as 30 minutes of moderate activ ity several times a week. Lakeview Center offers more than 60 programs across Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.

ADAM KISSEL The University of West Flori da trustee did not get confirmed by the Florida Senate. Kissel failed to appear before the Eth ics and Elections Committee, chaired by Sen. Don Gaetz. The trustee tried to wiggle out of appearing either online or in person and offered to respond to written questions. Gaetz refused, telling Kissel that "written questions in lieu of appearing is not contemplated in the commit tee's procedures and would be unprecedented." There was still a chance that the Senate Presi dent might move Kissel's nomination directly to the Senate floor, but that didn't happen. On March 12, Sen. Gaetz told Inweekly, "Mr. Kissel's file is safely in my bottom desk drawer. Tomor row he'll go out with the trash."

CUMULUS MEDIA

One of the nation's larg est radio broadcasters has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a prepackaged restruc turing plan to slash roughly $600 million in debt. The Atlanta based company, which op erates nearly 400 stations (including Pensaco la's WCOA) across more than 80 markets, initi ated the case in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on March 5. Un der the deal, lenders will exchange debt for eq uity and emerge with a controlling stake, taking the company private while wiping out existing shareholders. Cumulus says it will continue nor mal operations during the process. However, we don't expect them to bring back local program ming to WCOA.

ESCAMBIA CHILDREN'S TRUST

The Es cambia Children's Trust voted to recover three ancient vehicles from New World Believers that were bought with Trust funds over the past two years—2015 Ford Transit 350, 2010 Dodge Cara van and 1998 Honda Odyssey. Why in the world would the Trust staff approve buying such vehi cles, two of which could have come from a junk yard? The Trust board approved filing a lawsuit to recover the vehicles. Let's hope someone does a cost benefit analysis. The Kelley Blue Book shows a $1,680 $1,700 resale value for the 1998 Honda Odyssey, assuming it has no me chanical issues or dents. It would be funny, ex cept tax dollars are involved.

Andy Hobbs / Photo Courtesy of ECSO

Adam Kissel / Photo Courtesy of uwf.edu

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

FULL ACCOUNTING NEEDED

The Escambia Children's Trust should commission an independent operational review of every nonprofit that has received a share of the $21.5 million in Escambia County property tax dollars distributed as of Dec. 31, 2025. Until that review is completed and released to the public, the Trust should suspend payments from the $28.5 million currently sitting in its bank accounts. The stakes are too high to proceed otherwise.

I suspect the New World Believers (NWB) debacle is not an outlier. Other Trust-funded organizations—the Urban Development Center, The Children's Theatre Company and Pensacola Little Theatre—have had their own grant problems. How can taxpayers be certain that funds given to other groups are truly serving children?

DOUBLE-BILLING DISCOVERY According to the contract schedule presented to the Trust board last week, NWB had drawn down $866,222 for its H.O.O.P.S. program and submitted reimbursement requests for an additional $94,000 to cover November and December 2025.

Executive Director Lindsey Cannon recently told the board news that has bolstered some of our suspicions. Both the Trust grant and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) may have paid NWB for the same 50 to 60 youth simultaneously. NWB may have collected a daily rate from DJJ while also billing the Trust for serving the same child at the same time.

Cannon said she received a letter from NWB founder and director Rodney Jones claiming that his DJJ civil citation work involved different, remotely delivered services. But when she spoke directly with DJJ's contract manager in Tallahassee, the agency described expectations that included mental health counseling, behavioral support and mentoring—the same services for which NWB was billing the Trust.

Cannon noted she had only received the 400plus pages of DJJ records the previous Friday, so her review was still in its early stages. Even so, her preliminary review showed a multi-month billing overlap, potentially spanning October 2023 through January 2026. If duplicative billing is confirmed, the Trust would be required to report findings to the Inspector General, since both DJJ and the Trust involve publicly appropriated funds.

The only reason Cannon contacted DJJ at all is that Jones was arrested in January on a charge of sexual battery of a 16-to-17-year-old participant in the H.O.O.P.S. program. The alleged victim had enrolled as part of her DJJ civil citation probation. According to the arrest report, Jones used his authority in the program— controlling community service hours and probation sign-offs—to coerce the teen into sexual acts over roughly a year.

After the arrest, the Trust voted to cancel its grant agreement with NWB. But the relationship should have ended months earlier.

RED FLAGS OVERLOOKED

In October, the Trust board questioned whether NWB should receive the third year of its grant, worth $585,685. It granted a 30-day extension for staff to work with NWB on budget questions. Two months later, the staff and program committee recommended approval, and the board agreed to NWB's third year.

That decision ignored several glaring problems in NWB's financial records. The figures on the "audited" balance sheet do not add up. The supposed Form 990 filed with the federal government does not agree with the "audited" financial statements. Under Trust requirements, financial reports must be audited by an independent certified public accountant or reviewed in a manner consistent with AICPA Standards for Government/Non-Profit organizations. They were not.

NWB's corporate filing lists Radajeline Jones as a board member while she works as an aftercare coordinator—a direct violation of the Trust's anti-nepotism policy. In fact, six members of the Jones family were employed by NWB and receiving Trust dollars. Board members are prohibited from directly or indirectly receiving Trust funds.

Then, in December, the Trust board approved an NWB budget that eliminated all funding for accounting and auditing, cutting a $17,636 line item. The Trust, in other words, chose not to care about the accounting.

The pattern of oversight failures surrounding NWB points to deeper operational problems at the Trust. With a referendum on the Trust's renewal approaching, the public deserves a full accounting of how its tax dollars are being spent. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Top-floor,

$715,000

By Tom St. Myer

MENTAL HEALTH: LAKEVIEW'S BIG REACH

One of the few positives resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has been an increased awareness and acceptance of mental health issues. In turn, the number of people seeking treatment has increased exponentially.

"Mental health is healthcare. The brain is an organ, too," Lakeview Center President Shawn Salamida said. "You have to take care of your heart, you also have to take care of your brain, and just demystifying it and destigmatizing it in the general public has really come a long way."

Lakeview serves adults and children with mental illnesses throughout Northwest Florida, and the number reached is staggering. For fiscal year 2025, Lakeview Center provided behavioral health services to nearly 30,000 people in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties. Twenty-four percent of those served were children.

On an average day, 50 new clients sought treatment at Lakeview. Each month, the healthcare provider performed an average of more than 2,800 counseling sessions, more than 600 outpatient psychiatric evaluations and 3,880 psychiatric follow-ups.

Pointing to reasons for the increase in people receiving treatment, Salamida credited better backfilling of no-show appointments, increased virtual options, a central access program that requires no appointment, and serving as a central receiving facility for Baker Act patients.

MOBILE RESPONSE

Lakeview's mobile response team stayed extremely busy in FY 2025, serving more than 3,000 people, including about 1,200 children. The mobile response team provides 24/7 mental health

family of nonprofits includes Lakeview. "If loved ones see behaviors that are concerning or escalating, then that's the time to call mobile response because we can intervene before things become a crisis."

Lakeview's staggering numbers only begin to reveal the proportion of Northwest Florida residents who live with a mental illness like anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder.

In 2024, the National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that nearly 25% of U.S. adults (61.5 million) lived with a mental illness, but only about half that number received treatment. Women surpassed men in the number reporting mental illness, accounting for about 27% compared with nearly 20% of men.

Young adults aged 18-25 ranked first among age groups, with about 36% reporting mental illness. Only about 14% of adults aged 50 and older reported living with a mental illness.

Salamida said people treated at Lakeview vary in age, and no age group stands out above the others. He said the same applies to gender, with no noticeable difference between male and female. Anxiety disorder is the most prevalent mental illness, according to national studies, but Lakeview treats more people with major depression than any other disorder.

"Some of the symptoms of major depression are feeling hopeless, lack of energy and ability to sleep, suicidal thoughts, suicidal gestures, detach-

TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN

Lakeview treated more than 7,000 children for mental illness during FY 2025. A significant percentage of those visits resulted from school district officials contacting the healthcare provider.

"In Escambia County, the mental health staff is embedded within the schools," Salamida said. "They will do an initial kind of identification. If there are mental health concerns, they might even try to address it to some extent, but if they need more than they can provide in the schools, they definitely call us, and we have a very good relationship with them."

Lakeview offers its services to children after school. Sometimes those services occur in the home with the child surrounded by family. Salamida said family involvement is crucial for success, no matter the location of treatment.

"We need the adult in that child's life engaged in the process," he said. "It's definitely not a dropoff, 'Hey, fix my kid.' They're in it together because the children rely on their caregiver, whether it's their parents or a relative, or whoever it is, to help facilitate that treatment and then follow through on the support outside of the session."

Treating children is particularly challenging in this era of cyberbullying on social media. About 58% of teenagers reported experiencing cyberbullying, according to the Cyberbullying Research Center.

Cyberbullying increases anxiety and causes self-doubt, leading to depression and potentially worse. Suicide is the second leading cause of

death for ages 10-14 and 15-24 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so detecting signs of suicidal thoughts early is crucial.

"The ripple effect is then they struggle in school, and then they struggle at home, and maybe tend to gravitate toward peers that have similar issues, which just compounds it," Salamida said. "It's just hard for kids with that mounting pressure to function as a student, as a family member, and so we try to catch that early and help those kids get proper perspective, proper coping mechanisms, reconnect with their family and with peers, and we've had quite a bit of success with that."

COMMUNITY EFFORT

Another critical venture for Lakeview has been its role as the adult central receiving facility for Baker Act patients. The Baker Act is a Florida law that enables families and loved ones to provide emergency mental health services and temporary detention for people impaired due to mental illness. The act allows the court, doctors or law enforcement officials to involuntarily commit the patient for at least 72 hours for a mental health evaluation.

The idea for central receiving facilities emerged in 2022 after HCA Florida West Hospital announced its intention to cease operations as a receiving center due to an influx of youth Baker Act patients being transported to its facility. None of the Florida West staff is licensed to treat children and adolescents for behavioral health. Baptist Hospital fills that role for children.

Lakeview relieved confusion for emergency crews by emerging as the adult central receiving facility. Emergency crews now know to transport adults to Lakeview and children to Baptist. Lakeview staff then determines who stays at its facility and who is transported to Florida West.

"Prior to this, they were going to emergency departments, they were going to emergency rooms, and this is a much more specialized facility, with specialized staff and specialized design," Salamida said. "So we're in a much better position to assist people in that level of crisis than we were before." He continued, "Our team at the receiving facility is very knowledgeable. They have all their colleagues on speed dial, and they can get resources in place right away."

Hill said treating mental health is a community effort. Lakeview has partnered with community agencies on every program launched since COVID. Those partners include law enforcement, hospitals, jails, school systems, and the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College, which serve as pipelines for staff and interns.

It takes a village to treat 30,000 people a year.

"We've got a lot of folks on speed dial," Hill said. "A lot of folks have Shawn's and [my] numbers, and we have their numbers, because mental illness, substance use disorder—these are chronic illnesses. You don't live in a facility, you don't live in a hospital, you live in a community."

To learn more about the Lakeview Center, visit elakeviewcenter.org.{in}

Autumn McAllister / Photo Courtesy of Lakeview

Democratic nomination for governor. "And we've got six more months to go."

Jolly, who represented Florida's 13th Congressional District as a Republican before leaving the party, is framing his candidacy around a coalition strategy that reaches well beyond traditional Democratic voters. His core argument: independent and disenchanted Republican voters don't need to change their party registration to help send him to Tallahassee.

"You don't have to be a Democrat to vote for a Democrat," Jolly said. "We're not registering more Democrats, but more people are voting for Democrats."

He compared the current political environment to the post-Watergate wave election of 1974, when voters swept Democrats into office across the country in the wake of President Richard Nixon's resignation and the Watergate scandal. Jolly cited strong Democratic overperformance in recent Florida special elections and Miami-Dade Mayor Eileen Higgins' 19-point win in a recent Miami race as evidence the state's political environment has shifted.

Jolly has built his platform around three core values: an economy that works for all Floridians; targeted government investment in ed -

grams. The Children's Trust reimburses grants at 100%, while DJJ pays a separate daily rate per child. If duplicative billing is confirmed, it could implicate more than $900,000 in grant funding awarded to NWB since 2023.

"Does that look like supplanting? Does that look like double-billing?" Cannon told the board. "If this has been happening, it's been happening for two years."

Cannon said she received more than 400 pages of DJJ records last Friday and that a full review will take weeks, covering the entire contract period back to October 2023, not just the November and December invoices NWB is currently seeking payment for. If duplicative billing is confirmed, Cannon said the Trust would be required to report the findings to the Inspector General.

The Children's Trust terminated its contract with NWB on Jan. 31 following the Jan. 22 arrest of former executive director Rodney Jones on charges of sexual battery on a minor. The victim participated in the H.O.O.P.S. program, according to the arrest report.

In a separate action, the board voted to authorize civil litigation to recover three grantfunded vehicles—a 2015 Ford Transit 350, a 2010 Dodge Caravan and a 1998 Honda Odyssey— that NWB has refused to return despite written demands. Trust attorney Megan Fry of Clark Partington said the action is independent of the ongoing reimbursement review.

come is how he found out. The governor's office never called. Neither did the Florida Department of Education or the office of Education Secretary Anastasios "Stasi" Kamoutsas. Hobbs said his last contact with Kamoutsas was months ago, and it wasn't cordial.

"He was letting me know that he was displeased with my support for PBS," Hobbs said.

Hobbs currently serves as vice chair of the PSC Board of Trustees and chair of the charter school on campus. He believes his term will expire 45 days after the legislative session ends.

Despite the outcome, Hobbs said he has no regrets. "I did what was best for our community."

SAILGP'S FUTURE When American Magic acquired the Danish SailGP team ROCKWOOL Racing in a deal reported at approximately $60 million, it drew international attention. The numbers are now making a lot of sense.

SailGP launched in 2019 with six leagueowned teams and five races, backed primarily by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and five-time America's Cup champion Sir Russell Coutts. Early teams sold for between $5 million and $10 million. Today, team valuations are "well in excess" of $60 million according to the league, with some analysts projecting $100 million valuations before the current season concludes.

ucation, healthcare and housing; and protection

good business sense," he said.

To make the ballot in November, he first must win the Democratic primary. Jolly said he leads every public poll and holds a 10-to-1 cash-onhand advantage over his primary opponent. He expressed concern not about losing a primary, but about the financial and organizational toll a prolonged intra-party fight could take heading into the general election.

To learn more about David Jolly's campaign, visit davidjolly.com.

DOUBLE BILLING? Escambia Children's Trust

Executive Director Lindsey Cannon told the Trust board last week that she has found evidence suggesting a terminated Pensacola youth nonprofit may have billed both the Children's Trust and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice for the same services provided to the same children, which would be a potential misuse of public funds spanning two years.

Cannon said her office has identified as many as 50 to 60 youth who appear to have been enrolled simultaneously in programs funded by both the Children's Trust and DJJ's civil citation diversion program. New World Believers (NWB) and its H.O.O.P.S. program administered both pro-

NWB program director Latasha Jones addressed the board during the public forum, arguing the organization is owed reimbursement for services rendered in good faith and disputing the Trust's right to reclaim the vehicles.

It should be noted the Trust's staff and program committee recommended (and the board approved) renewing NWB's contract for a third year just last December, which calls into question the Trust's oversight of its grants.

BLINDSIDED

Escambia County Chief Deputy Andy Hobbs learned through back channels that the governor's office had withdrawn his reappointment to the Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees without ever notifying him directly.

Hobbs' reappointment had cleared both the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee and the Higher Education Committee, which is the standard path to a full floor confirmation vote, before his name was quietly removed from the Senate calendar.

Hobbs learned about the news not from the governor's office, but from PSC President Ed Meadows, who pulled him aside at a college foundation fundraiser and told him his name had been withdrawn from consideration for reappointment.

When contacted by Inweekly, Senate Ethics and Elections Committee Chair Don Gaetz confirmed the withdrawal, calling it standard practice. "If an appointing authority wishes to withdraw a nomination, they're withdrawn," Gaetz said, adding that the governor's office had formally requested the removal. "He will not be confirmed."

What troubles Hobbs as much as the out-

The league's commercial metrics tell the story. In just five seasons, SailGP increased its annual audience by 12 times and revenue by 20 times compared to its first season. Revenue topped $200 million during the 2025 season. The 2025 Race to Abu Dhabi drew 3.47 million U.S. viewers on CBS, surpassing the 1992 America's Cup as the most-watched sailing event in American television history. A record 112,000 ticketed spectators attended events in person during the 2025 season alone.

American Magic CEO Mike Cazer acknowledged the investment case directly at a press conference last week in Pensacola. "We already have a rock-solid foundation in our title partner ROCKWOOL," he said, referring to the Danish team's global insulation materials sponsor. "We expect this to be generating positive cash flows in the next couple of seasons."

Sir Coutts offered his own validation: "The next team sold for a little bit more than what Mike paid for."

The league plans to grow from 13 to 20 teams, with 35 parties expressing interest in the two most recently available slots. Sweden secured the 13th franchise for 2026, with bidding ongoing for 2027.

Sir Coutts also told the media that SailGP is in the early stages of developing a minor league for promising sailors. He described the proposed junior circuit as featuring boats somewhere between 25 and 30 feet long, crewed by four sailors, using the same wing-sail configuration as the premier F50 foiling catamarans. The boats would also serve as test platforms for new components destined for the F50 fleet.

"With the central training facility, the F50s being here, it makes sense to have a minor league based here as well," he said. "It won't tour, just like

some of the minor leagues here in other sports in the States. It'll be centered in one or maybe two venues, winter and summer."

The minor league concept gives athletes from smaller sailing nations, like Bermuda or the British Virgin Islands, who may have medaled at the Olympics but lack the resources for a full SailGP team, a pathway into the sport's elite teams.

The SailGP training program means more jobs in Pensacola. American Magic COO Tyson Lamond said the SailGP partnership will immediately grow the organization's headcount at the Pensacola facility.

"If I was to look at it as a straight headcount, I would say this adds 20 people to our headcount every day," Lamond said, noting that staffing plans would kick in from July as the F50 boats are brought to the facility.

American Magic CEO Mike Cazer framed the partnership in broader terms: "What we've done with SailGP in terms of the long-term commitment to the training base is really creating the partnership that's going to, in our view, put Pensacola solidly on the map as the premier sailing destination in the United States."

BYE WAVERLY Pensacola

Mayor D.C. Reeves used his March 10 press conference to unveil a new mixed-use development for the long-vacant Waverly property on West Garden Street, which is across from the SCI Building.

Atlanta-based Branch Properties plans to bring a grocery store, restaurant and retail space to 215 West Garden Street, where Bearing Point Properties had proposed a 326-unit apartment and condominium complex back in 2023. The new project carries no residential component. Branch Properties is scheduled to appear before the Architectural Review Board on March 19. Reeves said the developer has gone beyond minimum ARB requirements in addressing aesthetics, parking placement and compatibility with the surrounding downtown streetscape.

The mayor also announced the city is moving forward on a solution to repeated vehicle strikes at the Graffiti Bridge on 17th Avenue. Reeves said an infrared detection system will be installed this summer to warn northbound drivers on 17th Avenue and allow taller vessels on trailers to safely reach the boat launch.

The New Palafox Street project is nearing significant completion milestones, with stormwater infrastructure set for 100% completion by April 3, irrigation by April 10 and curb-and-gutter work by April 24. The entire project remains on track to be completed by May 24.

SCARBOROUGH 2028? A Temple University journalism professor has made the case that the Democratic Party's best hope for reclaiming the White House in 2028 may be sitting in an MS NOW studio every morning, and the candidate in question has deep Pensacola roots.

Larry Atkins published a piece in The Hill earlier this month arguing that Joe Scarborough, the former Republican congressman who represented Northwest Florida from 19952001, is the closest thing Democrats have to

an electable moderate heading into the next presidential cycle.

The argument centers on electability. An Emerson College poll released last December found that a generic moderate Democrat would beat a MAGA Republican candidate 47% to 38%. Atkins contends Scarborough fits that mold better than any name currently in the field.

Scarborough's resume includes service on the House Judiciary, Armed Services and Oversight committees. He left Congress in 2001 and transitioned to television after a brief time with the Levin Papantonio law firm and as publisher of the Independent Florida Sun, a predecessor to Inweekly. He built one of cable news' most recognized franchises with "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, now MS NOW.

Scarborough officially departed the Republican Party in 2017 to register as an independent, which Atkins argues could be an asset rather than a liability, broadening his appeal to the moderate voters Democrats lost in 2024.

Current Democratic primary polling has California Gov. Gavin Newsom leading the field at 36%, with Scarborough not yet registering. But Atkins argues that what matters is finding a candidate who can win Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and he believes Scarborough could do it.

Your Joe Scarborough Bobblehead could become a valuable collectible. Who would have ever predicted it?

UNITED WAY GRANTS

Local grassroots nonprofits have an opportunity to strengthen their operations thanks to United Way of West Florida's Mini Grants program, now open for applications. The grants offer up to $5,000 to small nonprofits working in education, health, financial security or community resiliency. To be eligible, an organization must have held 501(c)(3) status for at least 12 months.

The funding is specifically aimed at capacitybuilding, such as professional development, accounting services, consulting fees and other organizational expenses. Salaries are not covered, and the grants aren't intended for one-time projects, events, capital campaigns or lobbying efforts. Organizations that have previously received a Mini Grant or a 2025-2026 Community Investment Grant from UWWF are not eligible.

"United Way of West Florida is committed to supporting the growth and resilience of local nonprofits," said Julia Helton, Community Impact Senior Manager. "These Mini Grants provide critical resources to help organizations build their internal capacity, strengthen their infrastructure and continue making a meaningful impact in our community."

The idea is to help smaller nonprofits get operationally stronger so they can keep delivering services to the people who need them most, without the administrative and financial struggles that often derail good work.

Nonprofits interested in applying can find details and the application at uwwf.org/mini-grants. Questions can be directed to United Way of West Florida at (850) 444-7043. {in}

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TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2026

8:00am

MARITIME PLACE

operating deficit of roughly $2 million. For four decades, county leaders have worked around it.

This year may be different. Escambia County and the City of Pensacola have each commissioned their own feasibility studies on what comes next. The County built and owns the arena, while the City controls the land beneath it through a lease from the Florida Department of Transportation.

The two studies landed within weeks of each other, and together they provide a detailed picture of both the opportunities and challenges facing the Bay Center. They were conducted independently, involving different consultants, scopes and clients. While some similarities exist, the differences are significant.

The county's study, a 177-page analysis completed Feb. 4, by Conventions, Sports & Leisure International (CSL) and commissioned through arena manager Legends Global, recommends building a new $84.4 million event center and a $29.8 million secondary ice rink attached to the existing arena, with a combined price tag of $114.2 million, before any parking or hotel development.

The city's study, a 135-page report completed by WT Partnership with subcontractors Stone Planning LLC and Perkins & Will, released March 10, evaluates three options for the 6.86-acre parking lot adjacent to the arena: a convention center, a year-round public ice rink and an indoor sports complex. It recommends the convention center as the highest-return investment and lays out four financing scenarios ranging from a straightforward public bond issue to a full public-private partnership with a federal transit component.

WHY THE CITY GOT INVOLVED

Mayor D.C. Reeves has stated he got the City involved because he believes the County's bonding capacity for tourist development tax (TDT) revenue is insufficient for whatever comes next at the Bay Center.

"If you look at the numbers, it's pretty clear that $75 million isn't going to go a whole heck of a long way, certainly not for a new facility, and that's even enough to cover renovation," Reeves

BAY CENTER BATTLE

He made the same point in a letter to the Community Redevelopment Agency board, which is composed of Pensacola City Council members. Reeves added, "If we are to 'vision big' for additional facilities, public-private partnerships and federal loan programs will be paramount."

The mayor told the media, "What we wanted was something that will help us maximize the taxpayer dollar."

OMINOUS CALL TO COLLABORATE

Embedded in the mayor's letter to the CRA is a statement that, at the March 10 press conference, Inweekly called "pretty ominous:" the City's operational sublease with the county requires City approval for either a significant renovation or the construction of any new facilities on the site.

Reeves pushed back on the characterization. "Ominous could be your term. I would say factual."

He argued his letter focused almost entirely on collaboration. "The other 97% of the letter says this needs to be done collaboratively—keep our eyes on the prize," Reeves said. "It's important for our CRA board and our City Council to know that, from a legal standpoint, we absolutely have a say in what happens on the property. But we do not plan on waiting for the county to do something and then deciding yes or no."

The letter presented Reeves' case for being at the table when the Board of County Commissioners decides the Bay Center's future. He wrote, "If this project is to progress, my expectation is to ensure that we—as the City and primary property owners—are at the table from day one. How our two governments handle this project together will be the determining factor in our success, affecting investment interest, timeline and staff bandwidth."

He added, "In short, if we work together from the start, we will have a better, faster and stronger project."

The April 16 joint City-County meeting will be the first formal test of whether both governments are prepared to align around a shared vi-

Two Studies, One Arena and The $114 Million Question

By Rick Outzen

and the City Council contracting a study for additional information to be considered about the transformational Bay Center project we are considering." But he noted the City needed to bring money to the table.

"I believe our board will be pleased with the intent for collaboration about this huge project for our county and our community," Barry said, "but some of that excitement may be dependent on a significant funding plan from the city for it to be the true collaboration we would all prefer."

Commissioner Mike Kohler said he "leans toward" a convention center because of his challenges finding a space for a health symposium he organized years ago. He said, "In my opinion, depending on what we can land with the right amount of money, which we'll discuss next month, I think that the convention center, after the upgrades to the Bay Center, is the priority."

Mayor Reeves has signaled the City is willing to contribute through CRA funds, parking revenue bonding or other mechanisms, but he has stopped short of a specific dollar commitment.

The most significant difference between the two studies is what they evaluated.

The County's CSL report focused on expanding and improving what exists. It proposed adding a new event center and a secondary ice rink to the existing Bay Center campus, while also recommending a package of renovations to the current arena, including 400 to 600 new club seats, expanded concourses, upgraded food and beverage infrastructure and new LED signage.

The City's WT Partnership study worked from a blank slate, evaluating which new facility type would generate the greatest return for the region. It recommended a new two-level, 150,000-square-foot convention center with a 54,000-square-foot exhibit hall divisible into three sections; a 16,000-square-foot ballroom capable of seating 1,200; sixteen meeting rooms and a sky bridge connecting to a future hotel.

SURVEY QUESTIONED

Nearly 2,000 residents completed a Survey-

you look at it, I don't think you can debate; any way you cut those numbers … that's the order," Reeves said. The convention center ranked first with the widest favorable-to-unfavorable spread—a gap of roughly 71 percentage points. The sports complex ranked second with largely neutral sentiment. The ice rink finished third, attracting nearly 30% opposition or strong opposition.

At the press conference, Inweekly questioned whether the respondents reflected the actual demographics of the community. Reeves acknowledged the survey was voluntary and not limited to city residents. He noted that the survey did ask participants about their specific concerns and preferences for each option but conceded that it was not a scientific poll.

The survey did not provide any estimated cost for each option presented or detail how they would be funded.

THE ICE RINK

Both studies addressed an ice rink, but from two different angles.

The county's CSL study presented an ice rink not as a public amenity but as an operational necessity. The Bay Center contains the only operational ice sheet within a three-hour drive of Pensacola, and it is only available from October through April. The Jr. Ice Flyers youth program, the Greater Pensacola Figure Skating Club and the Emerald Coast Ice Hockey League serve more than 500 regular participants and face persistent waitlists. The competition between community groups and the professional Ice Flyers team for ice time has hurt youth participation and the arena's ability to book concerts and entertainment events on high-value calendar dates.

In the CSL report, the ice rink opens the main arena floor to more event bookings, eliminates the bottleneck for community ice users and positions Pensacola to grow youth hockey and figure skating programs. The Jr. Ice Flyers told CSL they could immediately absorb their waitlist of roughly 140 players. The estimated cost is $29.8 million.

The city's WT Partnership study evaluated

an ice rink as a standalone option and found little enthusiasm among its survey respondents. Only 9% percent indicated daily use. The report also flagged two competitive threats: a privately developed rink in Pace targeting a late 2026 opening, and a separate proposal to restore the former Landmark Skate Center in Warrington.

WT Partnership did not contact Pensacola Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris, whose professional hockey team is the Bay Center's longest-standing tenant. "I'm not saying that WT Partnership doesn't have a valid study," he said. "I want to lean more towards what Legends Global and CSL have been providing because they've been in the market for decades, and they've also been in the market doing studies and talking to stakeholders oneon-one for, I believe, well over a year now."

Harris expressed skepticism about whether the proposed facilities in Pace or Warrington would be built.

The County's study recommends a practiceoriented facility tied to the existing arena ecosystem, with a captive user base already on waitlists. The City's study is evaluating whether a public ice rink on a premium downtown parcel would be the highest and best use of that land.

Harris said he believes the ice rink should also be open to secondary uses, making the floor available for indoor sports and other events, as the current arena is used. "If Pensacola Sports brings in a tournament, we can reframe the building to offer more courts."

INDOOR SPORTS COMPLEX

Both studies found demand for indoor sports tournament space in Pensacola, and both identified amateur basketball and volleyball as the highest-return tournament types. But neither treated a downtown sports complex the same.

The City's report evaluated an indoor sports complex concept built around nine basketball courts, 18 volleyball courts and 1,350 spectator seats across approximately 126,000 square feet. It acknowledged the visitor profile for youth sports tournaments—families filling mid-price hotels during shoulder seasons—aligns well with Pensacola's needs. But the study questioned whether Escambia County's pursuit of a separate $60 million indoor sports facility at Ashton Brosnaham Park would duplicate the services provided at a downtown facility.

County officials told Inweekly the Ashton Brosnaham facility has been off the table since late 2024, pointing out the $60 million would have eaten most of the TDT bonding capacity.

The county's CSL report has an event center that could handle conventions, conferences and trade shows, large meeting and banquets, while also addressing sports. The proposed flexible floor space equipped with portable athletic surfaces, rollable carpet and divisible halls could accommodate basketball and volleyball tournaments without dedicating a single-purpose building to them.

Reeves pointed out the risk of doing too many things at once and ending up with what he called "a half-baked conference center and a half-baked sports facility instead of having one really good one."

HOTEL & PARKING NEEDED

Both studies agreed that a quality headquarters hotel adjacent to the Pensacola Bay Center is critical for any convention center operation.

The CSL study found that 90% of the convention and conference planners surveyed either require or strongly prefer a headquarters hotel with-

in walking distance of any venue they consider. The report stated that a new 200-room or larger full-service hotel "will be required to materially penetrate new business" in the convention and conference market.

The WT Partnership study found that 71% of meeting planners consider hotel quality and proximity "very important" to their venue decisions, ranking it above nearly every other selection factor except meeting room capacity and cost.

The City's study recommended replacing the 467 displaced surface parking spaces with a fivelevel, 1,300-space structured garage. The County's study did not address parking.

"Anybody who's going to build a building of significance is going to need parking," Reeves said. "If there's an attempt to do all three facilities, what's left out is parking, and that's a $25 to $30 million unknown that would need to take place."

Kohler believes funds can be pooled together from bonds, CRA, Downtown Improvement Board and Legends Global to raise up to $150 million for any development centered around the Bay Center.

"Let's say we get to $150 million, and you say, 'What's Commissioner Kohler's priorities?' It's going to be the Bay Center, the convention center, a public-private hotel," he said, "And then we're going to have to figure the parking out. And that's probably one of the biggest complications that is going to have to get figured out sooner than later."

The CSL study projects that once the new event center and ice rink reach stabilized operations in 2031, the combined facilities will attract approximately 473,000 attendees annually, generate roughly 49,300 new hotel room nights per year and produce approximately $59 million in annual economic output for the region. Over 20 years, cumulative economic output is projected at more than $1 billion.

The City's study did not project economic outcomes or estimate the cost to build its proposed convention center. The WT Partnership focused on financing pathways, offering four development scenarios, with the most ambitious incorporating a mobility hub, Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) financing and Historic Tax Credits tied to the L&N Passenger Depot.

URGENCY

Mayor Reeves closed his letter to the CRA board with a call for a more harmonious relationship with the County. "I am optimistic that we can transcend past perceptions of this two-government partnership for the sake of our city, our county and our region."

"I know there are going to be some naysayers out there, but I think if we do something that everyone can be somewhat proud of, it'll be a futuristic thing that will help the County and the City," Kohler said. "I support the mayor on doing something. I hope we can get to something that everyone can live with that can be very nice for the community."

At his press conference, the mayor warned, "If we aren't behind any form of urgency, this could take years."

The CRA board will hear a presentation from WT Partnership at its April 6 meeting. The joint City-County session follows on April 16.

The findings are on the table. What comes next is a political decision, and the clock has already been running for a while.

Links to both studies accompany this article's online version on inweekly.net. {in}

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NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

FIRST CITY CHILI BOWL The Pensacola Cordova Rotary will host the First City Chili Bowl 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, March 20 at Museum Plaza, 300 S. Tarragona St. Details at firstcitychili.org.

PENSACOLA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

NONPROFIT EXPO Join Pensacola Young Professionals for the 2026 PYP Nonprofit Expo, a free, family-friendly community event 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21 at Museum Plaza, 300 S. Tarragona St. Details at pensacolayp.com/event/ nonprofit-expo-2026.

PENSACOLA HABITAT ANNUAL YARD

SALE Join Pensacola Habitat's annual yard sale 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at Pensacola Habitat for Humanity Restore, 6931 N. Ninth Ave. Setup begins at 7 a.m. To sign up as a seller visit secure.qgiv.com/for/pensacolahabitatyardsale2026/event/phfh-yardsale-registration.

SAVE OUR SHELTERS EASTER BASKET

SALE Save Our Shelters is having an Easter Basket/Spring shopping sale with items starting at just $10. Visit Happy Dog Resort, 1401 W. Cervantes St. now through April 4 to view the baskets. Cash or check only. Proceeds help dogs get spayed and neutered.

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Ani -

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

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOP -

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

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

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

sage, 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) 7233390 for details.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

EMERALD COAST WRITERS KICKS OFF SEARCH FOR FIRST-EVER EMERALD COAST YOUTH POET LAUREATE Emerald Coast Writers has launched the Emerald Coast Youth Poet Laureate program, inviting passionate young poets ages 13–19 to apply. This opportunity is open to teens who reside in one of the following counties: Escambia (Fla. and Ala.), Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Fort Walton, Bay, Baldwin or Mobile. Applicants should be enthusiastic about reading and performing their poetry for an audience and giving back to their community. Applications open in late March and close on April 10. Applicants will submit five poems and a resume highlighting community involvement and civic service. Finalists will be eligible to compete at the regional level and could potentially apply for the next National Youth Poet Laureate. ECW will host a virtual workshop on March 10 at 7:30 p.m. to answer questions and help build poetry portfolios and resumes. ECW's current Northwest Florida Poet Laureate, Asia Sampson, will attend to share his poetry and offer inspiration. Registration is required, with a recording available for those registered and unable to attend. The commencement ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 3, at 5 p.m. at the Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. For more information and future updates, visit emeraldcoastwritersinc.org. To learn more about the National Youth Poet Laureate program, visit: youthlaureate.org.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

ESCAMBIA RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION Monthly meeting is Thursday, March 19 at EEA Bldg., 6551 North Palafox St., Pensacola. Brunch at 9:30 a.m., program (about Stem Cell Research) and meeting at 10 a.m. All retired education personnel and friends of education are welcome. For further information, call (850) 393-309.

READ ACROSS PENSACOLA DAY EXTRAVAGANZA Families are invited to Museum Pla-

za, 300 S. Tarragona St., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 28 for live story time sessions, create-yourown-story adventures, book giveaways and more. For more information, visit readykidsfl.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

PALETTE PRODUCTIONS WORKSHOP: MICHAEL SHEMCHUK Nationally recognized artist Michael Shemchuk will lead a painting workshop March 17-20 at Framing by Design, 4718 N. W St. Cost is $775. Sign up at paletteproductions.net/workshops.

TOM PAPA: GRATEFUL BREAD TOUR

Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.

MARCH BOOK CLUB: AGNES AUBERT'S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER Book club is 6-7 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. Tickets are $20 and includes cat café play time with adoptable cats. Sign up at coastalcatpcola.com.

ARCHAEOLOGY ON TAP AT ODD COLONY

Guest speaker Mike Thomin will lead a discussion titled "From Herty Cups to Shell Middens: How HMS Scouts are Protecting the Florida Panhandle's Past" 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 20 at 260 N. Palafox St.

SPORTS CARDS & COLLECTIBLE SHOW

Browse collectibles 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, March 20 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, March 21 7200 Plantation Road. Admission is $2 per person.

VISIT PENSACOLA STORYTELLING SERIES FEATURING PENSACOLA AND PERDIDO BAYS ESTUARY PROGRAM Learn about vertical oyster gardens 10 a.m. Friday, March 20 at Visit Pensacola, 1401 E. Gregory St. Details at visitpensacola.com.

GALLERY NIGHT: DANCIN' IN THE STREETS Gallery night is 5-9 p.m. Friday, March 20 with a modified footprint centered around Plaza Ferdinand, Government Street, Zaragoza Street and surrounding areas. Details at gallerynightpensacola.org.

COASTAL SOCIAL SEASON Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St., will host a Bridgerton inspired

soirée 7-8 p.m. Friday, March 20. Details and tickets at coastalcatpcola.com.

WEST GARDEN DISTRICT ARTISAN MARKET Shop for unique items from dozens of local artisans 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays at Del Mar Plaza, 1617 W. Garden St.

PENSACOLA HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY The monthly luncheon is 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 21 at Sonny's BBQ, 6702 N. Ninth Ave. Lunch Buffet $15 at the door. Lecture topic: historical view of the Pensacola/North Florida area in 1776. RSVP a must by March 19. Call (850) 393-3091 to make a reservation.

THE GARDEN STREET VINTAGE BAZAAR III Shop over a dozen vintage vendors 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 21 located at & E. Gregory St. (parking lot next to Garden Street Vintage and Nolita's). Details at gardenstreetvtg.com.

RIBBON CUTTING RECEPTION AT 309 PUNK HOUSE Sunday's Child will host a ribbon cutting at the Punk House, 309 N. Sixth Ave. for its ADA-accessible lift made possible by a $20,000 grant from Sunday's Child. There will be light refreshments and photography from Artist in Residence Julia Gorton. RSVP by March 21 by texting Lauren at (850) 292-7380.

WORLD BALLET COMPANY: SWAN LAKE WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA Show is 7 p.m. Sunday, March 22 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.

DRAG, DRINKS AND DOING GOOD Sunday's Child Membership mixer is 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at The Roundup, 560 E. Heinberg St. Learn about the nonprofit with drinks, food and live entertainment. RSVP at facebook.com/sundayschildpensacola.

IMPROVABLE CAUSE PRESENTS "CHEESE FOR THE TABLE" Show starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. An hour of improv where everything connects. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

GULF COAST CULTURE SERIES: THE MALTESE FALCON Experience "The Maltese Falcon" as a radio audience. Live actors will per-

form the movie in real time with sound effects 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26. You can listen live on WUWF Public Media on 88.1 FM. Tickets are free but registration is required. Register online at uwf.edu/cassh/community-outreach/gulfcoast-culture-series.

BOOKS BY THE BAY Meet bestselling authors, shop books and more at the Books by the Bay Festival 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at Bayview Park, 2000 E. Lloyd St. Details at booksbythebay.info.

SPRING 2026 PLANT-A-PALOOZA Visit Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave., for a spring plant sale. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.

CABARET: A STORY BOOK SOIRÉE Pensacola Little Theatre fundraiser at 400 S. Jefferson St. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Details and tickets at pensacolalittletheatre.com.

FABULOUS FORGERIES Artel Gallery's current show "Fabulous Forgeries" is on view through March 27. Featured artists: Carlotta Succi, SN Dabson, Marjorie Kitchen and The Paint Out Artist Group. Located at 223 S. Palafox St. For more details visit artelgallery.org.

GARDEN PARTY AT QUAYSIDE GALLERY

Exhibit featuring artists Ellen Holland Manual Rivas at Quayside Gallery, 17 E. Zaragoza St. On view through March 30. Details at quaysidegallery.com.

MICHELLE JONES: SEVEN SISTERS Inspired by Greek mythology and the jungle-like landscape of the Gulf Coast, Michelle Jones presents lush, vividly colored landscapes using mixed media. Exhibit is on display through May 1 at the Switzer Gallery at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. Details are at visualarts.pensacolastate.edu.

FIRST FRIDAY AT BLUE MORNING GAL-

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

PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION

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

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

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

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteas -

ers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PENSACOLA CINEMA ART FILM SCREEN-

INGS Pensacola Cinema Art screens multiple films most weekends at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $10, and payment is cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for their complete schedule.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is 9 a.m.2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox streets 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 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

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

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER

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

LIVE MUSIC

ACTUS REUS, MASSAKRD, EXFORMATION, WITH FIRE CAME DISPARITY AND SKELA Show starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

MAGIC OF MOTOWN Tribute to The Temptations, Four Tops and Diana Ross. Show is 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 20 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.

RAKIM Show is 6 p.m. Friday, March 20 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at vinylmusichall.com.

GIMME GIMME DISCO Starts at 8 p.m. Friday, March 20 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Come hear all your favorite ABBA tracks, plus plenty of other disco hits from the '70s and '80s. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

HOTEL CALIFORNIA A salute to the Eagles is 8 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Saenger The -

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atre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.

SNOW HALO RECORD RELEASE FEATURING [GLSNR], OTHER, SICK THOUGHTS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST Show starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

ELECTRIC FEELS INDIE ROCK + INDIE DANCE PARTY Show is 9 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at vinylmusichall.com.

THIRD DAY 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets and details at pensacolabaycenter.com.

PSO IN THE PARK Free Pensacola Symphony Orchestra performance 3 p.m. Sunday, March 22 at Museum Plaza, 300 S. Tarragona St.

PENSACOLA SONGWRITER ROUNDS SE -

RIES Show starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 26 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

VANDOLIERS AND HEAVY KID Show starts at 6 p.m. Friday, March 27 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

PSO PRESENTS SYMPHONIC SPECTACU-

LAR: GIL SHAHAM

Enjoy a live PSO performance with renowned violinist Gil Shaham 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28. A dress rehearsal takes place 1:30 p.m. Tickets and information at pensacolasymphony.com.

ROBERT LESTER FOLSOM FEATURING

SNAKE AND THE RABBIT Show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

OV SULFUR, ATLAS, TARKIR AND HUMAN

INSTINCT Show starts at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 29 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE

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

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COL-

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

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads on Tuesday nights at Lili Mar-

lene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

ROSIE O'GRADY'S DUELING PIANO SHOW

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

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY

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

VIBE IRIE REGGAE: LIVE IN THE COURTYARD Enjoy Vibe Irie Reggae band 4-10 p.m. Sundays at the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

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

FOOD + DRINKS

VIVA ITALIA: SOUTHERN ITALY Cooking class is 6-9 p.m. Friday, March 20 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Cost is $60 per student. Register at pensacolacooks.com.

CASINO NIGHT MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW Event is 6-9:30 p.m. Saturday,

March 21 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Details and tickets on Eventbrite.com.

LORD OF THE RINGS TRIVIA NIGHT Trivia night is 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.

EVERYTHING: BEER Cooking class is 6-9 p.m. Friday, March 27 at 20 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Cost is $70 per student. Register at pensacolacooks.com.

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

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

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

BAR BINGO AT SEVILLE QUARTER Bar Bingo is 8 p.m. Mondays at Apple Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials in-

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clude $2.50 Miller Lite bottles and $3.50 bomb shots. Bingo is free to play with prizes, giveaways and bar tabs up for grabs for winners. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

MONDAY NIGHT SPAGHETTI SESSIONS

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

DOUBLE MONDAYS AND SIN NIGHT Enjoy Double Mondays 8 p.m.-midnight and SIN Night 11 p.m. to close at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

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

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

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.

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

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

LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.

DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.midnight Tuesdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

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

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

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

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Food trucks are on site. Details are at orileystavern.com.

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.

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

COLLEGE NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER

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

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get

deals on pitchers 8 p.m.-midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 8 p.m., and SIN Night starts 1 a.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

WEEKLY SINGO AT PERFECT PLAIN

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

POOL TOURNAMENT Pool tournaments begin 8 p.m., and Tequila Night is 8 p.m. to midnight Thursdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night

with a DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

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

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

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

for more listings visit inweekly.net

free will astrology

By Rob Brezsny

WEEK OF MARCH 19

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In 1960, Ar ies primatologist Jane Goodall arrived in Tanza nia to study the social and family lives of chim panzees. Her intention was to engage in patient, long‑term observation. In subsequent months, she saw the creatures using tools, a skill that sci entists had previously believed only humans could do. She also found that "it isn't only human beings who have personality, who are capable of ratio nal thought and emotions like joy and sorrow." Her discoveries revolutionized our understanding of animal intelligence. I recommend her approach to you in the coming weeks, Aries. Your diligent, tenacious attention can supplant outmoded as sumptions. Let the details and rhythms of what you're studying reveal their deeper truths. Your af fectionate watchfulness will change the story.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Ancient Ro mans had a household deity called Cardea, god dess of hinges and thresholds. She protected the pivot points, like the places where the inside meets the outside and where one state transforms into another. In the coming weeks, you Tauruses will benefit from befriending a similar deity. I hope you will pay eager attention to the metaphorical hinges in your world: the thresholds, portals, tran sitions and in between times. They may some times feel awkward because they lack the certain ty you crave. But I guarantee that they are where the best magic congregates.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): You are fluent in the art of fruitful contradiction. While others pursue one dimensional consistency, you thrive on the fact that the truth is too wild and multifac eted to be captured in a single, simple story. You make spirited use of paradox and enjoy being en chanted by riddles. You can be both serious and playful, committed and curious, strong and recep tive. In the coming weeks, Gemini, I hope you will express these superpowers to the max. The world doesn't need another person who separates ev erything into neat little categories. Your nimble intelligence and charming multiplicity are the gifts your allies need most.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): In traditional Japanese aesthetics, *wabi sabi* celebrates im perfection, impermanence and the soulfulness

that comes with age. A weathered wooden gate may be considered more beautiful than a new one. Its surface has a silvery grain from years of expo sure to rain and sun. Its hinges creak from long use by countless passersby. Let's invoke this love ly concept as we ruminate on your life, Cancerian. In my astrological estimation, it's important that in the coming months you don't treat your incom pleteness as a deficit requiring correction. Con sider the possibility that your supposed blemishes may be among your most interesting features. The idiosyncratic aspects of your character are pre cisely what make you a source of vitality.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): In medieval Japan, swordsmiths would undertake spiritual purifica tions before beginning work on a new blade: ab stinence, ritual bathing, prayer and fasting. They believed that the quality of their consciousness influenced the quality of their creation—that the blade would absorb the maker's mental and spiri tual state. I bring this to your attention because you're in a phase when your inner condition will have extra potent effects on everything you build, develop, or initiate. My advice: prepare yourself with impeccable care before launching new proj ects. Purify your motivations. Clarify your vision. The creations you will be generating could serve you well for a long time.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): The cosmic powers have granted you a triple strength, ex tra long, time release dose of sweet, fresh cer tainty. During the grace period that's beginning, you will be less tempted to indulge in doubt and indecision. A fountain of resolve will rise up in you whenever you need it. Though at first the lucid serenity you feel may seem odd, you could grow accustomed to it—so much so that you could permanently lose up to 20 percent of your chronic tendency to vacillate.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Crows can hold grudges against individual humans for years. But they also remember acts of kind ness and bring gifts like shiny objects and but tons to those who've helped them. They're ca pable of both revenge and gratitude, and they never forget either. I suspect you're entering a period when you'll need to decide which of your crow like qualities to emphasize, Scorpio. You have legitimate grievances worth remembering. You have also received gifts worth honoring. My counsel: spend 20 percent of your emotional energy on remembering wrongs (enough to pro tect yourself) and 80 percent on remembering what has helped you thrive. Make gratitude your primary teacher, even as you stay wisely wary.

work, refraining from the temptation to score quick and superficial victories. May you always recognize that your pragmatism is a form of lov ing faith. Your cautionary care is rooted in gen erosity. Now here's my plea: more than ever before, the rest of us need you to express these talents with full vigor.

I hope you will practice intense receptivity.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): One of your power symbols right now is the place where two tributaries blend into a single riv er. A second is where your favorite tree enters the earth. Here are other images to excite your imagination and stimulate your creativity: the boundary between cloud and sky; the darkness where your friend's shadow overlaps yours; and the time between when the sun sets and night falls. To sum up, Aquarius, I hope you will ac cess extra inspiration in liminal areas. Seek the vibrant revelations that arise where one mystery coalesces with another.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Master chess players don't necessarily calculate more moves ahead than amateurs. Their years of study en able them to perceive the developing trends in a single glance, bypassing complex analysis. What appears to be stellar intuition is actually com pressed expertise. You're in a phase when you can make abundant use of this capacity, Virgo. Again and again, your accumulated experience will crystallize into immediate knowing. So don't second guess your first assessments, OK? Trust the pattern recognition that you have cultivated through the years.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): More than any other zodiac sign, you Sagittarians can be both a discontented rebel and a sunny celebrant of life. You can see clearly what's out of align ment and needs adjustment without surrendering your wry, amused tolerance. This double capac ity will be especially useful to you in the com ing days. You may not find many allies who share this aptitude, though, so you should lean on your own instincts and heed the following suggestions: be joyfully defiant. Be a generous agitator and an open hearted critic. Blessings will find their way to you as you subvert the stale status quo with cre ativity and kindness.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Your persistence and endurance are among your greatest gifts to the world. You're committed to building useful structures that outlast transito ry moods and trends. On behalf of all the other signs, I say THANK YOU!, dear Capricorn. You understand that real power comes from show ing up consistently and doing unglamorous

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Poet Mark Doty wrote, "The sea doesn't reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. We should lie as empty, open and choiceless as a beach—waiting for gifts from the sea." This quote captures your Piscean genius when it's working at its best. Others may exhaust themselves trying to force results, but you know that the best gifts of ten come to those who are patient, open and re laxed. This is true right now more than ever be fore. I hope you will practice intense receptivity. Protect your permeability like the superpower it is. Be as supple and responsive as you dare.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: What message will you send the person you'll be in three years? {in}

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

When you become a foster

news of the weird

BRIGHT IDEA Lonely? If you're a college student in Boston, you can stop at the Call a Boomer phone booth on Commonwealth Avenue in Brookline and, free of charge, connect with an older person living in a senior housing facility in Reno, Nevada. Boston.com reported on March 10 that biotech company Matter Neuroscience set up the phones as part of a social experiment, based on data that show young people and seniors are the loneliest among age groups. "The goal of this project is to inspire generational connection through meaningful conversations," a plaque on the phone booth reads. Calls work either way, and if no one picks up, the caller can leave a message. Matter set up another set of phones earlier this year in San Francisco and Abilene, Texas, designed to connect people across the political spectrum. The Boston project is set up to operate for a month; if it's successful, Matter hopes to extend it. [Boston.com, 3/10/2026]

SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED Tommy Lynch, 42, of Derbyshire, England, went to the hospital after waking up with blue skin, People magazine reported on March 10. Lynch's roommate, who works as a carer, saw his skin and whisked him to the emergency room, thinking he might be deprived of oxygen. Doctors there assessed him and, prudently, rubbed his arm with an alcohol wipe, revealing his "ailment": sleeping on new unwashed dark blue sheets. "I never knew you had to wash your sheets before you slept on them," Lynch said. "I looked like an avatar." Lynch said he spent the next week trying to get the blue dye off his skin. [People, 3/10/2026]

•Stephanie Faure of Saskatoon, Canada, underwent brain surgery more than a year ago to remove cancer tumors, the CBC reported. On March 8, she woke up feeling odd pressure in her head and saw what she thought was a screw trying to push through her skin. At Royal University Hospital, Faure waited 5 1/2 hours to see a doctor, who told her the bump was a cyst and sent her home. "He wasn't even looking at it," she said. "He was just telling me it wasn't what I was seeing." That evening, Faure's boyfriend used tweezers to pull out a tiny screw. "It was moving as the day went," Faure said, "so it wasn't too hard (to remove) by that time." She plans to file a complaint against the doctor so that he might "realize that's not how you treat people." [CBC, 3/11/2026]

EWWWWW I bet you didn't know that March 15 is National Espresso Martini Day. Well, Buffalo Wild Wings knows, and in celebration, they're introducing their wing-flavored Espresso Proteini. USA Today reported on March 9 that the featured drink is made with 10 grams of protein and Buffalo Dry Rub, which will also line the rim of the glass. But act fast: The Espresso Proteini is available only from March 12 to March 15 and costs $12. [USA Today, 3/9/2026]

CHEATERS In February, the 2026 Camel Beauty Show Festival in Al Musanna, Oman, was disrupted after veterinary inspectors discovered that 20

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

competitors had been subject to cosmetic procedures to enlarge their humps, the Independent reported on March 5. The camels' humps were injected with dermal fillers similar to those used on humans. Injectables were also used to create poutier lips and soften their faces. Festival officials said they would impose "strict penalties on manipulators." Camels are judged on coat, neck, head and humps. [The Independent, 3/5/2026]

UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT The Waterfall Therapy massage spa in Mays Landing, New Jersey, was searched on March 11, Patch.com reported, and two people, Cuie Chen, 50, and Wen-Juin Zhou, 60, were charged with prostitution and conspiracy to commit prostitution. The Township of Hamilton police said they had conducted a lengthy and detailed investigation, in spite of a glaring clue: a line on the business's website noting that it offers massages with a "happy ending." The women were released on summons. [Patch.com, 3/12/2026]

AWESOME! A restaurant in Mobile, Alabama, has advertised an offer for nearly 100 years, but never had to honor it until the end of February, when Jimmy Rush, 80, and James Rush, 99, walked in. The New York Post reported that Wintzell's Oyster House promises "Free Oysters to Any Man 80 Years Old Accompanied by His Father," and until the Rushes arrived, they'd never had a taker. "We felt like our dad was going to make it to 100 because he's in great health," said another son, Carl. "We've been talking about it as a family for 25, 30 years." Carl will be 80 in two years, and they plan to come back for another dozen oysters. [NY Post, 3/10/2026]

•March 10, for those who don't celebrate, is Mario Day, after the Nintendo game character. At a GameStop in Manhattan's Union Square, 270 people costumed as Mario gathered in hopes of setting a world record, United Press International reported. "He's a reminder of people's childhoods and a carefree time," said GameStop director of communications Nicolle Robles. "And you know people still play video games well into adulthood." Participants got a $5 store credit, but the real winner was Ross Martinez, who dressed as the solid gold Mario from New Super Mario Bros. 2. [UPI, 3/12/2026]

GOING TO EXTREMES That old springtime pothole trope is a THING: A New Jersey Transit bus became engulfed in fire on March 10 after it hit a pothole on the New Jersey Turnpike, WABC-TV reported. When the bus struck the pothole, a back tire blew out, and passengers rushed to the front of the bus to report that it was on fire. About 30 passengers piled out of the bus and moved away from the burning vehicle. [WABC, 3/10/2026] {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2026 Andrews McMeel