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Independent News | May 16, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 20 | Cardi B / Photo by Jora Frantzis, Vampire Weekend / Photo by Monika Mogi, Khalid / Photo by Ben Houdijk

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winners & losers

outtakes

news

6&8

I heard it has spring break vibes and everyone gets out and parties on the beach.

cover feature

the buzz

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Michael Daw

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp, Sydney Robinson

a&e

23, 27 & 29

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

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winners

JAYER WILLIAMSON GOPAC, a Republican political training organization, named the state representative to its 2019 Class of Emerging Leaders. The class is made up of promising legislators selected for their potential and ability to impact their state. Williamson's district covers parts of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties. He was honored as the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida's 2017 and 2018 Legislator of the Year, Florida Farm Bureau's 2018 Champion for Agriculture, and Americans for Prosperity 2017 Champion of Economic Freedom. UWF DANCE MARATHON The seventh annual University of West Florida Dance Marathon raised $55,261 for Pensacola's Studer Family Children's Hospital at Sacred Heart, a member of the Children's Miracle Network. Over 350 students from 14 teams participated in UWF's 2019 Dance Marathon. Miracle Ball winners were split into three divisions based on the number of members in the organization—Cannon Division (less than 30 members), Kappa Delta Chi; Nautilus Division (30-75 members), Alpha Tau Omega; and Argonaut Division (more than 75 members), Alpha Delta Pi. BLUES ANGEL MUSIC FOUNDATION

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting music education and therapy announced the recipients of the 2018-2019 Music Educator of the Year awards for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida and Baldwin County in Alabama. The recipient for Escambia County was Cathy Melton; Santa Rosa County, Alicia Coon; and Baldwin County, Ala., Jennifer Salley.

losers

CITIZEN-SPONSORED INITIATIVES In

the last days of the session, the Florida Legislature revamped the process for citizens to put constitutional amendments on the ballot. The bill would make it a crime to pay petition-gatherers based on the number of signatures they collect. County supervisors of elections would be required to print petitions forms and include information identifying the petition circulators. The Florida Division of Elections would create and maintain a database of all registered petition circulators and the forms assigned to them based on information provided by county supervisors. Petition circulators would have to turn in the forms within 30 days after they are signed or face fines of $50 per petition or $250 if the sponsor or petition circulator acted willfully. A circulator could face fines of up to $1,000 for each petition not returned to the elections offices. Gov. Ron DeSantis has not signed the bill (HB 5), but he has indicated he supports it.

JANICE KILGORE Last month, Interim

County Administrator Amy Lovoy hired Janice Kilgore to assess the "root issues in EMS/Fire that led to the vote of no confidence" by the firefighters' union, determine "the communication chain for information dissemination" and identify "cause/causes of the perceived divisiveness and tribalism within the department." She was also to seek any evidence of retaliation or a climate of favoritism. Instead, she gave a verbal report primarily on aging equipment, staffing, pay ranges and funding for the departments. The board had no interest in her continuing her work.

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

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

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EXPENSIVE WORKAROUND Escambia County officials cannot procure anything that costs $50,000 or more without the approval of the Board of County Commissioners. As with most rules, there is always a workaround. At the county, department heads get around it by having vendors send in quotes below that threshold. In April, Escambia County Emergency Medical Services asked the board to write off $5,972,901 in uncollected EMS bills, which officials said was due to a software glitch. The county bought a new billing and medical documentation system in February 2018. To avoid having to explain the purchase to the commissioners, the software was bought in three parts, all under $50,000. Problems began to pop up, and EMS eventually abandoned the new system. County Attorney Alison Rogers told the board that she was reviewing whether the county can recoup any of the expenditures but also said the likelihood was slim considering the staff didn't follow the regular procurement process. Sadly, no one seems to know who made the costly decision. Shouldn't there be a clear paper trail of how this debacle came about? Interim County Administrator Matt Coughlin told the commissioners last Thursday that he ordered an internal investigation in April. He explained, "I initiated it to give us the history of it. Were any procurement

policies broken, and we'll look at that and do a deep dive." Thank you, Mr. Coughlin, but the vote was April 4, and after six weeks, we still don't have answers as to how this happened. Heck, the former interim administrator, Amy Lovoy, hired Janice Kilgore to investigate public safety. Kilgore claimed she interviewed 50 people. Couldn't she have asked a few of them about the software purchase? The purchase of medical billing software shouldn't be taken lightly, according to a retired hospital official who spoke with Inweekly. The conversion of such a system for a hospital usually takes months and requires a detailed, systematic installation and implementation plan. Maybe the county's internal investigation will tell us whether the failure was due to the vendor or the lack of qualified staff at EMS. But the workaround problem is bigger than the EMS billing software. In January, Lovoy asked staff to expedite the purchase of a training service to get five wayward EMS employees certified. It appears pressure was put on Medical Director Dr. Rayme Edler to find a vendor that would do the work for less than $50,000. The pressure appears to have been institutional, and Edler didn't quite know how to play the game. We need to know how many other departments have used the same workaround and who has gotten those contracts and why. We need a deeper dive into county operations. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Kilgore claimed she interviewed 50 people. Couldn't she have asked a few of them about the software purchase?

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FINDING A COMMON MISSION "It says 'what do we do, why do we do it, and who do we do it for?'" Streitmatter coached. The facilitator suggested the mayor and council members think of city functions they considered to be most basic, most important. "I would encourage you to just get to the essence—what's the thing?" Streitmatter said. It took a while for city officials to work their way around to figuring out precisely what the "thing" was, what Pensacola's mission is or what its top priorities should be. First, there would be discussions about philosophy and semantics—should economic development efforts be recognized in the city's mission statement? Should the city focus on environmental initiatives or sustainable items? Should it facilitate or collaborate? Compassionate or equity or inclusivity? Is the term enjoy an overreach?

"This is exactly the kind of conversations I wanted to have." John Streitmatter Courtesy Photo

By Jeremy Morrison A few hours into the vision quest, sometime after lunch, it became clear that things had drifted well off the rails. What was supposed to be a brainstorming, workshopping marathon session aimed at realizing an epiphany that perfectly defined and succinctly expressed the city of Pensacola's overall mission and values had devolved into discussions about individual infrastructure projects and the varying amounts of energy and resources being expended in each of the city's districts. At a certain point in the May 9 workshop, Mayor Grover Robinson began waving his arms in wild circles overhead, urging Pensacola City Council members to stay focused on "the top level" and "the big picture." "I want us to get our heads a little bit higher about what we want to do," Robinson said. Earlier in the week, the mayor had spoken optimistically about the workshop as a time he and city council members would map out Pensacola's path forward, defining the city's mission and values in words and sentiment that would inform and guide policies and priorities. "This is a team exercise between the mayor's office and the council," Robinson had said a few days prior. The mayor intended for the strategic plan workshop to feed off of and build upon the recently released report from his transition team, which listed off recom66

mendations about what the group considered essential areas of focus for Robinson, who was elected last fall. The workshop, facilitated by John Streitmatter of the Leadership Research Institute, was structured around 54 of these recommendations, but it ultimately became apparent that some council members were going to be more comfortable without such parameters on the exercise. "Tell me more about what you're thinking," Streitmatter asked Councilwoman Sherri Myers, after displaying a graphic which separated the 54 report-based items into three different "buckets" for their consideration. "I think this is confusing. And it's not workable," Myers said, suggesting the days exercise adopt a different format. "To me, it's all over the place." Mayor Robinson readily shifted gears away from the report recommendations—"I quickly gathered that many of you, that's not what you want to talk about"—and instead allowed the workshop to center on broader areas of focus, which he said would ultimately determine what report recommendations he acted on—"once we figure out our priorities, they will permeate down to what we do."

'WHAT'S THE THING?'

Identifying the mission and values of the city of Pensacola was a valuable mission in and of itself. It gave city officials a reason to provide elementary consideration to what the municipality's primary purposes are.

"This is exactly the kind of conversations I wanted to have," Streitmatter said. "What you're having is a conversation about, what is your essential purpose?" These kinds of conversations had started before the workshop. Streitmatter had visited with the mayor, council members and some members of staff and gotten a feel for where the discussions might be headed. In these preview interviews, city officials typically used words like potential or upswing to describe the city of Pensacola. Words which came up with frequency across the internal interviews included safety, people, public and services, as well as more functionary terms like garbage and recreation. Streitmatter explained that ultimately, the city was looking to craft a statement which would serve as a compass bearing, in addition to identifying values and top-level priorities, as opposed to any external marketing efforts or a "tagline for the city." "It's much more of an internal statement," Streitmatter said, "mostly so you can guide the efforts of your staff, your resources and, frankly, your community partners." Over the course of the workshop, Mayor Robinson and council members were able to hammer out a straightforward mission statement, as well as settle upon a list of values and priorities. They also prioritized the top four categories from the mayor's transition team's work and came up with a corresponding list of their own priorities (all of which also aligned with various mayoral report recommendations). The foundations of the city's proposed mission statement are simple enough— "We desire the highest quality of life for all our citizens." That line originally had the

word enjoy in it, but that was removed. And the word highest was inserted following Robinson's suggestion that the statement be "more aspirational" and "give us something to shoot for." The mission statement continues, detailing how the city works to facilitate such a quality of life—"providing cost-effective municipal services" as it pertains to public safety, infrastructure and public amenities, and also "working together with the community to create a healthy environment and growing economy." Backing up the city's mission is a list of seven values. These values are considered to be of the highest importance to the city and would be used to guide city actions. The values are transparency, service orientation, accountability, inclusivity, focus on core mission, collaborate for broader impact and sustainability. Some of these values, like transparency and accountability, are self-explanatory, but others act as umbrellas and pertain to various areas of city interest. Sustainability, for instance, refers to city efforts when it comes to the environment, affordable housing, historic preservation and also neighborhood identity. While the May 9 workshop departed from the framework of the mayoral report recommendations, the city council did identify the four transition team categories considered most important—crime and safety, neighborhoods, economic development and the environment. The council similarly identified its own corresponding top-four areas of focus—community safety, improved neighborhood infrastructure (lighting, sidewalks, etc.), adopting a Complete Streets approach to design to increase walkability and pedestrian safety and also adopt a neighborhood-focused approach to city governance.

"This draft begins to set in motion the first initiative of a strategic plan the city has seen in a long time." Grover Robinson "I'm very pleased with the outcome from Thursday and what we accomplished," Mayor Robinson said in a statement formalizing the workshop's fruits. "This draft begins to set in motion the first initiative of a strategic plan the city has seen in a long time. Hopefully, it will serve as a road map for citizens and elected officials for many years to come." A working version of the mission, values and priorities identified for Pensacola during the workshop are available for viewing on the city's website. The public will have a chance to weigh in on that draft when it goes back before city council June 13 for approval. {in} inweekly.net

May 16, 2019

DCF TO 'TRANSITION' INSANE KILLERS

Brandon Aydelott and Chris Lynch

By Mollye Barrows Two Santa Rosa County men who brutally killed their mothers—and whom State Attorney Bill Eddins promised would never be released from custody—will be transitioned to a lower-security program at the Florida State Hospital, and it appears state prosecutors can do little to stop it. Mental health professionals have recommended that Brandon Aydelott, 23, and Chris Lynch, 40, both of whom were found not guilty by reason of insanity, be moved from a high-security facility at the Florida State Hospital to a less secure one on the hospital grounds. In fact, DCF has already relocated Aydelott. Friends and family of Brandon's mom, Sharon, are appalled the confessed killer is one step closer to returning to the community. "If you'll kill your good, sweet, loving mother, you'll kill anybody," said Pamela Hill, Sharon Aydelott's sister. "My heart breaks when I think of what my sister went through at the hands of her own son she loved so much. I didn't mind Brandon going to the mental hospital, but I sure don't ever want him out, that's for certain."

VOICES MADE HIM KILL

Aydelott confessed that "voices" told him to brutally butcher his mother, Sharon Aydelott, 48, on Christmas Eve 2013 when he was only 17 years old. According to police reports, the Gulf Breeze High School senior took a butcher knife from his father's apartment where he lived, drove to Sharon's house and without provocation attacked his unsuspecting mother in the foyer of her home as soon as she opened the door. Sharon had been expecting him that night to go with her and his younger sister to Christmas Eve church services and a family party. 88

Aydelott repeatedly stabbed and beat the popular Holley-Navarre Middle School science teacher, stopping twice long enough to retrieve more knives and his baseball bat. The medical examiner also found shoeprints where he stomped on her face, and the autopsy report revealed he shoved two knives in her right eye so hard that he broke the handle off of one. The medical examiner had to use orthopedic surgical tools to remove it. The talented baseball pitcher and Gulf Breeze High School honor roll student was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. It took nearly three years for him to be found competent to stand trial, and after a one-day trial in October 2016, the court acquitted Aydelott of murdering his mother by reason of insanity and ordered him to a secure hospital for treatment. He was placed in Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee, a state facility run by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for the criminally insane.

"I was under the belief that what State Attorney Bill Eddins said was true. That he would never get out." Pamela Hill "I was under the belief that what State Attorney Bill Eddins said was true," said Hill, "that he would never get out. That was the only piece I took from the trial that gave me comfort, that my sister is in heaven and that Brandon couldn't get out and hurt anybody again."

BLUDGEONED TO DEATH

Two years ago, on Mother's Day, 40-yearold Chris Lynch bludgeoned his mother, Cheryl Lynch, to death with an iron rod. Deputies found him covered in blood and his mother barely alive on the front porch of her Pace

home. She told them Lynch had been hitting her before she succumbed to her injuries. He also tried to attack deputies, and they used a taser to subdue him. Lynch told them he didn't remember killing his mother, who cared for him after the U.S. Army veteran suffered a traumatic brain injury while training in 2000. His mom had become a well-known advocate for better mental health and medical care for her son and other veterans. She once led a web chat with insight on how to cope with life-changing brain injuries. "Veterans who have suffered a brain injury and their caregivers are often left with a feeling of isolation," Cheryl Lynch wrote. "Through our forum and chat room, we hope to reduce that isolation by gaining a sense of friendship with others who understand." Lynch told authorities he did not remember beating his mom to death, and several medical professionals testified that he was psychotic and insane at the time of her death. In April 2018, a judge found him not guilty of second-degree murder by reason of insanity and also remanded him to the Florida State Hospital.

TRANSITION TO FREEDOM?

After Aydelott's trial, Eddins assured the public that the confessed killer would "never get out" of the mental institution. He explained his office would have to be notified of any change in the inmate's status. The State Attorney's Office would protest any effort for him to be released or go to a less restrictive unit. However, that didn't happen when the DCF filed a notice on March 12 recommending Aydelott be moved to Civil Transition, a lower-security program at the state hospital. Prosecutors say they never saw the notice, in part because the DCF notice was sent to the Santa Rosa County Courthouse and never forwarded to them. The deadline for Eddins and his staff to protest lapsed, and Aydelott was moved to Civil Transition on April 2. The State Attorney's Office didn't become aware of the transfer until Aydelott's family called the office. According to DCF's website, Civil Transition is for residents who "no longer need that level of security and, with court approval, may reside in a lesser-restrictive civil environment." The program's stated treatment plan is to give residents the skills and resources they need to successfully transition back into the community or to another less restrictive program, like a group home. One year since Lynch was acquitted for beating his mom to death, DCF says he is also ready to move from a higher-security unit to the transition program. "They both killed their own mommies, and they had two of the best mommies on the planet," said Hill. "I question the timing and

the miraculous, so-called 'recovery' of these two that they can advance to Civil Transition. I've seen no change for the better with Brandon, but I can tell you he's heavily medicated." She continued, "And that's the first thing people do when they get out a mental institution is quit taking their medicines." No one from Florida State Hospital has asked or recommended to the court that Aydelott or Lynch be released from Florida State Hospital, but some friends and family fear he eventually could be and in far less time than they expected. Holley-Navarre Middle School Principal Joie DeStefano was a longtime friend, confidante and administrator of Sharon Aydelott's. Sharon taught science at the middle school for 15 years, and DeStefano watched Sharon's children grow up. The working mother often brought them to school with her when she was helping with extracurricular activities. "As long as he's meeting the requirements they want, I have no problem with him staying for years in that facility and remaining on the hospital grounds under supervision and under supervised medications," said DeStefano. "It's the possibility that this next step—of him being on the outside—that is disturbing. He is capable of terrible violence." Circuit Judge J. Scott Duncan had scheduled a hearing for May 22 to determine if the state had jurisdiction to protest the transition, but Inweekly has learned that it has been cancelled. The court says prosecutors can't interfere with the treatment team's decision unless the men no longer meet the criteria for involuntary commitment. The State Attorney's Office is declining to comment while the matter is ongoing. A DCF spokesperson says they are reviewing Aydelott's case and have not yet returned calls for comment. For Sharon's family, the move is part of their ongoing nightmare since Aydelott murdered his mom, and they wonder now if the court made the right verdict. Even though he's still under 24-hour supervision, Aydelott's aunt doesn't want him given the greater freedom that Civil Transition offers. She has begun to second guess her decision to support her nephew's insanity plea.

"There is nothing that would explain the logic of either one of them being moved back into society, nothing." Hill "He's a murderer," said Hill. "What he did to my sister, it was premeditated; it was planned; it was barbaric. There is nothing that would explain the logic of either one of them being moved back into society, nothing." She added, "I don't think our community, our family, should be used as the guinea pig to see if they're okay or not." {in} inweekly.net

Only 45% of children in Escambia County are ready for kindergarten MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE SCI’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

Thursday, June 20 5:30 p.m. Sanders Beach Community Center

Support LIGHT UP LEARNING Sponsorships available to put your organization front and center to make a difference.

Children that are not ready for kindergarten start behind and many stay behind, even dropping out of school. It’s difficult for the children and their families; and puts more pressure on public school teachers to bring children up to grade level. This can lead to long-term generational poverty in our community. We are changing that. However, there is a long way to go. Working in partnership with the University of Chicago, Escambia County became the first county to pilot early learning intervention with every new mother at three area hospitals: Baptist Healthcare, Sacred Heart Hospital and West Florida Hospital.

Shannon Nickinson Director of Early Learning snickinson@studeri.org 850-525-2116

studeri.org The Brain Bag helped me understand the importance of talking to my baby, reading to him, singing and making eye contact. — Domonique Murry and baby Caiden Cleveland

What’s the Impact? To date, more than 10,200 mothers have benefited from this initiative and received a tutorial and Brain Bag filled with helpful resources stressing the importance of building a baby’s brain. Knowing that 85% of the human brain is developed by age 3, every minute is precious. Early indicators from the study by the University of Chicago shows positive change that the Brain Bags are making a difference. Mothers receiving the tutorial and Brain Bag are asked to rate their knowledge of how parent talk influences early brain development, before and after receiving the Brain Bag. Results show a notable increase.

We need your help! Every dollar stays in Pensacola to support early brain development for our children. The Studer Community Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. May 16, 2019

Baptist...................................... 7.6 to 9.5 Sacred Heart...........................7.2 to 9.7 West Florida ..........................6.4 to 9.5 Overall......................................... 7 to 9.6 9

CHEWING ON PUBLIC SAFETY After

digging into Escambia County's Public Safety Department, ombudsman Janice Kilgore found an atmosphere where it appears poor leadership and communication may have led to the current state investigation into the county's Emergency Medical Services. "I'm hoping that this gives you a little glimmer of some of the things that need to be tackled," Kilgore told the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners last Thursday. "They're not going to be easy; they're going to cost some money. But if you want to have the best public safety department in the area, you get what you pay for." Kilgore retired as Public Safety director in 2008 and has spent the last decade with Navy Federal Credit Union. After revelations last month that the EMS was under investigation by the Florida Department of Health for issues such as falsifying documents, and as numerous top-level administration officials resigned, Kilgore was appointed to look into matters within the department. Although Kilgore largely avoided any issues that might concern the state investigation, she did tell commissioners—when pressed by Chairman Lumon May to get into the "meat" of the issue and discuss the "elephant in the room"—that some issues coming to light recently, such as a possible need for better training of EMS personnel, were due to poor communication within the department, particularly "some of the friction" between Medical Director Rayme Edler and the staff. "There was no one getting in the middle of it and ironing those things out," Kilgore said, telling the commission that former EMS Chief Steve White and Edler "didn't hit it off from the beginning" and that had led to a breakdown within the department. Kilgore said that White instituted an environment where employees were "afraid to engage outside of that chain of command" and did not communicate as a result with Edler. "In the past, they had worked with

010 1

medical directors," Kilgore said, adding that communication with the medical director is essential to perform job duties properly and that the lack of communication had led to issues such as EMS not receiving training since October. Kilgore also relayed to commissioners an environment of unrest within Public Safety. She said that there was discontent among personnel with upper-level management—such as the medical director or EMS chief—but that the sentiments were not consistent. "It is a split bag," Kilgore said. "It's just kind of all over the gamut, so no, everybody wasn't out swinging the hatchet at one individual." Since beginning her work looking into the department on April 17, and after speaking with around 50 individuals, the ombudsman reported that the department needed improved training and better upkeep of both fleet and properties and that employees were concerned about pay and funding issues. "It's not something that occurred overnight, by any means," Kilgore said. "And quite frankly, it's not something that's going to be corrected overnight." Kilgore pointed to the department's fleet of vehicles for fire services and EMS, saying that much of the fleet should be soon aging out but was still in use. Nine of the county's ambulances, for example, have more than 250,000 miles on them. "Some of them were built in the '90s," Kilgore said. Insofar as pay issues, Kilgore pointed to the fact that Escambia has relatively low rates compared to surrounding entities and that the rates have remained relatively unchanged over the past 10 years. While pay for paramedics looks to have risen a few dollars since 2008, from $13 to $16 an hour, an EMT or dispatcher is still looking at around 12 bucks an hour, though Kilgore noted that the rate was closer to $10 in many cases. Outgoing Interim Administrator Amy Lovoy asked the commissioners if they would like Kilgore to continue her work,

but several commissioners appeared to be disappointed that Kilgore hadn't turned in a written report. Chairman Lumon May requested she write up a representation of her findings so that the commissioners and incoming County Administrator Janice Gilley can digest them, so they could "just review it and chew on it and hand that off to Mrs. Gilley when she gets here."

VETERANS, BY THE NUMBERS

Most people are aware that there's a considerable military presence and corresponding veteran population in Northwest Florida, but now that population's particulars have been broken down into digestible data points in a recently released study by the University of West Florida's Haas Center. In the study, unveiled earlier this month at the Haas Center's downtown Pensacola offices, the region's veteran population is explored in several key areas, such as population numbers, skillsets and economic impact. A lot of military personnel come to Northwest Florida to train at one of the multiple military bases stretching from Pensacola to Panama City. A lot of them choose to settle down in the area as well. The region is home to 98,000 veterans. Many of those are veterans who spent time in the Middle East wars (more than twothirds), while there are also a good many Vietnam-era veterans (making up much of the remaining third). Veterans from the Korean War (4.9 percent) and World War II (1.2 percent) are also represented. This large pool of veterans makes the Northwest Florida area home to the second most military retirees. There are more than 34,000 military retirees; 54 percent are from the Air Force, while 30 percent are from the Navy, 12 percent from the Army and 4 percent from the Marines. These military retirees, drawing government pensions, have a considerable economic impact in the region. Combined, retired military brings $84.4 million

monthly in Department of Defense income to the area. The total veteran population is split between the region, with 57,000 living in the Pensacola area. Pensacola's veteran community makes up 15 percent of the total adult population. Most of that population is white (85 percent) and male (females stand at 14 percent), and 27 percent of that population has a disability. A large percentage of the region's veterans are also older, with about two-thirds aged 55 or older. More than 17 percent are 75 or older. The study sites a Veterans Affairs' estimate that the total number of veterans nationally is expected to decline from 20 million in 2017 to around 13 million by 2037. When looking at education levels, the Haas Center study finds that veterans in the region lag behind their non-veteran counterparts in obtaining high school diplomas, though they surpass them at the collegiate level—whereas 35.3 percent of the civilian population has obtained some form of college degree, 43 percent of the veteran population has done the same. The study also found that local veterans tend to earn more than their civilian counterparts. In the Pensacola metro area, for example, the median income for a veteran is around $43,000 annually, while a non-veteran earns a median income of almost $25,000. The veteran community also experiences poverty at a lower rate (3.6 percent compared to 12.9 percent) and unemployment at a lower rate (2.9 percent to 5.7 percent) than the local civilian population. Many veterans in the area work in fields that utilize skills learned during their time in the military. They work in administration and management positions, as well as in occupations heavy on math, computer and technical skills. The healthcare industry also attracts many veterans. The Haas Center study also reports that many local veterans own their own business, with more than 7,000 veteran-owned businesses calling Northwest Florida home. That

inweekly.net

Pensacola Bay Bridge / Rendering Courtesy of FDOT

represents 13 percent of the area's businesses and nearly 10,000 employees, according to the study. For more information on the study, visit haas.uwf.edu.

NAME THE BRIDGE The Pensacola Bay Bridge Naming Committee is seeking suggestions from the public to name the new bridge linking Escambia and Santa Rosa counties via U.S. Highway 98. Individuals can propose a name through the close of business Monday, June 3. The committee will review the suggestions and put forward a name for public input at meetings proposed for Tuesday, June 11, and Wednesday, June 12, with the final recommendation coming to the Escambia County Board of Commissioners as soon as Thursday, July 11. To propose a name, please send one suggestion to namethebridge@myescambia.com. Only one name per email address will be accepted. BTW, we've already suggested "Sally." SOCCER ON LANGLEY Discussions be-

tween the city and the YMCA of Northwest Florida on a potential land-and-services swap continue to progress, Mayor Grover Robinson said at his May 6 weekly press conference. The city is looking at changing the zoning at its Vickery Center at the Roger Scott Athletic Complex to accommodate the Y relocating to the site and constructing a new facility. "We'll be ready probably in June to have something come forward to council and the public," Robinson said, explaining that the issue would first come before the city's planning board so that the zoning could be dealt with. Brain Cooper, the Parks and Recreation director, said that the bones of the discussion between the city and the YMCA have remained the same—the YMCA is looking to relocated from its Langley Avenue property, likely over to a site neighboring the Vickery Center on Summit Avenue, and the city intends to use the Langley space, along with property at Hitzman Park, to create a complex May 16, 2019

of soccer fields to accommodate the sport's steadily rising participation numbers. Cooper said that the Y would likely initially lease space in the Vickery Center to continue providing services like afterschool care and summer camps, then later construct a new facility next door. "The idea, the concept is that they will build a facility in the future," Cooper said. "It's not gonna happen tomorrow." Cooper said that he's hoping the city's soccer complex on Langley will be completed in early 2020.

MAYOR PIECES TOGETHER TEAM At

the press conference, Mayor Robinson also confirmed Amy Lovoy, former budget director and interim administrator for Escambia County, has accepted his assistant finance director position. "We're excited to have her over here. She did a great job for the county. She's really good at budgeting. She understands it and knows it," Robinson said, describing Lovoy as "more than capable." Lovoy will begin work for the city beginning in June. Robinson intends for Lovoy to take on an "apprenticeship" role, with the expectation that she will take the reins from Chief Financial Officer Dick Barker sometime in the next three years. "What we'll really be looking for Amy to do is really figure out how to work with Dick, to learn what's here and to eventually be the person who can replace Dick," the mayor said. City Administrator Chris Holley is narrowing down the list of eight prospective candidates for the assistant administrator position. "In the next week or so," Holley said, explaining that the mayor will then take a look at the three finalists. Another key position the city has been trying to fill, someone to oversee Complete Streets efforts to make the city more pedestrian-friendly, remains open, with the search still ongoing. "It's open, and we're still looking for

people," Mayor Robinson said. "It's open, and we're looking for good people to apply." The mayor also spoke about the potential for getting another Escambia County alumnus over to city hall. While he said that he has yet to speak to Assistant County Administrator Matt Coughlin—who has announced his resignation—about returning to his old haunts at the Pensacola International Airport, he left the door wide open for the possibility. The mayor noted that Holley was currently working to retain Dan Flynn as director at the airport and that Coughlin could come into play in such an equation. "Dan said he needed some help out there, and the idea was to get somebody out there, so we will be doing that. If Matt decides to apply, or something else, that will be a decision that he ultimately has to make, and we will have to evaluate," Robinson said, acknowledging that Flynn and Coughlin have a "good relationship" and that Coughlin "was in that role before."

MARK YOUR CALENDARS The Marine

Aviation "Memorial Placement Ceremony" will take place at Veterans Memorial Park of Pensacola 6:45 p.m. Friday, May 17. They will commemorate 311 fallen Marines and other service members who have sacrificed their lives while serving with Marine Corps aviation units and pay tribute to their families who bear the burden of the loss of their loved ones. State Rep. Alex Andrade will partner with Brownsville Assembly of God to host a Farmshare 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, May 18, at 3100 W. Desoto St. Farmshare is a nationallyrecognized organization that provides fresh produce at no charge to individuals and families facing hunger. One bag per family will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. The City of Pensacola invites you to a ribbon cutting celebration at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, for the new playground at Parker Circle Park, 601 Parker Circle. The Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization will hold a public workshop at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22, at Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce, City of Pensacola, Escambia County and Emerald Coast Utilities Authority will host a free workshop designed for businesses to establish a working relationship with local government at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, Hagler-Mason Conference Room, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 222 W. Main St. Accessory Dwelling Units: Building Codes and Utilities workshop will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, at Pensacola Public Library, 239 N. Spring St. Presenters include Tim Tolbert, chief of Building Services for Escambia County; Jonathan Bilby, administrator of Inspection Services for the City of Pensacola; Mike Hamlin, Utility Development manager, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority; and Jeff Hatch of Gulf Power Co. For more information, email christian@ sustainabletownconcepts.com. {in}

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inweekly.net

Hangout Fest 2019 The third weekend of May is finally here, which means it's time for the biggest beach party of the yearâ€”Hangout Fest. And we know we say this every year, but this lineup really might be the best yet. Travis Scott. Vampire Weekend. Cardi freaking B. Seriously. We still can't believe we get to see all these superstars in one weekend. Just make sure you remember that last

part. Hangout Fest is a full-on three-day weekend. Three really long, really hot days. So make sure you pace yourself and stay hydrated. Think marathon, not sprint, people. To help you plan for the weekend, we've once again put together a jam-packed guideâ€”complete with artist interviews, must-see picks and packing tips. So read up and get ready to fest with the best of them. We'll see you in Gulf Shores.

Photo by Greg Riegler May 16, 2019

INWEEKLY MUST-SEE 9:45-11 p.m. â€¢ Saturday Hangout Stage

Khalid / Original Photo by RO.LEXX 414 1

inweekly.net

of the way. It gives us this kind of freedom, which I love. I can't imagine being in a band with like six writers anyway. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The pianist credits the success of the band to this simplicity in songwriting as well as the energy the band has on stage. "A lot of our sustainability has come from having simple songs and having a band that has fun on stage," Ulvang said. "We've all been to shows where people don't really move around. Even as one person when I play, I try to have as much three-dimensional movement for being locked to a guitar and cable and mic stand. And I think that's hard to do, but I love that [movement]." Ulvang says that the band is excited about returning to Hangout Fest after having cut their festival teeth on the same stage seven years ago. "We played Hangout Fest in 2012. I think our manager knew someone and they gave us a pity spot—the first spot Sunday morning. That was our first festival, and we didn't even have an album out yet. Seven years later, we're headlining." Stelth Ulvang/ Original Photo by Trey Pfeiffer

Local Hangs with The Lumineers By Sydney Robinson

On 10:30 p.m. this past Saturday night, patrons of Hub Stacey's were interrupted from their usual karaoke bonanza and baskets of hot wings for a special treat—a man in a trucker hat and button-down white shirt appeared on stage. The TV screen displayed Radiohead's "Creep," but the song the man sang over the tune was none other than Smash Mouth's 1999 hit "All Star." The crowd was understandably confused at first. But by the end of it, everyone in the bar was clapping and singing along to the a capella'd final verse because "only shooting stars break the mold" after all. Most of Hub's crowd and staff didn't know that the man on stage belting out the hit was Stelth Ulvang, longtime pianist for The Lumineers. The day prior to his smash karaoke performance (pun intended), Ulvang played a set of his solo songs at chizuko. Inweekly was able to sit down with Ulvang after that show to discuss The Lumineers' upcoming Hangout Fest headlining performance and why he's hanging out in dive bars in Pensacola. "If you're within a block of the place, I'm sure you can hear us," Ulvang began. The place he is referring to is Pensacola Bay Center. The Lumineers spent the past week and a half rehearsing lighting cues for their upcoming festival performance at the venue. Obvious or not, the secret has been well kept from Pensacola residents who might be surprised to learn such a famous band has been hanging around town for a week or more. May 16, 2019

But why here? And why prepare for an open-air performance in a closed arena? "We gotta practice for lighting cues, and you can't practice that in the daylight," Ulvang explained. "Do you know how hard it is to find vacant arenas in the U.S.? And right now, it's prom week in America, so it's even harder." Though the city's empty venue was a rare find for the band, if it were up to Ulvang, the Lumineers might not have come to Pensacola at all. Apparently, he had some bad experiences in our delightful little city in the past. "I've been through [Pensacola] maybe half a dozen times about 10 years ago, and I had a really bad hitchhiking experience here." But as he noted during the beginning of his surprise set at chizuko, the city was beginning to grow on him. "I didn't think I would ever perform here… but you guys are making me think maybe it's not so bad," he told the crowd. Ulvang, who ultimately decided he was an ovo-pescatarian after much back and forth, said that he was excited about the growing vegan food scene in the area. "I always liked Sluggo's. That was one of the spots I knew," he said. It wasn't until a trip back to an old favorite End of the Line Cafe that he learned about one of our newer vegan spots—chizuko. "I came [to chizuko] last night and talked to them, and they were sweet enough to let me play a set," Ulvang said. "I haven't played a show in two or three months as

myself. When The Lumineers aren't touring, I'm touring on my own. I've put out three or four records on my own." The set Ulvang played was a notable departure from the music he plays with The Lumineers. Barefooted and stomping to the beat, he played guitar and sang several of his own songs in a voice strikingly similar to Ben Folds. Occasionally, Ulvang broke into a falsetto to impersonate his wife and singing partner, Dorota. "My wife usually tours with me … she plays violin and sings and plays bass sometimes, too." But she isn't the only multi-instrumentalist in the band. He primarily plays piano, guitar and sings. But what else can he do? "In The Lumineers, I play piano, guitar, accordion and sometimes mandolin. Outside of that, I also play banjo, bass, flute, clarinet, saxophone as well as some horns," Ulvang listed. Ulvang came to The Lumineers via a bygone era social media platform (Myspace) in early 2010. "I've been with [The Lumineers] full on since 2011, so coming up on eight years," Ulvang said. "Every album, there is this growing and then there's this drop afterwards and this mystery of not knowing where it's going to go, and then it rises back up again. Our second album did really well, but those two dudes—Jeremiah [Fraites] and Wes [Schultz]—who started the band, they kind of hunker down, write the record on their own, and we kind of stay out

THE LUMINEERS 9:35-11 p.m. Sunday Hangout Stage

Pump Up the Volume Once again, the Volume One crew is heading to Hangout Fest, so make sure you find them and get a festive 'do upgrade. With the help of stylists from Salon San Carlos (also Pensacola locals) and Melrose & McQueen out of Atlanta, they'll be serving up fresh "festival hair" all weekend long. They'll be doing all kinds of braids, plus spray on color and glitter roots, with some flower power thrown in for good measure. Make sure you follow them on Instagram for more details and looks from the weekend—@volumeonesalon.

Girls

Left to Right: Ravyn Lenae / Original Photo by Sam Kfare, King Princess / Original Photo by ClareGillen , Elley Duhé Bottom: Bebe Rexha / Original Photo by Dennis Leupold

This year's Hangout Fest lineup features some female heavy-hitters—like Cardi B, Bebe Rexha and Alison Wonderland. But these aren't the only women's sets you don't want to miss. Check out these 10 females who are also set to rock the beach this weekend.

1. ELLA MAI

Ella Mai is the definition of a hitmaker. No doubt you've heard at least one of the R&B queen's many hits circulating the radio— "Trip," "Boo'd Up" and "Shot Clock." And feel free to judge the English singer-songwriter's self-titled album by its cover. The pale pink fur coat and striped pants she wears are sartorial signs of the coolness ahead. 9-9:45 p.m. Sunday, Boom Boom Tent

2. JADE BIRD

If Jade Bird isn't the songbird of your subconscious, no one is. The folk rock-leaning singer laments, "You're not the first one to leave me and you won't be the last/It just doesn't heave me like it did in the past," in her heart-wrenching track "17." She covers many a genre in her self-titled debut album, each peeling back a new layer of emotion, or sass, with it. 4-4:45 p.m. Saturday, BMI Mermaid Stage

3. KING PRINCESS

Her moniker is as punchy as her 2018 pop hit "Pussy is God." A Brooklyn-based vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, King Princess, turned down a record deal at age 11 to finish school, according to her bio. She was the product of a musical family, spending much of her childhood tinkering on the vintage Neve board in her father's Brooklyn studio and learning instrumentation along the way. 4-5 p.m. Sunday, Pandora Surf Stage

4. BISHOP BRIGGS

Bishop Briggs is certifiably cool on an international level. The indie pop singer616 1

To The

songwriter was born to Scottish parents, raised in Japan and Hong Kong and then immersed in American pop culture while attending college in Hollywood. Don't expect this sultry songstress to hold back in her lyrics. Her prized jewel "Baby" sounds urban and cultured in every version. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, Hangout Stage

5. CRAY

She isn't crazy. But she is crazy talented. The Los Angeles-based singer, producer and DJ's name is Cheney Ray, (aka CRAY). Her 2019 release, "Love Cemetery," is as dark and seductive as her deep vocals. If the title doesn't give it away, the catchy track has dark undertones for days. 2:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, 5:45-6:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:45-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Monster Beach Club

6. CHIKA

Chika is a fast-spitting, politically-charged hip-hop artist from Montgomery, Ala. Her clever rhymes are not only absurdly cool but also observant and revealing. For an added layer of badassery, Jane Oranika, (aka Chika), is known for the "Ego Challenge"—which is an internet trend that inspired people to express their love for their flaws by rapping or singing over Beyonce's "Ego." 6:45-7:20 p.m. Friday, BMI Mermaid Stage

7. RAVYN LENAE

Chicago singer-songwriter Ravyn Lenae taps into electronic, R&B and hip-hop in her 2018 EP "Crush." The music video for the track "4 Leaf Clover" featuring Steve Lacy is worth a watch … or 10. If you aren't living for the vintage sleepover montage, then you need to revisit your childhood and up your slumber party game. 1:15-2 p.m. Saturday, Boom Boom Tent

Front 8. ELLEY DUHÉ

Elley Duhé will mesmerize you in the first five seconds of her passionate electronic pop song "Savior." All seven songs on her 2018 EP "Dragon Mentality" have the same internationally-inspired sound—even more interesting considering her roots aren't far from Hangout Fest. She grew up shuttling the 45 minutes between the small coastal towns of Vancleave, Miss., and Dauphin Island, Ala. 12-12:45 p.m. Sunday, Hangout Stage

9. RACHEL TORRO

If this San Francisco DJ isn't on your radar yet, she should be. Torro is starting to make a name for herself in the SF house music scene. Her minimalistic techno vibes will undoubtedly create a chill beach atmosphere listeners won't want to miss. 12:45-1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Monster Beach Club

10. ELOHIM

Calling all electronic music lovers. Elohim's cheery pop anthem "Half Love" is the answer to your prayers. The L.A.-based electronic alternative artist says, "Don't half love me," and we can't help but think that's not a request; it's a demand. Love her all the way or don't love her at all. 3:30-4:15 p.m. Sunday, Boom Boom Tent inweekly.net

INWEEKLY MUST-SEE 9-9:45 p.m. â€¢ Sunday Boom Boom Tent

Ella Mai / Original Photo by meeno May 16, 2019

Easy Life / Original Photo by Jack Bridgland

Easy Like "Sunday" Mornings By Savannah Evanoff

Sundays aren't for grocery shopping. Murray, the frontman for hip-hop group Easy Life, is sure of it while explaining why he compares a woman to the first calendar day of the week in the band's single "Sunday." The lyrics are about him being "crazy, head over heels in love" with a girl and never getting out of bed when he's with her.

"People are beautiful, but people are all beautiful messes." MURRAY "It's funny because some people say they hate Sundays," Murray said. "Some people are like, 'I love Sundays,'—especially

in England, because you hang out and do nothing and watch films. The reason I compared her to a Sunday is because of the chill vibes you can get on a Sunday in the U.K. I heard it's the same in America." So, if you spend Sundays buying groceries, Murray suggests upping your Sunday game. The single is from the U.K. group's latest record, "Spaceships Mixtape." The album title is a reflection of its sound, Murray explained. "The sonics of the mixtape were supposed to be wavy and space age and have an intergalactic, dreamlike feel to it," Murray said. "All the songs also contextually live in that same realm. We were all obsessed with NASA and space travel as kids, too, so it was a bit of an homage to that as well." Easy Life wrote and produced the album in only four weeks, then released it immediately. The content is raw and fresh.

"Sometimes we can sit on music and it sort of becomes a little bit irrelevant contextually by the time we actually put it out," Murray said. "With this, I'm still going through a lot of the stuff we talk about in the Mixtapes—the good and the bad stuff. I'm still in that headspace really." Performing allows him to revisit those feelings and regurgitate them live. "It's weird living it and getting behind the sentiment of the whole track live, and I think the audience can do the same," Murray said. "We see a lot of people lose themselves and get crazy live, and I think it's because we're doing the same." "Basics" was the defining moment amid Easy Life's newest music. "No way," Murray said, seeming genuinely excited he was asked about this song specifically. They wanted the track to sound like it was dropped on this planet from outer space. "It also has this lyric about looking up to the clouds and the whole bigger picture mentality to it," Murray said, "You know when you're with someone and you gotta go through all that shit to work on a relationship, whether that be friends or a romance—whatever it is you're after … I guess that song is about that and coming to terms with that. Everything's a little bit fucked up at the minute, but we good. We're gonna be alright." Easy Life is in Amsterdam during our phone interview. The band flew back to England from Coachella, picked up its van, drove to Brussels for a show, then returned to Amsterdam. "We haven't showered," Murray said. "We're ruined. We look like we should be at the end of a festival tour." While Easy Life is looking a tad ragged, Murray jokingly presumes the people he saw at Coachella are looking beautiful and drinking protein shakes somewhere right now. Performing at the April festival was "fucking sick," Murray said. It was the group's first time in L.A., and California in general. "Going to these places was just mental," Murray said. "Loads of the music I was influenced by has historically also been

from that West Coast scene, so it was crazy to be out there living it. Obviously Coachella's Coachella. It was funny to see people all dressed up for the occasion and taking selfies and losing their mind on Instagram." But Murray admits they were all over their socials, too. "It was brutal," Murray said. "Obviously, in a way, it really did sort of piss me off seeing people posing and people so composed. If you go to a British festival of that stature—Glastonbury or something—people are ruined and definitely not photo ready. Everyone at Coachella was beautiful and remained that way for the whole weekend. It was a little bit fake. People are beautiful, but people are all beautiful messes. I wanted to see that." When asked about the group's name, Murray said it's a bit related to social media and how people aspire to have things they don't already possess. "Easy Life's just about chillin' really, but also about the paradox that to get to a chillin' time, you have to go through some adversity or some kind of downfall," Murray said. "That's super deep. That's definitely way more deep than it needs to be." Murray can't wait to see how Hangout Fest differs from Coachella and was stoked when they added the festival to their tour. "I heard it has spring break vibes and everyone gets out and parties on the beach," Murray said. "We are so excited to be playing Hangout. I think it's going to be a party." Plus, "you know what?" Murray has missed the American accent, he said. "I've been back in Europe for like two days, and it's already making me feel melancholy," Murray said. "It's nice to hear your voice."

EASY LIFE

12:30-1:15 p.m. Saturday BMI Mermaid Stage

Hangout Smarter Not Harder Here at Inweekly, we've been hanging out at Hangout a long, long time. And during that time, we've learned a thing or two—like how to properly experience a Diplo set and how many travel-sized sunblocks you'll need to survive three full days of sweaty fun.* Here are five of our favorite tips and tricks to help you maximize your experience this weekend and avoid being forced to leave your purse behind at the security gate.

JUST SO IT'S CLEAR

Like most large venues and festivals, Hangout has transitioned to a clear bags only policy. So make sure you leave your cute straw beach totes at home and get something that's clear plastic, clear vinyl or clear 818 1

PVC. The bags also can't be too big—nothing larger than 12" x 6" x 12" is allowed.

LOCK IT UP

If you decide to buy merch (which you totally will) and didn't come prepared with a clear bag, remember that Hangout Fest offers onsite lockers. In addition to a safe place to store your goods, they also come with unlimited cell phone charging. Talk about a win-win. Lockers are just $20 a day or $50 for the weekend, and you can reserve one in advance at hangoutmusicfest.com/lockers.

MUST HAVES

We are all about less is more, especially at Hangout. But there are a few select items

we think should be mandatory—a reusable water bottle (your wallet and the planet will thank you), Wet Wipes (they are way more versatile than hand sanitizer) and sunscreen (make sure you shop for small bottles with big SPF protection).

TOTALLY CHARGED

This year, Hangout has teamed up with Electric Standard Co. to offer portable battery packs with unlimited exchanges throughout the festival. So basically, you're buying a new phone charger from them (because you get to take one home) with one really cool perk—anytime the charger dies during the weekend, you can return it to any Electric Standard Co. loca-

tion and exchange it for a freshly charged one. And guess what? All that juice is only going to cost you $25 if you pre-order at electricstandard.co/hangoutfest.

PAPER TRAIL

We know there's a Hangout app, but trust us when we say that having a paper copy of the schedule will come in handy more than you think. In fact, we believe this tip so much that we included the full three-day schedule in this very issue (on page 21). *The answers, in case you're curious, are in the middle of the crowd (because the front is just too much but the back doesn't get enough bass) and three (one per day, per person). inweekly.net

Superorganism / Original Photo by Steph Wilson

The Science Behind Superorganism By Savannah Evanoff

Music buffs look at electronic pop band Superorganism the same way scientists assess the swarms of humpback whales convening in the southwest coast of Africa. No one really knows the details of how or why the eight-piece collective formed, but it's worth a closer look. A photo of these mysterious whale gatherings is a chunk of the conversation that led to Superorganism's band name, said backup singer Ruby.

"A lot of us were really obsessed with the idea of technology and nature and how they interwove with each other and also how they're quite similar." RUBY "We started talking about superorganisms and the idea of what they were," Ruby said. "A lot of us were really obsessed with the idea of technology and nature and how they interwove with each other and also how they're quite similar. Each of them May 16, 2019

relies on other things to make it all work." "The whale is this huge, amazing beast that other species rely on," she continued. Ruby thinks one of them brought up a whale in a WhatsApp chat—not unlike their iconic origin story. The band met and worked through the internet for a while before moving in together in London. Ruby worked on two or three songs with pint-sized lead singer, Orono Noguchi, before they even met in person. "What happens with the group is we all talk about stuff that we like, and often, something gets pulled out of it from one of the members to be used for something," Ruby said. "All of our ideas are collective ideas, even if it's one person in the group who brings them to life." Robert Strange, the band's visual artist, took a liking to the whale. Turquoise inflatable whales hung from the ceiling when the band performed at NPR's Tiny Desk C— one of their favorite performances to date. "It was quite mind-blowing to be at NPR—in that same space where you see all these others perform—and then you're like, 'Oh, my God, I'm doing this,'" Ruby said. "It was a special acoustic stripped-down version of what we would normally do at a live show … We really pulled out all our guns for that. We wanted to recreate some of the sounds we recorded for the album." The songs on Superorganism's selftitled debut album are like children, so

Ruby doesn't like to play favorites. But she does anyway. "Something for Your M.I.N.D.," was the first song they recorded and the first song fans heard and latched onto. Every time she performs it, it transports Ruby's mind to a memory. The members in London sent the demo to Noguchi in Maine to lay verses over it. She only had it for an hour. "I think it was Emily or Harry that said, 'Orono sent back the song. Do you guys want to listen to it?'" Ruby said. "We're all like, 'Hell yeah.' I have this really distinct memory of sitting down and playing it on our tiny little speakers we have in our kitchen and hearing her and saying like, 'This is really cool. We made this.'" Many good memories were born in that kitchen, one of their only collective spaces, Ruby said. Noguchi's vocals were the cherry on top of an already cool track. "I just remember thinking, 'This is really cool, and I don't care if anyone else doesn't like it because I freaking love it.'" Listeners felt the same. Because it takes two hands to count the number of band members, people can't help but research the science behind their success. "I don't think about it until someone asks me because of the way we make music," Ruby said. "Lots of bands do a jam session where they're all physically in a room together trying to work out what they're going to do. We've

always worked quite solitarily in our rooms, doing stuff on our own then sending it to another person." The band has basically lived on tour since the song dropped, doing a Southeast Asia tour earlier this year and two U.S. tours and a Europe tour last year. The eight members might share a home, but they haven't spent a "proper amount of time" in it since … well, ever. "We kinda take our home on the road," Ruby said. "It becomes like a mobile home." Superorganism brings lights, visuals and a bit of choreography to its shows. Noguchi likes to hand out snacks, too, Ruby said with a laugh.

"All of our ideas are collective ideas, even if it's one person in the group who brings them to life." RUBY "I never promise that you'll get a snack from her, because that's not every time, but food definitely becomes part of the show sometimes," Ruby said. "We like to have fun on stage, and hopefully that comes across to the audience as well. We're really looking forward to Hangout Fest. I don't think any of us have been to Alabama before."

SUPERORGANISM 2:30-3:30 p.m. Friday Pandora Surf Stage

Dreamer Boy / Original Photo by Asam Alonzo

Dream On, Dreamer Boy By Sydney Robinson

To give you a Pensacola reference point for the music of Nashville-based Dreamer Boy, let's just say it's like driving down Cervantes Street with your windows down during golden hour on one of those days when the sky looks like pure cotton. It's dreamy. Zach Taylor's aptly-titled musical project Dreamer Boy is borne of pure "remember when" vibes. His premiere album, "Love, Nostalgia," features themes of melancholy and reflection, centered around a particular emotion many can relate to—the conclusion of young love in the summertime.

If you've never been to Hangout Fest before, you might be surprised to learn that even though it's a beach festival, most of your typical beach essentials aren't allowed—like umbrellas and coolers. But trust us when you say, after one day of hopping from stage to stage and waiting in line for Spicy Pie, you'll be glad you're not lugging around a chair. Our advice is bring as little as possible, but make sure that "little" includes sunscreen and a reusable water bottle. And if you run into any questions while packing, here's the official list of what's okay and what you should leave at home. YUP:

•Liquid sunscreen—in nonaerosol containers of 3oz or less •Bug spray—again, in non-aerosol containers of 3oz or less •Clear backpacks, bags and purses (no larger than 12" x 6" x 12") •Fanny Packs •Small clutch bags—approximately the size of a hand with or without a handle or strap (no larger than 4.5" x 6.5") 020 2

Ask Taylor about his influences and you'll get a thoughtful answer. "The Beatles, Beach Boys, Frank Ocean, Tame Impala … I think that's a pretty good mix. I love the classic and simplistic nature of these amazing songs that came out of the Beach Boys and Beatles era and the way that those songs were able to put this complex world into such simple and beautiful words. I love Frank Ocean for the reason that is kind of opposite of that— he puts a microscope on a feeling and using imagery and metaphor to really make you feel it."

That mix of simplicity of narrative and complexity of emotion, Taylor says, is what he aspires to create in his own music. "I like to think my music is a combination of those two things," Taylor explained. "Sometimes I'm wanting to be more simple; sometimes I'm wanting to be more abstract." To those who have never heard his music, Taylor says there is something for everyone. "The music that we have out right now, it's dynamic," Taylor explained. "On our 10-song album, there's kind of a song for every music fan. It's music that draws from a lot of different places and can put you in the feeling of whatever the song is trying to portray." Taylor left his hometown of Spokane, Wash., shortly after high school and attended college in Nashville, Tenn., where he surrounded himself with a great crowd of musician types. "In hindsight, it was 100% the right decision because I've met everybody that I've ever wanted to work with," Taylor said. Though Taylor alone is Dreamer Boy, he says the project is more like a band thanks to the contributions of his talented friends and roommates living together in the aptly-named "Dream House." "We all live together—my manager [Cody] Clark, my creative, photographer, graphic designer Adam [Alonzo] and then the person who I wrote and produced all the songs with and we make all the music stuff together, Bobby [Knepper]," said Taylor. "We all live in the same house and have become a family." Taylor understands how lucky he is to be surrounded by passionate friends who have contributed so meaningfully to his career. "There's not too many other artists who are fortunate enough to have a team around them this early. I am really excited and thankful. Nothing that we have been able to be a part of so far would have happened without them, " he said. Since the release of his first album in

Pack It In

•One-gallon clear, plastic zip-top bags •Blankets and beach towels •Sunglasses and hats •Baby strollers (if you have small children) •One (1) empty non-glass water container up to 2 liters in size •Empty CamelBak-style bladder carriers (they must have no more than one pocket in addition to the compartment that holds the water bladder) •If you need medicine, prescription and OTC medications are allowed but subject to specific guidelines

NOPE:

•Tents, umbrellas or temporary structures of any kind •Weapons, knives or firearms of any kind, including any item that can be used as a weapon •Narcotics, including marijuana, drug paraphernalia and any other illegal substances •No backpacks, purses or bags allowed except bags made of clear plastic, clear vinyl or clear PVC (not exceeding 12" x 6" x 12") •Alcoholic beverages of any kind •Drones or any other remote flying device •Vitamins

•Kites •Glowsticks •Focused light devices—including laser pointers •Refillable vapor or electronic cigarettes •Unsealed cigarette packages, tampons, packs of gum and Chapstick/lip gloss •Marker pens and spray paint •Air horns and/or megaphones •Items intended for sale/promotion (including flyers, stickers and posters) •Water guns, water balloons and/or any other kind of water projectile •Glass in any form, including glass bottles •Outside food or beverages •Skateboards, rollerblades, hoverboards, scooters, bicycles, wagons and/or motorized carts or scooters •Fidget spinners •Bicycles inside festival grounds (bike racks will be available near the entrance) •Large chains or spiked jewelry •Fireworks, sparklers, firecrackers and/or incendiary or explosive devices of any kind •Chinese Lanterns •Chairs of any kind (including inflatable loungers)

November of 2018, Dreamer Boy has been amazed at the reception. "Being able to play shows on tour and seeing people singing and dancing or getting messages from people just telling me how the album spoke to them or what they were going through while they were listening to it all the time [is amazing]." Any music fan has a special song or even an entire discography that conveys a feeling, a moment in time that changed them forever. But what does it feel like to be on the other side of that experience, to create music and watch it become someone else's special song? "I'm just excited because I know the albums that are special to me, and I'm excited to be that for people during periods of sadness or whatever they're going through," Taylor concluded. Dreamer Boy will perform on Sunday, the final day of Hangout Fest, but he's making his way to the beach earlier for sure. "We're gonna go down Friday night," Taylor explained. "Me and my team's favorite band is playing on this bill, The 1975, so we're gonna get to see them live and hopefully be inspired. [There are] so many other great acts like King Princess, Travis Scott and Vampire Weekend." Still relatively new to performing and being "known," Taylor and the Dream House crew plan to give as much as they get at Hangout Fest. "This is also me and my team's first festival experience in terms of playing at this level, so we are all just kind of happy to be there," Taylor said.

DREAMER BOY

12:30-1:15 p.m. Sunday BMI Mermaid Stage

•Coolers of any kind (including hard sided and soft sided coolers) •Pets (service animals with current rabies vaccination excepted) •Video equipment of any kind (including personal camcorders and GoPro cameras) •Professional photo equipment (SLR/DSLR cameras, detachable/removable lens cameras) •Audio recording equipment of any kind •Portable audio equipment of any kind, including portable "boom box" stereo systems •Professional radios or walkietalkies •Flags and/or flagpoles •Selfie sticks •Hammocks •Any item that can be used as a means to disturb the peace, endanger the safety of the crowd and/or inflict damage to people and goods If you have additional questions while packing, make sure to check out hangoutmusicfest. com/festival-info. Also, remember the list of allowed/prohibited items is subject to change.

inweekly.net

2019 Schedule THURSDAY KICKOFF PARTY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

HANGOUT STAGE

SUNDAY HANGOUT STAGE

Doors at 6 p.m.

Flora Cash 1:30-2:30 p.m.

lovelytheband 1:45-2:30 p.m.

Elley DuhÃ© 12-12:45p.m.

Big Gigantic

Bishop Briggs 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Sofi Tukker 3:25-4:15 p.m.

Quinn XCII 1:45-2:30 p.m.

The 1975 6:15-7:30 p.m.

Sir Sly 5-5:45 p.m.

Jungle 3:15-4 p.m.

Travis Scott 9:45-11 p.m.

WALK THE MOON 6:30-7:30 p.m.

GRiZ 5-6 p.m.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie CamelPhat SNBRN

Khalid 9:45-11 p.m.

PANDORA SURF STAGE Pale Waves 12:30-1:30 p.m. Superorganism 2:30-3:30 p.m. Judah & the Lion 4:45-6 p.m. Vampire Weekend 7:45-9 p.m.

BOOM BOOM TENT

PANDORA SURF STAGE Castlecomer 1-1:45 p.m.

grandson 1-1:45 p.m.

A R I Z O N A 4:15-5 p.m. Jimmy Eat World 5:45-6:30 p.m.

King Princess 4-5 p.m.

Kygo 7:45-9 p.m.

Bebe Rexha 6-6:45 p.m. Cardi B 8-9 p.m.

BOOM BOOM TENT

Loud Luxury 3-4 p.m.

Justin Caruso 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Mura Masa 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Ravyn Lenae 1:15-2 p.m.

Hippie Sabotage 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Bazzi 3-4 p.m.

Diplo 9:15-10:30 p.m.

Jonas Blue 5:15-6:15 p.m.

BMI MERMAID STAGE

Abhi The Nomad 2-2:45 p.m. SHAED 4:15-5 p.m. Chika 6:45-7:20 p.m. The Interrupters 8:30-9:15 p.m.

ALABAMA NEWSCENTER SUNSET STAGE Yoga 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Jesse Royal 12:45-1:30 p.m. New Kingston 2:45-3:30 p.m. RDGLDGRN 5-5:45 p.m. Hirie 7:30-8 p.m.

MALIBU BEACH HOUSE

Moon Boots 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Hugel 1:30-2:30 p.m. Justin Jay 3:30-4:45 p.m. Dr. Fresch 6:15-7:15 p.m.

MONSTER BEACH CLUB NOTE: A separate ticket is required for the Thursday Kickoff Party. Schedule is up to date as of Tuesday, May 14 and is subject to change by Hangout Fest. For the most current schedule, go to hangoutmusicfest.com

The Him 12:30-1:30 p.m. CRAY 2:30-3:30 p.m. SNBRN 4:45-6 p.m.

Black Caviar 7:15-7:45 p.m.

PANDORA SURF STAGE Two Feet 2:30-3:15 p.m.

Bryce Vine 1:15-2 p.m.

Powers Pleasant 12:30-1:15p.m.

Hozier 6:45-7:45 p.m. The Lumineers 9:35-11 p.m.

Taylor Bennett 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Medasin 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

May 16, 2019

MAY 17-19

MadeinTYO 7:15-8:15 p.m. Alison Wonderland 9:30-10:45 p.m.

BMI MERMAID STAGE Easy Life 12:30-1:15p.m. morgxn 2-2:45 p.m. Jade Bird 4-4:45 p.m. slenderbodies 6:15-7:15 p.m. Shame 8:30-9:30 p.m.

ALABAMA NEWSCENTER SUNSET STAGE

BOOM BOOM TENT

Graves 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Two Friends 1:15-2 p.m. Elohim 3:30-4:15 p.m. Lauren Daigle 5:15-6:15 p.m. Gorgon City 7:15-8:15 p.m. Ella Mai 9-9:45 p.m.

BMI MERMAID STAGE Dreamer Boy 12:30-1:15p.m. Hembree 2:15-3 p.m. Spencer Ludwig 4:15-5:15 p.m. Buddy 6:15-7:15 p.m.

ALABAMA NEWSCENTER SUNSET STAGE Yoga 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Yoga 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

The Red Clay Strays 12:45-1:15 p.m.

RDGLDGRN 12:45-1:30 p.m.

Jesse Royal 3-3:30 p.m.

Hirie 3-3:30 p.m.

Hirie 4:15-5 p.m.

New Kingston 4:15-5 p.m.

New Kingston 6-6:45 p.m.

Jesse Royal 5:45-6:30 p.m.

MALIBU BEACH HOUSE Dr. Fresch 1:45-2:30 p.m.

Moon Boots 3:30-4:15 p.m. Hugel 5-5:45 p.m. Justin Jay 6:45-7:30 p.m.

MONSTER BEACH CLUB Rachel Torro 12:45-1:30 p.m. The Him 2:45-3:30 p.m. Black Caviar 4:15-5 p.m. CRAY 5:45-6:30 p.m.

MALIBU BEACH HOUSE Purdy 12-12:45 p.m.

Justin Jay 1:45-2:30 p.m. Hugel 3:30-4:15 p.m. Dr. Fresch 5-5:45 p.m. Hugel 3:30-4:15 p.m. Moon Boots 6:45-7:30 p.m.

MONSTER BEACH CLUB Rachel Torro 12:45-1:30 p.m. CRAY 2:45-3:30 p.m. Black Caviar 4:15-5 p.m. The Him 5:45-6:30 p.m. 21

The Red Clay Strays / Courtesy Photo

Honky Tonkin' on the Beach By Frances Dean

The Red Clay Strays have a lot on their plate—but they're hungry for more. The Mobile-based five-piece has spent the last two years making a name for themselves playing bars across the South, and they're eager to kick it up a notch with their performance at Hangout Fest this weekend. The band blends nostalgic sounds of Southern rock with modern guitar riffs and deep, soulful, twangy vocals. Fans and reviewers fondly cite The Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bob Seger as influences they hear throughout the Red Clay Stray's music. "I call it rock and roll with Southern influence or country with rock and roll influence," said rhythm guitarist Drew Nix. "A lot of people are calling it 'alt-country' these days. We put music out and let the people decide."

The Alabama group consists of Brandon Coleman on lead vocals, rhythm guitar and piano, Zach Rishel on lead guitar, John W. Hall on drums, Andrew Bishop on bass and Drew Nix as rhythm guitar, harmonica and backup vocals. Bishop, Hall and Nix currently live together in a house in Mobile. "We're all literally like brothers," Nix said. "I've laughed some of my hardest with these guys, and there's times where we about killed each other. But at the end of the day, we love each other like family. But I hate even saying 'like' family because it feels like a real one." When they aren't at home or writing material for their first album, you can find the Red Clay Strays playing at one of the

area's many neighborhood watering holes like Callahan's, Soul Kitchen or the Flora-Bama—a spot that yielded their biggest gig yet. "We're a regular band at the FloraBama, and we met a couple of young ladies who worked closely with the Hangout crew who got us booked to play at The Hangout Oyster Cookoff," Nix said. "The owner of The Hangout, Shaul Zislin, came up to us after our set and offered us the slot [at Hangout Fest]. We're extremely excited about it and are going to put on the best show we have in us." Nix said Hangout Fest attendees can expect a ton of energy and excitement from their upcoming performance. "It's all natural—we can't help how we feel the music, and we just pretty much lay it all out there when we play," he said. The band signed a record deal with

Skate Mountain Records in 2017, and they've been diligently writing music over the last year or so in preparation for their first full-length album. "We feel like our patience and hard work is coming to fruition," Nix said. Nix noted that he and the rest of the band members quit their day jobs, so their respective "8 to 5" workday hours are filled with writing and working out new possible songs. "We've recorded some new music at Dauphin Street Sound in Mobile recently and have done some overdubs in Nashville with a master guitarist, a really solid producer/engineer and wonderful human being named Jeff King that we're waiting on to be mixed and mastered," Nix said. Nix compared the band to what he imagines running a small business would be like and noted that when there's growth involved, there's usually growing pains. "It's all about trying to keep up with where you're at in the moment and continuously getting better," Nix noted. After the Red Clay Strays play Hangout Fest, they'll leave for a quick run of shows in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee. Their first record is also slated to be released later this summer, and Nix said he imagines the record will be followed by another cycle of writing, recording and touring. "I hate speaking for everybody [in the band], but the fact that we've been able to make a living playing music is what we're most proud of," Nix said. "We know where we stand in the world and in the grand scheme of music, but we feel like we have a lot to say and we can't wait for everybody to be able to hear it. The fact that I even found these people and an outlet to keep my sanity has made me the happiest I've ever been in my life."

THE RED CLAY STRAYS

12:45-1:15 p.m. Sunday Alabama Newscenter Sunset Stage

Let's Hang Out

Why I'm braving millennials, sand in my crack and overpriced beer to see The Lumineers By Edwin Banacia Jim Gaffigan has a line in one of his family-friendly comedies about waiting for hours with his kids at Disneyworld for the Dumbo ride. He gets to the front of the line and there's just a mirror. He comes to realize the point of the ride— "You're the Dumbo, Dumbo." That's how I feel about Hangout Fest. Look, I'm not a hater. I love music. In fact, I've worked in the music industry my entire life (and that's a long life, trust me). There's just something about music festivals under the hot sun with lots of traffic that makes me say, "Coachella on the beach? How about Couchella in the AC instead?" But here's why I'm going this year and why 222 2

you should as well. It's pretty simple actually, just two words—The Lumineers. Who doesn't love a band who has the courage to tell their own fans to put their "fu$%ing phones down and live in the moment?" But their real brilliance is in their feel-good simplicity, which allows room to downright love their lyrics, like this gem— "And I made her laugh, I made a pass / I showed her my half-dollar ring / She said, 'That's pretty cool but classy girls don't kiss in bars, you fool'"—from "Classy Girls." And who can forget about the hits? The Lumineers have had some monsters. "Ho Hey," "Stubborn Love" and the haunting "Ophelia." There are literally no skips on any of their albums.

Even beyond my beloved Lum Lums (hat tip Phoebe Robinson for that adorable nickname), Hangout Fest really does bring it. I mean, where else can you wear that fake mustache and monocle? Or fanny pack and look cool? Do you have friends who aren't going? Well then, you have to make sure to get a ton of Instagram content so you can remind them that you're cooler than them. That alone will be worth the price of admission. So yeah, music festivals are a lot, especially when you're over 30. You'll plan to make a detailed schedule to see all your favorite artists, but you'll only see a fraction of them because you end up wasting most of your time waiting in line for a drink. There will be a crazy after-

party, but you'll fall asleep on the shuttle, dehydrated and sunburnt. But that's half the fun. It's called living. And if you're not living, baby, you're dying. So get your ass to Hangout Fest and live, OK? And make sure you look for me—I'll be the guy who's living his best life Sunday night with The Lumineers.

THE LUMINEERS 9:35-11 p.m. Sunday Hangout Stage

inweekly.net

WEEK OF MAY 16-22

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

Beauty in “Brutalism” By Savannah Evanoff was feeling. The love I had was so beautiful, but it was also wildly impractical. It was also a place I didn’t want to live. There wasn’t a lot of light getting in.” Although “Brutalism” isn’t a single—not in the truest sense—it’s danceable. “If you ever come to my shows, I dance a bit on stage,” Pierce said. “I’ve found in rehearsal this is a song where I naturally— without thinking about it—am swinging my hips and am really enjoying the groove of that song in a way that I didn’t discover while listening to that studio version.” Although Pierce’s earliest music memories are of post-church Christian gospel, his first love was electronic. Then he started getting into The Smiths and bands of that sort and spent a lot of time immersed in that genre.

"I was even more surprised the rest of the world seemed to be excited about me fiddling around on a guitar." Pierce

The Drums / Photo by Nicholas Moore

Jonny Pierce stores sadness on a shelf the same way he would an encyclopedia—it’s there when he needs it, but he doesn’t have to lug it around with him for life. Not a day goes by when the singer and instrumentalist behind indie pop band The Drums doesn’t feel sadness. But he wouldn’t describe it as an overwhelming ocean suffocating him—not anymore.

"I’m able to experience sadness, but it doesn’t feel inescapable." Jonny Pierce “It’s more manageable,” Pierce said. “I’m starting to understand myself, understand where my triggers come from, where the sadness is rooted. I’m able to experience sadness, but it doesn’t feel inescapable.” When Pierce started The Drums’ latest album, “Brutalism,” he was deeply enMay 16, 2019

twined in a romantic relationship—though not a particularly easy one. His boyfriend lived in Brussels, Belgium, and Pierce lived in New York. The title track is about the heaviness of that relationship. “The other person would love me in the way they knew how, but it wasn’t a love that was sustainable and necessarily reliable,” Pierce said. “When we did connect and did find love together, it was such a heavy, passionate, giant love that was almost too big to understand. It was a love bundled with pain.” The name of the song and the album, “Brutalism,” has a double meaning. Pierce is a huge fan of brutalist architecture, a style characterized by lots and lots of concrete, he said. “These structures have very little light coming in small windows,” Pierce said. “These buildings are heavy, impractical and beautiful. I thought that reflected how I

about feeling lost, confused and cut off from the rest of the world without fully understanding why. The recently-released music video, though, is the perfect example of how Pierce has evolved. “Some kid from Russia DM’d me and said, ‘I want to make a music video,’ and I took a look at his reel and just loved it,” Pierce said. “I did some green screen in L.A. He sent us the finished product, and we didn’t change a thing, we were so happy with it.” To let someone else take control, Pierce had to let go. “Previously, like most of my other records, I would do everything on my own with a video,” Pierce said. “I would direct it, edit it and style it. It’s nice to hand that off to someone else. It’s a real exercise in trust.” The personal changes in his life were difficult but ultimately informed the sound of the record and also the message of the record, which is one of vulnerability, Pierce said. “These days, we’re so private about everything; we’re so guarded,” Pierce said. “Instagram tells us we should show the happy side of life. There’s this whole other part of life that’s just as beautiful and just as meaningful—sometimes that’s sorrow. But if we’re just exposing to the world, our families and friends that all is well when it’s actually not, we’re really sacrificing true connection with people. When we sacrifice connection, we sacrifice joy.” Pierce’s revelations have been a gamechanger. He tries to wake up every single day and make practical choices that set his day in motion in a positive way. “My whole life, I’ve really romanticized pain,” Pierce said. “I’ve leaned on being an artist as my excuse for everything. How could I ever write a song if I’m feeling OK or if I’m not miserable? The truth is, sadness will always be there if you want it to be there. It’s not going anywhere.” {in}

“When I started The Drums, I picked up a guitar for the first time in my life and fiddled around with it,” Pierce said. “Voila! We had a whole EP and first album that were pretty much guitar. It was really exotic for me to use. I was even more surprised the rest of the world seemed to be excited about me fiddling around on a guitar.” Five albums later, Pierce wanted to return to his first love. He bought a bunch of drum machines and dusted off his old synthesizers for what came to be “Brutalism.” Returning to his roots made sense. After Pierce’s breakup, he went to work on himself, too. “I decided to put myself in some intense therapy, started eating differently and staying away from alcohol and drugs, really just taking myself seriously—kinda for the first time in my life,” Pierce said. “Rather than make a record all on my own like WHAT: The Drums with Tanukichan and I always have, I decided to open Sweet Release up and bring in my guitar player, WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, May 20 drummer, a mixing engineer, WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox sound engineer and producer. I COST: $16 decided I wanted to explore and stop being such a control freak.” DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com The song “Body Chemistry” is

THE DRUMS

calendar THURSDAY 5.16

WORK ON THE FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Every Thursday. Three miles north of Deaton Bridge Road. meetup.com/ftawesterngate YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org RED, WHITE AND BIRDIES CLASSIC 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $90-$100 per player. Perdido Bay Golf and Lodging, 1 Doug Ford Drive. visitperdido.com BAPTIST HEALTH CARE: COOKING WITH CRUZ Noon. Ever'man Educational Center,

327 W. Garden St. everman.org

VETERANS' MEETING 4 p.m. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HANDS ACROSS THE SAND 5-6:30 p.m. Gulfside Pavilion, 20 Casino Beach Boardwalk. healthygulf.org AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine CORDOVA ROTARY'S BLUES STAY-N-PLAY

5:30-8 p.m. $100 per couple. Phineas Phogg's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com TOAST OF THE COAST: PICKLED PAIRINGS 5:30 p.m. $45 per person. The Deck Bar, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com PJ MASKS LIVE: SAVE THE DAY 6 p.m. $36-$76. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. saengertheatre.com CHRISTOPHER'S CONCERTS 6-8 p.m. Free. The Blenders. St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 3200 N. 12th Ave. scpen.org HANDS-ON COOKING: CAST IRON PIZZA 6 p.m. $64.50. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com CLEAN WATER PADDLE SERIES 6 p.m. Aloha Wine and Liquor, 649 Pensacola Beach Blvd. Paddle around Sabine Bay, with environmental education to follow. healthygulf.org ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road. END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com LATIN DANCE CLASSES 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha and more. Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. MOBILE BAYBEARS 6:35 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com THIRD THURSDAY MEDITATION 7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S 7:30 p.m. $7-$11, free for PSC students. Pensacola State College Ashmore Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu

FRIDAY 5.17

ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 10 a.m. Pensacola

Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

GALLERY NIGHT 5-9 p.m. After-party 9-11

p.m. South Palafox (Garden Street to Main Street). Classic car and hot rod show. gallerynightpensacola.org GARDEN AND GRAIN CRAFT COCKTAIL LAB 5 424 2

p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco HAPPY HOUR COOKOUTS 5 p.m. Drink specials, free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com SPRING WINE DINNER 6 p.m. $92.45. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com SELF LOVE FRIDAY 6 p.m. Two-hour restorative yoga class. Wild Lemon, 3000 N. 12th Ave. register online at beawildlemon.com DATE NIGHT DANCE CLASSES 6:30-8 p.m. $8. Learn several romantic ballroom dance styles in unique group classes. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com BLUE WAHOOS VS. MOBILE BAYBEARS 6:35 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com

Let's Go Down to the Swamp By Sarah Mc Wilson

U.S. MARINE CORPS AVIATION MEMORIAL PLACEMENT CEREMONY 6:45 p.m. Veterans

Memorial Park and Wall South, 200 S. 10th Ave.

OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N.

9th Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin GRAYSON CAPPS 7 p.m. $10. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S 7:30 p.m. $7-$11, free for PSC students. Pensacola State College Ashmore Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu VENUS IN FUR 7:30 p.m. $14-$20. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

SATURDAY 5.18

PARKRUN/WALK MEETUP 7:30 a.m. University

of West Florida, Rec Plex North Field, 11000 University Parkway. parkrun.us/recplexnorth SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road. PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com YOU SELL IT HERE FARMER'S MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free admission. Every Saturday. 8600 Pensacola Blvd. facebook.com/yousellithere OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Two locations: Wayside Park/Graffiti Bridge at the Pensacola Visitor Center, 1401 E Gregory St.; and W. Bartram Park on 211 Bayfront Parkway. oceanhourfl.com DOGGY BATHE-IN 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $8-$11. Pensacola Humane Society, 5 N. Q St. pensacolahumane.org PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: MUSIC FOR FAMILIES 9:30 a.m.

Concert begins at 11 a.m. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasymphony.com

SECRET GARDENS OF THE EMERALD COAST TOUR 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $20. Self-guided tour

of six residential gardens. pensacolagardencenter.com/events ESSENTIAL OIL FOR PETS 11 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S BUSINESS FAIR 11 a.m.2 p.m. Bare Hand Collective, 2370 N. Palafox.

Michael J. McCartan / Courtesy Photo

A bluesy swamp mix of lyrics, grooves and rhythms, drawn out of life on the Gulf Coast. It's what longtime area musician and multi-instrumentalist Michael J. McCartan has been pouring his creative energies into in recent months. And the result is a full-length original album, fittingly titled "Swamp Mix." All 11 songs are written, sung and played by McCartan, with the addition of harmonica by Jeff Glickman and John Barksdale. To welcome "Swamp Mix" into existence, McCartan is releasing it into the world Monday night, May 20, at Lili Marlene's inside of Seville Quarter. He is performing the album live as the opening act of Monday Night Blues, a venue that has become his guitar-playing stomping grounds. McCartan is quick to tell you that he's a drummer first, a drummer who learned to play three chords on the guitar—C, F and G, he jokes. The truth is, playing music has always been deeply rooted in his existence. This album explores his songwriting and blues-inspired guitar playing and combines his strength of percussion and heart for storytelling. If you close your eyes while listening to track "The Gulf Coast Way," you might feel as

if you're sitting down on the swamp on a screened porch. It's gritty. It's groovy. It's conceptual even. And honestly, it's blown me away. I write this not as his proud daughter (though I am), but as someone who has spent a large portion of her own life listening to and deepening her connection to existence through music. McCartan recorded "Swamp Mix" right here in Pensacola, working with local legend Phil Thomas Katt (PTK). To those who follow McCartan's musical journey and have seen the otherworldly music videos he's created with PTK via the Uncharted Zone—you're in for an entirely different kind of experience with "Swamp Mix." {in}

SWAMP MIX RELEASE PARTY WHAT: Michael J. McCartan CD Release Event at Monday Night Blues WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, May 20 WHERE: Lili Marlene's inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. COST: Free entry; CDs $10 DETAILS: mrmacsays.com

inweekly.net

calendar PENSACOLA HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY MEETING 11:30 a.m. O'Charley's, 6233

N. Davis Highway. "Post Office Murals and New Deal Art" will be the topic by Dean DeBolt. For reservations, please call Judy DeBolt, 477-3294. PENSACOLA PUPPETRY MEETUP 1-3 p.m. Historic Seville Square, 311 E. Government St. facebook.com/smiletimepuppets AUTHOR SIGNING WITH JEFF TREGANOWAN 2-4 p.m. Barnes & Noble, 1200

Airport Blvd.

THE BIG SCOOP 3-5 p.m. $10. Proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. ADMIRING THE HUSH ARBOR: MEMORIAL AND REMEMBRANCE OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE

4:30-6 p.m. Free. Arcadia Homestead, 4755 Anna Simpson Road. historicpensacola. org/explore-arcadia-mill WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12 plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us BLUE WAHOOS VS. MOBILE BAYBEARS 6:05 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com RUMOURS: A FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE 7 p.m. $15-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com COUPLES COOK: HAWAIIAN LUAU TIME 7 p.m. $60. Pensacola Cooks, 3670 Barrancas Ave. pensacolacooks.rezclick.com BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S 7:30 p.m. $7-$11, free for PSC students. Pensacola State College Ashmore Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu VENUS IN FUR 7:30 p.m. $14-$20. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com IRISH NIGHT 7:30-10 p.m. $6. Live! Juice Bar, 532 W. Garden St. Leila & friends and Gan Ainm. liverawpensacola.com AUTO RACING 8 p.m. Five Flags Speedway, 7451 Pine Forest Road. 5flagsspeedway.com

SUNDAY 5.19

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs

Park, Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one- to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN 10 a.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook. com/cafesinglefin SECRET GARDENS OF THE EMERALD COAST TOUR 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $20. Self-guided tour

of six residential gardens. pensacolagardencenter.com/events PRISON BOOK PACK-A-THON 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Open Books Bookstore and Prison Book Project, 1040 N. Guillemard St. openbookspcola.org TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org facebook.com/pensacolaCBF VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for May 16, 2019

adults. Free valet parking and 15 percent off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via de Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach IRON CHEF JR. 1-4:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 Garden St. everman.org BLUE WAHOOS VS. MOBILE BAYBEARS 1:05 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S 2:30 p.m. $7-$11, free for PSC students. Pensacola State College Ashmore Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd. pensacolastate.edu VENUS IN FUR 3 p.m. $14-$20. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com BROADWAY LIGHTS DANCE CENTER: A CINDERELLA STORY 3 p.m. $16-$23. Saenger

Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com SWING DANCE CLASSES 4-7 p.m. $10. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

MONDAY 5.20

RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Li-

brary, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com

PILATES MAT 1:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 6 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com VEGAN COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $25. Tempeh tacos and frozen key lime cheesecake. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. eotlcafe.com CULTURES COOK: SUSHI 6 p.m. $39. Pensacola Cooks, 3670 Barrancas Ave. pensacolacooks.rezclick.com CROHN'S AND COLITIS SUPPORT 6:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BLUE WAHOOS VS. MOBILE BAYBEARS 6:35 p.m. $5 and up. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. bluewahoos.com MICHAEL J. MCCARTAN CD RELEASE PARTY

7 p.m. Free admission, CD is $10. Lili Marlene's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. mrmacsays.com THE DRUMS 7 p.m. $16-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com PENSACOLA BAY CONCERT BAND PRESENTS: AT THE MOVIES 7:30-9:30 p.m. Bring

non-perishable food item to be donated to Manna Food Pantry for admission. UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. uwf.edu HIP-HOP & CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASSES 8-9 p.m. $5. Learn amazing moves from

professional instructors. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

TUESDAY 5.21

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. Free. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1878 S Blue Angel Parkway. navalaviationmuseum.org OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS 12:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org 25

calendar discussion of "Greetings from Huckleberry Falls" by Bruce Cuddy at 7 p.m. Open mic at 7:30. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. BANDS ON THE BEACH 7-9 p.m. Free. Jessie Ritter. Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach. visitpensacolabeach.com COMEDY NIGHT 7 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com

WEDNESDAY 5.22

Blue Wahoos / Courtesy Photo plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us HANDS-ON COOKING: INDIAN CUISINE 6 p.m. $64.50. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com FUNKY YOGA 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center,

7830 Pine Forest Road.

COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES 6:30 p.m. $10.

Country two-step, East Coast swing, competition choreography and more. No partner required. World championship dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com WEST FLORIDA LITERARY FEDERATION OPEN MIC 6:30 p.m. Free. Reading and

for more listings visit inweekly.net

WILD PONIES

TRYON FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 4 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 4-6 p.m. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH ACADEMY 5:30-9 p.m. Free. Escambia County Sheriff's Office, 1700 West Leonard St. WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12

TIP-A-COP 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics Florida. Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. Free. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1878 S Blue Angel Parkway. navalaviationmuseum.org ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com VEGAN AND VINO SUNDAYS 4-7 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SWING DANCE CLASSES AND PARTY 6:3010 p.m. $10 lesson, $5 party. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all levels followed by fun and friendly social dancing on the best wood dance floor in the area. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

presents

RadioLive adioLive THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola

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06/06/19

6:00 p.m. Doors 5:00 p.m.

Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM

Tickets $10

available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787 inweekly.net

a&e

By Sydney Robinson

Dynamic Duo Feeling a bit tied up? A little bent out of shape? Have the sensation that the world has its boot on your neck, but you kind of like it? Those looking for a bit of a painful theater experience should check out Venus in Fur—a two-person production written by David Ives and being brought to life by long-time Pensacola Little Theatre member and director Maureen McNeill. The PLT's upcoming production of Venus in Fur is about sado-masochism, reflections on the #MeToo era and the exploration of the shifting dynamic between men and women. But if you just got all hot and bothered thinking you'll see a Christian Grey type strutting about and participating in questionable consent techniques onstage, think again, Anastasia. Venus in Fur, a play about a play about a novella, is a lot more complicated than it seems. The production stars Pensacola actors Christopher Holloway and Renee Jordan as Thomas and Vanda, respectively, a brooding playwright and a brash actress who clash over an old novella of the same name. The novella by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch is where this whole story begins. In it, a man is so overcome with love for a woman that he begs to become her slave. Reluctantly, she agrees, and thus begins a tale of misery and titillation. If the author's last name rings a bell for you, it's probably because "Masoch" is where we get the modern term "Masochism." Named long after the practice permeated society, masochism is the desire to give oneself over to another sexually, often in a way that involves pain and humiliation. In the play, Thomas seeks to portray Masoch's story onstage but struggles to cast his perfect leading lady, the one who can fully embody the dominating, fieryhaired beauty of the novella. Instead, here comes late, loud, rude Vanda who

May 16, 2019

browbeats Thomas until she is given an opportunity to shine. From there, the two creative types clash over Thomas's material, battling over what is acceptable and what is just the status quo. McNeill has been hoping to bring this production to the PLT stage for about five years and says that now is the perfect time.

"It has kind of been in the works for a while, but in retrospect, I'm glad it took a few years because this was an ideal time, and it had a message that was pretty timely." Maureen McNeill "It has kind of been in the works for a while, but in retrospect, I'm glad it took a few years because this was an ideal time, and it had a message that was pretty timely," she told Inweekly. McNeill feels that the 2010 play based on a book from 1870 is especially timely in 2019 as we continue to engage in meaningful conversations about power and consent in the #MeToo era. "[In the play,] we're tackling some of the casting couch issues and defining what is feminism—how does it play a part in a woman's life, a man's life," explained McNeill. "I don't think [these issues] weren't in people's minds 10 years ago, but it is so prominent in social media and news coverage right now. It's something that everyone is having conversations about with friends and coworkers. The material of the show is going to push that conversation along, which I'm glad for because I don't think that would have been the case five years ago." It's true that American society is more aware than it ever has been to issues of sexism, harassment and the abuse of power after a slew of badly-behaved men were

"We have really, really had fun with these ousted from the entertainment and politicharacters. We are really trying to bring some cal arena in the past couple of years. As a absolute realism to them," she said. result, we are now viewing art and culture It would seem that Venus in Fur is the type more closely than ever and seeing—some of play that is best seen after having read the for the first time—the imbalance that exnovella to best understand the references and ists at every level of society. themes of the play. And yes, it's a page-turn"So much of the show is just two different er—Jordan says she missed the first night of opinions constantly being in conversation of rehearsals because she was so enthralled in the each other," explained McNeill. "It's literally, source material. Still, attendees with no prior 'Here is a play, and the play that we're watchknowledge will still be able to follow along. ing is two people discussing another play.' You might find you agree with one character, you might find both make valid points, or you might look at it and just say, 'Why did we even explore this in the first place?'" Through this complex-in-its-simplicity setup, the actors are able to embody multiple characters, moving in and out of the persona of actor and character and back again. This morphability means that the audience has a lot more to be invested in than just two characters talking. "I think that it's always an interesting "We do really go through and take a very dynamic to have a two-person show that interesting look at a very age-old kink, but isn't based in a traditional romantic or the pressure is taken off because you do get familiar relationship," McNeill said. "These to see two very real people talk about and are two people who do not know each go through what this story tells," shared Jorother at all, and for them to be forced into dan. "While it has a lot of these S&M-type this room and see what happens over 90 themes, there is still that room to play." minutes real time, that in itself is someA fact sure to disappoint some and dething captivating to watch." {in} light others, Jordan explained that no real salacious activities will happen on stage. "It's not as intense as it might look. I'm not going to be beating him or whipping him or anything on stage, but there's definitely a really interesting conversation between these two WHAT: Pensacola Little Theatre presents Venus characters that audiences will find in Fur funny and interesting and even WHEN: 7:30 p.m. May 17-18 and 24-25; 3 p.m. vindicating," she said. May 19 Jordan said that this is her WHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jeffirst time in a two-person play ferson St. that lacks scene breaks but that COST: $14-20 her chemistry with Holloway DETAILS: pensacolalittletheatre.com made it a joy to explore during

"I think that it's always an interesting dynamic to have a twoperson show that isn't based in a traditional romantic or familiar relationship." McNeill

VENUS IN FUR

their six weeks of rehearsal.

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a&e

By Jennifer Leigh

The Kids of the Future

Donovan Crooke / Courtesy Photo

For generations, kids' entrepreneurial skills were limited to lemonade stands and babysitting. But young minds are too creative, innovative and fearless to be boxed in. What could they accomplish if they were given an opportunity to start their own original business? Pensacola Children's Business Fair seeks to answer that question. The first children's business fair started in 2007 in Austin, Texas, and it has since spread around the country. It came to Pensacola by way of three moms—Crystal Barrineau, Jennifer Fernandez and Kana Meece—who wanted to find a fun way to prepare their young kids for the future. "I read that 65 percent of today's children will be employed in careers that don't exist yet," said Meece. "So many things are changing. As a parent, one of my duties is to prepare my children for the ever-changing world and give them the best possible start." With the Pensacola Children's Business Fair (PCB), kids ages 6 to 17 are building their own business from scratch. They're in charge of product development, branding, inventory—everything. And on May 18,

they get to share their goods and services to the general public at the Bare Hand Collective space. "Kids are the boss," Meece said. Building a business from scratch not only requires basic academic skills but also provides a chance for kids to learn life lessons. "They're exercising their creativity, communication skills, financial literacy and resiliency—which is so important," Meece said. "They're in control of their money. They can spend it all on a game or save it or donate some. It's their choice." Originally, Pensacola organizers were hoping to have about 20 to 30 vendors, said Meece. Once the registration was open, they were booked in two and a half weeks with a total of 39 vendors. "We had to put people on a waitlist," said Meece. While the idea for a kid's business fair is adorable, it also makes sense. Children have unique qualities that can set them apart from adult counterparts. "Kids are passionate and courageous," said Meece. "They believe their idea is the best thing ever. We tend to lose that as we get older." Meece's 7-year-old daughter, Koto, is one of the young entrepreneurs—or kidpreneurs, as they're called. She'll be selling homemade mochi treats. The process has had its "ups and downs." It's like any business. But overall, it's been fun to watch, Meece said.

And that's exactly what parents want What kind of goods and services do to hear from their kids. Beyond economics, kids want to sell? Slime was a popular Samantha said she hopes her son learns to category (Meece said they limit three busiseek support and be resilient—a keyword nesses per category to keep the business among PBC participants. fair diverse). "There is so much support and so many Outside of slime, there's art, small resources available to you when you pursue crafts, bath bombs, soap—and yes, even a any endeavor, whether it be owning a busibabysitting service. ness or another pursuit," Samantha said. "I When 8-year-old Donovan Crooke grows also hope Donovan learns the value of trial up, he said he wants to build robots to help and error, particularly that it can actually astronauts in space. Until then, he's starting be a positive thing to try something new small with his very own soap company. and potentially not do as well as you preHis soaps are unique in that they each dicted, because it's an opportunity to brainhave a small figurine inside such as a doctor, storm new avenues of doing things, and it in ninja or spaceman. Each soap comes with a no way constitutes an actual failure." unique back story as to how the figure got For Donovan—and many of the other trapped. For example, the doctor's "patients" kidpreneurs—the children's business fair was running thin; the ninja got frozen in soap isn't the end of the road. after doing a handstand to stretch his wrists. Donovan said he plans to continue takA big motivator for Donovan was the ing orders online and is already thinking of chance to earn some cash. social media marketing. And because there "I wanted to get some money. I love to was such a demand for applications, Meece invent stuff, too," he told Inweekly in an said they're already planning to host semiemail interview. annual fairs. He also wants to "incentivize kids and If you're looking for unique items, Pengrownups to wash their hands." sacola Children's Business Fair will have them. Donovan's mom, Samantha (full discloAnd even if you're not in the market for sure, Samantha Crooke is a former Inweeksome slime, mochi or soap, Meece encourly art director), said the overall process has ages people to stop by the fair anyway and been a learning and bonding experience for meet the business owners. them both. It was also perfect timing since "Just come on May 18, talk to the kids Donovan's class had just done a unit on and give their confidence a boost," she economics before he began the process. said. "You'll see the pure excitement about While kids are their own boss, they did their ideas—it's crazy cool. And I am lookhave some guidance. PCB held an educaing forward to seeing their proud faces tion seminar for participants and the kids when they do make their first sale." {in} also met with small business owners and vendors at Bare Hand Collective who offered advice, which was beneficial, Donovan said. "Being a kid and owning a business is actually pretty hard work, but seeing grown-up business WHEN: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 18 owners and the other kids with WHERE: Bare Hand Collective, 2370 N. Palafox their own businesses has helped DETAILS: childrensbusinessfair.org keep me from giving up," he said.

PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S BUSINESS FAIR

EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH NOW OPEN ON SUNDAYS May 16, 2019

free will astrology WEEK OF MAY 16 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): According to humorist Dave Barry, "The method of learning Japanese recommended by experts is to be born as a Japanese baby and raised by a Japanese family, in Japan." As you enter an intensely educational phase of your astrological cycle, I suggest you adopt a similar strategy toward learning new skills and mastering unfamiliar knowledge and absorbing fresh information. Immerse yourself in environments that will efficiently and effectively fill you with the teachings you need. A more casual, slapdash approach just won't enable you to take thorough advantage of your current opportunities to expand your repertoire. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): I think it's time for a sacred celebration—a blowout extravaganza filled with reverence and revelry, singing and dancing, sensual delights and spiritual blessings. What is the occasion? After all these eons, your lost love has finally returned. And who exactly is your lost love? You. You are your own lost love. Having weaved and wobbled through countless adventures full of rich lessons, the missing part of you has finally wandered back. So give yourself a flurry of hugs and kisses. Start planning the jubilant hoopla. And exchange ardent vows, swearing that you'll never be parted again. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): The Louvre in Paris is the world's biggest art museum. Over 35,000 works are on display, packed into 15 acres. If you wanted to see every piece, devoting just a minute to each, you would have to spend eight hours a day there for many weeks. I bring this to your attention, Gemini, because I suspect that now would be a good time for you to treat yourself to a marathon gaze-fest of art in the Louvre—or any other museum. For that matter, it's a favorable phase to gorge yourself on *any* beauty *anywhere* that will make your soul freer and smarter and happier. You will thrive to the degree that you absorb a profusion of grace, elegance and loveliness.

www.radio freepensacola .com

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): In my astrological opinion, you now have a mandate to exercise your rights to free speech with acute vigor. It's time to articulate all the important insights you've been waiting for the right moment to call to everyone's attention. It's time to unearth the buried truths and veiled agendas and ripening mysteries. It's time to be the catalyst that helps your allies to realize what's real and important, what's fake and irrelevant. I'm not saying you should be rude, but I do encourage you to be as candid as is necessary to nudge people in the direction of authenticity. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): During summers in the far northern land of Alaska, many days have 20 hours of sunlight. Farmers take advantage of the extra photosynthe-

030 3

By Rob Brezsny

sis by growing vegetables and fruits that are bigger and sweeter than crops grown further south. During the Alaska State Fair every August, you can find prodigies like 130-pound cabbages and 65-pound cantaloupes. I suspect you'll express a comparable fertility and productiveness during the coming weeks, Leo. You're primed to grow and create with extra verve. So let me ask you a key question—to which part of your life do you want to dedicate that bonus power?

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): It's time

for you to reach higher and dig deeper. So don't be a mere tinkerer nursing a lukewarm interest in mediocre stories and trivial games. Be a strategic adventurer in the service of exalted stories and meaningful games. In fact, I feel strongly that if you're not prepared to go all the way, you shouldn't go at all. Either give everything you've got or else keep it contained for now. Can you handle one further piece of strenuous advice, my dear? I think you will thrive as long as you don't settle for business as usual or pleasure as usual. To claim the maximum vitality that's available, you'll need to make exceptions to at least some of your rules.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): "All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful," wrote author Flannery O'Connor. I think that's an observation worth considering. But I've also seen numerous exceptions to her rule. I know people who have eagerly welcomed grace into their lives even though they know that its arrival will change them forever. And amazingly, many of those people have experienced the resulting change as tonic and interesting, not primarily painful. In fact, I've come to believe that the act of eagerly welcoming change-inducing grace makes it more likely that the changes will be tonic and interesting. Everything I've just said will especially apply to you in the coming weeks. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): There's

a certain problem that has in my opinion occupied too much of your attention. It's really rather trivial in the big picture of your life and doesn't deserve to suck up so much of your attention. I suspect you will soon see things my way and take measures to move on from this energy sink. Then you'll be free to focus on a more interesting and potentially productive dilemma—a twisty riddle that truly warrants your loving attention. As you work to solve it, you will reap rewards that will be useful and enduring.

love a person freely, including all her secrets. I want to love in this person someone she doesn't know. I want to love outside the law: without judgment. Without imposed preference. Does that mean outside morality? No. Only this—without fault, without false, without true. I want to meet her between the words, beneath language."

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

corn author Henry Miller wrote that his master plan was "to remain what I am and to become more and more only what I am—that is, to become more miraculous." This is an excellent strategy for your use. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to renounce any tendency you might have to compare yourself to anyone else. You'll attract blessings as you wean yourself from imagining that you should live up to the expectations of others or follow a path that resembles theirs. So here's my challenge: I dare you to become more and more only what you are—that is, to become more miraculous.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): London's British Museum holds a compendium of artifacts from the civilizations of many different eras and locations. Author Jonathan Stroud writes that it's "home to a million antiquities, several dozen of which were legitimately come by." Why does he say that? Because so many of the museum's antiquities were pilfered from other cultures. In accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you to fantasize about a scenario in which the British Museum's administrators return these treasures to their original owners. When you're done with that imaginative exercise, move on to the next one, which is to envision scenarios in which you recover the personal treasures and goodies and powers that you have been separated from over the years. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "I hate it when people tell me that I should 'get out of my comfort zone,'" writes Piscean blogger Rosespell. "I don't even have a comfort zone. My discomfort zone is pretty much everywhere." I have good news for Rosespell and all of you Pisceans who might be inclined to utter similar testimony. The coming weeks will feature conditions that make it far more likely than usual that you will locate or create a *real* comfort zone you can rely on. For best results, cultivate a vivid expectation that such a sweet development is indeed possible. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Describe what you'd be like if you were already the person you'll be five years from now.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

Author Hélène Cixous articulated a poetically rigorous approach to love. I'll tell you about it since, in my astrological opinion, you're entering a phase when you'll be wise to upgrade and refine your definitions of love, even as you upgrade and refine your practice of love. Here's Cixous—"I want to

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news of the weird OVERREACTIONS What began as a quiet family dinner at home quickly escalated into a front-yard brawl on April 22 in Bedford, Virginia. Fox News reported that Mark Turner, 56, his girlfriend, the girlfriend's son and the son's girlfriend had retired to the front yard after dinner when an argument broke out between the two men about whether Chevrolet or Ford makes better vehicles. According to the Bedford County Commonwealth's Attorney Wes Nance, Turner allegedly pulled out a knife but ended up slashing his girlfriend's back as she tried to calm the situation. Next Turner went inside and retrieved a gun, but as the girlfriend again tried to get between him and her son, he allegedly shot the woman five times in the leg. He also shot the son in the arm, and two of his stray bullets hit the son's girlfriend in her back and cheek. Finally, according to prosecutors, Turner barricaded himself in the house, where police eventually shot him with a beanbag round and took him into custody. Turner was charged with felony malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a felon. FREE SPEECH TSA agents at Juneau International Airport logged unexpected cargo on April 15 when a "large organic mass" was spotted in a traveler's carry-on bag. TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein explained to KTOO that such a flag can indicate the presence of explosives. However, when agents opened the bag, they found a plastic grocery bag full of moose "nuggets." "The passenger told the TSA officers that he collects this and likes to present it 'for politicians and their (bleep) policies,'" Farbstein explained. The passenger was not detained and was allowed to continue on with his bag of moose poop. Later that day, the Anchorage Daily News reported that a man was seen at the state capitol, handing out baggies of moose nuggets in protest of Gov. Mike Dunleavy's proposed budget. NEWS THAT SOUNDS LIKE A JOKE Arnold J. Teeter, 49, became angry while dining at a Perkins restaurant in Painesville, Ohio, on April 16. First, he threw a menu at his waitress; when a manager stepped in, Teeter upped his game and grabbed his pet iguana from under his shirt, twirled it in the air and launched it toward the manager. Teeter was charged with disorderly conduct—and with cruelty to animals, because Copper, the turquoise iguana, suffered a broken leg in the incident. The Lake County Humane Society has taken the female lizard into protective custody and is trying to raise money for the surgery she needs, reports WEWS. No word on whether the Perkins manager suffered any injuries in the incident. YIKES! John Gardner was minding his own business, driving to work in Conway, South Carolina, on April 30 when "a big, black dot" flew into his windshield, shattering

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

the glass, according to WBTW. "I didn't get hurt at all," Gardner said, although he was covered in glass fragments. The flying object didn't fare so well: A nearby truck had hit a tortoise crossing the road and projected it into Gardner's car. Rob's Auto Body said the animal died on impact. The truck driver was also unhurt, but it's estimated that repairs to Gardner's car will cost about $2,000. CRIME REPORT Sometimes a girl just wants a pretty new thing. But Aida Melcado, 18, and an unnamed minor accomplice, let greed get the best of them. Lower Allen Township Police say Melcado and her helper browsed through the Victoria's Secret store in the Capital City Mall in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 7, carrying large shopping bags and talking on cellphones. While the minor acted as a lookout, Melcado allegedly shoveled delicates into her bag, to wit: 375 hipster panties (worth $3,937.50), 375 cut thongs ($3,937.50), 1,000 thongs ($10,500) and 250 raw-cut hip-hugging panties ($2,625), for a grand total of $21,000. Police told WPMT they later identified the thieves during a drug investigation in Fairfax County, Virginia. LIKELY STORY Police in Tempe, Arizona, said Vanessa Santillan, 40, and her boyfriend were arguing as she was driving on April 21. When she stopped, he exited the car and crossed the street to a sidewalk. Santillan then honked the horn, and her boyfriend returned a rude gesture, according to KTVK/KPHO. That's when police say Santillan drove onto the sidewalk and hit the man, causing injuries serious enough to require a trip to the hospital and stitches. Santillan drove away, but later spoke to police saying she wasn't aware it was "that bad" when she left the scene, further elaborating that she had "blacked out" and didn't remember hitting the boyfriend—even though her car had visible damage. She was booked on one count of aggravated assault and one count of failing to remain at the scene of a collision with injuries. OOPS Runners of the Belfast City Marathon on May 5 who felt the course would never end had a legitimate reason, CNN reported. Organizing committee chairman David Seaton admitted later that "approximately 460 additional meters were added to the officially measured course of 26.2 miles," a difference of about three-tenths of a mile. Seaton blamed the mistake on "human error, with the lead car diverting from the official route." Organizers promised to adjust runners' times to account for the additional mileage. {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com May 16, 2019

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Independent News | May 16, 2019 | inweekly.net