Stock Market Losses?

ola.). We're not going to accept Triumph dollars or anything like that until all of those details are worked out."

DOWN GOES FRAZIER On Tuesday, May 16, months of uncertainty about Warrington Middle School's future finally came to a halt as the Escambia County School Board approved an agreement for Charter Schools USA to take control of the school, but not without pressure from the state.

Fresh off a severe tongue-lashing from Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. and the State Board of Education that included putting the school district on a 48-hour time crunch to produce an agreement, the school board relented with a 4-1 vote for the contract. David Williams was the lone dissenting vote.

Those who voted in favor of the agreement voiced some reluctance but cited the best interests of the students as the deciding factor.

"I regret with all my heart that I will have to vote in favor of this, and I do it for the kids," said Board Chair Paul Fetsko. "And then I make the challenge to this school district to get up and do what we can do to make things better and never put ourselves in a position like this again."

The contract's length is seven years. If WMS earns a C in its first four years as a charter, the contract automatically renews for 15 years. DOE informed the school district that Charter USA would be removed from power if WMS fails to raise its grade to a C by the end of the third year, so the fourth year is inconsequential.

Earlier, the state board held a special meeting and ruled on possible punishments, including recommending to the Florida Legislature that the salaries of the superintendent and board members be withheld.

Tempers boiled over when State Board Vice Chair Ryan Petty described the school district as "incompetent or disingenuous" in its negotiations with the charter operator. Escambia County School Superintendent Tim Smith objected, saying, "It really disturbs me that you say we are incompetent and don't care. Nothing could be further from the truth."

At the Escambia County School Board meeting, Fetsko said, "I don't care about the salary. That salary is meaningless if these kids don't get what they need."

The Tuesday night vote on the Charter USA agreement halts the potential challenge of bussing students from the Warrington zone to either Bailey or Workman middle schools. Board members Patty Hightower and Bill Slayton cited possible bussing if WMS was closed as why they voted in favor of the agreement.

"Some of the things they're asking for are not normal charter school requests," Hightower said. "At the same time, hearing from the attendance zone committee about the hardships that would be imposed on parents with their children being so far from home, I am willing to give Charter USA a chance."

2023 FOO FOO GRANTS Last week the Pensacola Foo Foo Festival committee announced the public grant scoring for the 10-year anniversary of the Foo Foo Festival, naming 16 grant recipients and allocating nearly $500,000 in grant funding for this November's events. The committee awarded the most grant funding ever to the highest number of fully-funded grant recipients awarded since Foo Foo Fest's inception.

"We are proud to offer funding that will help to place a spotlight on these 16 deserving arts and culture organizations, and we can't wait to share in the experiences they have in store for our community and visitors to Pensacola," said Therese Felth McKenzie, Pensacola Foo Foo Festival chair and Art, Culture, and Entertainment, Inc. Pensacola vice president.

The grant winners include 309 Punk Project, Dixon School of Arts & Sciences, Fiesta Pensacola, First City Art Center, Friends of Downtown, Legal Services of North Florida, Night Moves, PenArts, Pensacola Children's Chorus, Pensacola Civic Band, Pensacola Little Theatre, Pensacola Opera, Pensacola State College, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Veterans Memorial Park and the University of West Florida Historic Trust.

The nonprofit organizations not selected and for-profit partners interested in participating, are encouraged to do so as a "Friend of Foo," receiving local, regional and national visibility during the 12-day event via the festival's regional marketing campaign. To apply as a Friend of Foo, please visit FooFooFest.com.

The 2023 grant recipients include:

309 Punk Project will present Night on the Tracks, featuring a New Orleans-inspired secondline street parade and four celebratory, community-oriented immersive experiences.

Dixon School of Arts & Sciences will present an original, Broadway-style production, "Philly and the Dreamer, "at the University of West Florida Theatre. It is a lively musical written and directed by local artists.

Fiesta Pensacola will present "Living Museum: A Trip Through Pensacola's History," an interactive, "go at your own pace" walk-through experience featuring diverse characters from Pensacola's storied history.

First City Art Center will present "Poseidon's Garden," highlighting how the vast waterways surrounding the greater Pensacola area provide bountiful gifts to the destination. Located in the protected area of the tidal basin at Community Maritime Park, the installation will include various-sized blown glass orbs and spikes rising from the water as an offering from Poseidon to recognize our area's stewardship of our beautiful surroundings. The glass installations will be dispersed throughout the basin, combining more than 300 mouth-blown objects to create a spectacular visual presence.

Friends of Downtown will present "The Magic Carpet," a 10,000 square-foot "living" mosaic that will take flight over Museum Plaza. This will be done in collaboration with internationally renowned creative agency ImpactPlan Art Productions, which will feature 48,000 translucent rectangles of vivid color painstakingly stitched together with wire filament.

Jazz for Justice plans to expand its cultural and music offerings by bringing together wellknown musicians and local artists for a unique jazz and blues festival in downtown Pensacola. Jazz for Justice will once again present a lineup of nationally recognized jazz talents.

Night Moves will present a multi-day alternative music festival outside The Handlebar, a downtown Pensacola underground music staple. PenArts will bring professionalism, humor and catchy music under the guise of an updated and entertaining version of William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" at The Gordon Community Art Center.

Pensacola Children's Chorus will present "Singing in the Street," a one-of-a-kind musical experience, fusing the magic of Disney, electricity of Broadway, excitement of a flash mob and spirit of a street party.

The Pensacola Civic Band will present "On Broadway: A Broadway Musical Review," with special guest Megan Hilty, featuring songs from some of Broadway's greatest hits, such as "Wicked,"

The Pensacola Little Theatre will welcome the return of SingEasy, featuring Pensacola's most vibrant singers, polished pianists and lavish libations—doubled in scale and debauchery.

The Pensacola Opera will present "Songs Down South-From Opera to Opry," featuring a diverse musical lineup of musical theater favorites, country, bluegrass, gospel, spirituals and opera in a way most people have never heard.

Pensacola State College will present "Rhythm & Canvas -A Celebration of the Arts!" It will feature a free-to-the-public art exhibition, a visiting artist lecture and an artist welcoming reception event.

The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra will offer a free community concert at the National Naval Aviation Museum over Veterans Day weekend. This concert will feature the Four Seasons Brass, comprised of 15 brass and percussion players performing a wide-ranging repertoire that includes patriotic music.

Veterans Memorial Park will present "Week in the Park," a week of gratitude, art, music, education, healing and laughter for the community.

The University of West Florida Historic Trust will present POP: Murals - On Tour!, featuring guided trolley tours of the seven UWF Historic Trust POP: Murals throughout downtown Pensacola. The interactive ticketed trolley tours will include transportation, historical narration by costumed characters, curated food and beverage offerings and more.

The 2023 Foo Foo Festival will take place from Nov. 2-13. For more details, visit foofoofest.com.

The Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Pensacola invites active-duty military personnel, veterans, families and community members to attend the Memorial Day Ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 28, at Veterans Memorial Park, 200 S. 10th Ave.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to those who have given their lives in the service of our great nation," said Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Pensacola President Rob Doss. "Memorial Day is set aside to honor and remember these men and women, so that their service and their sacrifice is never forgotten."

This year's guest speaker is Dan Shugart of WEAR-TV. A Marine Corps Color Guard will present the colors, and the Pensacola Opera Chorus will perform a patriotic medley of songs. In addition, the Blue Anchor Belles will sing an assortment of 1940s and '50s and patriotic-style music. McGuire's Pipe Band will also be featured at the ceremony. A Marine Corps bugler and honor guard will close the ceremony by rendering honors.

The Memorial Day Ceremony is open to the public. The foundation thanks the community for its continued support as the organization carries on the legacies of those who are remembered and honored at Veterans Memorial Park. For more details, visit veteransmemorialparkpensacola.org. {in}