Inweekly Nov 10 2022 Issue

FOOFOO Independent News | November 10, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 45 | "Vandals to Vanguards" | Currently on view at Pensacola Museum of Art

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winners & losers

outtakes

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5

news 6, 7

I feel like I never left.

feature story

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11

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Gina Castro, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, Dakota Parks, C.S. Satterwhite, Tom St. Myer

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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. © 2022 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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ROBERT GRIER For decades, Robert Grier has been the smiling face that has greeted staff and visitors while making sure Pensacola City Hall runs smoothly. As Mayor Grover Robinson has said, Robert is the real face of city hall.

When city staff discovered it was his 72nd birthday last week, they put together a surprise celebration and presented him with birthday money and notes to tell him how much he has meant to them. Mayor Robinson wrote on his Facebook, "Robert is so selfless that he said he plans to give the money to his grandchildren."

RUDY GIULIANI U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell denied Giuliani's attempt to toss a defamation suit against him by two Georgia election workers he accused of fraud. In the wake of Trump's loss election, Giuliani repeatedly accused Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss of moving cases of allegedly illegal ballots in a Georgia polling center.

The claim was thoroughly debunked after multiple investigations found the women were performing their routine election-related duties. The mother-daughter duo has been harassed and threatened due to the accusations and seeks unspecified monetary damages from the former NYC mayor.

EAST HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Its 2022 Bands on the Bayou Concert Series

raised $24,000 for its charity partners—Emerald Coastkeeper, Ocean Hour, Gulf Coast Kid's House, OJ Semmes Elementary School, PenArts and the Pensacola Little Theatre. The three-concert series, sponsored by East Hill Automotive, brought the community together, showcased music talent and raised money for local nonprofit organizations.

Each charity partner received $4,000.

BRITT LANDRUM III The National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) announced that the president and CEO of LandrumHR was elected to the association's board of directors during its annual member meeting.

Landrum previously served on the NAPEO Board from 2013 to 2017 and has maintained an active role on several NAPEO committees. He also served as chairman of the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC), the official accreditation and financial assurance organization for the PEO industry.

WOMEN'S BOARD OF BAPTIST HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION The 46th annual Step-

ping Out in Style Fashion Show, presented by the Women's Board of Baptist Health Care Foundation, raised more than $130,000 to build a playground at the Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) at the new Baptist Hospital campus. The BHU provides care to thousands of individuals requiring inpatient behavioral health care each year. More than 1,100 of these patients are children ages 10-17, with some patients as young as age 5. The playground will offer a fun and welcoming environment, allowing the youngest patients to focus on their recovery.

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MOBILE PRESS-REGISTER In what could be a foreshowing of where daily newspapers may be heading, Alabama Media Group reported it would shift to all-digital delivery, ending publication in 2023 of its four newspapers in Alabama and Mississippi. The Mobile Press-Register, Birmingham News, Huntsville Times and Mississippi Press will be publishing their last print editions on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Subscribers will continue to receive The Lede, a seven-day-a-week e-edition for each of its markets. Don't worry about the news company. Its website, al.com, is regularly in the top 10 local news websites across the country.

CHARLES STAMITOLES Escambia Coun-

ty Judge Kristina Lightel sentenced the Pensacola dentist to nine months in the Escambia County Jail after he was found guilty of misdemeanor battery on Oct. 26 for slapping an employee's buttocks, kissing her neck and grabbing her from behind without her consent last May. Stamitoles faces five more alleged victims later this month.

LOCAL DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGERS In Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, Republican incumbents have crushed their Democratic opponents in fundraising in the Florida Legislature races by nearly $900,000. State Sen. Doug Broxson was the top GOP fundraiser with $364,395, followed by State Rep. Michelle Salzman with $328,818 and State Rep. Alex Andrade with $224,712. The best Democratic fundraiser was Carolynn Taylor, with $13,594, running against Andrade. The weakest fundraiser was Charlie Nichols, who raised $2,773, which included the $2,100 he loaned to the campaign.

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

TIME TO CHEER Last week, we received the official announcement that Pine Forest High School will adopt the innovative Community Partnership Schools™ model this year thanks to partnerships with the Children's Home Society of Florida, Community Health Northwest Florida, Escambia County School District and the University of West Florida. The four core partners had agreed to a 25-year commitment to Pine Forest High School.

The announcement came after months of hard work by Chandra Smiley of Community Health, Lindsey Cannon of the Children's Home Society (CHS) and their staff. School Board Chairman Kevin Adams and Commissioners Lumon May and Jeff Bergosh also lobbied to get the school district's administration onboard.

Inweekly became involved because we saw how the model worked so effectively at C.A. Weis Elementary School. The school has a fully functioning pediatric practice that is open to the neighborhood. Since switching to the model, C.A. Weis has raised its school grade from an "F" in 2015-16 to a "C" this past school year. Discipline referrals have been reduced by more than 90% and out-of-school suspensions by nearly 94%. In 2021, 49% of its students experienced learning gains in ELA reading, and 51% of students improved in ELA math.

Statewide statistics indicate the success of Weis falls in line with other schools in the program, and the expectations for Pine Forest are just as lofty. Pine Forest High earned a "D" grade for the 2021-22 school year. The Community Partnership Schools™ graduation rate is 95% compared to the state rate of 90%. Pine Forest's graduation rate is 91%.

The school district partnered with Community Health to secure a $200,000 grant from Health Resources and Services Administration to fund the clinic at the high school. The University of Central Florida Center for Community Schools' selection for the program came with an $80,000 grant to help CHS fully develop the wraparound services to implement the Community Partnership Schools™ model.

I recently talked with Lindsey Cannon, the

CHS regional executive director, about how her organization has evolved and adopted since its inception in November 1902. The nonprofit was formed when an orphan train with more than 400 children arrived in Jacksonville, a community struggling from a fire that destroyed much of the city.

The orphan trains were a means of finding homes for children living on the streets in northern cities. Few of them were orphans, but their parents had neither the money nor the desire to raise them.

Rev. D.W. Comstock rallied community leaders to form the Children's Home Society of Florida (CHS) for children with nowhere else to go. He was soon joined by Marcus Fagg.

CHS helped create the state's foster care and adoption systems and played a crucial role in enacting Child Labor Laws and our Compulsory Education Law and the creation of the State Welfare Board and the agency that would become the Department of Children and Families.

CHS developed the Community Partnership Schools™ model as the organization saw the need for community-based care for children as Florida shifted to the privatization of child welfare "We really were rooted in adoption when we first started, but it's really been about expanding out and seeing what our community is telling us we need," Lindsey shared. "Every region throughout the state looks different because there are different parts of our communities throughout the state that need different things."

She continued, "And I love that we are really on the forefront of this saying, 'Let's put in some innovative services and prevent that backend from happening. Let's prevent kids from going into the Child Welfare System. Let's prevent these families from feeling like they have to give up and really put in resources where we need to before everything becomes a crisis.'"

I'm excited for the future of Pine Forest High and grateful that CHS, Community Health, UWF, Escambia County School District and our county commissioners are so committed to expanding the proven model. Now, let's start identifying a middle school for the next Community Partnership School.™ {in} rick@inweekly.net

Inweekly became involved because we saw how the model worked so effectively at C.A. Weis Elementary School.

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UWF COLLEGE OF BUSINESS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

UWF College of Business Hall of Fame Inductees / Photo Courtesy of University of West Florida

By Tom St. Myer Long before the campus opened or he suited up for legendary basketball Coach Marvin Beck, Dick Appleyard knew all about the University of West Florida.

Appleyard recalls as a child hearing conversations between his father, John Appleyard, and Judge Harold Crosby about establishing a university among the pinewood trees in northeast Pensacola. Their vision became reality in September 1967 when UWF opened for classes with Crosby as its founding president.

That child grew into a basketball star at Pensacola High and played a season at the University of Alabama before returning home to complete his studies at UWF. "When I look back on driving to the campus seemingly in the middle of nowhere to the campus today and the impact of UWF, it's exciting to see what has been done in 60 years," Appleyard said. "As a relatively new university, the future is great for UWF and our community. The College of Business is another example of the growth of UWF. There was no business school when I attended, and it is now becoming a recognized leader In business education."

The UWF College of Business expanded its Hall of Fame by inducting seven members who have profoundly impacted the Pensacola community. The Class of 2022 includes Appleyard, entrepreneur Pam Bilbrey, LifeView Group CEO Allison Hill, politician Jerry Maygarden, Innisfree Hotels founders Julian and Kim MacQueen, and entrepreneur and philanthropist Quint Studer.

The College held a celebration for the inductees on Oct. 28 at the UWF Conference Center.

College of Business Dean Richard Fountain established the Hall of Fame in 2021 to celebrate individuals who embody the qualities that make 66

the college an extraordinary place to learn and grow. Inductees are college alumni or supporters who have excelled in their careers and positively impacted society.

A committee of college faculty and administrators and previous Hall of Fame inductees selected the 2022 members. The seven inductees join the inaugural 2021 class of Ronald Jackson, Chula King, Collier Merrill, Kim Mustin, Mort O'Sullivan, Ed Ranelli, Steve Riggs, Kathy Sandstrom, Sandy Sansing and John Switzer.

Appleyard is among the five UWF alumni in the 2022 class. Julian MacQueen and Studer each received selection based on their extraordinary support to the college. Appleyard credited his successful career as president of the Appleyard Agency to his studies at UWF. He stayed connected to the university after earning his degrees by serving on the UWF Foundation and as an adjunct professor in advertising.

"The university has touched my family in many positive ways," said Appleyard, who is also a member of the UWF Sports Hall of Fame. "I'm proud of my degree and credit my MBA with teaching me business beyond just communications and advertising. Many others in my family have graduated from UWF, and my father was given an honorary doctorate from UWF prior to his death."

Bilbrey has served in executive leadership positions for over 25 years. She developed innovative strategies that led to Baptist Health Care earning recognition as a Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. During her career, she initiated two award-winning national educational franchises, authored a series of customer satisfaction instruments and developed a national customer satisfaction data center.

Her community activities include serving on the UWF Board of Trustees, the Society for

Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Bilbrey also was appointed to the Florida Board of Governors and participated in Leadership Florida and the UWF Executive Mentor Program.

Hill is a fellow participant in Leadership Florida and the UWF Executive Mentor Program. She studied accounting at UWF, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees. She was a licensed CPA at the accounting firm Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund before transitioning to Lakeview Center in 1999. She rose up the ranks to become its CEO and is responsible for the daily functions of a $217 million, 2,500-employee human services organization that impacts lives in multiple states.

"My degree is in accounting, but today I lead a team at a large human services organization," Hill said. "I think that's a perfect example of how an education at UWF prepares you for the future—whatever path it takes you."

Fountain credited Hill for being extraordinarily active in the community. She serves on the College of Business Advisory Council, the UWF Women in Leadership Conference organizing committee, and local and statewide boards including the YMCA of Northwest Florida and the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services.

Hill, Appleyard, Kim MacQueen and Maygarden each earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from UWF. Maygarden is a UWF Fellow, and the UWF Louis A. Maygarden Center for Financial Literacy is named after his father.

A former city councilman and mayor of Pensacola, Maygarden served as a state legislator and majority leader in the Florida House of Representatives. His local business ties include director emeritus and former lead director of Synovus Bank and president and CEO of the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce.

Maygarden is also a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. He served in the Mekong Delta while attached to the Mobile Riverine Forces of the U.S. Navy. The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge bestowed him the George Washington Honor Medal.

His community service initiatives include founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida, former director and current interim head of schools for East Hill Christian School, a founding member of Embrace Florida Kids, a former member of the AlabamaWest Florida Children's Home and a 33° Scottish Rite Mason.

Maygarden and fellow inductee Studer each received honorary doctorate degrees from UWF. Studer is an entrepreneur in residence in the College of Business, where he shares his expertise with business students.

"Most students want practical experiences, and they want to hear from people that are out there," Studer said. "Rick Fountain has done a really nice job of doing that for the students … If you want to keep talent home, you've got to give them experience, and I think UWF has done a much better job integrating today than it did some time back."

Fellow inductee and entrepreneur Julian MacQueen said UWF is why he and Kim moved to Pensacola 36 years ago. Kim enrolled in a special psychology program offered only by UWF. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from UWF while the couple founded Innisfree.

"This was a move that defined our personal and business lives in a profound way," Julian MacQueen said." I believe that the success of Innisfree Hotels would not have happened were it not for this move singularly driven by the appeal of UWF." Following completion of her master's degree, Kim worked as a couples therapist and as an adjunct in the UWF graduate program. Her dedication to education has included serving on boards such as the UWF Foundation, Parent University and Dixon School of the Arts & Sciences, which is funded by a foundation established by the MacQueens.

Impactful and life-changing programs founded by the MacQueens include Independence of the Blind of Northwest Florida, Parent University of Pensacola, Equality Project Alliance for Anti-Racism in Pensacola, the Escambia Children's Trust, the MacQueen Alumni Center at the University of South Alabama and the MacQueen School of Hospitality at UWF. The couple returned from a trip to British Columbia, Canada, and celebrated Julian's birthday by attending the Hall of Fame celebration.

"It was such an honor to be included among this year's group of inductees in the College of Business Hall of Fame," Kim MacQueen said.

"Each inductee has richly impacted the Pensacola community in such unique ways. As a graduate of UWF, I felt like a circle was somehow complete, and the entire evening felt like coming home." {in} inweekly.net

RENAISSANCE IN RETROSPECT

String Farm at Palafox Market / Courtesy of Downtown Improvement Board

By Jeremy Morrison The precise genesis of downtown Pensacola's modern-era revitalization is somewhat elusive, but Quint Studer can pretty much pinpoint the moment some sort of formal roadmap toward a brighter day began to take shape.

"It all came about when I was sitting at a restaurant with the mayor," Studer recalled, "and I was probably frustrated about something, and I said, 'You know, there's no plan here. Everything's just no plan.'"

At the time, in 2011, Pensacola's downtown had shed the shackles of Ol' Stinky, the former wastewater treatment facility that forever stunk up the urban core, the city had recently transitioned to a more executive-centric form of government, and Studer was busy launching his minor league baseball team the Blue Wahoos and pondering Pensacola's path forward.

"I said, 'If you're going to attract investors, you've got to at least let them know what's happening, what's going on,'" recalled Studer, who would become one of downtown's most influential investors.

From that conversation emerged Mayor Ashton Hayward's Urban Redevelopment Advisory Committee (URAC), which would deliver a report outlining downtown's challenges and opportunities and laying out focus areas for the city November 10, 2022

to concentrate on in its effort to energize a still sleepy downtown.

Ten years later, how has downtown faired?

Did the URAC report offer the city a useful blueprint for urban revitalization?

Regardless of the metric employed, said former Mayor Hayward, downtown has upped its game. He credits his urban redevelopment report with providing the city with a working template for downtown revitalization.

"There are so many ways you can look at it," Hayward said, "from the aspect of development, redevelopment, businesses that have moved in, the amount of people that are living downtown, the taxable value."

When Studer thinks back to the days before the city had an intentional plan geared toward urban renewal, he's certain downtown has benefited. "I don't think anyone can look at downtown and say it looks the same as it did 12 years ago."

MAKING PENSACOLA COOL

The intention of Pensacola's Urban Redevelopment Advisory Committee was pretty straightforward. According to the report, Mayor Hayward assembled the committee "with the hope that it would serve as a catalyst for creating improvements in downtown Pensacola."

Consisting of seven members, the URAC committee was charged with "a sweeping mandate to create a realistic vision for the

continued redevelopment of Pensacola's Community Redevelopment Agency District, including downtown, the waterfront and the surrounding neighborhoods."

In layman's terms, how will we make downtown Pensacola really cool?

"We wanted to stop the migration of talent from our community," explained Studer.

"If you look at what young people want, it's opportunity and a cool place to live."

Of course, more specifically, the intention of the URAC committee was to assess how best to spur development, make downtown more walkable, to improve access to the waterfront, to ensure that the area had an adequate stock of housing for a diverse population of residents and to increase the tax base.

"It's really fun to look back and see what was recommended in the context of that time, in 2012, and see, indeed, how a community has evolved and changed since then," reflected Christian Wagley, who served on the committee.

The committee's report offered more than 75 specific policy recommendations and more than 50 potential action items. It contended that downtown's progress would be driven by private development and that it would be an ongoing, incremental effort.

While progress has occurred since the release of the URAC report and specific recommendations contained in the report—such as the development of Bruce Beach and focus development in the West End neighborhoods— have been acted on, Wagley thinks the report continues to be relevant.

"I think most of the key issues identified in this report are probably still issues today," he said. "There's still vacant land to be developed; there's still a tremendous amount of walkability and bikeability work to be done; there's still work to be done on affordable housing."

Ken Ford, the founder of the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, also served on the URAC. He sees the city's urban revitalization efforts as a continual process.

"In general, I think downtown has improved in most dimensions," Ford said. "And some of the dimensions of developing downtown kind of take a little time to sort out and find out what the equilibrium point is. So if some things seem out of balance now, they might be part of a process that will settle down sometime in the future."

For instance, housing in the downtown area can be scarce and expensive. This issue was a

focus area of the report, and while residential units have been added—such as in the Southtowne complex Studer developed on the former site of the Pensacola News Journal, the issue has only gotten direr.

"This is what happens," Ford noted. "When your downtown becomes more desirable, your housing becomes more expensive."

"That happens in most urban environments," pointed out Studer. "Right now, downtown pays the taxes for the spread, which is good," And while some equalization would help ease the equation and allow for a more diverse pool of residents downtown, Ford points out that high housing costs in an urban core aren't necessarily a bad thing.

"It's a sign that downtown has become more desirable and better in so many ways, and so then that drives up cost, along with scarcity," Ford said. "You don't want to be the city that brags that its downtown is a cheap place to live, because you can be sure then that it is a bad downtown. You can't think of any really successful downtown that's super inexpensive. So it's sort of a balancing act."

THE MOTHERS PUSHING STROLLER METRIC

Quint Studer's got a pretty good joke about municipal studies. "I always tell people, 'If you can't find a ladder, there's a bunch of three-ring binders at city hall that you can stack on top of each other.'"

The recommendations on urban renewal contained within the URAC report, pointed out Studer, could likely be found in numerous city studies preceding it. The difference, he said, is that the city has acted on recommendations from URAC. He added, "The issue always comes down to execution."

And because the URAC report was designed to be returned to over the years, it remains relevant, with community leaders and developers treating it like a living document.

"I think it still has value," Studer said. "Because anything like this is a long-term, methodical approach."

Plus, many of the issues outlined in the committee's report—attracting business, growing the tax base, dealing with a housing issue—are somewhat timeless.

"I think most of the core issues remain today," Wagley said. "And that's not unexpected because these are big, long-term issues that take a long time to remedy."

Still, it's impossible not to notice the progress, both big and small, in Pensacola's urban core over the past decade. One of Ford's favorite indicators of downtown's trajectory is mothers pushing strollers.

"There's nothing better for a downtown than having young mothers pushing strollers," Ford laughed. "They don't put up with nonsense; they don't put up with a lot of problems.

If their family is living there, you tend to have a safe, walkable downtown." {in} 7

Veterans Memorial Park / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola

"THE WARRIOR SPIRIT" Friday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor and celebrate the lives and sacrifices of veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. This year, Pensacola will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of the dedication of The Wall South in Pensacola at the Veterans Memorial Park on Bayfront Parkway in downtown Pensacola.

Over 18 exhibits will be displayed at the park starting at 9 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., the War Dog Monument, which honors the thousands of military working dogs working side-by-side with the American military defending freedom and democracy, will be unveiled and dedicated. The 2022 Veterans Day Ceremony will commence at 11 a.m.

The guest speaker is Dale Dye, a decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, war correspondent, author, actor and technical advisor for many of the greatest military movies and mini-series of the past 20 years, including "Platoon," "Casualties of War," "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers."

Inweekly asked Dye what makes a good war correspondent. He replied, "Well, I think it's empathy, to tell you the truth. You have to feel for Rudy in the rear rank with a rusty rifle. You have to be able to observe and try to stay focused and then, most importantly, try to tell that little guy's story because nobody else is going to."

He has interviewed hundreds of veterans who saw combat in several wars and found a common denominator. Dye said, "The thing that most leaps out at me in talking to veterans is a sense of selflessness—a sense that there is something bigger out there and more important than you or your comfort or your health and welfare."

He continued, "And these guys all have it. I like to call it 'The Warrior Spirit.' It simply means that there are things worth sacrificing for. And if you have to put your life on the line for that, then so be it. It's for the better good. And I find that absolutely the common denominator among all the guys that I talk to. I mean, nobody's happy to go to war. But warriors, the guys that I talk to, under88

stand why and understand that it's necessary that they serve and that they sacrifice."

IT'S OFFICIAL Pine Forest High School will adopt the innovative Community Partnership Schools™ model this year with partnerships among the Children's Home Society of Florida, Community Health Northwest Florida, Escambia County School District and the University of West Florida.

The partnerships are announced as the next step in growing the successful model first implemented in Orlando at Evans High School in 2012 and expanded to more than 30 schools statewide, transforming tens of thousands of lives.

The effective Community Partnership Schools™ model requires at least four core partners—including the school district, a health care provider, a nonprofit organization and a college or university—to agree to a 25-year commitment to the school and community, impacting generations.

Through the Community Partnership Schools™ model founded by the Children's Home Society of Florida and the University of Central Florida, core partners—in collaboration with local nonprofits, businesses, the faith community and other stakeholders—work within the schools to address key barriers to learning, including poverty, food insecurity, lack of affordable health care, behavioral health services, and elevated rates of violence and crime, in addition to other challenges as identified.

Children's Home Society of Florida will receive $80,000 in state grant funds after being selected by UCF's Center for Community Schools to launch a community partnership school at Pine Forest High School, in addition to local financial contributions to support this initiative.

"The Community Partnership Schools concept is a powerful model providing key resources and support for students," said Dr. Tim Smith, Superintendent of Escambia County Schools. "We are grateful and honored for the selection of Pine

Forest High School to become a Community Partnership School."

Children's Home Society of Florida Regional Executive Director Lindsey Cannon told Inweekly, "We've been looking for an opportunity to expand what we have been doing at C.A. Weis Elementary since 2016. When Community Health Northwest Florida received its grant to help open that medical clinic at the high school, it really set the stage for us as Children's Home Society to go for that planning grant with the UCF Center for Community Schools to launch this as a formal Community Partnership School, just like Weis."

The first step toward implementation is the planning phase, which includes a community needs assessment with the help of UWF. Students, teachers, parents and community members identify their primary needs and challenges, the results of which will determine the services and solutions that will be brought into the school.

Other critical components of this model include a focus on parental and family engagement, as well as comprehensive health and wellness efforts.

"As a Federally Qualified Health Center, we are driven not only to make health care accessible to all but to truly impact the heart of our community on multiple levels, "said Community Health CEO Chandra Smiley. "We see this partnership as an opportunity to bring real change to Pine Forest and the surrounding neighborhoods."

This collaborative approach leverages schools as central hubs toward improving child well-being by addressing key barriers to learning through counseling, medical and dental services, after-school enrichment and mentoring programs. Specific successes include increased graduation rates, reduced disciplinary actions and increased parental involvement.

LEGAL BILLS MOUNT The legal bills are pil-

ing up in Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers' quest to prove the 401(a) retirement plan for the county commissioners, which has been in effect since 1998, is illegal. Through Sept. 30, the Clerk has been billed $61,992 by attorney Matt Dannheisser and $86,547 by attorney Ed Fleming for a total of $148,539.

The Board of County Commissioner is represented by the Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm at no cost.

The county has gotten three legal opinions that the plan is legal, but Childers refused to accept them. She also refused a request by the board to jointly go to the Attorney General for a legal opinion on the matter.

In January 2022, Childers quit cutting checks for the retirement plans of Commissioners Steven Barry, Robert Bender and Lumon May. The BCC filed a lawsuit questioning Childers' authority to do so and asking the judge to compel her to cut the checks. Parties are currently holding depositions.

BOOK BANNING BEGINS The Escambia

County School Board has removed the first ti-

tle from a list of more than 100 others that have been marked as potentially inappropriate material for students within the Escambia County School District.

"Unfortunately, sometimes under the guise of education, students are being indoctrinated to obscene and pornographic material or age-inappropriate materials in our school," said board Chairman Kevin Adams.

As a result of a 4-1 vote during a special workshop on Nov. 1, 12th-grade English students in the district will no longer be able to read Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." The decision stems from an appeal of an earlier decision by the District Materials Review Committee to continue allowing the teaching of the book.

Concerns about this particular book were raised by Northview High School teacher Vicki Baggett, who appealed the recent decision to keep "The Perks of Being a Wildflower" available for high school seniors, following a certain protocol, including the sign-off of both parents and school administration. Earlier in the school year, Baggett sent the school board a list of books she deemed inappropriate and asked that the books be reviewed.

"My pastor has told me it's vile; he's read some of it," Charles Luther told board members, imploring them to seek religious council concerning "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." "Are you going to the pastors? Seeking their advice? That's your duty before God to do so."

The lone diverging vote on the school board came from District 4 member Patty Hightower, who made a motion to keep the book available to students. After sensing the sentiment in the room from both members of the public, as well as her fellow board members, Hightower defended her position.

"I made the motion. And I am a Christian, just in case you didn't know," Hightower began.

This defense elicited some blowback from both the public gallery and the board.

"OK. Mrs. … OK, let's stop that," interrupted Chairman Adams, but Hightower continued.

"And I have read the book. I would not think it appropriate for the younger levels in our schools.

I believe that I want to treat our teachers as the professionals I believe they are. As I read the book, there were things—while I wish our children were not exposed to them, unfortunately, they are."

"Many of the people that come to public forum talk about things they have not actually read," noted Hightower, recalling how she and her own children used to discuss the books they were assigned in school and about a prime academic benefit of literary engagement. "I think the role of education is to help our students deal with the world that they have to deal with."

Hightower's position and the findings of the district's own review process did not sway the other four school board members. Chairman Adams, in fact, nodded to wider state and national-level conversations originating from conservative corners about removing books from schools, noting inweekly.net

that the district's moves were in line with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's agenda.

"I was probably 5 feet from Gov. DeSantis today, who made it very clear to me how he felt about some of this stuff in our school district, and, I mean, it was just point blank," Adams said, referencing a campaign season swing through town the governor had enjoyed earlier in the day.

Before voting to remove "The Perks of a Being a Wallflower," Chairman Adams said that the school district had the responsibility to protect its students—students with "malleable minds" that are "easily shaped"—and remove indecent material.

"What is our level of decency in this district?"

Chairman Adams asked. "Our decency standards are not high if we allow this type of inappropriate material, content in our district."

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower," which won numerous literary awards and was the subject of a subsequent film, is a coming-of-age story published in 1999. Other books included on Escambia's list of 116 inappropriate titles span a literary range and include "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, "The 1619 Project" by Nicole Jones, "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut and "Forever" by Judy Blume.

GLOBAL DAY OF GIVING On Thursday, Nov. 3, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area hosted a livestreaming event celebrating IMPACT 100 Global Day of Giving. Since its founding 20 years ago, over $123 Million has been awarded to deserving nonprofits by the various chapters. IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area has awarded 142 grants totaling over $15 million to nonprofits in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Founder IMPACT 100 founder Wendy Steele spoke with Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen about the genesis of the organization in the summer of 2001 when she was living in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"That summer, I was really troubled by the fact that I knew so many wonderful, really highcapacity women in the Cincinnati area, yet they could not see a viable path to community service or philanthropy," Steele shared. "The traditional ways that women were giving back just didn't fit their lifestyle in that moment."

She continued, "And so, literally, on a spiral notebook, I started to write down all the reasons that women had told me and all the barriers they saw to their involvement. One by one, I tried to overcome them. And when I was finished, what we now know as Impact 100 is what I had designed."

The 9/11 attacks delayed the launch, but before the end of 2001, Steele had identified her founding board members. "We made the decision to go ahead and launch. By March 2002, we had our nonprofit status. By May of that same year, 123 women had written a check, and by September, we gave away our first grant."

Steele said former Pensacola Business Journal editor Debbie Ritchie read a People Magazine article about Cincinnati's success and worked with PNJ publisher Denise Ivey, Belle November 10, 2022

Bear and others to form a Pensacola chapter. Today, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area is the largest IMPACT chapter.

She added, "When you get hundreds of women involved in something that they're passionate about that really changes their lives and the community, tell each other … and that's how IMPACT 100 has continued to grow."

PICKLEBALL PROPOSAL Soon, the Port of Pensacola might add a premier waterfront pickleball facility to its list of offerings.

"Certainly, pickleball is one of those things that has been out there that people are seeing all over, and the opportunity to have those courts in an indoor facility, we thought was a good thing," Mayor Grover Robinson told the media at his Oct. 31 presser.

While the details of the deal are still being worked out, the mayor said that the city was in talks with a developer who wants to create an indoor sports facility in Warehouse Four, which is located near the ferry landing and can be removed from the security fence line encompassing port operations.

Deputy City Administrator Amy Miller explained that the 48,000-square-foot facility is currently used as storage by various port tenants.

The developer wants to transform it into an "indoor, sports tournament facility" that is capable of hosting not only pickleball but also other sports such as basketball and volleyball.

Miller explained, "We've had it tagged for some time for a reuse that's consistent with the ferry terminal and the new hotel that's supposed to go in over there and that whole area, frankly, was always kind of a dead zone over there on the waterfront, becoming an activated area."

Mayor Robinson said that this proposed pickleball facility would act much like Roger Scott Tennis Center. "It would be run, in a sense, very much like Roger Scott, where the building is ours but the operations and all will be run by another company."

Miller added that though the pickleball facility would be run as a regular public facility, it would also act as an attractant for tournament events.

"That's where the money is in that. The money in that is not in the local memberships that they're going to sell or the paid employee hours in the facility; it's in those traveling tournaments."

A CRAFTY SOUTHERN PUB WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER

OPEN FOR LUNCH FRIDAY & SATURDAY MON-THUR 4-9 | FRI-SAT 11-10 UNIONPENSACOLA.COM

309 SOUTH REUS ST. | 850.607.6320

TALENT ACQUISITION LandrumHR, a full-

service human resources firm, has acquired Ceres Talent, Inc., effective Nov. 1. Founded in 2018, Ceres Talent is a national marketing recruiting firm based in the Washington D.C. Metro area. It places candidates in marketing roles, from manager to executive levels, with a people-first focus.

LandrumHR President & CEO Britt Landrum III said, "Our acquisition of Ceres Talent enables us to bring laser-focused, world-class service to our clients looking for top marketing talent. Adding this area of expertise to our portfolio is something we are proud to be offering." {in} 9

nov. 3-14, 2022

PENSACOLA, FL

Featured Events BUBBLE ALLEY

Presented by Friends of Downtown | Nov. 3-14

UNREQUITED

Presented by Pensacola Little Theatre | Nov. 4-9

VANDALS TO VANGUARDS

Presented by Pensacola Museum of Art | Nov. 4-14

SCHUMANN SYMPHONY NO. 3

Presented by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra | Nov. 5

BÉLA FLECK MY BLUEGRASS HEART

Presented by Great GulfCoast Arts Festival | Nov. 5

KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE Presented by Jazz Pensacola | Nov. 7

THE SONGS, THEIR STORIES, A SYMPHONY Presented by UWF & Frank Brown Int’l Foundation for Music | Nov. 8

12-day celebration of culturally creative happenings, events, and moments under one banner.

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THE SECOND CITY COMEDY “OUT OF THE HOUSE PARTY” Presented by PSC | Nov. 9

BORN TO HAND JIVE, A GREASE SING A LONG Presented by Choral Society of Pensacola | Nov. 10

STAMPED: LBGTQIA+ FILM FESTIVAL Nov. 10-13

FORTY FORWARD: CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF OPERA IN PENSACOLA Presented by Pensacola Opera | Nov. 12

JAZZ FOR JUSTICE

Presented by Legal Services of North Florida | Nov. 13

Scan to see all events More Events Added Weekly!

FOOFOOFEST.COM inweekly.net

FOOFOO

WEEK TWO

NOW-NOV. 14

A DECADE OF STAMPED

By Joshua Encinias

Stamped, Pensacola's long-running queer film festival, enters its 10th year this weekend as debates about drag shows, gay wedding cakes and gender identity rage across the country.

But Stamped is unique because they've grown and thrived without much pushback from Pensacola.

"I can't believe that we can even say there has been 10 years of an LGBTQIA+ film festival in Pensacola," says Sid Williams-Heath, vice president of Stamped. "Fortunately, if our track record is anything, we're 10 years in and the festival's truly been well received by the community."

Although Stamped hasn't experienced protests, Williams-Heath says they're prepared for it.

This year, the festival will have drag queen story hour on Sunday, where children are invited to join a local drag queen on stage at the Pensacola Little Theater for a story. Security will be doubled that day because of the protests and interruptions drag story hours have experienced across the country. "We will be prepared if that happens, so that shouldn't deter us. You do have to think that way in these times," says Williams-Heath.

Last year, Stamped introduced a family day and expected less than a dozen guests and were delighted when over 40 people showed up. So, of course, family day is back this year on Sunday, with age-appropriate films for all ages and lots of activities for the kids.

"I think there's a negative connotation around LGBTQIA+ movies. People think it's all mature content," says Williams-Heath. "Of course, some are only for adults, but we want to make sure that families are really getting the sense of the diverse offerings for every age."

At Stamped, movies are a way to experience queer community through the arts, but equally as important, they're a vehicle to help people ease the tension they may feel within themselves about their identity. They're also an access point for parents who have a gay child who is or isn't out. The organization is built on an accepting community that offers non-judgmental help with education around queer issues.

"The movies are really not even about seeing yourself on the screen. It's about seeing oth-

er people on the screen and embracing them for who they are," says Williams-Heath. "I think that's why the family day is really important because it just normalizes things some parents think, like, "How am I going to deal with this abnormal situation for my kid?"

There will be LGBTQIA+ organizations set up each night of the festival, including Oasis, The Red Ribbon Foundation and Sunday's Child. Some will speak between films, and there's going to be STI testing available on site.

"Locals can come and avoid the awkward process of finding the gay doctor or the gay dentist in town because we're showcasing all of them," says Williams-Heath.

Of course, while Stamped offers educational and promotional opportunities, it's all about the movies at the core. And what goes better with movies than popcorn? Eating is allowed inside The Center's theater, and we're told Stamped will offer the best popcorn in town and the bar will be open for adult beverages.

Some of our favorite movies of the festival include "Merchant Marine Paul Goercke and the Alexander Hamilton Post 448." The short film is about deceased Navy veteran Paul Goercke's pioneering American Legion Post 448, the only predominantly LGBTQIA+ post in the nation. It's screening on Friday night.

Another highlight is "How to Dream," a series about transgender people telling their stories about gender-confirming surgeries. Local singer-songwriter Hane McLeaish is featured in the series.

"Tyler" is about a 9-year-old who builds up

the courage to talk to his older brother Daniel about his crush. This film is playing on Sunday, on family day.

The festival is free, but each night there are ticketed opportunities to have catering and meet and greets with special guests. New York City nightlife maven Jarvis Derrell* will host Q&As throughout the festival with Stamped's visiting artists.

One of the ticketed events we're excited about is Del Shores' writing workshop titled "Creating Characters that Drive Your Story." Shores is the creator of "Sordid Lives" and writer on "Queer as Folk." During the workshop, participants (15 max) will discuss creating characters and dialogue with Shores.

STAMPED FILM FESTIVAL WHAT: An event that highlights LGBTQIA+ films and filmmakers WHEN: Nov. 10-13 WHERE: The Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. COST: Free, but there are meet and greet tickets and concessions for purchase DETAILS: stampedfilmfest.com

*FOR MORE WITH DERRELL, WHO'S A PENSACOLA NATIVE, TURN TO PAGE 16

A CLOSER LOOK The exhibition explores the evolution of pop art and street art and the majority of the pieces on display are from the collection of Lewis and Belle Bear. Former PMA Director Maria Goldberg dreamed up the concept of "Vandals to Vanguards" alongside Mr. Bear as a way to showcase some of his amazing contemporary artwork collection.

Inweekly asked Goldberg if there are any special pieces in the exhibition that she hopes attendees don't miss. Here are her must-sees:

"One Cent Life" Claes Oldenberg James Rosenquist Tom Wesselmann

Maria Goldberg during the installation of "Vandals to Vanguards"

Last week, Pensacola Museum of Art opened a new exhibition called "Vandals to Vanguards." It will be on view through early January, and thanks to grant funding from Foo Foo Fest, admission to the museum to check out the exhibition is free through Friday, Nov. 11.

November 10, 2022

This pick is actually three works, all hung together. These are three color lithographs out of 62 that were created as a part of Walasse Ting's "One Cent Life" portfolio, which was created in 1962.

This was his dream project, the creation an anthology of his poetry with his friends, who all happened to be art superstars, creating pictures to capture and express the poems. These three pieces represent the dynamism that can happen when visual art is combined with the written word, and

then, when a viewer takes them in both together, it really is quite special.

"Marilyn Monroe" Mr. Brainwash

This piece was the inspiration for the exhibition. With Marilyn wearing a pink kerchief— reminiscent of an old school villain or vandal— paired with her classic iconography, coupled with mixed media and silk screen, the picture embodies what we were trying to capture with the theme—artists who may have been thought of as vandals and now are highly sought after and in-demand.

"Di-Faced Tenner"

Banksy

This is a great opportunity to see a Banksy piece up close and personal. The curatorial staff did a fantastic job of creating a glass frame, enabling the viewer to see both sides of the note, creating a special perspective giving the viewer access to the work. Take your time; look through it carefully. You will note very tongue-in-cheek references that are characteristic of his work.

"VANDALS TO VANGUARDS"

WHAT: An exhibition featuring pop favorites like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring and street artists like Banksy and Mr. Brainwash WHEN: On view now-Jan. 8 WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. COST: In conjunction with Foo Foo Fest, museum admission is free through Friday, Nov. 11 DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org

PMA ART FACTORY NIGHT AT VINYL MUSIC HALL

WHAT: An event that merges music, video projections, live street art demos and interactive art making WHEN: 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox COST: Free with ticketing that is suggested, but not required DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org, vinylmusichall.com 11

SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT

By Jeremy Morrison

Photo by Alex Hilkey / Courtesy of Pensacola Opera

Opera is, by its very nature, grandiose. Pensacola Opera's upcoming performance, however, is something else entirely.

"This concert is going to be a little more grand," noted Corey McKern, artistic director for Pensacola Opera.

In recognition of its lengthy run in the city, Pensacola Opera's Nov. 12 performance is entitled "Forty Forward: Celebrating Four Decades of Opera in Pensacola."

Making this Foo Foo Fest event especially grand, the opera company will be joined by a host of other local performance organizations, including Pensacola Symphony, the Chorale Society of Pensacola, Pensacola Children's Chorus and Pensacola Ballet.

"It's a huge celebration for us," McKern said. "It will create a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience for Pensacola."

For the "Forty Forward" performance, Pensacola Opera is enlisting 16 different vocalists—including Grammynominated mezzo-soprano Elise Quagliata and Metropolitan Opera veteran Adam Diegel—who will be performing an array of selections. According to McKern, attendees can expect to hear a collection of arias, ensembles and choruses from works that the company might not regularly engage in a full performance—in other words, the rarities.

"This concert is sort of opera's greatest hits that you'd never hear live," McKern said.

Taking a moment to reflect on Pensacola Opera's four-decade run, Music Director Cody Martin considered the company's place in the larger context of the genre's history in America.

"Pensacola Opera's founding in 1983 came on the back end of a boom period for regional opera companies around the United States," explained Martin. "Prior to the mid-century, opera lovers either had to catch a touring production provided by one of the major companies from cities like New York or L.A., or they had to take a trip to those cities to see them in person. Following WWII, cities around the country of various sizes created opera companies that could serve their local communities, providing high-quality arts experiences with a much lower price of entry."

In a city such as Pensacola—smaller in size and population than many other cities boasting professional opera companies—the continued community support of the opera, as well as other arts organizations, can be viewed as a sign of a city that places a premium on the arts.

"Pensacola is a city that truly values and supports the arts, which is clearly evidenced by the rich history of our arts organizations," Martin said.

"We're very fortunate here in Pensacola to have such a robust arts scene," said McKern.

"Thriving arts organizations is one of the things that makes a city more valuable."

While this upcoming Pensacola Opera per-

formance will involve a myriad of Pensacola arts organizations, McKern noted that even a regular performance from the opera company is rich, as opera as an art form casts a wide net.

"It's encompassing of all the art forms," McKern said. "You go to the opera, there's ballet; there's music; there's acting."

Opera as an experience can even be overwhelming. McKern has witnessed intensely emotional reactions from first timers.

"They said, 'What's happening? I got chill bumps and started crying! Am I having a stroke?'" he laughingly recalled.

No, it's not a stroke. It's opera. Give it a try.

"Opera can be a tough sell," concedes McKern, "but once you invest yourself into it, it's like nothing else."

FORTY FORWARD: CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES OF OPERA IN PENSACOLA

WHAT: A performance celebrating Pensacola Opera's 40th Anniversary WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 WHERE: Saenger Theater, 118 S. Palafox COST: $25-$75 DETAILS: pensacolaopera.com/event/ forty-forward

A 'TEST PATTERN' FOR TRASH CULTURE

By Hunter Morrison

Piece from "Test Pattern" by Tra Bouscaren / Photo Courtesy of the Artist 212 1

For one of this year's "Friend of Foo" events, artist Tra Bouscaren will be creating a multimedia artwork installation specifically constructed for the Lamar Studio at Pensacola State College. His multimedia work focuses on the American spectacle at the crossroads of waste culture and the surveillance state.

Located within the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, the installation, titled "Test Pattern," was constructed using locally salvaged materials.

Materials utilized include reclaimed billboards, Styrofoam, rebar, lab clamps, climbing rope, photographs, neon and trash. Interactive video will also play a part in the installation.

"Orphaned objects form the material basis of my practice," said Bouscaren in his artist statement. "My site-responsive process begins with pulling materials from the local waste stream that bear symbolic, indexical and poetic resonance with

what I identify as the toxic underbelly of American culture."

One thing that sets this installation apart from others is that it will look different and change each time you look at it. Visual perception of this artwork is formed by spectator movement.

"Aggregating the waste materials into suspended networks of assemblage, I weave surveillance equipment into the installation such that it captures people as they approach the work," Bouscaren said. "The live surveillance video feeds are combined algorithmically with test patterns and re-deployed through a multichannel array to submerge the installation in projection.

By illuminating the installation via the 'calibrated' image of the spectator, the work calibrates the viewer in terms of the salvaged substrate upon which it is projected."

Forming the inspiration behind his work, Bouscaren believes that capitalist practices and the post-consumerism state we are living in may lead to the decline of society. He quotes philosophers Fredric Jameson and Slavoj Žižek that "it is easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism."

"I think we are doomed as a species," Bouscaren said. "I hope that people sober up about the future and their own implication of what's coming."

In his artist statement, Bouscaren quotes the book "A Sick Planet" by French philosopher Guy Debord. Debord wrote that "pollution is in fashion today, exactly in the same way as revolution: it dominates the whole life of society, and it is represented in illusory form in the spectacle."

In speaking about his installation, Bouscaren says that the meaning behind his work is straightforward. He hopes that it will open people's eyes to the dangers of waste culture.

"The work should speak for itself," Bouscaren said. "If it can't, then it isn't worth talking about."

Bouscaren's work has been featured in venues throughout the United States, including the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and the Lincoln Center in New York City. It has also been featured internationally in venues like the National Museum of Art in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art in Seoul, in addition to others.

Bouscaren is currently Assistant Professor of Art and Digital Media Area Head at Florida State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Yale University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Ph.D. candidate at SUNY Buffalo.

"TEST PATTERN"

WHAT: Multimedia artwork by Tra Bouscaren WHEN: On view now-Dec. 9 WHERE: In the Lamar Studio at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at Pensacola State College, Bldg. 15 COST: Free DETAILS: visualarts.pensacolastate.edu, tra-bouscaren.com inweekly.net

Where dreaming meets doing.

EXHIBIT

NOVEMBER 4 - JANUARY 8

BLOCK PARTY

NOVEMBER 4 @ PMA

ART FACTORY

NOVEMBER 10 @ VINYL MUSIC HALL LEARN MORE AND RSVP FOR THESE EVENTS BY VISITING

Because this is our corner of the world, and our responsibility to help it thrive.

Our Corner, formerly known as Keep Pensacola Beautiful, is an Escambia County-based nonprofit that works strategically with community partners to implement programs that advance the environmental quality and beauty of our community, today and for future generations.

OurCornerEscambia.org

PENSACOLAMUSEUM.ORG November 10, 2022

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FOO FOO FEST CALENDAR Forward: Celebrating Four Decades of Opera in Pensacola" on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m., at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. During the performance, 16 thrilling vocalists will take center stage alongside the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra to present an unparalleled one-night-only gala concert. Tickets are $25-$75 and $50 for the reception. Visit pensacolaopera.com for details.

JAZZ FOR JUSTICE PRESENTED BY LEGAL SERVICES OF NORTH FLORIDA This year's Jazz for Justice is Sunday, Nov. 13, starting at 1 p.m. at Museum Plaza, featuring The Soul Rebels, Tuba Skinny and the 9th Avenue Brass Band. Admission is free to the general public, with VIP tickets available for $60. Visit jazz.lsnf.org for more information.

FRIEND OF FOO EVENTS

In addition to the grant-funded events, Foo Foo Fest also invites local nonprofits and forprofit businesses who are hosting events during the festival to apply for their "Friend of Foo" program. This allows those events to benefit from the festival's marketing efforts and be listed on their calendar, which can be found at foofoofest.com/events.

MULTIMEDIA ARTWORK BY TRA BOUSCAREN Artist Tra Bouscaren is creating a

The Soul Rebels / Photo by Louis Browne

This year's Foo Foo Fest is bigger than ever before, featuring the most grant-funded events to date, plus multiple major milestones, including the 40th Anniversary of Pensacola Opera and the 10th Anniversary of the Stamped LGBTQIA+ Film Festival.

BUBBLE ALLEY Brought to life by the Friends

of Downtown Pensacola and on view Nov. 3-14, Bubble Alley will offer a colorful and unique visual experience for Pensacola to enjoy, share, photograph and be proud of. Visit facebook. com/downtownpensacola for more information.

VANDALS TO VANGUARDS The exhibition will be view on at the Pensacola Museum of Art, located at 407 S. Jefferson St., starting

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Friday, Nov. 4. Admission is free during Foo Foo Fest (Nov. 4-11). The "Vandals to Vanguards" exhibition explores the evolution of pop art and street art through works from the museum's collection and loans from local collectors.

There will also be a special Factory Night party on Thursday, Nov. 10, at Vinyl Music Hall. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

BORN TO HAND JIVE: A "GREASE" SING-ALONG WITH CHORAL SOCIETY OF PENSACOLA Join the Choral Society of

Pensacola for a "Grease" sing-along, Thursday, Nov. 10, from 7-9:30 p.m., at Rex Theatre, 18 N. Palafox. Tickets are $20-$40 and available at choralsocietyofpensacola.org.

STAMPED: LGBTQIA+ FILM FESTIVAL

STAMPED LGBTQIA+ is celebrating its 10th anniversary bigger and better than ever with film screenings from 5-9 p.m., Nov. 10-12, and 1-3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13, at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Film screenings are free. There are also special events, including a writing workshop with Del Shores at 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11. Tickets are $30. On Saturday, Nov. 12, enjoy coffee and conversations with director Fiona Dawson at 11 a.m. More information on movies and events is available at stampedfilmfest.com.

FORTY FORWARD: CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES OF OPERA IN PENSACOLA Pensacola Opera proudly presents "Forty

multimedia artwork specifically constructed for the Lamar Studio in the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at PSC, 1000 College Blvd. On view throughout Foo Foo Fest. Admission is free.

ART & HISTORY SCAVENGER HUNT PRESENTED BY QUAYSIDE GALLERY

Quayside Art Gallery will showcase its 80 artists through an art and history scavenger hunt, which takes place Nov. 4-14 during normal business hours at Quayside Gallery, 17 Zaragoza St. Admission is free.

38TH ANNUAL FRANK BROWN SONGWRITERS' FESTIVAL The 38th annual Frank

Brown International Songwriters' Festival will feature nationally acclaimed songwriters in venues along the Florida/Alabama Gulf Coast from Nov. 3-13 at various locations. For more information, visit frankbrownsongwriters.com.

inweekly.net

AT FINDYO THE CENTER IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE, 400 SOUTH JEFFERSON SIR RICHARD'S ART EXHIBITION Visit Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes, Nov. 3-10 for an art exhibit featuring creations from some of our local artists. An opening reception will be Thursday, Nov. 3, from 5-7 p.m. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

PENSACOLA ELITE DANCE TRAP WALTZ

Take part in a Regency Era style ball, interact with actors dressed in costumes, enjoy a dinner buffet as well as live music by The Mad Violinist and watch a performance by the ladies of Pensacola Elite Dance and their escorts on Friday, Nov. 11, from 7-11 p.m., at UWF, 11000 University Parkway. Tickets available at pensacolaelitedance.com.

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY OPEN HOUSE Free admission and the public is welcome to walk the grounds to see bald eagles, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, screech owls, vultures, pelicans, great blue herons, broad-winged hawks and much more at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida's open house, Saturday, Nov. 12, from 11-3:30 p.m., at 105 N. S St. EVER'MAN COOKS Join Laura Lee at Ever'man Grocery for a Mediterranean-style cooking demonstration Friday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m.noon, at 327 W. Garden St. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at everman.org.

PENSACOLA MESS HALL CURIOSITY DAY This month's Curiosity Day at Pensacola

MESS Hall, 418 E. Wright St., engages learners in discovering the principles of flight and the fundamentals of air. Join in the fun Friday, Nov. 11, from 1-4 p.m. Visit pensacolamesshall.org for details.

BIG SCREEN ON THE BAYOU In honor and

celebration of Foo Foo Fest and Veterans Day, Big Screen on the Bayou will be showing the movie "Top Gun: Maverick," Friday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m., at Bayview Park in East Hill.

EPILEPSY ALLIANCE FLORIDA ANNUAL CHILI COOK-OFF Epilepsy Alliance Florida

will be hosting a Chili Cook-Off 4-7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13, at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $15 and include one beer.

Visit thehandlebar850.com/events for details.

JAPAN CULTURE DAY Enjoy tea ceremonies, Sumo demonstrations, Japanese dance, ikebana, kimono wearing with photos, calligraphy workshops, shichi-go-san candy bag coloring, origami workshop to include Christmas ornament making and free sushi, Sunday, Nov. 13, from 1-4 p.m., at UWF International Affairs, Bldg. 71 at 11000 University Parkway. Free and open to the public.

LIVE MUSIC AT BAMBOO WILLIE'S Watch

Tyler Livingston at 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13, at Bamboo Willie's, 400 Quietwater Beach Road.

All shows are free admission.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market brings

some of the best vendors to MLK Jr. Plaza every Saturday. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.

November 10, 2022

THE FLORIDA TABLE: A STATE OF TASTE

Join the team at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox, for a special food and wine event. The five-course food and wine pairing will be held on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $90 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (850) 469-9898 or visiting jacksonsrestaurant.com.

NAS PENSACOLA BLUE ANGELS HOMECOMING AIR SHOW NAS Pensacola is

pleased to announce the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, Nov. 11-12, with the theme of "100 Years of Carrier Aviation."

Gates open at 8 a.m., and the show begins at 9:30 a.m. both days. Free and open to the public. Visit naspensacolaairshow.com/seating-tickets.

PENSACOLA MAKER FAIRE A free gather-

ing for fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, at multiple locations. Event is free, but registration is required. Visit pensacola.makerfaire.com/tickets for details.

BOURBON, BACON, BREWS & CIGARS

O'Riley's Irish Pub, located at 321 S. Palafox, will host "Bourbon, Bacon, Brews & Cigars," a special event on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 2-4 p.m. Tickets are $25 and include a flight with one cigar and one brew. Call for (850) 9124001 for reservations.

WINTER BREW FEST Warm up and sample some of the best "wintery" craft beers available during Winter Brewfest at O'Riley's Irish Pub on Nov. 12 from 5-7 p.m., featuring beer from local Pensacola breweries. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Details at orileyspub.com.

MAHABHUTA YOGA EVENT The 11th Ma-

YOU BELONG AT THE CENTER The Center serves as downtown Pensacola’s cultural and artistic hub.

habhuta Yoga VegFest on Nov. 12 celebrates vegan food, yoga, dance, breath, meditation, nature, music, art and community from 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. at Margaritaville Beach Hotel, 165 Fort Pickens Road. For more details, visit mahabhutayogavegfest.com.

PENSACOLA BIG GREEN FESTIVAL

Pensacola Big Green EggFest is a BBQ event that welcomes more than 50 BBQ teams and backyard cooks from all over the United States.

The event is noon-3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13, at Pensacola Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. Tickets are $35 and available through a link at foofoofest.com.

Our legacy centers on you.

2022 PENSACOLA BEACH AND WINE FESTIVAL On Sunday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m.-4

p.m., the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk becomes the Pensacola Beach Art and Wine Festival. Enjoy the fall air while sampling wines and perusing the works of art. The event is free to attend.

LITTLE FRENCH MARKET Visit Wild Lemon, 3000 N. 12th Ave., for a French-themed market Sunday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit wildlemonstudios.com for more information, including a vendor list.

15

COMING HOME WITH JARVIS DERRELL

By Joshua Encinias

at PLT, UWF or PSC (which will always be PJC to me; I don't care). I go see the shows or even if I can just sit in on rehearsals. I love it. I feel like I never left.

INWEEKLY: Growing up in Pensacola theater provided you good spaces for you to grow and become yourself. But did you encounter homophobia in the community?

DERRELL: I don't think homophobia is a regional situation. I think a lot of people have it, whether it be internalized or otherwise. I experienced it briefly in high school, but I think I was always allowed grace in that space to just be myself. Even looking back at high school, things are completely different now, obviously. But even with my parents, I never felt that I needed to be this cookie cutter of anything outside of anything that I wanted to be, so, especially in the arts, especially on the stage, I was always embraced in that fashion. I think it's another reason why I'm still so gung-ho about Pensacola theater.

Jarvis Derrell at MODA / Photo Courtesy of Pensacola Opera, By Steven Gray

Jarvis Derrell is a staple of New York City nightlife. Over Halloween, they hosted seven parties, but Derrell doesn't even like Halloween. "I would much rather be at home in my PJs," Derrell told Inweekly on a Zoom call from their Central Park West apartment. After our call, Derrell was going out to host karaoke until 4 a.m., then hop on a flight to Pensacola later that morning. Such is the life of a nightlife queen.

Last week, Derrell entertained audiences at Vinyl Music Hall for MODA, a fashion event for the Pensacola Opera. But it's not their only appearance while in Pensacola during Foo Foo Festival. Derrell is also hosting Q&As at Stamped Film Festival this weekend. And if you're lucky, you might catch them in the lobby after for drinks (FYI, we hear the bartender for Stamped has a heavy pour).

To celebrate the queer event of the season at Foo Foo Fest, we spoke with Derrell about their connection to Pensacola's arts scene, how homophobia isn't unique to the South and connecting drag to the spiritual in their Gospel Drag Brunch (which is returning to NYC this Easter—so book your flights now).

INWEEKLY: How are you?

DERRELL: Oh, you know, exhausted, dead inside, but blessed.

616 1

INWEEKLY: I hope our conversation doesn't exhaust you even more. Let's talk a little about your background. You went to Woodham High School, right? Which doesn't even exist anymore.

DERRELL: I did. I know… it's a middle school? I don't even know what it is.

INWEEKLY: It's West Florida High now. Does Woodham do reunions?

DERRELL: We had our 10-year reunion. The school closed down a few years after I graduated.

But my mom and my dad went there; my grandparents went there; it's in my family. I lived across the street from Woodham, but then we moved.

So we did do a 10-year reunion, and the alumni are pretty close. I'm in a Facebook group with my class, so everyone kind of stays in touch. We were a close-knit class. I always see them when I come to town.

INWEEKLY: You were in Pensacola Children's Chorus, too?

DERRELL: Yep, and as a matter of fact, I just got off a Zoom meeting with the Pensacola Children's Chorus alumni group, which I'm a proud, proud, proud member of. I've stayed engaged with the group that I feel changed the whole trajectory of my life. So I keep a tab on Pensacola arts as much as possible. Whenever I'm home, I'll see a show

INWEEKLY: Last week you entertained audiences at MODA, this fashion event for Pensacola Opera. What are you hired to do at events?

DERRELL: It's one of those things where I'm literally being asked to just show up and be myself. I've done it at Fashion Week in New York. I've done it all over the world, honestly. I create a safe space to just have fun and have a good time. I have so many tricks and whistles that I love to share. I help people feel like the superstar they are and should feel like every single day.

INWEEKLY: What will you be doing at the Stamped Film Festival?

DERRELL: I'm facilitating Q&As. I just love starting conversation. I love talking. I love hearing people's point of view, especially in regards to art and how they created art because it's not necessarily always so easy, especially as someone from a marginalized group. It's very important to me, and I think sometimes people have problems with queer art, and I don't.

INWEEKLY: So you know I did my research. I saw that you were on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" a few years ago. You were bartender for the night, right? What was that experience like?

DERRELL: Stupid! For the record, I hated it.

[laughs.] Andy Cohen is a friend of mine, and the person that was supposed to bartend dropped out, so I agreed to do it. The thing is, you don't actually bartend; you get just as drunk as everyone in the clubhouse. But you get to stand there and promote whatever you're promoting. I was promoting my Instagram page, which Andy was obsessed with. I don't engage that page anymore.

But people still ask me about it to this day.

INWEEKLY: Do you know any of Pensacola's local drag queens?

DERRELL: I know Lolly Gag, who I feel like is my drag baby, even though I've never done drag. I love Monica Hart and Lauren Mitchell.

INWEEKLY: Before the pandemic, you hosted a fabulous Sunday Serve Gospel Drag Brunch at Therapy in Hell's Kitchen.

DERRELL: It's coming back! But it's not going to be weekly. We are looking at like an Easter return. Maybe just a one-off for right now.

The original show was such a success. And before the pandemic happened, we were sold out like two to three weeks in advance, because we had "Drag Race" girls in the show. I created it and loved watching that take off, especially with my roots in church as well as theater. To be able to share that side of me in a queer space, which I never thought was possible, and it was, it means everything to me. Like, church is tricky, and even religion, it's so vast. It's about creating a space where we can get on the table and sing "Like a Virgin" and we can confess our sins.

It lets us all laugh at some of the things that we once took so seriously. And especially on a Sunday, I think it invigorates you and it gets you ready for a great week. {in}

JARVIS DERRELL AT STAMPED FILM FESTIVAL

WHEN: LGBTQIA+ industry panel featuring Derrell at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11.

Derrell will also host Q&As throughout the festival.

WHERE: The Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. DETAILS: instagram.com/jarvisderrell, stampedfilmfest.com/festival-schedule

inweekly.net

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 10-16

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

Carving Out Identity Through Art

By Dakota Parks

Tyler Thomas / Courtesy Photo

If you've been to a Pensacola Arts Market or Gallery Night, chances are you've seen Tyler Thomas slinging his wares. For the local trans artist, homesteader, foster parent and selfproclaimed wook, making art in the woods is his happy place.

As the owner of ShugaWooks, an upcycled boutique, Thomas spends his days carving and burning decorations into wood with pyrography tools and patching together recycled leather scraps to make his bricolage art pieces. In honor of Transgender Awareness Week, observed each year between Nov. 13–19 to bring visibility to the trans community, we spoke with Thomas about his journey creating art and carving out his identity.

Like many artists, Thomas' journey began by leaving home. He moved from the Pensacola Bay Area to New Orleans, where he grew as an artist and began his transition. Enamored by the travel bug, he began traveling in the festival circuit, working in harm reduction and creating art in his van to peddle for spare gas money.

After six years living as a nomad out of his van, the pandemic brought him back to his childhood home, where he has spent the last two years building out an art studio and homestead with his family.

"I just turned 37, and I first came out as transgender at 24, so things were a lot different back then," Thomas said. "I had a big queer friend base, and we would all go to the gay clubs together, but I still didn't fit in with the lesbian crowd. Nearly all of my friends stopped talking to me after I transitioned, which is something no one talks about—how exclusionary the queer community can be toward trans people. It can also be really nerve wracking being trans in the South, feeling like you have to be constantly looking over your shoulder. So that really made me want to find new people who accepted me, so I left home."

Along the way, Thomas met his partner, Echo, at a music festival, and the two began traveling and creating art together. Here, ShugaWooks was born.

"A wook is usually a derogatory term for a dirty hippie that lives in the woods—no shoes, no shirt, no job. They might borrow your spoon and never bring it back," Thomas jokingly explained. "So, one day, Echo and I were making pendants with acorns and crystals, and they said to me, 'You're such a wook.' But I add sugar to everything because I'm from the South—like a true diabetic Southern kid raised on sugarcane. So I said, 'You got to add a little sugar to it.' From that day on, we started selling art as ShugaWooks—trying to redeem the word and add a little sweetness to it."

Like a true wook, Thomas creates art out of trash and recycled materials—wood fallen from hurricanes, window shutters discarded in the trash, leather repurposed from thrift stores or assembled from scraps. One innovation of Thomas' are his repurposed window shutter art pieces, which change scenes as the shutters are opened and closed. Working primarily with wood and leather, many of his leather creations are utilitarian, such as wallets, bottle holders, lighter and knife holders—and even spoon holders.

"I create a lot of pieces that I also utilize.

I'm one of those people that loves being out in the wild. Drop me off in the woods with a bottle of water and a knife, and I'll be alright," he said.

"Using upcycled material also means I have a lot of random shapes and sizes of leather scraps, so I use these weird shapes for lighter holders and silverware holders so I don't produce any trash and can use all of the material I have. Plus, I get to say, 'Look I'm a dirty wook with my own spoon and fork right here.'"

Creating and selling sustainable art has helped Thomas grow as a person, build community and explore his identity. Although he creates specific pride-themed pendants, jewelry

and leather bracelets during Pride month, he explained that his art is rooted in nature and trying to put forth joy into the world.

"I try to be as authentic as possible, but I don't try to base my life or art around being trans," he said. "It's not easy to wake up and say, 'I am in the wrong body.' It was such a struggle and battle for so many years with depression and everything that goes in hand with it, so I try not to let it be the main focal point. I put out art that makes me happy in hopes that it makes whoever nearest to me happy too."

Thomas explained that Pensacola has grown into a more accepting city since he left, and he is proud to sell his work at events like Pensacola Art Market's annual PensaPride event, which allows him to connect with young queer people and be the mentor and representation he didn't have when he needed it most.

"I'm really proud of our community for growing and changing so much. It has made me happy to be home," Thomas explained. "I've gotten to meet so many young trans kids that I'm so proud of and thankful to meet at family-friendly events like PensaPride. I'm even more thankful to their parents for being willing to bring them to these spaces. Some have come up and told me they follow me on Instagram and just want to talk to me.

It warms my heart to the max because that's what we needed down here. I didn't even have the language for this when I was their age. I just want to help them feel proud to be in their own skin and let them know that they're in a safe space." {in} You can find ShugaWooks selling their art at nearly any local market. To peruse their work, visit @theshugawooks on Instagram and Facebook.

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a&e happenings NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ESCAMBIA COUNTY ANIMAL WELFARE TO OFFER "HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS" ADOPTION SPECIAL The Escambia Coun-

ty Department of Animal Welfare is offering a "Home for the Holidays" adoption special nowDec. 31. Anyone looking to adopt will be able to take home a cat or kitten for $10 or a dog or puppy for $25. Escambia County residents are required to pay a separate $11 licensing fee at the time of adoption. Adoption fees include spay or neutering services, microchips, heartworm tests and the initial vaccinations, including rabies vaccinations.

The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive and open Monday-Friday from noon-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. To learn more about becoming a foster or volunteer, visit myescambia.com/animalwelfare.

MIRACLE ON PALAFOX This year's show fea-

tures Easton Corbin, Elvie Shane and Conner Smith. Tickets are $9.87, and 100% of proceeds go toward making Christmas wishes coming true.

Show is Sunday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m., at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for details.

ANIMAL ALLIES BINGO Animal Allies Florida

is hosting Bingo at two locations. Dates are 7 p.m., Nov. 22 and Dec. 6 and 20, at Scenic Hills Country Club, located at 8891 Burning Tree Road. $10 for 30

cards. At The 5 Barrel Brewery, 121 S. Palafox, dates are 6 p.m., Oct. 11 and 25, Nov. 15 and 29, and Dec. 13 and 27. $10 for 10 rounds. Proceeds go to help local animals. You must be 18 years old to play. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CALL TO ARTISTS

EASY GOLNG GALLERY OPEN CALL TO THE ARTISTS Easy Going Gallery is looking for

artists for a juried exhibition. There is no theme, open call for original and raw art. Exhibition will be Nov. 17-Dec. 14 with a reception on Dec. 1. Entry fee is $25 and is nonrefundable. Drop off art Wednesday, Nov. 16, from noon-6 p.m., at Easy Going Gallery, 701 N. V St. Pick up work not selected for the show by Nov. 17 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Artists may submit up to two pieces. Works must be wired and ready for hanging or presentation and easy to exhibit with clear instructions. Artwork without hardware, wet paintings and craft art will not be accepted. Come prepared with title, media, dimensions and price for each art.

Unclaimed artwork will become property of Easy Going Gallery after seven days.

FOOD + DRINKS

FALL SUPPER SERIES WITH KINGFISHER Join Amanda and Brian Kaderavek of King-

fisher for a multi-course menu focused on fresh Gulf seafood and autumn flavors joined by Emerald Coast Oyster Co. on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased at peatandpearls.com.

YAPPY HOUR AT PENSACOLA BAY BREWERY Bring your pup and enjoy $5 craft beers as

you socialize with other dog lovers and their fourlegged best friends 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at Pensacola Bay Brewery, 225 Zaragoza St. Free and Open to the public.

ODD COLONY THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY Celebrate three years of Odd Colony, 260 N.

Palafox. with new merchandise, specials from MI SU, bottle releases, a birthday cake from Craft Bakery and DJ 13Ravo, Saturday, Nov. 12, from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

PUPSGIVING AT GARDEN & GRAIN Kick off the howl-iday season with your pup and for the first Pupsgiving. Decorate your very own custom dog treats for your four-legged best friend to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day while they spend time with you and your family, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13, at Garden & Grain, 50 E. Garden St. Tickets can be purchased at wolfgangparkandbrews.com.

AN ITALIAN THANKSGIVING FEAST WINE DINNER Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox, hosts a

special wine dinner with food prepared by Chef Brandon Morrow of Water Oak, Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $89 and available at bodaciousshops.com.

COOKING WITH CHEF IRV MILLER Learn to

make comfort foods with Jackson's Chef Irv Miller, Wednesday, Nov. 16. Classes are at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

at Jackson's, 400 S. Palafox. Cost is $55 per person.

Reservations are required. Reserve your spot through Eventbrite. For additional information, contact Jessica Ryberg, jessica@goodgrits.com or (850) 686-3149.

PUPS & PINTS AT PERFECT PLAIN BREWERY Join us with your pup for a fun fall evening

with other dogs and their humans, Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 6-9 p.m., at Pensacola Bay Brewery, 225 Zaragoza St. Enjoy $2 off your beers with your pup. Starting at 7, the BingoBros will bring out black-out bingo for everyone to enjoy.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAYS Support

your favorite college football teams at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Wear your game day gear and get 15% off your beer tab. Visit facebook. com/perfectplainbrewingco.

SAINTS SUNDAYS Deck out in your game day

gear and watch your team on the big screen at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Get 15% off your tab when dressed in Saint's game day gear.

Sundays Aug. 13-Jan. 8. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

FINE WINE FRIDAY Visit The Nest General Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, on the first Friday of every month for a wine tasting from 6-8 p.m. It's $35 a person and includes charcuterie and the opportunity to try their monthly wine club offerings in house. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.

CELEBRATE

thanksgiving AT OUR HOUSE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24

View our Thanksgiving Grab and Go package, as well as Thanksgiving menus and hours.

GREATSOUTHERNRESTAURANTS.COM 818 1

inweekly.net

a&e happenings MONTHLY WINE TASTING IN AGAPI GARDEN Visit Agapi Garden, at 555 Scenic Highway, from 5-7 p.m., to sample five wines for $10. For more information, call (850) 813-5683.

SUNDAY FUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE WELL

The Well, located at 42 E. Garden St., has expanded its offerings with a Sunday Funday Brunch cocktail menu including items such as Spicy Paloma made with Mezcal, a cold brew cocktail with Irish whiskey, a cucumber-infused spritz and a Bloody Mary spiced with house-made hot sauce and garnished with fresh pickled vegetables. Price range is $9-$12.

Brunch hours are Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Other small plate offerings are available Thursday-Saturday from 4 p.m.-one hour before closing. For more information, visit facebook.com/thewellpensacola.

BAYOU BUZZ COFFEE TASTING TOUR

Seville Savories Food Tour will host a coffee tour of downtown Pensacola Tuesdays-Fridays from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tickets are available online at sevillesavoriesfoodtour.com.

WINE WEDNESDAY Visit The Nest General

Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, every Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. for a wine happy hour. Deals include $1 off listed by-the-glass wines, a waived corking fee, charcuterie plates and a $15 'wine flight' option. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.

Saturday of each month for the Ever'Market with food, music, giveaways, activities and more. Visit everman.org for more information.

200 SOUTH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Every first Saturday of the month,

the businesses at 200 South will host Small Business Saturday to show support for local businesses. Bring a receipt from a purchase from any other downtown business and receive 10% off your bill at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge.

PENSACOLA POSITIVITY'S SUNDAY MARKETS Sunday Markets on Palafox Street happen each Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in MLK Plaza on Palafox. Local makers, growers and creators gather each under the oak trees to sell their goods to the community. Interested vendors can request an application by emailing requeaskmikellah@gmail. com. For more information, visit facebook.com/ palafoxmarkets.

SATURDAYS AT THE MARKET OUTDOOR VENDOR EVENT Located at 5300 Berryhill Road,

the outdoor market features artisans and crafters alike from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect. For more information, email saturdaysatthemarket@gmail.com.

PENSACOLA POP-UP FARMERS MARKET

before 6 p.m. at The 5 Barrel, get $1 off all The 5 Barrel pints, $2 wine by the glass and half off hummus plates when you buy a pint of beer. Visit the5barrel.com for more information.

Check out fresh and organic produce, milk, eggs, meat, fresh-baked bread, mushrooms, lumber, grits, cornmeal, pies and plants Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at East Hill Market, located at 1216 N. Ninth Ave. For a list of vendors, visit facebook.com/ easthillmarket.

TABLETOP TUESDAYS AT THE 5 BARREL

UPTOWN PENSACOLA MARKET Check out

WEEKNIGHT HAPPY HOUR Every weeknight

Join The 5 Barrel for a special Tabletop Tuesday event at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in March. A wide variety of games ranging from the classic chess to the crowd favorite Catan will be available. Players are welcome to bring their own games.

ARAGON WINE TASTINGS Wine tastings at

Aragon Wine Market are back every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. in store at 27 S. Ninth Ave. For more information, visit aragonwinemarket.com.

THURSDAY TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE 5 BARREL Gather a group for a weekly Thurs-

day Trivia Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at The 5 Barrel. There will be prizes for every round and select drafts for $3. Find out more at facebook.com/the5barrel.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

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

local vendors of art, produce and other local treasures every Saturday at 7201 N. Ninth Ave. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit facebook. com/uptownmarketpensacola.

TWILIGHT THREE-COURSE SPECIAL The District's Twilight Three-Course special is back Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:306 p.m. Guests enjoy three courses for $35 per person. Diners must be seated by 6 p.m. for offer to be valid. To make a reservation, call (850) 3325224, or go to districtstreaks.com. The District is located at 123 E. Government St.

LIVE MUSIC

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY Show is Friday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m., at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit vinylmusichall.com.

PARDON THE SCARES, EXFORMATION, AND ORPHIC Show is Friday, Nov. 11, from 8

p.m.-midnight, at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 at the door. Visit handlebar850. com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is host to local vendors and crafters at MLK Jr. Plaza. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.

SPAFFORD WITH ELECTRIC KIF Show is Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m., at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $20-$25. For more information, visit vinylmusichall.com.

EVER'MARKET AT NINE MILE ROAD Visit Ever'Man at 1000 E. Nine Mile Road on the fourth

STRAIGHT NO CHASER Show is Tuesday,

November 10, 2022

Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., at the Saenger Theatre,

19

a&e happenings 118 S. Palafox. Tickets can be purchased at pensacolasaenger.com.

RUNGE STRINGS CONCERT The University

of West Florida and the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music will present the Runge Strings Orchestra in concert on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway. This event is free and open to the public and no tickets are required. For more information, visit uwf.edu/cfpa.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Blues Society of Northwest Florida and Seville

Quarter present Monday Night Blues, the longest running weekly Blues Jam in Florida, starting at 7 p.m. with an opening and followed by the Blues Jam at 9 p.m. Seville Quarter is located at 130 E. Government St. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLONY Music pickers of all levels are invited to

play at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, from 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook. com/oddcolony for details.

LIVE MUSIC AT RED FISH BLUE FISH PENSACOLA BEACH Head to Red Fish Blue Fish for live performances from local bands all day on Fridays and Saturdays. For musician lineups, visit facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.

020 2

JOE OCCHIPINTI JAZZABOUTS Catch Joe

Occhipinti and guests at Alice's Restaurant & Wine Bar, 1504 W. Intendencia St., Wednesdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and at Calvert's Restaurant & Bar, 670 Scenic Highway, Sundays from noon-3 p.m.

SAXOPHONIST JIM ANDREWS AT ALICE'S RESTAURANT Saxophonist Jim Andrews will

be performing at Alice's Restaurant, located at 1504 W. Intendencia St., on the first Friday of every month from 6-9:30 p.m.

JAZZ BY THE BOOK Join Joe Occhipinti and

the Jazzabouts at the Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St., Tuesdays, Nov. 8 and 22, from 1-3 p.m., for classic jazz favorites.

RAY COLEY AT CAZADORES MEXICAN RESTAURANT Ray Coley performs oldies mix

with jazz and blues every weekend with keyboard, horn and flute. Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. and a jazz set on Sundays from 12-3 p.m. on the patio at Cazadores Mexican restaurant, located at 8183 W. Fairfield Dr. Weather permitting.

CURT BOL JAZZ QUARTET Visit Five Sis-

ters Blues Café, located at 421 W. Belmont St., Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and listen to Curt Bol Jazz Quartet. Visit curtbolband.com for more information.

OPEN JAM AT ARTEL GALLERYArtel Gallery

is open from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays for open jam with Pensacola Folk Music Society.

Feel free to visit and listen to music. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.

KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS Sing your

heart out Sundays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, or just enjoy drinks friends with $4 Smirnoff and $6.50 domestic pitcher drink deals from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/mugsjugs.

LIVE MUSIC SATURDAYS AT THE WELL Visit

The Well, 42 E. Garden St., on Saturdays from 4-7 p.m. for live music. Visit facebook.com/thewellpensacola for more information.

LIVE MUSIC AT HUB STACEY'S Sit back with good food and live music at Hub Stacey's, located at 312 E. Government St. For a full calendar of bands, check hubstaceys.com.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues Society of Northwest Florida bring the "Blues" back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District, located at 130 E. Government St. every Monday night in End O' the Alley starting at 7 p.m. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads every Tuesday night at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, located at 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

FITNESS + RECREATION

SEMPER FI 5K This is the 38th year of the race, which benefits children and families of marines and sailors who died in the Marine Barracks Beirut, Lebanon terrorist bombing. The race is at 8 a.m. starting at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. To register, visit runpensacola.com/ event/semper-fi-5k.

BIKE PENSACOLA'S NOVEMBER SLOW RIDE Join Bike Pensacola for the most popular

bike ride in town—the Slow Ride, Saturday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. The ride leaves from Henry Chiropractic, 1823 N. Ninth Ave. Visit facebook.com/bikepensacola.

PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS Games are played at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are available at iceflyers.com.

Upcoming home games: 7:05 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 YOGA SATURDAZE AT ODD COLONY Join Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, with Rachel Beck every first and third Saturday for Yoga Saturdaze.

Spaces are limited. Cost is $20 per person and includes a drink ticket. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details. for more listings visit inweekly.net

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November 10, 2022

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free will astrology WEEK OF NOVEMBER 10 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): When you Aries people are at your best, you are driven by impeccable integrity as you translate high ideals into practical action. You push on with tireless force to get what you want, and what you want is often good for others, too. You have a strong sense of what it means to be vividly alive, and you stimulate a similar awareness in the people whose lives you touch. Are you always at your best? Of course not. No one is. But according to my analysis of upcoming astrological omens, you now have extra potential to live up to the elevated standards I described. I hope you will take full advantage.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): In my experi-

ence, you Tauruses often have more help available than you realize. You underestimate your power to call on support, and as a result, don't call on it enough. It may even be the case that the possible help gets weary of waiting for you to summon it, and basically goes into hiding or fades away. But let's say that you, the lucky person reading this horoscope, get inspired by my words. Maybe you will respond by becoming more forceful about recognizing and claiming your potential blessings. I hope so! In my astrological opinion, now is a favorable time for you to go in quest of all the help you could possibly want. (PS: Where might the help come from?

Sources you don't expect, perhaps, but also familiar influences that expand beyond their previous dispensations.)

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Sometimes, life compels us to change. It brings us some shock that forces us to adjust. On other occasions, life doesn't pressure us to make any shifts, but we nevertheless feel drawn to initiating a change.

My guess is that you are now experiencing the latter. There's no acute discomfort pushing you to revise your rhythm. You could probably continue with the status quo for a while. And yet, you may sense a growing curiosity about how your life could be different. The possibility of instigating a transformation intrigues you. I suggest you trust this intuition. If you do, the coming weeks will bring you greater clarity about how to proceed.

By Rob Brezsny

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): "We suffer more often in imagination than in reality," wrote ancient Roman philosopher Seneca. That's certainly true about me. If all the terrible things I have worried about had actually come to pass, I would be unable to function. Luckily, most of my fears have remained mere fantasies. What about you, fellow Cancerian? The good news is that in the coming months, we Crabs will have unprecedented power to tamp down and dissipate the phantasms that rouse anxiety and alarm. I predict that as a result, we will suffer less from imaginary problems than we ever have before. How's that for a spectacular prophecy?

Be alert for a stream of omens that will offer you help and inspiration. The world has subtle miracles to show you.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Poet Matt Michael

writes, "Sure, the way trees talk is poetry. The shape of the moon is poetry. But a hot dog is also poetry. LeBron James' tomahawk dunk over Kevin Garnett in the 2008 NBA Playoffs is poetry. That pothole I always fail to miss on Parkman Road is poetry, too." In accordance with current astrological omens, Leo. I'd love for you to adopt Michael's approach. The coming days will be a favorable time to expand your ideas about what's lyrical, beautiful, holy and meaningful.

Be alert for a stream of omens that will offer you help and inspiration. The world has subtle miracles to show you.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Virgo author Michael Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka, but as a child moved to England and later to Canada. His novel Running in the Family describes his experiences upon returning to his native Sri Lanka as an adult. Among the most delightful—the deluge of novel sensory sensations. On some days, he would spend hours simply smelling things. In accordance with current astrological omens, I recommend you treat yourself to comparable experiences, Virgo. Maybe you could devote an hour today to mindfully inhal-

ing various aromas. Tomorrow, meditate on the touch of lush textures. On the next day, bathe yourself in sounds that fill you with rich and interesting feelings. By feeding your senses like this, you will give yourself an extra deep blessing that will literally boost your intelligence.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): You evolved Libras understand what's fair and just. That's one of your potencies, and it provides a fine service for you and your allies. You use it to glean objective truths that are often more valuable than everyone's subjective opinions. You can be a stirring mediator as you deploy your knack for impartiality and evenhandedness. I hope these talents of yours will be in vivid action during the coming weeks. We non-Libras need extra-strong doses of this stuff.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Here are tips

on how to get the most out of the next three weeks: 1. Be a master of simmering, ruminating, marinating, steeping, fermenting, and effervescing. 2. Summon intense streams of self-forgiveness for any past event that still haunts you. 3.

Tap into your forbidden thoughts so they might heal you. Discover what you're hiding from yourself so it can guide you. Ask yourself prying questions. 4. Make sure your zeal always synergizes your allies' energy and never steals it. 5. Regularly empty your metaphorical trash so you always have enough room inside you to gleefully breathe the sweet air and exult in the earth's beauty.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): "I straddle reality and the imagination," says Sagittarian singer-songwriter Tom Waits. "My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind man needs a cane." I think that's great counsel for you to emphasize in the coming weeks. Your reality needs a big influx of energy from your imagination, and your imagination needs to be extra well-grounded in reality. Call on both influences with maximum intensity!

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

times, Capricorn, you appear to be so calm, secure, and capable that people get a bit awed, even worshipful. They may even get caught up in trying to please you. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily—as long as you don't exploit and manip-

ulate those people. It might even be a good thing in the coming weeks, since you and your gang have a chance to accomplish big improvements in your shared resources and environment. It would take an extra push from everyone, though.

I suspect you're the leader who's best able to incite and orchestrate the extra effort.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): If you

have been posing as a normal person for too long, I hope you will create fresh outlets for your true weird self in the weeks ahead. What might that entail? I'll throw out a couple of ideas. You could welcome back your imaginary friends and give them new names like Raw Goodness and Spiral Trickster. You might wear fake vampire teeth during a committee meeting or pray to the Flying Spaghetti Monster to send you paranormal adventures. What other ideas can you imagine about how to have way too much fun as you draw more intensely on your core eccentricities?

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

will have metaphorical resemblances to a duck in the coming weeks: an amazingly adaptable creature equally at home on land, in the water, and in the air. You will feel comfortable anywhere you choose to wander. And I'm guessing you will want to wander farther and wider than you usually do. Here's another quality that you and ducks will share—you'll feel perfectly yourself, relaxed and confident, no matter what the weather is. Whether it's cloudy or shiny, rainy or misty, mild or frigid, you will not only be unflappable—you will thrive on the variety. Like a duck, Pisces, you may not attract a lot of attention. But I bet you will enjoy the hell out of your life exactly as it is.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: What's the unfinished thing you most need to finish? newsletter.freewillastrology.com {in}

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freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2022

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news of the weird THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Michael Sherwood and his son, Kyle, of Cleveland come from a long line of morticians. So a few years back, when a friend wondered how he might have his tattoos preserved after he passes away, the two came up with an idea, Oddity Central reported. They figured out a method for removing and preserving tattoos, then started a business called Save My Ink Forever. "Some of these things really are pieces of art," Kyle said. "Instead of having just the remains or the burial ... (families) have actually a piece of their loved one." The Sherwoods say their technique is proprietary, but it takes roughly three or four months. Families are left with a parchmentlike piece of art. "We are trying to do this in the most dignified manner possible," Kyle added.

DASTARDLY DEED Jerome Ellis, a Dollar General employee in DeLand, Florida, allegedly got into an argument with a co-worker on Oct. 24, which prompted him to a retaliatory move that could have been deadly, Fox35-TV reported. On Oct. 25, the victim set down a can of Pepsi and went to the restroom. When he returned, he took a drink of the soda and noticed it tasted like cleaning supplies. Sure enough, video surveillance cameras revealed that Ellis had poured bleach into the Pepsi can, wiped it off, then spit in it. Cameras also caught Ellis trying to unplug the surveillance system. He told investigators that he put cleaning solution in the drink to get back at the co-worker, who he said was difficult to work with.

INEXPLICABLE A female lion at the Topeka Zoo in Kansas has grown a mane, The Topeka Capitol-Journal reported on Oct. 23. Zuri, 18, who lost her mate, Avus, in 2020, started producing more testosterone after his death, which has resulted in the butch look. "It's nothing like the mane you would see on a fully sexually mature male lion," said Zuri's curator, Shanna Simpson. "She looks like a teenaged male lion." Zookeepers said along with the mane, Zuri has become more feisty— growling, snarling and roaring more than before.

"She feels like she needs to protect her pride, so her testosterone increases," Simpson said.

GREAT ART A 1941 artwork by Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian has been found to have been hanging upside down in various museums for 75 years, The Guardian reported. One could be forgiven for the mistake; the piece features interlaced red, yellow, black and blue adhesive tape strips that subtly thicken at the bottom. But a photograph of Mondrian's studio shows the same piece on an easel—with the "bottom" at the top. However, Susanne Meyer-Buser, curator of the North Rhine-Westphalia's art collection, said it will continue to be displayed upside down.

"The adhesive tapes are already extremely loose and hanging by a thread," she said. "And it's now part of the work's story."

ARMED AND CLUMSY A man who stopped in a corn maze in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on Oct.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

22 to get a corn kernel out of his shoe accidentally shot himself in the leg, KMSP-TV reported.

The 38-year-old from Circle Pines was carrying the gun legally, and it discharged when he bent over to retrieve the kernel. Police said the gun did not have a safety; the owner wasn't charged.

UP A TREE Tyler County (Texas) Deputy Cory LeBlanc and other first responders undertook an unusual assignment on Oct. 31, KFDM-TV reported. An unnamed man who was bow hunting for deer from a tree stand called 911 around 4:25 p.m. to report that he had fallen from his perch and was stuck upside down, 18 feet above the ground. The man's ankle had become lodged in the framework of the stand. "We had the Spurger Volunteer Fire Department, DPS, Texas Parks and Wildlife on the way, all trying to help," LeBlanc said. After an hour and a half of being heelsover-head, the man was lowered to the ground and was unhurt. His advice: "Use a harness. It was in my truck. I just got complacent."

NEWS YOU CAN USE Miller Lite wants to light up your Christmas tree in more ways than one!

The company is offering the Christmas Tree Keg Stand for the low, low price of $49.99, CNN Business reported. The tree stand is basically a keg with a small table on top, and when beer is dispensed, the design "makes it seem as if beer is being poured from the tree," said Sarah Showak, associate marketing manager. According to Miller Lite, the stand will support up to a 5-foot-tall tree with ornaments and lights.

WAIT, WHAT? Designer Amanda Booth, 33, of Toronto, Canada, has a business making jewelry, aptly named Trinkets by Amanda, Oddee reported on Oct. 31. Her first pieces were of clay, but then a friend contacted her and asked if she could make a jewelry set from her son's ashes.

Booth has "never said no" to a friend, and the set inspired other customers—one who asked if she could use breast milk to make jewelry. She posted about the jewelry on TikTok and business took off, including orders for items made with umbilical cords, placenta and hair. But the real creme de la creme came when people started requesting jewelry made from semen. Booth transforms the liquids to powder and mixes them with clay, then sculpts the jewelry piece. "I am an open-minded artist," Booth said.

SPOOKY Linda Hill, owner of a rental home in Gainesville, Texas, has ghosts, Fox News reported. Many ghosts. "We've got kids, and we've got old people, old guys, and we've got hookers," she said. The hookers are the most common visitors, known to stroke a male renter's face or their arm.

"They try to stir up business, but they can't figure out a way to conclude the transaction, so nothing ever happens," she said. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2022 Andrews McMeel

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