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GE VERNOVA FOUNDATION The foundation recently presented its first scholarships during the 2025 Future of Energy Scholarship Reception at its Pensacola plant. The scholarships provide $5,000 to each recipient and targeted individuals pursuing skilled trades or technical education, particularly for careers in energy-related fields. The $500,000 Future of Energy Scholarship Fund focuses on expanding skilled trades and technical education in five U.S. cities where GE Vernova has a significant presence, including Pensacola.
AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SOCIETY
The society celebrated its 35th anniversary, honoring over three decades of preserving and promoting African American history, heritage and culture across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Since its founding in 1990, the African American Heritage Society has enriched the community by advancing education, fostering cultural tourism and sharing the region’s unique legacy with residents and visitors.
ENTRECON AWARDS On Nov. 11, the Studer Community Institute announced its 2025 awards. Honorees included The Dawson Company for the Rodney Jackson Minority-Owned Business of the Year; From the Mind of Elrico Tunstall Studios for Veteran-Owned Business of the Year; Alla Prima Coffee Roaster for FemaleOwned Business of the Year; Rocket Drones for Emerging Business of the Year; Hanto + Clarke General Contractors for Small Business of the Year; Landrum HR Solutions for Large Business of the Year; Health & Hope Clinic for Nonprofit of the Year; Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate for Entrepreneur of the Year; Emergency Care Partners for Employer of the Year; Jerry Jackson for Excellence in Mentorship; and Pete Lauter for John Myslak Award for Servant Leader.
UWF BUSINESS HALL OF FAME The University of West Florida Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business inducted its 2025 Hall of Fame class on Nov. 17. The inductees included Gerald Adcox, Lewis Bear Jr., Melissa Brode, Cameron Davies, Darrell Gooden, Mary Holladay, Dan McMillan, Martha Saunders, Rodney Sutton, John David Thomas, Jim Thornton, Tom Vaughn and Stephen Wright.
HOPE
FLORIDA The Agency for Health Care Administration removed First Lady Casey DeSantis' Hope Florida initiative from its $51 billion Medicaid contract with Sunshine State Health Plan. The Oct. 10 amendment completely deleted the contract section that prioritized Hope Florida and required the health plan to help Medicaid enrollees "graduate" from the program through education, job training and life skills support. The removal comes amid controversies surrounding the Hope Florida Foundation, including revelations that $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds from Centene Corporation—Sunshine Health’s parent company—ended up with a political action committee fighting Florida's marijuana referendum.
OPERATION GOLD RUSH
Four women from the Pensacola area pleaded guilty to their roles in a massive nationwide healthcare fraud scheme. The case is part of Operation Gold Rush, the largest healthcare fraud takedown in U.S. history, targeting $14.6 billion in intended losses. Lindsay N. McCray, a medical practice employee, admitted to forging controlled substance prescriptions using physicians' names and DEA numbers without authorization between 2015 and 2024. She issued fraudulent prescriptions for nonexistent or unauthorized patients, which were filled at area pharmacies. Alexandra M. Christensen pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for picking up and selling the pills for shared profit. McCray, Heather T. Bradley and Jennifer E. Purves also pleaded guilty to distributing amphetamines. McCray additionally admitted to identity theft. Sentencing before Judge T. Kent Wetherell is scheduled between Dec. 11, 2025 and Jan. 15, 2026.
CAMBRIDGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL The
U.S. Supreme Court declined earlier this month to hear a nine-year appeal by Tampa's Cambridge Christian School challenging the Florida High School Athletic Association's 2015 ban on stadium loudspeaker prayer before a state championship football game. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled that announcements over the public-address system constituted "government speech" controlled by the association, making the prayer ban constitutional. A 2023 Florida law now permits such prayers at championship events, resolving the practical issue.
Ron DeSantis / Photo Courtesy of flgov.com
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
AN UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION
Last week, we published my review of Achieve Escambia, a coalition of business leaders, hospitals, nonprofits and educators that focused on improving Escambia County's public education outcomes.
Aside from bringing nonprofit leaders together for regular meetings about kindergarten and career readiness, Achieve Escambia didn't accomplish much—especially compared to StriveTogether, the Cincinnati-based initiative on which the local effort was modeled.
Filling a room with hundreds of people makes for a nice headline, but it doesn't ensure anything will be accomplished. The collective impact framework that StriveTogether used hasn't worked in Escambia County.
In the 1990s, we had Envision Escarosa. Over 180 businesses and organizations signed on as "vision partners" to work on common goals that would make the area a better, safer place by 2020. A list of 158 strategies was created. Both Escambia and Santa Rosa school districts would rank among the top in the United States. By 2002, Envision Escarosa had completely disappeared.
Since 2012, local healthcare providers and the Florida Department of Health have completed Community Health Needs Assessments every three years. They created LiveWell Partnership, which had nifty magnets. In 2022, Achieve Healthy Escarosa was formed using the collective impact framework. Dozens of stakeholders from over 50 organizations filled a room to hear its first needs assessment report. Despite these efforts, Escambia has consistently appeared in the lower half of Florida counties on overall health outcomes.
We had hoped Achieve Escambia would be different. After all, it was created by Escambia County's four largest private employers: Navy Federal Credit Union, Gulf Power, Ascension Sacred Heart and Baptist Health Care. They raised about $1 million privately to support it. The leadership council had 28 members; the operational support team had 23 members; the communication team, 11; and the data team, 27.
While StriveTogether reported an 81% improvement in 34 of its student achievement measures in its first five years, Achieve Escambia saw many of its metrics drop.
The collective impact framework used by Achieve Escambia proposes solving complex social problems by aligning many independent
organizations around a shared agenda, common measures, coordinated activities and continuous communication.
Collective impact assumes that a systemic issue, such as public education, cannot be solved by a single program or organization. The effort must be structured with the understanding that it requires long-term, data-driven collaboration. Adjustments in programs are made based on shared data. This makes sense.
Achieve Escambia got everybody in the room. They created the Kindergarten Readiness Collective Action Network (CAN) and a Career Readiness CAN to help fulfill the mission of cradle-to-career success. Bold common goals were set. Within two years, 60% of children entering kindergarten would be ready for school, and the rate would increase to 75% by 2025. The Career Readiness CAN set the goal that 60% of working-age adults would have at least a two-year college degree or a high-quality postsecondary credential by 2025.
However, goals weren't met and the shortfalls were serious. Why?
Key players didn't stay at the table. In 2018, three founding leaders—Debbie Calder of Navy Federal, Susan Davis of Sacred Heart and Stan Connally of Gulf Power—left the area. Gulf Power, a major sponsor, underwent complete ownership change.
Achieve Escambia paid for the University of West Florida's Haas Center to create and maintain an online dashboard. We never saw any adjustments to programs being made as the numbers slipped. The collective nature of the framework didn't encourage organizations to take ownership of the results.
While the goals were bold, they may have been too lofty. There was some effort to break down these goals into factors that contributed to the poor metrics, but the ball was dropped there, too. The Kindergarten Readiness CAN saw voluntary pre-kindergarten as a critical metric. In 2017, Escambia had 58% of its children enrolled in VPK. The goal was to increase by 4% a year. However, VPK enrollment was only 43% last year. Reasons for the decline never were reported by Achieve Escambia.
The collective impact framework looks good in theory and has worked elsewhere. We must have an uncomfortable conversation about why it hasn't worked in Escambia. {in} rick@inweekly.net
By Rick Outzen
PROJECT MAEVE COULD TRANSFORM PORT'S FUTURE
The City of Pensacola has applied to Triumph Gulf Coast seeking $86 million for the construction of a large shipbuilding facility at the Port of Pensacola.
The $250 million project, designated "Project Maeve" in the pre-application submitted Oct. 27, would create approximately 2,000 high-wage manufacturing jobs over five years. Mayor Reeves said, "I believe this is the second-largest Triumph ask ever, and we understand the gravity of that. When you talk about 2000 jobs—that would be, I believe, the second-largest employer inside the city limits, and again, at a high salary."
Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation established by the Florida Legislature to administer funds recovered from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement. Grants support economic recovery, diversification and enhancement in Florida's eight most affected Panhandle counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla. The nonprofit receives 75% of the BP settlement funds, which total $1.5 billion, and awards grants to projects benefiting these counties.
THE PROPOSAL
The application requests funding for two boat-building facilities totaling 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The facilities would produce complex Navy ship modules for Tier
and $145 million for equipment. The Triumph Gulf Coast request of $86 million represents approximately one-third of the total project cost, with the shipbuilding firm contributing $150 million and the city seeking an additional $14 million from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund.
The application described Project Maeve as a premier U.S.-based designer and shipbuilder established in 1977. The family-owned company expanded to the United States in 2009, establishing headquarters in Denver, and currently serves as "an established and trusted partner of the United States Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security."
The proposed facility would create 1,437 jobs for production workers earning an average of $68,000 annually and 563 engineering and support positions earning an average of $112,000 annually.
"The type of work and the type of pay that you're talking about is well above the normal expectation of Triumph," said Mayor Reeves at his weekly press conference on Nov. 18. "It's not just about jobs period. It's about those quality, highpaying jobs."
The overall average annual wage for all positions would be approximately $80,000, representing about 140% of Escambia County's average $55,971 per year (as of the application date).
RETHINKING THE PORT'S MISSION
For Reeves, the project represents a strategic pivot he has championed since taking office— moving away from measuring the port's success solely on whether it turns a profit.
"Because of … the conflicting priorities and conversations around our community—some wanting this traditional port use, some maybe not because of its location downtown—the port generationally lost its way in its priority," Reeves said. "'Let's go back 10 years, when the port was losing money.' Then the scoring rubric became only to make money. 'It doesn't matter what it's for, how many jobs it creates, let's break even.'"
When he took office in 2022, the mayor said, "We had to start having a greater vision for the impact. We have this amazing, unique asset. We have a deepwater port in this one strategic location."
He continued, "Once we took the pressure off—saying that success or failure at the port is not making or losing $100,000—success at the port is [now], 'How many jobs and how many livelihoods are we creating?' And I mean, think about that. That's the philosophy in many other departments. We don't make money in Parks and Rec, that's for sure. It's an asset … to have a higher quality of life for our citizens."
Reeves said he's sought a "happy medium" approach to port development—avoiding both heavy industrial uses that might conflict with downtown, and residential development that would eliminate the working waterfront.
The mayor also recognizes the synergy between Project Maeve and American Magic, the high-performance sailing team that recently established its headquarters at the port.
"The components of ships using composites specifically translates to so many different things," Reeves said at his press conference. "If you're American Magic, you have the technology and you've got the wherewithal on your staff to build really nice boats, but you also have the wherewithal to build components for rockets. It's a very translatable industry."
He expressed excitement about workforce development for students from Pensacola State
College and the University of West Florida. "American Magic already has Pensacola State and UWF engineering partnerships. They've already hired local kids here full-time at American Magic. Now imagine, take a 200-job investment [American Magic] and multiply that 10 times for a 2000-job facility [Project Maeve]."
According to the application, Project Maeve has already developed relationships with PSC and UWF to create training pathways for maritime manufacturing and engineering careers.
Port of Pensacola operations will change over the next five to ten years. Mayor Reeves said, "[We could now] have the opportunity to be choosy, to be able to say, 'Hey, what meets our overall strategy?' Our port is on the map for being such a unique asset. Its proximity to the Gulf and the great community that we have around here is checking a lot of boxes for people."
NEXT STEPS
If funded, construction would begin immediately and be completed within 30 months, according to the application. The facilities would remain property of the City of Pensacola and be classified as public infrastructure, with the city entering into a ground lease with Project Maeve.
The city hopes to present the full application to the Triumph Gulf Coast Board at their December meeting, though Reeves cautioned "that's not a thousand percent yet. We're still working through some final details."
The full application includes detailed project information and compliance with statutory requirements, including economic impact, transformative effect, partnerships, funding sources and sustainability plans. Awards are not automatic; each submission is competitive. Each application is evaluated and scored by the Triumph Gulf Coast Board.
For a community that has long debated the future of its downtown port, the Project Maeve proposal represents a potential turning point— preserving the Port of Pensacola while creating thousands of high-wage jobs in industries compatible with the city's urban core.
"It's good, high-paying jobs in the middle of our city," Reeves said. "We certainly are excited about that prospect." {in}
Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola
Pensacola, FL
The proposal would have directed county staff to solicit bids from consulting firms to evaluate all county departments and identify opportunities for reorganization and improved service delivery, with the goal of achieving the property tax rollback rate.
Hofberger claimed in a press release sent to the media before the meeting that such a study could have saved the county $11 million if conducted last year. However, when Commissioner Mike Kohler asked her where she got that figure, Hofberger offered no specific cuts and said the $11 million would have been the tax cut had the commissioners voted to roll back the property tax in September.
"I'm not advocating that we cut it by a certain amount," Hofberger clarified during the discussion. "I'm advocating that we find out how to be as efficient as possible so that when those [property tax reforms] come down the pipeline, we have a game plan."
Commissioner Kohler had strong reservations about moving forward with an expensive study before the Florida Legislature acts on property tax reform. "I thought a lot about what Chair Hofberger said, and she's right. We got to do something, but I think it would be completely and utterly irresponsible until I know what the state legislature's going to do," he said, describing the upcoming legislative session as potentially "the most tedious, tension-filled legislative session that we've had in the last 12 to 15 years."
Commissioner Lumon May echoed those concerns, noting the county faces challenges from multiple directions: homestead exemptions expanding, Community Redevelopment Agencies under threat of elimination, leveling property values and declining gas tax revenue as electric vehicles become more common.
"I think it would just be in our best interest to start getting prepared for the storm, but not panic on the storm right now," May said.
said the event sold out within 10 days after word spread through the AAHS newsletter and on
Established in 1990, the AAHS has dedicated more than three decades to preserving and promoting African American history, heritage and culture across Escambia and Santa Rosa County. Its mission includes broadening public understanding of the African American experience and strengthening cultural tourism throughout the Gulf Coast.
"I'm most proud of the fact we have been in continuous, uninterrupted operation for the entire 35 years, providing programming and exhibits," Howard said. One exhibit that stands out for Howard occurred in 2020 when AAHS celebrated its 30th anniversary by co-curating an exhibit with the New York Historical Society.
"We had people during COVID coming here from all over the country to see it," she said. "I'm proud that we kept going when many times it would have been easier to give up, because with nonprofits you have ebbs and flows."
warrants at a residence and motel room, uncovering a significant fentanyl manufacturing operation. Deputies discovered a large bucket of mannitol— a bulking agent—being mixed with fentanyl to press into bars for street distribution.
The seizure included nearly 5,000 grams of fentanyl, five firearms (four stolen), brown heroin, methamphetamine, spice and approximately $10,000 in cash. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operation.
"Imagine the poisoning they were doing to our community," Simmons said. "I don't want these drug dealers, whether they're lower-level, midlevel or the big ones bringing it in, to think they can rest easy here in Escambia County."
Simmons highlighted unprecedented collaboration between local, state and federal agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, DEA, ATF and FBI, in combating both the fentanyl crisis and child predators.
miles of roads and hundreds of stormwater ponds without adding staff.
"It is appropriate to have the discussions about how to have the budget be more efficient, but … it has the feel of theater to say that we're going to go and cut $6 million or $12 million," Barry said.
Rather than hiring outside consultants, commissioners suggested alternative approaches. Kohler proposed having each department director present potential reduction scenarios ranging from 1% to 10% before the next budget cycle begins. "We have the knowledge on this board," he said. "We just have to have the courage to do it."
Commissioner Steve Stroberger supported achieving rollback but questioned paying consultants. "I don't want to necessarily hire anyone to tell us where we can cut back," he said, advocating instead for commissioners to audit departments internally. He also called for eliminating commissioner discretionary funds entirely.
With no action taken Monday, the debate over how and when to pursue greater efficiency continues as commissioners await clarity from Tallahassee on property tax reform plans. Any referendum on property tax changes wouldn't appear on ballots until November 2026, with the earliest implementation date of Oct. 1, 2027.
35TH ANNIVERSARY
The African American Heritage Society (AAHS) recently celebrated its 35th anniversary in style at the Hilton Garden Inn. A sold-out crowd of 200 attended the black-tie affair, dedicated to the late Dr. Christine B. J. Fulwylie, a co-founder and founding president of AAHS.
Entrepreneur Quint Studer, Sheriff Chip Simmons, First City Art Center Executive Director Bart Hudson and Rev. Paul Blackmon were among 38 "Dandies" who modeled their outfits on a runway as part of a night AAHS co-founder Cheryl Howard described as "fantastic." Howard
Short-term goals for AAHS include renovations to the museum at 200 Church St. Howard said renovations will be expensive and AAHS is counting on community support through new memberships and donations. She added, "We've been in that building for 25 years and it's ready for a facelift."
For more information about membership or to join, please email aahspensacola@gmail.com.
CRIME FIGHTING
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons revealed details about a disturbing double homicide case and a massive drug seizure that netted nearly 5,000 grams of fentanyl.
In an interview on the "(We Don't) Color on the Dog" podcast, Simmons described a case that initially appeared to be a tragic trailer fire in Grand Oak Mobile Home Park, but quickly transformed into something far more sinister. When firefighters extinguished the flames, they discovered two children— 9-year-old Vayden Orum and 7-yearold Rayden Smith—had perished. A 12-year-old had escaped, along with an adult who suffered burns and was treated at the scene.
"The thought was that there were just two fatalities in the fire, which is tragic enough," Sheriff Simmons explained. But after working with the medical examiner's office, investigators made a horrifying discovery: the children's cause of death wasn't the fire itself. They had been killed before the flames started.
The investigation revealed that the adult, John Henry Walston, who escaped the fire, had killed both children, assaulted one of them, then set the fire and saved himself in an attempt to cover up his crimes.
"It's cases like this in my 40-year career in law enforcement that anger you," Simmons said. "You try to keep above that. You do your job, and our guys did. They did a great job of investigating it, but it doesn't mean you can just turn it off when you hear about the details and you concern yourself with the children, with the victims in this case."
In a separate operation, the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit executed early morning search
"In my career, this is as cohesive an attack on fentanyl and on child predators as there has ever been," Simmons stated. "I want people to know what's going on, what we're doing, and that's a whole part of being transparent."
RED LIGHT UPDATE
At his Nov. 18 press conference, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves revealed the city's red light camera system issued 26,085 citations between Feb. 1 and Oct. 31, with one approach at Ninth Avenue and Gregory Street emerging as Pensacola's most dangerous intersection by a significant margin.
"Ninth and Gregory has 8,274 violations for one approach," Reeves said. To put that in perspective, the mayor noted that all four approaches combined at Ninth and Bayou Boulevard (near Sacred Heart Hospital) generated 7,777 citations—nearly 500 fewer than the single westbound approach at Ninth and Gregory (near the Bay Center).
Mayor Reeves launched the camera initiative in January 2025 at five intersections: Ninth Avenue and Bayou Boulevard.; Ninth Avenue and Airport Boulevard; Ninth Avenue and Fairfield Drive; Davis Highway and Fairfield Drive; and Ninth Avenue and Gregory Street. The city didn't begin writing citations until Feb. 1.
At the press conference, Reeves noted the increase in traffic fatalities, particularly involving motorcycles, in the corridor coming off the Three Mile Bridge.
"We've seen an abnormally large amount of activity that we don't want to see coming off of the bridge," the mayor said. "The fatality and crash data that's happening, especially in that kind of 14th and Gregory area as you come off the landing and the bridge, is alarming for us."
In late August, Interim Police Chief Kristin Brown reported the city had recorded 10 traffic fatalities in 2025, surpassing the previous fiveyear high of eight deaths. Eight of the 10 fatalities were directly caused by speeding, while six involved motorcycles. Three of the motorcycle fatalities occurred at the intersection of 14th Avenue and Gregory Street.
One goal of the camera system is to reduce traffic accidents that require significant law
Photo Courtesy of myescambia.com
enforcement time. When asked about accident reductions at the five camera-equipped intersections, Reeves reported relatively flat numbers overall, with three intersections seeing decreases and two seeing increases, including one intersection up by approximately 10 accidents.
An unexpected problem has been the sheer volume of violations, which has required significant staff time to review. "Our traffic team is probably spending more time having to go through 26,085 red light citations," Reeves acknowledged.
The city is exploring whether some calls about citations could be routed to the 311 system. The mayor firmly rejected the use of artificial intelligence to adjudicate violations, insisting on human review for each case.
POLICE CHIEF SEARCH
City Administrator David Stafford is leading the search for Police Chief Eric Randall's successor. Randall resigned effective immediately on July 10. Following his departure, Mayor D.C. Reeves named Captain Kristin Brown as the interim police chief, with the understanding she would not apply for the job.
The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #71 has thrown its full support behind Deputy Chief Erik Goss to become the next leader of the Pensacola Police Department, citing his 27 years of dedicated service and overwhelming support from rank-and-file officers.
In a letter dated Nov. 14, FOP President James M. Parsons announced the lodge's unanimous endorsement, after a recent membership survey showed officers overwhelmingly favor appointing an internal candidate who understands the department's culture, history and community relationships.
"This membership confidence reflects the officers' trust in proven leadership from within, and no individual better represents that trust and experience than Deputy Chief Erik Goss," Parsons wrote.
Mayor Reeves didn't appear surprised by the letter. At his weekly press conference, he said, "Deputy Chief Goss has been here a long time, and it's certainly no surprise to me that his colleagues feel strongly about him. Obviously, he'll be in that process and more to come."
The mayor stated the city was not operating under a time crunch to fill the position, even with Interim Chief Brown's planned retirement approaching. "We certainly aren't going to ever put ourselves in a position to be rushing a final decision on who the chief of this police department's going to be."
REVERB MODIFIED The Inspired development team and Hard Rock officials visited Mayor D.C. Reeves and city officials earlier this month to discuss adjustments to their Reverb project at Community Maritime Park.
The developers behind the Reverb by Hard Rock Hotel and Rhythm Lofts at Community Maritime Park have submitted design revisions to the city's Planning Review Board, proposing changes to building heights and adding new amenities.
The Dawson/CCI development team filed an
abbreviated Planning Board application on Nov. 7 to adjust floor-to-floor heights at Rhythm Lofts while adding an event space to the adjacent hotel. The changes are scheduled for review at the Planning Board's Dec. 9 meeting.
Rhythm Lofts will see its overall height reduced by approximately one floor's worth, though the building will maintain its 16-story count, including a three-level parking podium. The reduction comes from lowering floor-to-ceiling heights rather than eliminating floors. According to the developers, the change creates "a more balanced and visually proportionate relationship" with the neighboring hotel.
Meanwhile, the Reverb by Hard Rock Hotel gains one floor in the revised design, bringing it to 12 floors, including its parking podium. The hotel will add a 7,000-square-foot event space featuring views of Blue Wahoos Stadium and Pensacola Bay, designed to accommodate various event types and group sizes. Despite the architectural adjustments, the project's core numbers remain intact. The Reverb will still offer 147 hotel rooms, while Rhythm Lofts continues to include 248 residential units.
The Planning Board will review the proposed modifications next month, with final approval still pending.
SOLE FINALIST
The University of West Florida Presidential Search Committee has selected Manny Diaz Jr. as the sole finalist to become the university's seventh president. Diaz has served as UWF's interim president since July 2025. The Board of Trustees will now consider whether to make his appointment permanent.
"After reviewing all of the applicants and conducting in-person interviews, it became clear that Interim President Diaz's experiences of work ing in higher education, shaping education policy in the Florida Legislature and serving on the State University System of Florida Board of Governors—while also serving as Florida's Education Commissioner—have uniquely prepared him to be UWF's next president," said Zack Smith, chair of the search committee.
Diaz's career spans multiple education roles. He previously worked as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and Doral College's chief operating officer. He later served in both the Florida House and Senate. Most recently, Diaz served as Florida's Commissioner of Education and as a member of the State University System Board of Governors before taking the interim president position at UWF.
If approved, he would be the first UWF president without a doctorate. Diaz succeeds Dr. Martha Saunders, who resigned in May after nine years as president.
Next steps include an open public forum with Diaz and an interview with the UWF Board of Trustees. Both meetings will be open to the campus community and livestreamed via WUWF. If approved by the trustees, Diaz's appointment must be confirmed by the Florida Board of Gover nors, which could happen in January.
More information is available at uwf.edu/presidentialsearch. {in}
Market(ing)
Just because everybody else is doing it doesn't mean you have to.
Yes, we're talking about the black hole that is Black Friday, and how it's actually pretty easy to avoid if you so choose. You can start by ignoring your inbox for a few days and staying far, far away from any chain store selling discounted air fryers.
To help you say "no thanks" to big retail this weekend, and holiday season in general, we rounded up this selection of upcoming markets and local retail events.
Record Store Day Black Friday at Revolver Records
7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 28 @revolver_records
Perfect Day Books'
Black Friday Tote Bag Sale
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 @perfectdaybookstore
Jingle Bells on the Bay
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 @playpcolaparks
East Hill Makers Market
3-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2 @ihearteasthill
Palafox Market Holiday Edition
4-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Dec. 17 @palafoxmarket
Night Market at The Burrow
5-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 facebook.com/theburrowbyoc
Rally Gulf Coast's Holiday Shopping Soirée
10 a.m-4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5; various times and locations Saturday, Dec. 6 rallyfoundation.org/holiday-shopping-soiree
Holiday Art Market & Pottery Sale
Part of First City Art Center's Hot Glass
Cold Brew: Holiday Pajama Party
5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 @firstcityartcenter
German Winter Market at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten
5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 facebook.com/garysbrew
Winter Wax Record Fair at Odd Colony Brewing Co.
12-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 facebook.com/oddcolony
PSC Visual Arts Department Holiday Art Market
12-6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 and Thursday, Dec. 11; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12 @pscvisualarts
Pensacola Arts Market
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 @pensacolaartsmarket
Upcoming Holiday Markets + Retail Events
WolfGang's Santa Paws & Winter Wonderland Market
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 wolfgangparkandbrews.com
Pensacola Camellia Club Flower Show and Plant Sale
1-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 pensacolacamelliaclub.com
Craft & Vintage Holiday Market at Odd Colony Brewing Co.
12-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 facebook.com/oddcolony
December Gallery Night
5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 @gallerynightpensacola
Holiday Kids Market at The Burrow
12-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 facebook.com/theburrowbyoc
Pensacola Arts Market at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten
2-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 @pensacolaartsmarket {in}
*If you're hosting a holiday shopping market that isn't mentioned here, email the details to calendar@inweekly.net, and we'll try to include it in an upcoming issue.
Arts & Entertainment
'Tis the Season to See a Movie
By Joshua Encinias
Get ready for a weeks-long run of cinematic showdowns. Late November at the movies features the final installment in Oz with "Wicked: For Good," Brendan Fraser blurring reality in "Rental Family" and Elizabeth Olsen choosing an afterlife soulmate in "Eternity."
And the hits keep coming in December. Jessie Buckley devastates in "Hamnet," Timothée Chalamet hustles in "Marty Supreme," and Quentin Tarantino's definitive "Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair" arrives just in time to blood-soak the holidays.
In Theaters Now
WICKED: FOR GOOD
"Wicked: For Good" is the epic conclusion of the Oz saga. The story follows Elphaba, now branded the Wicked Witch of the West and living in exile, as she fights for animal rights and exposes the corrupt Wizard of Oz. Meanwhile, Glinda, rising in power and preparing to marry Fiyero, navigates her fractured friendship with Elphaba.
RENTAL FAMILY
A dramedy that follows Phillip (Brendan Fraser), an American actor in Tokyo who takes a unique job with a Japanese rental family agency, playing stand-in roles like fathers and friends for strangers. As he immerses himself in these roles, genuine bonds form, blurring the lines between performance and reality.
ZOOTOPIA 2
This sequel reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they investigate a mysterious new reptilian resident, Gary De'Snake, who disrupts the peace of Zootopia.
ETERNITY
In this heartfelt fantasy rom-com, Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) must choose between two loves in the afterlife—her devoted husband Larry (Miles Teller) and her first love Luke (Callum Turner), who died decades ago. With just one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan confronts memories and impossible choices.
Coming Soon DEC. 5 HAMNET
This ahistorical drama explores the lives of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) as they handle the devastating loss of Hamnet, their son. This deeply emotional film reveals how grief inspired Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece "Hamlet."
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
This reverse-chronological musical is a recording of the Broadway staging of Sondheim's show. The story follows composer Franklin Shepard (Jonathan Groff) and his two lifelong friends, writer Mary (Lindsay Mendez) and playwright
Charley (Daniel Radcliffe). As their friendship unravels over three decades, the story reveals how fame, diverging choices and regret shape their lives.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2
Stars Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail return for "Five Nights at Freddy's 2." The horror sequel follows Abby (Piper Rubio), who sneaks out to reconnect with her animatronic friends one year after the terrifying events at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Her actions awaken dark secrets and a hidden horror.
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR
Quentin Tarantino's iconic revenge epic is meticulously restored and presented as a single, seamless film experience. Witness The Bride's roaring rampage of revenge in its complete, uncut glory. This is the definitive version, featuring extended scenes and the legendary House of Blue Leaves sequence in its full form.
100 NIGHTS OF HERO
This historical fantasy centers on Cherry (Maika Monroe), her devoted maid Hero (Emma Corrin) and a seductive houseguest (Nicholas Galitzine) who disrupts their fragile world. It's based on a graphic novel, and also features Charli XCX.
DEC. 11
THE CURE: THE SHADOW OF A LOST WORLD
This concert film captures The Cure's complete live performance of their acclaimed 2024 album "Songs of a Lost World" at London's Troxy. The film features a 4K presentation and Dolby Atmos sound mix by Robert Smith, giving fans an immersive experience of the landmark show.
DEC. 12
SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (2025)
This remake of the 1984 film with the same title stars Rohan Campbell as Billy, a man haunted by his parents' gruesome murder at the hands of a man in a Santa suit. As an adult, Billy dons a Santa costume and unleashes a violent spree targeting people he deems naughty.
DEC. 19
IS THIS THING ON?
This heartfelt dramedy from Bradley Cooper follows Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern), a couple quietly navigating the end of their 20-year marriage. As Alex finds unexpected solace and purpose in the New York comedy scene, Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family.
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH
The third film in the "Avatar" series continues the saga on planet Pandora. Jake Sully, Neytiri and their family face a new threat from the fierce Ash People, led by the ruthless Varang who allies with Jake's old enemy, Quaritch.
DEC. 25
MARTY SUPREME
Academy Award nominee Timothée Chalamet is Marty Mauser, a fast-talking New York dreamer hellbent on using the overlooked world of table tennis as his springboard to glory in 1952. Stuck selling shoes in his uncle's cramped store, he navigates his girlfriend's pregnancy while battling ridicule from his family and the entire post-war establishment that expects him to stay in his lane.
SONG SUNG BLUE
Based on the true story of Mike and Claire Sardina, a Milwaukee couple who find love and meaning by forming a Neil Diamond tribute band, this musical drama stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. The film captures their journey of triumph and heartbreak as they handle addiction and trauma. {in}
a&e happenings
HOLIDAY EVENTS
PENSACOLA WINTERFEST Downtown Pensacola is transformed into a winter wonderland with holiday tours throughout the season. Choose from the Grinch's Merry Match, Peanuts or Polar Express tours. And don't forget pictures with Santa. Details and tickets at pensacolawinterfest.org.
PALAFOX MARKET HOLIDAY EDITION
Palafox Market Holiday Edition is 4-8 p.m. every Wednesday through Dec. 17 in MLK Jr. Plaza, under thousands of twinkling lights.
ELF PARADE & CHRISTMAS JUBILEE Watch the Elf Parade 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28. The parade will line up at Government and Palafox. For details, visit winterfestpensacola.org.
JINGLE BELLS ON THE BAY INDOOR
HOLIDAY MARKET Shop local handmade craft vendors 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center, 913 S. I St.
BIG SCREEN AT THE BURROW: HOLIDAY
EDITION Watch "Home Alone" with a free hot cocoa booth and festive toppings 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at The Burrow, 1010 N. 12th Ave.
CHRISTMAS CRAFTS & DRAFTS Event is 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30 at Coastal County Brewing Co., 3041 E. Olive Road. Details at coastalcountybrewing.com.
HOLIDAY JAZZ JAM Jazz Pensacola presents their December jazz jam 6:30-9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.
CHRISTMAS AT THE CLINIC GALA TO BENEFIT HEALTH AND HOPE CLINIC
Health and Hope Clinic's annual fundraiser, Christmas at the Clinic, will be held 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2 at Pensacola Country Club, 1500 Bayshore Drive. Proceeds from the gala benefit the Health and Hope Clinic, a volunteer and donor-driven medical and dental clinic which provides free healthcare with free wrap-around services to help meet the needs of the underserved and uninsured in Pensacola and surrounding areas. Details and tickets at healthandhopeclinic.org.
HO HO HOMICIDE MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW Christmas-themed murder mystery show is 6-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $69. Details at eventbrite.com.
CHRISTMAS CANDLE MAKING Each participant will get to select and decorate a scented 8 oz. organic soy wax candle 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. Event at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Tickets available at thebejoyfulboutique.com.
LIGHT WIRE THEATRE PRESENTS: A VERY ELECTRIC CHRISTMAS Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.
GERMAN WINTER MARKET Shop local vendors 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.
NINTH ANNUAL HOLIDAY HAUL ON PALAFOX Street-wide holiday open house returns Dec. 5 with the Ninth Annual Holiday Haul on Palafox. Visitors are encouraged to explore downtown's boutiques and shops and enjoy live music, pop-ups, giveaways and holiday treats. Visit downtownpensacola.com/alliwant for more.
BLOW YOUR OWN ORNAMENT WITH MUFFINJAW DESIGNS Muffinjaw Designs will be back at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. for an ornament making class 2-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6. Food trucks and live music will also be at Gary's. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.
WAHOOS WINTER NIGHTS Visit Blue Wahoos Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St., this holiday season for a walk-through holiday light display open 6-9 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning on December 5, and every day from Friday, December 19 through Tuesday, December 23. On Sundays at 6:30 p.m., the tickets include a movie screening. On Dec. 7, "Elf;" Dec. 14, "Home Alone;" and Dec. 21, "The Grinch." Tickets will be available for $12 from the Blue Wahoos Stadium box office and bluewahoos.com.
LIGHTED BOAT PARADE The 2025 Lighted Boat Parade will set sail from Sabine Marina in Little Sabine Bay at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Before the boats light up the bay, families are invited to a Kids' Pre-Parade Party at Shaggy's Harbor Bar & Grill from 4 to 6 p.m. Enjoy cookie and ornament decorating and photos with Santa. After the parade, Santa will arrive at the Quietwater Shell and take photos aboard his sleigh from 7:30-8:30 p.m., joined this year by Mrs. "Mermaid" Claus. Don't miss the fireworks show over the Santa Rosa Sound at 7:30 p.m.
MESSIAH SING! The Choral Society of Pensacola performs Handel's classic 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 and noon Saturday, Dec. 6 at Cathedral of Sacred Heart, 1212 E. Moreno St. Get tickets at choralsocietyofpensacola.org.
HOLLY JOLLY MALL WALK 5K Fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 inside Cordova Mall, 5100 N. Ninth Ave. Registration is $10 for kids ages 4-12 and $20 for adults. Sign up at runsignup.com.
15TH ANNUAL GINGERBREAD DECORATING AND BAKING CLASS Cooking class is 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Details and tickets available at pensacolacooks.com.
SANTA PAWS & PINTS AND HOLIDAY WREATH MAKING Get your Santa pics and enjoy the holiday market 12-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. A ticketed wreath making event will take place at 2 p.m. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.
CHRISTMAS ZOOBILEE Gulf Breeze Zoo hosts its Seventh Annual Christmas ZOObilee
on Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14 during zoo hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Guests of all ages are invited to celebrate the season with festive activities, live entertainment and holiday-themed fun throughout the park. Admission to the Zoo during Christmas ZOObilee is $10 for members and $21.95-$28.95 for regular admission. Safari Express Train rides included.
A CHOCOLATE COVERED CHRISTMAS CAROL Holiday music concert is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.
SANTA PUB CRAWL O'Riley's Irish Pub will host its 13th Annual Santa Pub Crawl Saturday, Dec. 6. The nonprofit organizations are Toys For Tots and St Jude Children's Research Hospital. General admission is a minimum donation of $10 and an unwrapped toy. The VIP tier is a minimum donation of $35 and an unwrapped toy. Details and tickets at orileyspub.com.
DECK THE HALLS A holiday brunch event with caroling from Pensacola Opera. Seatings are 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 6, 13 and 20 at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. Reservations can be made by calling (850) 469-9898 or visiting jacksonsrestaurant.com.
WINTER WAX RECORD FAIR Do some holiday shopping at the Winter Wax Record Fair 12-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.
NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
WE ARE ACTS MILES FOR MENTAL HEALTH VIRTUAL 5K RUN/WALK Register for the virtual/asynchronous 5k to run or walk anytime during the month of November and support access to mental healthcare in the community. Register at runsignup.com/race/fl/pensacola/ weareactsmilesformentalhealth.
SAVE OUR SHELTERS SILENT AUCTION
The Save our Shelters silent auction of mini themed trees and gift baskets will be available now through December 13 from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Happy Dog Resort, 1401 W. Cervantes St. All proceeds help provide low-cost spay and neuter services for dogs in our community. Come shop, bid and make a difference in our community. Also, ask about the Double Dog Dare and take the item home same day.
PENSACOLA ANNUAL CHILI COOK-
OFF Starts at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Enjoy a fun evening of chili tastings, competitions, raffles and live music, all in support of epilepsy awareness with Epilepsy Alliance Florida. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal
Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Beef 'O' Brady's, 1 New Market St., Cantonment (on Nine Mile Road near Pine Forest Road). The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.
a&e happenings
ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.
CARING
DRIVE
& SHARING MINISTRY FOOD
The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens 10 a.m. and also has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women, as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
ALL I WANT HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY The "All I Want" Holiday Giveaway runs through Dec. 17, presented by the Downtown Improvement Board and local merchants. Shoppers can earn entries for every $10 spent at participating downtown businesses, with daily prizes, weekly $100 gift cards and a $1,000 grand prize in downtown gift cards. Spend local and you could win anything from dinners and spa treatments to original art, clothing and more. On Shop Small Saturday (Nov. 29), shoppers will earn double entries for every $10 spent. For complete rules and details, visit downtownpensacola.com/alliwant.
ARTS & CULTURE
BLACK FRIDAY BOOK SALE WITH PERFECT DAY BOOKS Purchase a tote bag (or pay a small fee if you already have a Perfect Day tote bag) and fill it with free books. Choose from a selection of titles. Sale is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 28 at The Western Rose, 18 S. DeVilliers St.
SCREEN FREE SATURDAY Lock your phone away and take a moment to read, play, make crafts or whatever you choose 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St., with Perfect Day Books and CB Coffee and Tea.
OVER THE GARDEN WALL BACKYARD
SCREENING & POETRY OPEN MIC On Nov. 28, The Undergrowth art collective will host open mic poetry from 5-6:30 p.m., followed by a screening of Over the Garden Wall. No tickets required; $10 at the door or free entry with pantry/canned goods. Food donations will go to local Manna Food Bank. BYO chair/blanket. Direct message @the.undergrowth on Instagram for address.
JEWELRY MAKING AT COASTAL CAT
CAFE Learn to craft kitty-themed jewelry 9:45 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St. Cost is $28. Register at coastalcatpcola.com.
FALL PENSACOLA OUTDOOR COMMUNITY FLEA MARKET For $2 admission, you can
shop the large flea market 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30 Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. Details at apexshowsandevents.com.
RANDY'S (TRAILER PARK BOYS) CHEESEBURGER PICNIC COMEDY TOUR Show starts at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. A comedy act filled with Trailer Park Boys' shenanigans, songs, contests and prizes that will surely lift your spirits. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
DRAW TOGETHER DRAWING CLUB Starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. A free event that is open to all ages and skill levels; supplies provided.
NURSE BLACK: BLUE DID YOU DIE?
COMEDY TOUR Show is 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at pensacolasaenger.com.
RUSTED RELIC REVIVAL CAR SHOW HOSTED BY THE RUSTY KNUCKLE
TORQUE CLUB Starts at 12 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.
DUALITIES: NATIONAL SCULPTURE
EXHIBITION This national exhibition will feature works from various artists at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. The exhibition is on view through Jan. 11. Details are at pensacolamuseum.org.
THRIFT STYLE New exhibit at Pensacola Museum of History explores the reuse of feed sacks to make clothing and other household objects. View the exhibit and explore the museum, located at 330 S. Jefferson St. Details at historicpensacola.org.
FIRST FRIDAY AT BLUE MORNING
GALLERY Visit Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox St., 5:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month for a reception with wine, live music and occasional artist demonstrations. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for details.
PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION
LECTURES Learn Pensacola/Northwest Florida history through interesting, informal lectures every other Tuesday at The Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. Doors open at 11 a.m. and lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. The lecture starts at noon and lasts one hour. Lecture cost is $5 for non-members and is free to members. Lunches are $12. For reservations, call (850) 380-7759.
PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.
BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.
a&e happenings
lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.
DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.midnight Tuesdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.
TUESDAY TRIVIA AT PERFECT PLAIN Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for trivia nights 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at 50 E. Garden St. Visit perfectplain.com/upcoming-events for details.
LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER
Get on your feet with a social Latin dance—no partner required—and Latin music 7-9 p.m. every Wednesday at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials and music from DJ DavidC continue after the dancing. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Food trucks are on site. Details are at orileystavern.com.
TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS
Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.
COLLEGE NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER
College night is 8 p.m. Thursdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. Free beer pong tournament begins at 10 p.m. Drink specials include $2 bar drinks, $3.50 Fireball shots for ages 21 and older. Cover is $5 for ages 21 and older and $10 for ages 18-20. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music are 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.
PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get deals on pitchers 8 p.m.-midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 8 p.m.; SIN Night starts 1 a.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.
WEEKLY SINGO AT PERFECT PLAIN BREWING CO. Music Bingo Thursdays is 7-9 p.m. at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details are at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.
POOL TOURNAMENT Pool tournaments begin 8 p.m., and Tequila Night is 8 p.m. to midnight Thursdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.
DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night with a DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
TRIVIA UNDER THE TREES Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT
Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at 208 Newman Ave. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.
FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE QUAR-
TER Visit Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. every Friday with cold drinks, hot food and great vibes in the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter. Happy hour begins 11 a.m. Fridays with drink and food specials.
SEVILLE QUARTER'S FLIP MY QUARTER
Seville Quarter is flipping the script—and a few quarters—with its brand-new happy hour promotion, Flip My Quarter, 6-8 p.m. every Friday throughout the Seville Quarter entertainment complex. When you order a domestic draft beer, well liquor cocktail or house wine, tell the bartender to "flip my quarter." When they flip it, call it in the air. If you call it right, your drink is free.
BIG BEER NIGHT Drink specials are 8 p.m.midnight, and SIN Night is 1 a.m. to close Fridays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.
FEISTY FRIDAY NIGHTS Enjoy a DJ 9 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.
TGI FIREBALL FRIDAY Drink specials are all day Fridays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. SIN Night starts at 11 p.m. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
FISH FRY FRIDAY Half off fish n' chips is 11 a.m.4 p.m., and live DJ is 9 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.
JAMESON SPECIAL Enjoy $5 Jameson Irish Whiskey all night Saturdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.
MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER From 8 p.m.-midnight every Saturday, members enjoy $3.50 Crown & Drown cocktails at Phineas Phogg's inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
SHAMROCK SATURDAY Shamrock Saturday is 9 p.m., and SIN Night starts 11 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
for more listings visit inweekly.net
free will astrology
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 27
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): The Japanese word mushin means "no mind." In Zen Buddhism, it refers to the state of flow where thinking stops and being takes over. When you are moving along in the groove of mushin, your body knows what to do before your brain catches up. You're so present you disappear into the action itself. Athletes refer to it as "the zone." It's the place where effort becomes effortless, where you stop trying and simply love the doing. In the coming weeks, Aries, you can enjoy this state more than you have in a long time. Ride it with glee!
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): For the foreseeable future, salmon are your spirit creatures. I'll remind you about their life cycle. They are born in freshwater, migrate to the ocean and live there for years. Then they return, moving against river currents, up waterfalls, past bears and eagles. Eventually, they arrive at the exact stream where they were born. How do they do it? They navigate using the Earth's magnetic field and their sense of smell, remembering chemical signatures from years ago. I think your own calling is as vivid as theirs, dear Taurus. And in the coming weeks, you will be extra attuned to that primal signal. Trust the ancient pull back toward your soul's home.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): What if procrastination isn't always a problem? On some occasions, maybe it's a message from your deeper self. Delay could serve as a form of protection. Avoidance might be a sign of your deep wisdom at work. Consider these possibilities, Gemini. What if your resistance to the "should" is actually your soul's immune system rejecting a foreign agenda? It might be trying to tell you secrets about what you truly want versus what you think you should want.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): I'm only slightly joking when I recommend that you practice the art of sacred bitching in the coming days. You are hereby authorized to complain and criticize with creative zeal. But the goal is not to push hard in a quest to solve problems perfectly. Instead, simply give yourself the luxury of processing and metabolizing the complications. Your venting and whining won't be pathological, but a legitimate way to achieve emotional release. Sometimes, like now, you need acknowledgment more than solu-
By Rob Brezsny
tions. Allowing feelings is more crucial than fixing things. The best course of action is saying "this is hard" until it's slightly less hard.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The Chinese concept of yuanfen means that some connections are fated. Certain people were always meant to cross your path. Not soulmates necessarily, but soulevokers: those who bring transformations that were inscribed on your destiny before you knew they were coming. When you meet a new person and feel instant recognition, that's yuanfen. When a relationship changes your life, that's yuanfen. When timing aligns impossibly but wonderfully, that's yuanfen. According to my analysis, you Leos are due for such phenomena in the coming weeks—at least two, maybe more. Some opportunities appear because you pursue them. Others were always going to arrive simply because you opened your mind and heart.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Let's talk about a forest's roots. Mostly hidden from sight, they are the source of all visible life. They are always communicating with each other, sharing nourishment and information. When extra help is needed, they call on fungi networks to support them, distributing their outreach even further. Your own lineage works similarly, Virgo. It's nutrient-rich and endlessly intertwined with others, some of whom came long before you. You are the flowering tip of an unseen intelligence. Every act of grounding—breathing deeply, resting your feet, returning to gratitude—is your body's way of remembering its subterranean ancestry. Please keep these meditations at the forefront of your awareness in the coming weeks. I believe you will thrive to the degree that you draw from your extensive roots.
this happy news in mind, I will remind you that your brain is constantly growing and changing. Every experience carves new neural pathways. Every repeated thought strengthens certain connections and weakens others. You're not stuck with the brain you have, but are continuously building the brain that's evolving. The architecture of your consciousness is always under construction. Take full advantage of this resilience and plasticity!
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): The coming weeks will be a favorable time to stand near what you want to become. I advise you to surround yourself with the energy you want to embody. Position yourself in the organic ecosystem of your aspirations without grasping or forcing. Your secret power is not imitation but osmosis. Not ambition but proximity. The transformations you desire will happen sideways, through exposure and absorption. You won't become by trying to become; you will become by staying close to what calls you.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Some seeds can remain dormant for centuries, waiting for the right conditions to germinate. The oldest successfully germinated seed was a 2,000-yearold date palm seed. I suspect you will experience psychospiritual and metaphorical versions of this marvel in the coming weeks. Certain aspects of you have long been dormant but are about to sprout. Some of your potentials have been waiting for conditions that you haven't encountered until recently. Is there anything you can do to encourage these wondrous developments? Be alert for subtle magic that needs just a little nudge.
AQUARIUS
(JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Benevolent gossip is the practice of speaking about people not to diminish them but to fondly wonder about them and try to understand them. What if gossip could be generous? What if talking about someone in their absence could be an act of compassionate curiosity rather than judgment? What if you spoke about everyone as if they might overhear you—not from fear but from respect? Your words about others could be spells that shape how they exist in the collective imagination. Here's another beautiful fact about benevolent gossip: it can win you appreciation and attention that will enhance your ability to attract the kind of help and support you need.
Certain aspects of you have long been dormant but are about to sprout.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): You are currently in a phase when it's highly possible to become both smarter and wiser. You have a sixth sense for knowing exactly how to enhance both your intellectual and emotional intelligence. With
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Orb weaver spiders make seven different types of silk, each engineered for different purposes: sticky silk for catching prey, strong silk for the web's frame, stretchy silk for wrapping food and soft silk for egg sacs. In other words, they don't generate a stream of generic resources and decide later what to do with them. Each type of silk is produced by distinct silk glands and spinnerets, and each is carefully tailored for a particular use. I advise you to be like the orb weavers in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Specificity will be your superpower.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Every 21,000 years, the Sahara Desert transforms into a lush green savanna. It's due to precession, which is a wobble in the Earth's axis. The African seasonal monsoon becomes much stronger, bringing increased rainfall to the entire area. The last time this occurred was from about 11,000 to 5,000 years ago. During this era, the Sahara supported lakes, rivers, grasslands and diverse animal and human populations. I'm predicting a comparable shift for you in the coming months, Pisces. The onset of luxuriant growth is already underway. And right now is an excellent time to encourage and expedite the onset of flourishing abundance. Formulate the plans and leap into action.
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Give yourself a pep talk about how to thrive when other people aren't at their best. {in}
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