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LINCOLN PARK & WARRINGTON ELEMENTARY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

Independent News | October 15, 2026 | Volume 27 | Number 41

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winners & losers

outtakes

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It's something to get used to.

feature

a&e

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Joshua Encinias, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, 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. © 2026 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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October 15, 2026

ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 3, 2026

WHERE TO VOTE EARLY

winners & losers

VOTE EARLY AT 10 AREA LOCATIONS! Monday, October 19 through Saturday, October 31

Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola Pensacola Library, 239 Spring Street, Pensacola Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A, Molino Asbury Place, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola

ALL EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS OPEN

8:00 A.M. TO 6:00 P.M.

Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W De Soto Street, Pensacola Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse, 7500 N Century Blvd, Century UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola Sample ballots are available online at EscambiaVotes.gov/sample-ballots.

Robert D. Bender, Supervisor of Elections Phone: (850) 595-3900 Fax: (850) 595-3914 Email: soe@escambiavotes.gov

EscambiaVotes.gov

winners SALVATION ARMY The charitable organization shows up when Escambia County needs it most. Following Hurricane Isaias, the Salvation Army deployed canteens to communities struggling with power outages, flooding, debris and transportation disruptions, offering free meals and reassurance to anyone in need. Beginning Oct. 11, crews served breakfast, lunch and dinner at four sites: Carver Park Resource Center, Century Community Shelter, Wedgewood Community Center and the downtown Pensacola Library. Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services canteens and trained and credentialled crews from around the state have rallied to bring hope and supplies to those facing challenging conditions. Emotional and spiritual care specialists, also on site, frequently provide a listening ear, an understanding perspective, and a safe space to share concerns. ANGELIQUE PARKER Escambia County named

Sgt. Angelique Parker its October 2026 Employee of the Month, honoring her with a proclamation at the Oct. 1 Board of County Commissioners meeting. Parker, Lead Environmental Enforcement Officer in the Environmental Code Enforcement Division of the Natural Resources Management Department, reached 20 years of county service Oct. 2. She supervises code enforcement officers, inspects possible environmental violations, issues notices and citations, and presents cases at quasi-judicial hearings. "She has numerous qualities that benefit the Code Enforcement Division and Escambia County," Natural Resources Management Director Chips Kirschenfeld said, citing her "stabilizing presence."

AMANDA DEXTER The University of West

Florida professor has been named a 2026 Distinguished CHEST Educator, an honor from the American College of Chest Physicians that places her among the top 3% of CHEST faculty worldwide. Dexter directs respiratory therapy and is an assistant professor of clinical practice at UWF. Recipients must show significant, sustained contributions to respiratory education over three years. Dr. Shelley Diviney, interim dean of the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health, noted the distinction is rarely earned by a non-physician. UWF launched its B.S. in Respiratory Therapy in 2025. Dexter is program director. It is only the third such program in Florida. Awardees will be honored Oct. 18, at the CHEST Annual Meeting in Phoenix.

losers FLORIDA'S CHILDREN The Florida Depart-

ment of Health (DOH) heard hours of public comment last week on its proposal to repeal school enrollment requirements for four vaccines: Hepatitis B, varicella, Haemophilus influenzae type b and pneumococcal conjugate. Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said the change would strengthen parents' rights and public health. Supporters praised the plan, while physicians, including leaders of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, urged the department to reconsider. The requirements are agency rules, not state law. Mandates for MMR, polio, diphtheria and tetanus are statutory and would require legislative action. Last month, DOH dropped a proposed expansion of exemptions. Written comments are accepted until Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. at vaccinerule@flhealth.gov.

FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS The state appellate court last week ordered a grand jury report, which alleged $10 million from a Medicaid settlement was "misappropriated," expunged, though the document has already been leaked and widely reported. The 19-page ruling criticized State Attorney Jack Campbell for distributing the report in January before those named could seek to suppress it. It also found the Centene settlement, which sent $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation, was legal because no civil action had been filed. The money later reached a political committee headed by James Uthmeier, now attorney general. Uthmeier's aides declared "victory." The ruling was a huge loss for Floridians not part of Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration. DRAFTKINGS The Seminole Tribe of Florida sued DraftKings last week in Broward Circuit Court, alleging the platform runs an illegal sportsbook that violates the Tribe's 2021 gaming compact with the state, which grants it a sports betting monopoly. The suit seeks an injunction, damages and disgorgement of profits. DraftKings did not respond to requests for comment. Gov. DeSantis said he believes the compact "clearly contemplated" Tribal operation but expects federal courts and Congress to settle whether prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket count as gambling. The state received $1.04 billion under the compact last fiscal year. inweekly.net

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WELL DONE, ERIC The storm is gone, the grocery stores are open, and most of the lights are back on. After Hurricane Isaias, that deserves a moment of gratitude, and a good share of it belongs to Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore and the team he built. Anyone who lived through Hurricane Sally in 2020 remembers the long, frustrating days afterward. Information was slow, and the county's response often felt like it was chasing the storm instead of staying ahead of it. This time was different, and you could see it in how quickly the county moved. When Gilmore held his press conference the day after the storm, the operation looked like one that had done this before.

On Sunday afternoon, Sheriff Chip Simmons talked about how well Gilmore managed the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). He held everyone accountable for their areas of expertise and fostered a spirit of cooperation. In the past, egos often got in the way of communication. Gilmore held two press conferences after the storm. Both were informative, not performative.

THE RECOVERY MARATHON When I

talked with him on Sunday, his line about the pace of the work stuck with me. He kept telling his team it's a marathon, not a sprint, "but we are sprinting." That captures what a hurricane response demands. It suggests a director leading from inside the EOC, not delegating from a distance. At Inweekly, we strive to hold public officials accountable, and we will not shy away from that mission. Gilmore will face tough questions in the future, as every public safety director does. But credit should be given when it is earned, and it was earned here. Escambia County quickly shifted to assessment mode as the winds died down. Our recovery and the release of much-needed information happened much faster than in the past. They did not happen by accident. There is also a lesson for the rest of local government. Gilmore invested in training and in learning from other communities' hardships. When the test came, that investment paid off. County leaders are often tempted to cut preparation, travel, and training as soft spending. Hurricane Isaias reminds us that this spending delivers real, measurable results when people need them most. Credit also goes to the EOC staff who worked around the clock. Gilmore was quick to praise their hard work and training. A good leader gives his team credit, and he did. Eric Gilmore and his team took lessons from other counties' disasters and used them to protect their own community. Escambia County is better off for it, and he deserves our thanks. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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This time was different, and you could see it in how quickly the county moved.

LEARNING FROM DEPLOYMENTS It had,

though not in the way people might assume. Gilmore explained to me that the county has spent the past few years sending teams to other communities hit by hurricanes. Those deployments weren't just acts of good citizenship. They were a classroom. Staff returned home with firsthand knowledge of what other counties did right and, more importantly, where they failed. Gilmore told me those lessons were fed back into training throughout the year, so the people in the emergency operations center learned from other counties' mistakes before they had to make their own. When Hurricane Sally hit, then-County Administrator Janice Gilley treated disaster response as something to figure out when it arrived. Gilmore treated it as a discipline and found a way to practice without waiting for Escambia County to be devastated first. Mistakes were made, and important items were dropped during Hurricane Sally. Not this time. After each deployment elsewhere, staff returned saying things like "In Madison County, we did this." That institutional memory headed off problems before they fell off the plate. A leader who admits his people started inexperienced and then explains how he fixed it is a leader I trust. October 15, 2026

Eric Gilmore / Photo Courtesy of myescambia.com

FASTER ISAIAS RESPONSE As Hurricane

Isaias battered the Florida Panhandle, Escambia County emergency officials leaned on lessons their staff learned helping other Florida counties recover from earlier storms. Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore said in an interview that sending county teams to disasters elsewhere in recent years has sharpened the department's planning and speed. He pointed to a press conference held on Oct. 10, less than 24 hours after the hurricane made landfall, as evidence. "What you saw yesterday with the press conference we had was a culmination of what we learned during Sally and what we learned deployed," Gilmore said on Oct. 11. He said that experience helped the county get ahead of the situation "a lot faster." Gilmore said his staff has been working at a punishing pace. "I keep telling my team out there, it's a marathon, not a sprint, but we are sprinting," he said. "We're in a fast marathon." One example of those lessons at work was pre-ordering supplies. Gilmore said the team did a good job stocking up early, but the biggest challenge was waiting on power restoration estimates from Florida Power & Light. Utilities, he said, are outside the control of his office, though he pressed the company hard for timelines from the emergency operations center. The estimates drive what the county orders. If power had been out for three days, Gilmore said, the county would need water and food rather than temporary shelter pods. A restoration time of 12 to 24 hours changes the calculation again. Gilmore said three members of his leadership team, Meteorologist Scottlin Wilson, Emergency Coordinator Isaiah Helton and Emergency Manager Travis Tompkins, spent the year training everyone in the emergency operations center on what they saw in other counties. That included what roles people played and where operations broke down. "So yes, we shored those things up," Gilmore said. Many members of the county's emergency management staff were new to the work when they were hired, he said. Deployments gave them

real experience before a storm hit home. "They were all green when we hired them," Gilmore said. He said the county did not want staff learning on the job during the first local disaster, when mistakes and dropped tasks are more costly. Those deployments now come up in the operations center in real time. Staff members will say things like, "In Madison County, we did this or this happened," Gilmore said, and the conversations have caught problems early. "You can't believe how many things were headed off before they fell off the plate." The difference was visible in how the county operated and shared information, and Escambia has been fortunate that electricity and grocery stores came back quickly. Gilmore said the experience gained elsewhere has paid off at home, and that the county will keep sending teams to other disasters.

CITY BETTER PREPARED Mayor D.C. Reeves

says the city's decision to build its own emergency management function paid off during Hurricane Isaias, particularly in the small problems that can make life miserable for residents without power. Reeves established the city's Emergency Management Department a couple of years ago. Emergency Management Specialist Toma Castle represented Pensacola at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center throughout the storm. Before Castle, Fire Chief Craner handled both the fire department and emergency coordination through many disasters. Reeves said that was too much to ask. Pensacola's fire department holds an ISO 1 rating, which places it in the top 1% nationally. "I don't think that's fair to a fire chief," he said. Castle is technically part of the fire department, but she now carries the coordination role. That frees Craner to focus on firefighters in the field. Reeves said the arrangement gives him confidence that someone is managing the "traffic" behind the scenes, including damage assessment teams, crew deployment, and city hall's internet and IT needs. He said, "We didn't wait till there was a problem." He called Castle's value constant rather than tied to a single moment. By his count, he talked to her about 15 times one morning. Nonprofits texted him asking where to deliver water or set up charging stations. Residents called with urgent needs, including an 88-year-old looking for oxygen and an 87-year-old woman who could not get a tree off her roof. "The mayor doesn't know that," Reeves said of such requests. With Castle, he can send them to someone who does. "It makes all the difference. Truly a traffic manager on the city side." Her location matters, too. The city's emergency response sits in the same room as the county's team. "We couldn't be better coordinat-

ed," Reeves said. Without a city presence, he said, a request might have to go to a county asset well outside Pensacola. This time, the city could step in directly and carry information both ways. That is a change from past storms, when the city often sat back at the county operations center. Reeves said communication is a team effort. He said he has spoken with each partner at the center about five times in 24 hours, and city updates do not stop at city limits. "If you're in Escambia County, we're giving you the Escambia page." Reeves said the biggest benefits came in smaller matters. He credited the coordination with getting generators onto streetlights, which he said might otherwise have taken a day or two longer, and with helping reopen the airport faster. Major problems, he said, would likely have been handled at the county level anyway. "It's the value of the little things," Reeves said. Having someone with that bandwidth lets the city focus on residents like the woman on oxygen "and not send that to someone else and hope it happens."

POLICE TO ALERT SCHOOLS Pensacola police will soon begin notifying schools when a student has witnessed violence or other trauma, Police Chief Eric Winstrom said, calling it a "Handle With Care" program that could launch within days. Winstrom made the announcement on "Rick's Blog Live" after attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors task force on teen violence in San Diego with Mayor D.C. Reeves. The meeting drew 30 to 40 mayors, and Winstrom said none was surprised by the topic. Under the program, officers who learn a student witnessed a violent incident, experienced trauma at home, or had a loved one arrested would alert the child's school. Teachers would then know to give that student extra attention and grace the next day. Winstrom said the idea came from Columbia, South Carolina. Department attorneys are reviewing it to ensure it does not violate privacy rights, and the department will work with the school district. The chief also described a tactic Pensacola brought to the task force. When investigators spot social media posts calling for teens to "take over" an intersection, park or the mall, they try to identify the poster. Officers then visit the home, deliver a strongly worded letter from the city's law department, and speak with the parents. Some posters are as young as 13, Winstrom said, and parents are often unaware of their child's online activity. Analysts at the Real Time Crime Center monitor social media and share information with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. Winstrom said they recently traced anonymous, veiled threats tied to football games, in one case down to an IP address. Winstrom said the national trend is to call such events "teen gatherings" rather than takeovers. He added that the harder work is prevention, giving teens healthy, supportive places to belong, and that police want to stand beside those leading that effort. {in} inweekly.net

October 15, 2026

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LINCOLN PARK & WARRINGTON ELEMENTARY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK By Rick Outzen The Escambia County School District plans to close Lincoln Park and Warrington elementary schools, and a committee of residents is already drawing attendance zones that would send their students elsewhere. At its second meeting on Oct. 6, the Student Attendance Zone Advisory Committee (SAZAC) heard Assistant Superintendent Shawn E. Dennis say the decision "has not been made yet." At the first meeting last month, Dennis told members the district had already decided to close the two elementary schools. Last week, he stepped back from that. Whether the step changes the outcome is the question hanging over the process. The closures are driven by the district's shrinking budget under the state's new voucher system, which allows parents to receive funds intended for public education if they choose to educate their children outside the public school system. Escambia County Public Schools has lost more than 7,000 students over the past several years, including 799 this school year. At roughly $9,000 per student in state funding, that amounts to more than $7 million in lost revenue. Many of those students have likely moved to voucher programs, homeschooling or private schools. Christopher MacFarland, the district's enrollment services coordinator, told the committee that about 8,000 students in the county use state scholarships (vouchers), and 3,000 are homeschooled and also receive vouchers. Students no longer have to attend the schools in their attendance zones. According to MacFarland, 3,000 attend district schools outside their zones.

HISTORY OF SAZAC

Dennis walked the committee through the 20-year history of the process. SAZAC began in 2006. This is the sixth committee, and each one begins with a charge from the superintendent. The committee recommends changes to attendance zones but does not decide on closures. •2006: The charge covered closing Woodham High School and reconfiguring it as a middle school and closing Brownsville, Wedgewood and Brentwood middle schools. It took 10 months, and members worked with pen and paper. •2008: Hallmark and Spencer Bibbs elementary schools were among the schools closed. The district opened the downtown school now known as Global Learning Academy and weighed closing one of four west side elementaries: Warrington, Edgewater, Navy Point or West Pensacola. The superintendent chose to close Edgewater. •2010: Members corrected zone errors and October 15, 2026

redrew high school boundaries. They also built a zone based on closing Lincoln Park. The superintendent instead cut the school to the lower grades, K-2, and moved third through fifth graders to nearby schools. •2017: The district opened Kingsfield Elementary and Beulah Middle, closed Woodham Middle and restored Lincoln Park to a full K-5 school. •2023: The committee drew zones for the new Pleasant Grove Elementary. It also built a contingency zone to close Warrington Middle, which was used because it was converted to a charter school. Dennis said the recommendations have a mixed record. "We have a history of many of them being acted upon, and some have never been acted upon," he said. He added that Lincoln Park's proposed 2010 attendance zone change is the starting point for this year's work. The assistant superintendent told members that their charge is to develop zones for both schools and that they are working on the premise that the closures will occur. When Commissioner Lumon May said the public already believes the schools are closed, Dennis replied, "The decision has not been made yet, that I can tell you. This is part of that process." Dennis described SAZAC's work as zones drawn "as a result of decisions that may or may not be made." Chair Walker Wilson and member Ann Dungan both said they had expected a broader role than drawing lines.

COMMISSIONER MAY SPEAKS OUT

May is not a committee member, and Dennis said SAZAC does not usually accept public comment. Wilson let him speak anyway. May asked members to recommend that the superintendent and the School Board reconsider closing Lincoln Park. "You can't close your way out of this crisis," the District 3 commissioner said. "You can't close your way out of school choice. What we have the opportunity to do is make that school better." He said his district has lost more schools than any other. Dennis agreed, citing population density and the age of the buildings, and added, "Some of those closures were beneficial." May answered, "The new building didn't improve grades." He highlighted the negative impact of school closures, particularly in the Lincoln Park area. May said, "If you snatch that school out of there, I'm telling you, you're going to kill that neighborhood." The commissioner defended the Lincoln Park school. "We're sitting here in this month of Octo-

ber, and we're closing a school in June," May said. "They've gone from an F to a B. What else do the children and the teachers have to do?" Dennis said he would carry May's message to the staff and the decision-makers.

WHERE WOULD THE STUDENTS GO?

Lincoln Park went from an F to two C's and then a B last school year. It ranked #17 in total points among the district's 34 elementary schools. Its gains were stronger, including #3 in English language arts gains and #9 in math gains for its lowest 25% of students. However, its enrollment was 202, which is why the district has it on the chopping block. Four adjacent schools could receive its students: Ensley (C school), Brentwood (C), Longleaf (B) and Pine Meadow (A). Ensley, with 465 students, ranks last among the 34 elementary schools. Brentwood has 397 students and ranks #29 with 371 points. Which of the four has room was disclosed at the meeting. The state counts elementary seats at 100% utilization, and the committee has not yet begun testing moves. SAZAC member Dungan asked whether any rule prevents moving children from a B school to a lower-rated school. Dennis said the receiving school's performance has not been a factor in past moves. He said, "The notion of kids that are [at] a B school going to a C school, kids that are [at] a C school going to an A school has never played into it to the extent that it could be." Dennis said district data scientist Jim Bobbitt will try to predict the academic effect of moves, though the test data is a year old and enrollment counts date to February. The assistant superintendent said that when the district studied it in 2006, the break-even size for an elementary school was about 800 students, and every elementary school built since has been sized for 800. "If we could have small neighborhood schools like we had when these schools were built everywhere, you're looking at the biggest proponent for that," Dennis said. "We are in a bad place, and bad places yield challenging decisions."

"IT DOES FEEL INEVITABLE"

Carol Cleaver volunteered to serve as SAZAC's secretary. She is also president of the Escambia Education Association, the union for teachers and other district employees. After the meeting, she appeared on "Rick's Blog Live" and shared her thoughts on the process. Cleaver said that School Superintendent Keith Leonard called her this summer and asked her to serve. She understood the committee

would assess the best use of facilities given the district's financial crisis. She does not believe the closures are final. "Knowing what I know about the school district's finances," Cleaver added, "it does feel inevitable that we might have to close some buildings." Warrington Elementary teachers attended the SAZAC meeting. "They're certainly very concerned," Cleaver said—about their community, their students and the culture of the new schools their students would join. If a school closes, the union contract guarantees teachers first pick of open positions at the priority transfer event. She hopes some teachers can follow their students to the receiving schools. Responding to May's remark that closing a school kills a neighborhood, Cleaver recalled the pandemic, when families around Ferry Pass Middle School (where she taught for 13 years) came daily for school-prepared breakfast and lunch. "When there's a tragedy … people always turn to their neighborhood schools first." She said she does not want to nitpick every committee decision without remembering why the committee exists. Cleaver blames state policy. She said voucher money comes directly out of public school budgets and that private schools taking vouchers do not face the accountability public schools do. She continued, "It really, to me, is our state legislature and our governor that is killing our neighborhood schools." She also noted a new state law that lets private operators petition to use empty classroom space in public schools. Dennis called it "scary legislation" and said it is real.

WHAT'S NEXT

SAZAC meets again on Tuesday, Oct. 20. According to the published agenda, the committee will receive Project Worksheet Orientation, review the Lincoln Park Elementary Closure Attendance Zone and discuss recommendation refinements. Dennis said each move will be evaluated against 12 metrics, including capacity, bus ride times, free and reduced lunch and racial composition. Cleaver said she is impressed by the GIS technology that divides zones into individual study areas. "We're all in the room for the same reason, and we're there because we love these kids," she said. The committee's target for finishing is December, but Dennis said it will not be rushed. To learn more about SAZAC, visit escambiaschools.org/departments/sazac. {in} 9

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WEEK OF OCTOBER 15-21

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

Breaking Out of Their Shell By Savannah Evanoff

ihatesundays / Photo by Hannah Faith Lavender

ihatesundays exists in spite of its own members. Will Hannah (guitar/vocals) wanted a band—even had a name picked out—but was too shy to ask people to jam or say the band name out loud. Braeden Veale (bass guitar and vocals) was nervous to perform live. Evan Donnelly (rhythm and lead guitar) flat out said he's bad at making friends. Hannah met Veale and Nicholas Chavis (drums) through skateboarding. They added Donnelly a couple years later through a jam session and have been holding him hostage ever since, Hannah joked. The Pensacola emo band might've had to overcome its own members to exist, but overall, they're better for it. "I feel like it's been helping me out, like be-

ing a better person, or being able to text people that I don't know and trying to book things and trying to get things together," Hannah said. "This is just my passion right now, and I don't really see myself doing anything else other than this for the moment." The band officially formed in April 2025 and played its first show that August. Hannah just got done testing his new people skills at a weekend tour to Tallahassee and Orlando. "It was just like, 'I don't know any of these people,' and they still really liked us," Hannah said. "That was a really big thing to me, is people I don't know coming up to me and complimenting me and telling me to keep doing it. It's something to get used to. I'm not the best at compliments; it's a little weird to me." "But we had our bros," Veale said, reassuringly.

ihatesundays' music lives somewhere between twinkly Midwest emo, shoegaze and posthardcore. They're all big fans of Hum, Title Fight, Sunny Day Real Estate and Joyce Manor. But more simply put, their self-titled EP makes you want to dance and cry a little. "We put a lot of our feelings [into it]," Donnelly said. "Writing instrumentals, I end up writing my feelings straight into my guitar." "There's been a lot of times where I've almost cried on stage, specifically playing 'Adam VS. Apple,'" Hannah said. "I have a little solo in there that I play, and I'm always trying to keep my cool with it. Very emotional, a little gothic in some cases too." "Adam VS. Apple" is the band's collective favorite track, and their most collaborative. "The song talks about just being angry at people finding excuses to fence-sit and not take a side, really just in any sort of serious context," Veale said. "Because obviously not choosing a side, in my eyes at least, is choosing a side." "I say, 'bit by the snake to atone for your mistakes,' trying to keep the theme going on that," Donnelly said. "And then having the anger represented in that part of the song, especially with how I perform my vocals on that." While their music can lean dark, Hannah said they're "pretty joyful people." He specifically sought out Halloween shows this month so they could dress up. They're planning costumes themed for both the movie "Five Nights at Freddy's" and the animated comedy show "Smiling Friends." "We're not as serious as our music is," Hannah said. The name isn't too serious, either; it's sometimes a reference to Chick-fil-A being closed, or to

Garfield, Hannah said. Donnelly remembers Hannah telling him a different meaning once. "You were explaining how your friends would all hang out on Sundays and go skating, but then your family would make you go to church," Donnelly said. "It's not even talking bad about religion but more of your family forcing you to do something." Veale describes their band's songwriting approach as democratic. "With as close as all of us have become over the last year and a half, I feel like the synergy is just kind of taking hold, and we just kind of ride it," Veale said. "It helps knowing each other as long as we have that we can just kind of create on our own without anybody wanting to direct anything a certain way," Chavis added. Their next goal is to turn that chemistry into a full album. For four people who didn't set out confidently to start a band, they've found confidence within it. "I think we all come from a place of some sort of seclusion, so we're all still breaking out of our shells, and talking to new people can be hard. But I've got my guys around me, so it's made it a lot easier to talk to new people, try new things in general." {in}

HALLOWEEN HOA MEETING

WHAT: A house show featuring Mothers Milk, ihatesundays, The Snatches, Other and Kwitter WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 WHERE: DM for address COST: $10 with no costume, $5 in costume DETAILS: @thehoa850, @ihatesundays

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a&e happenings HALLOWEEN CALENDAR

36TH ANNUAL HAUNTED HOUSE WALKING TOURS Visit Historic Pensacola proper-

ties to learn the haunted history of Pensacola. Choose between the Haunted History Walking Tour or the Macabre Museum Walking Tour. Tours are 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24. Tickets are $15-$20 per person and available at historicpensacola.org.

GALLERY NIGHT: GHOULERY NIGHT Gal-

lery Night is 5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 in downtown Pensacola. This month's theme celebrates Halloween. Visit gallerynightpensacola.org for more details.

BEACH-O-WEEN Halloween event for kids of all ages with bounce houses, costume contest, games and plenty of candy. Event is 4-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at Pensacola Beach Boardwalk. Admission is free. Details available at visitpensacola.com/beach-o-ween. NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN'S THEATRE FALL BALL Costume dance for ages 13-17 with

music, prizes and costume contest. Event is 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at 2800 Wilde Lake Blvd. Tickets are $30 or $50 per couple. Visit nctnowplaying.com/events for details.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET SPOOKY VIBES A special Halloween edition of the

Pensacola Arts Market is 4-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

DAY OF THE DEAD CHARCUTERIE BOARD MAKING Cooking class includes

traditional Day of the Dead drink, and pumpkin fruit dip. Class is 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Sign up at pensacolacooks.com/cooking-classes.

42ND ANNUAL GREAT PUMPKIN RACE 5K AND FUN RUN Sacred Heart Cathedral

School will host runners and walkers of all ages 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, for the 42nd annual Great Pumpkin Race 5K and Fun Run, which is a free event that begins at 9 a.m. Located at the corner of 12th Avenue and Moreno Street. Register online at bit.ly/pumpkin5k.

kin ravioli and pumpkin mousse. Class is 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Sign up at pensacolacooks.com/cooking-classes.

DRAG ME TO THE WELL! Drag show hosted by Chelsey Polk 9-11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at The Well, 42 E. Garden St. Details available at facebook. com/thewellpensacola. RICHARD O'BRIEN'S THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Performances are 7:30

p.m. Fridays Oct. 30, Nov. 6; Saturdays Oct. 31, Nov. 7; Sundays Nov. 1 and 8; Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Thursday, Nov. 5 at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $15-$40 and available at pensacolalittletheatre.com.

TALKING TO THE DEAD: THE VICTORIAN SÉANCE Sessions are limited to eight people.

Session times are 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31 at Barkley House, 410 S. Florida Blanca St. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

TIKI TERROR Enjoy cursed drinks, live music,

PAWS & CLAWS PET COSTUME CONTEST Bring your dog in costume to Perfect

HALLOWEENTOWNE: A HISTORICAL TRICK OR TREAT Join Historic Pensacola Vil-

Plain, 50 E. Garden St., 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 for a contest to win prizes and bragging rights. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

fire dancers, photo booth and more 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details available at facebook.com/ perfectplainbrewingco.

SPIRITS OF THE SIMPSON HOUSE Enjoy a

NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN'S THEATRE COSTUME DRIVE The Children's Theatre

ODD HALLOWS EVE Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St., is celebrating Halloween 6 p.m.midnight Saturday, Oct. 31 with dark beer releases, costume contest at 9 p.m. and classic horror films on the projector. Details available at facebook.com/oddcolony.

lage for free trick or treating 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Visit historicpensacola.org for details. tour of the Simpson House, 4755 Anna Simpson Road in Milton. Tours are 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

HANSEL & GRETEL'S BOO BASH Pensacola

Opera presents a performance of Hansel & Gretel for a non-scary Halloween event 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Jane C. Noonan Center, 33 E. Gregory St. Tickets are $10 and available at pensacolaopera.com.

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST Perfect Plain Brewing Co. is hosting a pumpkin carving contest 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at 50 E. Garden St. $20 entry. Judging is 4:30 p.m. Details available at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco. BOO AT THE ZOO Boo at the Zoo returns

this month with trick-or-treating, face painting, bounce houses and more at the Gulf Breeze Zoo, 5703 Gulf Breeze Parkway. Dates are Saturdays, Oct. 17, 24 and Sundays Oct. 18, 25 and 31. Details available at gbzoo.com/events/boo-atthe-zoo-2026.

BARKTOBER FEST The annual Barktober Fest takes over Seville Square 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 with vendors, food trucks, dog training demonstrations, contests and more to support Pensacola Humane Society. Details available at pensacolahumane.org/barktoberfest.

CAKE DECORATING: PUMPKIN Class is 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Ste. C. Tickets at pensacolacooks.com.

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20TH ANNUAL PUMPKIN PATCH The First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St., will host its annual Pumpkin Patch 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 and 10 a.m.-2 p.m Saturday, Oct. 24. Visit firstcityart.org for more.

will be accepting donations of new and gently used costumes through Oct. 23 at 2800 Wilde Lake Blvd. The costume shop will be open 3-6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 ahead of Halloween. Visit nctnowplaying.com/events for details.

PUMPKINS, PETALS AND MULLED WINE

Join Wendy from Aliff Farms for a cozy, hands-on fall floral workshop where you'll create your own seasonal arrangement using a pumpkin as your centerpiece. Event is 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are $99.49 and available on eventbrite.com.

MURDER AT THE MONSTER'S BALL: A MURDER MYSTERY DINNER Event is 5:30

p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Barkely House, 410 S. Florida Blanca St. Tickets are $60 for Historic Trust members and $65 for general public. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

MURDER MYSTERY WALKING TOUR WITH MICHAEL SIMMONS OF SWEET TEA MURDERS Event is 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are $36.39 and available at eventbrite.com.

HALLOZINE FEST 2026: PENSACOLA ZINE FESTIVAL Shop the zine market, listen to key-

note speakers, watch movies, listen to live music and more. Event is 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Voices of Pensacola, 101 E. Government St. Details available at eventbrite.com.

EVERYTHING: PUMPKIN Cooking class menu is maple pumpkin butter chicken, pump-

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

SOCKTOBER West Pensacola Elementary

School is once again teaming up with Running Wild and other local businesses and community partners for the annual Socktober donation drive. From Oct. 1-31, the community is encouraged to donate new socks and other essential items to help individuals and families in need throughout the Pensacola community. Drop-off locations: Running Wild Pensacola, 3012 E. Cervantes St.; Running Wild Fairhope, 72A South Section St.; West Pensacola Elementary School, 801 N. 49th Ave. New, unopened socks for all ages and genders are especially needed. The community is also welcome to donate other essential items, including: jackets, blankets, shoes, hats, rain gear, bottled water, etc..

EVENING FOR THE ESTUARIES GALA Ben-

efit for Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at the Pensacola Yacht Club, 1897 Cypress St. Admission is $125 per person or $200 per couple. Tickets can be purchased at ppbep.givesmart.com.

PYRAMID FALL MARKET FUNDRAISER

Flea market, student artwork and more to benefit Pyramid Pensacola. Market is 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at Pyramid, 7309 W. Highway 98. Visit pyramidinc.org/pensacola for details.

WILDFEST The 44th Annual WILDFest Anniversary Event and Supply Drive for The Wildlife Sanctuary is 12-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 (rescheduled date) at The Sanctuary, 105 N. S St. Details available at pensacolawildlife.com. inweekly.net

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. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida. 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 & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Minis-

try 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.

ARTS & CULTURE

THE GULF COAST SOLITARY BEE Presenta-

tion from Joran Wingate for the Audubon Society. Event is 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 at 3740 Stefani Road. Details available at fmwaudubon.org/fwmevents-calendar.

BIG TIME MACA Comedy show is 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Detail and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com. VOICES OF SEA AND SKY Choral Society of

Pensacola performances on the local naval history. Event is 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at the Sanders Beach Corrinne Jones Community Center, 913 S. I St. Details and tickets available at choralsocietyofpensacola.org.

ALI SIDDIQ: THE CUSTOM FIT TOUR Comedy show is 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Details available at pensacolasaenger.com.

OPENING DAY GATES OPEN AT 4 PM

ADVANCE DISCOUNT SUPER SAVER 1/2 PRICE ADMISSION & PARKING TICKETS $5 OFF RIDE WRISTBANDS Available only at PensacolaFair.com through Oct. 21

MasterCard, VISA, Discover, American Express and local checks accepted

OCT. 22 – NOV. 1 DOLLAR DAY THURSDAY, OCT. 22

$1 admission & $1 rides for everyone all day long ($10 minimum purchase)

GENERAL ADMISSION

$14 for ages 12 and older (Friday – Sunday) $12 for ages 12 and older (Monday – Thursday) $6 for ages 4 – 11 FREE for children 3 and under at all times

UNLIMITED RIDE WRISTBANDS $32 Weekday $37 Weekend (Valid Monday – Thursday)

(Valid Friday – Sunday)

FREE ENTERTAINMENT For a complete schedule, visit PensacolaFair.com • 850-944-4500

HARMONY THROUGH THE DECADES

White Sands A Cappella Chorus presents an afternoon of music 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at St. Luke UMC, 1394 E. Nine Mile Road. Tickets are $20 (or $15 for seniors). Visit whitesandsacappella.com for details.

GIRLS IN AVIATION: A SKY FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES Designed for ages 8-18, the

event invites participants to explore careers in aviation, meet women working throughout the industry, learn about local aviation programs, enjoy hands-on STEM activities and flight simulator experiences. Event is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Registration is required. Visit naval-aviationmuseum-foundation.idloom.events/gulf-coastgirls-in-aviation-day2026.

POURS & ENCORES Pensacola Opera event

is 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at Pensacola Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details at pensacolaopera.com.

FIGHT NIGHT DRAG SHOW Show is 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at The Handlebar, 319 N. October 15, 2026

Tarragona St. Detail and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.

Opera, 75 S. Tarragona St. Details available at pensacolaopera.com.

PAINT DAY AT GARY'S BREWERY Learn

FALL CANDLE AND WAX MELT DECORATING WORKSHOP Event is 6 p.m. Wednesday,

to recreate "The Scream" with the Traveling Painter 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Tickets available at thetravelingpainter.org.

READ PENSACOLA The next Read Pensac-

ola Book Club meetings are 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 with a discussion of "Grim Tidings" by B.K. Borison. Meetings held at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Details on Instagram @readpensacola.

BROWN BAG OPERA The next Brown Bag

Opera is 12-1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Pensacola

Oct. 21 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Register for the class at thebejoyfulboutique.com.

TABLE TALKS AT THE TRUST This free monthly lunch and learn series presents Phillip Mayhair, UWF Historic Trust Education Supervisor. Topic is the Creek War of 1813-14. Event is noon Wednesday, Oct. 21 at Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. Visit historicpensacola.org for details. SONGS OF REVOLUTION & REBELLION: A USO-STYLE VARIETY SHOW UWF event

is 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Details available at uwf.edu/cassh/community-outreach/gulfcoast-culture-series.

PHOTO TRANSFER WORKSHOP Event is

6-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. $10 suggested donation. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Details at facebook.com/ 309punkprojects.

GLITZ & GLAMOUR Pensacola Little Theatre

fundraiser includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, live entertainment, a curated silent auction and special performances by PLT young artists. Event is 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 at 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at pensacolalittletheatre.com. 13

a&e happenings OPERA AFTER DARK Event is 7-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 at the Museum Plaza, 120 Church St. Details available at facebook.com/pensacolaopera. EAST HILL NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE East Hill residents will be hosting garage

sales 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24. Look for signs posted in the neighborhood.

INDIOS AMIGOS This traveling exhibit high-

lights the overlooked contributions of Aztec artisans and warriors who accompanied Tristán de Luna's 1559 expedition to establish the first permanent Spanish settlement in Pensacola. The exhibit runs through Oct. 17 at panhandle libraires. See where it's heading next at fpan.us/ events/indios-amigos.

READ PENSACOLA The next Read Pensacola Book Club meetings are 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 with a discussion of "Grim Tidings" by B.K. Borison. Meetings held at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Details on Instagram @readpensacola. CINCO BANDERAS Artel Gallery's contempo-

rary art show Cinco Banderas is on view through Oct. 23. Also present are exhibits by featured artists Diane Brim, Wendy Emeny, Michael Curri and Ronson Stewart. Located at 223 S. Palafox St. For details visit. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Entrance is free.

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS Home is Where

the Art Is, featuring Jasmin Busbee's Accom-

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modations, is a temporary exhibit co-hosted by FPAN and The Art Gallery (TAG). The exhibit is on view at Destination Archaeology, 207 E. Main St. through Nov. 2026. Learn more at fpan.us/ events/home-is-where-the-art.

MAKE IT LAST AT TAG Six artists ranging

in both medium and imagery come together in The Art Gallery (TAG), 11000 University Parkway, to form a unified statement of resistance through mindfulness and rest. Exhibit is on view through Nov. 12. Details about the exhibit available at uwf.edu/cassh/departments/art-anddesign/art-gallery.

HOUSE SHOW: 309 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE This exhibition features artists from

the 2025 cohort of the 309 Punk Project Artist in Residence Program. Curated by Valerie George and Christopher Satterwhite, the exhibition brings together works made during each artist's residency alongside select pieces gifted to the 309 Punk Archive, preserving their contributions as part of our community's living history. The exhibit is on view through Nov. 29 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St.

ROAD TO REVOLUTION EXHIBIT AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF HISTORY

"Road to Revolution: Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the American War for Independence" highlights how Pensacola helped shape the outcome of the American Revolution. Developed in partnership with Ameri-

ca250, the exhibit explores how a Gulf Coast port played a pivotal role in a global conflict. The exhibit is on display through May 2027. The museum is located at 330 S. Jefferson St. For more information about the UWF Historic Trust, visit historicpensacola.org.

THE 72ND ANNUAL MEMBERS SHOW

The annual juried exhibition is open to all PMA members. On view through Jan. 3. The museum is located at 407 S. Jefferson St. Details available at pensacolamuseum.org.

STEAM2026 STEAM2026 highlights themes

of exploration and wonder through investigative contemporary art, interdisciplinary fields of study and unique collaborations. This national exhibition is a community-centered experience that integrates multifaceted art practices with science, new technologies and thought-provoking research. On view at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. through Jan. 17. For details, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

HUMANISTS OF WEST FLORIDA MONTHLY MEETING The Humanists of West Florida

meet at the Ever'man Education Center, 327 W. Garden St. 10:15 a.m. every second Sunday of the month. For more information, visit facebook.com/ humanistsofwestflorida.

WEST FLORIDA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS Monthly meetings start at 10:30

a.m. the first Saturday of every month (except March and July) at the Pensacola Library, 239 N.

Spring St. Informative lectures and resources to begin your ancestry research. Visit wfgs.org for more information.

WEST GARDEN DISTRICT ARTISAN MARKET Shop local vendors and artisans 1-

6 p.m. Fridays at Del Mar Plaza, 1617 W. Garden St. For more information, contact info@ubpensacola.com.

TALK TO THE MOON COMEDY CLUB OPEN MIC Weekly comedy open mic is 7 p.m.

Wednesdays at Mathison Brewing Co., 500 E. Heinberg St. Signup starts at 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Adam Bowles and Russell Douglas. Details available at talktothemooncomedyclub.com.

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.

MOVIE NIGHTS AT MUGS & JUGS Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, hosts monthly movie nights. Watch their website for dates and movie announcements at mugsjugsbar.com. All movies are screened 9 p.m. on select Saturdays. CLUB 27 COMEDY SHOW Visit Lili Marlene's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. on the first and third Sundays of the month for a night of comedy. Doors open at 6 p.m. show starts at 7 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

inweekly.net

October 15, 2026

a&e happenings PENSACOLA CINEMA ART FILM SCREENINGS Pensacola Cinema Art will screen films

select weekends during the summer season at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $10 and payment is cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for their complete schedule.

PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION LECTURES Learn Pensacola and Northwest

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

PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information. BTB COMEDY Watch live stand-up comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates. STAND UP COMEDY WITH PENSACOLA COMEDY CLUB Join the Pensacola Comedy

Club 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturday at Betty's on Belmont, 506 W. Belmont St. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit Eventbrite.

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SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every second Saturday of the month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is 9 a.m.-

2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox Streets at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.

SUNDAY MARKET ON PALAFOX Rain-orshine market is Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Located in downtown Pensacola, between Chase and Gregory Streets in the MLK Plaza. Market features handmade crafts, art, baked goods, international cuisine and fresh produce. Visit smopalafox.com for details. CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret

Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pen-

sacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward

Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark

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

LIVE MUSIC

BANDS ON THE BEACH The weekly concert series takes place 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday through Oct. 27 at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Free to attend. Upcoming dates: The Oliver's Twist on Oct. 20 and the last date is Oct. 27 with Horseshoe Kitty. For more information, call the SRIA at (850) 9322257 or go to visitpensacolabeach.com for the latest updates. LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ Enjoy live music Thursdays through

Sundays at Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St. Upcoming dates: D. Scott Riggs 6-8 p.m. Thursday,

Oct. 15; Joshua Strickland Trio 6-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16; The Glen Parker Band 6-10 p.m. Saturdays; Curt Bol Band 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays; John Wheeler 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays.

BANDS ON THE BLACKWATER Enjoy live music along the Blackwater River in downtown Milton 7-9 p.m. The last two dates are Fridays Oct. 23 is Blackwater Country and Oct. 30 with The Modern Elderados. Visit facebook.com/ bandsontheblackwater for details. MACHINE GIRL Show is 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at vinylmusichall.com. RENT STRIKE & MYLES BULLEN WITH OUTLOOK BLEAK Show is 6:45 p.m. Friday,

Oct. 16 at 309 N. 6th Ave. Tickets are $19.19 and available on eventbrite.com.

NIRVANNA: TRIBUTE TO NIRVANA Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets available at vinylmusichall.com.

THE MODERN ELDORADOS Show is 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets available at thehandlebar850.com.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

inweekly.net

November in Pensacola means art — over 200 juried artists, live music, delicious food, and kids’ activities. It’s all free and under the oaks in Seville Square.

Nov. 6, 7 & 8 Details at

ggaf.org

October 15, 2026

free will astrology WEEK OF OCTOBER 15 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Before Aries-born Maya Angelou became a celebrated author, she was San Francisco's first Black female streetcar conductor, a calypso dancer, a cook, a journalist in Ghana and an actress. She didn't publish her first memoir until she was 41. She spoke six languages and refused to believe that any single identity could contain her. I offer her as your role model in the coming weeks, Aries. It's time to celebrate the wondrous truth that you don't have to be just one thing. In fact, the astrological omens suggest you'll thrive by rejoicing in the many disparate selves you are and have been and imagining new ones you might like to add. How kaleidoscopic do you dare to be? TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Here's a hy-

pothesis worth entertaining: you don't fully know everything you want. Not yet. Not at the core, where desire isn't well-behaved but turns wild and intense. Your fluency with surface desire can sometimes keep you from excavating the mysteries that live below it. The familiar longings override the stranger, stronger ones that haven't found their bearings. So there are aspects of your primal yearnings that remain unexamined, simply because they require a particular stillness and courage to unearth completely. The good news: now is an unusually favorable time to go looking.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Is your mental agility a gift or curse? It depends on whether you use it to avoid taking a stand or else deepen your understanding. In the coming weeks, Gemini, I hope you will practice the cagey skill of holding multiple truths simultaneously without letting that multiplicity become an excuse for never choosing or never committing. The goal is to encourage your magnificent mind to serve your heart rather than to override its tender wisdom. I love it when you unleash your clever analysis and it doesn't devolve into sophisticated evasion. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Astronomers searching for planets around distant stars rarely see the planets directly. Instead, they notice tiny wobbles in the stars or faint dips in

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By Rob Brezsny

their brightness as the planets pass in front of them. You can and should practice a similar art now. Dramatic evidence may be unavailable, so watch for subtle shifts in mood, timing, synchronicity and atmosphere. Small disturbances may reveal important hidden influences. Your most useful discoveries won't come from looking harder but from noticing more gently.

quite explain, at least some of the chains you fashioned in your own mind will have fallen away. What then? Celebrate! Host a personal "Out of Captivity" party, and give yourself a day or two to revel in your newfound liberty. Once you're ready to make purposeful use of that delightful independence, ask yourself: "Where in my life do I most need a clean beginning?"

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Glassblowers repeatedly place molten glass into blazing furnaces as they shape it. They don't heat it once and expect it to stay pliable forever. Again and again, they return it to the fire so new possibilities become available. This reminds me of the current chapter of your life story, Leo. Emotional intensity keeps recurring, repeatedly returning you to the heart of the heat and pressure. This may sometimes feel like a test or ordeal, but I think it's the best way for you to master the crucial lessons and ensure the healing transformations. Be patient as you forge your masterpiece.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Not so long

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Master story-

tellers know that memorable heroes are admired because they continue moving despite uncertainty. Courage entails a resilient and affectionate partnership with doubt. I hope you'll remember this if your confidence temporarily flickers in the coming weeks. There's no need to waste precious energy trying to eliminate every hesitation before taking your next meaningful step. Let your questions accompany your convictions. They may sharpen your judgment. The coming weeks favor brave, thoughtful action, not flawless self-assurance.

Your most useful discoveries won't come from looking harder but from noticing more gently. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): One morning soon, I predict you will open your inner eyes as well as your outer eyes and discover that you feel freer than you have in ages. Old specters that once pestered you will seem strangely powerless. Worn-out customs will have loosened their hold, and an ancient obligation will finally be settled. By some grace that neither you nor I can

ago, you got hints and clues that you were on the verge of getting a taste of tantalizing and off-limits treats. Weren't you ready to accept when the invitation suddenly dissolved? And by now, haven't you nearly stopped expecting to enjoy another chance? Then imagine your surprise if that temptation winds its way back to you soon. When you finally take a bite, it may taste and feel nothing like you anticipated. The wisest move will be to let go of your old assumptions and welcome the experience as it is. My prediction: you'll be delightedly surprised by how deeply and sweetly it alters the way you understand reality—even if at first it feels disorienting.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Your

upcoming challenges call to mind a feat once accomplished by conservationist and entertainer Steve Irwin. No, you won't, as he did, feed a huge crocodile by hand while holding an infant in your other arm. But you may need to bring together qualities that seem at odds: fierceness and tenderness, a wild spirit and a protective instinct, boldness and love. Luckily, I am very sure you will summon the power and flair to do that.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Ecologists have found that transition zones, like where forests meet meadows or where land meets water, can support high biodiversity. They may include species from both neighboring habitats as well as species adapted to the distinctive conditions in the boundary zone. I propose we make these places your power metaphor for the coming weeks, Capricorn. You, too, can flourish in edge habitats. Instead of feeling compelled to choose one identity, community, philosophy or style, appreciate your role as a translator between worlds. Your greatest gifts may emerge because you refuse to belong

exclusively to any single camp. Revel in your fertile in-between-ness.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): After pon-

dering what might bring fresh vigor to your love life, I've arrived at an audacious suggestion: offer a smoldering prayer while making love to a saintly soul in a place you regard as sacred. If that combination proves impractical, try just one or two parts of it: pray wildly during an intimate encounter; flirt with or even seduce a person of uncommon goodness; kiss and hug and cuddle in a setting that feels holy to you; or speak to the divine in a titillating language you wouldn't use in a formal religious service. The point is to let sensual delight and spiritual longing meet rather than keeping them apart.

Courage entails a resilient and affectionate partnership with doubt. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): You sometimes regard pleasure like a reward you have to earn through suffering, as if joy were a luxury item requiring payment in pain. But I have an alternate theory: relaxed glee and earthy enjoyments are essential nutrients that are key to your health. So in my view, denying yourself beauty and comfort depletes you. I hope you will heed my guidance in the coming weeks, which is to treat yourself to almost more fun, happiness, bliss and amusement than is allowed by law. See if you can break all previous records for rejuvenating delectation. New law of your universe, at least for the next four weeks: the quest for jovial gusto and zesty zeal are mandatory aspirations. HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: I dare you to do something that you'll remember with pride and passion until the end of your days. tinyurl.com/v55v55 {in}

freewillastrology.com

inweekly.net

news of the weird WHEN THE STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER Amy Jones, 23, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, told police she impersonated a teacher and made inappropriate comments to high school students because she "hates kids and she just wanted to (mess) around" and "because she was bored." WISN reported that on Sept. 24, Rufus King High School had eight teachers out sick and seven real substitutes signed in. So when Jones, a former student herself, walked in and said she was there to teach a class, well, her story probably tracked. She "taught" a class for three periods before her reported profane language, bullying and other inappropriate comments caught the attention of the principal, and Jones was escorted from the building. She now faces six felony charges that could land her up to 21 years in jail. Her lawyer claims she has no criminal history and was not a danger to anyone. Jones is due back in court on Oct. 20. [WISN, 10/6/26] PLANES, TRAINS AND ... COUCHES? Two Charlotte, North Carolina, men were stopped while driving a couch down a road between two scooters, WBTV reported on Oct. 1. Yes, a whole couch, straddling two Lime scooters. In a social media post, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police included a photo of the contraption with a warning: "While we appreciate the creativity, we do have to remind everyone: no matter what you're 'driving' (using that term extremely loosely), please think about safety first." [WBTV 3, 10/1/26] ANIMAL ANTICS A bear made an unexpected appearance at a farmers market in Aspen, Colorado, on Sept. 26, the Denver Post reported. A black bear strolled up and ate baked goods off a table while patrons watched and filmed from a distance. Colorado Parks and Wildlife was notified of the bear's presence while vendors were beginning to set up. The bear was hazed from the market by Aspen police, and then climbed a tree before it left the area. [Denver Post, 9/28/26] A REAL-LIFE LASSIE Some might say a canine's dogged persistence paid off. A dog led an officer in Leawood, Kansas, to a home's open garage in the early hours of Sept. 17, where the owner was found lying on the ground, reported Fox 4 News on Oct. 1. In body cam footage shared online by the Leawood Police Department, a small dog with its leash trailing behind it is seen standing in the road on a dark night, barking, with no owner in sight. The officer followed the dog to a house about half a block away, where he found another dog with its leash, and the homeowner on the garage floor. Thanks to their canine companion's bravery, the homeowner—who had been lying on the floor for three hours—was reported to be recovering at home after receiving medical treatment. [Fox 4 News, 10/1/26] BIRDS (ALMOST) ON A PLANE An "unexplained bulge" in a man's pants turned out to be 10 live birds, Local 10 News reported. On Oct. 4, Alberto Hernandez Castillo, 40, was pulled aside by U.S. Customs and Protection officers after he arrived at Miami International Airport. "During the interview, CBP officers observed an unexplained

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

bulge on the front of (his) pelvis/waist area and noted that he appeared nervous," a Homeland Security Investigations special agent wrote in a federal criminal complaint. After patting him down, officials discovered six plastic containers sewn into Hernandez Castillo's underwear that held 10 live birds. He faces a charge of smuggling goods into the United States. [Local 10 News, 10/6/26] I GUESS SHE LIKES IT HERE A city in South Korea has a new honorary publicity ambassador—a bronze whaler shark, Korea JoongAng Daily reported on Oct. 5. Nicknamed Bukangi, the shark is nearly 12 feet long and was first seen in a narrow city canal in Busan on Sept. 18. Experts said the shark likely chased prey into the canal and then got stuck. More than 1 million visitors have been to the area since to see Bukangi for themselves. After multiple failed attempts to herd her back to sea, including deploying high-pressure water and installing a net, the shark remains in the canal. Officials say that sedating and moving Bukangi carries too many risks to her health. "We believe the water will remain warm enough for Bukangi through the end of October," Kim Chang-deok, director-general of Busan's Green City Bureau, said. "For now, we plan to keep watch until the water temperature drops significantly or Bukangi shows any unusual behavior." [Korea JoongAng Daily, 10/5/26] UPDATE Back in July, we brought you the story of human remains being found in a deep freezer at the residence of a recently deceased woman in Alaska. According to an Oct. 2 report from KTUU, police have since identified the remains as Ross Pasquan—who would have been in his 70s at the time his body was discovered—and determined that he died of natural causes sometime between 2018 and 2025. But wait, there's more: The investigation revealed that his wife, Sheryl Ann McDonald-Pasquan, who died in July, hid his body in the freezer after his passing, continued collecting his social security and retirement benefits, and told friends and family that he was being cared for at a facility in Juneau. No one else aided McDonaldPasquan in the cover-up, and police have closed the investigation. [KTUU, 10/2/26] PEAK MILLENNIAL Brady Rogers, 33, of Kelowna, British Columbia, is running for city council. But according to his yard signs, just barely. Scattered throughout the city, they show a photo of his face, highlighting his age ("Under 60!") and his slogan: "I Barely Want To Do This," Castanet reported on Oct. 6. His campaign humor went viral after Mandi Jung, an American teacher and social media influencer, shared the story online, calling it the "most millennial thing ever." Rogers' bio on his campaign website keeps the laughs going: "Do I enjoy politics? No. Do I know what I'm doing? No. But am I qualified? Also no." Rogers is one of 37 candidates running for city council. Voters will make their decision on Oct. 17. [Castanet, 10/6/26] {in} From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2026 Andrews McMeel

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