Inweekly Oct. 5, 2023

PARTING THE CURTAIN

Goldsmith, Bernadette McCary, Ardelia Wilson, May Haymon, Dorothy Hayes, Deborah Brown / Photo by Natalie Allgyer (@nallgyer)

winners losers

JASON NICHOLSON Innisfree Hotels has elevated Jason Nicholson to senior vice president of development and asset management. Operating from the company's Gulf Breeze headquarters, Nicholson will spearhead the expansion and asset optimization of Innisfree's extensive hotel, resort and entertainment portfolio, as well as actively develop deep partner and community relationships. Over his 27 years at Innisfree Hotels, Nicholson started as a young front desk associate and progressed to assistant general manager, general manager, regional manager and regional director of operations. Since May 2019, as vice president of operations, he has overseen a portfolio of 29 operating entities while actively participating in acquisition strategy and analysis.

HCA FLORIDA WEST HOSPITAL For the fifth time, HCA Florida West Hospital has joined an elite group of hospitals from across the nation by being named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® by Fortune and PINC AI, a leading provider of data-driven analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. The Fortune and PINC AI 100 Top Hospitals® study identifies hospitals and leadership teams that provide the highest level of value to their communities, based on a national balanced scorecard measuring overall organizational performance across 11 key analytic measures including patient care, operational efficiency and financial stability. The study has been conducted annually since 1993, and this is the fifth time HCA Florida West Hospital has been recognized including 2002, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Organizations do not apply to participate in the study, and award winners do not pay to market their honor.

UWF'S CYBERSKILLS2WORK The White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) announced an expansion of the CyberSkills2Work Program, a program based at University of West Florida and supported by a coalition of 10 National Centers of Academic Excellence-designated higher education institutions across the country. A $2.5 million NSA expansion grant funds this effort. The announcement was made at a roundtable hosted by MxD in Chicago on Sept. 21.

SECOND GOP DEBATE The Republican Party held its second presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and chaos ensued as the event quickly turned into a Milton City Council—the seven candidates talked over their opponents' interruptions of other candidates, while the Fox News moderates lost control of the situation. Ron DeSantis took a jab at the absent frontrunner. "Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight." Christie's attempt to brand the former president "Donald Duck" for missing the debate failed to get applause. Mike Pence had the worst cringey comment during a back-and-forth with Christie regarding education policies—"I got to admit, I have been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years, full disclosure." Nikki Haley had the best one-liner after hearing Vivek Ramaswamy defend his campaign joining TikTok— "Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say." Only 9.3 million people tuned into the debate, the lowest since the 2016 election cycle.

FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

The Florida Supreme Court ruled the state regulators did not adequately justify their approval of a settlement that increased base electric rates for Florida Power & Light. In a 4-2 opinion, the Justices ordered a new explanation and sent the settlement back to the Florida Public Service Commission, saying its 2021 decision did not meet a legal requirement of showing why the agreement "is in the public interest and results in rates that are fair, just and reasonable." The dissenting Justices argued that nothing in state law allows the Supreme Court to send the issue back to the commission for a new explanation. Floridians Against Increased Rates, Florida Rising, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida and the League of United Latin American Citizens of Florida had challenged the rate settlement, which led to a $692 million rate increase in January 2022 and another $560 million hike this year.

Jason Nicholson / Courtesy of Innisfree Hotels

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

A LION RETURNS

On Monday, Don Gaetz announced on my WCOA morning show that he will run for the Florida Senate District 1 seat, a post that opens in 2024 after Gulf Breeze businessman Doug Broxson terms out of office.

Don is no stranger to Florida politics. He first won election as an Okaloosa County School Board member in 1994, then superintendent in 2000, turning the school district into one of the best in Florida. Don moved on to the Florida Senate, where he served from 2006-2016, including as Senate president from 2012-2014.

While retired, he didn't sit still—possibly because his wife Vicky didn't want him underfoot. He chaired the Triumph Gulf Coast board, served on the Constitution Revision Commission, and currently sits on the Florida State Commission on Ethics.

Don and I have been friends for more than two decades. He gave our small newspaper an insight into Florida politics and generously stopped by our offices often to tell us what was happening behind the scenes in Tallahassee. We watched him progress from a freshman state senator to senate president to a "Lion in Winter."

He was different from the typical first-year lawmaker. Don had a very successful business career outside of politics, founding the Miamibased VITAS Healthcare, which he and his partners sold for $410 million.

Don raised more than $756,000 during his senate campaign, more than the Florida Senate president at the time. Once in Tallahassee, he was named to eight committees and selected to chair the Senate Education Committee.

He told me about how a veteran senator approached him on his first day in office. After congratulating him, the senator said in a low voice, "You don't want to open your mouth for a year. You will not pass any bills for a year. The best thing for you to do is to sit down and be quiet."

Don ignored the advice and had 11 bills passed, including the first one in the 2007 ses-

sion. In his typical self-effacing manner, he added, "That's not saying anything good about me. It says something about the process. If you have a compelling idea, can build coalitions, understand the process, and build a compelling case, you can overcome the odds. More than 3,000 bills are proposed. About 300 passed are mostly perfunctory. Not many substantive bills get passed."

As a lawmaker, Don wasn't afraid to say no to the powerful and didn't hesitate to put his constituents first. When Gov. Charlie Crist insisted he change his bill proposing merit raises for public school teachers by doubling the budget request, Don refused because he knew he didn't have the votes to pass it in a tight budget year. Crist could have punished him by vetoing the bill, but he didn't.

He shared how he once kept lobbyists waiting, including a former Florida attorney general, former education commissioner and past senate president. While they waited, he met with a mother and her son—dressed in his Boy Scout uniform—about a bill that allowed community organizations like the Boy Scouts to solicit funds on city streets and rights-of-way.

"They were very powerful, high-paid lobbyists," Don shared. "But I don't feel bad. A Boy Scout and his mom should not get lost in the shuffle. They came all that way to be there. They're from home. They're first."

With Don in the Florida Senate, I'm confident we will have at least one lawmaker unafraid to put the voters first. He understands the legislative process and can build the necessary alliances to get bills passed. Still, Don will not sacrifice good sense and his constituents to fulfill the political aspirations of others.

He is fond of repeating advice that his father, a North Dakota state legislator, shared often at the dinner table. Jerry Gaetz said, "In a democratic form of government, voters pretty much get what they deserve."

We deserve Don Gaetz.

{in} rick@inweekly.net

Still, Don will not sacrifice good sense and his constituents to fulfill the political aspirations of others.

FINDING REFUGE AT FAVORHOUSE

il, community-wide scavenger hunt and crowdfunding competition. The "Take Action" campaign culminates with a celebratory lunch where participating community members will celebrate making a positive impact on the mission to end domestic violence.

FavorHouse Executive Director Tracie Hodson said one in three women and one in four men have been victims of intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence is defined as abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship.

By Tom St. Myer

Her husband bruised and battered her for five years, yet Jane withstood the excruciating pain and stood by his side as the couple raised their four children. But when he began abusing their children, Jane finally sought refuge.

"We had kind of just run with the things we could carry, so very little," Jane said. "Initially, I was very hesitant about checking into a shelter. There's a psychological feeling of 'What has my life become?' But I had stayed with friends for a few days and realized that wasn't a solution."

Jane finally broke down and sought shelter at FavorHouse of Northwest Florida. She and her children stayed at the shelter for 30 days and began rebuilding their lives through programs offered by the domestic violence center, including counseling, education and legal advice.

"One of the huge points for me was the counseling," Jane said. "Realizing all these things we had been dealing with for years was a pattern and weren't things I could fix was very eye-opening and needed."

Jane credits FavorHouse for turning her life around. Since checking into the shelter in 2002, she has earned a degree, become a nurse practitioner and remarried.

Jane has stayed involved at FavorHouse, particularly over the last four years, and is one of its leading advocates. She encourages any woman suffering from domestic violence to follow her lead and seek refuge at FavorHouse.

"They are there to provide you with options," she said. "Even if you need temporary shelter, you decide how long that need is. Things can escalate so quickly and have terrible consequences. Definitely don't hesitate. Even if you don't need shelter, if money is not an issue, the counseling is so incredibly valuable just to kind of help you wrap your head around what has happened."

Established in 1979, FavorHouse is the only certified domestic violence center serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. FavorHouse provides crisis intervention, emergency shelter, outreach counseling, community education and legal assistance for injunctions for protection.

Last fiscal year, the FavorHouse shelter served 286 victims—171 women, 110 children and five men—for a total of 9,202 shelter nights. Additionally, its staff responded to 664 hotline calls and its outreach efforts included 401 women and three men.

TAKE ACTION INITIATIVE

Recently, FavorHouse launched a new community-focused initiative to highlight domestic violence prevention and awareness while raising funds to support the programs and services provided to victims of intimate partner violence and their children.

"Take Action to End Domestic Violence" began on Thursday, Sept. 28 and lasts through Thursday, Oct. 26. The community advocacy campaign is in correlation with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Events include a pet walk to end domestic violence, candlelight vig -

Hodson said her mother, like Jane, is among those one in three women. Following her parents' separation, her mother was in an abusive relationship with a man in Arizona for more than 10 years. She escaped by returning to Indiana in 1999, after Hodson bought her a plane ticket to see her graduate from Manchester College and her sister graduate from high school. Hodson was unaware at the time that her mother was being abused.

Her mother is nearly 25 years removed from the abusive relationship, but the memories still haunt her. Hodson said her mother hears his voice to this day and deals with bouts of feeling worthless and unlovable.

"She's safe, but she's definitely one who has struggled from going through the trauma of what she went through," Hodson said. "She's struggling with maintaining healthy relationships and building a stable life."

The man beat her mother with a baseball bat to the point he put her in the ICU, yet the mother told Hodson she would take that beating any day over the verbal abuse he unleashed on her.

Jane said her husband began physically abusing her eight years into their 13-year marriage, but the verbal abuse started shortly after exchanging their vows. His words used to haunt her, but she has made significant progress.

"I've gotten to a place where I'm at peace with it through counseling and education," Jane said. "It took a long time. There is a road of recovery and even grief that you must get through to get to the other side, but there is a bright future on the other side."

Hodson said domestic violence rarely starts as physical abuse. An abusive relationship is about power and control and usually begins with name-calling and escalates to controlling every aspect of their life, including their time, finances and friends.

"We've had people where the violence only happens once a year, but the rest of the year, they're still mean to them by controlling their money and making them feel less than," she said.

Hodson said violence between partners extends to the rest of the household, including children and pets. About half of the victims who enter the program bring children with them. Some of the children are on the receiving end of the abuse. An estimated 600,000 children are abused or neglected each year in the U.S., according to the National Children's Alliance.

Children fortunate enough to avoid physical abuse still deal with significant trauma from growing up in a domestic violence household.

"What they're witnessing in that home as a kid is what they're going to take with them as an adult," Hodson said. "They see the bruising and hear the screaming."

Animals are on the receiving end of physical abuse, too. Every 60 seconds, an animal suffers abuse at human hands, and more than 10 million animals die of abuse in the U.S. each year, according to Petpedia. FavorHouse opted for a pet walk as part of the festivities to bring awareness to animal abuse.

"We talk a lot about kids being involved in a violent situation, but we rarely talk about pets," Hodson said. "There's a direct correlation between domestic violence and animal abuse. We're raising awareness. FavorHouse is a petfriendly facility. You don't have to choose between your safety and your pet's." {in}

*Editor's Note: The woman featured in this story agreed to be interviewed on the condition of anonymity. She is referred to as Jane in the story.

Take Action to End Domestic Violence Events

PET WALK TO END DV

• 9-11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 14

•Corinne Jones Park, 620 W. Government St.

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

•4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21

•Gateway Church, 445 Creighton Road

CELEBRATION LUNCH

•11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 26

•Bayview Community Center, 2000 E. Lloyd St.

For more details, visit favorhouse.org.

"What they're witnessing in that home as a kid is what they're going to take with them as an adult."

Tracie Hodson

A MORE ADULT APPROACH

testing indicated airborne mold particulates in some areas. The city spent $162,000 to clean the station and reopened it in late August.

Of the three closures, Bay Bluffs Park has been the most unpopular.

"We've had some very productive emails of folks saying, 'Hey, how can we help? Is there a way it is important to me?' I remind a lot of people that I grew up across the street from the park and went to school nearby," Mayor Reeves said. "I spent many afternoons down there. There's no reason why I would want to demolish the park if it wasn't the only option that we have. And so, we will continue to look for solutions aggressively."

The 22.5-acre park's preliminary estimates for repair exceed $1 million, significantly more than the $200,000 allocated for Bay Bluffs Park in the Local Option Sales Tax Parks Improvements fund. The mayor plans to pursue grants and other funding opportunities, including partnerships, to restore

get for things to happen to prolong the life of those things. And so that's the change in behavior that we're going to have moving forward. We're going to get that all structured and planned out. We're not, 30 years from now, going to have to tear down Bayview Community because we didn't take care of it."

Since taking office in 2020, District 1 City Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier has advocated for more funds for repair and maintenance. She called the decision to demolish Bay Bluffs Park "heartbreaking," but Brahier agreed with the mayor that the problems stem from not budgeting for the maintenance of the park that opened in 1984.

"We have not taken care of things," she said. "I feel bad that the mayor came in with so many things in disrepair, but I'm grateful that we're finally addressing all these things. It's critical to our infrastructure that we stop, pause and make sure everything is safe."

In March, the City of Pensacola closed a community center, park and fire station because of public safety concerns. Mayor D.C. Reeves has made it clear that he wants to shift from being reactive to issues and become more proactive. Meanwhile, his administration has surveyed all city facilities and put more money in the 2023-24 budget to address some of the problems, but not all.

"No one gets elected mayor so they can come shut down everybody's parks and structures," Mayor Reeves said on WCOA. "I can guarantee that's not the fun part of this job, but I think it's the adult part of this job."

CLOSURES

On March 22, the city closed Malcolm Yonge Gym due to unsafe building condi -

comprehensive structural assessment found the building, which opened in 1961, unsafe for occupancy. Last month, the Community Redevelopment Agency approved the mayor's request to demolish the structure to make room for workforce housing.

On March 23, the Parks & Recreation Department closed a section of the Bay Bluffs Park, 3400 Scenic Highway, for repairs. The city later decided to completely demolish the wooden walkway down to Escambia Bay due to unleveled deck boards, sagging decks, damaged stair beam connections, missing and broken guard rails, and cracked girder beams and pilings.

On March 30, the Pensacola Fire Station 4, 1 North Q St., closed because of safety concerns related to potential mold discovered in the building. A licensed environmental testing company advised the station to be shut down after initial

He refused to take any shortcuts. "Maybe we could have put a few boards up and gotten three more years out of it, but the cost would've been significant. I mean, we would've been in the six figures to get two or three years out of a failing structure. We must be more mature than that and not keep it open for the sake of keeping it open, but make a tougher decision that it's better for the city in the long run."

MORE PROACTIVE BUDGETING

Mayor Reeves has been frustrated the city has not planned better for these capital emergencies and budgeted funds to maintain its facilities.

"I think this really is on leadership, whether that was mayors or city councils," the mayor said. "It's not necessarily a staff-level thing because when you build something, you must have a budget to maintain it. And I can't confidently say we've been doing that over the years. We build things, and then we will even the very next year just have a zero in the line-item budget to maintain it. And that's just not realistic."

He continued, "If you own a business, a house or any kind of property, you have to bud -

Councilwoman Brahier added, "I'm grateful that the mayor is taking it on, but how in the world did this become a new idea that we actually plan to repair? I mean, can you imagine if you're running your house that way? It's a terrible way to go."

Inweekly asked the city what has been budgeted for park maintenance in the new budget. Here are the top eight projects:

• Bay Bluffs: Demolition and redesign of park amenities

• Wayside Park & 17th Avenue Boat Ramp: Repair seawall, pavilion improvements, boat ramp, floating dock replacement and parking lot improvements

• H.K. Matthews Park: Playground replacements

• Mallory Heights #2: Drainage and stormwater runoff correction

• Mallory Heights #3: Improve park lighting and playground

• Fricker Resource Center: Storm hardening and social hall remodel

• Roger Scott Pool: Bathhouse redesign

• Bartram Park: Erosion control Parks and Recreation is also working on a park signage plan and various bench and picnic table replacements. For more information, visit cityofpensacola.com. {in}

D.C. Reeves / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola

famous "Starry Night." She incorporated elements of his art style into the mural, resulting in a dreamlike depiction of the night sky over Pensacola. Allen said, "The schoolhouses on Corry Station can get stressful for students, so it takes you away from that environment and, in my opinion, captivates you."

Alberty acknowledged the detailed cathedral created by Allen transports viewers to a world away from the stresses of training to a calm and tranquil environment. She explained how during the painting process, both artists were in a holdover period awaiting orders to transfer to their respective commands. The students had the time and resources to complete the mural.

The artists expressed gratitude for the opportunity to create the mural and acknowledged they may never have another opportunity like this during their military careers. Alberty said, "Besides working in a highly technical field, I believe it is important to pursue your passions outside of work."

Alberty is currently assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C., and Allen is now stationed onboard USS America, homeported in Sasebo, Japan.

PRESSER TAKEAWAYS At his weekly press conference last week, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said UWF Haas Center has 1,556 eligible

responses to its residents' satisfaction survey that can be weighted for the final report. The survey asked citizens if they would be willing to pay $8 to $10 more monthly to have recycling at the curb.

"And so 50% of our residents said they would be willing to pay the $8-$10 more a month," Reeves said. "Now we also understand there's a big difference between answering that question on a survey and then when the bill comes, will you be committed to it?

So conservatively, if we were to say half of those folks would actually pull through, and say we have 21,000 accounts.

In my mind, that gives us a conservative estimate of maybe 5,000 to 5,500 accounts would be willing to do it when it comes down to putting it on your bill."

The City has passed the information to ECUA and Waste Management to see if they are interested in handling the curbside recycling.

"Is there enough critical mass to get that price into a feasible range?" Mayor Reeves said. "We'll wait to hear back from both of them."

There is demand for "canned goods on the steel side, aluminum steel cans, plastic bottles like two-liter Coke bottles, and then the heavier plastic, like detergent bottles and milk jugs." The mayor said, "We're going to make an effort internally to be able to offer something temporarily where, in the next 30 days, we're hoping to have set up perhaps a once-a-week recycling drop-off at our transfer station on Leonard. We'd have a city staff person there, and you'd be able just to drive up, drop off your recyclables there and we'd take them right at the transfer station."

The City is talking with the American Beverage Association about possible grants to help with recycling. The mayor expects the results of the UWF Haas study to be released by mid-October.

Mayor Reeves tried to clear up some confusion over the closed Bay Bluffs Park. He said, "We have never said we would demolish Bay Bluffs Park and not replace it permanently. That has never been said, and obviously, there are some emails I'm getting. I think there's been a miscommunication as far as a replacement being indefinite. All we're saying is it's not definitive in terms of when we would have the funding to rebuild."

The walkway has to be demolished because it's a public safety hazard. The estimated cost to replace it exceeds $1 million. The mayor said, "We couldn't find a scenario that allowed us to

go put boards in certain places and then be able to continue to say that it's a safe place."

He cautioned the new park may be different.

"There's a very real possibility that it is not going to be replaced verbatim the way it's set up right now," Mayor Reeves said. "There might be walking path elements of it. Maybe the boardwalk goes a different direction for cost and safety reasons than otherwise. This park was designed 40 years ago. A lot of erosions have happened since then. A lot of other things have happened since then. So it's much more likely that this park ends up with a new version when it is funded than what sits out there today."

COUNTY BUDGET PROCESS IMPROVES

Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno is pleased the approved FY 2024 county budget includes significant employee pay raises.

"This is my third round of the budget. In the first round, honestly, we were hanging on for dear life. In the second round, Stephan (Hall) had come on, and he was building his team, but this round here, I'm really satisfied with and proud of, because I feel like this is the first time in maybe three or four years that we've actually sat down with the departments, went through the budget line by line, all the personnel stuff, the capital stuff, the operational budgets, and we took a deep dive into it," Moreno said.

"When we started out, we thought maybe a 2% cost-of-living wage adjustment," he added. "As we got toward the end, we saw we were going to land the plane pretty well, and so we made it a 3% increase. I'm proud to be able to do that. The employees deserve it; they work hard."

The pay raises were made possible by defunding some unfilled positions. "We defunded 10 in Public Works, 30 in Corrections and some other departments as well."

Moreno praised Finance Director Hall.

"He grew up like I did in the county, and he worked under Amy Lovoy—everybody knows she's very good at what she does," Moreno said. "He went to the city and continued working and learning under Amy. He knows what to do and how to do it. He treats the county's money like his own. He's very, very conscientious with the county's money."

Moreno continued, "Stephan just is great to work with. He has the confidence of the board. I couldn't do what I do without him. And he and I spent a lot of time together, and I'm just thankful he decided to come back and be our finance manager. We're in a great place because of it, and I'm just proud of him."

ALABAMA ABUSE Last October, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had found evidence that Alabama's foster care system violates the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Attorneys at three law firms, including the Levin Papantonio Rafferty (LPR) law firm, stepped up on behalf of the children who have suffered from this statewide, systemic discrimination. They filed lawsuits against Nancy Buck-

ner, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, and Eric Mackey, the state superintendent of the Alabama Department of Education.

The lawsuits allege children with disabilities in these facilities are discriminated against by segregating them in on-site "schools," denying them educational opportunities equal to their non-disabled peers in regular education settings.

"What you have is the state has outsourced its responsibilities to private corporations that are Wall Street-backed and have warehoused these children," said Caleb Cunningham, an LPR attorney. "What you're seeing is several grades together being put in a room and coloring all day, and that's their education time. And so these children are so far behind after they've been warehoused that they're not able to complete school."

He continued, "We're suing based on the DOJ report in October that investigated this. The state of Alabama said, 'We know we haven't been in compliance.' And that was the end of it. Nothing has happened other than they've continually milled children through this program without an education and truly some horrific abuse on top of this."

AIR MONITORING COUNTYWIDE Escambia County's Natural Resources Management Department has launched a new Air Quality Monitoring Network. A dozen air quality stations are placed throughout the county and report conditions in real-time, allowing citizens to make better-informed decisions for daily activities. Visit myescambia.com/airquality to view the Air Quality Monitoring Network.

Air quality monitoring provides the public with measurements of pollutant concentration levels in the ambient air, the portion of the atmosphere near ground level, and external to buildings or other structures. Escambia County provides the public with data on particle pollution, particulate matter, ozone and other parameters at each station through the Air Quality Monitoring Network. The network will also provide data to weather reporting services.

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS

The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, in partnership with the Escambia County Public Schools Central Warehouse, has launched 'Tools for Teachers,' an online teacher resource store.

"The Foundation is so excited about this new program supporting teachers. In partnership with the Escambia County Public Schools Warehouse, we have been working on this project for over a year, with a goal of supplying teachers with the items they most often spend their own money to purchase," said Jo McArthur, the ECPS Foundation executive director.

Teachers were surveyed to determine classroom supplies on which they spend their own money, and those items will be stocked in the store. The warehouse will order and stock the supplies, package and deliver them to individual

Photo Courtesy of Center for Information Warfare Training

teachers at their schools. The Foundation will raise the funds through grants, donations and inkind donations of products to stock the store.

"Tools for Teachers" rolled out to 175 new teachers with an initial box of supplies Monday, Oct. 2. In January, teachers at high-need schools will be added. By next summer, the goal is to have all 2,700 teachers in the program.

A prominent Pensacola businessman anonymously made a $50,000 contribution to get the program launched in August. The Foun dation has three grant applications out that will provide additional funding. To learn more, visit escambiaschools.org/ecpsf.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS For the last five decades, between 1973 and 2023, the Friends of the West Florida Library organization has raised approximately $2 million to support the West Florida Public Libraries. The group will celebrate and honor its volunteers and donors at a 50th Anniversary Gala, 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 at Sanders Beach Community Center.

WEAR-TV news anchor Sue Straughn will host the festivities. Pensacola native Craig Pittman, author of the New York Times Bestseller "Oh, Florida!" will be the featured speaker.

Tickets can be purchased online at friendsofwfpl.org or in person at the Downtown Library Bookstore, 239 N. Spring St., or the Tryon Library Bookstore, 1200 Langley Ave.

LITTLE TO BE BIG Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida (BBBS) launched a bold new brand campaign, "It Takes Little to be Big," to challenge the myths and shift perceptions of mentoring and why now, more than ever, mentorship is critical to the kids' success.

"The title does say it all," said Paula Shell, the BBBS CEO. "It takes just a little activity to make a big impact, and we're excited to launch these new brand elements from our national organization into the community. You'll start seeing a lot of our messaging a little different, more telling the stories deeper about the impact it's making in a child's life, and we're just real excited for the community to see this."

The campaign brings authenticity to the forefront with BBBS matches and puts a spotlight on redefining the little moments of mentorship that can make a significant impact on the lives of young people. A cornerstone of the campaign is "A Million Little Moments," a digital storytelling initiative that invites our community to share their pivotal mentorship moments and experiences, no matter how small, using the campaign hashtags #BeBig and #BiggerTogether for each story.

"Last year, we served 522 kids in a one-toone relationship, and probably 300-plus were in the Escambia County area," Shell said. "As a Big, you don't have to have a specific title, a fancy degree or any special qualifications other than being compassionate, patient, accepting and just having a heart to spend a little bit of time."

She added, "It could be over a piece of pizza or playing a game. What it's all about is fine-tuning that relationship and letting that Little know that they can grow to be something productive in the community and give back to our community."

To learn more about how to get involved today, visit bethebig.org.

UWF SCHOLARS The University of West Florida welcomed its sixth class of National Merit Finalists this fall, for a total of 14 students since 2017.

"UWF has emerged as a first-choice university for high-achieving students from across the country," said Martha D. Saunders, the UWF President. "Our top scholars appreciate UWF's nationally competitive academic programs taught by world-renowned professors. With a commitment to incorporating high-impact practices in every course and unmatched opportunities for undergraduate research, UWF offers these students an exemplary university experience."

Julia Allgeyer, Aiden Black and Alana Davis were among approximately 15,000 students across the country who met the requirements for Finalist standing, out of an estimated 1.5 million high school juniors who participated in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship competition.

National Merit Finalists earn UWF's top

scholarship with a total value of more than $50,000, including full tuition, room and board, an $800-per-semester book stipend and a research or study abroad experience.

Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State graduate Davis said she chose UWF because it would allow her to do research as an undergraduate.

"I'm studying chemistry and art history so I can become an art conservator for my career, and there are plenty of chances to study art history and chemistry here," Davis said. "Before I went to Collegiate, I went to a small school in Baker. So it's nice to make bigger and bigger steps toward something that I want to do."

UWF also hosted its annual President's Scholarship competition, which awards top Florida-resident incoming freshmen who show

potential to serve as future leaders with the institution's most prestigious scholarship, the Pace Presidential Scholarship. This scholarship is offered in conjunction with Florida Bright Futures and covers on-campus room and board, tuition, an $800 book stipend and a research or study abroad experience, totaling more than $50,000.

Five students were awarded the Pace Presidential Scholarship in 2023, including Lucia Dillersberger from Citrus High School in Lecanto, Lamb Ngafeeson from Port St. Lucie High School, Kyra Parris from Belleview High School in Ocala, Bre Rayon from Navarre High School and T'Yanna Williams from Bay High School in Panama City.

For more information about UWF's 2023 top scholars, visit uwf.edu/topscholars. {in}

PARTING THE CURTAIN

Hearing Those Left Behind By Baptist Hospital

By Rick Outzen

and raised their families at and around Baptist Hospital for one last meal before the hospital shut down.

Since June 2019, we have known that Baptist Health Care was building a new hospital campus on Brent Lane next to Interstate 110. We have seen the photos and television ads for the $650-million investment. We watched various parts of the campus being named for big donors and had our social media feed flooded with how transformative the new hospital would be for our community.

Unseen and unheard were the stories of those left behind. Most stayed silent because they trusted hospital officials to do what they promised. For the past four years, the administrators repeatedly made assurances they would keep a presence on E Street and "absolutely" provide health care for those living around the old campus.

When they decided to abandon their commitments, we don't know. Current and former supervisors and hospital board members have shared that it was known behind the scenes for months, if not years, that the hospital was pulling out all medical services from E Street. However, the secret didn't become public knowledge until Inweekly asked about the plan for health care at the old campus after the move Saturday, Sept. 23.

After all, 80% told Baptist Hospital in a neighborhood survey that their top priority for any redevelopment of the campus was to include health care services. The hospital administration ignored them.

The Brownsville Seniors consists of women from Morris Court, Shanty Town and the surrounding neighborhoods who meet regularly at the Brownsville Community Center. Inweekly offered to pay for their meals and listen to their stories Friday, Sept. 22, a day before Baptist moved to Brent Lane.

Author Eudora Welty wrote her continuing passion was "to part a curtain, that invisible veil of indifference that falls between us and that blinds us to each other's presence, each other's wonder, each other's human plight."

Inweekly wanted to part Baptist Hospital's curtain and share the experiences and plight of those who saw Baptist Hospital as the hub of their community.

The gathering almost fell apart when Baptist Vice President Jennifer Grove told Commissioner Lumon May, whose mother is a Brownsville Senior, that the cafeteria would serve its last meals to the public Thursday, and most of the equipment had been removed. However, Grove didn't have her facts straight. Baptist CEO Mark Faulkner intervened and offered to buy the ladies' lunches.

Journal photographer and reporter and WEARTV film crew swarming, and several Baptist supervisors hovering on the periphery. Despite the distractions, the ladies shared with Inweekly how Baptist's departure would leave a massive hole in their neighborhood and lives.

THE BIG HOUSE

Although the hospital eventually became the hub of the Black community living around it, those living in the projects were not welcomed initially. The relationship developed over decades as Pensacola became less segregated.

In October 1951, Baptist Hospital opened on the western edge of white Pensacola at the corner of Moreno and E streets. The Pensacola High School band played, and the United Spanish War veterans raised the flag.

Caroline Beggs, daughter of attorney Dixie Beggs, cut the ribbon across the entrance. The crowd included a who's who of Pensacola history—Max Bear, Pat Groner, C. A. Weis, John Pace and Dr. Walter Payne. Missing from the stage were the families that lived two blocks away.

Evelyn Goldsmith remembered when the contractors cleared the four blocks east of the Morris Court housing project.

"When they first started building Baptist, I thought it was going to be a house," Evelyn said. "And I said, 'Oh, we going to have a new

a big ole house.' Then, when I looked up again, it was Baptist Hospital. And I said, 'Oh my God. We are going to have a hospital right in our neighborhood.' We were excited because, at the time, we didn't have a hospital close."

Black patients were only allowed on the first floor, but walking to the hospital was treacherous because white families would let their dogs loose on them as they passed their houses.

The cafeteria wasn't open to people of color. Eleanor Washington said, "We used to go to a little window and knock on it. Ms. Ashcraft would open that window and take our order. She was so nasty though because we couldn't go in. They had a big cafeteria, so they finally decided they'd put a little portion for the Black people to go in, sit down and eat."

Mary May's first memories of Baptist aren't pleasant.

"My mom had surgery at Baptist when I was a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old, and we lived in Morris Court. The hospital called and told us my mom had passed, and I'll never forget it. My sisters and I, we just started screaming. By the time my dad got home and went over to the hospital, we found that they had made a mistake. So, that was the very beginning of me knowing about Baptist Hospital."

Cheryle Allen's mom, Lois Hall Walton, helped open Baptist's pathology lab and be -

Photos by Natalie Allgyer (@nallgyer)

came Escambia County's first Black phlebotomist. She said, "Dr. Squires asked her to do it because they needed someone to stick the 'colored patients.' And I'm telling you, everybody wanted my mother to stick them, because she was so good."

Cheryle added, "I can remember the day my mother passed away here. There was silence all over this hospital because she had worked here for so long. In fact, she retired, and they asked her to come back."

Eleanor Washington worked at Baptist for 47 years—ironically in food services—but she almost didn't get hired.

"In 1965, my sister carried me to the business office to get an application to put in for a job," Eleanor shared. "I was told the only job they had open was a nurse, and I wasn't qualified. I was crying. I walked back home crying, and my sister called Ms. Grace, who told me to come back. She carried me around there, filled out the application and gave me a voucher for a uniform, and I started working."

May Haymon worked at Baptist for more than 30 years, 24 years as an ER nurse. She said, "My kids, I raised them all up here at the hospital. I didn't birth them all here, but I raised them all here through the years."

Bernadette McCary was the director of clinical nutrition. She said, "Most of my family worked here—as nurses and in dietary, housekeeping and many other departments. And during that time, they walked to work from over there in Morris Court."

BECOMING THE HUB

The relationship between the hospital and the Black community began to improve when newly married Theophalis May became the pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist on Blount Street, one block south of the hospital, in 1967. Pastor May also had Mays Construction. When he got hurt on the job, the family looked to Baptist for care.

"The Lord allowed Dr. Howard Lawyer to come into the picture," his wife Mary shared. "Theophalis had to have surgery, and, from that time on, we never used another surgeon besides Howard Lawyer at Baptist. I had seven kids in Baptist Hospital. The hospital became a hub for our family and the church."

Rev. May began to do construction projects for several people and businesses associated with the hospital, including Dyson & Company, whose workers helped the Mays renovate and expand Friendship Missionary Baptist Church when they got off work.

When a woman threatened to jump from a balcony at Baptist, the doctor sent a worker to stop Rev. May during his Sunday service and ask him to talk her off the ledge. Mary talked about how people from Baptist would walk to the church during their lunch hour for prayer.

She said, "That's how close we and the church were connected to this hospital. My husband and I, we gave our lives."

She added, "Even its administrators might say that Baptist made it on its own, this hospital made it from the prayers of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and this neighborhood. For them to leave without giving us anything, any kind of consideration, it hurts. It really, really hurts. Sadly, nobody cares about his legacy or dream for this community."

"Baptist Hospital has just been part of this community," Leola Snow said. "The memories for me are very deep, very touching. I think every person in my family that has passed; they actually spent some time here at Baptist Hospital. But to think that there's no Baptist Hospital in this area for the people who are really responsible for the hospital being here is very unnerving."

She said, "We certainly will miss the com munication that we had with the people. And even walking into the hospital today, we saw fa miliar faces. You never came to Baptist Hospital without seeing somebody that you knew."

"I'm kind of sad to see it go because it's been so good for the neighborhood," Dorothy Hayes said. "This is where we came when we had problems with sickness, and they always took good care of us, and then you have the kind of neighborhood that's probably going to have a hard time heading out to the other one.

Eleanor is concerned about the health of the elderly and poor being left behind by Baptist.

She said, "My heart tells me that a lot of people are just going to be sick. They won't go to the new hospital or the emergency room. They're going to feel like nobody really cares."

Cassandra Saunders worked at Baptist for 24 years, earning employee of the year during her tenure. She agreed with Eleanor. "We're going to miss Baptist being in this area. A lot of people will go without because they could walk here and go to the emergency room. We're re ally going to miss it."

Bernadette called the loss of Baptist Hos pital "hurtful and shameful." She hated to see it closed and torn down. She said, "There's a need for this building. Everybody doesn't have cars to get out of Brent Lane. When people in this area get sick or hurt, this is where they came."

For Bernadette and other Brownsville Se niors, Baptist Hospital was more than a medical facility, which is why Inweekly wanted to inter view them in the cafeteria.

"On Sunday afternoon, we would leave church and come to the cafeteria to meet and eat," she said. "You might not have a whole lot of money, but you could come here and get a decent meal. And even sometimes during the week, they would walk here and get a meal."

Bernadette added, "My grandmother lived to be 100 years old, and Baptist Hospital was her place to come. So it's going to be missed, and it's like part of your family being torn down. The big house. The big house is being torn down."

Evelyn hopes Baptist Hospital leaders would reconsider their decision to pull medi cal services out of the neighborhood. She said, "Don't tear it down. Because even when I pass through here, I look and I say, 'Well, God must be here.'"

Mary May hasn't given up. She said, "I'm go ing to keep praying, and I'm going keep trusting because I know the vision that Theophalis had for this area." {in}

"A lot of people will go without because they could walk here and go to the emergency room."

Cassandra Saunders

Arts & Entertainment

By Savannah Evanoff

said. "And it's still very much a collaboration between the artist and the choreographer, which I've enjoyed thoroughly."

Ballet Pensacola currently has 21 professional dancers—14 women and seven men. They're all "very talented," McIntyre said.

"It's very inspiring, because they just challenge each other," McIntyre said. "They're all still very young, so they all have a lot of hunger for it. It makes it very hard to cast, because all of them could be doing the lead roles. That's why I do the two casts, so I can share the roles around a little bit."

The other part of the creative process in creating an original production is working with the production team.

"Coming up with the lighting designs, costumes, how we're going to make the coffins fly," McIntyre said. "How are we going to make the doorway move? And what's the backdrop going to be? Are we going to have a castle? Or are we going to have a garden? The costuming, what color schemes are we going to go with? And how does that transcend into the lighting? And how does it fit the music and the time period? It's a huge process, but each of us loves what we do. You have to love the arts to be in that field."

Choreographer McIntyre applauds production manager Dominic Krippes, lighting designer Jordan Wiggins and costume designer Tiffany Nichols. He's so excited to see their work combined, he wishes they could move into the theaters for rehearsals a week sooner.

especially in October—Ballet Pensacola's interpretation will feature many other whimsical and likely lesser-known characters.

"There's a lot of little stories that go on within the main context of the ballet," said Darren McIntyre, the artistic director. "I chose to do that, because a lot of other choreographers just make it about Dracula … I found those stories more interesting, so we touch vaguely on all of them."

The plot includes vignettes of lovers Mina and Jonathan Harker, the transformation of Lucy Westerner after being bitten, Dracula's origin story, and even delves into quasi-narrator Renfield. It will culminate with a large battle at the end.

Between floating coffins and doors, Dracula's signature green mist and vampire bites, the show is Halloween approved. It's tasteful though, McIntyre assures—it's ballet after all. Better yet, it's a "ballet bite," according to the Pensacola Ballet website.

McIntyre's favorite scene is one with vampire brides. He describes the scenes with floating props as "entrancing."

candles situation," McIntyre said.

"Dracula" was McIntyre's first production after joining Ballet Pensacola in 2021, choosing it to draw an audience to a familiar title. And, most ballet companies have a variation of "Dracula" in their repertoire, so he wanted the same for Ballet Pensacola.

But McIntyre didn't feel the first iteration reached its full potential; this time, he will make sure it does.

"I've always wanted to do one, because it was one of my favorite roles to dance when I was a dancer," McIntyre said. "I also liked the theatrics of the storyline, and it's relatable to a lot of people, because people know the story and it is a great time to do it around Halloween … doing it a second time and redoing it and making it new has been a lot of fun. I feel like I had a skeleton to really turn into something stronger."

Another compelling reason for the show's return is it features a small children's cast.

"That's also important to involve the kids in with the professional company, because that's part of our brand and what we do; it's what makes us unique," McIntyre said. "I want the kids

style, not always just doing 'The Nutcracker.'"

Not to mention, McIntyre is from Australia; he didn't grow up with Halloween. He's a fan.

"It wasn't until I came to the U.S. that I was kind of exposed to it," McIntyre said. "But I also just really loved the ('Dracula') movie and the novel. And I always loved 'Twilight,' 'Vampire Diaries,' and all those kinds of things with vampires."

McIntyre has been intermittently designing the show for years. He likes to use his dancers to create choreography, he said.

"Other choreographers like to choreograph and then put that on the dancers, whereas I like to use the dancers in the process and make the steps fit them, their bodies and fit their strengths, and also challenge their weaknesses as well—that's important," McIntyre said. "But I like to find the different dynamics, and it's just much more fun to work and have that contribution from each artist as they're exploring that."

McIntyre double casted "Dracula," so audiences have the chance to see two dancers interpret the roles at different performances.

"It's very interesting and fun to see the dancers take on those challenges," McIntyre

"The whole production's pretty—not because it's mine; I just think the dancers have just brought so much to it, that it's really elevated the content," McIntyre said. "I would say there's a bit of something for everyone. I think there's going to be people who are going to really love the gypsies because of the costumes, or the music, or the way the skirts twirl. And then there's people who will probably really love the romantic pas de deaux between Dracula and Mina—although it's kind of sad, she's getting bitten." {in}

BALLET PENSACOLA'S 'DRACULA'

WHEN: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 6-7 and 13-14, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays Oct. 8 and 15.

WHERE: The Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. COST: $35 balcony rows, $40 orchestra rows, $45 orchestra premier rows DETAILS: balletpensacola.org

Photo Courtesy of Ballet Pensacola

com/nwflgdr.

THIRD ANNUAL BRUNCHFEST This event benefits Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast. BrunchFest is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Cost is $15-$45. Details at eventbrite.com.

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal

Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. The full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for bingo nights. You must be 18 to play. 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. 9th Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

BE A VENDOR AT BARKTOBER FEST 2023

The Pensacola Humane Society will celebrate 80 years at Barktober Fest on Sunday, Oct. 29 in Seville Square. The event is expected to bring more than 4,000 attendees. If you would like to be a sponsor or vendor, call or text Deborah Dunlap at (850) 232-9063.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens at 10 a.m. and 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

designers to submit renderings for the official 2024 Pensacola JazzFest poster.

The commission is $500. The Jazz Pensacola Board of Directors will consider all renderings and make a selection. Initial drafts are due by Jan. 31, 2024. If selected, the completed submission deadline is Feb. 28, 2024.

The poster design should reflect the deep, rich and diverse jazz music heritage of Pensacola and communicate a sense of place. Submissions should conform to a vertical orientation using a ratio that will fit with margin on a final poster size of 18 inches wide by 24 inches high. All content must be the submitter's original creation, and must be unpublished. The submitter must have all rights to images and graphics used in the final artwork and during the design process. The poster must include the name of the festival: 2024 Pensacola JazzFest.

Rough drafts or sketches can be submitted, but, if selected, the final art must conform to the submitted draft or sketch. Substantial deviation from the submitted sketch or draft will result in forfeiture by the artist of the cash prize and the selection of a new winner by Jazz Pensacola.

Submissions must be in low-res (72 ppi) JPEG format and emailed to info@jazzpensacola.com. There is no limit to the number of entries by a single artist. Each entry must include the artist's name, address, email and phone number.

The selected artist is responsible for the preparation of the art for high-resolution reproduction. The artist will be contacted following the selection process and receive technical specifications for the production file.

ARTS & CULTURE

PENSACOLA CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENTS: "WORDS" The Pensacola Choral Society Presents "Words," an eclectic evening inspired by the power of language. Showtime is

Strong Street

Studio's annual Pumpkin Party is back. Studio sales will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8 located at 109 N. A St. Ste. B. An online sale takes place Saturday, Oct. 14 at strongstreetstudioglass.com starting at 10 a.m.

CRAFT & VINTAGE FALL MARKET Fall market is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. More information at facebook.com/oddcolony.

MATT RIFE Comedian Matt Rife will be at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Showtimes are 5 and 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8. Tickets are $73.50$103.50 and available at pensacolasaenger.com.

CINEMAS IN THE SAND The next Cinemas in the Sand will feature "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" at sunset Friday, Oct. 13 at the Gulfside Pavilion on Casino Beach. Admission is free. Follow facebook.com/visitpensacolabeach for updates.

FLAWLESS FRIDAYS CABARET Enjoy a drag show and special showcase with show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at Just One More Saloon, 3810 W. Navy Boulevard. Doors open at 8 p.m. and showtime is 10 p.m. Dates include Fridays, Oct. 13 and Dec. 15.

BIG SCREEN ON THE BAYOU Watch "Shrek" on the jumbo screen at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13. Visit facebook.com/ehnapensacola for more information.

FESTA ITALIANA! The 13th annual Festa Italiana is hosted by the Sons & Daughters of Italy in America 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14. The event will feature a celebration of all things Italian with food, dance and art. Kids activities will also be on site. More information is at facebook.com/sonsofitalybuonafortuna.

LIBERATION PENSACOLA PRESENTS: JOURNEY INTO SPACE A pageant benefit show sponsoring Vantasia Divine is 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15 at Whiskey Joes, 400 Quietwater Beach Road, for ages 18 and older with a $10 cover charge.

PALAFOX MARKET SOUTH AT PLAZA

FERDINAND Palafox Market South will include a blend of familiar Palafox Market vendors, along with a new mix of local farmers, artists, and crafts makers who will fill up Plaza Ferdinand on the corner of Palafox and Government streets. Shoppers can navigate between the new market and the always-humming original located on North Palafox at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday. For more information about Palafox Market, visit palafoxmarket.com. For information concerning other downtown events, please visit downtownpensacola.com

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 at 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 Pensacola'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 held 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 actual 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. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Shop small and buy art at Pensacola Arts Market 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month at Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave. Enjoy a local artisan and farmers market with more than 50 vendors, food trucks, plants, vintage clothing and décor, live musical performances, kids' crafts and games. This is a free event. Pensacola Arts Market is set up 4-9 p.m. every first Friday of the month and 2-6 p.m. every third Sunday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave.

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT EVER'MAN Local vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners, speakers and more come together 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. This is a

free indoor and outdoor event with door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. For a vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT 2023 ANNUAL FACULTY EXHIBITION This exhibit, also known as Show and Tell, showcases artwork from PSC faculty of the Visual Arts Department. Artwork will be on display in the Switzer Gallery, 1000 College Boulevard, through Oct. 6. All events are free to the public. More information at visualarts.pensacolastate.edu.

DEPTH OF FIELD Depth of Field showcases photography from the Pensacola Museum of Art's permanent collection, alongside objects from the UWF Historic Trust Archives. Artworks on display explore the history, science and alchemical nature of the medium. On view are works by pioneers in the field such as Alfred Stieglitz, Elliott Erwitt, Edward J. Steichen, Walker Evans and Vivian Maier, as well as notable contemporary artists including Valerie George, Richard McCabe, Sheila Pinkel and Gesche Würfel. Exhibit is located at 407 S. Jefferson St., and is on view through Oct. 22. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

SUDDENLY AMERICAN: A MEETING OF HERITAGE AND COUNTRY This exhibit looks at the transition of Florida from a Spanish territory to an American region, which formally occurred in 1821. Florida's embattled history dates back much farther than 1821. From refusing independence during the American Revolution to wanting its own freedom in 1810, Florida loved to cause problems. The U.S. eyed the region early on, using the Seminole Wars as an excuse to seize territory before turning to diplomatic means to acquire Florida. The Adams-Onis Treaty, debated and initially agreed upon in 1819, resulted in Spain ceding control of East Florida to the United States. At the same time, Spain also agreed to give up all claims on West Florida, in essence giving the entire Florida territory over to the United States. Ratified in 1821, the treaty was cause for celebration in Pensacola, the capital of West Florida, as it officially became part of America. This exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of History through December. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

YAPPY HOUR AT PENSACOLA BAY

BREWERY Sip on brews with your pup Thursday, Oct. 5. Drinks are $5 when you bring your dog. No retractable leashes. Located at Pensacola Bay Brewery, 225 Zaragoza. Visit facebook.com/pbbrew for details.

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS Classes are 5 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 at Atlas, 600 S. Barracks St. Featuring Doc's Hop Shop. Reservations required. Call (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com to reserve your spot.

ST. MICHAEL'S BREWING CO. THIRD ANNIVERSARY BASH Celebrate three years with St. Michaels Brewing Co at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at the brewery, 2199 Highway 87. Visit facebook.com/stmichaelsbrewing for details.

JUANA'S ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST BEER

FEST Enjoy Oktoberfest at Juana's Saturday, Oct. 7 with food, drinks, and activities for kids, 1451 Navarre Beach Causeway. Visit juanaspagodas.com for details.

SEVILLE QUARTER OKTOBERFEST Enjoy a German-style breakfast and beers served in a German beer stein at End O' the Alley, 130 E. Government St., through Sunday, Oct. 8. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

VINO MAGNIFICO V. Paul's monthly wine tasting is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. Located at 29 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $15 per person and include five wine samples. RSVP is required. Reserve your spot online at vpauls.com.

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT

AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

JACKSON'S STEAKHOUSE FRIDAY

LUNCH SERVICE Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St., is now open for lunch service 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays. Chef Irv Miller has created a new lunch menu, which includes selections of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, featured plates and hand-selected steaks. Visit jacksonssteakhouse.com to see a full menu.

GAMER/JACKBOX NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S

Gamers unite 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of Bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for Bar Bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for themed trivia nights 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/ perfectplainbrewingco for details.

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.

a&e happenings

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.

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA O'Riley's Tavern hosts trivia 8 p.m.-midnight Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern. com for details.

TRIVIA AT WISTERIA 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. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. Gary's Brewery is located at 208 Newman Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

TRIVIA AT SIR RICHARD'S Flex your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool and play bar bingo 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details at orileystavern.com.

LIVE MUSIC

RADIOLIVE The October RadioLive is 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 at the Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Chris Alvarado Trio, Goldpine and The Wildwoods will perform. For tickets and information, visit radiolive.org.

STUDIOAMPED Watch recordings of "StudioAmped" 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 with Paul Vinson and 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 with Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival, featuring Kathie Baillie, Michael Bonagura and Alyssa Bonagura. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free but donations to Manna Food Pantries will be collected. Located at 1000 College Boulevard. Visit wsre.org/events for details.

TWIN TRIBES Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10-$15. Get yours at thehandlebar850.com.

GULF COAST SUMMER FEST JAZZ

EDITION The Summer Fest Jazz Edition is Saturday, Oct. 7-Sunday, Oct. 8 at Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. Tickets are $90-$180. For details and tickets, visit gulfcoastsummerfestjazzedition.com.

BANDS ON THE BAYOU: DLP DLP will perform 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St. Visit facebook.com/bandsonthebayou for details.

PAUL VINSON, STARLIN, SNAKE AND THE RABBIT Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

PENSACOLA SONGWRITERS DOUBLE

ROUND Show is 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

MAGNITUDE MOURNING Show is 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct, 8 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10-$15 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

BANDS ON THE BEACH Concerts are 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Crosstown performs. For details, visit visitpensacolabeach. com/whats-happening-bands-on-beach.

AJJ, SAD PARK, AND FOOT OX Show is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $22-$25 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

BANDS ON THE BLACKWATER Bands on the Blackwater is a free outdoor concert series held 7-9 p.m. Friday nights at 5158 Willing St. Pull up your boat or bring a lawn chair and relax while listening to great live music. The Midnight Shepherds play Oct. 6. For more info, visit facebook.com/bandsontheblackwater.

PENSACOLA BEACH SONGWRITER'S

FESTIVAL The weeklong festival features songwriters at various locations around Pensacola Beach from Thursday, Oct. 5-Sunday, Oct. 8. See a full lineup at pensacolabeachsongwritersfestival.com.

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: OPENING NIGHT! The PSO opening night offers a dress rehearsal performance for $10 at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. The official show is 7:30 p.m. with the return of pianist Sara Davis Buechner for Strauss' Burleske. Show is at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets available at pensacolasymphony.com.

COREY SMITH Show is 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20-$150 (for VIP and meet and greet). For tickets, visit vinylmusichall.com.

SCARY POCKETS Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $25 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES

CAFÉ Visit Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St., for live music on select days.

•Tuesdays: Greg Bond from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

•Thursdays: John Wheeler from 6-8 p.m.

•Saturdays: Glenn Parker Band from 6:30-10 p.m.

• Sundays: Curt Bol Quintet from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD

COLONY Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook. com/oddcolony for details.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues Society of Northwest Florida bring the "Blues" back

Glass Pumpkin Season

Street, which churns out around a thousand pumpkins each year.

Scott Novota said the annual Strong Street Pumpkin Party is a family affair. It wouldn't be able to run without the help of his wife Molli and his family and friends, who all come together to host hundreds of pumpkin fans each year.

"I'm the guy that gets to play with the glass," Novota said. "My wife is the taskmaster and the woman who stays on top of things and keeps me from, you know, driving into a ditch. My parents are involved, and my friends are involved. I mean, it's not just me. I just get to have fun."

Novota says the process of creating a glass pumpkin is less of a science and more a journey of artistic discovery.

"Sometimes those are happy accidents, as Bob Ross would say," Novota said. "When you start to play, start to be creative and you have fun with it, it yields things you're not expecting, and then that just kind of spins you off in all these different directions."

"I've numerous times told my wife or whoever will listen to me banter on that the most fun is when you're doing things that you're not comfortable doing, because that yields results no one is expecting," Novota continued.

That doesn't mean Novota's pumpkins are created by chance; there is a great deal of pre-planning and design that goes into each unique creation.

"From a design standpoint of what you want something to look like, you just sort of have to plan a little ahead and really lay out how your layers are going to be in the glass, so that you get the desired effect," Novota said.

son like glass Christmas trees and glass Santas.

The studio sale events will feature a limited number of vendors, and attendees can watch live glass blowing demonstrations from the artist himself in the afternoons.

While the in-person hunt for the perfect glass pumpkin is preferred by many, Strong Street also offers online sales for those who want to ship a glass treat as a gift out of town. And if you don't see a pumpkin that strikes your fancy, Strong Street accepts custom orders.

"You can pick your colors and a little bit of a design, like whether it has rounded edges or sharp edges, taller or short, smaller or big, and colors and then you just kind of leave it to me to figure out how those colors are gonna go together," Novota said. "I enjoy the custom pumpkins because they often take me in directions color wise I wouldn't have put together myself."

The artist said community support is what enables him to bring the pumpkins back year after year.

"I would like to just say thank you to everybody that comes by," Novota said. "I feel incredibly lucky with the amount of people that have come down and showed support for our little event."

STRONG STREET STUDIO ANNUAL PUMPKIN PART(IES)

WHEN: Studio Sale: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8

Online: 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 14

WHERE: Strong Street Studio, 109 N. A St. Unit B

DETAILS: strongstreetstudioglass.com

Photo Courtesy of Strong Street Studio

a&e happenings

to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District at 7 p.m. every Monday at 130 E. Government St. in End O' the Alley. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE

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

KARAOKE AT O'RILEY'S UPTOWN Sing your heart out 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays at O'Riley's Uptown, 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY

Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia at 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook. com/garysbrew for details.

KARAOKE AT WISTERIA Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave., hosts karaoke 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

WHISKEY WEDNESDAY KARAOKE Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHTS AT SIR RICHARD'S

Bring your singing talents Monday and Thurs -

day nights at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Festivities are 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

EASY GOING DJ LAB Show is noon-4 p.m. Saturdays at Easy Going Gallery, 701 N. V St. Visit facebook.com/easygoinggallery for details.

SOULFUL SUNDAYS Listen to lo-fi hip hop, downtempo and acoustic open mic noon-4 p.m. Sundays at Easy Going Gallery, 701 N. V St. There is no cover charge. Visit facebook.com/ easygoinggallery for details.

SUNDAY KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS

Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. Sunday at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

FITNESS + RECREATION

OCEAN HOUR WEEKLY CLEANUPS Ocean Hour Pensacola hosts weekly cleanups 7:45-9 a.m. Saturdays. Follow Ocean Hour at facebook.com/ oceanhourfl for more details and locations.

ZARZAUR LAW SANTA ROSA ISLAND

TRIATHLON The 26th Annual Zarzaur Law Santa Rosa Island Triathlon is Saturday, Oct. 7 starting from 20 Casino Beach Boulevard. For details, visit santarosaislandtriathlon.com.

NAVARRE FISHING RODEO Tournament begins 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 and closes 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8. Fish from shore, boat,

kayak or the pier. Prizes will be awarded in all divisions. Weigh-ins are on the beach at Juana's, 1451 Navarre Beach Causeway. Scales close at 4 p.m. each day. For more information, visit navarrefishingrodeo.com.

FALL FESTIVAL AT THE WEST FLORIDA

RAILROAD MUSEUM This event will include tours of the museum, historic presentations, model train displays and the riding kids train and garden from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 located at 5003 Henry St. in Milton. Food vendors plus "Snowbiz Shaved Ice" will be on site. For more info, visit wfrm.org.

ISLAND FIGHTS Island Fights is 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.

TAKE A KID FISHING The kid's fishing clinic is 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at Navarre Beach Fishing Pier. The first 200 children receive a fishing pole, goodie bag, free bait and fishing instruction. To pre-register, visit takeakidfishingnavarre.com.

SEA TURTLE EXTRAVAGANZA Visit Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, 8740 Gulf Boulevard, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 and shell-e-brate all things sea turtle through games, crafts, photo booth, costume characters, music and more. Free admission all day to the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center. NBSTCC is open until 4 p.m. For more info, visit navarrebeachseaturtles.org.

HOLLAND FARMS PUMPKIN PATCH & MAZE Get into the fall season with a farm hayride, corn maze, kids' activities, pumpkin patch and more 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov.4 at 2055 Holland Road in Milton. Visit hollandfarmsonline.com for details.

YOGA WITH MARNI AT HA-YA Visit Ha-Ya Wellness for integrative yoga with Marni 10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at 4301 Spanish Trail Road. Visit facebook.com/asherandbeeapothecary for more information.

HOOK, LINE & SINKER MONTHLY FISHING SEMINAR SERIES Hot Spots Charters hosts a monthly free fishing seminar held at Flounder's Chowder House, 800 Quietwater Beach Road on Pensacola Beach the first Monday of every month. A free fish dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. with the seminar beginning at 7 p.m. and typically lasting about an hour. Visit facebook.com/hlsseminar for details.

FREE YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Take a free yoga class at Ever'man, 327 W. Garden St. Visit everman.org for full calendar of events.

FREE YOGA CLASSES AT COMMUNITY HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA Community Health Northwest Florida offers free yoga classes to people ages 18 and older. No experience is required. The classes are led by Justin Nutt. Visit facebook.com/healthcarewithinreach for more information.

a&e happenings

Schedule:

•MONDAYS 10-11 a.m. Community Chair Yoga at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. Desoto St.

•TUESDAYS 10-11 a.m., Gentle Movement at Palafox Two, 1380 N. Palafox St.

•WEDNESDAYS 10-11a.m., Community Chair Yoga at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. Desoto St.

•THURSDAYS 10-11 a.m., Gentle Movement at Palafox Two, 1380 N. Palafox St.

•FRIDAYS 10-11 a.m., Community Chair Yoga at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. Desoto St.

LIVE JAZZ AND SWING DANCING From 6:30-11 p.m. the first Friday of each month, enjoy a live band for dancing Lindy, Foxtrot, East Coast and West Coast Swing. This is a fun, friendly atmosphere with lessons for all levels, no partner required. Location is at The Way You Move Dance Studio, 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $15. More information at thewayyoumove.us.

WEST COAST SWING DANCE Join the fun

6:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays for $5 and 6:30-11 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month for $10. All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

BALLROOM, LATIN, SWING DANCE

From 6:30-11 p.m. the second Saturday of each month, enjoy a mix of music for all dancers.

All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $10. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

FREE YOGA IN THE PARK Breathe Yoga and Wellness Center will offer free yoga throughout 2023 as a part of its Wellness in the Park Series. One-hour outdoor yoga classes will be led by Breathe Yoga and Wellness Center at 9:30 a.m. the first Sunday of every month at Bayview Park. The next date is Sunday, Nov. 5.

FREE PILATES IN THE PARK The City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department and PURE Pilates presents free one-hour outdoor Pilates classes at 10:30 a.m. the third Sunday of every month at Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. The next date is Sunday, Oct. 15.

PENSACOLA PARKRUN The Pensacola

Rec Plex North Parkrun is 7:30 a.m. Saturdays. The weekly timed 5K run or walk takes place at the University of West Florida and is open to everyone, regardless of fitness level. For more information, visit facebook.com/rpnparkrun or email recplexnorth@parkrun.com.

YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Beginner

Yoga with John is 10 a.m. Thursdays, 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 12:15 p.m. Wednesdays. Funky

Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Tuesdays, and Vinyasa

Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Thursdays. All classes are at Ever'man, 327 W. Garden St. For a full calendar of events, visit everman.org.

KID-FRIENDLY

SPOOKY SHARK SCHOOL Explore sharks of the deep when the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center Shark School, 8740 Gulf Boulevard, goes spooky in October. Events are 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Oct. 14 and 21. For more information and to register, visit navarrebeachseaturtles.org/programs or call (850) 684-3347.

DISNEY JUNIOR LIVE: COSTUME

PALOOZA Show is 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $43.50-$66.50 and available at pensacolasaenger.com.

SCIENCE SATURDAYS AT IHMC IHMC's popular monthly science enrichment series starts its next season in September. Sessions slated for the fall include science of the mind, game design, healthy wetlands and more. Programs for grades 3-4 are 9-10:30 a.m. and grades 5-6 are 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Each session is led by an IHMC researcher or community scientist. Visit ihmc.us/life/science_saturdays for details.

•OCT. 28: Electric Motors, Dr. Robert Griffin

•NOV. 18: Computer Game Design, Heath Parr, Brown-Barge Middle School

•DEC. 17:  Illusions, Dr. Toshi Miyatsu

BEANSTACK: 1000 BOOKS BEFORE KIN -

DERGARTEN Enjoy reading 1,000 books with your little ones through West Florida Public Libraries. Log reading and earn badges along the way while bonding with your child and inspiring literacy. A book a day is 365 books in a year, 730 in two years and 1,095 in three years. For every 100 books, you can claim a prize at the library.

How to participate: Register for the challenge on the West Florida Public Libraries' Beanstack, either on the mobile app or at mywfpl.beanstack.org.

LUTHERAN SERVICES OF FLORIDA'S SNAP PROGRAM

The SNAP program is a free and fun community program to help parents and children deal with issues like emotional regulation and problem solving. The program is proven to keep kids out of the juvenile justice system and give them skills for successful communication and actions. The program teaches parenting skills for adults and teaches children ages 6-11 important issues, such as emotional regulation, problem-solving skills and selfcontrol. Meetings are once a week for 13 weeks. There is no cost, and dinner is served at each meeting. Sibling care and transportation is available if needed at no cost. Call or text (850) 375-3646 to get started.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS

Julia Allgeyer, Marine Biology Major Aiden Black, Computer Science Major Alana Davis, Chemistry Major

PACE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS

Lucia Dillersberger, Environmental Science Major Lamb Ngafeeson, Psychology Major Kyra Parris, Design and Technology Major Bre Rayon, General Business Major

T’Yanna Williams, Biomedical Sciences Major

uwf.edu/topscholars

With a shared passion for knowledge, drive for discovery and belief in the power of education, the University of West Florida and our Top Scholars are poised to create transformative change, in our community, and the world.

When top scholars look for a university with abundant opportunities, THEY LOOK TO UWF.

President Martha D. Saunders with UWF’s 2023

Top Scholars

will astrology

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): I've been doing interviews in support of my new book "Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle." Now and then, I'm asked this question: "Do you actually believe all that mystical woowoo you write about?" I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I'm screaming, "How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not believe in the 'mystical woo-woo' I have spent my adult studying and teaching?" But here's my polite answer: I love and revere the venerable spiritual philosophies that some demean as "mystical woo-woo." I see it as my job to translate those subtle ideas into well-grounded, practical suggestions that my readers can use to enhance their lives. Everything I just said is the prelude for your assignment, Aries: Work with extra focus to actuate your high ideals and deep values in the ordinary events of your daily life. As the American idioms advise—walk your talk and practice what you preach.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): I'm happy to see the expanding use of service animals. Initially, there were guide dogs to assist humans with imperfect vision. Later, there came mobility animals for those who need aid in moving around and hearing animals for those who can't detect ringing doorbells. In recent years, emotional support animals have provided comfort for people who benefit from mental health assistance. I foresee a future in which all of us feel free and eager to call on the nurturing of companion animals. You may already have such friends, Taurus. If so, I urge you to express extra appreciation for them in the coming weeks. Ripen your relationship. And if not, now is an excellent time to explore the boost you can get from loving animals.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Gemini author Chuck Klosterman jokes, "I eat sugared cereal almost exclusively. This is because I'm the opposite of a 'no-nonsense' guy. I'm an 'allnonsense' guy." The coming weeks will be a constructive and liberating time for you to experiment with being an all-nonsense person, dear Gemini. How? Start by temporarily suspending any deep attachment you have to being a serious, hyper-rational adult doing staid,

By Rob Brezsny

weighty adult things. Be mischievously committed to playing a lot and having maximum fun. Dancing sex! Ice cream uproars! Renegade fantasies! Laughter orgies! Joke romps! Giddy brainstorms and euphoric heartstorms!

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Cancerian comedian Gilda Radner said, "I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch." Let's use that as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be wise to opt for what feels good over what merely looks good. You will make the right choices if you are committed to loving yourself more than trying to figure out how to get others to love you. Celebrate highly functional beauty, dear Cancerian. Exult in the clear intuitions that arise as you circumvent self-consciousness and revel in festive self-love.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The amazingly creative Leo singer-songwriter Tori Amos gives this testimony: "All creators go through a period where they're dry and don't know how to get back to the creative source. Where is that waterfall? At a certain point, you say, 'I'll take a rivulet.'" Her testimony is true for all of us in our quest to find what we want and need. Of course, we would prefer to have permanent, unwavering access to the waterfall. But that's not realistic. Besides, sometimes the rivulet is sufficient. And if we follow the rivulet, it may eventually lead to the waterfall.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Take a few deep, slow breaths. Let your mind be a blue sky where a few high clouds float. Hum your favorite melody. Relax as if you have all the time in the world to be whoever you want to be. Fantasize that you have slipped into a phase of your cycle when you are free to act as calm and unhurried as you like. Imagine you have access to resources in your secret core that will make you stable and solid and secure. Now read this Mary Oliver poem aloud: "You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves."

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In his book "Meditations for Miserable People (Who Want to Stay That Way)," Dan Goodman says, "It's not that I have nothing to give, but rather that no one wants what I have." If you have ever been tempted to entertain dour fantasies like that, I predict you will be purged of them in the coming weeks and months. Maybe more than ever, your influence will be sought by others. Your viewpoints will be asked for. Your gifts will be desired, and your input will be invited. I trust you won't feel overwhelmed.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Do you perform experiments on yourself? I do on myself. I formulate hypotheses about what might be healthy for me, then carry out tests to gather evidence about whether they are. A recent one was: Do I feel my best if I eat five small meals per day or three bigger ones? Another: Is my sleep most rejuvenating if I go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 7 a.m. or if I sleep from midnight to 9 a.m.? I recommend you engage in such experiments in the coming weeks. Your body has many clues and revelations it wants to offer you.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): An Oklahoma woman named Mary Clamser used a wheelchair from age 19 to 42 because multiple sclerosis made it hard to use her legs. Then a miracle happened. During a thunderstorm, she was hit by lightning. The blast not only didn't kill her; it cured the multiple sclerosis. Over the subsequent months, she recovered her ability to walk. Now I'm not saying I hope you will be hit by a literal bolt of healing lightning, Scorpio, nor do I predict any such thing. But I suspect a comparable event or situation that may initially seem unsettling could ultimately bring you blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): What are your favorite mind-altering substances? Coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar or tobacco? Alcohol, pot, cocaine, or opioids? Psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD or MDMA? Others? All the above? Whatever they are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to reevaluate your relationship with them. Consider whether they are sometimes more hurtful than helpful or vice versa; and whether the original reasons that led you to them are still true; and how your connection with them affects your close relationships. Ask other questions, too. P.S. I don't know what the answers are. My goal is simply to inspire you to take an inventory.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): William James (1842–1910) was a paragon of reason and logic. So influential were his books about philosophy and psychology that he is regarded as a leading thinker of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the other hand, he was eager to explore the possibilities of supernatural phenomena like telepathy. He even consulted a trance medium named Leonora Piper. James said, "If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, it is enough if you prove that one crow is white. My white crow is Mrs. Piper." I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect you will soon discover a white crow of your own. As a result, long-standing beliefs may come into question; a certainty could become ambiguous; an incontrovertible truth may be shaken. This is a good thing.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): If we hope to cure our wounds, we must cultivate a focused desire to be healed. A second essential is to be ingenious in gathering the resources we need to get healed. Here's the third requirement: We must be bold and brave enough to scramble up out of our sense of defeat as we claim our right to be vigorous and whole again. I wish all these powers for you in the coming weeks.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: What if you could heal a past trauma? How would you start? {in}

freewillastrology.com

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freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

© 2023 Rob Brezsny

Relax as if you have all the time in the world to be whoever you want to be.

of the weird

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

LOW-SPEED CHASE

Los Angeles Police Department cruisers were dispatched in pursuit of a fleeing suspect wanted for assault with a deadly weapon on the evening of Sept. 24, but rather than the typical high-speed chase through bustling L.A. streets, officers found themselves following a shirtless and shoeless man in a stolen golf cart, with a dog on his lap. KCAL News reported that the low-speed chase began around 9:10 p.m. and went on for much longer than expected, due to the ineffectiveness of spike strips the police laid out in several failed attempts to slow the suspect down. The chase topped out around 19 mph before the suspect pulled into a parking lot around 9:45 p.m. and abandoned the cart, though he continued to carry the pooch. In short order, the barefoot suspect dropped the dog and was detained by police. The man was treated for unknown injuries; his unwitting canine accomplice was returned unharmed to the suspect's family.

na, cocaine and battery counts in the last year, was charged with two drug felonies and booked to the county jail. The thief who stole Thomas' $10 apparently remains at large.

NEXT TIME, BORROW A DOLLAR Tacos are arguably the most delicious and convenient fast-food item in existence, but stealing one at gunpoint is, and always will be, a crime. On Sept. 8, Antonio Murray Jr., 19, approached an employee at Lilly's Panaderia in St. Louis, Missouri, pointed a gun and demanded the taco the employee was in the process of making. The employee handed over the taco, and Murray left without paying. KSDK-5 reported that police located Murray nearby, and that when confronted, he informed them he was carrying a BB gun in his waistband. Murray admitted to the incident and has been charged with one count of first-degree robbery.

CHOKING HAZARD

Everyone knows the dangers associated with texting while driving, but a man in Henderson, Kentucky, recently served as a reminder that eating while driving can be hazardous as well. WLKY News in Louisville reported that the unnamed driver pulled out of a McDonald's drive-thru after receiving his order and almost immediately began choking on a french fry. The passenger in the car attempted to offer assistance, but the driver lost consciousness and the car crashed into an Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The passenger and driver were taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries. As for the risks of eating on the run, witness Patricia Grossman told WLKY, "I do it, and I'm sure a lot of people do. It's not something I've ever thought about, but now will definitely think about it more."

LATER, GATOR Take me out to the ballgame, but leave your alligator at home. The AP reported that Philadelphia Phillies fan Joie Henney of Jonestown, Pennsylvania, was turned away from Citizens Bank Park on Sept. 27 when he tried to enter with WallyGator, his emotional support alligator. Henney has owned WallyGator for several years—legally, it should be noted—and the reptile really is certified as a support animal. Henney has taken his leathery friend to schools and camps for educational presentations, according to a 2022 Washington Post story about the gator. He even visits a local nursing home in his red "support animal" vest. But the Phillies game seems to have been a bridge too far. The stadium's policy on support animals states, "Guide dogs, service animals, or service animals in training are welcome. All other animals are prohibited." Sorry, Wally. We'll save you some peanuts and Cracker Jack.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

An electronic construction sign in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, Texas, offered the opposite of helpful advice to passersby when it was hacked on Sept. 25, reported KTRK-TV. "Due to weather," the first message, was harmless enough, but it was followed immediately by "Go ---- yourself." A city inspector was able to turn the sign off; representatives for Houston Public Works said their department does not operate the sign, and city officials have been unable to find the sign's owner.

LET IT GO If you're dealing in illegal drugs, it seems likely that cops are the last people you would want to see. But Eric Thomas, 33, actually called for police assistance on Sept. 22 in Largo, Florida—where, mind you, it is illegal to possess marijuana with intent to sell. When officers arrived, Thomas "stated he was selling marijuana, and someone stole $10 from him while (he was) attempting to sell it." The Smoking Gun reported that the cops were inclined to believe Thomas' story, because he was holding 11 baggies of marijuana, totaling 40 grams, as he told it. Thomas, who has been convicted of marijua -

99 BOTTLES OF RUM IN THE WALL ... Calling Capt. Jack Sparrow, and all other rum-loving scallywags: If you ever give up on a life at sea, this might be the place for you. MSN reported that Cathy and Roy Aukamp were still settling into their newly purchased New Jersey house when a massive rainstorm hit, flooding the finished basement. When the couple began removing the damaged sheetrock, another flood began: this time, of empty Captain Morgan rum bottles. In a viral video of the discovery, Roy scoops up dozens of the bottles while Cathy is heard laughing and saying, "Thirsty? It's 5 o'clock somewhere!" Interestingly, the previous homeowner saw the clip and got in touch with the Aukamps. "The person who did it ... said there are hundreds more" bottles in the walls, Cathy said. "But also that he is now three years sober." {in}