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winners & losers winners losers
DAVID STAFFORD Mayor D.C. Reeves has chosen David Stafford as his city administrator. Stafford, a Pensacola native with over 30 years of government management experience, will lead the city's administrative operations. Stafford served as Escambia County Supervisor of Elections from 2005 to 2024, managing operations for more than 300,000 citizens. He later served as Election Security Advisor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and was inducted into the National Association of Election Officials Hall of Fame in 2022. His first day is Oct. 27. Mayor Reeves said, "We are fortunate to have a person of David's caliber leading our team."
MICHELLE
SALZMAN
HEATHER SCHULTZ The assistant principal at Workman Middle School has been selected as one of only 200 educational leaders statewide to participate in the Chancellor's Leadership Academy this October in Orlando. The Academy, hosted by the Florida Department of Education, brings together top administrators to strengthen leadership practices and improve instructional quality. The program aims to create a statewide community of leaders through learning experiences focused on effective teaching practices, classroom observation and professional development. "Our school district highly values Dr. Schultz's contributions," said Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard. "She is consistently committed to providing necessary support to students, faculty and staff at Workman Middle School."
PENSACOLA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Our airport received A+ bond ratings with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Kroll Bond Rating Agency—marking a significant turnaround from a decade ago when the airport's bonds ranked near the bottom nationally. The ratings reflect strong financial management, solid passenger growth and a low debt burden, confirming Pensacola's renaissance over the past 10 years. The milestone comes as PNS experiences record passenger numbers and undertakes a $130 million terminal expansion that will add five gates and increase capacity to 2.4 million enplanements. Mayor D.C. Reeves called the ratings "a reflection of the strength of our entire community," positioning Pensacola as a premier Gulf Coast destination.
If someone gives her a campaign check, Rep. Salzman will spend it before the ink dries, regardless of whether she has an opponent or not. During the second quarter of 2025, she raised a record $112,995, and, continuing a years-long pattern, she soon spent $99,405 of those funds, leaving her campaign and two political action committees with a net of just $13,590 for the quarter. Her Blue Angels show fundraiser at the Hilton on Pensacola Beach (July 10-12) appears to have lost $11,190. While the event raised $40,950 from contributors including ABC Liquors and various healthcare and real estate PACs, expenses totaled $52,140—primarily for lodging, food, beverages and promotional giveaways. The fundraising was split among her campaign account ($12,495), Committee to Protect Northwest Florida ($12,500) and Friends of Michelle Salzman ($88,000). I think we know why Salzman isn't on the House Budget Committee.
WEAPONIZATION OF JUSTICE
During the Biden administration, Republicans claimed federal prosecutors weaponized the Department of Justice to bring criminal and civil cases against Donald Trump, not on legal merit but to influence elections and damage his reputation. Trump used social media and speeches to rail against what he saw as partisan attacks. However, now that he controls the White House, he has demanded that former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James be prosecuted, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has complied, even though both cases appear to be very weak. The weaponization cycle continues. Who controls DOJ is all that matters.
FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC
PARTY
In September, The Republican Party of Florida added to its voter-registration edge over the Florida Democratic Party and moved closer to a margin of 1.4 million voters. The GOP had 5,505,326 registered voters as of Sept. 30, while the Democratic Party had 4,117,871, according to the state Division of Elections website. Also, as of Sept. 30, the state had 3,384,837 unaffiliated voters and 443,971 third-party voters. The GOP holds all statewide offices and supermajorities in the Florida House and Senate.
David Stafford / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola Michelle Salzman / Photo Courtesy of flhouse.gov
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
MORE THAN A GAME
On Oct. 4, I attended the 2025 Soul Bowl, the annual youth football game between the Southern Youth Sports Association (SYSA) Tigers and the East Pensacola-Magee Field Rattlers. For nearly 20 years, I have watched the Soul Bowl grow from a local gathering at Legion Field to a community tradition at Blue Wahoos Stadium for ages 4-14. And it's so much more than just a series of football games.
SYSA co-founder Lumon May invited to my first Soul Bowl in 2007. Inweekly had helped form the Pensacola Young Professionals (PYP) the previous year, but I felt we weren't covering the entire community well, especially our majority-Black neighborhoods.
When the mainstream media and the white community sought the opinions of African American neighbors, they rounded up the usual suspects—Hugh King, John Wyche, Marie Young, John Jerralds and Oliver Darden. What about hearing from those under 40?
As we had done with PYP, we reached out to up-and-coming leaders who we had heard were paying their dues and working hard to make a difference. In March 2007, we invited Lumon and LuTimothy May (who grew up in Morris Court), the brother and sister team of Raymond and ShaLonda Palmer, plus Tracy Richardson-James, Kenneth Dickerson and Larry Bethea to have a private roundtable discussion at our office.
The talk was lively and provocative. Participants were frank and openly shared their thoughts and opinions. When asked to identify the biggest issues facing Pensacola, Lumon said, "The education, economic development, poverty and health disparity."
The resulting article (Inweekly, "Leaders with a Mission," 3/1/07) sparked a dialogue with a new generation of leaders who aimed to fulfill the dreams of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They were giving back to the community that had nurtured them. They didn't plan to "wait their turn."
That March meeting led to me attending my first Soul Bowl. When I first walked onto Legion Field, I was transported. The smell of barbecue and hamburgers on grills lining the end
zone, the friendly trash talk between Rattler and Tiger supporters, the stories of legendary plays and players—they reminded me of growing up in the Mississippi Delta, playing YMCA football and dreaming of being drafted by the NFL, even though I only weighed 90 pounds.
More importantly, the game helped me connect with the Black community in a more authentic way. I was deeply moved by the unity circle, where coaches and community leaders stood hand-in-hand at midfield and showed every child watching that we are greater together than apart.
My father taught me that actions, rather than words alone, build trust. Attending my first Soul Bowl led to meaningful friendships with the pastors and community activists whom I met that day. Over the years, those leaders have helped with some of our most significant stories, and I have tried to help whenever they have called.
When Blue Wahoos Stadium opened in 2012, I was skeptical about Quint Studer's idea to move the Soul Bowl there. Would it lose its neighborhood spirit? Would there still be ribs? But Lumon saw what I missed: a chance to give hundreds of children—most of whom will never play college or even high school ball—their moment to shine in a huge stadium and to see Maritime Park as their park too.
He was right, of course.
The Soul Bowl succeeds because it honors the legacy of people like Lumon's father, Rev. Theophalis May, and his grandmother, Ruby Lee Jackson—a city custodian who guided generations of inner-city kids with little more than minimum wage and a pair of gym keys.
The Soul Bowl has never been just about touchdowns and trophies. It reminds our children that they matter and that this community is theirs. When we see faces on the big screen and hear their names announced, we affirm their worth.
I will be forever grateful that Lumon May invited me to the 2007 Soul Bowl, and yes, I still dream about the ribs served at Legion Field. {in} rick@inweekly.net
USL SOCCER FACES TWO HURDLES HERE
By Tom St. Myer
Two pivotal hurdles stand like a world-class goalkeeper between the City of Pensacola and its objective.
Where downtown will the city build a stadium, and how will the city fund a $35-plus million stadium for two United Soccer League franchises?
Those questions remain unanswered seven months after the USL and Mayor D.C. Reeves announced exclusive negotiations on bringing professional men's and women's soccer teams to Pensacola. The negotiations will last at least a year, with the possibility of two consecutive sixmonth extensions. The agreement also gives the USL the right of first refusal to serve as the master developer of a multi-purpose stadium.
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves recently spoke about the hurdles at his weekly press conference, referring to the stadium's location as the "elephant in the room." USL officials insist it be downtown. The few available options dwindle when considering how the governing body, FIFA, wants games to be played on fields that face north to south, so as to minimize the sun's interference with play.
Blue Wahoos Stadium faces east to west, as do any possible sites at the Tech Park or the Pensacola Bay Center parking lot.
"Their model is to do 3,500-5,000-seat stadiums downtown, not somewhere out on the outskirts," Reeves said of the USL. "That's the model that they are actively and aggressively engaging in right now around the country. And where does that go?"
And at what cost to taxpayers? The construction costs thrown around at his press conference ranged from $35 million to $45 million. Reeves shot down any notion of the city paying the full
ered $45.6 million for Community Maritime Park, which includes Blue Wahoos Stadium.
"I would fully expect if the city's going to end up with a $45-million stadium, there's going to be some participation on many sides if this is going to come to fruition," Reeves said.
"Their model is to do 3,500-5,000seat stadiums downtown, not somewhere out on the outskirts." D.C. Reeves
COMPARATIVE MARKETS
Inweekly examined the stadium structure and financing in four cities with USL franchises that league executive Steven Short compared to Pensacola. The cities are Greenville, S.C.; Statesboro, Ga.; Lancaster, Calif. and Spokane, Wash. All of their men's teams play in League One, the third division of U.S. soccer. Three of the four cities field women's teams that play in the W League (a pre-professional women's league).
The Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty currently play in 16,000-seat Paladin Stadium at Furman University. The Triumph began play in 2019, won the 2020 USL League One championship and advanced to the finals on two other occasions. Its sister franchise, the Liberty, began play in 2022, the inaugural year for the USL W League.
The franchises will soon play their home games in a new stadium within BridgeWay Station in Mauldin, S.C. Triumph Stadium is set to open for the 2026 season and will seat 6,300 fans. The
designed to bring economic growth and entertainment to Statesboro.
Lancaster is home to AV Alta Football Club, which premiered in League One in 2025. The club does not have a women's team. AV Alta plays its games at Lancaster Municipal Stadium, a former minor league ballpark reconfigured for soccer.
Stadium renovations cost the City of Lancaster over $17 million and included the demolition of existing baseball-focused structures, installation of new seating in the former outfield, including a supporter section, and the addition of artificial turf.
SCHOOL DISTRICT-OWNED
ONE Spokane Stadium is home to the Spokane Velocity, who play in League One, and the Spokane Zephyr of the Super League and W League. The multi-use stadium is located downtown alongside two other sports facilities and seats 5,000 for soccer and 10,000-plus for
ONE Spokane Stadium opened in 2023, and its funding is unique compared to its counterparts. Spokane Public Schools primarily funded the $38-million stadium as part of a $500-million bond package approved by voters for school facilities and improvements. The Spokane Public Facilities District owns and operates the stadium, which hosts all Spokane Public Schools high school football and soccer games.
competitions and community events.
A public-private partnership is paying for the stadium. The City of Mauldin is investing $4 million, the State of South Carolina is chipping in $10 million, and the ownership group, Greenville Pro Soccer, is sinking over $13.5 million into the stadium. Developer Hughes Investments is contributing millions of dollars in donated land and in-kind planning, development and coordination contributions. The estimated cost for the stadium is between $80 million and $100 million.
"From day one, our goal has been to create an unforgettable matchday experience for Triumph and Liberty fans, and this new stadium delivers on that promise," said Wallace Cheves, chairman of Greenville Pro Soccer. "Not only will supporters enjoy an electric atmosphere inside the stadium, but BridgeWay Station will give them a true destination before and after the match—with restaurants, shops and gathering spaces that make gameday an all-day celebration."
He added, "This is more than just a home for our teams—it's a place for families, friends and fans across the Upstate to come together."
Statesboro is home to South Georgia Tormenta FC, which fields teams in League One and the W League. Its W League team won the inaugural 2022 championship. Tormenta Stadium cost $30 million and opened in 2022. The stadium currently seats 3,500, with plans to expand to 5,300 seats. The potential exists for the stadium to expand capacity to 14,000 and host large concerts, professional sports and collegiate events.
Tormenta Stadium is funded by private investments, including a crypto-based sponsorship from Atlantic International Capital. The stadium is part of a mixed-use development
In its first year of operation, the school district reported the stadium hosted 62 high school soccer and football games, with attendance topping 22,000, and nearly 25,000 attended stadium concerts and comedy shows. The Velocity and Zephyr combined to sell over 30,000 tickets for their games as both began play in 2024.
Mayor Reeves cited Spokane and its multi-use stadium at his presser. "My vision would be, let's take some of these high school stadiums that we help that haven't been invested in in a long time and let the kids play on a million-dollar scoreboard somewhere downtown. Birmingham does that. Tallahassee does that. Many communities will do kind of a shared home stadium. That's a better experience."
The mayor isn't worried about finding a local ownership group. He said he speaks to USL representatives via Zoom every two weeks, and they wouldn't waste their time if they sensed any issues securing support from potential investors. The conversations focus on finding the right acreage in the right place.
"It is not just about bringing a team here and them playing in a temporary facility for four or five years." Reeves said. "In a perfect world for everybody, you would start that team in a new facility, or maybe one year before you play at Maritime or something like that and then you go into a facility. In terms of longterm health and success, you want to kind of build on the excitement."
Inweekly requested to interview Short and fellow USL executive Alec Papadakis. The USL declined to make either available. {in}
BUILDING HEROES Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons recently celebrated the graduation of 16 new deputies from the agency's inhouse law enforcement academy, marking the fifth class to complete the program since its inception two years ago.
The graduation ceremony took place at Marcus Point Baptist Church, where Simmons administered the oath to the new deputies in front of approximately 250 family members and supporters. Simmons told Inweekly, "This is a big deal for them, but it's also a big deal for us in that we were able to put 16 more graduates out there."
The academy has quickly established itself as a top-performing training facility in Florida, with previous classes setting records for state certification test scores. "We were number one the last class, and I'm assuming we're in the top five now as well."
The newly graduated deputies will now enter a phased Field Training Officer (FTO) program before serving independently. Simmons explained that the program typically spans several weeks, with each phase progressively increasing responsibility. "The first phase, first couple of weeks they just ride around and observe. In the second phase, they'll do the work, and third phase has a mixture of driving the car."
The in-house academy offers the sheriff's office flexibility. The agency can now run up to four academy classes annually.
"We can start a class when we need to start a class, we can have a class the size that we need to have the class," Simmons explained. "Sometimes it's a 10-person class, sometimes it's a 25-person class."
The sheriff's office has seen tremendous growth, currently maintaining approximately 450 sworn law enforcement positions—the highest in county history. "That's the most we've ever had here in Escambia County because we have the biggest population we've ever had," Simmons said, noting that eight additional positions were added in October alone.
The program has attracted over 400 applicants in the past year. "Our standards are pretty high, so not everyone will meet those standards. We vet them pretty well," Simmons said. "It's like a college football team. We recruit you; we bring you on. And, as some of the schools say, those who stay will be champions."
He added. "We say, 'Those who stay will be heroes,' because that's really what we're building here at the sheriff's office."
BAPTIST DEMO UPDATE The City of Pensacola officially closed on the 41-acre Baptist Legacy Campus property last month, launching what officials describe as a holistic community transformation on the city's west side.
After two years of due diligence, Economic Development Director Erica Grancagnolo presented the redevelopment roadmap to the Pensacola City Council on Oct. 6, outlining plans for mixed-income housing, educational facilities, workforce development centers and commercial retail space.
"Essentially, the goal is to redevelop holistically with everything that a community needs to be healthy," Grancagnolo told council members.
The main hospital campus demolition contract is expected to go to the council for approval in November, with demolition work starting in late 2025 or early 2026. The entire project must be finished by June 2027 to meet grant requirements.
Given the significant safety risks—including asbestos and lead contamination—the city chose not to use a lowest-bid approach. Demolition contractors had to disclose any workplace fatalities when responding to the city's request for qualifications.
"Demolition is far more dangerous than construction," Grancagnolo stated, explaining why the city will require an owner's representative on site daily throughout the 18-month process. The representative will monitor safety protocols and approve every debris load leaving the site.
"We need to make sure that no mistakes are made that would impact the surrounding neighborhood," she said.
While the city prepares for demolition, Paces Development will begin work within weeks on 11 acres they bought from Baptist before the city's acquisition. Their projects include multifamily low-income housing and senior housing developments.
"We need to make sure that no mistakes are made that would impact the surrounding neighborhood." Erica Grancagnolo
The total funding for the main campus demolition is $13.815 million, with an additional $5 million Community Development Block Grant for properties south of Moreno Street. Major costs include the North Star demolition contract, about $900,000 for the owner's representative, and due diligence costs for security, utilities and landscaping. The city has identified a funding gap that Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) staff plans to cover with existing CRA funds—a request that will come before council in November.
The city received three proposals for a redevelopment advisor, with approval expected in December. Listening sessions will gather community input on the process.
Mayor D.C. Reeves distinguished this effort from previous discussions, emphasizing the focus on community benefit over profit. He said, "These are acres that can be used and leveraged to bring community good, not to the highest bidder."
LOCAL JOBS FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance CEO Chris Platé presented his 10-month progress report to Escambia County commissioners at their Committee of the Whole on Oct. 2. He announced five projects totaling $88 million in investment and 280 jobs in the past year but faced pointed questions about whether local residents are benefiting from economic growth.
Since 2014, FloridaWest has facilitated 68
projects, resulting in nearly $1 billion in investment and approximately 9,000 jobs, generating over $500 million in new annual wages. The organization reports a return of $4.44 for every dollar invested by the county.
Platé stated, "There's not much that you can invest in that would generate that return for the community."
The FloridaWest CEO, who arrived in December, outlined a three-phase approach to restructuring the organization: discovery, repair and development. The agency has hired additional staff, reorganized responsibilities and concentrated on four key sectors: aerospace, life sciences, maritime and cyber/AI.
However, Commissioner Lumon May raised questions about aligning economic development with workforce training. "If we don't align our economic development strategies and goals with our educational pipeline of training, we will continue to create jobs where we have to bring people outside the area."
He continued, "That results in pockets of poverty still existing because we're not producing the qualified applicants."
May emphasized the importance of small business growth, pointing out that even creating five jobs in underserved neighborhoods like Brownsville or Montclair would be significant wins for those communities.
Chair Mike Kohler reminded commissioners of the military's economic dominance, noting that defense installations contribute $6.6 billion annually—dwarfing FloridaWest's numbers. He told Platé, "If we lose any of that, your job's going to get really difficult."
Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger inquired about the balance between developing spec buildings and keeping shovel-ready sites, with Platé recommending both strategies. She also suggested bringing together CareerSource EscaRosa and the school board for comprehensive workforce development discussions.
FloridaWest is advancing multiple properties including Tech Park (valued at $6.1 million), Central Commerce Park, The Bluffs and Midtown Industrial Park. The organization aims to generate 48 new projects annually—four per month—while targeting average wages at or above the county average of approximately $50,000.
Commissioner May had the last words: "At the end of the day, this is all great, but [putting] people on jobs is what citizens expect."
HISTORIC GRANT
The UWF Center for Cybersecurity has been awarded a $9.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of War CIO Cyber Academic Engagement Office—the largest federal grant the university has ever received. The grant supports the expansion of the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development program, known as CyberSkills2Work.
"This milestone is a testament to the University of West Florida's national leadership in cybersecurity education and workforce development," said UWF Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. "Our Center for Cybersecurity contin -
ues to set the standard for innovation and impact, preparing professionals who will protect our nation's most critical systems and drive the future of secure technology."
Over the next two years, CyberSkills2Work will train more than 4,688 new cybersecurity and AI professionals through 62 distinct educational pathways. The program prepares participants for over 24 industry certifications and 41 specialized job roles that meet Department of War and industry standards. The training is free for transitioning military personnel, veterans, first responders, military spouses and government employees.
Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, UWF Center for Cybersecurity Associate Vice President and Principal Investigator, stated, "Cybersecurity and AI are at the heart of our nation's defense, economy and innovation. Through this historic award and the CyberSkills2Work program, we will equip professionals with future-ready skills that integrate cybersecurity and AI to build a workforce capable of protecting and shaping tomorrow's digital landscape."
Learn more at cyberskills2work.org.
BYE O.G. LOLA'S After becoming a fixture in Pensacola's culinary landscape, O.G. Lola's food truck chapter has come to an end. Chef Mary Dee Moralita announced the tough decision at the beginning of the month, just two weeks after revealing plans to reopen following a six-month hiatus.
On Instagram, Chef Mary Dee wrote, "I want to express my deepest gratitude to the community of Pensacola and surrounding areas for endless support, energy and love."
The closure came after exploring every avenue to sustain the food truck model. "Running a food truck is physically, emotionally and energetically demanding in all the ways you can imagine," Moralita explained.
She added, "I feel limited in this setting and that I have outgrown my desires to offer my food and creativity in this capacity."
However, this isn't farewell. Chef Mary Dee outlined exciting plans including pop-ups at intentional events, sharing recipes and foodgrowing content, traveling to bring her cuisine to new cities, and launching her own line of sauces and botanicals.
Operating as a pop-up catering business since 2019, O.G. Lola's specialized in vegan Filipino cuisine. In a 2023 Inweekly interview, Chef Mary Dee described her work as "my way of healing myself, my community and my food culture from the inside out."
After committing to veganism in 2017, she spent years perfecting plant-based versions of traditionally meat-heavy Filipino dishes. Despite occasional "backlash, especially from the elders for not staying true to the traditional food culture," her innovative flavors earned widespread acclaim.
REGULATION REFORM
Last week, Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, filed legislation that would restructure the Florida Public Service Commission and impose new restrictions on utility companies'
profits. The proposal (SB 126) would expand the five-member utility-regulatory panel to seven commissioners, adding one certified public accountant and one chartered financial analyst.
The legislation would limit utility returns on equity to the national average for comparable utilities, addressing concerns about excessive profits. Currently, returns on equity—a key measure of how much profit utilities earn on shareholder investments—are negotiated individually before the Commission.
The bill requires increased transparency in Commission decision-making, mandating that all orders include detailed reasoning and specific facts supporting conclusions. Settlement agreements between utilities and regulators would need to provide detailed explanations of key elements. The Commission would also create a formal schedule outlining when utilities can submit rate change requests.
Under the proposal, the Commission must submit comprehensive annual reports to the Governor and Legislature by March 1. These reports would include economic analyses of rate changes, comparisons with federal and other state regulatory models, detailed executive compensation information for utilities and their parent companies, long-term customer impact assessments and benchmarking against utilities in other states.
During the 2025 session, Gaetz partnered with Sen. Jennifer Bradley, Chair of the Regulated Industries Committee, on similar legislation (SB 354) that ultimately failed. That bill focused heavily on requiring utilities to disclose cost drivers behind rate increase requests.
The context for reform stems from Florida's utility structure, where companies operate as government-granted monopolies. Customers cannot switch providers regardless of dissatisfaction with service or rates.
If passed, the legislation would take effect July 1, 2026.
INCLUSIVE VENTURE
GCE Designs, a new venture from Global Connections to Employment, is opening an 8,744-square-foot facility that will create employment opportunities for people with disabilities while delivering high-quality branded merchandise to customers nationwide.
GCE is an affiliate of LifeView Group, which serves as an umbrella organization for GCE, Lakeview Center and FamiliesFirst Networks. GCE is one of the country's largest private employers of people with disabilities, with more than 1,700 team members across 14 states and Washington, D.C.
"With the launch of GCE Designs, we're expanding on our mission by creating a space where creativity meets purpose—where individuals of all abilities can thrive, contribute and grow," says Dwight Davis, GCE's president.
GCE Designs has partnered with Spectrum Designs, a New York-based brand and merchandise company where nearly 70% of staff members are on the autism spectrum. Spectrum's client roster includes Google, J.P. Morgan Chase, Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation and J.Crew.
Leading this venture is Mike Craney, a Pensacola business executive with over 30 years of experience in marketing and business development. GCE Designs plans to hire 10-15 team members in its first year, with growth potential as the customer base expands. More details are at gcedesigns.org.
BLUFFS PARK INPUT
The City of Pensacola asks residents to share their vision for the future of Bay Bluffs Park. A public listening session will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Vickrey Community Center, 2130 Summit Blvd.
Community members will learn about the restoration project's scope and provide feedback that will influence its final design. Thanks to a $2.2 million state grant awarded to the city and Conservation Florida, the city is now ready to begin work on restoring public access to the park. It has been closed for two years after the boardwalk system was determined too dangerous to remain open due to storms and progressive deterioration.
The October meeting marks the first step in a multi-phase process to reopen the park. Input gathered from residents will directly inform the design phase as planners work to create a safe, accessible space that honors the site's natural beauty and community importance.
Mayor D.C. Reeves has made it clear he wants public input. "We're not coming in with preplanned ideas or asking you to pick from three predetermined options."
For those unable to attend the in-person session, visit surveymonkey.com/r/2JXD9KF to express your thoughts through Nov. 5.
AGE OF AI The University of West Florida will host its inaugural Leadership in the Age of AI Conference on Friday, Nov. 7, at the UWF Conference Center. The free event, designed for business, community and government leaders, runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with check-in beginning at 8 a.m.
"Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming every sector, and strong leadership is essential to responsibly harness its potential," said UWF Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. "This conference positions UWF as a catalyst for innovation and preparing Northwest Florida to thrive in the age of AI."
The conference is a collaboration between the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, the Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis and Overholtz Center for Leadership and the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business. It will feature networking opportunities, expert discussions and practical insights on integrating AI into leadership roles.
Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, UWF Center for Cybersecurity associate vice president, will deliver the keynote address. Panelists include Lewis Bear Company CEO David Bear, Innisfree Hotels President Ted Ent and attorney Doug Kreis.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided. While attendance is free, space is limited and early registration is recommended. For more information and to register, visit the conference Eventbrite page. {in}
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By Rick Outzen
Florida has achieved what school choice advocates once only dreamed of—more than half (51%) of the state's K-12 students now attend private, charter, home or magnet schools instead of their neighborhood public school.
Advocates can thank Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed into law House Bill 1 in 2023. The bill gave every K-12 student—regardless of income or prior school enrollment—access to state-funded scholarships for private school tuition, homeschooling expenses or other approved education costs.
But there's just one problem: the system managing this highly-touted scholarship program is failing spectacularly.
"The scholarship program is about a $4.3 billion issue right now, but $300 million is sloshing around among and between vouchers, homeschoolers, private schools, students who are on programs that are specific to exceptional student mobility issues and neighborhood public schools," State Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, told Inweekly.
"By that, I don't mean it's in somebody's pocket inappropriately," he explained. "What I mean— and we in Senate have asked a hundred times in a hundred ways—is the right money going to the right place in the right amounts at the right time?"
Gaetz added, "The answer to that question is at best muddled."
THE NEW NORMAL
Step Up For Students, the Florida-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that administers the Florida scholarship programs, quickly became overwhelmed by a tsunami of applications when DeSantis signed HB 1. The organization had less than six months to onboard over 2,300 private schools for the 2023-24 school year. It struggled to process 1.8 million individual payments, along with thousands of transportation stipends, during the voucher expansion's first year.
Escambia County felt an immediate impact, with the number of students receiving vouchers for private school tuition and homeschooling increasing by nearly 1,000 to over 4,800 total. During the 2023-24 school year, Escambia ranked third in the state in the percentage of students attending private schools at 21.2%.
And the move to vouchers has not slowed. In February 2025, more than 120,000 families applied for K-12 scholarships in the first two days the application portal was open—double the number
of families who applied during the same application period last year (72,000).
At a September campaign fundraiser in Pensacola, David Jolly, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2026, told the crowded room that they had better become accustomed to vouchers and school choice because they aren't going away.
A recent poll by the James Madison Institute, a conservative think-tank, supports Jolly's statement. The survey of 1,200 registered voters found that 65% of respondents said if money wasn't an object, they would send their children to a school choice option—private school (41%), homeschooling (14%) or charter school (10%).
William Mattox, senior director of the Marshall Center for Education Freedom at the James Madison Institute, has described education choice as the "new normal" in Florida. However, the "new normal" may be in jeopardy.
"Florida holds itself out to be the model 'school choice' state in America," said Gaetz. "Therefore, we must first get our own house in order to save school choice."
All is not well in voucher-ville.
STEP UP'S MISSTEPS
Step Up For Students started as the Children's Scholarship Fund of Tampa Bay to help low-income families cover their children's private school tuition and other education needs. In 1998, the fund received over 15,000 applications for just 750 scholarships. Founded by Tampa Bay businessman John Kirtley, the nonprofit evolved into Children's First, which later merged with Florida P.R.I.D.E to become Florida's largest scholarship organization, Step Up For Students.
Step Up received a significant boost in 2001 when Gov. Jeb Bush created the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program, which allowed corporations to receive dollar-for-dollar tax credits for scholarship donations. By 2019, Step Up had raised, with the help of the state, $705 million and become the 21st largest nonprofit in the nation, according to Forbes.
As impressive as those milestones were, the organization reached new heights with HB 1. The universal voucher program has been very lucrative for Step Up, which receives a 3% administrative fee for managing Florida's scholarship programs. According to its latest financial audit, the non-
profit's administrative fees grew from $54.4 million for the fiscal year that ended in June 2023, to $92.2 million the following year. Step Up will make $173 million this year, according to Gaetz.
However, Step Up is at the center of the scholarship's accounting issues. An operational audit released in April 2025 by the Florida Auditor General found that manual data entry bottlenecks, insufficient server processing capacity and staffing workload issues created significant delays and backlogs.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program has two branches: the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), which covers private school tuition, homeschooling and educational expenses, and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA), which handles vouchers for students with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other disabilities. Auditors found significant problems with both FES-EO and FES-UA programs.
State rules require Step Up to process tuition payments within 14 days of receiving funds from the Florida Department of Education. However, auditors found some FES-EO payments took as long as 35 days to process. Transportation payments fared even worse, with some taking 76 to 80 days to reach families after they had completed the required surveys.
The audit also revealed significant delays in reimbursing families for approved educational expenses, ranging from curriculum materials and tutoring services to specialized therapies and educational technology. The sheer volume overwhelmed the nonprofit, with parents submitting 449,672 reimbursement requests totaling $76.7 million during the audit period.
The FES-UA program serves students with disabilities, providing awards ranging from $9,010 to $33,100 depending on the student's circumstances. Auditors found issues with the scholarship renewals, excessive funds in individual accounts and the lack of safeguards.
In violation of state law, Step Up failed to prioritize renewal students when processing FESUA applications for the 2023-24 school year. Florida statutes required Step Up to give priority to students renewing their scholarships and those retained on the previous year's waitlist before awarding scholarships to new applicants. Instead,
Step Up processed applications on a first-come, first-served basis for efficiency.
The audit identified 267 FES-UA program student accounts with balances exceeding the $50,000 statutory limit, totaling approximately $2.1 million in excess funds. State law prohibits Step Up from transferring funds to accounts that would exceed this threshold.
Auditors were also concerned Step Up had not developed any policies or procedures to monitor FES-UA accounts of high school graduates to ensure compliance with a state law requiring accounts to be closed and funds returned if students do not enroll in eligible post-secondary institutions within three years of graduation.
State law requires Step Up to create accounts for each student and maintain records of accrued interest in each account, with that interest available only for authorized program expenditures. However, Step Up failed to allocate approximately $4.9 million and $4.8 million in interest earned to individual student accounts during the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Step Up management's response letter to the audit touted several operational improvements made since the audit period, including hiring a new Chief Executive Officer in April 2024, implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for processing efficiency, and developing new policies to address the identified deficiencies. The organization claimed payment processing times had improved, with reimbursement processing times decreasing from 28 days in September 2024 to six days in January 2025.
STILL 'FUMBLING THE BALL'
However, some Florida lawmakers have heard complaints from their constituents who believe the reimbursement system hasn't improved sufficiently. The legislators blame the Florida Department of Education (DOE), which supervises Step Up For Students.
"DOE is really fumbling the ball. I've had constituents reach out and say, 'I've been waiting six months for a $1,000 reimbursement for a tutor,'" State Rep. Alex Andrade said. "All because their online tutor is licensed in Pennsylvania or something. Even though for some of the kids that the tutor teaches in Florida, their parents have gotten reimbursed."
The Pensacola lawmaker believes DOE has
failed to create any standards for reimbursements. "DOE is supposed to be supervising all this and regulating it. It doesn't appear to be any kind of actual training preparation, any kind of standard, any metrics that DOE has to meet as far as reimbursing people."
Last week, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee representatives visited Sen. Gaetz to discuss their schools' reimbursement issues. The senator shared that parochial schools were "having significant problems getting the right amount of money from Step Up at the right time for the right students."
Gaetz explained their predicament: "A student doesn't like the neighborhood public school after enrolling. Now he wants to go to Pensacola Catholic. His parents sign him up at Pensacola Catholic in the middle of the school year. Pensacola Catholic starts paying the costs of a teacher and whatever else the pro rata share of cost is, but the diocese isn't getting paid. And so, what you have is a system whose architecture was not very well thought out."
Gaetz continued, "We're mixing up the money that goes to neighborhood public schools with the money that's supposed to go to homeschoolers, exceptionality programs and private schools. We're trying to retroactively unscramble that egg and make everybody whole."
The only organization getting paid upfront is Step Up, according to Gaetz. He said, "Everybody else is waiting for their money."
The senator also received a visit from officials whose schools deal with special needs children. A student may have a very basic Individual Education Plan, but later on the school discovers the child has severe learning or behavioral disabilities.
"You may have to have one teacher for two kids, plus an aide," Gaetz said. "But these schools that came to visit me this afternoon are telling me that once they find out the student has all these acute needs, they can't get the funding fixed."
He added, "Somebody has the money, and they think maybe Step Up has the money, maybe the Department of Education has the money, maybe the school district has the money. They're not sure who has the money; they just know they have the student, and they have the expense."
FLORIDA HOUSE REVIEW
Inweekly obtained an internal document distributed to House members. In it, House staff identified significant payment issues with the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) program for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
The report does not identify Step Up as the scholarship-funding organization involved in the discrepancies. However, according to DOE's website, Step Up and A.A.A. Scholarship Foundation are the two approved organizations to administer the FES program.
According to the document, DOE made several unauthorized actions during FY 2024-25, including issuing "back payments" to FES students for months when they did not hold active scholarships and releasing funds to an unnamed scholarship-funding organization (SFO) outside the authorized quarterly payment schedule.
DOE conducted limited or no verification to ensure scholarship students were not simultaneously enrolled in public schools before releasing funds. An SFO requested funding for almost 23,000 FES students that were also reported for funding by school districts.
When DOE identified these duplications, the department did not halt payments to inves -
tigate. Instead, officials released the funds and then instructed the SFO to "freeze" the affected students' accounts and return any unexpended balances to the state. The House has requested documentation proving these funds were actually returned.
The DOE's subsequent analysis to determine whether duplicated students were truly scholarship recipients or public school students took more than four months to complete. House staff identified serious methodological flaws in this review: the department relied solely on school district attendance records and instructional hours, assumed students with low attendance were scholarship students and failed to request verification documentation from the SFO.
FY 2024-25 ended without resolving these duplications. Some FES students may be owed scholarship funds through no fault of their parents, while some school districts may be owed payments for students they educated but did not receive funding to cover.
NOT NEW
This is not a new problem, according to House staff. Since FY 2021-22, the DOE has consistently sent too much money to SFOs while underfunding school districts, necessitating "prior year FES adjustments" to districts through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). In FY 2023-24 alone, SFOs were overpaid by $40.2 million. The House has requested documentation showing this amount was fully recovered.
The financial impact intensified at the end of FY 2024-25 when the DOE ran out of FEFP funds, resulting in school districts being "shorted" $47.1 million in their final payments. This shortfall directly affected districts' ability to close their fiscal year budgets.
Gaetz believes that Step Up has turned the Family Empowerment Scholarship program into an "accountant's nightmare."
"Step Up is the fiscal agent," he said. "The state has contracted with them to manage all of these transactions and all of this money to make sure it goes to the right student in the right place, at the right time, in the right amount. They're getting paid this year, $173 million to do that."
The senator shared that many families and school officials have asked him what Step Up is doing with $173 million. He said, "I don't know the answer to that question."
Step-Up's most recent Form 990 on its website covers the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022. It shows a net profit of $157 million and lists eight key employees with six-figure salaries. The tax report lists Step Up's net assets and fund balances totaling over $1.132 billion.
Gaetz said, "It is a fair question to ask what's happening to the money."
The senator is adamant that the state must get its education programs organized, but that will take an unprecedented level of collaboration between the Florida House, the Florida Senate, Gov. DeSantis, DOE and Step Up.
"Otherwise, the problems are going to get worse and worse," Gaetz said. "More and more families are going to get the short end of the funding stick. More and more dollars are going to slosh around maybe to the wrong places in the wrong hands. More and more school districts are going to get less and less money. More and more private schools are going to be waiting for payments while they themselves are fronting the money."
He added, "And Step Up For Students will be getting more and more money." {in}
Arts & Entertainment
Ballet Pensacola Brings a Dark and Dramatic 'Dracula' to the Stage
By Jennifer Leigh
to bring more power, depth and richness to the staging. Unlike previous productions that leaned heavily on lighting and effects, this version leans into storytelling through movement, highlighting both the strength of the company and the emotional heart of the tale."
Starting the season on a spooky note is one of the ways Ballet Pensacola works to "push be -
To heighten the Halloween spirit, Ballet Pensacola is also hosting Twilight & Temptations on Wednesday, Oct. 22, a 21-and-up event with signature cocktails, live piano, ghost tours and more at the Cultural Center.
Guest choreographer Michael Pappalardo comes to Ballet Pensacola from Canyon Concert Ballet in Colorado, where he is the artistic direc-
tor. Pappalardo went beyond classical choreography to create something "darker and more theatrical" for "Dracula."
"Dracula requires movement that conveys suspense, horror and psychological tension," he said. "I worked to build a unique movement language that blends classical technique with contemporary influences, sharp, angular gestures, sudden shifts of weight and moments of stillness that create unease, while still honoring ballet's foundations."
Creating that movement required more physicality from the dancers—especially, Pappalardo said, from the titular, bloodthirsty character.
"Dracula's presence, for example, must feel both commanding and otherworldly, which means using many lifts, counterbalances and unexpected partnering to make him seem supernatural," he explained. "While a traditional ballet celebrates elegance and symmetry, Dracula pushes me to explore atmosphere, dramatic intensity, and the raw physicality of human (and inhuman) behavior."
Principal Dancer Juan Arango, who is celebrating his fifth season with Ballet Pensacola, will perform the role of Dracula. It's a role he's been preparing for in rehearsals, of course, but also one that he's been intrigued by before this production.
"I always had a certain fascination for both the historical person [Vlad III] that inspired Bram Stoker to create the original novel, and the fictional creature that we know as Dracula today," he said.
Arango said he's watched and heard "all different versions" of Dracula. And he has used all of that fascination to create his own Dracula based on his favorite parts of each variation without just acting like the stereotype, he said.
Dracula is a dream role for Arango.
"I think what I'm looking forward to the most is the opportunity to become Dracula," he said. "Like any small baby ballerina dreaming to one day have the opportunity to perform a princess role, this performance gives me the opportunity to become Dracula, a role I have always wanted to perform."
Pappalardo said Arango brings an "incredible intensity" to the role of Dracula.
"He has the rare ability to combine classical strength and precision with a raw energy, which makes his portrayal both terrifying and captivating," said the choreographer. "His movement quality shifts seamlessly between elegance and menace. What sets Juan apart is
his ability to embody both the seduction and the brutality of Dracula."
Arango isn't just doing the dance steps, said Pappalardo. He becomes the character. Just as Arango intended.
"He inhabits the character fully, creating a sense of danger and allure that draws the audience in," said Pappalardo. "His dramatic commitment, combined with his technical artistry, ensures that every interaction on stage feels charged with tension."
As a season opener, "Dracula" will set a "bold and dramatic" tone for the season, said Company Director Veronica Ramirez.
"It's fresh, thrilling and unlike anything our audiences have seen before," she said. "This season marks a new era for Ballet Pensacola, and we're truly excited to be bringing in choreographers from all around the world."
Following "Dracula" will be the ballet's timeless classic "The Nutcracker." And in the spring, there will be productions of "A Night of Four Seasons" and "Romeo & Juliet." Academy students will take the stage for the close of the season.
"Every production in this lineup feels special and intentional," said Ramirez. "It's a season that blends tradition with innovation, and we can't wait to share it all with the Pensacola community."
While you'll still get some classical dancing this season, trying something new, like "Dracula," is fun for the artists and the audience.
"We are grateful to be part of an arts community that embraces that spirit of innovation, and we're always open to balancing those unique works with classics from the traditional repertoire," Janea added. {in}
BALLET PENSACOLA PRESENTS: DRACULA
WHEN: 7 p.m. Fridays Oct. 17 and 24 and Saturdays Oct. 18 and 25; 1:30 p.m. Sundays Oct. 19 and 26
WHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St.
COST: $35-$50
DETAILS: balletpensacola.org
TWILIGHT & TEMPTATIONS
WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22
WHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. COST: $81.88
DETAILS: balletpensacola.org
a&e happenings
Haunted House is co-hosted by the Hadji Shri ners and Pensacola Breast Cancer Association with proceeds supporting PBCA. The haunted house is located at 800 W. Nine Mile Road. The haunted house is open 7-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights through Nov. 1. A kid-friendly 3D fun house runs from 6-10:30 p.m. as well. Tickets available at hadjihauntedhouse.com.
TWILIGHT & TEMPTATIONS Sip on signature cocktails, savor delectable bites and immerse yourself in an atmosphere of mystery with live piano, a ghost tour and captivating history 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 at The Clark Family Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets available on Eventbrite. Ages 21 and up.
BEACH-O-WEEN Enjoy activities for kids, costume contest for free as well as plenty of candy. Event is 4-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 at the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk. Free admission.
GALLERY NIGHT: GHOUL-ERY NIGHT
Gallery Night gets a family-friendly night of art 5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 on South Palafox St. For details visit gallerynightpensacola.org.
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Backyard screening of the cult classic with shadow cast Friday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation; costume contest held at intermission. Props and callbacks are encouraged. Direct message @the.undergrowth on Instagram for address.
HALLOWEEN MOVIE NIGHTS AT LAGUNA'S Take in a free screening of Halloween films, including some family-friendly picks at Laguna's Beach Bar and Grill, 460 Pensacola Beach Blvd. On Friday, Oct. 17 is "Coco" at 7 p.m.
and "Weapons" at 9:30 p.m.
On Friday, Oct. 24, it's two showings of "Hocus Pocus" at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.
BALLET PENSACOLA
PRESENTS: DRACULA Ballet Pensacola opens its latest season with "Dracula" 7 p.m. Fridays Oct. 17 and 24; Saturdays, Oct. 18 and 25 and 1:30 p.m. Sundays Oct. 19 and 26. Events at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets available at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
MIND BODY & SOUL MEDICAL HOSTS FLAUNTED HOUSE
Mind Body & Soul Medical, is hosting their annual Flaunted House event 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 located at 630 E. Government St. Enjoy a night of creative costumes, live DJ and extravagant raffle prizes. Attendees are encouraged to participate in a community youth Halloween costume donation drive supporting Waterfront Rescue Mission. Tickets are $30 and available at mindbodysoulmedical.com.
SPIRITS OF THE SIMPSON HOUSE Take
in a tour of the historic Simpson House in Milton with some campfire stories, kids' activities and more. Tours are 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. Tickets are $15-$20 and available on historicpensacola.org.
STORIES IN STONE: A TWILIGHT WALKING TOUR OF ST. MICHAEL'S CEMETERY
Hosted in partnership with the Florida Public Archaeology Network, the UWF Archaeology Institute and the UWF Department of Anthropology, this twilight program invites guests to a guided walking tour of St. Michael's Cemetery. Groups are limited to 15 and scheduled every half hour from 4:30-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. Registration will be required closer to the date of the event at uwf.edu/gulfcoastculture.
CLASSIC MOVIE SCREENING: BEETLEJUICE Watch the 1988 film "Beetlejuice" in the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. Tickets are $5 and are available at the box office or online at pensacolasaenger.com.
TROLLEY OF THE NIGHT Explore the ghosts of North Hill this year on the Trolley of the Night. Tours are 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25. Tickets are $10-$20. Tickets available at historicpensacola.com.
HOWL-O-WEEN The Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare will host "Howlo-Ween," a free community event featuring free pet adoptions, food trucks, vendors, pet
resources and more. The event will take place Saturday, Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Animal Welfare and Adoption Center, 200 W. Fairfield Drive. Adoption fees will be waived for all dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens at the shelter during the event. A $15 licensing fee will be applied to all adoptions for Escambia County residents. Visit 24petconnect.com to see a full list of adoptable pets in Escambia County.
THE 5TH ANNUAL WITCHES & WEREWOLVES HALLOWEEN PADDLE RIDE & BAR CRAWL RETURNS TO PERDIDO KEY The 5th Annual Witches & Werewolves Halloween Paddle Ride & Bar Crawl is 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 26 leaving from Galvez Landing in Perdido Key. Registration is $25 and benefits Feeding on the Gulf Coast. An afterparty will take place at Hubs featuring the Smokey Otis Band. Tickets are available at keygulls.com.
HALLOWEEN BAR CRAWL
Enjoy a two-day bar crawl Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Check in 4-6 p.m. each day at 86 Forks Bar + Table, 11 S. Palafox St., Ste. B. Crawl map, tickets and list of bars available at crawlwith.us/pensacola/halloween.
TALKING TO THE DEAD: A VICTORIAN SÉANCE
Learn about the fascination, history and theatrics of spiritualism and the Victorian séance. Our living history department will share the origins of All Hallow's Eve and the rise of spiritualism in the Victorian era into the 1920s and demonstrate the theatrics common in a Victorian séance. This event is for ages 21 and up. Events are 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov 1. Tickets are $35 and available at historicpensacola.com.
NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
WE ARE ACTS MILES FOR MENTAL HEALTH VIRTUAL 5K RUN/WALK Register for the virtual 5k to run or walk anytime during the month of November to support access to mental healthcare in the community. Register at runsignup.com/race/fl/pensacola/weareactsmilesformentalhealth.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR THE 2025 FENNER RIDE Early registration is officially open for the 2025 Fenner Ride which takes place 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. Registration is $45 for the 18and 44-mile routes and $50 for the 62- and 100mile routes. Prices increase by $5 after Oct. 10 at 11:59 p.m. Register at runsignup.com/race/events/ fl/milton/fennerride.
ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Beef 'O' Brady's, 1 New Market St., Cantonment (on Nine Mile Road near Pine Forest Road). The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.
ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.
a&e happenings
of the late UWF art and design lecturer John Markowitz, the show features faculty works that speak to his influence on their artistic journeys. The exhibit is on view through Nov. 20. TAG is located at 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. For more information visit uwf.edu/tag.
DUALITIES: NATIONAL SCULPTURE
EXHIBITION This national exhibition will feature works from various artists at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. The exhibition is on view through Jan. 11. Details are at pensacolamuseum.org.
THRIFT STYLE New exhibit at Pensacola Museum of History explores the reuse of feed sacks to make clothing and other household objects. View the exhibit and explore the museum, located at 330 S. Jefferson St. Details at historicpensacola.org.
FIRST FRIDAY AT BLUE MORNING
GALLERY Visit Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox St., 5:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month for a reception with wine, live music and occasional artist demonstrations. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for details.
PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION
LECTURES Learn Pensacola/Northwest Florida history through interesting, informal lectures every other Tuesday at The Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. Doors open at 11 a.m. and lunch is
served at 11:30 a.m. The lecture starts at noon and lasts one hour. Lecture cost is $5 for nonmembers and is free to members. Lunches are $12. For reservations, call (850) 380-7759.
PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.
BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.
COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE
BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the first Thursday monthly at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.
SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.
PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox streets at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.
CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.
SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside 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 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.
AFTER
DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with real ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. After your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.
FOOD + DRINKS
PO'BOYS & PILS PARTY Odd Colony will host Globetrotter Street Food for classic Po'Boys to pair with their Pilsner offerings and throwing a party all weekend long to celebrate their six year anniversary 2-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.
OKTOBERFEST AT LAGUNA'S Snacks, drinks, and festive fun on tap at Laguna's, 460 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. Get a 3-hour Oktoberfest pass for $35. Details at lagunaspb.com.
4TH ANNUAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS BENEFIT Join Pensacola Jeeps for a high-energy, disco cowgirl–themed convoy and benefit event in support of breast cancer awareness 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Details at facebook.com/garysbrew.
ODD COLONY SIX YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Beer release, food specials and more 5-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.
FUNDAMENTALS: DUMPLINGS FOR
DAYS Cooking class is 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Avenue, Unit C. Cost is $50. Get tickets at pensacolacooks.com
a&e happenings
ZEN DEN BONSAI WORKSHOP Learn to create your own bonsai tree at Gary's Biergarten & Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19. Tickets available at zendenbonsai.com.
JAZZ AT JACKSON'S Enjoy dinner with the music of Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole performed by Ellen Vinson and Jack Zoesch. Seatings are 5 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 at Jackson's, 400 S. Palafox St. Make your reservations by calling (850) 469-9898.
PALATE PASSPORT: GERMAN Cooking class is 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Avenue, Unit C. Cost is $70. Tickets at pensacolacooks.com.
LUNCH SERVICE AT RESTAURANT IRON
Restaurant Iron, 22 N. Palafox St., now offers a refined midday experience starting 11 a.m. Monday-Friday. Dinner service will continue to be available Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (850) 476-7776 or visiting restaurantiron.com/ reservations. Walk-ins will also be welcome based on availability.
LUNCH & DINNER AT SEVILLE QUARTER
Enjoy a good meal and atmosphere with lunch and dinner at Seville Quarter. At 11 a.m. in Apple Annie's Courtyard, have the soup and salad bar, featuring more than 30 fresh selections, along with a delicious variety of sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, wings and local Gulf seafood favorites. Beginning
at 5 p.m., dinner is served in the historic Palace Café, where the culinary team brings creative dishes to the table, blending Southern comfort, local ingredients and Seville Quarter flair. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE
QUARTER Drink specials and laid-back vibes are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. every weekday throughout the entire Seville Quarter complex with $2 off all liquor drinks and $1 off all beer and wine. Must be 21 or older. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.
MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from at Wisteria, 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
BAR BINGO AT SEVILLE QUARTER Bar
Bingo is 8 p.m. Mondays at Apple Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials include $2.50 Miller Lite bottles and $3.50 Bomb shots. Bingo is free to play with prizes, giveaways and bar tabs up for grabs for winners. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.
FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-close 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.
DOUBLE MONDAYS AND SIN NIGHT Enjoy
Double Mondays 8 p.m.-midnight and SIN Night 11 p.m. to close at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.
MARTINI NIGHT AT THE KENNEDY Every Tuesday, The Kennedy, 1 S. Palafox St., hosts Martini Night, featuring all martinis from the menu for $10 from open to close (4-11 p.m.).
75-CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.
MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S
Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker at 6:30 p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tacos are on special Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2
p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.
DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.midnight Tuesdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.
TUESDAY TRIVIA AT PERFECT PLAIN Visit
Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for trivia nights 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at 50 E. Garden St. Visit perfectplain.com/upcoming-events for details.
LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER
Get on your feet with a social Latin dance—no partner required—and Latin music 7-9 p.m. every Wednesday at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials and music from DJ DavidC continue after the dancing. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Food trucks are on site. Details are at orileystavern.com.
TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS
Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.
November in Pensacola means art — over 200 juried artists, live music, delicious food, and kids’ activities. And it’s all free.
Nov. 7, 8 & 9
Details at ggaf.org
Pensacola, FL
a&e happenings
COLLEGE NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER
College night is 8 p.m. Thursdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. Free beer pong tournament begins at 10 p.m. Drink specials include $2 bar drinks, $3.50 Fireball shots for ages 21 and older. Cover is $5 for ages 21 and older and $10 for ages 18-20. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT
AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music are 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Dr.
PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get deals on pitchers 8 p.m.-midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 8 p.m.; SIN Night starts 1 a.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.
WEEKLY SINGO AT PERFECT PLAIN
BREWING CO. Music Bingo Thursdays is 7-9 p.m. at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details are at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.
POOL TOURNAMENT Pool tournaments begin 8 p.m., and Tequila Night is 8 p.m. to midnight Thursdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.
DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night with a DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's
Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
TRIVIA UNDER THE TREES Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT
Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at 208 Newman Ave. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.
FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE QUAR-
TER Visit Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. every Friday with cold drinks, hot food and great vibes in the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter. Happy hour begins 11 a.m. Fridays with drink and food specials.
SEVILLE QUARTER'S FLIP MY QUARTER
Seville Quarter is flipping the script—and a few quarters—with its brand-new happy hour promotion, Flip My Quarter, 6-8 p.m. every Friday throughout the Seville Quarter entertainment complex. When you order a domestic draft beer, well liquor cocktail or house wine, tell the bartender to "flip my quarter." When they flip it, call it in the air. If you call it right, your drink is free.
BIG BEER NIGHT Drink specials are 8 p.m.midnight, and SIN Night is 1 a.m. to close Fridays
at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.
FEISTY FRIDAY NIGHTS Enjoy a DJ 9 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.
TGI FIREBALL FRIDAY Drink specials are all day Fridays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. SIN Night starts at 11 p.m. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
FISH FRY FRIDAY Half off fish n' chips is 11 a.m.4 p.m., and live DJ is 9 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.
JAMESON SPECIAL Enjoy $5 Jameson Irish Whiskey all night Saturdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.
MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER From 8 p.m.-midnight every Saturday, members enjoy $3.50 Crown & Drown cocktails at Phineas Phogg's inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
SHAMROCK SATURDAY Shamrock Saturday is 9 p.m., and SIN Night starts 11 p.m. Saturdays
at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
B.A.R.E. NIGHT (BAR AND RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE NIGHT) Sunday nights at Seville Quarter belong to hospitality industry. Head to End O' the Alley at Seville Quarter 7 p.m. every Sunday for B.A.R.E. Night. Not a member yet? Stop by and sign up for your B.A.R.E. Card, and start enjoying the benefits immediately.
FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool all day and play bar bingo 8 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.
SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN Partake in brunch specials, full café menu, espressos and bottomless mimosas until 1 p.m. Sundays at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin.com for details.
SEVILLE SUNDAY BRUNCH Sunday brunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Palace Café and Courtyard inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. with soup and salad bar, a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, mimosas and champagne specials. Details are at sevillequarter.com.
for more listings visit inweekly.net
By Savannah Evanoff
I Heart The East Hillbillies
private parties to songs they actually like sung by both male and female artists—not just top-40 hits. Their setlist is diverse, ranging from Blondie to Pretenders to Black Keys, and their audience responds to it.
"We just love the people that come, and they're always so positive with our song selec-
"I thought I was just going to be singing some backup vocals, and they're like, 'Oh no, you're singing,'" Housand said. "'OK, I better learn some "Feliz Navidad" real quick.' What was really crazy is, someone posted something when we were at the library, and Mark from Pensacola Bay Brewery saw it and said, 'Are y'all
booking gigs?' And we were like, 'Yeah, I guess we are.'"
Housand has sung since she got her first Fisher Price record player as a child and later had a musical theater scholarship, but she'd never performed in a band. Now, she has to pinch herself to
"It just brings so much body," Housand said. "We
Glickman calls her voiceticulation. He's in awe of her ability sometimes, he said.
"I've never worked with fected by other singers, and
said. "It's her voice, it's her style. She's not trying to be singers try to sound like the singer they're copying. That doesn't happen, and I think
musical repertoire has been expanded to a really great extent, and I've learned a lot of good material that I never would've."
One of their crowd favorites is "Daydream Believer" by The Monkees.
"That gets a big response, because people remember that song as a kid, but then they can dance to that; I can feel the room warm up when we do that song," Glickman said. "'Eyes Without a Face' by Billy Idol, because again, that has a female voice now. It's that thing of recognition when the people recognize the song, maybe not immediately by the first four notes because we're not playing the record. When they go, 'Oh, you're just singing that,' and there's just this warmth that kind of just rolls forward toward the stage."
The East Hillbillies have more to come, too, with the upcoming addition of keyboard player and singer, Nicki Skipper.
"We're going to move into more [Great] American Songbook and standards and oldies and things that expand our sound," Housand said. "We were kind of a jangly guitar band up to this point, and now we're getting more into a bigger sound with the keyboard."
At the end of the day, The East Hillbillies project is a labor of love, Glickman said. They genuinely like each other, and they're around to have fun.
"We jokingly say we're about to make the large print edition of Tiger Beat magazine, we're gonna get a record deal now," Housand said.
The Panhandle Allstars, he says he "weaseled" his way into The East Hillbillies when he jumped up on stage with his harmonica and played a Culture
guess you can play with us,'" Glickman said. "And it's been wonderful ever since. We play some great venues. We have some good times and I love all the music. Most of the band members are a bit younger than me, so they introduced me to some music that I just didn't get ahold of when it first came out. So my whole
"We're gonna buy the Econoline van and go on the road, but we're only joking," Glickman added. "We don't take ourselves seriously, but we take the music seriously." {in}
THE EAST HILLBILLIES AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18
WHERE: Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway INFO: facebook.com/theeasthillbillies
The East Hillbillies / Photo by Kelly McClean
free will astrology
WEEK OF OCTOBER 16
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Life is tempting you to tiptoe to the brink of the threshold of the rawest truth, the wildest beauty, and the most precious love. Your ancestors are conspiring with your guardian angels to lure you into the secret heart of the inner sanctum of spiritual truth. I am totally sincere and serious. You now have a momentous opportunity—a thrilling opening to commune with subtle powers that could provide you with profound guidance.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): In the forests of America's Pacific Northwest, "nurse logs" lie fallen but fertile. These dead trees host seedlings, mosses and new saplings that rise from their decaying trunks. I regard this as a powerful metaphor for you, Taurus. Something old in you is crumbling, like outdated beliefs, outmoded duties, or obsolete loyalties. Part of you may want to either grieve or ignore the shift. And yet I assure you that fresh green vitality is sprouting from that seemingly defunct thing. What new possibility is emerging from what was supposed to end? Resurrection is at hand.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): A deeper, wilder, smarter version of love is beckoning you from the horizon. Are you ready to head in its direction? I'm not sure you are. You may semi-consciously believe you already know what love is all about, and are therefore closed to learning more. It's also possible that your past romantic wounds have made you timid about exploring unfamiliar terrain. Here's my assessment: If you hope to get exposed to the sweeter, less predictable kinds of intimacy, you will have to drop some (not all) of your excessive protections and defenses. PS: At least one of your fears may be rooted in faulty logic.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Princess Diana transformed the British monarchy because she insisted that royal duty should include genuine emotional connection. Her generosity wasn't merely ceremonial but was expressed through hands-on charity work. She had close contact with youth who had nowhere to live. She walked through minefields as part of her efforts to rid the planet of that scourge. She hugged people with AIDS at a time when many others feared such contact. "Carry out a random act of kindness, with
By Rob Brezsny
no expectation of reward," she said. Her ability to maintain grace while remaining emotionally authentic reflected a genius for blending strength with sensitivity. Can you guess her astrological sign? Cancerian, of course. Now is a perfect time for you to draw inspiration from her example. Express your wisely nurturing energy to the max!
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Certain African lions in Kenya have no manes. Scientists theorize it's an adaptation to heat or a reflection of extra aggressive hunting strategies. But symbolically, it challenges expectations: Is royalty still royalty without the crown? I bring this to your attention, Leo, because I suspect you will soon be asked to explore your power without its usual accouterments. Can you properly wield your influence if you don't unleash your signature roar and dazzle? Will quiet confidence or understated presence be sufficiently magnetic? Might you radiate even more potency by refining your fire? I think so. You can summon strength in subtlety and majesty in minimalism.
clear and exact. Even a slight error in formulating your wish could result in only a partial fulfillment. And aiming your plea at the wrong star could cause a long delay. Sorry I have to be so complicated, dear Libra. The fact is, though, it's not always easy to know precisely what you yearn for and to ask the correct source to help you get it. But here's the good news: You are currently in a phase when you're far more likely than usual to make all the right moves.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): During World War II, Scorpio actor and inventor Hedy Lamarr developed frequency-hopping technology to prevent enemies from jamming torpedo guidance systems. Her solution rapidly switched radio frequencies in hard-to-intercept patterns. The technology was so advanced that no one could figure out how to fully adopt it until years later. Engineers eventually realized that Lamarr's invention was essential for WiFi, GPS and cell phone networks. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, you, too, have the potential to generate ideas that might not be ready for prime time but could ultimately prove valuable. Trust your instincts about future needs. Your visionary solutions are laying the groundwork for contributions that won't fully ripen for a while.
fussing about who gets the applause. A solution, insight, or creation of yours could benefit many if you share it without reservation. Your best reward will be observing the beneficial ripple effects, not holding the patent.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): During the next nine months, you will face a poignant and potentially inspiring choice: whether to wrangle with an endless tangle of mundane struggles, or else to expand your vision to the bigger picture and devote your energy intensely to serving your interesting, long-term dreams. I hope you choose the latter option! For best results, get clear about your personal definition of success, in contrast to the superficial definitions that have been foisted on you by your culture. Can you visualize yourself years from now, looking back on your life's greatest victories? You're primed to enter a new phase of that glorious work, rededicating yourself with precise intentions and vigorous vows.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): I'm pleased to inform you that the coming weeks will be an excellent time to make a big wish upon a bright star. But I must also tell you how important it is to be
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): I guarantee you won't experience a meltdown, crackup, or nervous collapse in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. What unfolds may bring a similar intensity, but in the opposite direction: a personal breakthrough, a cavalcade of illumination, or a surge of awakening. I urge you to be alert and receptive for relaxing flurries of sweet clarity; or streams of insights that rouse a liberating integration; or a confluence of welcome transformations that lead you to unexpected healing. Can you handle so many blessings? I think you can. But you may have to expand your expectations to welcome them all.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In 1959, a Swedish engineer named Nils Bohlin designed the three-point seatbelt, revolutionizing car safety. Working for Volvo, he insisted the design must be made freely available to all car manufacturers. Bohlin understood that saving lives was more important than hoarding credit or profit. Capricorn, your assignment now is to give generously without
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Your exploratory adventures out on the frontiers have been interesting and mostly successful, Aquarius. Congrats! I love how you have avoided tormenting yourself with self-doubt and roused more boldness than you've summoned in a long time. You have managed to ignore useless and superstitious fears even as you have wisely heeded the clues offered by one particular fear that was worth considering. Please continue this good work! You can keep riding this productive groove for a while longer.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In Korean tradition, "mudangs" are shamans who endure a personal crisis or illness and emerge with supernatural powers. They perform rituals to seek the favor of spirits. They heal the ancestral causes of misfortune and ensure good fortune, prosperity and well-being for the people they serve. I don't mean to imply you're following a similar path, Pisces. But I do think your recent discomforts have been like an apprenticeship that has given you enhanced capacity to help others. How will you wield your power to bless and heal?
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: My home country, America, is in a dire crisis that impacts the whole world. Read my comments here: Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com. {in}
freewillastrology.com newsletter.freewillastrology.com freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com BrezsnyAstrology@gmail.com © 2025 Rob Brezsny
news of the weird
SIGN OF THE TIMES Ohio state Rep. Thaddeus Claggett, of Licking County, introduced a bill in the state house in late September that would declare AI systems "nonsentient entities" and ban them from gaining legal personhood. WCMHTV reported that the bill seeks to prohibit people (or other AI systems) from marrying AI. Claggett said the legislation would prevent AI from holding power of attorney or making decisions on another's behalf. He said Ohio is "attempting to put some guardrails in place so that we always have a human in charge of the technology, not the other way around."
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL Dude, don't confess your crimes to ChatGPT. In Springfield, Missouri, 19-year-old Ryan Schaefer went on a crime spree on Sept. 28 in a Missouri State University parking lot, The Smoking Gun reported. The college sophomore allegedly shattered car windows, ripped off side mirrors, dented hoods and broke windshield wipers. When Springfield police officers visited him at his apartment the next day, Schaefer admitted that the person on surveillance video did bear a "resemblance" to him and turned his phone over as evidence. Investigators found a conversation between Schaefer and ChatGPT, which included questions such as "what if I smashed the ... outta multiple cars" and "is there any way they could know it was me." Schaefer went on to make vague threatening statements to the AI tool; he was charged with felony property damage.
HAIR TODAY, GONE If you haven't made it to Leila's Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri, time is running out. Huff Post reported on Oct. 9 that the 30-year-old museum is re-homing its displays after the death of founder Leila Cohoon last December at 92. Museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of Funeral History are collecting items from Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Monroe and, reportedly, Jesus. Cohoon's granddaughter, Lindsay Evans, said the process of finding new homes for the collection is helping her grieve: "Every time I come here, I feel her here." Cohoon concentrated on finding items from the 19th and 20th centuries, when people kept hair of the dead in jewelry or coiled it into wreaths. She worked with antique dealers all across the country to locate the pieces. "If it had hair, she got it," said Evans. "When this is empty, it'll break my heart a little bit."
NEWS YOU CAN USE The El Cortez Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas has a sure bet for you: Casino.org is offering $5,000 to one person to spend a full weekend in the hotel, trying to scare up ghosts. The New York Post reported that the 84-year-old hotel, located on the "old strip," reportedly has in the basement the cremated remains of former employees who died without family, among other creepy features. The lucky winner will be furnished with "ghost-hunting gear" including EMF meters, EVP recorders and thermal sensors, and the ghost hunter will be expected to take photos and videos for evidence.
AWESOME! On Sept. 25, when an 86-year-old Oskaloosa, Florida, woman took her granddog for
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
a walk, she didn't return after 10 to 15 minutes, as she generally does, her husband said. He called 911 and reported her missing, ABC News reported, and a sheriff's deputy set out to look for her. Deputy Devon Miller soon came upon Eeyore the dog, standing in the middle of the road. The dog "practically dragged" Miller to where the woman had fallen, and help was summoned. Recovering from her hospital bed, the woman was amazed that Eeyore had saved the day. "You're such a good boy. Grandma loves you," she said.
DON'T EAT THAT! An elderly woman named Zhang in Hangzhou, China, heard a rumor that swallowing live frogs could alleviate back pain, Oddity Central reported on Oct. 8. She asked relatives to capture some frogs for her (without explaining why) and consumed five in one day, and three the next. When her stomach pain became unbearable, her family rushed her to the hospital, and doctors determined that "Swallowing live frogs damaged the patient's digestive system and allowed parasites to enter her system," one physician announced. She was suffering from a Sparganum tapeworm. Zhang recovered and was discharged after two weeks.
REPEAT OFFENDER A business in Greenmount, Maryland, has been victimized three times by the same burglar, the owner, Tia Hamilton, believes. According to WMAR2-TV, Hamilton's store, DiGi Business Center, was broken into on Feb. 6, Sept. 30 and Oct. 2. "I noticed my register is gone; it's the same MO, he's not destroying anything," she said. "There are bars on the window, so you have to be super skinny to fit through those bars." Baltimore police are investigating, but the perp wears gloves and a face covering during the intrusions. "It's a violation to me when you steal," Hamilton said.
THE ARISTOCRATS As if the idea of toddlers driving motor vehicles wasn't breathtaking enough, now you can purchase a luxury car for your wee one, Oddity Central reported on Oct. 1. For the low, low price of $49,000, your tot can proudly sport around in a Russian-made scaleddown Mercedes-Benz SL300 with a top speed of 28 mph. The model, popular in the 1950s and '60s, features adjustable leather seats, functional lights and a subwoofer, for the kids' refined listening tastes. Happy motoring!
BRIGHT IDEA Stephan Marcum of Stanton, Kentucky, is in hot water for his choice of Halloween decorations, LEX18-TV reported. Police were called to Marcum's residence on Oct. 4, where they found five "bodies" in trash bags with labels on them. The labels were "district judge," "mayor," "SIS," "C.A." and "zoning mgr." Marcum has reportedly had an ongoing dispute with the city over failing to hook up legal water, sewer and electrical services. The threatening decorations were erected sometime after a Sept. 30 court hearing about those violations. Marcum was charged with intimidating a witness in the legal process and third-degree terroristic threatening. {in}
