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October 29, 2026

winners & losers

Mary Hoxeng / Photo Courtesy of Cat Country 98.7

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MARY HOXENG The owner and general man-

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA Party leaders apparently have never heard of the Streisand effect, which is a psychological and social phenomenon where an attempt to hide, censor or remove information backfires and draws massive public attention and curiosity. The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) tried to stop television stations from airing political ads from the Florida Democratic Party about the Hope Florida scandal, but a Highlands County judge rejected the request. On Oct. 21, the RPOF filed a notice to dismiss the lawsuit. RPOF originally filed it to help Attorney General James Uthmeier's re-election campaign. Instead, it heightened public interest in the scandal, leading more people to search the internet for it.

ager of Cat Country 98.7 (WYCT-FM) accepted the National Association of Broadcasters' Radio Station of the Year last week at the Marconi Radio Awards Ceremony. The station was chosen among radio stations nationwide. Hoxeng said the award recognized the team's work during the historic January 2025 snowstorm, led by morning host Brent Lane. "Everyone pitched in and kept our communities informed 24/7," Joxeng said. "I could not be prouder of our Cat Country 98.7 team." The Marconi Awards, established in 1989, are presented annually during the NAB Show in New York City.

RICK & ANN SCOTT The U.S. senator from Florida and his wife are donating his third-quarter U.S. Senate salary to the Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE) to help Panhandle families recover from Hurricane Isaias. Scott has donated his Senate salary since taking office in 2019. He praised BRACE for coordinating long-term recovery efforts. BRACE CEO Dr. Nick Jackson said thousands of residents across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties face tremendous challenges. He called the gift "a meaningful investment in the recovery and resilience of our communities." Founded in 2006 after Hurricane Ivan, BRACE works with more than 250 partner organizations. U.S. COAST GUARD The U.S. Navy announced $302.5 million in cutter infrastructure contracts, including $31.5 million for Pensacola. Orion Government Services LLC of Houston will repair hurricane damage to Coast Guard major cutter piers at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The work, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, covers structural and utility improvements to the north berth of Wharf Bravo and underwater structural repairs to both the north and south berths. The Navy also awarded Skanska USA Civil Northeast Inc. of Waltham, Mass., a $271 million contract on Sept. 22 for new cutter homeport facilities at Naval Station Newport, R.I. Both contracts use Coast Guard funding and Navy site expertise to reduce cost and risk. 44

ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD Not one board member asked a question before voting 4-0 to remove 256 books, including "The Devil's Arithmetic," from district shelves. No one asked why the Holocaust novel made the list. No one asked who reviewed it. Veteran teacher Leigh Anne Eubanks told the board the district owns 203 copies and that the book is a recommended part of Florida's Holocaust curriculum. The state requires Holocaust instruction in every district, yet the board moved on without any discussion. Eubanks asked the board which side of history the community wants to be on. The board answered with silence, then voted unanimously among those present. WES MORENO At the Board of County Com-

missioners meeting on Oct. 15, the Escambia County administrator defended his decision to have only two contractors haul Hurricane Isaias debris, claiming consultant Thompson Engineering told him it was a third of Hurricane Sally's debris—about 1.3 million cubic yards. On Oct. 20, the county changed its estimate to 2.2 million cubic yards. The next day, Mayor D.C. Reeves told the media at his press conference that the estimated total for the city, which is less than 20% of the county's land mass, is 1.2 million cubic yards. Thank goodness, the commissioners didn't listen to Moreno and hired a third contractor, AshBritt, to help with debris collection. inweekly.net

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

THE KLAN PLAYBOOK RETURNS In 2020, local historian Tom Garner found proof in the T.T. Wentworth Museum's archives that Wentworth, an Escambia County official from 1920-1940, helped lead the county's "rebirth" of the Ku Klux Klan. The first Klan formed after the Civil War and was crushed under the Grant administration. The revived Klan needed more enemies than the first one had, and it found a convenient one in the Roman Catholic Church. Wentworth's vitriol for Catholics filled his correspondence. He called Pensacola "a city that is controlled by Rome." He complained that "Catholics have a boycott on my business" and that Protestant preachers were afraid of losing a dollar if they lined up with the Klan. He even blamed the Catholic Church for "teaching equality" to Black Pensacolians. In the history he wrote for the Klan newspaper, the Knights of Columbus (a Catholic men's fraternal organization) were the villains and Klan leaders the persecuted heroes.

RECRUITING WITH FEAR The Klan didn't just sell hatred. It sold Protestants the idea that their neighbors' church was a foreign threat to their way of life. It used fear of someone else's faith as its recruiting tool. The Klan also understood that power runs through the ballot box. Wentworth wrote that he had to keep his men from showing up at the polls in "robes and helmets." He preferred to win "with ballots rather than bullets." Wentworth won election as county commissioner in 1920 and, eight years later, as tax collector, a post he held until 1940. I thought of Wentworth when I read a mailer targeting Joe Vinson. As early voting began last week, the mailer, backed by Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger's allies, photoshopped Vinson between Kamala Harris, Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria OcasioCortez and Gavin Newsom. The reverse side said Vinson is "out-of-sync with our values" and shared screenshots from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola's website as evidence. They include a calendar listing for a trans support October 29, 2026

group, a talk about safety in a diverse community, a statement on how the church views God and a talk on the local immigrant community. None of it has anything to do with the Escambia County Commission. Its sole purpose was to win votes for Hofberger by telling voters that Vinson's house of worship makes him suspect. I am not calling Hofberger a Klansman. But attacking a candidate's religion is part of a political playbook rooted in how the Klan became a political force in Pensacola a century ago. Voters should know where it originates. Take a candidate's church, strip away context, label it alien to "our values" and let fear do the rest. Wentworth did it to Catholics. The October 2026 mailer's claim that Vinson's ideology is a better fit for San Francisco than Pensacola Bay labels him as an outsider. He doesn't belong here.

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her supporters have pulled this stunt before. In 2024, the same Committee to Protect Florida sent a mailer darkening the photo of Walker Wilson, whom Hofberger beat by 413 votes in the GOP primary. The committee is run by Tallahassee consultant Mark Zubaly, who in 2023 agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a Santa Rosa County commissioner's lawsuit over an inaccurate mailer. The Escambia Republican Executive Committee gave $3,700 to Zubaly's committee on Oct. 16, three days before early voting began. Voters and party donors should ask whether this is the campaign they want to bankroll. Reasonable people can disagree about Vinson. He's running without party affiliation, and he has a long list of endorsers, including former mayors, council members and school board members. Voters who want to measure him can review his record, positions and answers on growth, taxes and county spending. His church shouldn't be on that list. Pensacola spent years with Wentworth's name on a museum before the archive told the full story. In 2026, a community that learned the evils of religious scapegoating should recognize the playbook when it shows up in the mailbox. {in} rick@inweekly.net 5

COMMUNICATION: BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER ISAIAS By Tom St. Myer From Milton's neighborhood canvassing to millions of social media views across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, local officials relied on multiple channels to connect residents with critical information before, during and after Hurricane Isaias. The approach reflected a central challenge for public information teams across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. In a disaster, residents need reliable information precisely when the systems they normally depend on may be unavailable. For local public information officers, that meant publishing updates online, working with radio and newspaper partners, answering residents' questions, correcting misinformation and finding alternative ways to reach people without dependable internet or electricity. It also meant anticipating what residents would need to know next, even as conditions continued to change.

MILTON

When the hurricane left Milton facing damaged homes, piles of debris and widespread recovery needs, the City's response extended beyond clearing roads and restoring services. City staff and elected officials went door to door, carrying information directly to residents. The City of Milton expanded partnerships with nonprofit organizations and community groups to publicize food distributions, emergency supplies and other assistance. Bethany Anderson, director of public information for the City of Milton, said photographs and short-form videos generated stronger visibility and audience engagement than traditional static graphics. Before, during and after the storm, the City of Milton maintained a centralized Facebook resource post. As recovery progressed, the City created a comprehensive post consolidating information about services, utility outages, free meals, debris collection and other hurricane-related resources. The scale of that work was considerable. According to preliminary staffing records cited by Anderson, 136 city employees had logged hours supporting Hurricane Isaias response operations since Oct. 7. Those employees represented departments ranging from Administration and Public Works to Parks and Recreation, Finance, Code Enforcement, police and fire. By Oct. 19, city personnel had collectively logged more than 8,600 hours supporting response operations. Elected officials participated in public outreach and neighborhood canvassing. The damage made clear why communication would remain essential long after the initial emergency. City Manager Ed Spears estimated that Isaias caused more than $50 million in damage within city limits, generated about 400,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris and damaged 60% of structures in the city to some degree.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

In Santa Rosa County, Facebook emerged as a major channel for communicating with residents. 66

Sarah Whitfield, the county's communications and media relations manager, said the Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Facebook page received 3.9 million views across its posts from Oct. 7 through Oct. 19. The page recorded 190,000 profile visits during that period. "With a population of almost 215k, that figure represents roughly 88% of residents using our page as a main source for trusted, verified information," Whitfield said. The figures illustrated how residents turned to official government channels during the storm and its aftermath. The county expanded its reach through traditional news releases distributed to media partners. Whitfield singled out Cat Country/NewsRadio 1620 and the Santa Rosa Press Gazette, whose representatives worked alongside county communicators before the hurricane made landfall and for days afterward. "This experience reinforced the importance of maintaining strong relationships with our local media partners," she said. "When internet access is limited, radio can be a critical source of information. Having those trusted partnerships already in place makes a big difference during a disaster." Preparation helped the county move quickly. Whitfield said emergency communications staff train and practice throughout the year, anticipating common questions and preparing responses before a storm arrives. That groundwork allowed the team to share information quickly and consistently as conditions changed. But preparation meant recognizing that the communications strategy needed to evolve once the storm passed, particularly for residents without internet access. To address that gap, the county created informational flyers for distribution at Points of Distribution and the Multi-Agency Resource Center, providing residents access to updates and assistance information.

GULF BREEZE

Gulf Breeze faced an additional complication: its utility service area extends beyond the city limits, covering roughly 10 times the area. City Manager Samantha Abell said that distinction makes targeted communication particularly important when a utility disruption affects only certain neighborhoods or unincorporated areas. The city uses a text and phone notification system called Call 'Em All to contact affected customers directly, alongside its official social media accounts and website for broader updates. Lessons from Hurricane Sally led Gulf Breeze to use Nextdoor more extensively. Abell said residents sometimes engage more comfortably when updates come directly from her as city manager rather than through an official city account. Those posts are preserved as public records. But even a well-prepared communications plan can be tested when the infrastructure needed to deliver information fails. Before Isaias, AT&T notified the city that it planned to remove a cellular tower because of its assessment of high-wind risks, affecting cellular

coverage for thousands of customers. Gulf Breeze also experienced a loss of Mediacom service. The city's FirstNet phones helped maintain some operational connectivity, but the local EOC lost power, phone service and other communications for a period Friday evening. Reaching the mayor and City Council members, who used different cellular carriers, became more difficult. The city had arranged for a portable Starlinkequipped cell-on-wheels unit as a backup. Internet service returned by early Saturday, so the unit was not needed. Abell said what transpired reinforced the importance of having alternative ways to communicate. Gulf Breeze does not have a dedicated communications department or separate public information officer. Abell oversees those responsibilities with support from the Administrative Services and IT departments. "The plan gives us the framework, but our ability to communicate effectively depends on coordination, technology and people who are willing to step in wherever they're needed," Abell said.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Kaycee Lagarde, Escambia County's director of communications and public information, described emergency communication as a responsibility that begins before a storm and continues through recovery. Her team informs the public before, during and after a storm through traditional media, press releases, email distribution lists, the county website and social media. Facebook, in particular, saw a dramatic increase in engagement. Across the county's two primary social media accounts for emergency information—the Escambia County page and the Escambia County Emergency Management page—the county recorded more than 3 million views of its content during the week of the storm. The Escambia County Emergency Management Facebook page gained 4,000 followers and Lagarde said engagement increased by more than 3,000% compared with typical levels. "You can tell that people are looking for that official source of information, and so we work very hard to be that source and be a reliable, accurate source of information before, during and after the storm," Lagarde said. She continued, "There's that balance between being timely and being accurate. We want to be quick with the information, but we also have to be accurate in order to maintain trust with our community." That balance became especially important when misinformation began circulating. Lagarde said a rumor circulated suggesting the county would not receive Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. The communications team responded with a rumor-control post explaining that initial damage assessments were still underway and that a determination had not yet been made. Social media created an expectation of direct engagement. Residents wanted answers to

questions posted in comments, not simply another announcement on their feeds. Her communications team tried to respond to as many questions as possible, particularly when misinformation gained traction. The workload was intense. Lagarde said she worked 36 straight hours during one stretch, fitting in perhaps an hour of sleep. Between the Thursday before the storm and the following Tuesday, her five-person team collectively worked approximately 335 hours.

PENSACOLA

In Pensacola, Shannon Nickinson, the city's public information and strategic communications officer, said the storm reinforced the importance of understanding where residents get information and what they need to know. A city survey conducted with the University of West Florida's Haas Center found that Facebook and social media were by far the most common sources residents used for city information. Respondents also expressed interest in receiving updates directly through email, text messages and similar platforms. Nickinson approached the work by thinking about the questions people close to her might ask: What would her mother want to know? Her sister-in-law? What would she herself need to know next? That perspective helped the communications team focus on residents' immediate concerns rather than simply distributing official statements. Being stationed in the Emergency Operations Center helped Nickinson and her assistant public information officer, Dominique Epps. With City departments and response partners working in the same space, they could ask Public Works officials about road access, debris removal priorities and stormwater infrastructure, then translate those operational decisions into information residents could use. The arrangement also helped officials respond to emerging safety concerns. Within the first 48 hours after the storm, the EOC saw an increase in calls involving carbon monoxide. "We're able to take this real-time information that we're having this increase. That means people are probably not ventilating their generators the right way," Nickinson said. "The messaging can very quickly pivot into, 'What do we need people to know?'" The City established a frequent cadence of public updates. Nickinson said the communications team aimed to inform residents every two or three hours, sharing important information while responding to requests from regional and national media. Mayor D.C. Reeves became a prominent part of that effort, using video to deliver concise updates. Nickinson said his ability to communicate helped the City quickly convey essential information. For her and other communicators, the underlying principles remained simple: accuracy, clarity and brevity. Residents needed to know what mattered that day, what to expect next and how to keep their loved ones safe. {in} inweekly.net

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base will help teams develop young talent and open the top level of the sport to more women. American Magic COO Tyson Lamond said 34% of its workforce is hired locally. He cited partnerships with the University of West Florida, Pensacola State College and George Stone Technical College. At his weekly press conference on Oct. 21, Mayor D.C. Reeves framed the SailGP training base as a rare competitive gift to Pensacola, one that makes the city the exclusive practice home for the world's largest and best-funded sailing league. He pointed out that SailGP has 14 franchises, each valued at $60 million to $80 million and employing 15 to 20 staff. He offered an analogy for non-sailors: "Imagine if F1 or if NASCAR built a test track in Pensacola and said the only place you're allowed to practice is at the test track in Pensacola." The mayor then turned to the economic payoff, saying each of the teams will bring at least 20 people to town for a minimum of a week. He called that "a huge boon for our economy around the port from a hospitality standpoint," benefiting hotels, restaurants and local healthcare providers. David Jolly / Photo Courtesy of davidjolly.com

FLORIDA'S IN PLAY Jennifer Palmieri, the former White House communications director under President Obama, says Florida's governor's race is far more competitive than she expected when she brought her YouTube series "Long Play" to Tallahassee. Palmieri discussed her episode "Are Florida's Voters Ready to Break Party Lines?" with Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen on his podcast "We Don't Color on the Dog." The "Long Play" episode has since passed her Mississippi installment as the most-watched in the free series, produced by the team behind Showtime's "The Circus." The veteran political observer said she had not planned to cover Florida in 2026. She viewed the state as politically and culturally locked down and assumed Democrat David Jolly was a placeholder who would run a scrappy race and lose. She had the same assumption when Angie Nixon won the Democratic primary. That changed after she attended a Nixon rally, where she concluded the candidate was "for real." She called Jolly's campaign savvy and said he "may very well win." Jolly's strategy centers on the roughly 10% of Black voters he believes are undecided. Palmieri said the claim may or may not be accurate, but it is a smart one to make. He has campaigned with the Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump, appeared with Rep. Jim Clyburn, and visited FAMU and the Black Student Association at Florida State. Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May has campaigned with Jolly, who has spent significant time in Northwest Florida, a region that has been solidly Republican for years. Palmieri attended a Byron Donalds event in Monticello, in Jefferson County east of Tallahassee. The town is about 43% Black and still 88

has a Confederate monument at its courthouse. Roughly 400 to 500 people attended, most of them white. An older man told her that nearly everyone in the room over age 30 had once been a Democrat, and that he had chaired the county Democratic Party himself. He said local Republican dinners still do not mention Lincoln, but that the crowd would vote for Donalds, a Black candidate. He also cited frustration with Democrats. Palmieri said a Donalds victory would build a coalition very different from Gov. Ron DeSantis's. She also pointed out that about one in seven Trump voters don't yet support Donalds, and she suspects many live in the Panhandle. Both Republicans and Democrats are raising money. Palmieri said Jolly had a strong third quarter and recently received support from the Democratic Governors Association, though she noted the window to buy airtime is closing. Moody also raised heavily. Palmieri argued that Southern races will shape the next presidential cycle. South Carolina is set to hold the first Democratic primary, Virginia is the last contest before Super Tuesday and Georgia and Texas follow. She said a Democratic governor is typically worth two to three points in a state because of the campaign infrastructure it leaves behind and the election officials it puts in place. She said that explains why prospective 2028 candidates are already traveling to Florida, Mississippi and Texas. "Long Play" is available free on YouTube.

SAILGP TRAINING BASE SailGP officially

opened its first long-term training base Oct. 19 at the American Magic High Performance Center at the Port of Pensacola. The first athletes and an F50 catamaran arrived this week, and

the facility will operate as a year-round training hub for the league's international fleet and developing athletes. The multi-season agreement between SailGP and American Magic runs through 2031. SailGP Managing Director Andy Thompson said Pensacola offers consistent conditions and a world-class setup that lets teams "test, train and innovate continuously." Thompson revealed the training F50 was christened "Strive" the day before the launch. SailGP's technology team in Southampton, England, put about 40,000 hours of labor into the boat, which arrived in Pensacola last week. It can foil at more than 60 mph. The British team, led by driver Dylan Fletcher, was first aboard. Fletcher called the base a "game changer" for testing and refining strategy outside race weekends. "This is just a massive opportunity to get training in the F50," Fletcher told Inweekly. "We go from event to event, kind of like Formula One, and we don't actually get any real training time. The boat's always in transit. For us, the ability between events to fly here and just do a week's training, it's such a boost for the whole league. It's unbelievable." All SailGP teams get equal access to reserve training blocks outside race weekends. Multiple teams can train at once with technical specialists, safety resources and testing services on site. The facility puts a simulator, a coaching area and a virtual chase boat alongside access to the water, Lamond said. Demand is driving the move. SailGP is adding Rome, Hong Kong and San Francisco to its 2027 calendar, and Thompson said athletes have asked for more time on the boats. Teams from Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark and Brazil are expected before the holidays. He also said the

HOLOCAUST BOOK PULLED The Escambia County School Board voted 4-0 on Oct. 20 to remove 256 books from all school district media centers, classroom libraries and recommended reading lists. Board member Kevin Adams was absent. The board held no discussion before the vote. The list includes "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen, a young adult novel about a Jewish American teenager transported back in time to a Polish village during the Holocaust. Escambia teacher Leigh Anne Eubanks urged the board to keep the book before the vote. She told members she has taught history for more than 30 years and specializes in Holocaust education. The district owns 203 copies, she said, and many schools have class sets that teachers use in Holocaust units. Eubanks described the novel as historical fiction based on survivor accounts and written for readers the age of her students, typically sixth through eighth grade. She said it contains no profanity or graphic scenes. She added that the state's list, which originated from a challenge in Clay County, gave no reason for banning the book. "Which side of history do you and does our community want to be on when we start banning Holocaust books like this?" Eubanks asked the board. Larry Downs Jr., the owner of a local plumbing company, spoke after her. He called the book propaganda and said it "suggests that the Holocaust is true and accurate." Downs told the board that Florida House Bill 187, passed in 2024, "made it a crime to question the Holocaust or the mechanisms of the gas chamber." He urged members to look into the law, citing Section 1.015. The statute does not do that. HB 187 created Section 1.015, Florida Statutes, which adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's inweekly.net

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working definition of antisemitism for monitoring and reporting hate crimes and discrimination. It creates no crime for questioning the Holocaust and states that it may not be construed to infringe on First Amendment rights. Downs also said taxpayers should not fund books they disagree with and said some library books are pornographic. Florida law requires Holocaust instruction. The Legislature passed SB 660 in 1994, requiring every school district to include Holocaust lessons. Section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, directs schools to teach the history of the Holocaust (1933-1945) in a way that examines prejudice, racism and stereotyping. In 2020, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1213, which added antisemitism instruction and created Holocaust Education Week, observed the second week of November.

CHILDERS' BULLYING David Bear used his last

meeting on the Escambia County Tourist Development Council on Tuesday, Oct. 20, to accuse Clerk of the Court Pam Childers of bullying the tourism industry and slowing payments to groups funded by the tourist development tax. Reading from prepared notes, Bear said that over his eight years on the council, the clerk had authorized expenditures without proper county commission findings, retained more than the 3% of tax revenue allowed by statute to administer the program and refused the council's request for a program-specific audit. He said a state Auditor General review later found the items the council had flagged were unauthorized, but the clerk kept funding them. Bear said that after the council sent a cease and desist letter, the clerk began demanding far more documentation. He claimed reimbursement packets grew from 25 pages to hundreds, and repayment times stretched from about one month to six to 12 months. He also said the clerk threatened to delay Visit Pensacola's reimbursements if staff discussed a meeting with her. "We need to hold her accountable," Bear told the board. "She just continues to bully." Chair Jason Nicholson thanked Bear but focused on the cash-flow damage. He said a "log jam" is consuming the council's advances and leaving vendors unpaid. Nicholson said he hopes Tony Lyles, the incoming president and CEO of Visit Pensacola, can build a relationship with the clerk's office and clarify what documentation she requires. If that fails, he said, the council should seek legal counsel. He said he would entertain a motion for counsel's opinion but did not call for one. Board member Jim Reeves was more pessimistic. "I think we ought to hire our lawyers," Reeves said, noting the council has no staff. "It's obvious nothing's going to happen." When Nicholson suggested giving Lyles a chance first, Reeves agreed, saying he was fine with the chair's approach. No motion followed. Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger, who replaced Commissioners Robert Bender and Jeff Bergosh on the council, did not speak during the October 29, 2026

discussion. Bear said earlier that the council had asked its commissioner to talk with the clerk, with no result. Bear's statements are his own characterizations. Childers' response was not part of the discussion at the meeting. Nicholson said the issue is now "on public record" and moved on to other business.

ECUA TURNOVER Emerald Coast Utilities Au-

thority board member Lois Benson said Tuesday that Jason Yarborough "was not a good fit for the ECUA," offering an explanation from the board for why its executive director is leaving after 102 days. Benson read a statement to the ECUA Citizens Advisory Council before its open forum, at the request of a council member. She said it "became increasingly apparent" in recent months, and during the hurricane and its aftermath, that Yarborough did not fit the job. She cited one example: a "very poorly written press release" that appeared to say the boil water advisory had been lifted for ECUA water customers except in certain areas. That was not the case, she said. The post was removed from ECUA's Facebook page several hours later, after another outlet shared it. Benson said ECUA's attorneys negotiated the separation agreement within the terms of Yarborough's existing employment agreement, and that he "was not awarded the full severance contemplated." She did not say what the full amount would have been. She said the agreement's mutual non-disparagement clause limited what she could discuss.

VOTE AT YOUR PRECINCT ON NOVEMBER 3 KNOW WHERE YOU VOTE

On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Voters must vote in their home precinct on Election Day. To view your home precinct, visit:

EscambiaVotes.gov/precinct-finder Visit us online at EscambiaVotes.gov

Call our office at (850) 595-3900

Email us at soe@escambiavotes.gov

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

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"Being a bad fit is not a capital offense." Lois Benson "Being a bad fit is not a capital offense," Benson said. She noted that the board hired Yarborough unanimously and that he moved his family to the town where he grew up. "We are not a vindictive organization," she said. Under the agreement, signed Oct. 16 by Yarborough and Board Chairman Kevin Stephens, Yarborough is on paid administrative leave until Feb. 16, 2027. He receives $4,326.92 a week, roughly $75,000 over the period, and ECUA continues paying for family health benefits. On Feb. 26, he is to receive about $23,800 for accrued vacation and sick leave. The agreement allows him to take outside employment without reducing his pay. He started with ECUA on July 6. The agreement describes the departure as mutually agreed upon, and ECUA's press release calls it a resignation. The News Journal has reported he resigned over confusion regarding boil water notices. Benson did not address the outside-employment provision or a clause barring Yarborough from assisting anyone with a claim against ECUA unless he is under subpoena. Benson said former executive director Bruce Woody has agreed to serve as acting director while the board searches for a permanent replacement. {in} 9

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Jake Poore

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Every day, 50 new people reach out for help Mental health challenges affect adults, children and families across Northwest Florida, but help is available. Lakeview Center provides counseling, psychiatry and crisis care when it matters most. Your gift connects someone to care. Donate now at GiveLakeview.org.

October 29, 2026

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FOO FOO FEST 2026 Original Photo Courtesy of HizashiCon

Oct. 29-Nov. 9 foofoofest.com

October 29, 2026

Don't let anyone tell you there's nothing to do in Pensacola. For the next 12 days, there's at least one cultural, visual or musical event happening pretty much every day as Foo Foo Fest events take over the town. In case you're new to the scene or just need a refresher, Foo Foo Fest is a 12-day celebration of arts and culture that happens every fall. Some events are generously funded through grants by Art, Culture, Entertainment, Inc. (ACE). Others are what they call "Friends of Foo" and are basically just other cultural happenings occurring within the same timeframe. For our annual Foo Foo Fest guide, we highlighted productions by Pensacola Opera, Ballet Pensacola and PenArts, plus one of the special guests at 309 Punk Project's HalloZine Fest. We also included a comprehensive festival calendar. So read up and start making your Foo Foo Fest plans. 13

MOZART TO MISSY ELLIOT By Savannah Evanoff

"Rock the Runway: Living Art" might make an opera fan out of you—if you're not already. In its fourth iteration, Pensacola Opera's Foo Foo Fest event is getting the full theatrical treatment, combining opera, pop and rock music with fashion, art and a new collaboration with Ballet Pensacola. Brooke Fleming, the opera's associate director of corporate engagement and events, teased a musical range that spans "Mozart to Missy Elliott." "We're basically trying to take the medium of opera and show everyone just how relatable it actually is to your life," Fleming said. "When you think of the storylines and the struggles that these characters were facing, some of them

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pop music. They will be followed by models wearing modern looks inspired by the opera characters, styled by local boutiques. This year, after rehearsing with Ballet Pensacola, the featured models will dance as part of the show. And it's not lost on Pensacola Opera that many have never been on stage before, Fleming added. "Giving them the opportunity to experience something completely new is really special to us," Fleming said. "It also gives us another way to tell our story. If you aren't part of the theater community, you don't always realize just how much goes into putting a production on stage. Being able to give these wonderful community advocates a true backstage experience—to include them in the rehearsal process, have them work with professional artists and actually become part of the production—is a really amazing opportunity for us, too. It allows us to, quite literally, pull back the curtain and show off all of the talented people who work both onstage and behind the scenes to create the theater magic that Original Photo by Chelsi most people only experience With An Eye Photography from the audience." The musical side is equally innovative. Pensacola Opera hundreds of years ago, it's not all that unlike the worked with a DJ to create mashups that pair things we deal with today." opera arias with pop songs chosen to reflect the This year's backdrop might feel familiar to characters and their stories. "Gilmore Girls" fans. Inspired by the TV show's "He has created these absolutely insane "Festival of Living Art" episode, in which townsmashups," Fleming said. "I cannot wait to share people recreate famous paintings, "Rock the them with everyone." Runway: Living Art" will transform the Saenger Wardrobe Witchery is outfitting the opera Theatre stage into an art gallery with "huge procharacters, while Brittany Rappise is returning to jections," Fleming said. create the handmade wigs. In Pensacola Opera's version, though, the "It's just so exciting for us to be able to take characters won't stay inside their paintings. all of these amazing people that we are so fortuAs the studio artists sing excerpts from opnate to work with and create something that is eras, costumed community members will pose as entirely our own that we can be very proud of," works of art. Ballet Pensacola dancers will then Fleming said. "If you want something that doesn't bring the characters to life on the runway set to

exist, you just make it yourself. That's what we did with Rock the Runway. We just wanted something that we could proudly bring to this community year after year." They couldn't do it without Foo Foo Fest, their sponsors and the Pensacola community, Fleming said. "They don't just give their financial support; they give their time and talents, too," Fleming said. "This community really shows up for the arts, and we do not take that lightly. We know how fortunate we are, and events like Rock the Runway are really a love letter to the people who support us and make what we do possible every day." "Rock the Runway" is just one example of how Pensacola Opera seeks to reach new audiences. In addition to producing two to three operas a year, the company hosts events like "Bourbon & Broadway" and "Opera After Dark," where its artists perform everything from Broadway favorites to other genres. "A lot of people don't realize that most opera singers—classical training, that's the foundation of everything—so they don't just sing opera; they're out here singing Dolly Parton and Abba," Fleming said. "They can do anything really, so it's fun to be able to show the flexibility of the art form, and I think 'Rock the Runway' displays that very well. I hope that if someone comes to 'Rock the Runway' who does not fancy themselves an opera fan, [they can] walk away from it and say, 'actually, opera can be really fun.'" "I always say that opera might not be for everyone, but Pensacola Opera is for everyone," Fleming said.

PENSACOLA OPERA PRESENTS "ROCK THE RUNWAY: LIVING ART" WHAT: A fusion production that

combines live opera, pop music, ballet, fashion and more WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 WHERE: Saenger Theatre Pensacola, 118 S. Palafox St. COST: $50 DETAILS: pensacolaopera.com

inweekly.net

October 29, 2026

MAKING CORE MEMORIES By Savannah Evanoff jections. We're doing this show in the round, which means we'll have audience members on all sides, so it's very immersive." Animals won't just be onstage. Ballet Pensacola extended the theme offstage by collaborating with Pensacola Humane Society to bring puppies—also in costume. "Carnival of the Animals" is the name of a score composed by Camille Saint-Saëns in 1866 that has since become a staple ballet production. The score doesn't have fixed choreography, giving Janea, who choreographed Ballet Original Photo Courtesy of Ballet Pensacola Pensacola's version, room to make it their own. Ballet Pensacola will Giant giraffe necks and lion heads have taken use its student company and youth ensemble, over Debi Janea's office at Ballet Pensacola. meaning most of the performers are children. It's not the academy director's typical office "We are doing a mix of both classical works décor, and the production these costumes were that you'll very much recognize as classical balhand-crafted for isn't typical either. let, and we're also using the kids to do some Unlike past years, Ballet Pensacola's 2026 more animalistic choreography that brings the Foo Foo Fest production will feature 25 young animal to life a little bit more—not necessardancers for a family-focused performance of ily as a dancer, but as an animal character," Ja"Carnival of the Animals." nea said. "So we're trying to find a really nice Janea likened it to "The Lion King" on balance between making them animals but also Broadway. classical ballet dancers." "We're choosing to stay really animated with The kids are getting into character. our animals," Janea said. "We're using a lot of pro-

"They're really enjoying that they get to wear fun animal costumes and dance in really unique lighting and set situations as well," Janea said. "Our students work with us almost every week, six out of the seven days, and so they love to be here. They love to take class and to train with us, and so this is a lot of fun for them." For Executive Director Bianca Villegas, the value of that training extends far beyond producing professional dancers. They become better human beings, she said. "They become leaders in our community because of the type of skill sets and personality traits that they learn within this space," Villegas said. "This allows them to have their space, their time to shine, and for them to put into play a lot of those traits and those skill sets that they've been learning over the years here, training here at Ballet Pensacola." Villegas remembers the profound impact having access to "The Nutcracker" and "Peter and the Wolf" had on her as a child, exposing her to symphonic music, instruments and storytelling. "It very much speaks to that tactile but dreamlike connection that we're creating here, and that kids can connect with," Villegas said. "Our job is to help people feel and connect. And if we're doing that in any small way, especially with children and their core memories, it is something that they remember fondly for the rest of their lives and they go and they seek it again as adults, and they seek it for their children when they create their families."

Featuring kids this year is an intentional statement. Usually, they cater to an adult audience, Villegas said. "I really believe it's to our detriment," Villegas said. "It is our job to continue to educate and to show people the meaningful aspect of what having the arts in our life means, right? It makes life better … It allows us to be a little bit more deep in thought and consideration of what's happening around us, who's around us, what makes our heart beat, what makes it beat faster." "All of those things are what make this such an important addition to Foo Foo Fest this year," Villegas said. "That we're allowing kids to dream again, and we're giving them a place to do that."

BALLET PENSACOLA PRESENTS "CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS"

WHAT: An original family ballet featuring Ballet Pensacola's student company and youth ensemble

WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 1-Tuesday, Nov. 3 WHERE: The Clark Family Cultural

Center, 400 S. Jefferson St.

COST: General admission $20; ages 5 and under $10

DETAILS: balletpensacola.org

BEYOND THE SPECTACLE By Dakota Parks eryone else, to be accepted and not be seen as an oddity resonates with many today," Kellog said. "The kindness they found among other so-called 'freaks' is what they yearned for and what they gave to each other." Eryl DiamondOdell, who plays Violet Hilton, said one of the most surprising discoveries during her research was how the twins eventually fought for their independence. After meeting magician Harry Houdini, who encouraged them to recognize their fame and take control of their lives, the sisters broke free from their exploitative management. "It shocked me that they continued to stay in show business, but they were doing it on their terms. They were finally able to keep the money they made, and I think that is such a power move," Diamond-Odell said. Finding information about the twins as individuals, however, has been more difficult. Diamond-Odell said she has relied on historical research and her own emotional responses to

Original Photo Courtesy of PenArts

Under the big top, the line between fascination and exploitation can blur. For Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who were sold at birth in the early 1900s and put on display in traveling side shows, fame did little to protect them from those who sought to profit from their lives. PenArts will bring their story to the stage with "Side Show," a musical exploring the lives of the real-life twins, following Violet and Daisy's life from the side shows of England to America, and from the vaudeville circuit to 1930s Hollywood. For artistic director Christine Kellogg, the musical's themes of empathy, acceptance and the importance of looking beyond appearances make it an especially meaningful production. "As conjoined twins, their desire to be like ev616 1

imagine how Violet might have experienced the events of her life. For Delaney Keeton, who plays Daisy Hilton, her character's willingness to sacrifice her own dreams for her sister's happiness is a defining part of her character arc. "Daisy is the more outspoken and bold twin, and Violet is more reserved," she said. "I have been leaning into Daisy's desire for stardom and gaining everyone's adoration to differentiate from Violet's desire for love and a quiet life." Their relationship is central to both the musical and the production itself. In a physical feat that mirrors the Hilton twins' lives, DiamondOdell and Keeton will remain attached at the hip throughout the performance. The actors began rehearsing by walking around the lobby together, connected by an elastic band made by the production crew. They practiced sitting, standing and moving in unison, eventually learning to perform on stage together. "Now we can do entire dance numbers while connected at the hip," Keeton said. "It's also interesting singing, because we can physically sense when the other is taking a breath, which helps us stay completely in sync." Lloyd Reshard Jr. plays Jake, the "Cannibal King" with strong romantic feelings for Violet. He brings another perspective to the story. "At its heart, 'Side Show' is about the exotification of marginalized people and how they learn to cope in Western civilization," he said. As Reshard Jr. explained, the musical does not

shy away from the tragedy of the Hilton sisters' lives. After years in show business, the twins were eventually abandoned by their final manager in North Carolina, where they worked as grocery store cashiers until their deaths from influenza in 1969. Yet "Side Show" also finds meaning in the relationships the sisters built, particularly among fellow performers who understood what it meant to be judged by society. Kellogg hopes audiences will leave knowing more about Daisy and Violet while reconsidering how they treat people whose experiences differ from their own. PenArts will also extend the production's carnival-inspired atmosphere beyond the stage with "The Spectacle," a series of free outdoor festivities planned before each performance, including specialty performers, music, oddities and carnival games that are open to the public.

PENARTS PRESENTS "SIDE SHOW"

WHAT: A musical about a pair of conjoined twins who were an attraction in a circus side show

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30-Sunday, Nov. 8 WHERE: The Gordon Community Art

Center, 306 N. De Villiers St.

COST: General admission $22 DETAILS: penarts.org inweekly.net

REFLECTING ON "GIANT ROBOT" WITH CO-FOUNDER MARTIN WONG

By C. Scott Satterwhite

Original Photo Courtesy of 309 Punk Project

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, "Giant Robot" was one of the most widely read zines in the country. With distribution across the world, "Giant Robot" helped shine a spotlight on Asian-American culture and Asian pop culture in a way few had done before. Behind the scenes of this influential zine was co-founder Martin Wong. In this interview, Wong speaks about "Giant Robot" and the work he's doing in zines today. INWEEKLY: How did you first get into zines? WONG: In high school, my brother and I started buying records by The Clash, The Jam and The Cure, and then started picking up Flipside and MRR, too, which informed us about more local stuff like Channel 3, Redd Kross and The Three O'Clock. We soaked in the low-budget aesthetic and got into subculture that way, but it was mostly just reading material. I did a little bit of mail-order, though. When I was writing a high school paper on vegetarianism, I sent an International Reply Coupon to the Animal Liberation Front for zines that I used as sources. I also stopped eating meat during the process and still don't. After graduating, I met Flipside's Joy Aoki at her birthday show … Joy and I became friends and, after learning that she edited textbooks for a publishing company, she encouraged me to contribute to the legendary L.A. punk zine. After that, I also contributed to the glossier 'Dirt,' which was run by Spike Jonze and Andy Jenkins and kind of like Sassy for boys, and a stapled-and-folded punk zine called 'Fear of Grown-Ups' that covered the DIY punk scene and, more specifically, shows at Jabberjaw, Macondo and the pizza place at UCLA. Eric Nakamura was a contributor and I'd see him at all those shows, too. INWEEKLY: Can you tell me about why you and Eric (Nakamura—your co-editor) started "Giant Robot"? WONG: Eric took pictures, worked in a photo lab and contributed to 'Ink Disease' and other zines. One day, he told me, 'I want to make a zine about October 29, 2026

Asian stuff.' I said, 'me, too' and that was it. It was kind of perfect because he took pics and was an East Asian Studies major, and I was a writer and editor and English major. We were both into punk rock and Asian stuff, and our interests were complementary. He was into really noise music, Japanese MMA and knew underground filmmakers like Jon Moritsugu and Gregg Araki. Meanwhile, punk bands like Green Day and Seam stayed at my house, I was into skateboarding, and I was obsessed with Hong Kong movies. INWEEKLY: Once you started the zine, it got pretty big after a while, but what were the early days of "Giant Robot" like? WONG: At first, we made the zine out of Eric's bedroom. I had a day job and would come by after work and on weekends. Friends would also contribute stuff that I would edit and Eric would lay out. Sometimes Eric's mom would cook for us and I'd even sleep over during deadlines. That's when Pryor would come over after work to do color balancing and friends could come over to proofread. We'd buy Thai food, Indian food or pizza for us and the helpers. Wendy [Wong's future wife] started coming after work to do layout, too. Even when the magazine got big, we never had a bigger staff than that. At our biggest and glossiest, we worked out of Eric's backyard garage. INWEEKLY: What were some of the challenges of having a successful zine (if a zine can even be called that)? WONG: Eric dealt with locating the best printers and handling distributors that went out of business. Kiyoshi, Margot and other friends who handled advertising dealt with chasing down payment. I just had fun planning, writing and editing the entire run, especially after issue 18 or so, when Wendy started doing the layout. We were a machine and, once an issue went to press, we were already onto the next one and had no idea how it was received by readers. Were issues loved? Hated? I couldn't tell, but we had a really long ride. The magazine lasted 16 years. Actually, one of the biggest challenges was when Eric started a higharc softball team in the L.A. Parks and Rec league. The ['Giant Robot' team] played against hotel workers, animal hospital offices and AA groups. I never played team sports before and had to learn how to pitch because no one else could. INWEEKLY: Even when "Giant Robot" was much bigger and with a larger circulation, what would you say kept it a zine versus a magazine, or do you see a difference? WONG: I'm not sure exactly when it went from being a zine to a magazine. When the pages got glossy? When the insides were full color? When we started getting ads from video game companies and Adidas? But the editorial never changed. It was always Eric and me writing about stuff we liked. I guess the part about being a magazine and not a zine really hit when distributors started going out of business, the cost of postage and

paper went up, and advertisers were directing their money to online outlets. We weren't making the zine just for fun anymore, and had to quit because it just wasn't affordable. Eric operates his store and art gallery on Sawtelle to this day, though. I had a real identity crisis, since the magazine was such a personal project for me. I called musician friends who were in bands that broke up and skateboarder friends whose teams bit the dust, too. In the end, I was okay because I was also a spouse and parent and could lean into those things. And in retrospect, I would have been a shitty spouse and parent if the magazine kept going. We had crazy hours and I wouldn't have walked away from it. INWEEKLY: You had a lot of amazing things happen with "Giant Robot" over the years. What was the coolest, the one you never would've expected when you started the zine? WONG: When we started making the little zine, I never thought I would be able to pay my modest bills with it or meet my wife there. I was editor but also Wendy's production assistant, meaning I imported all the copy and images into templates that she would totally redo. I knew that working as Wendy's helper meant I could make it as her spouse, too. When we got married, Eric was in the wedding party and gave a speech. Cover artist friend Dehara made our cake topper. Pro skateboarder and 'Giant Robot' contributor Ray Barbee played music during our ceremony and members of Versus, Jawbreaker and J Church played our wedding banquet. Contributors Dan Wu and Lisa S., who were making films and modeling in Hong Kong, flew over, too. It was a mega banquet with more than 200 guests and there were so many 'Giant Robot' contributors, artists and the softball team there to share the moment. INWEEKLY: The role "Giant Robot" played in bringing Asian pop culture to the center stage, not just in zines and punk, but throughout the culture, is less known. Can you talk about that? WONG: I'm not sure what difference we made in the mainstream, but it's always cool to discover or recall that current friends read the magazine back in the day. I got to know Tony from The Adolescents because he attended our Save Music in Chinatown shows, and then played two of them. One day we were getting coffee and pie and he showed me that his phone case had a super-old 'Giant Robot' sticker on it. Autry Fulbright, who I met when he was in OFF! and is now in Evil Island, accompanied Wendy and me to a 'Giant Robot' retrospective and exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum and revealed he was a die-hard reader, too. Academy Award-winner Shirley Kurata, who has styled my kid and nieces' band The Linda Lindas* a couple of times not only read the magazine but contributed a dog story, and Carly James, their booking agent at CAA, used to work at a 'Giant Robot' store. So even if we didn't necessarily break Chow Yun-Fat, Yoshitomo Nara or Karen O, we were read by a lot of interesting people who do really cool stuff. INWEEKLY: Concerning "Giant Robot" in particular, but also your work in zines and punk over the years, what are you most proud of?

WONG: Doing the Save Music in Chinatown shows was super cool because the all-ages DIY punk rock matinees supported the arts, public education and kids in the neighborhood where my immigrant grandparents and in-laws found community in the U.S. Chinatown is like a tight-knit small town right between City Hall and Dodger Stadium, and we got to build on its punk tradition but with little kids dancing in front like the Peanuts gang and a bake sale … Eloise, Lucia and Mila attended all the shows before The Linda Lindas formed, and then played a bunch of their earliest shows there, too. INWEEKLY: What's something about "Giant Robot" you wish people would ask you but haven't yet? WONG: I'm not sure if this answers your questions, but after the magazine ran its course we just kind of moved on. Eric kept doing his thing on Sawtelle and I moved on to other projects and jobs. But since the documentary and book came out, I've had opportunities to look back and appreciate the years Eric and I made the magazine, hang out with him now and then at screenings and signings, and also catch up with a lot of contributors, readers and supporters. It's amazing to hear people say that it was important to them, and now I think about how important it was to me and my family, too. I see a straight line from 'Giant Robot' to Save Music in Chinatown to the stuff that Eloise does with The Linda Lindas. The world often seems doomed but the power of going for it and doing it yourself but also with friends and family goes farther than you think. Somehow, we are going to Pensacola. *Martin Wong is the father of Eloise Wong, bass player of The Linda Lindas. The band will be performing at the HalloZine Fest Official Afterparty at The Handlebar at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Visit handlebar850.com for tickets.

"GIANT ROBOT" WAS JUST THE BEGINNING WHAT: A talk with Martin Wong during HalloZine Fest

WHEN: 12 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 WHERE: Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center, 117 E. Government St.

COST: Free to attend; advance

RSVPs are encouraged

DETAILS: 309punkproject.org

"GIANT ROBOT" DOCUMENTARY SCREENING AND Q&A

WHAT: A screening of the PBS film, presented in collaboration with HizashiCon

WHEN: 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 WHERE: The Consulate Building, 2 E. Wright St.

COST: Free to attend; advance

RSVPs are encouraged

DETAILS: 309punkproject.org, animepensacola.com

FOO FOO FEST 2026 CALENDAR foofoofest.com/2026-events day, Nov. 7 with a 1:30 p.m. dress rehearsal at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets and information available at pensacolasymphony.com.

FRIENDS OF FOO EVENTS Cosplay Repair Station Visit the West-

side Library, located at 1301 W. Gregory St. to fix your costume while out at events. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Available from Oct. 29-Nov. 9.

Wander the 52 World: Self-Guided Living Art Museum Tour Wander at your own pace and discover sculptures tucked throughout Inspire Apartments, Thrive Lofts and Evolve Townhomes during Foo Foo Fest, Oct. 29-Nov. 9. Tours start at The 52 World, 8511 Myslak Way.

Fall Harvest at Angelena's Executive

Night Moves Fest Neal Francis Original Photo by Jack Karnatz

FEATURED EVENTS Lightspill Visit Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox St., anytime Oct. 29-Nov. 9 to experience a special installation that "blurs the line between architecture and art." Visit foofoofest.com/2026event/lightspill for details. HalloZine Fest 2026: Pensacola Zine Festival Shop the zine market, listen

to keynote speakers, watch movies, listen to live music and more. Event is 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 (with an afterparty featuring The Linda Lindas at The Handlebar), and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Fest location is Voices of Pensacola, 101 E. Government St. Details available at 309punkproject.org.

Night Moves Fest The annual Night Moves Fest is a multi-day/multi-venue music festival taking place Oct. 29-Nov. 8. Get a full list of lineups and tickets at nightmovesfest.com.

Side Show PenArts presents a musical about

conjoined twins who hope for a "normal life" outside of their circus side show. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 and Nov. 3-7, and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 1 and 8 at The Gordon Community Center, 306 N. De Villiers St. Tickets available at penarts.org/tickets.

Science on the Street People of all ages can enjoy interactive exhibits located along the Palafox Street sidewalk between Garden and Main streets from Oct. 29-Nov. 8. Don't miss the sound booth 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30; 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2; and 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. Learn more about Pensacola MESS Hall at pensacolamesshall.org. HizashiCon Anime Festival

The three-day event celebrates Japanese pop culture and features music, cosplay and anime. 818 1

On Friday, there will be a special screening of the documentary "Giant Robot." Event is Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at the First United Methodist Church's Wright Place, 6 E. Wright St. Purchase tickets and see a full lineup of events at animepensacola.com.

Carnival of the Animals Ballet Pensacola's young talent transforms into a menagerie of animal wonder. Performances are 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1; 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2; and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 at The Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets available at balletpensacola.org. Exploring the Wonder of STEAM

Visit the Pensacola Museum of Art to explore the combination of contemporary art and science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). The kick-off event is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4; artist talk is 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5; a panel discussion and community party is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6; and Saturday, Nov. 7 is STEAM Day at the museum with ticketed workshops. Located at 407 S. Jefferson St. Details available at pensacolamuseum.org.

Rock the Runway Pensacola Opera mixes fashion with performing arts for this annual event 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets available at pensacolaopera.com. Living Museum 2026: Anchored in History Wander the Pensacola Museum

of History and meet costumed interpreters who share first-person tales of local history. Event is 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 at the museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. Details available at fiestapensacola.org.

Mozart & Bizet Pensacola Symphony

Orchestra celebrates classical and neo-classical styles of music. The concert is 7:30 p.m. Satur-

Chef Ian Gillette presents a five-course dinner with wine pairings 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 at Angelena's, 101 E. Intendencia St. Details available at angelenaspensacola.com.

Boo in the City Haunted Walking Tours Learn about Pensacola's spooky his-

tory with nightly tours 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 through 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. Purchase tickets at pensacolaghostevents.com.

Stella Chalice Painting Paint your own

Stella Artois chalice 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. The event is free.

Symphony & Song Pensacola Symphony

Jazz by the Books Joe Occhipinti and his Jazzabouts perform at the Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. 12-2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5.

Pensacola Library Card Holders

Make your own Pensacola-themed felt library card holder 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 at Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway.

A.B.C. Beverage Tastings at The Fish House featuring Tanqueray Gin Classes are 5 p.m. and 7

p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Seating is limited. Make your reservations by calling (850) 287-0200 or emailing taylor@goodgrits.com.

A Great Southern Dinner Jackson's

Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St., presents a onenight-only culinary event 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. Cost is $125 per person. To secure your reservation, call (850) 469-9898 or visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.

Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival

The three-day juried art show is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. Children's Festival hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 at Seville Square. Visit ggaf.org for details.

Whooo Done it? A Bellview Library Mystery Enjoy this come-and-

go family-friendly mystery at Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

Orchestra presents a free concert 1-2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Sanders Beach Resource Center, 913 S. I St.

Paint Your Own Pelican Event is 4:30

Lucky Dog Photo Shoot Visit O'Riley's downtown, 321 S. Palafox St. 4-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 for a free photo-op with your furry friend.

Sips of the Season: A Fall Cocktail Class Event is 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 at Sir

Jazz for Justice Celebrate a day of jazz

and support Legal Services of North Florida with the annual Jazz for Justice 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Details and tickets available at jazz.lsnf.org.

Holiday Open House Visit Fiore, 405

S. K St. for a holiday open house featuring Colette Café, Marny's Chocolates, Suze's Jewelry Vault, Erika Ceramics and butter sculptor Laura Hydle. The open house is 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4. Details available at fioreofpensacola.com.

Make Your Own Paint Learn to make your own watercolors in this workshop for ages 8 and up. Event is 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Tryon Library, 1200 Langley Ave. Beach Sand Keepsakes Make your own sand craft 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway.

p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 at Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway.

Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Ages 21 and up. Tickets available at sirrichardslounge.com.

11 Days: The Story of Operation Pineapple Express Play written and per-

formed by Ret. Ltc. Scott Mann about the 2021 rescue mission in Kabul. Performance is 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. Learn more at pensacolastate.edu.

Bourbon, Bacon & Cigars Event is 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $70 and available at orileyspub.com. Pensacola Community Day Fandom Dance Party Celebrate pop

culture and creativity with a high-energy dance party 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Gull Point Resource Center, 7000 Spanish Trail. Visit facebook.com/qldpresents. {in} inweekly.net

October 29, 2026

November 6, 7 & 8 November in Pensacola means art — a juried art show, live music, heritage arts, delicious food, and kids’ activities. And it’s all free. —————— Painting, sculpture, jewelry, the Pensacola Symphony, crafts from the past, great food – all the arts come together at in downtown Pensacola. The juried art show draws nearly 200 of the nation’s best artists. —————— The 2026 Festival poster is by Hua-Yao Tung from Valrico, Florida. Tung is a graduate of the Fine Art Department of Taiwan Normal University. —————— The 2026 invited International Artist is Mandy Bangerter, a textile artist from the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. —————— The Children’s Arts Festival offers free hands-on art projects for kids of all ages plus entertainment just for kids! ——————

Major Sponsors

Friday and Saturday: 9am–5pm Sunday: 9am–4pm Children’s Festival: Saturday: 10am–4pm. Sunday: 10am–3pm. ——————

Seville Square • Admission is Free

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October 29, 2026

free will astrology WEEK OF OCTOBER 29 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): For centuries,

Japanese craftspeople have cultivated an ethos called shokunin kishitsu: a devotion to skilled work, lifelong learning and continual refinement. The pursuit of perfection is less about reaching a final state than about bringing ever greater care and precision to the work. In traditional carpentry, this can mean years of learning to make joints whose quality resides in their strength and durability even though no customer will ever notice. I suggest you try out this attitude, Aries. Pour extra focus into details, regardless of whether anyone will applaud them. For Halloween, be a blacksmith, artisan, or eccentric inventor.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): How do the

oldest trees live for so many years? What's their secret to longevity? They're very adaptable. During storms, they bend without breaking. During droughts, they slow down their growth. Cultivating alliances with fungi is one of their brilliant tactics. You're in an opportune phase to favor this approach to strength and endurance, Taurus. Here's what I propose: weave gleaming strands of buoyant resilience into your fervent willpower. Experiment with yielding strategically rather than resisting reflexively. Boost your soulful power through flexibility and adaptability. For Halloween, be an ancient oak tree, forest guardian, or mushroom spirit.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): When archaeologists unearth a fresh batch of ancient artifacts, they never find a complete civilization in one dramatic moment. Each object or bone fragment helps explain another. A piece of pottery illuminates the meaning of an inscription. A broken staircase reveals why buildings were constructed as they were. Through educated guesswork and chains of association, knowledge accumulates. I invite you to wield your curiosity in the same way, Gemini. Treasure the sequence of little discoveries that gradually reshape your overall understanding. Have eager faith that every clue will lead you to further clues. For Halloween, be an archaeologist, paleontologist, or investigator of crime scenes. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Researchers studying wolves have found that play remains

By Rob Brezsny

essential to them throughout their lives. Mature wolves wrestle, chase and invent games that strengthen trust and sharpen cooperation. They never graduate from joyful experimentation. I hope their friskiness inspires you to remember, dear Cancerian, that serious responsibilities don't require a terminally serious personality. That's especially crucial to keep in mind now. I invite you to bring maximum amounts of playful intelligence into everything you value. Laugh during challenging conversations. Invent rituals that nobody else would think of. Observe the true rule: amused delight generates an atmosphere where meaningful work may become exceptional. For Halloween, be a playful wolf.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Peacocks' extrava-

gant feathers are beautiful displays that also communicate health, vitality and genetic resilience. They're excellent role models for you. You should never apologize for expressing your charisma with style and theatrical flair. As long as your outer brilliance reflects inner vitality, your radiance will nourish rather than intimidate others. Authentic glamour is a public service. For Halloween, be a sun deity, lion monarch, or glamorous ringmaster.

Boost your soulful power through flexibility and adaptability. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): "Dear Oracle: I am obsessed with improving things. I tinker with systems that already work fine. I wake at 3 a.m. and catalog details I could have done better. My results are never ultimate enough. Please offer tips to help me find rest. —Drooping Purist." Dear Drooping: The autumn season is your teacher. The harvest is in; the fields are meant to lie fallow. Nothing more can be improved by force. Growth happens underground, invisibly. In that spirit, I invite you to practice the radical art of leaving at least one thing gloriously alone so it can work its magic outside the reach of your conscious awareness. For Halloween, be a scarecrow who stands serenely in the harvested field, watching over everything, accomplishing its whole purpose by being present.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): If you've spent years regretting the moment a friend took credit for your best idea, that sting may finally lose its hold on you. If an opportunity you earned was handed to someone else, you may soon receive recognition in a form you never anticipated. And if an ancient family legend claims you were doomed to repeat the same mistake forever, you can now break that pattern. The days ahead favor overdue adjustments. Watch for turns of fortune that don't erase what happened, but change what it means, and what becomes possible next. For Halloween, be an exorcist. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): This is your

high holy season, Scorpio, which also happens to be the time when the veil is thinnest between this world and the other world. Others find this eerie, but you've always been at home here. You know how to explore the deepest depths, how to abide with what's buried and hidden and how to find treasure in the dark. In the coming weeks, your natural power to perceive what's concealed will be amplified. For Halloween, be a psychopomp: a keeper of the threshold, a soul-guide draped in shadow and starlight who walks comfortably between the living and the dead.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Early balloonists had little control over the direction of their flights. They couldn't steer horizontally. But they found that changing altitude allowed them to catch different winds moving in different directions. The smartest way to change course was to rise or descend. Keep that image close, Sagittarius. If you can't alter external circumstances directly, shift your perspective or your social environment. A new current may be waiting higher or lower than where you've been drifting. For Halloween, be a hot-air balloon pilot, comet rider, sky pirate, or bird god like the Hindu Garuda. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Life must both perpetuate itself and surpass itself. Capricorn philosopher Simone de Beauvoir said that. We need continuity, but we also need transcendence. This beautifully encapsulates your assignment in the coming months. Your fun job will be to continue honoring the commitments that anchor your life while also making room for an exhilarating experiment or two. Make stabil-

ity your launching pad rather than your destination. For Halloween, be the person you will be three years from now.

A new current may be waiting higher or lower than where you've been drifting. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Inventors often describe breakthroughs arriving after weeks or months of seemingly unproductive tinkering. Clearly, their subconscious minds kept working on the puzzles even while their conscious minds felt frustrated. Eventually, a fresh arrangement appeared as if by magic. I suspect you're approaching a threshold like that. Your experiments have been subliminally educating your intuition. The solution that's searching for you may be cleverer than the one you've been searching for. For Halloween, be a time traveler, benevolent extraterrestrial, or eccentric professor. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Travelers crossing dark marshes on foot may report eerie, flickering lights hovering over the bog. Science explains these will-o'-the-wisps as gases from decaying matter that ignites in the night air. Folklore provides other theories: they're spiritlanterns, fairy lights, the lamps of the dead, or beckoning wanderers. I believe you're in a similar liminal zone these days. Science and magic are both at work. Truth may take the form of both inexplicable mystery and fascinating anomalies that light your way. Be open to both! For Halloween, be a will-o'-the-wisp made flesh: a glowing spirit of the marsh draped in mist and lanternlight, beautiful and uncanny. HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Instead of hunting for what you want, make yourself irresistible to it. tinyurl.com/y88y88y {in}

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news of the weird THE FAST AND THE FOOLISH Two people suspected to be connected to a street-racing investigation in Phoenix, Arizona, fled a traffic stop, led detectives on a short pursuit and smashed into a Scottsdale Airport security gate on Oct. 17, ABC 15 reported. According to the Phoenix Police Department, members of the Street Racing Taskforce were conducting surveillance when they spotted a Dodge Challenger going 37 mph in a 65 mph zone. The Challenger's driver refused to stop, leading the detectives on a pursuit. Stalled upon reaching a locked gate at Scottsdale Airport, the driver reportedly backed into a law enforcement vehicle before driving through the gate and making their way onto the runway, nearly hitting several planes before the car crashed into a hangar door. Not yet finished, the Challenger smashed into a private jet before finally coming to a stop. The suspects—Liberty Still, 33, and Michael Wall, 24—face multiple felony charges. [ABC 15, 10/18/26] FOUR-LEGGED FUGITIVE A baby goat escaped from its yard and found its way to DiChiaro School's playground in Yonkers, New York, where it chased students on Oct. 8, Daily Voice reported. According to a social media post by the Yonkers Police Department, "Apparently, this little guy decided the grass was greener on the other side of the fence, escaped from a neighboring yard, and took himself on an unauthorized field trip to the school playground where he began chasing students!" The children, who chanted, "Let's go, cops!" during the roundup were treated to a spontaneous demonstration of the emergency service unit's equipment and vehicles after the four-legged fugitive was returned home. [Daily Voice, 10/14/26] GIANT GOURD ON THE LOOSE A two-storytall inflatable jack-o'-lantern came loose from its tethers and went for a bit of a sightseeing amble in Cary, North Carolina, on Oct. 11, the Associated Press reported. In a video posted on social media, the giant orange pumpkin with the classic black grin is seen rolling in the background along a fence, by a church and down a road. The footage of the lantern-on-the-lam has gathered a lot of internet attention. "It's the best advertising we could ask for," said Michael Phillips, owner of Phillips Farms. "I still wake up every morning ... and have 80 to 150 notifications of people commenting on the videos." Phillips said his employees had the situation contained in less than a minute and no one was in danger. The inflatable is now safely secured with Phillips' own equipment. [AP, 10/15/26] WHAT'S IN THAT TACO? In Austin, Texas, a customer is suing Torchy's Tacos for $250,000 after finding a cow's tooth in their taco, KVUE reported on Oct. 15. According to the lawsuit, the customer was "grossed out and sickened" after discovering the bovine tooth in the barbacoa taco they ordered. That particular taco contains meat derived from beef cheek, according to Torchy's. In a statement sent to KVUE from Torchy's Tacos, they said, "Upon receiving the guest complaint,

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

we conducted a thorough review and identified the item as a cow tooth. This can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare." The lawyer for the customer said he hopes the lawsuit isn't necessary and that Torchy's takes accountability. [KVUE, 10/15/26] YOUNG AT HEART A 99-year-old woman became the world's oldest wing walker after an employee at her assisted living facility urged her to consider trying it, SWNS reported on Oct. 16. Helga Duffy of Devizes in Wiltshire, England, was strapped to a biplane in the air for more than five minutes, earning her a Guinness World Record. Duffy also raised about $2,000 for the regional Air Ambulance charity for her feat. Duffy said, "I thought this was the last time I can do something different." The world record certificate is being displayed at the assisted living facility to remind others that age is just a number. [SWNS, 10/16/26] UPDATE Earlier this month, we brought you a story about Brady Rogers of Kelowna, British Columbia, who was running for city council with campaign signs adorned with slogans such as "I Barely Want To Do This." Well, voters have spoken, and Rogers has been elected. He came in fourth out of 37 candidates, with the top eight earning spots on the council. On Oct. 17, Rogers posted a video of himself on social media saying, "I guess I'm on council now." CBC reported that while Rogers' campaign run was humorous, his platform was built on serious ideas involving homelessness, transit, housing and taxation. [CBC, 10/20/26] FOR THE BIRDS An emu named Eddie escaped from his home and ambled onto a mountain bike trail at Mitchell Memorial Forest in Cleves, Ohio, Cincinnati Enquirer reported. Great Parks of Hamilton County staff members spotted Eddie on the trail and safely got him home on the afternoon of Oct. 19. They said he had escaped during the weekend. [Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/20/26] •CBS News reported that a large green bird attacked passengers in Chicago O'Hare Airport on Oct. 13—and, of course, the event was caught on video. The bird can be seen perching on the heads of travelers waiting in the Air France check-in line, sometimes landing on their luggage. Paris Elbert, an O'Hare employee, said, "You know, everybody's just like 'oh, the bird is so cute' and every time somebody got close, the bird just started attacking, going berserk. A lot of people wanted to get the bird, but every time they tried to either grab the bird or be nice to the bird, the bird chose fight, not flight." The bird is suspected of flying through an open door from the outside. Eventually, a janitor used her shirt to capture the feisty flyer and take it to a veterinarian. [CBS News, 10/16/26] {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com October 29, 2026

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