Inweekly Sept. 19 2019 Issue by Inweekly

Independent News | September 19, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 37

FREE â–¶

winners & losers

outtakes

news 6, 8

I mean, every month this year is the hottest month.

buzz

cover feature 13

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Michael Daw

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp, Sydney Robinson

a&e 17

Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. ÂŠ 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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September 19, 2019

BURGERS AND BORDEAUX

winners & losers

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winners FRIENDS OF THE ESCAMBIA COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER Florida Animal Friends

awarded a $25,000 grant to Friends of the Escambia County Animal Shelter for the Spay Neuter Initiative Pensacola, or SNIP. This grant will enable SNIP to provide high-quality, low-cost and accessible spay and neuter services to low-income families residing in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. These services will be provided for $25 per pet until funds from the grant run out.

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MCARTHUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The school and its PTA have been recognized by National PTA as a School of Excellence. The program supports partnerships between PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being for all students. Schools and their PTAs must team up and enroll in this eight-step, year-long program. At McArthur, they deployed a baseline survey, set objectives, followed a "Roadmap to Excellence" and conducted a second survey as parts of their action plan for school improvement. DIXON SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Cox Communications employees

have awarded a total of $10,000 in grants to local schools through Cox Charities Innovation in Education Grants. The program provides employee-funded grants of up to $2,500 for classroom programs and curriculum that encourage and promote students' ingenuity and imagination. Last spring, schools were invited to submit applications for funding. Dixon received funding for their Dixon School Garden, which is used by the culinary arts program to teach biology, math and chemistry.

losers PURDUE PHARMA The maker of the painkiller OxyContin filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York as part of its framework for settling litigation with multiple states and governments. After bankruptcy filings are complete, the company estimates it will provide more than $10 billion in funding to address the opioid crisis, which will include settlements with 24 state attorneys general, officials from five US territories and the multi-district litigation, according to a statement released by the company. Meanwhile, CNN reported that the New York attorney general's office is trying to determine how much money the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, have. UNLIMITED SCHOOL BOARD TERMS

Rep. Anthony Sabatini filed a proposed constitutional amendment (HR 157) that would impose eight-year term limits on school board members. If the proposal passes the House and Senate, it will go on the November 2020 ballot because imposing term limits would require amending the state Constitution. Had the issue been passed by voters in 2018, Escambia County School Board members Bill Slayton (three terms) and Patti Hightower (four terms) would have had to step down next year.

WILBUR ROSS The Commerce Secretary strong-armed NOAA into supporting President Donald Trump's insistence that Alabama was in Hurricane Dorian's path. According to media reports, Ross threatened acting NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs and his staff with termination unless they corrected statements made by its Birmingham office that the storm wouldn't impact Alabama.

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

LOSING THE PAST & FUTURE My brother Rob Outzen passed away last week while on a business trip in Portland, Oregon. When I prepared to write this column, I came across this quote that rang true: “When a parent dies, you lose the past. When a child dies, you lose the future. When a sibling dies, you lose the past and the future.” Rob was third among the Outzen siblings. My father had an affinity for the old Charlie Chan movies and found it easier to assign the four older sons a number—Rick #1 son, Hugh #2 son, Rob #3 son and Martin #4 son. Collectively, we were known as the “brothers,” and our two youngest siblings, Drew and Susan, who were born 11 months apart in 1969, were referred to as the “little ones.” Our father passed away in 1980, and our mother died a few years ago. Dealing with our parents’ deaths was difficult, and we did lose a bit of our past with their passing. However, I never thought of losing a brother or sister. The hole in our hearts is very different. Rob was both our past and future. The age range of the “brothers” was six years, so we all grew up together—sliding down the Mississippi River levees on cardboard boxes, playing “army” at the Vicksburg National Military Park and spending

one week each summer in a cinder-block house on Pensacola Beach. We fought, teased and mostly laughed at the weird predicaments the Outzen family often found itself. As #3 son, Rob had to carve out his way different from all of us. He worked on river towboats, in lumber yards and retail. Rob got to see the country as a field auditor for Goodyear Tire and Rubber, rising to the level of senior auditor for North America. My brother and his wife Vickie loved cruises and traveled extensively. Rob probably was the most practical of the “brothers” and had a down-to-earth leadership style. He genuinely cared about the people around him and easily won their respect and friendship. This spring, Rob and Vickie sold the home in Colorado and had decided to live in Gulf Breeze full time. Rob and I had set up monthly lunches and had begun to reconnect and talk about bringing all the family together for a reunion. We talked about our futures a lot. I’ll miss his sly smile, the twinkle in his eyes when he shared a story and the visual connection he provided to my family history. It’s a loss I will never get over. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Rob probably was the most practical of the “brothers” and had a down-to-earth leadership style. He genuinely cared about the people around him and easily won their respect and friendship.

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THE DIFFERENCE 10 YEARS MAKE the county since has had eight administratorsâ€”Bob McLaughlin, Randy Oliver, George Touart (interim), Larry Newsom (interim), Jack Brown, Amy Lovoy (interim), Matt Coughlin (interim) and Janice Gilley. On a positive note, the Board of County Commissioners stayed fairly stable for the 10-year period. Three chose not to seek additional termsâ€”Kevin White (2010), Marie Young (2010) and Wilson Robertson (2016). Robinson decided not to seek a fourth term and was elected mayor last year. Only twoterm incumbent Commissioner Gene Valentino lost his seat in an election (2014). This year's survey shows the participants' confidence in local government, with 63% believing the county and city are headed in the right direction.

Right Direction Wrong Track Not Sure

City of Pensacola Right Direction Wrong Track Not Sure

Maritime Park / Courtesy Photo

By Rick Outzen The Pensacola Young Professionals released on Tuesday, Sept. 17, the 2019 Quality of Life Survey, and the results reflect how much attitudes have changed over the past decade. Funded by Quint and Rishy Studer, the survey seeks to measure the attitudes of Escambia County voters toward our local economy and elected leaders and the pros and cons of our area's quality of life. Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, located in Washington D.C., conducts the survey on behalf of PYP, interviewing 800 Escambia County voters by telephone. The in-depth phone interviews obtain residents' views on the direction of our city and county; the job performance of our mayor, council, superintendent and commission; the economic conditions in our county; and the best and worst aspects of our community, ranging from public schools to natural beauty to cultural diversity. The data has helped public discussion of issues concerning our quality of life. The Pensacola and Escambia of 2009 were very different from our community today, and the survey shows how much we have progressed in 10 years.

RIGHT OR WRONG DIRECTION

In the summer of 2009, Escambia County and Pensacola were debating how to retool local government. The city's Charter Review Commission was finetuning the final draft of its proposal to replace the city-manager form of government with one led by an elected mayor as the city's chief executive officer. Groups were also discussing another push for consolidation that would combine city and county governments. Though city voters had approved building the Community Maritime Park three years earlier, the project had been mired in red tape, lawsuits and petition drives, and the city had yet to break ground on the multi-use stadium. The 2009 Quality of Life survey reflected the community's frustrations, with only about one out of three believing we were heading in the right direction. A decade later, Pensacola has elected its second "strong mayor," Grover Robinson. The Vince Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park has been opened seven years. The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have been honored numerous times for its fan experience and operations and is considered one of the top MLB minor league franchises. Downtown Pensacola is enjoying a renaissance. However, the consolidation effort failed to win support from the city council and county commission to even make it to a ballot, and

Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Don't Know

2009 2019

35% 63% 48% 23% 18% 14%

2009 2019

30% 63% 47% 21% 24% 16%

Effective leadership from elected officials 2009 2019

Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Don't Know

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY

CONCERN ABOUT JOB SECURITY

RIGHT DIRECTION OR WRONG TRACK Escambia County

expansion and is on track to employ 10,000 people by 2020. ST Engineering Aerospace opened its doors last year, and Mayor Robinson has secured funding to build additional aviation maintenance hangars. Unemployment has dropped to 3.5%. The Quality of Life survey reflects the economic turnaround. {in}

0% 22% 38% 39% 1%

4% 37% 40% 14% 4%

Very Concerned Some What Concerned Not Too Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure

The nation was battling a recession in 2009, and Escambia County wasn't spared. In July 2009, unemployment hit 10%. Thousands of workers had been laid off by Solutia, WayneDalton, Pensacola News Journal, GE Wind, International Paper and other employers. According to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, nearly 7,000 fewer people were working by the end of the year than in 2008. Commissioner Gene Valentino proposed pulling economic development away from the Pensacola Chamber and establishing the Pensacola Economic Development Agency that would operate under the county, but he failed to win the support of his fellow commissioners. Today our economy is on the upswing. Economic development was separated from the chamber in 2014 and placed under the FloridaWest Economic Development Authority. Navy Federal Credit Union continues its

2009 2019

39% 27% 19% 15% 1%

21% 31% 21% 22% 5%

SUCCESS IN ADDRESSING NEW CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Escambia County Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Don't Know

City of Pensacola

ECONOMY

2009 2019

0% 2% 10% 33% 50% 46% 35% 19% 5% 1%

Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Don't Know

2009 2019

0% 9% 33% 58% 0%

5% 27% 44% 24% 1%

2009 2019

0% 7% 42% 50% 1%

8% 32% 39% 20% 2%

A SHARED VISION AND EFFECTIVE PLANS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Don't Know

2009 2019

0% 12% 32% 50% 6%

5% 27% 45% 15% 8%

The 2019 Quality of Life Survey is available online at pensacolayp.com. inweekly.net

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September 19, 2019

PENSACOLA JOINS GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE

Climate Strike in the Philippines / Courtesy Photo

By Jeremy Morrison In August 2018, Greta Thunberg decided to ditch school for three weeks. Instead of attending classes each day, the then 15-yearold student sat in front of the Swedish parliament to protest the lack of action being taken to address the issue of climate change. By September, Thunberg had decided to evolve her strike into an every-Friday event until Swedish environmental policies aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement from two years earlier. Over the past year, Thunberg has become a darling of the environmental movement, and her Friday protests have sparked a global movement, with students around the world staging climate strikes under the banner Fridays for Future. On multiple occasions, there have been events coordinated worldwide in the spirit of Thunberg's Friday climate strikes. Last May, Jett Zhang, a senior at Pensacola High School, helped plan one of these events locally. On Sept. 20, there will be another such event in Pensacola. "This time, we're not just asking students. Anybody can come," Zhang said, "just to bring everyone's voice to the table because the issue affects everyone." The local rally, scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. in downtown's Plaza de Luna, is part of a larger weeklong global climate strike event scheduled to kick off that day and run through the following Friday. Local students are planning it, in coordination with environmental organizations 350 Pensacola and Healthy Gulf, and will feature speakers and music. "The event is really about the youth, 88

letting them take charge," said Christian Wagley, who is affiliated with both Healthy Gulf and the local 350 group. A week before the local climate strike event, Wagley was at Open Books bookstore with a group of volunteers painting signs for the event. He noted that The CLEO Institute has been lined up for the local rally. "They're an awesome group out of Miami," Wagley said, explaining that the group will be gathering signatures on its Florida Climate Pledge. The climate pledge asks people to commit to supporting environmental initiatives such as setting a 100% renewable energy goal by 2050. Wagley plans to take CLEO to Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-FL) office while they're in town to see if the conservative congressman will sign the pledge. Unlike some of his fellow GOPers, Gaetz has stated that he buys into the science supporting the concept of climate change. Still, though, Wagley isn't expecting any miracles. "It's all the free-market solutions he promotes, nothing regulatory," Wagley said. Looking up from the poster he's working on, a young volunteer wades into the conversation. "Is that an OK position to have?" he asked. "It's going to take a mix, right?" Wagley said, before clarifying that the issue of climate change will ultimately demand regulatory measures, such as carbon taxes. "But Gaetz would be totally opposed. It's all free market." The volunteer returns to his artwork. Laid out up and down a long table are posters and signs in progress. One alludes to there being "no Planet B," while another features a polar bear.

a futuristic theoretical, but rather something they're already starting to deal with. "I mean, every month this year is the hottest month," Ballard laughs. At the end of the table, an older woman smiled at the comment. "These are the voices. These are the voices that people need to hear," said Joanne Peele. "A lot of seniors are not really interested in what young people have to say. It's absolutely imperative that we listen." It's this element of youth that Wagley is hoping works in climate activists' favor— both globally and locally. "There's nothing like youth, the purity of youth, the dynamic it brings to it," Wagley said. "It's hard for elected officials to dismiss them as easily because they're so damn adorable." This is why a person like Thunberg has taken the popular consciousness by storm and inspired a movement. And perhaps youth can harness that kind of energy on the local level as well. "The big, huge stuff is hard for individual people to do," Wagley said. "But at the local level, we can do things." Wagley suggested that perhaps local youth could co-op Thunberg's Fridays for Future concept and move it to Thursdays with the intent of attending local government meetings scheduled for that day. Specifically, he'd like to see them push the Pensacola City Council to take action on recommendations stemming from the city's climate change task force. "Because nothing's been done, they haven't done anything yet," said Wagley, who served on Mayor Grover Robinson's mayoral transition team as the point person on environmental issues. Two of the top items coming out the city's climate change task force—which Wagley also recommended as part of his transition team report—was a renewable energy goal as well as taking a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for city operations. Thus far, Robinson has been resistant to embracing such measures. "He's resistant to that, so, you know, he's going to need to be pushed on it," Wagley said. Maybe, the environmental activist reasoned, it'd be more difficult to say no to environmental issues if the demands were being made by the youth, by people who will be feeling the brunt of today's inaction. "We're regressing at the federal level," Wagley said. "Right now, the only hope in getting action on climate change is at the local level. And we have a hope with the city." {in}

"One of them is painting a picture of Greta," said Sandra Adams, president of 350 Pensacola. Adams is hoping that the local student population recognizes the need to participate in the climate change discussion. And she's hoping a number of them will see their way to the Sept. 20 rally. "I sure hope so. We're trying our best to get more youth involved," Adams said. "We really need them." The local 350 president is also wondering if people beyond the youth movement will participate in the rally. Nationally, groups of employees with companies such as Amazon have come out in support of striking, but Adams isn't sure how many people will be walking off their jobs locally. "I don't know. I'm curious about that," she said. "The national [350 organization] is making it that, wanting everybody to leave their jobs. But it started as a youth thing, obviously." Adams feels that the climate change issue is gaining increasingly more attention—pointing specifically to a climate change report released recently by the United Nations and a climate assessment released in the U.S. as raising people's awareness—but keeps waiting for people to give it the attention she feels it deserves. "I keep thinking it's gonna take off, you know?" Adams said. "This year seems to be kind of a tipping point. Maybe it was those two reports that came out." WHAT: A rally focused on climate change, in Grover Ballard, a young volunteer coordination with a week of global climate strikes wearing a Dead Kennedys t-shirt, WHEN: 4 -6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20 comments that the impacts of climate WHERE: Plaza de Luna, 900 S. Palafox change seem to be roundly recogDETAILS: globalclimatestrike.net nized within his generation. It's not

PENSACOLA CLIMATE STRIKE

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This award is open to all businesses that have started within the last two years and has either found a niche area to focus on, brought a fantastic new product to market, or has overcome the odds to achieve success.

The entrepreneur of the year has excelled and shown distinction and success in his or her enterprise thanks to creative problem-solving and business flair.

Non-Profit of the Year Micro-Business of the Year With fewer than 10 employees, micro businesses are vitally important contributors to the economy. Micro-business of the year has become distinguished by recognizing a business marked by its ability to flourish regardless of size and possesses a flair for spotting opportunities in its chosen niche market chosen niche market.

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Family Business of the Year A family-owned business that now includes, or has included, more than one generation, and whose policies and business practices have had a positive impact on business and the community.

Employer of the Year Businesses can reap rewards by offering employees outstanding training programs, progression monitoring and continuous career prospects. Employers recognized in this award category inspire and motivate their staff by enabling career expansion, operating equal opportunity strategies and understanding the importance of a work-life balance.

Pensacola has many outstanding nonprofits, and this award will be given to the one that has shown their dedication to improving the quality of life in our community.

Minority-Owned Business of the Year This award recognizes a minority-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement in the community.

Female-Owned Business of the Year This award recognizes a women-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement in the community.

Veteran-Owned Business of the Year This award recognizes a veteran-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement in the community.

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Starting a new venture under the age of 30 is a significant achievement. This award recognizes a small business owner who has successfully launched and grown their business before their 30th birthday.

Smart Business of the Year This Cox Business Award recognizes a business that has used advanced or cutting-edge technology to advance their business or make a difference in their industry.

The John Myslak Award for Servant Leadership Please nominate the person you think most personifies a leader who enriches the lives of others, builds better organizations, and ultimately helps create a more just and caring world. This is what our friend and colleague John Myslak meant to us.

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The Studer Community Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. September 19, 2019

Carl Hiaasen / Photo Courtesy UWF

MAYOR LOCO Award-winning newspaper

columnist Carl Hiaasen last Thursday visited Pensacola as part of the University of West Florida Seligman First Amendment Lecture Series. Inweekly got a few minutes with him to discuss some of his memorable columns for the Miami Herald. He talked about getting denounced by a resolution of the Miami City Commission after writing about corruption in the city. "Commissioner Joe Carollo, who is still a figure in Miami politics, got all exercised about it. He saw it as some sort of slur against the integrity of the community, so they passed a resolution condemning me," shared Hiaasen. "I was so proud of it that I asked my book publisher, 'Can we put that on the back of the next book jacket as a blurb?' To actually get this kind of condemnation from somebody like Joe Carollo, in the Miami City Commission, I considered it to be a high honor." He continued, "Most of what I did pissed somebody off. I did a column once because the mayor, at one point, started acting a little eccentric and a bit obsessed about what the Herald was writing about him, including my

columns, and he had shown up in the lobby of the Herald, in the early morning hours, wearing a bathrobe, to get one of the first editions of the paper to see what had been written about him." Smiling, Hiassen said that even in Miami, a bathrobe appearance was unusual. He said, "And so, I think I wrote a column, and I referred to him from then on as "Mayor Loco," and he, I believe, may have even filed a lawsuit, but it was dismissed, of course." In fairness, the columnist later used the "loco" moniker to label his boss. "When the publisher of our newspaper, later on, decided he might float the idea of running for governor, then I did a column about our own publisher and referred to him as "Publisher Loco." He added, "So I felt that I was evenhanded in my tastelessness. And every word of that column ran exactly as I wrote it, which is not always the case. Very few papers would let the columnist write about the publisher and refer to him as crazy, and then the Herald did, which is a measure of the journalistic integrity of the paper."

BERRYHILL COMPLEX FOR SALE The Santa Rosa County School District, represented by Scoggins III, Inc., is offering the former Berryhill Administrative Complex for sale by bid. In 2018, the SRC School District purchased and consolidated its administrative functions to the Douglas Dillon Administrative Center, formerly the old Food World Building, at 6032 U.S. 90, in Milton. This move allowed the former Administrative complex located at 6751 Berryhill Street to be declared surplus and sold to the offeror, whose offer best meets the goals of the Santa Rosa County School Board. A bid package is available at scogginsrealestate.com/berryhill. The offering package includes environmental information, appraisals, structural reports, a title commitment, zoning information and the

proposed Agreement for Sale and Purchase, along with much more information. For an offeror or buyer to be considered, final bids must be delivered before 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, and the selected bid is scheduled to appear for consideration and acceptance before the Santa Rosa County School Board at its regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 24. There is no minimum bid, however, for the 2019 tax year, the Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser has assessed the value of the site and improvements at $1,220,753. For more information, email scogginsiiire@gmail.com.

HAAS DEEP DIVES ON HISPANIC POPULATION The Hispanic population in the

Escambia County area is not huge. It accounts for just over 5% of the population. But that's projected to change in the coming years. "It is the most rapidly-growing population segment in Escambia County," said Amy Newburn, director of market research with the University of West Florida's Haas Center. "The pattern is going to be striking." Coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Haas Center has released a collection of data relating to the local Hispanic community. As the organization has done for the African American community, women and veterans, it assessed information concerning population numbers, as well as educational, economical and professional particulars. As of 2018, the total Hispanic origin of Escambia County was at 5.9%, or 18,794 individuals. In the next five years, by 2023, that percentage is expected to grow to 6.6%. To put that in context, the same population was at 2.7% in 2000 and 4.7% in 2010. The Haas Center also broke down the local Hispanic population number by country of origin. Individuals hail from a range of locales, such as Central and South America, as well as Cuba and Mexico. By far, most of the local populationâ€”42%,

nearly 8,000 peopleâ€”hails from Mexico, with the next largest population, at 21.4%, being from Puerto Rico. The remaining Hispanic population is split between a number of countries, with 7% coming from South American countries and 8.2% from Central American countries. Insofar as economics, the Haas Center found that the local Hispanic population is bringing in a combined $315,849,100, as of 2017, in household income. When looking at median household incomes, the Hispanic population falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum when compared to other segments of the population. The median household income for Hispanics is $37,147, while for the total population, it's $47,361. To further break those numbers down, the white population has a median household income of $52,160, and the black population has one of $32,792, while the Asian population sees a median of $44,118. Per capita income for the Hispanic community is listed just below $20,000, compared to an overall number in the mid-$25s. And about 23% of the Hispanic community is considered to be at poverty levels, compared to an overall population rate of 15%. One of the more striking data points concerning the local Hispanic community's educational particulars was the percentage of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher. About 33% of the Hispanic community has a higher degree, compared to 30% of whites, 26% of Asians and 14% of blacks. Of those in the Hispanic community attaining college degrees, the Haas Center found that a good number of them are going into the sciences and engineering-related fields, with those paths accounting for about 34%. The arts and humanities attracted the next highest percentage, at 28%, followed up by business and education paths. Approximately 81% of the local His-

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panic population has earned a high school diploma. Those without a high school diploma account for 19.3%. To further explore the Haas Center's findings on the local Hispanic population, check haas.uwf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Presentation.pdf.

THE WALL NO ONE WANTS The Florida Department of Transportation is planning a $7.5 million project to improve safety along a stretch of West Cervantes that has grown notoriously dangerous for pedestrians and drivers. In addition to improvements including traffic signals and crosswalks, the state is also planning to run a fence-like barrier down the middle of Cervantes in an effort to steer both pedestrians and drivers to designated cross-over points. Local officials from both the city and county, as well as residents and business owners in the area, have spoken out against this barrier concept, contending that it breaks up the street grid and unnecessarily limits the flow of the neighborhood. FDOT, meanwhile, has remained unmoved. Recently, Mayor Robinson has ex-

F I E S T A

pressed his thoughts regarding the West Cervantes improvements on multiple occasions. He has expressed the city's concerns in a letter and also met with FDOT officials. "DOT made this very clear in the meeting we had, it's for safety. And part of that is getting pedestrians to go to the right spot," he said. "They have been, both times, fairly insistent that this is a safety project, that this was safety money. And in their minds, they're going to address safety." As the state isn't budging on its plan to effectively limit crossing points on the street, the mayor is touting a compromise—more traffic signals. "While I would have liked to get every opening opened, that's probably not going to be the case with DOT," Robinson said at his Sept. 9 press conference. "My compromise to that, when they told me that, was. 'Well, I want you to put in traffic lights at every opening you have.'" In exchange for FDOT building its West Cervantes wall, Mayor Robinson said he was able to secure three additional traffic signals—on Q, L and B streets—to complement the one already slated for J Street.

These additional lights, he said, would go a long ways toward slowing traffic and providing safe crossing points for pedestrians. "We think that is going to be significant in that stretch," the mayor said, pointing to other areas, such as the stretch of East Cervantes between Palafox and 17th Avenue, where traffic signals are more plentiful and pedestrian-vehicle incidents less frequent. Mayor Robinson pointed out that FDOT did not feel the lights were necessary, and the city was likely getting them as a form of concession regarding the state's lack of flexibility when it comes to the median fence. "DOT would say that the traffic signals that we're putting in are unwarranted, which means normally they would never go in," he said. The mayor also said that even though FDOT would likely go ahead with a physical street divider, enough streets had been opened to allow for a reasonably traversable distance between crossing opportunities—"the idea is no one has to go more than a block and a half to find a signalized

area"—and that ultimately, the wall could be reassessed if it was found to be problematic. "If we decide something happens, people learn, we want to come back and take it down. It's fairly easy to take a fence down," Robinson said. "What's not easy to get is a traffic signal that's unwarranted."

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Architec-

tural Review Board, 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, Hagler-Mason Conference Room, Second Floor, Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program Technical Committee, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 W. Park Place. Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program Educational Committee, 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 W. Park Place. Escambia Cares Community Resource Expo will take place 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. De Soto St. Downtown Improvement Board meets 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, Bowden Building, Room #1. 120 Church St. {in}

P E N S A C O L A

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By Savannah Evanof

September Perfect Plain Brewing Co.'s Oktoberfest 2019

Perfect Plain Brewing Co. will kick off Munich's Oktoberfest with its own taproom celebration. The all-day event will feature a traditional Festbier Release, German food, a stein-hoisting competition and other traditional Oktoberfest games. Sept. 21, perfectplain.com

Pensacola Seafood Festival

Seafood lovers will unite again in downtown Pensacola for the Pensacola Seafood Festival. The three-day festival will feature various food types, live music and arts and crafts vendors. Don't forget, the event is family-friendly, featuring games, an obstacle course and entertainment for children, too. Sept. 27-29, pensacolaseafoodfestival.com

Spahr Brewing's Oktoberfest Spahr Brewing will take on year two of its Oktoberfest with an even bigger, better September 19, 2019

and smoother event than the first. Mark your calendars for a day of brews. Sept. 28, facebook.com/spahrbrewing

October Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival

Songs can create a whole mood. The 11th annual Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival celebrates the people who create those moods and lets attendees learn about the process and people behind some familiar tunes. Oct. 3-6, pensacolabeachsongwritersfestival.com

Gary's Brewery & Biergarten's Oktoberfest Celebration Plan a pitcher perfect day at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten for its third annual Oktoberfest. Expect food, brews and entertainment. Oct. 5, garysbrew.com/oktoberfest

Pensacola Greek Festival

This year marks the 60th anniversary for Pensacola Greek Festival. To celebrate this

Pensacola is known for its beachy, sweaty summers, but we also know how to have a good time in the fall too. And most of those good times come courtesy of festivals, which we really do have at least one of pretty much every weekend for the next three months. Seriously, it doesn't matter if you're a beer aficionado or a yoga buff, there's a fall fest for you. One of the biggest (and best, in our totally biased, pet-loving opinion) is actually more for dogs than anyone else. From multiple Oktoberfests to the annual mega-cultural extravaganza that is Foo Foo Festival, here's your annual guide to all the local and regional can't-miss fall events.

milestone, they are once again inviting the community to "go Greek" for the weekend with delicious food, live music, folk dancing and church tours. The three-day event is a staple in the local fall festival lineup, mixing Southern hospitality with Hellenic culture and cuisine. Oct. 11-13, pensacolagreekfestival.com

Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragons are coming back to Bayview Park, and it's definitely a site you need to see. There will also be a kickoff event Friday, sponsored by SunFarm Energy this year. Oct. 11-12, facebook.com/pensacoladragonboatfestival

Pensacola Interstate Fair

Fall in Pensacola would not be complete without at least one trip to the Pensacola Interstate Fair. In addition to riding your favorite rides and eating that funnel cake you've been craving for months, you can also see live music and themed exhibitions including custom cars and 4-H crafts. Oct. 17-27, pensacolafair.com

WSRE Wine & Food Classic

Get ready to travel back to the barn dance halls of yesteryear at the 31st annual Wine & Food Classic. Enjoy food from some of your favorite restaurants, a great sampling of wine, bourbon and beer, and live music from Sugarcane Jane. Local chefs are the stars of this annual walkabout tasting, which supports the public television programs and educational services of WSRE. Kevin Belton of "New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton" will demonstrate his favorite country cooking and hold a meet and greet. Oct. 11, wsre.org/events/wine-food-classic-2019

Taste of the Beach

Calling all foodies. Clear your plate for Pensacola Beach's largest culinary event of the year, which is now hosted in October. The weekend kicks off Friday night with a special progressive VIP Dinner. Then Saturday, it's an outdoor tasting extravaganza with local chefs as the stars, including Chef Jere Doyle with Crabs We Got 'Em, Chef John Lipkowitz with Casino Beach Bar and Grille, Chef Ted McCrary with CafĂŠ Nola, Chef Dennis Moore with Flounder's 13

November Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival

Photo Courtesy of Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival

Chowder House, Chef Jeffrey Newbill with Peg Leg Pete's and Chef John Smith with Hemingway's Island Grill. Entry is free for the Saturday festival, but food prices vary. Oct. 18-19, tasteofpensacolabeach.com

Barktoberfest

An event that's "so cute it's scary," that's how the Pensacola Humane Society describes their annual Barktoberfest, and we totally agree. As

always, the family- and pet-friendly event will feature local animal welfare organizations, the Humane Express full of adoptable animals, food trucks and local businesses hosting giveaways. For cuteness overload, make sure you catch at least one of the following—the pet costume contests, the Weiner Dog Races or the Small Dog Races. There will also be a Barktoberfest mural, handpainted by local artists. Oct. 27, pensacolahumane.org

the

The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival in Seville Square is one of the highest regarded, most popular arts festivals in the country. The three-day juried art show draws more than 200 of the nation's best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen and other artists. In addition to all that art, you can also listen to live music, watch performing companies, dance schools, community groups and area folk groups. And don't forget to bring the kids. The event also features a Children's Arts Festival with various free hands-on art activities. Nov. 1-3, ggaf.org

Foo Foo Festival

Get out your planner and pencil in "12 days of culture" during the sixth annual Foo Foo Festival. From a public art installation

suspended high above an entire street to a play written by the same brilliant minds that also wrote "The Golden Girls," this year's Foo Foo is definitely worth planning your fall schedule around. Oct. 31- Nov. 11, foofoofest.com

Mahabhuta Yoga Festival

Find your flow at the eighth annual Mahabhuta Yoga Festival at Sanders Beach Community Center. Bring friends, family or just yourself and meet people who are into yoga, too. You can purchase a single-day ticket or weekend pass so you can get as little or as much zen as you need. Nov. 8-10, mahabhutayogafestival.com

Seville Quarter Wine & Food Festival

Seville Quarter is hosting their ninth annual Wine & Food Festival this fall. There will be wines from around the world and local food, plus a champagne and oyster bar. This year's culinary partners that will be providing the food tastings include Crabs on the Beach, Flounder's Chowder House, Mike D's Culinary Productions, The Butcher Shoppe, Craft Gourmet Bakery, Seville Quarter and The District Seville Steak & Seafood. Nov. 17, sevillequarter.com

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Mobile Mobile International Festival

Festivalgoers don't need a passport to enjoy the multitude of cultures represented at Mobile International Festival. The annual event provides the ambiance of world travel, including the opportunity to meet people from more than 70 countries, a chance to speak different languages, sample delicious food, learn geography, history, art, social studies, music, science and—above all—be inspired by the world and its people. Nov. 23, mobileinternationalfestival.org

Fairhope Fairhope Film Festival

Cinema buffs and casual moviegoers alike will dig the Fairhope Film Festival. Hosted in five venues in the downtown area, the annual festival offers participants the opportunity to see world-class award-winning films over a four-day period. The event will highlight national and international film festival competition finalists of the past year. Notable foreign and feature films, documentaries and shorts— many that never made it to the big box theaters or were only there briefly—will be screened. Nov. 14-17, fairhopefilmfestival.org

Perdido Key/ Orange Beach Flora-Bama's Oktoberfest

Bust out your lederhosen for the Flora-Bama's Oktoberfest. The event is German through and through with German beers, beer brats, sauerkraut, German potato salad, a stein-hoisting competition and live music by New Orleans polka band The Brats. Don your favorite German attire—Lederhosen (men) or Dirndl (women)—to compete in a silently judged costume contest. Families are welcome to attend, and there's no cover charge. Oct. 13, florabama.com

Hangout Oyster Cook-off Craft Spirits & Beer Weekend

Aw shucks, a weekend of oysters and craft spirits. Feast at restaurant tastings and sip at craft beer samplings during Hangout's Oyster Cook-off Craft Spirits & Beer Weekend. Watch celebrity chefs from your favorite cooking shows, experience tailgating, see cocktail demos and live music and cheer on participants in the oyster shucking competition. Nov. 1-2, hangoutcookoff.com

Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival

The 35th annual Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival will feature more than 200 nationally-acclaimed songwriters in venues along the Florida and Alabama Gulf Coast from Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Pirates Cove to Perdido Key and Pensacola. The 11-day festival is an opportunity for seasoned and aspiring songwriters and musicians from all over the world to have their songs heard and for the public to learn the stories behind the lyrics that only the song's author truly knows. Nov. 7-17, frankbrownsongwriters.com

Destin/Seaside Destin Seafood Festival

Let's say it's early October and the Pensacola Seafood Festival has come and gone, but you're still craving seafood. No problem. The Destin Seafood Festival has you covered with fresh-caught local seafood from your favorite restaurants in HarborWalk Village and along the Destin Harbor. Don't worry, there are alternatives and festival fare for non-seafood lovers, too. Oct. 4-6, destinseafoodfestival.com

Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest

Beer enthusiasts, raise your glass. Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort's 12th Annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest is the cure for what ails you. American specialty brews from around the nation will be available to sample and savor at the event. It will feature more than 200 domestic and international craft beers, offering an op-

portunity to learn about the different types of lagers and ales as you listen to live music. Oct. 11-12, baytownebeerfestival.com

Seeing Red Wine Festival

Wine connoisseurs, and foodies too, should head to Seaside for the 29th annual Seeing Red Wine Festival this November. On Saturday of the festival, Seaside's Central Square will come alive with quality wines for tasting that are curated by Seaside restaurants and eateries, hand-selected food offerings chosen by Seaside's popular local chefs, as well as live music and the opportunity to purchase wines. Nov. 7-10, seeingredwinefestival.com

New Orleans Film Festival

The New Orleans Film Festival will turn 30 this year with 500-plus filmmakers from every corner of the world and screenings of more than 230 films. The festival is expected to engage 30,000 attendees, with visionary films, directors and other events in the mix. The festival is also known for its eclectic parties, conversations with notable actors, writers and directors––and its filmmaker forum, offering numerous opportunities for project development and professional networking. Oct. 16-23, neworleansfilmsociety.org

New Orleans Fried Chicken Festival

Nothing says comfort food quite like fried chicken. So get comfortable at this NOLA festival, featuring live music, cooking demonstrations, a variety of foods and—of course—fried chicken for days. Sept. 20-22, friedchickenfestival.com

NOLA on Tap Beer Fest

This festival has really tapped into something. With past attendance records breaking 25,000 beer lovers, NOLA on Tap is truly the kick-off event to Oktoberfest in New Orleans. The 10th annual dog-friendly beer festival will take over City Park with an amazing music lineup, more than 400 local, national and homebrewed beers, delicious food, games, prizes, Barktoberfest and more. Plus, all proceeds benefit the homeless furry friends at the Louisiana SPCA. Sept. 21, nolaontap.org

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience is returning to City Park in New Orleans this October, and the lineup is pretty damn stacked. Not to name drop, but the headliners include Post Malone, Guns N' Roses, Beck and The National. Inweekly has partnered with Voodoo to give away a pair (2) of general admission three-day passes to the festival. Go to inweekly.net for details on how to enter. And if you don't want to wait to see if you win, tickets are on sale now at voodoofestival.com.

VOODOO FEST

WHEN: Oct. 25-27 DETAILS: voodoofestival.com

Tremé Festival

Experience the rich history of the Tremé neighborhood at this annual event, and enjoy art, music and food while you're at. The Historic Faubourg Tremé Association's event benefits the cultural destinations found within the area. Oct. 5, tremefest.com Beck / Photo by Citizen Kane Wayne

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9/13/19 11:13 AM

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 19-25

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

Truman, Harper and Joel By C. Scott Satterwhite

Broadway actor Joel Vig is no stranger to the South, specifically Monroeville, Ala. The hometown of both Harper Lee and Truman Capote, Monroeville's famous County Courthouse Museum (the model for the film "To Kill a Mockingbird") will soon host Vig's one-man play, "Truman Talks Nelle Harper Lee." Written by Vig, the play is set in 1976 Monroeville. Vig's Capote's travels home for Lee's 50th birthday and talks about his old friend, without even knowing if the reclusive writer will show up for her own party. Increasingly known for his Capote performances, Vig's prior credits include the original Broadway productions of "Ruthless! The Musical" and "Hairspray." Inweekly caught up with Vig while he was driving through the Adirondacks. We talked about the friendship between Capote and Lee, as well as the challenges of performing as Capote in his hometown.

see Williams. One of the people who saw that performance was someone who created this festival called the Tallulah Festival, honoring Tallulah Bankhead, in Jasper, Ala. And he asked me if I would create a piece called Truman talks to Tallulah. So let me see if I can do some research and see if there is enough material and enough of an arc to do a story. I looked into it, and it worked out quite well. Truman knew Tallulah Bankhead from the 1940s until her death. And actually, he gave Tallulah her last hoorah by having her come to the Black and White Ball. That worked out quite well, and while I was doing that, it occurred to me that probably the most important friendship of Truman's life was his friendship with Nelle Harper Lee. So I started putting research together. About a year ago, I spoke to a woman in Monroeville who's on the board of the Courthouse Museum, and I said that I've come up with this interesting idea. I was trying to figure out why an audience would be in a certain place listening to Truman talking about Nelle Harper Lee. And it occurred to me, what if there was a surprise 50th birthday for Nelle Harper Lee in April of 1976 at the courthouse and Truman was invited to speak. She loved the idea. From that point on, the ball just started really rolling. The audience at the end of September will be the first audience who will ever hear Truman talk to Nelle Harper Lee.

INWEEKLY: How did the idea for "Truman Talks Nelle Harper Lee" come about? VIG: Four years ago, I was commissioned to do a play called "Truman Talks to Tennessee" in New Orleans. It was for the Southern Literary Trail, and I created a piece about the long-term friendship between Truman Capote and Tennes-

INWEEKLY: So did this actually happen? VIG: No. Actually, Truman did continue to see Harper Lee, and they remained friends, but the particular premise of this is actually fictional. Nelle Harper Lee did, obviously, have a birthday in April of 1976, but I just liked the idea of creating this fictional situation so that the audience becomes

Artwork Courtesy of Monroe County Museum

September 19, 2019

the people who have shown up for the party. And the thing that is very likely to have happened—and I have Truman early on speak about this—is that Truman was actually invited to come speak at her surprise birthday party, but he turned it down because he was sure that Nelle Harper Lee would not show up. Then he thought about it for a few weeks and called back and said he reconsidered and he wanted to come— not because he thought she would show up, but because he thought it was probably one of the few gifts that he could give her that would really show how much how much their friendship meant to him, that he'd be willing to drive hundreds of miles all the way down to Monroeville knowing that she probably wouldn't attend. So there's a little belief in the possibility that maybe she might show up by the end of the party, but we're not telling anyone. But Truman came down in this fictional premise to speak on a friendship that existed from the time that he was five until he died in 1984.

since they were kids. They were given a typewriter by Harper's father, and they used to tradeoff between secretary and writer. The writer would dictate, and the secretary would have to type. They would trade off. One could be the writer and the other the typist. When Truman moved to New York, they stayed in touch. Truman kept coming back for summers. Harper Lee's life was all planned out. She was going to go to law school. She was going to be like her older sister, Alice, a lawyer, and join the firm with A.C. Lee [Harper Lee's father] and Alice Lee, attorneys at law, but she didn't want to do it. I believe that part of the reason was because Truman kind of amused her saying, "If you don't want to do it. Why would you want to live someone else's life?" INWEEKLY: As an actor, what's the biggest challenge to performing as a historic figure? VIG: I think you really always want to do them justice. You're conscientious about doing the research and making sure that you have as much background as you can. I've tried to watch as many interviews as I can with Capote and doing all the research with the various books on Capote and by Capote, as well as Lee. Harper Lee, after she retired from giving interviews, was very reclusive. But even speaking to people who knew her has been very worthwhile. Trying to capture these people, what they really thought, has been a challenge. I sort of figure that this will be the perfect audience in Monroeville because a good percentage of the people are going to have a connection to one or both of them, and it will give me a chance to perfect my work. And if there are any corrections that people give me, that would be great. {in}

INWEEKLY: Does it make you nervous to perform this play? VIG: It does. It's both nerve-wracking and exciting. I've met a number of people who knew Harper Lee and have known Harper Lee, and I met Harper Lee when I came down to Monroeville in 2008 to perform "Christmas Memory" with Patricia Neal in this courthouse. At that time, Truman's second cousin picked us up from the airport. A lot of people have connections to Truman's relatives. I'm actually hoping some of the relatives from Truman's father's side could come. There were definitely relatives from the Lee family there. I think they'll find it to be a very fun and have a very good time. So many people know bits and pieces about the friendship between Truman and Harper Lee. But it really was, both on a personal level and a professional level, a very important WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday Sept. 28; part of their lives. Now, I've 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 done a little bit of speculaWHERE: Monroe County Museum, 31 N. Alabama tion, in terms of the writing, Ave., Monroeville, Ala. but basically, I believe a maCOST: Tickets range from $40-15 and are available by jor reason Harper Lee was so dedicated to the idea of being calling the Monroe County Museum at (251) 575-7433. a writer was that she and TruDETAILS: monroecountymuseum.org man had been writing stories

TRUMAN TALKS NELLE HARPER LEE

calendar THURSDAY 9.19

WORK ON THE FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Every Thursday. Three miles north of Deaton Bridge Road. meetup.com/ftawesterngate YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org BAPTIST HEALTHCARE — COOKING WITH CRUZ Noon-2 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational

Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org VETERANS MEETING 4 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org YAPPY HOUR 5-10 p.m. Through Feb. 27. 5% of proceeds benefit Escambia County Animal Shelter. Red Fish Blue Fish, 5B Via De Luna Drive. redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine TOAST OF THE COAST: HISTORIC FOODS OF PENSACOLA 5:30 p.m. $45 per person. Fish

House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com CAST IRON PIZZA COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $64.50. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com ADOORABLE DOOR PAINT NIGHT 6-8:30 p.m. $30. Frazier's Country Wines, 3130 Barrancas Ave. END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com

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ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7

p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road. ADRON CHAMBERS YOGA 6:30 p.m. Donation-based yoga with Adron Chambers every Tuesday and Thursday. Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee THIRD THURSDAY MEDITATION 7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org IMPROVABLE CAUSE HAPPY HOUR 7 p.m. $11. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com XAVIER RUDD 7 p.m. $25-$28. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com DAVID FEHERTY OFF TOUR! LIVE ON STAGE

7:30 p.m. $49-$179. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

FRIDAY 9.20

ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 10 a.m. Pensacola

Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

EVER'MAN COOKS 11 a.m. Ever'man Educa-

tional Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

COOKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS LUNCHEON WITH SHIRLEY HUGHES 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $20.

Pensacola Yacht Club, 1897 Cypress St. THE FAREWELL 1 p.m. $7 (cash only). Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com GALLERY NIGHT 5-9 p.m. After party, 9 p.m.midnight. Downtown Pensacola. Pigskin and paint tailgate. gallerynightpensacola.org

HAPPY HOUR COOKOUT 5 p.m. Seville Quar-

ter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

FREE GALLERY NIGHT CONCERT: JIMMY BUFFETT TRIBUTE BAND 6 p.m. Vinyl Music

Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com FALL PINTEREST PARTY 6:30 p.m. Henny Penny Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie

GALLERY NIGHT STORM AREA 51 SCAVENGER HUNT 7-11 p.m. $10. O'Riley's Irish Pub,

321 S. Palafox St. orileyspub.com

HILL-KELLY MOVIES IN THE PARK: A DOG'S WAY HOME Sunset. Free. Community Maritime Park,

351 W. Cedar St. cityofpensacola.com

DINNER TO DIE FOR MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW 7:30 p.m. $40. Frazier's Country

Wines, 3130 Barrancas Ave.

FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS

7:30 p.m. $31. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com OPERA AFTER DARK 8-10 p.m. Free. UWF Historic Trust Plaza, downtown Pensacola. Pensacolaopera.com GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.

SATURDAY 9.21

PARKRUN/WALK MEETUP 7:30 a.m. University of West Florida, Rec Plex North Field, 11000 University Parkway. parkrun.us/ recplexnorth KEEP PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP 8 a.m.-noon.

Park West, 1340 Fort Pickens Road. There is also a fundraiser for purchasing the Coca-Cola building. facebook.com/keeppensacolabeautiful RALLY ON TENNIS TOURNAMENT TO ACE OUT CHILDHOOD CANCER 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. $120.

Shoreline Park, Gulf Breeze. rallyontennis.org

FRANCIS M. WESTON AUDUBON SOCIETY BIRDWALK 8:30-11 a.m. Free. Fort Pickens -

Gulf Islands National Seashore, 1400 Fort Pickens Road. SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road. PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com YOU SELL IT HERE FARMER'S MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free admission. Every Saturday. 8600 Pensacola Blvd., facebook.com/yousellithere DOGGY BATHE-IN 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $8-$11, bring your own towel. Pensacola Humane Society, 5 N. Q St. pensacolahumane.org OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Three sites: Wayside Park and Graffiti Bridge clean-up, meet at the Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St.; William Bartram Memorial Park, 211 Bayfront Parkway. oceanhourfl.com

inweekly.net

ROMAN STREET

Pensacola Little Theatre Presents

presents

RadioLive adioLive

September 26-29 2019

September 20-22 2019

THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola

Featuring

KIPYN MARTIN ROMAN STREET AMY SPEACE GRANT PEEPLES

10/03/19

6:00 p.m. Doors 5:00 p.m.

Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM

Tickets $10

available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787

Written by

Alan Ball Directed by

Maureen McNeill PENSACOLALITTLETHEATRE.COM 850-432-2042 Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York

THE COAST TOAST OF

T E A T G I L M I E A T

N BBQ, BEEF & BOURBON

September 19, 2019

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH AT 5:30 P.M. WE ARE FIRING IT UP OUT ON THE FISH HOUSE DECK WHERE GRILLED AND SMOKED MEATS ALONG WITH BARREL-AGED BOURBON WHISKEYS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT FOR THIS EVENT! join us as Chef Chad demonstrates grilling techniques for steaks, burgers, and chicken that you can use at your next big tailgating event. Participants will take home a bottle of Chef Chadâ€™s Texas-style dry rub with recipes as well as a grilling guide.

calendar LEAPS 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org OKTOBERFEST 10 a.m.-until. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/ perfectplainbrewingco NAVY BALL BENEFIT CAR AND BIKE SHOW 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. EVER'MAN COOKS: DEBBY'S KITCHEN Noon1:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org APPLE MARKET LIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL Noon-3 p.m. Free. Apple Market, 1021 Scenic Highway. JAPAN-U.S. MILITARY PROGRAM 1-4 p.m. Free. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1878 S. Blue Angel Parkway. jasnwfl.org THE FAREWELL 1 p.m. $7 (cash only). Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. pensacolacinemaart.com FIBER FREESTYLIN' AT STUDIO SOUTH 3-5 p.m. Saturdays. Open to all knitters, crocheters, weavers and more. Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com FRANCIS M. WESTON AUDUBON SOCIETY BIRDS AND BREW 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Seville

Square, 301 S. Alcaniz St.

WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12

plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us FUHC FEST 6:30 p.m. $5 with a canned/nonperishable food donation. chizuko, 506 W. Belmont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola COLT WESTON 6:30 p.m. Dolce & Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola

020 2

SAENGER CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES: INDIANA JONES: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 7 p.m.

$6. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com KING OF PENS SPOKEN WORD 7 p.m. Henny Penny Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie LEAD SINGER OF SWITCHFOOT, JON FOREMAN 7 p.m. $17-$59. Saenger Theatre, 118

S. Palafox. pensaclasaenger.com

ERIC LINDELL AND THE NATURAL MYSTICS 7 p.m. $20-$30. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S.

Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS

7:30 p.m. $31. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com SATURDAY SWING OUTS 8 p.m. $5. Saturdays. Breathe Yoga Studio, 505 S. Adams St. GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.

SUNDAY 9.22

THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN 10 a.m.

Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for adults. Free valet parking and 15% off with

local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via De Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach GROVE & BROWN MARKET 1 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 17. Local vendors, artists and farmers. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. BATTLESHIP WOMEN'S RUGBY INTEREST MEETING 2-4 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing

Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco

FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS 3

p.m. $31. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com WAYWARD SISTER 3 p.m. Dolce & Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola FUHC FEST 6:30 p.m. $5 with a canned/nonperishable food donation. chizuko, 506 W. Belmont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola BIG K.R.I.T.: FROM THE SOUTH WITH LOVE TOUR 7 p.m. $22.50-$150. Vinyl Music Hall,

2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

MONDAY 9.23

RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Li-

brary, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com

SETTING GOALS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 11 a.m. Ever'man Educational Cen-

ter, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

FALL COOKIE CLASS 5:30 p.m. $40. Henny

Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 6 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run

around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com TIE DYE PARTY 6-9 p.m. $29. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook. com/perfectplainbrewingco GWAR 6:30 p.m. $25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com STUDIOAMPED: CHRISTINA CHRISTIAN 7 p.m. Free. Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio, 1000 College Blvd. wsre.org MUSIC HALL ARTIST SERIES: CLASSICAL CARNATIC MUSIC 7:30 p.m. $7-$18, free

for UWF students. UWF Music Hall, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. uwf.edu/cfpa

TUESDAY 9.24

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org JOHN APPLEYARD TALK 9 a.m. Free. Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum viewing area, 1878 S. Blue Angel Parkway. Use West Gate Entrance. BROWN BAG OPERA Noon-12:45 p.m. Pensacola Opera Center, 75 Tarragona St. pensacolaopera.com TRYON FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 4 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com

for more listings visit inweekly.net

inweekly.net

September 19, 2019

free will astrology WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 19 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): We're in

the equinoctial season. During this pregnant pause, the sun seems to hover directly over the equator; the lengths of night and day are equal. For all of us, but especially for you, it's a favorable phase to conjure and cultivate more sweet symmetry, calming balance and healing harmony. In that spirit, I encourage you to temporarily suspend any rough, tough approaches you might have in regard to those themes. Resist the temptation to slam two opposites together simply to see what happens. Avoid engaging in the pseudo-fun of purging by day and bingeing by night. And don't you dare get swept up in hating what you love or loving what you hate.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "I tell you

what freedom is to me—no fear." So said singer and activist Nina Simone. But it's doubtful there ever came a time when she reached the perfect embodiment of that idyllic state. How can any of us empty out our anxiety so completely as to be utterly emancipated? It's not possible. That's the bad news, Taurus. The good news is that in the coming weeks you will have the potential to be as unafraid as you have ever been. For best results, try to ensure that love is your primary motivation in everything you do and say and think.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Some things

don't change much. The beautiful marine animal species known as the pearly nautilus, which lives in the South Pacific, is mostly the same as it was 150 million years ago. Then there's Fuggerei, a walled enclave within the German city of Augsburg. The rent is cheap, about one U.S. dollar per year and that fee hasn't increased in almost 500 years. While I am in awe of these bastions of stability and wish we had more such symbolic anchors, I advise you to head in a different direction. During the coming weeks, you'll be wise to be a maestro of mutability, a connoisseur of transformation, an adept of novelty.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Granny

Smith apples are widely available. But before 1868, the tart, crispy, juicy fruit never existed on planet Earth. Around that time, an Australian mother of eight named Maria Ann Smith threw the cores of French crab apples out her window while she was cooking. The seeds were fertilized by the pollen from a different, unknown variety of apple and a new type was born—Granny Smith. I foresee the possibility of a metaphorically comparable event in your future—a lucky accident that enables you to weave together two interesting threads into a fascinating third thread.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): "Every master-

piece is just dirt and ash put together in some perfect way," writes storyteller Chuck Palahniuk, who has completed several novelistic masterpieces. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you Leos have assembled much of the dirt and ash necessary to create your next masterpiece and are now ready to

222 2

By Rob Brezsny

move on to the next phase. And what is that phase? Identifying the help and support you'll need for the rest of the process.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): In 1959, scan-

dal erupted among Americans who loved to eat peanut butter. Studies revealed that manufacturers had added so much hydrogenated vegetable oil and glycerin to their product that only 75% of it could truly be called peanut butter. So began a long legal process to restore high standards. Finally, there was a new law specifying that no company could sell a product called "peanut butter" unless it contained at least 90% peanuts. I hope this fight for purity inspires you to conduct a metaphorically comparable campaign. It's time to ensure that all the important resources and influences in your life are at peak intensity and efficiency. Say NO to dilution and adulteration.

You, too, have lost track of a major Something that would seem hard to misplace. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In 1936, the city of Cleveland, Ohio staged the Great Lakes Exposition, a 135-acre fair with thrill rides, art galleries, gardens and sideshows. One of its fun features was The Golden Book of Cleveland, a 2.5-ton, 6,000page text the size of a mattress. After the expo closed down, the "biggest book in the world" went missing. If it still exists today, no one knows where it is. I'm going to speculate that there's a metaphorical version of The Golden Book of Cleveland in your life. You, too, have lost track of a major Something that would seem hard to misplace. Here's the good news—if you intensify your search now, I bet you'll find it before the end of 2019. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): In 1990, the

New Zealand government appointed educator, magician and comedian Ian Brackenbury Channell to be the official Wizard of New Zealand. His jobs include protecting the government, blessing new enterprises, casting out evil spirits, upsetting fanatics and cheering people up. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to find your personal equivalents of an inspirational force like that. There's really no need to scrimp. According to my reading of the cosmic energies, you have license to be extravagant in getting what you need to thrive.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

"Do silly things," advised playwright Anton Chekhov. "Foolishness is a great deal more vital and healthy than our straining and striving after a meaningful life." I think that's a perspective worth adopting now and then. Most of us go through phases when we take things too seriously and too personally and too literally. Bouts of fun absurdity can be healing agents for that affliction. But now is NOT one of those times for you, in my opinion. Just the reverse is

true, in fact. I encourage you to cultivate majestic moods and seek out awe-inspiring experiences and induce sublime perspectives. Your serious and noble quest for a meaningful life can be especially rewarding in the coming weeks.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Before

comedian Jack Benny died in 1974, he arranged to have a florist deliver a single red rose to his wife every day for the rest of her life. She lived another nine years and received more than 3,000 of these gifts. Even though you'll be around on this earth for a long time, I think the coming weeks would be an excellent time to establish a comparable custom—a commitment to providing regular blessings to a person or persons for whom you care deeply. This bold decision would be in alignment with astrological omens, which suggest that you can generate substantial benefits for yourself by being creative with your generosity.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Actress and author Ruby Dee formulated an unusual prayer. "God," she wrote, "make me so uncomfortable that I will do the very thing I fear." As you might imagine, she was a brave activist who risked her reputation and career working for the Civil Rights Movement and other idealistic causes. I think her exceptional request to a Higher Power makes good sense for you right now. You're in a phase when you can generate practical blessings by doing the very things that intimidate you or make you nervous. And maybe the best way to motivate and mobilize yourself is by getting at least a bit flustered or unsettled. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Syndicated cartoon strip "Calvin and Hobbes" appeared for ten years in 2,400 newspapers in fifty countries. It wielded a sizable cultural influence. For example, in 1992, 6-year-old Calvin decided "The Big Bang" was a boring term for how the universe began, and instead proposed we call it the "Horrendous Space Kablooie." A number of real scientists subsequently adopted Calvin's innovation, and it has been invoked playfully but seriously in university courses and textbooks. In that spirit, I encourage you to give fun new names to anything and everything you feel like spicing up. You now have substantial power to reshape and revamp the components of your world. It's Identify-Shifting Time. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Say these words in front of a mirror—"It's bad luck to be superstitious."

freewillastrology.com

inweekly.net

news of the weird

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

REDNECK CHRONICLES Melinda Frye Toney, 44, of Oak Hill, West Virginia, was charged with wanton endangerment on Aug. 22 for brandishing a pistol in the parking lot of the New Life Apostolic Church on May 11. It seems Melinda, wife of Pastor Earl Toney, and Lori Haywood, 29, wife of Youth Pastor David Haywood, had an ongoing conflict, according to a police spokesman. Fayette County Sheriff's Detective Kevin Willis told the Register-Herald of Beckley, West Virginia, that the "straw that broke the camel's back" was an argument over a T-shirt Lori Haywood wore to a church event. The two couples met at the church that day to try to hash out the wives' differences, but, said Willis, "(I)t just made it worse, I think." Melinda Toney left the meeting and went to her car, where she retrieved her firearm. When Pastor Earl moved to stop his wife, the gun discharged. Det. Willis confirmed that Melinda Toney had a concealed weapon permit.

vehicle, and had lost her right to drive after the first offense earlier in the day. She was charged with additional crimes and is scheduled for two court appearances on Sept. 17.

SERVING THE PUBLIC The Sharonville, Ohio, police department found a way to turn a resident's misconceptions about marijuana laws in Hamilton County into a teaching moment on Sept. 3. The department posted on its Facebook page a recording of a call received on Aug. 25 from "Mr. Marilyn Manson," who complained that "two Sharonville cops ... stole my f-ing weed last night." The angry man insisted that anything "under 100 grams is cool, right?" but was, in fact, wrong. (It is legal to possess up to 100 grams of marijuana in the city of Cincinnati, but that law does not cover the entire county—including Sharonville.) The officers who confiscated the weed were arresting the man's wife, whom he identified as Marilyn Manson during the call, when they found the contraband in her purse. In a second call to police, the caller also complained that the officers had taken his carryout order from Red Lobster. "It was a fresh meal of Cajun f-ing pasta!" he ranted. Fox19 reported that a police supervisor later met with the man to clarify the laws about marijuana and explain what had happened to his dinner.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? Rep. Raul Ruiz, 47, a California Democrat representing the 36th Congressional District, may face an unusual opponent in the November 2020 election: GOP candidate Raul Ruiz, 57, a construction contractor. "I want to give the citizens another option," challenger Ruiz told Politico. "I'll say this. I had the name first."

REPEAT OFFENDER Police in Wilton, Connecticut, told WVIT they scored a two-fer on Sept. 7, thanks to 64-year-old Ellen Needleman-O'Neill. The woman was arrested that afternoon after a caller alerted police of a driver who hit a parked car in a parking lot. Officers conducted field sobriety tests, which they said Needleman-O'Neill failed, and she was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, along with possession of a controlled substance (for the Tylenol 3 found in her bag). Police released her, but hours later she was seen driving away from a liquor store in her car. Officers stopped her again and found her to still be under the influence, they said. Police also said they learned Needleman-O'Neill didn't have a valid driver's license, hadn't registered her

POLICE REPORT A Texas motorcyclist with the memorable nickname "Baby Jesus" taunted Blue Mound police on Aug. 10 as they tried to pull him over. Police posted dashcam video of Jesus Sebastian Gomez doing wheelies and standing on his motorcycle while weaving in and out of traffic, eventually getting away from officers. Fox News reported that witnesses viewing the video helped identify the rider, and police issued a statement urging Gomez to turn himself in. "(Y)ou need to come speak with us regarding this incident or we can come to you. (We could have a come to 'Baby Jesus' meeting)," they offered. Gomez surrendered to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office on Sept. 4 and was charged with evading arrest.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL Gary Lambe, 54, made the job of the Toronto (Canada) Police Service easier on Aug. 23 when he allegedly made a photocopy of his face during a break-in at a commercial property there. Police said the suspect "ate some food items" and created the picture of his face—which he left behind. Fox News reported that police eventually arrested Lambe, who was already in custody for an unrelated incident, and charged him with breaking and entering and failing to comply with probation. MOST COMPETENT CRIMINAL Yusuke Taniguchi, 34, a shopping mall clerk in Koto City, Japan, was arrested earlier this year for using his superpower—a photographic memory—for apparent evil. According to police, Taniguchi was able to memorize more than 1,300 numbers from credit cards as people used them at his shop register, SoraNews reported. He admitted to investigators that he would remember the name, card number, expiration date and security code, then write the information down as the customer walked away, later using the accounts to make online purchases of items he would then sell. Police, who tracked him to his address by using orders for two expensive handbags, found a notebook with hundreds of accounts listed. {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com September 19, 2019

GUNS n’ roses ‡ post malone ‡ beck

BASSNECTAR ‡ BRANDI CARLILE ‡ THE NATIONAL Rezz ‡ Zhu ‡ INTERPOL ‡ Bring Me the Horizon

Young the Giant ‡ Sheck Wes ‡ Big Gigantic ‡ Clairo THE Glitch mob ‡ Hippo Campus ‡ Bishop Briggs Snails ‡ Big Wild ‡ Jai Wolf ‡ Denzel Curry Moon Taxi ‡ Hobo Johnson & the lovemakers Opiuo ‡ Japanese Breakfast ‡ Missio ‡ Bea Miller Peekaboo ‡ Elohim ‡ Danileigh ‡ Still Woozy Medasin ‡ Temples ‡ Pink Sweat$ ‡ dr. fresch K?D ‡ Grandson ‡ SHAED ‡ Whipped Cream ‡ FLAMINGOSIS Cray ‡ ducky (live) ‡ Magic City Hippies ‡ Ashe ‡ Njomza THE Ghost of Paul Revere ‡ PHANTOMS ‡ MEMBA BRUTUS ‡ SERATONES ‡ DUNCAN FELLOWS ‡ TEMPLO ‡ LIILY DES ROCS ‡ MATTIEL ‡ Willaris. K ‡ IGLOOGHOST ‡ Mobley Hello Yello ‡ Sun Seeker ‡ Maggie Lindemann ‡ PAZ Carmine P. Filthy ‡ DJ Nice Rack ‡ Tristan Dufrene

Independent News | September 19, 2019 | inweekly.net