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Independent News | September 5, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 35

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winners & losers

outtakes

news 6, 8

Only BeyoncĂŠ deserves that sort of thing.

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 15

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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winners & losers

Courtesy Photo

winners VETERANS NATIONAL HOMECARE Pen-

sacola State College received $5,000 in scholarship funds from Veterans National Homecare for first-generation in-college students. On behalf of Veterans National Homecare, Denis McKinnon Sr., Denis McKinnon Jr. and Wade Wilson presented the First Generation Matching Scholarship donation. The company has pledged a total of $15,000 to fund scholarships. Two other annual donations of $5,000 will be made in 2020 and 2021. As available, future donations will be matched by funds from the First Generation Matching Grant Program.

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WIDESPREAD PANIC Over Labor Day weekend, Widespread Panic partnered with Feeding the Gulf Coast at the Pensacola Bay Center to collect food and fund donations to help those in need in our community. The food drive is part of the band's Feeding People Through Music initiative. In 2016, Widespread Panic hosted a similar food drive that provided nearly 700 meals to those struggling with hunger in our area. STUDER FAMILY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL A total of $73,505 was raised during

the first-ever Cat Country 98.7 Cares for Kids Radiothon for the Studer Family Children's Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart. All funds raised will support the construction of the Bear Family Foundation Pediatric Oncology Center of Hope, the region's only pediatric oncology center, at the Children's Hospital. Participating radio stations included Cat Country 98.7, NewsRadio 92.3 and ESPN Pensacola 94.5. In addition, WEAR-TV 3's Sue Straughn was on site to interview patients and families.

losers THE ABLE TRUST Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran has threatened a criminal investigation into The Able Trust, a nonprofit organization for his department's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Corcoran said he would move to shut down the organization unless The Able Trust met 10 demands, which included the resignations of its officers and board of directors. Its president and chief executive officer has already announced her retirement. Corcoran was also concerned with the Able Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit entity The Able Trust created, which has received "millions of dollars" in transfers from The Able Trust with no authority to do so. During the 2019 Legislative Session, a bill that would have permanently saved The Able Trust from repeal went nowhere, but state lawmakers agreed to allow the organization to exist for four more years. ENERGY CHOICE AMENDMENT The

Florida League of Cities passed a resolution declaring the proposed "energy choice" amendment "deceptive and misleading," urging citizens around the state not to sign the petition. The resolution specifically cited "vague and misleading language" in the proposal and accused petition backers of failing to inform voters of its true impact of the proposal. An analysis by the League of Cities concluded the proposal would strip local governments of their ability to determine who provides electric utility service within their jurisdictions while also abolishing agreements for power generation that could result in the loss of over $700 million in local government annual revenue.

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outtakes

By Rick Outzen

SCHOOL COMPETITION

Thanks to public records supplied by the Escambia County School District, Inweekly found that the district's enrollment is down 977 students in its traditional schools from its fall enrollment a year ago. The drop is the most significant single-year decline in enrollment over the past 15 years, maybe in the history of Escambia County public schools. School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas blamed the drop on school vouchers when the News Journal interviewed him. If true, the steep decline is a strong indicator of the lack of confidence parents have in the quality of Escambia County's public schools. The biggest loss is in elementary schools—down 1,149 students. Only four elementary schools have more students than last year—Blue Angel up 37 pupils, Pine Meadow up 48, Scenic Heights up 1 and Kingsfield up 132. When he spoke to the Panhandle Tiger Bay Club last month, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said that the state's grading system creates accountability and competition. "And when we measured, guess what you find out in two seconds? Every single parent cares about the outcome and the education that they're taught," said Corcoran. "As soon as they had some awareness, some transparency, some knowledge and they could move with their feet, they did, and education started changing." If Thomas' voucher explanation is valid, Escambia parents took advantage of school choice and moved their children out of public schools. However, will the drop in enrollment spur any change in the district,

as Corcoran predicted? Or will the exodus continue as more charter and private schools accept school vouchers? What is surprising is Escambia parents aren't moving their children to higher-performing public elementary schools in the school district. The eight "A" elementary schools are down a combined 294 students; only Blue Angel had an increase. Jim Allen Elementary, a "B" school, lost 100 students. The district's four lowest-performing schools each lost fewer pupils than Jim Allen— Bellview (-38), Warrington (-82), Holm (-30) and Global Learning Academy (-70). The top middle school, Brown-Barge, is down 42 students, losing only eight fewer pupils than the ninth lowest-performing middle school in the state, Workman Middle (-50). The second worst middle school in the district, Warrington, is up 14 students, while two higher-performing middle schools are down—Ferry Pass (-80) and Jim Bailey (-85). The highest-performing high school, West Florida Tech, is down 53 students, while the lowest performer, Pine Forest, is up 97 students. Using Commissioner Corcoran's reasoning, students should be flocking to the higherperforming schools. Why aren't they? Do parents know their school's grades? Do they know about school choice? Is the lack of transportation forcing them to keep their kids in low-performing schools? Maybe Commissioner Corcoran should investigate. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Do they know about school choice?

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COKE PROPERTY REIMAGINED facts, the Coke building itself also tells an interesting story. Overton explained that the property features all the facilities one might expect—the bottling area, administrative offices and such—but also some somewhat surprising elements. Upstairs, for example, there is a gym, locker room and showers that employees used. There are also classrooms and an observation site on the top floor overlooking the city. These features were for the benefit of Coke's employees. "It was a time when unions were coming into power, and they were looking at psychology and what helped people work better," Overton said. "That's a great story." If UWF ends up participating in this project, the work will fit in nicely with an initiative the trust wants to begin focusing on more— sharing history out in the community.

"Why don't we take the museum where the people are?" Rob Overton "Taking it outside the walls of the museum," Overton said. "Why don't we take the museum where the people are?"

Rendering by Caldwell Associates

By Jeremy Morrison There's a ghost on North Palafox, an old soul with sturdy bones, watching the city evolve and patiently awaiting reincarnation. Sigrid Solgard, executive director of Keep Pensacola Beautiful, has a pretty good view of this ghost just outside her office. "We can literally see the building from the corner," Solgard said, motioning in the direction of the old Coca-Cola building. Sitting on the sleepy stretch of North Palafox heading away from downtown Pensacola, the old Coke building—former home to the Hygeia Bottling Works—has sat empty for years, its art deco-ish architecture hinting at its history. The old building haunted the imaginations within Keep Pensacola Beautiful's offices for a while, and then it spoke to them. "We kind of both simultaneously had the same vision," Solgard said, casting a smile toward Jessica Irwin. "Our vision," said Irwin, who serves as director of programming and development with the nonprofit, "is to turn it into a true space for the community." This vision is pretty grand in both scale and ambition and involves transforming the historic Coke property into a community hub, one that features office space for local nonprofit organizations as well as a 20,000-square-foot community garden and 10,000 square feet of event space. But the project's intangibles are even more ambitious, with Keep Pensacola Beautiful envisioning the property restoration as a catalytic event for the surrounding area. 66

"This building being revitalized will be the spark that ignites this block in general," Solgard said.

THE BOTTOMLINE

Reviving a ghost ain't cheap. It will take a considerable investment of both time and money to transform the old Coke property into a community hub and nonprofit haven. Keep Pensacola Beautiful, in fact, has to work quickly if the vision is to be realized at all. Come Oct. 1, the organization has been told, the building's owner will be ready to sell—to Keep Pensacola Beautiful, if they can come up with the $350,000 down payment. "His bottom-line is he's going to be ready to sell the building in October no matter what," Irwin said. The nonprofit has been working quietly for the past three months to begin securing the needed funds to make the purchase. Following the group's official Sept. 1 announcement of the project, fundraising has begun in earnest. "We're just under a quarter of the way there," Irwin said. Once Keep Pensacola Beautiful reaches the down payment goal, the work is just beginning. In addition to raising the remaining money—the building costs $850,000 in total—there is the restoration of the building and further development of the property into a community space. "We'll get on the grant cycle and be doing the renovation in phases," Irwin said, explaining that the organization has already received commitments for $125,000 worth of in-kind

restoration donations from local tradesmen looking to help nurture the project into reality. The organization also plans to incorporate an apprenticeship element into the project, where applicable, local tradesman and craftsman can use the restoration process as a living classroom where they can impart their knowledge to apprentices learning a new skill. Keep Pensacola Beautiful also intends to recognize the building's history as Coke's local bottling site with exhibits throughout the building detailing that past. Back in the spring, the nonprofit approached the University of West Florida Historic Trust for help in this effort. Rob Overton, chief operating officer of the UWF Historic Trust, said that his board immediately recognized the value in Keep Pensacola Beautiful's proposition. "The board thought it was a great cause," he said.

STORY OF THE GHOST

Coke vacated its Palafox property in the late 1960s, moving its bottling operations across town. But prior to that, the site buzzed with activity for decades. Overton said he looks forward to helping to relay the Coke building's story, not only the stories of brick and mortar but also of flesh and bone. "Just telling the story of the Hygeia Bottle Works and the people who worked there," he said, describing the various collections of Coke-related artifacts from the era—both belonging to the trust as well as personal collections—that will be used to tell this story. In addition to the memorabilia and arti-

SAVING HISTORY FOR THE FUTURE

In addition to the opportunity to share the story of the Coke property with the community, there's another reason that the UWF Historic Trust is supporting Keep Pensacola Beautiful's restoration plans. "Of course," Overton said, "this is a historic structure we'd like to see saved." In today's Pensacola, it's not uncommon for older properties to fall prey to the wrecking ball so that they can be redeveloped. Some areas of the city enjoy added protections for historic structures, but the Coke property is located just outside of such a protected district. "The North Hill district comes right up to the street behind it and it makes this quirky little jog around it," Overton explained. If Keep Pensacola Beautiful does not purchase and restore the property, the organization fears it will go the way of other local historic structures deemed to have outlived their usefulness. Irwin said the nonprofit has "a strong suspicion that it will no longer be a landmark." "If we don't make this happen, the building is in jeopardy," she said. "There is some talk of it going the way of that school building in East Hill."That's not a prospect Overton relishes. The potentials and possibilities of its second life as a catalytic community hub and living museum are too appealing, and it's simply too cool of a property to suffer such a fate. "We'd hate to see that happen," he said. "It's got good bones." To learn more about Keep Pensacola Beautiful's efforts to purchase and restore the CocaCola property, visit domorepensacola.org. {in} inweekly.net

Positive Coaching Alliance Workshop Winning and Life Lessons DATES TIMES •Thursday, Sept. 12 .............. 7 - 9 p.m. • Saturday, Sept. 14.....10 a.m. - Noon

The research and experiences of great coaches across the country is clear: Positive is Powerful. In this highly interactive two-hour workshop - sparked by video-based advice from top pro athletes and coaches on PCA’s National Advisory Board - attendees explore why and how to pursue both winning and the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. I have attended 3 PCA workshops on 3 separate occasions. Every workshop I learned something new. I feel the program is very dynamic and vital for anyone interested in coaching and making a positive impact on today’s youth. —KevinChapman,AntelopeValleyYMCA

The book, The Power of Double-Goal Coaching, written by PCA’s Founder & CEO, Jim Thompson, accompanies this workshop.

LOCATION Main Street Lounge Blue Wahoos Stadium 351 W. Cedar Street Pensacola, FL. 32502

FREE

GET YOUR FREE TICKETS

tinyurl.com/yynn9aad CONTACT Charles Bare (850) 375-0051 rbipensacola@gmail.com ABOUT THE WORKSHOP This interactive workshop begins by defining the Double-Goal Coach as someone who strives to win and works to prepare his/her team to play at its highest level, and at the same time, teaches life lessons (teamwork, dedication, bouncing back from mistakes, etc.) to his/her players.

Please contact your PCA Coordinator to inquire if books will be distributed at this event.

THIS AD IS SPONSORED BY THE STUDER FAMILY September 5, 2019

FAILED EXPERIMENT By Rick Outzen When he spoke to the Panhandle Tiger Bay Club last month, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran decried how leaders have constantly experimented with public education and hurt whole generations of students. "In education, we experiment with our kids all the time," said Corcoran. "And so I always say facts and evidence matter. Can we make education 100% facts- and evidence-based?" The evidence appears to show Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas's experiment to create a top-notch middle school by enrolling it in an elite academic program has failed.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IB

In early 2010, Thomas and his leadership team came up with an idea to attract students from its highest-performing elementary schools, such as Cordova Park, N.B. Cook and A.K. Suter, to Workman Middle School. The district would enroll the middle school near Booker T. Washington High School in the International Baccalaureate World School Program, making the school one of only 39 such programs in the state at the time. After all, the IB program at Pensacola High School had been a substantial academic success. The designation could be the magnet to pry the district's brightest incoming sixth-graders away from the area's parochial and private middle schools. Unlike PHS IB that is selective in its students and operates as a "school within the school," every Workman Middle School student would be in the IB program and take physical education, a fine arts class and a technology class. "We're not just raising the rigor of advanced students; we're raising the rigor of all of our students," Workman Principal

Juanita Edwards told the News Journal when the program was announced, "even if they're in (remediation) classes. We tend not to challenge those students as much as we should." Workman seemed to be a good candidate for the program that was projected to cost $322,623 over its first four years. The school had 875 students but could accept 1,075 students. Workman had earned good grades on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test from 2004 to 2009—B, B, A, C, B, B. After a year as an IB candidate school, Workman was accepted into the academic program. In August 2012, over 200 parents, teachers and district administrators gathered to celebrate and listen to Superintendent Thomas, Principal Edwards and District 4 school board member Patty Hightower laud the program. Thomas listed the Workman IB program as one of his accomplishments when he ran for re-election in the fall. A year later, the balloons had burst, the cake had gone stale, Thomas had won a second term and Workman's school grade dropped from a C to a D. Reading proficiency was only at 49%. Writing proficiency was at 46%. Math proficiency came in at 41%. Edwards was out as principal, but the IB curriculum stayed.

NO BOUNCE BACK

Workman has yet to bounce back. This past school year, the middle school dropped again to a D after being a C for several years. Of the state's non-charter middle schools, Workman was ranked the ninth-worst. Only 38% of its students read and write on their grade level or higher. Only 26% were on grade level or higher in math, and according to the state assessments, only 4% of the eighthgraders were on grade level or higher in math. According to the International Baccalaureate World School Program website, Florida currently has 44 other public and charter schools that are in the IB Middle School Program. Of those schools, 21 earned A grades, eight B grades, 14 C grades and one D grade.

Workman Middle had the lowest score of the 45 IB middle schools in the state. In February 2012, when Workman Middle was preparing for its site visit from International Baccalaureate World, IB director Stephen Elting touted to the daily newspaper how enrollment was up at the school, from 850 students in 2010 to 946 in 2012. He said IB's positive behavior program had cut discipline problems in half. Six years later, the enrollment has only increased by eight students, and that is after the district closed Woodham Middle in 2018. However, violence on the campus has soared. With numerous lockdowns reported in the first semester of last school year, Inweekly requested the call-outs made to Workman. The Pensacola Police Department's records showed officers had been called out to the school 52 times—an average of 2.74 times a week or roughly every other school day. According to the latest records of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Workman Middle had more arrests, 25, than any other middle school in Escambia County and the second most of any middle school in Florida during 2017-18 school year. Only Bay County's Jinks Middle School had more with 27 arrests.

TRADITIONAL SOLUTION

Over the summer, Inweekly reached out to teachers who are currently at Workman or recently taught at the middle school. Because of the district administration's reputation for retaliation against employees that speak out, the teachers who responded asked to be anonymous. Their comments had a common theme. The IB curriculum is very demanding on the teachers and doesn't fit the needs of the majority of the students. "The IB program from middle school is not an accelerated enrichment program. It's based on soft skills, such as developing the values and character in a student, to be

a learner later," one teacher shared. "The curriculum is not in line with the needs of our students, and it dictates mandatory classes that really are just fluff in terms of where our students are. You don't need a second language when you can barely do correct grammar in English." Several teachers mentioned that many students weren't ready to transition to middle school. Negative behavior wasn't addressed at the beginning of the school year. The school rewarded positive behavior, but "very, very negative and disruptive in classrooms was ignored, and the students were given too many chances." After a day filled with a high number of fights, the principal put the entire school on lockdown, keeping the students in their first period classrooms for the day. Parents were told the students were being drilled in math for the upcoming state assessments. Very little math was taught that day. Teachers also complained about classes sizes—the high class numbers with low-level students. Workman's internet was often down, limiting the use of Chromebooks in the classrooms. According to the teachers, the district knows about the problems with the IB program at Workman. Parents have made phone calls to Patty Hightower and district officials, and "the data's obvious, year to year, that Workman's plummeting and we're losing students." Workman and its IB Program have failed to attract students from A.K. Suter, Cordova Park and N.B. Cook. The teachers believe the IB curriculum has hurt the school's lower-level students. They recommend that Workman Middle School become a traditional middle school with honors, general and remedial classes so teachers can focus on the needs of each student, not the IB program. The facts appear to support the teachers' recommendation. It may be time to pull the plug on this educational experiment. {in}

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the city on Monday, the $425,000 in legal fees the city owes to Seville Harbour will be waived in exchange for a 99-year lease and sharing the construction cost of a new breakwater to protect the marina. The city is slated to pay $350,000 on the breakwater construction, which, as per the lease, will run a total minimum of $2 million and be completed by December 2021. Mayor Robinson said he viewed the breakwater as a public improvement as it would protect the marina, which would remain available to the public. He said a breakwater was necessary to protect the infrastructure of the marina. "Otherwise, what we've seen is that people have put dock improvements in there and every time, they've gotten washed away by whatever storm came in," Robinson noted. The mayor said he's hoping the improvements, and any subsequent developments on the site will help spur overall activity near the waterfront. The lease also specifies that the adjoining Bartram Park shall remain openly accessible to the public.

CRUSH THE CRISIS On Saturday, Sept. 7,

West Florida Hospital will host "Crush the Crisis," an opioid take-back event with the goal of collecting and properly disposing of unused or expired medications from the community. Law enforcement officers from the Escambia County Sheriff's Department will be on hand to take back medications from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. If you have any unused or expired medications, you are invited to drop them off at our Crush the Crisis tent that will be set up outside of the West Florida Hospital main lobby, 8383 N. Davis Highway. Volunteers will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), tramadol (Ultram), codeine, fentanyl (Duragesic), morphine, hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and oxymorphone (Opana). Needles, syringes, lancets or liquids will not be accepted. West Florida Hospital is participating as part of HCA Healthcare's first national "Crush the Crisis" opioid take-back day. More than 65 HCA Healthcare facilities across 15 states are uniting to collect unused or expired opioids for one day. "Opioid addiction is a growing crisis not only in Escambia County but across our nation," said Mark Stavros, Emergency Room Medical Director at West Florida Hospital. "Our goal for 'Crush the Crisis' is to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid addiction and educate our community about the 010 1

proper disposal of these medications. Opioid addiction can happen to anyone, and we are providing this drop off opportunity confidentially and anonymously." To further help combat the nation's opioid crisis, HCA Healthcare, the parent company of West Florida Hospital, partners with the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic, consisting of more than 50 organizations that share best practices and identify gaps in the safe treatment of opioid addiction.

PITT SLIP DEAL The city of Pensacola

may be preparing to finalize a long-term lease for its Pitt Slip property and in doing so wrap up a lingering lawsuit from the Ashton Hayward mayoral era. "I think at this point, we're very close," said Mayor Grover Robinson in his Aug. 26 press conference. Robinson said that the city expects to soon lease the downtown waterfront property—encompassing the site where the Fish House restaurant is located as well as the nearby marina—to Seville Harbour, Inc., which currently leases the property. The city previously suffered a legal defeat after Seville Harbour filed suit against the city over a lease dispute. The legal loss put the city on the hook for nearly half a million dollars of the plaintiff's legal fees. Under a proposed lease provided by

"Obviously, we'd love to see marine activity there and the opportunity for the people to engage on the waterfront." Grover Robinson "Obviously, we'd love to see marine activity there and the opportunity for the people to engage on the waterfront," Robinson said. According to the proposed lease, which the Pensacola City Council will be taking a look at this month, the city will lease the Pitt Slip property, as well as the 94-slip marina, for the same rate it's currently leased for—$46,161 annually, paid in equal monthly installments. That base rate will remain the same for a while, until 2045. From then until 2118, the annual base rent will increase to $96,016.20, again paid in monthly installments. The lease also allows for some Consumer Price Index adjustments beginning in 2050.

EMPTY CHAIR The board of the Emerald

Coast Utility Authority only has four members. The policy-making body of the area's largest water utility has been missing its fifth member since District 3 board member Elvin McCorvey passed away in January. Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to appoint McCovey's replacement, and ECUA board members expressed their frustration at its Aug. 27 board meeting. "I think we ought to bombard the governor's office with requests to fill this seat," said chair Lois Benson. "We're just making

important decisions that one-fifth of our community is not represented on. I have texted (Congressman) Matt Gaetz, who is close to the governor, on a number of occasions. I'm out of options, but we sure need to not let this go." District 4 board member Dale Perkins echoed the chair's sentiments, "I was really sad today when we chose our attorney without one-fifth of the population having a say, and more importantly, it's an under-represented minority population in that district and a lot of times doesn't have a say." ECUA executive director Steve Sorrell has announced his retirement, and the board is in the process of selecting his replacement. "I think that the most important decision we're going to make in many years, on this board, is coming up with the choosing of a new executive director," said Perkins. "I think that we need to have that person here when we chose the executive director." District 1 board member Vicki Campbell agreed, "It is a tragedy that we don't have representation for one-fifth of Escambia County. I'll keep pushing, but I hope that our administrator heard Mr. Perkins when he asked him to stick around until we do this."

GULF POWER WORK Beginning Sept. 9,

Gulf Power crews working on the network improvement project will begin work on Jefferson Street between Intendencia and Government Streets. Due to the proximity to the Southtowne complex, this work will take place during daytime hours. Vehicle traffic will be managed for disrupted driving patterns/temporary lane closures during this time by traffic control workers.

NEW AREA CODE Amid concerns that

the 850 area code will "exhaust" in 2022, state regulators are considering a proposal that could lead to an additional area code in Northwest Florida, according to the News Service of Florida. Staff members of the state Public Service Commission will hold a workshop Sept. 6 after receiving a petition aimed at addressing a shortage of remaining phone numbers in the region served by the 850 area code. That region includes cities such as Tallahassee, Pensacola and Panama City. The North American Numbering Plan Administrator, an organization that works on area code planning, filed a petition in June with the Public Service Commission saying that the 850 area code will "exhaust" during the first quarter of 2022. The petition recommends approval of what is known as overlay, which would involve inweekly.net

assigning a new area code to the same area covered by the 850 area code.

CONSTITUENT DAYS State Rep. Jayer Williamson (R-District 3) has initiated monthly Constituent Service Days for Central Santa Rosa County on the second Thursday of each month at the Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office, 6491 Caroline St., Ste. 4 in Milton. The first day will be 10 a.m.-noon on Thursday, Sept. 12. Constituents do not need an appointment for Constituent Service Days, and meetings are held on a first-come, first-served basis. Rep. Williamson's Constituent Service Days for South Santa Rosa and North Okaloosa, held on the first Tuesday and third Thursday respectively, will also continue. However, the events will be held 10 a.m.noon to be consistent with the new Milton location. For additional information on any of the District 3 Constituent Service Days, please email HDIST003@myfloridahouse.gov. CLIMB Children ages 6 to 12 whose par-

ents have cancer are encouraged to enroll in a special support program available to them at Sacred Heart Cancer Center in Pensacola. This free program is called CLIMB, which stands for Children's Lives Include Moments of Bravery. CLIMB combines conversation and art in group meetings to help children identify and appropriately express complex feelings related to having a parent with cancer. The next series of CLIMB sessions will begin on Sept. 10. For six weeks, participants will meet on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cancer Center, 1545 Airport Blvd. in Pensacola. The final class in this series will meet on Oct. 15. A screening process must be completed prior to enrollment. Registration is required. CLIMB was developed by The Children's Treehouse Foundation, a nonprofit

organization dedicated to the emotional support of children whose parents have cancer. For more information, call Sacred Heart Cancer Center social workers Alli Browne, 416-1606, or Blair Edgar, 416-2679.

APP FOR AIR FORCE A team of University of West Florida students has been awarded a $25,000 grant to develop an app that will help the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field better gather and share information. The grant was awarded to UWF students Christian Kaman, Daryl Meade and Lloyd Mageo by the Small Business Innovation Research program, which encourages domestic small businesses to engage in federal research/research and development that has the potential for commercialization. The students developed the concept for the app during UWF's Hacking for Defense, or H4D, course held from May to July. The app, called the Enhanced Situational Awareness Process, will be developed by 2enovate, a company Kaman founded. The ESAP features a web-based, interactive dashboard that is fully customizable based on user preferences and mission requirements, a mobile application allowing users to better gather and report data, speech-to-text functionality and integration with Microsoft Outlook calendar to track external engagements. The information is updated nearly in real time and can be viewed by a supervisor at the home organization almost immediately.

"It's not just a software solution. It's a holistic approach to data gathering and dissemination." Daryl Meade "It's not just a software solution," Meade said. "It's a holistic approach to data gathering and dissemination."

The student team conducted more than 40 interviews with potential beneficiaries and stakeholders during the H4D course. "What I like to see out of the class is the students growing in their soft skills— the organization, the teamwork, the communication," said Dr. Dallas Snider, an associate professor at UWF and chair of the Department of Information Technology. Kaman said he and his team would like to get more students involved in helping develop the product, which would give them valuable hands-on experience. H4D is part of a national program, and beginning Oct. 1, H4D will be funded by the U.S. Department of Defense as part of the National Security Innovation Network.

IMPACT 100 IMPACT 100 Pensacola

Bay Area is holding a Finalists Announcement at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at Palafox House, 192 N. Palafox. During this event, 15 nonprofit organizations will be announced as finalists from IMPACT 100's five focus areas—Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness. Attendees will also receive information outlining each finalist's grant proposal. Finalists will have the opportunity to present their project at the IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area Annual Meeting on Sunday, Oct.13, where final voting will take place. With 1,166 members this year, IMPACT 100 will award $106,000 each to 11 nonprofit organizations in our community.

COLLEGE FAIRS Pensacola State College is hosting College Fair 2019 at three PSC campuses. Escambia and Santa Rosa high school juniors, seniors and their parents are invited to meet representatives to ask questions about admissions requirements, financial aid, scholarships, academic programs, student life and housing. Pensacola State students also are

invited to learn more about transfer opportunities and requirements. The times, dates and locations of College Fairs 2019 are: •South Santa Rosa County Schools—4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, PSC South Santa Rosa Center, Bldg. 51, 5075 Gulf Breeze Parkway. •Escambia County Schools—6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, PSC main campus, Bldg. 3, Hartsell Arena, 1000 College Blvd. •North Santa Rosa County Schools—6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, PSC Milton campus, Bldg. 4000, L.I.F.E. Fitness Center, 5988 Highway 98. Representatives from more than 65 colleges and universities are expected at the event. For more information, visit pensacolastate.edu/community/college-fair/.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS 4-H will host an open house and awards showcase from 9 a.m.3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, UF/IFAS Extension Office, 6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton. The Escambia County Marine Advisory Committee will host a meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, to provide input on the design for the Galvez Public Boat Ramp Improvement Project. The meeting will be held at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 W. Park Place, Room 104. Gateway Review Board will meet at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in the HaglerMason Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Pensacola City Hall. Planning Board will meet at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in the Hagler-Mason Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Pensacola City Hall. DIB Finance Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, Bowden Building, Room #2, 120 Church St. DIB Parking & Traffic Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, Bowden Building, Room #2, 120 Church St. {in}

MOST INVESTMENT LOSSES ARE FROM PRODUCTS WITH CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS PETER J. MOUGEY

Recovered $250 million on Behalf of over 3,000 Investors

850.435.7000 | LEVINLAW.COM Pensacola, FL September 5, 2019

Little things done in a big way.

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inweekly.net

'Them Damned Pictures' By Savannah Evanoff

Angus Steakhouse, a former restaurant in East Pensacola Heights with a big banquet room. "One day, we went there and there was six or seven of his placemats on each side of the wall that they had confiscated that he left on the table when he walked off. They had framed them and hung 'em up," Randy Bowden said. "He didn't know about it. He walked in there and said, 'Wow, look at this.' He was always just leaving these little crumbs everywhere." Randy Bowden's favorite of his cartoons is a Christmas caricature he drew for his daughter Jessica—named after his father. "It was basically a little girl dressed in a Santa Claus suit ringing the bell and ringing in Christmas and the New Year," Bowden said. "He added color to it. Every year, he would pin it up by the Christmas tree at their house. That's a cherished item." Bowden is known for his commitment to environmentalism and historic preservation. The headquarters of the UWF Historic Trust, The Bowden Building, is named for him and his endeavors. "He always tried to impress on me that you need to leave the place better than you find it," Randy Bowden said. Randy Bowden didn't follow in his father's footsteps. He couldn't. "I always thought he was so damn good at it," Randy Bowden said. "I didn't think I could ever do that."

'Cartoons are equalizers' Courtesy of UWF J. Earle Bowden Cartoon Archive

Randy Bowden remembers his father with a pen in his left hand. His dad was the one responsible for the ink stains on their kitchen table, the guy doodling on every blank page in the vicinity and the artist holed up in his office sketching his way through compositional notepads, some of which no one ever saw until he died in 2015. J. Earle Bowden drew the world as he saw it—in cartoons. J. Earle Bowden, a former sportswriter, editor-in-chief and vice president at the Pensacola News Journal, is one of three cartoonists represented in "Them Damned Pictures: A Brief History of Editorial Cartoons" expressing freedom of speech. The exhibition at the Pensacola Museum of Art (PMA) will also feature cartoons from Andy Marlette of the Pensacola News Journal and Pulitzer Prize finalist Ralph Dunagin of the Orlando Sentinel. PMA Director Nicholas Croghan said the idea sprouted from the University of West Florida's 2019 Seligman First Amendment Lecture Series, which also includes an event with Carl Hiaasen, the Miami Herald columnist and satirical novelist, and a musical event featuring UWF music professor Dr. Leonid Yanovskiy. They spent hours sifting through the Pensacola News Journal archives to curate September 5, 2019

cartoons that addressed important issues to the area. Some of the pieces Croghan finds particularly poignant are the commentary on issues surrounding the Gulf and environmental stewardship, he said. "Drawings communicate beyond the written word," Croghan said. "What we're trying to do with the cartoons is to examine these issues that have been pervasive in the local area, the region, nationally and internationally, and see how these issues have changed in terms of perspective and scope but also try and bring a playful quality to how they're approached." After all, they are cartoons. "Yes, they usually represent an editorial comment from that paper, but they're also supposed to make you smile, think and hopefully open up a dialogue with other members of the community," Croghan said.

'A true unbiased journalist'

J. Earle Bowden was a rarity. Not many journalists make cartoons for their own editorials. He started his career at the Pensacola News Journal in 1953 and continued drawing cartoons even after he retired. The newspaper must've saved a bit of money using his drawings, Randy Bowden speculated with a laugh. "His ability to do editorial cartoons allowed

him to get a double whammy to the public out there about his message," Randy Bowden said. J. Earle Bowden started with a dip pen and drawings the size of an unfolded newspaper. As technology advanced, he traded the pen and ink holder for a uni-ball pen and downsized to a smaller sketchpad. Then, the internet happened. "He wrestled with that," Randy Bowden said. "He was one of those believers in the printed word and that it was going to live on forever. He was a true unbiased journalist. You would not have known what his political nature was. He was a historian. He was preservationist. And he was a journalist. He married all of those things together." J. Earle Bowden was known for his boldlined drawings addressing issues such as the Florida legislature, environment, taxes, tourism and international politics. But, like him, cartoons are twofold in nature—not only journalism but also art. His father was self-taught, but he always wanted to go to art school, Randy Bowden said. The newspaperman drew his whole life— sometimes a pile of leaves during a family trip to the Smoky Mountains, a Live Oak tree that hung over the patio or an old grist mill. Randy Bowden could never forget his father doodling on the paper placemats at

Andy Marlette isn't the first in his family to use art like a weapon. His uncle, Doug Marlette, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist. "We were close growing up, and we always had his cartoon books lying around the house as a kid," Marlette said. "So I was copying them, drawing cartoons of Reagan and Jimmy Carter before I really understood who the president was." Now, he makes it his mission to push the right buttons and annoy politicians—particularly Congressman Matt Gaetz, Marlette said. Cartoons are "David's sling and Robin Hood's bow," he said. When asked to describe his style, Marlette modestly said "pretty immature and mediocre" but hopefully improving a little bit all the time, he added. "I'm not really formally trained, so I've just sort of stolen things from all the picture-drawers I've ever seen and loved—everyone from Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein to Picasso and Michelangelo," Marlette said. "There were a lot of Ninja Turtles and Bart Simpsons as a kid. MAD Magazine and the cartoons in Playboy— mix in all that stuff, and that's sort of where my goofy drawings come from." Marlette approaches cartoons a little like folk art. "I try to work in the same spirit that Woody Guthrie played his guitar," Marlette said. "At their best, cartoons are equalizers, 13

works are in the exhibition, but he thinks the concept is timely. "In the sad, strange days of Facebook phonies and Russian trolls— where professional political liars cry 'fake news' and many people are duped into believing them—cartoons are important tools for revealing the truth about conmen," Marlette said. The exhibition is also the perfect complement to UWF's Seligman First Amendment Lecture Series, he said. "It's very cool that Dr. Martha Saunders and the university wanted to include it—it actually says a lot about them," Marlette said. "A lot of buttoned-down, respectable institutions get nervous around political cartoons. Their insecurities come out, and they get scared about any whiff Self portrait by Andy Marlette (from Inweekly "Rising Stars," 1/17/2013) of potential controversy. It's why the New York Times Opinion page tearing down and stripping naked the rich, doesn't have a staff cartoonist. They're powerful and phony folks for all of us poor scared of what might happen." folks to laugh at." He thinks it's cowardly, but he gets it. Cartoons can neutralize authoritarians and "There's a primitive power in these silly narcissists in that way, he said. Those who we drawings," Marlette said. "Good cartoons ridicule have no power over our lives. are the street fighters of political discourse. "And in a nation founded by folks who They have punch. They can be dirty and gave the middle finger to a mad king, that rough. They are cheap and quick to produce. should be a fundamental part of American They are inherently working class and antipatriotism," Marlette said. "How bizarre and authority—a sort of unrefined art that reaches deranged that folks who proclaim 'patriotism' children and poor people and turns them fill arenas and chant and cheer in ceremonial against their parents and bosses. You know, worship of politicians? This is America. Only sort of like rock and roll, but cartoonists aren't Beyoncé deserves that sort of thing." cool enough to have groupies." {in} Marlette doesn't know which of his

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Seligman First AmendmenT Lecture Series Schedule

THEM DAMNED PICTURES: A BRIEF HISTORY OF EDITORIAL CARTOONS

WHAT: The exhibition presenting three Florida editorial cartoonists WHEN: On view now through Sept. 15, WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. COST: $7 adults, $4 children (ages 3-14), $6 for military and dependents, seniors, UWF Historic Trust Members and UWF Alumni Association Members, free for children (under 3), PMA Members and UWF Students DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org

OPENING RECEPTION

WHAT: The opening reception for "Them Damned Pictures" will feature an artist talk with Andy Marlette WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6 WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. COST: Free DETAILS: facebook.com/pensacolamuseum

BANNED AND FORBIDDEN– PROHIBITED MUSICAL MASTERPIECES

WHAT: A a special concert dedicated to forbidden music under the direction of UWF music professor and director of strings Dr. Leonid Yanovskiy. WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 WHERE: Old Christ Church, 405 S. Adams St. COST: Free DETAILS: uwf.edu/cassh/communityoutreach/seligman-first-amendmentlecture-series

AN EVENING WITH CARL HIAASEN WHAT: A lecture featuring author and columnist, Carl Hiaasen WHEN: 6-7:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 WHERE: New World Landing, 600 S. Palafox St. COST: Free, but registration is required by Friday, Sept. 6 DETAILS: uwf.edu/cassh/communityoutreach/seligman-first-amendmentlecture-series

inweekly.net

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 5-11

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

By Jeremy Morrison

"So far, the work we've received is amazing in its creativity and manipulation of trash into a piece of art that would look great on any wall or office desk," Schmidt said. Schmidt said that the art center is excited to be bringing attention to such an important issue through works of art. "By bringing awareness to the littering problem that threatens our waters, we can encourage new and productive ways of thinking about trash in order to promote recycling, repurposing, reducing and reusing, she said. Those things—recycling and thinking about trash creatively—have been on Jane Hatcher's radar for a while. The artist, who teaches art at the Creative Learning Center, embraces the concept of repurposing in both her life and art. "I try to do a lot of up-cycling with my kids, and I try to do that with my art too," Hatcher said.

"I try to do a lot of up-cycling with my kids, and I try to do that with my art too." Jane Hatcher

Art by Jane Hatcher

One person's trash, so it goes, is another's treasure—or, in this instance, art. In an effort to raise awareness about the amount of trash threatening the environment and, in particular, local waterways, Keep Pensacola Beautiful and the First City Art Center are teaming up to present the inaugural Pieces Adrift show, an art exhibition and auction on Saturday, Sept. 7, featuring works fashioned from trash found in the area. "It's local litter, local art," said Jessica Irwin, director of programming and development with Keep Pensacola Beautiful. Throughout the year, Keep Pensacola Beautiful hosts community clean-ups all over the area. During the events, volunteers collect all matter of litter. And this year, the organization set some aside and cleaned it. September 5, 2019

"It's from all of our beach clean-ups, park clean-ups and roadside litter," said Sigrid Solgard, the nonprofit's executive director. "Things that would not go away—the plastics, the metal, the chips bags, the coffee cups," said Irwin, explaining that any biodegradable, wet or otherwise unusable material was separated out. From this litter—previously an environmental drag—will arise works of art. "It's incredible what people have been able to create," Solgard said. "The things we've seen so far really speak to the spirit of the event," Irwin agreed. "We had a group of kids that created a sea turtle out of trash." Over at the First City Art Center, Events Manager Kelly Schmidt has also been impressed with the entries thus far.

participating in the Pieces Adrift show, will be up for grabs and auctioned off as part of the event. The money raised through the auction will go toward supporting scholarships for art students at First City as well as toward supporting Keep Pensacola Beautiful's work on its Harmony Parks project. Schmidt said the scholarships are important in enabling the center to provide art instruction to students who otherwise not be able to enjoy such an enriching experience. "This past summer, we awarded 36 camper scholarships to attend a week of Creatisphere Summer Art Camp," she said. "Beginning this September, we are giving a scholarship for an Art Lab class. We hope to grow the scholarship program through fundraising events in an effort to make art classes accessible to more of our community." Harmony Parks is a project Keep Pensacola Beautiful is working on at Englewood Park, near the Boys and Girls Club. The project aims to install instruments-asplayground-equipment at the park. "They're like big musical instruments," said Solgard. "Equipment like this is not just designed for kids but also for adults to play with them," Irwin said, explaining how the concept is designed to inject energy into an area beyond the playground. While the nonprofit has some corporate sponsors lined up—like Walmart, AARP and Pensacola Opera—the group is hoping funds realized through the Pieces Adrift auction puts Harmony Parks within reach. "This event will help us bridge that last little bit," Solgard said. In addition to the exhibit of trash-turnedart, the Pieces Adrift will also feature offerings from food trucks and drink stands, as well as live music from Honey Daze and Tanya Gallagher. The first 200 attendees will also receive a reusable metal straw. {in}

For the Pieces Adrift show, the artist collected her own trash. She mostly gathered litter from inlets of the Escambia Bay and along the bluffs off of Scenic Highway. And she was surprised how rich of a harvest she was able to pull due to the amount of litter discarded. "Like, trash all over … people just not taking care of our world," Hatcher said. The art teacher decided to focus on glass litter in particular, which, again, she found in abundance. "I was really shocked at how much glass is discarded," Hatcher said, recalling an instance where she almost sliced her foot open. "It's dangerous, so it's even more alarming that people are like, 'Meh, it doesn't matter.'" Hatcher's finished piece features a fully-intact Coke bottle she found. "That's kind of the cenWHAT: An art show and auction to benefit Keep Penterpiece," she said. The piece sacola Beautiful and First City Art Center lights up from the inside and is WHEN: 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 7 designed to resemble coral reef. WHERE: First City Art Center, 1060 Guillemard St. "It doesn't really even really COST: $10; Free for FCAC or KPB members look like trash," Hatcher said. DETAILS: facebook.com/firstcityartcenter, facebook. Hatcher's art, as well as com/keeppensacolabeautiful the work of the other artists

PIECES ADRIFT

calendar THURSDAY 9.5

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 LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.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 ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS 5 and 7 p.m. $20 per person. Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine ARCHAEOCAFE: PIRATES! THE LAST SCOURGE OF THE GULF 6-7 p.m. Free.

Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/fpannorthwest 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 ZUMBA WITH SHANNON AND FRIENDS 6-7 p.m. $4. Homestead Community Center, 7830 Pine Forest Road. MEDITATION AND ENERGY HEALING 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org 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 AVATAR 7 p.m. $20-$25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com EMERALD COAST BEER FESTIVAL BEER DINNER 7 p.m. $65. per person. Apple Annie's

at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

SCREENING OF KEN BURNS' COUNTRY MUSIC DOCUMENTARY 7 p.m. Free. WSRE

Jean and Paul Amos Performance Studio, 1000 College Blvd. wsre.org/country FLORA-BAMA BULLS ON THE BEACH 8 p.m. $15-$25; free admission for children 6 and younger. Flora-Bama, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. florabama.com/bulls-on-the-beach

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FRIDAY 9.6

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

Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

EVER'MAN COOKS: COOKING WITH HONEY WITH BECCA FRITSCHLE 11 a.m. Ever'man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HAPPY HOUR COOKOUT 5 p.m. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com EMERALD COAST BEER FESTIVAL 5:30-8:30 p.m. $25-$100. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com SONGWRITERS AT SUNSET 6 p.m. $100$150. Nashville songwriters Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins and J.T. Harding. Lost Key Beach Club, 14359 Perdido Key Drive. perdidochamber.com $5 LOCAL SHOWCASE WITH GONE WITH THE FLESH, STORM WITHIN, GRIMWAR, VESSEL 7 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox.

vinylmusichall.com

GOOD VIBES MIXER: A CONSCIOUS LISTENING PARTY 7-11 p.m. Free cover charge.

Asher & Bee Apothecary and Tea House, 7 E. Gregory St. facebook.com/asherandbee FLORA-BAMA BULLS ON THE BEACH 8 p.m. $15-$25; free admission for children 6 and younger. Flora-Bama, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. florabama.com/bulls-on-the-beach GLOW BOWL 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday. $12 per person. Strikerz Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St.

SATURDAY 9.7

PARKRUN/WALK MEETUP 7:30 a.m. University of West Florida, Rec Plex North Field, 11000 University Parkway. parkrun.us/ recplexnorth SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road. PENSACOLA STATE VET TECH DOG WASH 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $5-$20. Pensacola State College's Warrington Campus, Bldg. 3200, 5555 W. Highway 98. Students are accepting donations of pet food, toys and litter trays for Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter. 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 OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Gulf Islands National Seashore, 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway, and south end of the Bob Sikes Bridge at the Grand Marlin parking lot, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd. oceanhourfl.com 5 & DIME WEEKEND 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Alyssa's Antiques, 4586 Chumuckla Highway. 2019 GULF COAST CORNHOLE SERIES QUALIFIER 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Bamboo Willie's Beach-

side Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Road.

MEETING THE GENEALOGICAL PROOF STANDARD 10 a.m. Free. West Florida Ge-

nealogy Library, 5740 N. 9th Ave. wfgsi.org EVER'MAN COOKS KIDS KITCHEN 10 and 11:30 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ALZHEIMER'S BLOCK PARTY 2019 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Seville Square Park, 311 E. Government St.

Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com FLORA-BAMA BULLS ON THE BEACH 8 p.m. $15-$25; free admission for children 6 and younger. Flora-Bama, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. florabama.com/bulls-on-the-beach NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS JON NITE, JIMMY ROBBINS & J.T. HARDING 8 p.m. $25-$100. Vinyl

Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.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. IMPROVABLE CAUSE 10:30 p.m. $11. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com

SUNDAY 9.8

THEMED BRUNCH AT PERFECT PLAIN

6:30 p.m. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

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 5 & DIME WEEKEND 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Alyssa's Antiques, 4586 Chumuckla Highway. 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. DOGGIE BOWL 2-5 p.m. $25 for individual bowlers; group rates available for teams of four, five and six. Proceeds benefit Pensacola Humane Society. Cordova Lanes, 2111 Airport Blvd. pensacolahumane.org BIG JIM BROWN AND THE SPEED KINGS 3-5 p.m. Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola TALLAHASSEE SMITH 3-6 p.m. Frazier's Country Wines, 3130 Barrancas Ave.

SAENGER CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES: ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 7 p.m. $6. Saenger Theatre,

MONDAY 9.9

ANIMAL ALLIES KITTEN & CAT ADOPTIONS AT PET SUPERMARKET 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Pet Super-

market, 6857 N. Ninth Avenue. aaflorida.org. WILDFEST 2019 Noon-3:30 p.m. Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida, 105 N. S St. pensacolawildlife.com 13TH ANNUAL BONFEST PENSACOLA Noon4 p.m. Free. Japanese food and culture. Booker T. Washington High School, 6000 College Parkway. BARE HAND COLLECTIVE BAZAAR 2-5 p.m. Free admission and parking. Live music from Greg Bond, local vendors/makers. Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 3403 Gulf Beach Highway. 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 WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12 plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us PEEN STATE VERSUS BUFFALO GAME WATCH

118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com 24-HOUR THEATRE 7:30 p.m. Pensacola

RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Li-

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

inweekly.net

calendar ECUA ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS 3 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org FALL COOKIE CLASS 5:30 p.m. $40. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie

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

Hospital at Sacred Heart, 5151 FL-289.

plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us FUNKY YOGA 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org 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 COUNTRY TWO-STEP DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12. Whiskey Runners Saloon. 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com BANDS ON THE BEACH 7-9 p.m. Free. Chloe Channell. Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach. visitpensacolabeach.com

TUESDAY 9.10

WEDNESDAY 9.11

CAST IRON FILET MIGNON AND SHRIMP COOKING CLASS 6 p.m. $60. So Gourmet,

407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com EARTH ETHICS 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org 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 CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER 7 p.m. Studer Family Children's

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Commu-

nity Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org JOHN APPLEYARD TALK: TRISTAN DELUNATHE STORY OF OUR FIRST SETTLER 9 a.m.

Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St. visitpensacola.com BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE 11:30 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum viewing area, 1878 S. Blue Angel Parkway. Use West Gate Entrance. GARDENING ON THE GULF COAST 1 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org TRYON FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 4 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. mywfpl.com COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 4-6 p.m. Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com PILATES FUSION 4:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org FIBER FREESTYLIN' AT STUDIO SOUTH

5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Open to all knitters, crocheters, weavers and more. Studio South, 955 E. Nine Mile Road. studiosouthon9mileroad.com

Arts & Culture

≥Events

YOGA IN THE GALLERIES 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5. $7, or free for PMA members. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

NEW EXHIBITS OPENING RECEPTION 6

p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

PIECES ADRIFT AT A GLANCE 5-8 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7. $10, free to children under 12. First City Art CenSeptember 5, 2019

ter, 1060 Guillemard St. keeppensacolabeautiful.org PMA GALLERY TOURS

2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

≥Current Exhibits

KEEP IT MOVING On

view through Sept. 5. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org

THEM DAMNED PICTURES: A BRIEF HISTORY OF EDITORIAL CARTOONS On

view through Sept. 15. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jef-

PILATES FUSION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com WAGGY WEDNESDAYS WITH PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY 4-7 p.m. Pet-themed

games and prizes. Through Sept. 18. $1 from every Tito's Vodka sale benefits Pensacola Humane Society. Island Culture Tiki Bar, 17 Via De Luna Drive. pensacolahumane.org VEGAN AND VINO SUNDAYS 4-7 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox AFRICAN DANCE FITNESS 5:30 p.m. Every Wednesday through Dec. 18. Henny Penny's Patisserie, 4412 W. Jackson. facebook.com/ facebook.com/hennypennyspatisserie VINYASA YOGA 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WEST COAST SWING DANCING 6:30 p.m. $12. Whiskey Runners Saloon, 610 E. Nine Mile Road. dancecraftstudios.com AGENT ORANGE 7 p.m. $10. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com ferson St. pensacolamuseum.org EXPOSURE On view through Oct. 4. Luna Fine Art Gallery at the Hilton Pensacola Beach, 12 Via De Luna Drive. lunafineartgallery.com PICTURESQUE BITS OF PENSACOLA On

view through Oct. 18. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

TERMINAL: PHOTOGRAPHIC ORIENTATIONS FROM STIEGLITZ TO STASIECZEK

On view through

EARTH ETHICS MONTHLY EDUCATION SERIES 2019 WHEN/WHERE: Monday, September 9th beginning at 6 p.m. at Ever’man Environmental Education Center, 327 W. Garden Street. WHO: Join Earth Ethics in welcoming September guest speaker, Grace Resendez McCaffery, owner of Latino Media Gulf Coast, Publisher of La Costa Media Gulf Coast, and Founder of the Hispanic Resource Center of Northwest Florida for Beyond the wall: Human Rights and Social Justice. Grace will discuss immigration, the border wall, detention centers, and the anti-sanctuary cities bill. Earth Ethics will address some of the anticipated environmental impacts associated with wall construction. Stay up to date on this event by visiting: facebook.com/events/704517083334964

Thank you for your interest in protecting the environment. 850.549.7472 earthethicsaction@gmail.com

earthethics.us

Oct. 18. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org RESISTANCE & CHANGE: TABLAS OF SARHUA, CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS FROM THE PERUVIAN ANDES On

view through Oct. 27. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org RADIO'S GOLDEN AGE: THEN AND NOW

On view through Oct. 31. WUWF, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 88. wuwf.org

for more listings visit inweekly.net 17

free will astrology WEEK OF SEPT. 5

EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): John Muir (1838–1914) was skilled at creating and using machinery. In his 20s, he diligently expressed those aptitudes. But at age 27, while working in a carriage parts factory, he suffered an accident that blinded him. For several months, he lay in bed, hoping to recuperate. During that time, Muir decided that if his sight returned, he would thereafter devote it to exploring the beauty of the natural world. The miracle came to pass, and for the rest of his life he traveled and explored the wilds of North America, becoming an influential naturalist, author, and early environmentalist. I'd love to see you respond to one of your smaller setbacks—much less dramatic than Muir's!— with comparable panache, Aries. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Of all the children on the planet, 3% live in the U.S. And yet American children are in possession of 40% of the world's toys. In accordance with astrological omens, I hereby invite you to be like an extravagant American child in the coming weeks. You have cosmic permission to seek maximum fun and treat yourself to zesty entertainment and lose yourself in uninhibited laughter and wow yourself with beguiling games and delightful gizmos. It's playtime! GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): The "ama" are Japanese women whose job it is to dive to the sea bottom and fetch oysters bearing pearls. The water is usually cold, and the workers use no breathing apparatus, depending instead on specialized techniques to hold their breath. I propose we make them your inspirational role models. The next few weeks will be a favorable time, metaphorically speaking, for you to descend into the depths in quest of valuables and inspirations. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Renowned Cancerian neurologist Oliver Sacks believed that music and gardens could be vital curative agents, as therapeutic as pharmaceuticals. My personal view is that walking in nature can be as medicinal as working and lolling in a garden. As for music, I would extend his prescription to include singing and dancing as well as listening. I'm also surprised that Sacks didn't give equal recognition to the healing power of touch, which can be wondrously rejuvenating, either in its erotic or non-erotic forms. I bring these thoughts to your attention because I suspect the coming weeks will be a Golden Age of non-pharmaceutical healing for you. I'm not suggesting that you stop taking the drugs you need to stay healthy; I simply mean that music, nature and touch will have an extra-sublime impact on your well-being. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): If you visualize what ancient Rome looked like, it's possible you draw on memories of scenes you've seen portrayed in movies. The blockbuster film Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, may be one of those

818 1

By Rob Brezsny

templates. The weird thing is that Gladiator, as well as many other such movies, were inspired by the grandiose paintings of the ancient world done by Dutch artist Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836–1912). And in many ways, his depictions were not at all factual. I bring this to your attention, Leo, in the hope that it will prod you to question the accuracy and authenticity of your mental pictures. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to get fuzzy and incorrect memories into closer alignment with the truth, and to shed any illusions that might be distorting your understanding of reality.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I don't know if

the coming weeks will be an Anais Nin phase for you. But they could be if you want them to. It's up to you whether you'll dare to be as lyrical, sensual, deep, expressive and emotionally rich as she was. In case you decide that YES, you will, here are quotes from Nin that might serve you well. 1. It is easy to love and there are so many ways to do it. 2. My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to find peace with exactly who and what I am. 3. I am so thirsty for the marvelous that only the marvelous has power over me. Anything I cannot transform into something marvelous, I let go. 4. Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. 5. It was while helping others to be free that I gained my own freedom.

You'll have extra power and luck if you commune with and celebrate your hidden feelings and buried secrets. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): "When you're nailing a custard pie to the wall, and it starts to wilt, it doesn't do any good to hammer in more nails." So advised novelist Wallace Stegner. I hope I'm delivering his counsel in time to dissuade you from even trying to nail a custard pie to the wall—or an omelet or potato chip or taco, for that matter. What might be a better use of your energy? You could use the nails to build something that will actually be useful to you. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "I hid my

deepest feelings so well I forgot where I placed them," wrote author Amy Tan. My Scorpio friend Audrey once made a similar confession—"I buried my secrets so completely from the prying curiosity of other people that I lost track of them myself." If either of those descriptions apply to you, Scorpio, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to secure a remedy. You'll have extra power and luck if you commune with and celebrate your hidden feelings and buried secrets.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): "No Eden valid without serpent." Novelist Wallace Stegner wrote that pithy riff. I think it's a good motto for you to use in the immediate future. How do you interpret it? Here's what I think. As you nourish your robust vision of paradise-

on-earth, and as you carry out the practical actions that enable you to manifest that vision, it's wise to have some creative irritant in the midst of it. That bug, that question, that tantalizing mystery is the key to keeping you honest and discerning. It gives credibility and gravitas to your idealistic striving.

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

coco de mer is a palm tree that grows in the Seychelles. Its seed is huge, weighing as much as 40 pounds and having a diameter of 19 inches. The seed takes seven years to grow into its mature form, then takes an additional two years to germinate. Everything I just said about the coco de mer seed reminds me of you, Capricorn. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you've been working on ripening an awesome seed for a long time and are now in the final phase before it sprouts. The Majestic Budding may not fully kick in until 2020, but I bet you're already feeling the enjoyable, mysterious pressure.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): If you

throw a pool ball or a bronze Buddha statue at a window, the glass will break. In fact, the speed at which it fractures could reach 3,000 miles per hour. Metaphorically speaking, your mental blocks and emotional obstacles are typically not as crackable. You may smack them with your angry probes and bash them with your desperate pleas yet have little or no effect. But I suspect that in the coming weeks, you'll have much more power than usual to shatter those vexations. So I hereby invite you to hurl your strongest blasts at your mental blocks and emotional obstacles. Don't be surprised if they collapse at unexpectedly rapid speeds.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In the 13th century, the Italian city of Bologna was serious about guarding the integrity of its cuisine. In 1250, the cheese guild issued a decree proclaiming, "If you make fake mortadella ... your body will be stretched on the rack three times, you will be fined 200 gold coins, and all the food you make will be destroyed." I appreciate such devotion to purity and authenticity and factualness. And I recommend that in the coming weeks, you commit to comparable standards in your own sphere. Don't let your own offerings be compromised or corrupted. The same with the offerings you receive from other people. Be impeccable. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Saul Bellow wrote, "Imagination is a force of nature. Is this not enough to make a person full of ecstasy?" Do you agree?

freewillastrology.com

inweekly.net

news of the weird INEXPLICABLE Jacob Pina, 20, of Westport, Massachusetts, can't explain his physical oddity, but that's not stopping him from firmly grasping his 15 minutes of fame. Pina, recently dubbed "Thumb Boy," unveiled his unusually long (5 inches) right thumb on the TikTok app on Aug. 24, reported Metro News. "There's no reason it's so big just an anomaly," Pina posted. "I feel great about it. It's always great to be different and embrace your own essence." Pina has gained 145,000 followers on the app—and he's never lost a thumb war. DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE The Botox RN MD Spa in Sugar Land, Texas, was the scene of a breaking-and-entering caught on camera on Aug. 23, but police are still looking for the slim, youthful-looking culprit. Surveillance video shows a woman testing the locked doors of the spa that evening, the Associated Press reported, then returning in a Mercedes SUV with a battery-powered grinding saw. After cutting through the clinic's front door, she took an undisclosed amount of anti-aging products and drove away. WEIRD SCIENCE A day of fishing on Lake Champlain became more memorable than most when Debbie Geddes of Plattsburgh, New York, reeled in a trout worthy of a social media storm: It had two mouths. Geddes and her husband were fishing in midAugust when the unusual catch took the bait, WPTZ reported. Geddes' co-worker Adam Facteau posted pictures to Facebook and said he's heard many theories about what caused the fish's deformity—including that it's an offspring of the lake's famed monster, Champy. Geddes threw the trout back after snapping some photos. CUTENESS OVERLOAD About a dozen service dogs in Ontario, Canada, took in a performance of "Billy Elliot: The Musical" in August as part of their training through the K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs organization. When the actors took their curtain call, nary a whimper or a quiet woof could be heard—music to the ears of head trainer Laura MacKenzie. During such a performance, dogs are trained to sit under the seat or at their handler's feet, but MacKenzie told CNN that a few of the dogs peeked over the seats to see the action on stage. Dogs are also exposed to subways, zoos and crowded fairs during their training. EWWWWW! Firefighters near Estacada, Oregon, rescued a woman on Aug. 20 who had been trapped in a septic tank on her rural property, possibly for two or three days. The unidentified woman, who lives alone, couldn't alert neighbors of her predicament because they live out of shouting range. Her daughter found her after becoming concerned when

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

she was unable to reach her mother for four days. Firefighters told KATU that work appeared to be being done on the tank—a hole had been dug exposing the tank, which had a rusted 2-by-2-foot hole in its lid. The woman had apparently fallen through the hole and was lying in sewage, with her face just above the surface, when rescuers got to her. They did not see any visible injuries on her, but she was transported to a hospital in Portland. CRIME REPORT Nicholas Redmond, 32, of Philadelphia, had a productive August as an employee of Macy's at the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania. Not because he sold a lot of merchandise, but because, according to police, he told them he stole about $12,000 in cash from the retailer. His run came to a halt on Aug. 25 when a security system alerted police to an intruder in the store. Around 4:30 a.m., authorities found Redmond hiding in the first-floor ceiling, clutching $7,000. Upper Merion Township police Lt. Brendan Brazunas told WPVI his officers "were very shocked ... they just couldn't believe somebody had gone up to that length to hide from them." Redmond was arraigned and held in jail, failing to post a $10,000 cash bond. •A Pennsylvania state appellate court has ruled against Stephen Kirchner, who was convicted in a lower court for disorderly conduct in 2018 for pointing his finger like a gun at a neighbor. In June of that year, KDKA reported, Kirchner was walking past a neighbor's home in Manor, Pennsylvania, when the neighbor made an obscene gesture with his hand. Kirchner responded by making a shooting gun gesture with his own hand. A witness called 911, and the unnamed neighbor told police he felt "extremely threatened." Kirchner argued that his gesture was not a hazard, but the appeals court disagreed. GREAT ART! In downtown Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, someone left a plate of macaroni and cheese, complete with fork, sitting atop a steel road barrier on Aug. 27, which caught the interest of a Reddit poster. No one knew where it came from or if someone would be back to retrieve it, but a day later an anonymous citizen made it into an art installation, reported CTV News, by adding a museum-like tag beside it. "Abandoned Snack (2019)—Macaroni and sundried tomato on ceramic—Unknown Artist," reads the placard. Christie's, are you listening? {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com September 5, 2019

Independent News | September 5, 2019 | inweekly.net