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Independent News | January 10, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 2 | Photo courtesy of UWF Historic Trust Collections

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winners & losers

outtakes

news 6, 8

Iâ€™m excited times 10.

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cover feature

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Michael Daw

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

a&e 15, 18

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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January 10, 2019

winners & losers

Henry Stovall / Courtesy Photo

winners HENRY STOVALL Ascension Florida

has named Stovall as the new president and CEO of Sacred Heart Health System. Stovall has served as the president of Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola since 2012. He has held many leadership positions in health care for more than 30 years. Before being named the president of Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola, he served as senior vice president of Special Projects for Sacred Heart Health System. In past roles, Stovall served as a division president for PHNS in Dallas, Texas, a partner in the national healthcare practice of the Hay Group in Dallas, and as a corporate vice president at Presbyterian Healthcare System in Dallas.

DAVID STAFFORD The Escambia County

Supervisor of Elections began processing applications from previously ineligible voters on Tuesday, Jan. 8, the effective date of the Voting Restoration Amendment approved by voters in the 2018 General Election. The amendment "restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting unless the governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case-by-case basis." Voters who have previously been removed from the Florida Voter Registration Systems due to a felony conviction but are now eligible can now submit a new voter registration application.

Todd Entrekin / Courtesy Photo

losers

TODD ENTREKIN The Etowah County,

Ala., sheriff has pocketed at least $1.5 million in federal funds by housing Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees, according to an investigation published by AL.com. Citing public records and interviews with county officials, AL.com reported County Sheriff Entrekin receives funds from the federal government to house and feed detainees at the Etowah County Detention Center, but he splits whatever's left over in the food budget between himself and the county's general fund. Since October 2011, that food budget has had more than $3 million in surplus, according to the report. That surplus is so large in part because Entrekin has allegedly skimped on the food provided to inmates. Alabama state law reportedly allows Entrekin to claim a surplus of state funds. However, legal experts told AL.com that pocketing federal dollars is almost certainly illegal.

TOWN OF CENTURY The Office of the

State Attorney announced three members of the Century Town Councilâ€”Sandra McMurray Jackson, Ann Cofield Brooks and Luis Gomez, Jr.â€”have been charged with noncriminal violations of the Florida Government in the Sunshine Law. If found guilty of the charge, they face a civil fine of up to $500. They are scheduled for a court appearance on Jan. 24. The State Attorney also announced that a Grand Jury would be convened to review various matters regarding the operations and management of the Town of Century.

January 1-11

inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

MOVE IT

State Rep. Mike Hill has proposed legislation that he's convinced will win white voters—the Soldiers' and Heroes' Monuments and Memorials Protection Act. The bill would prohibit the removal of any monument or remembrance on public property that honors veterans who fought in any war or campaign from the Anglo-Spanish War (15851604) to Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011), including the Civil War. The city of Pensacola has a Confederate monument that has hovered over the downtown area since 1891. The widows of former Florida Governor Edward Perry, who was a Confederate general, and Stephen Mallory, the former Confederate Secretary of the Navy, raised funds to honor their late husbands and other Confederate contemporaries. Hill's bill would preserve it forever. Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson opposes the bill because he doesn't agree with the Florida Legislature preempting local governments. He told reporters, "Every community should be able to make their own decisions." However, he doesn't believe the "Our Confederate Dead" monument should be removed from city property. "I've never believed necessarily taking stuff down makes us a better place," the mayor said. "What makes us a better place is being respectful and realizing that we all have differences of how we got here." I disagree with Mayor Robinson. The statue should not be on public property. He is overlooking the context in which the monument was erected. When Perry ran for governor in 1884, 45 percent of Escambia County's residents were

African American, and most voted Republican. Perry promised to rid Florida of its "carpetbagger" Republican governments. He didn't carry Escambia County. Once elected, Governor Perry abolished Pensacola's city charter, which allowed him to remove all Republican black public officials and replace them with his cronies. He fought for the approval of a new state constitution that took away the right for African American men to vote, made segregation within public schools mandatory and banned interracial marriage. The monument in Lee Square is as much a remembrance of Perry's "accomplishments" as it is of dead Confederate soldiers. When our newspaper covered the 2017 protests regarding the monument, writer Christopher Satterwhite interviewed Matthew Clavin, University of Houston history professor and author of "Aiming for Pensacola: Fugitive Slaves on the Atlantic and Southern Frontier." He explained why monuments were dedicated several decades after the war. "The monuments were erected to both remember the sacrifices of a previous generation and serve contemporary political agendas, such as the promotion of legalized racial segregation," said Clavin. St. John's Cemetery has 80 CSA veterans interred. In 2017, its board sent a letter to former Mayor Ashton Hayward offering to place the "Our Confederate Dead" monument on its grounds. We should take them up on their offer and move the Confederate monument to St. John's Cemetery. After all, that's where Governor Perry is buried. {in} rick@inweekly.net

The statue should not be on public property.

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LAVOY AT THE HELM bia's assistant county administrator. But she's been with the county for much longer, nearly 20 years. "I started off as a lowly, lowly, lowly budget analyst," Lavoy said. A Pensacola native, Lavoy went on to head up the county's budget department before eventually being enlisted as assistant administrator around the time Jack Brown took the administrator's position. Brown recently announced his intentions to retire. While he has already effectively left—he's on "terminal leave"—the administrator will officially step down in February. During the interim, Lavoy's title has changed to acting county administrator, but her mission is staying about the same—working to navigate Escambia County's course going forward.

THE ROAD AHEAD Amy Lavoy / Courtesy Photo

By Jeremy Morrison Amy Lavoy comes from the world of math. She's a numbers cruncher, a bean counter. But she's been in administration long enough now to really nail the one-liners. "I don't care what anybody says." Lavoy laughed. "You're not going to get any projects done if you don't have a way to pay for it, and just because you have a way to pay for it doesn't mean you're gonna get the project done." This one would no doubt slay at a Florida Association of Counties convention. But the zinger runs deep and also serves as an apropos illustration of Lavoy's administrative approach, one that marries her experiences in both the executive and budgetary worlds of Escambia County government. "I like merging the two," she said. Since 2014, Lavoy has served as Escam-

When Lavoy took on an administrative role with Escambia County, she already had a bit of familiarity with the various departments within county government from her time in the budget office. "The advantage of the budget office is you get to see every department work, granted, from a financial perspective, but you get to see every department," she said. "When I was there, I got to see something in every department all the time." After a few years in administration, Lavoy still speaks with the wonder of a dreamer or maybe a student wading deeper into the waters of a lifelong discipline. "When I made the change from the budget office over to administration, I had a familiarity with the department, certainly, but now I see a whole different side of it," she said, "not just the financial and accounting aspect, but I see the operational portion too, which is fascinating to see how these departments run." But Lavoy can conversely take the seasoned tone of a practical planner, particularly when discussing the upcoming year

of challenges and opportunities facing the county on the other side of the holidays. Heavy lifts, like developing a master plan for a commerce park on the OLF 8 property or the construction of a new county jail. Most things, Lavoy pointed out, represent both opportunities as well as challenges, like, for example, the construction of a new jail. "I think that it is an opportunity because you're stepping into a brand-new building. There's going to be efficiencies realized that we just have never had the opportunity to realize over at the main jail just because of the age of it," she said. "But it's also going to be a lot of challenges because it's going to be full."

"I think that it is an opportunity because you're stepping into a brand-new building." Amy Lavoy This peak jail population facing the county is approached like a budgetary equation, "The challenge is going to be reducing the jail population and smart ways to do that." But this is an equation with lofty aims towards reducing the area's incarceration levels and hopefully realizing the associated societal benefits from such a reduction. It's an effort that appears to excite the acting administrator. "Without letting too much out of the bag—because we're not starting; we're not going to move forward until next year—I think a lot of it involves alternatives to incarceration," Lavoy said, describing how offering such alternatives could benefit both county and citizens. "Because if you're in jail, one, citizen taxpayer is paying every bit of your room, board, medical, everything, and you're probably going to lose whatever job you had if you're in jail, so you're going to be a burden on the taxpayer for a long time to come." She continued, "If we can keep them out of jail and keep them working, then I

think we have the opportunity to affect some change, and that's going to be a huge, huge—I can't underscore enough how much of a challenge that's going to be." Lavoy said other efforts the county will be focusing on include addressing the area's homelessness issue as well as poverty in general. "One of the things that we've always struggled with in the county—and you know this if you've spent any time in the county—is poverty levels," the acting administrator said. "If we can start addressing that in any meaningful way, I think that's going to pay dividends forever. I really just do."

A CHANGING COUNTY

Throughout Lavoy's time with Escambia County, she has served with more than a few county administrators. She's taken note and learned from each. "I think Jack was my ninth county administrator," Lavoy reflected, offering up some advice learned while working with Brown. "If you do something, it's never done in a vacuum, so what are the ripple effects that are going to occur as a result of that?" Also, during her tenure with the county, the acting administrator has seen a lot of change. "When I first started with the county, it was a lot of focus on what I consider small-county things—paving dirt roads, a lot more rural kind of programs. And now especially with this board, we are focusing on things that I consider bigger-city or bigger-area issues," Lavoy said. She added, "Don't get me wrong, we still focus on paving dirt roads because we still have dirt roads to pave, but we're focusing more on things like poverty reduction and homelessness reduction and staffing and equipping our community centers with programs, which is much more indicative of an urbanized, larger area." Watching as Escambia County has evolved, Lavoy said she is encouraged with the trajectory. "Over my time, I think it's changed dramatically," she said. "It's nice to see." {in}

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January 10, 2019

BETTER SIDEWALKS COMING By Rick Outzen On his last day in office, Mayor Ashton Hayward released the results of the 2018 Resident Satisfaction Survey conducted by the University of West Florida Haas Center. Most of the scores were good, particularly for fire, police and city parks. However, Pensacola residents gave stormwater infrastructure, sidewalks and street lighting the lowest satisfaction scores. Since 2015, stormwater has consistently held the bottom position, but the public's satisfaction with city sidewalks and street lighting has steadily dropped over the past three years. In the 2018 survey, respondents were less satisfied with the city's sidewalks than previous years, with only 36.41 percent satisfied or very satisfied, according to the Haas Center. The previous year, approximately 51 percent were satisfied or very satisfied with city sidewalks. The 2017 survey found 60 percent of the respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied with street lighting. In 2018, the combined satisfied and very satisfied percentage dropped to 52 percent. The city started addressing the issue in 2018.

"We spent approximately $356,000 on repair and new construction of 47 blocks of sidewalks and 107 curb ramps." Vernon Stewart "We spent approximately $356,000 on repair and new construction of 47 blocks of sidewalks and 107 curb ramps," Public Information Officer Vernon Stewart told Inweekly. "We spent approximately another $340,000 on 52 new LED street lights and to upgrade 420 existing lights to LED."

The city of Pensacola's Director of Public Works and Facilities, Derrik Owens, said the city has developed with the help of the Mott MacDonald engineering firm a five-year plan to improve city sidewalks and street lighting after the firm did an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sidewalk assessment for the city in 2017.

"Mott MacDonald documented, photographed and evaluated every city block. They also helped us develop a priority list." Derrik Owens "Mott MacDonald documented, photographed and evaluated every city block," said Owens. "They also helped us develop a priority list." Before the assessment, the city did not have an active inventory of sidewalks and lightning. Mott MacDonald assessed 3,800 total blocks of city-owned streets with approximately 1,900 total intersections for compliance with ADA and identified needed improvements to correct any documented deficiencies. Owens explained that ADA standards require the city to "operate each service, program or activity so that the service, program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities." The assessment study will be used to develop a transition plan for all cityowned sidewalks that do not currently comply with ADA standards. Mott MacDonald broke down city streets into 6,702 potential sidewalk segments and produced a report for each intersection and each potential sidewalk segment. "The good news is less than 9 percent of the existing sidewalks were in full ADA non-compliance," said Owens. The intersection curb ramps had a higher full non-compliance percentage, 32.7, but all intersections with a sidewalk

and no curb ramps were automatically deemed in full non-compliance. For both sidewalk segments and curb ramps, the majority of ADA non-compliance issues were considered either minor or moderate. Owens said 122 curb ramps were handled during the street resurfacing. The city has developed a five-year capital plan that will work on existing sidewalks through FY 2023. He estimated the cost would be about $2.3 million with the funds coming from the Community Redevelopment Agency and Local Option Sales Taxes. The city engineer said work has begun on sidewalks in districts 6 and 7 because they were in the worst condition, and the repairs will move eastward over the next four years.

NEW SIDEWALKS

Mott MacDonald's study found that a large portion of city-owned streets was without sidewalks. Approximately 62 percent of the sidewalk segments had no sidewalk, and roughly 61 percent of intersection corners had no sidewalk. The engineering firm created a secondary list of "no sidewalks" as part of its assessment. Mott MacDonald identified 4212 total segments identified as having no sidewalks on either side of the roadway. In November 2017, a staff working group, consisting of Engineering, Planning and GIS in consultation with CRA and Parks & Rec staff, began working on a prioritization model to sort and rank the list of areas with no sidewalks. The staff group divided the areas into two tiersâ€”those with no existing sidewalks and those with sidewalks on one side of the roadway. The prioritization model included five categories: safety, proximity to schools, latent demand (dwelling units within a quarter-mile), connectivity to existing sidewalks and existing demand, which included proximity to ECAT stops, parks, public housing, facilities with more than 500 employees, colleges and shopping centers.

The list was sorted and ranked by a total score based on the prioritization criteria. The city's engineering staff field verified the top 26 segments. Fifteen were deemed viable on city streets, and three were viable within FDOT right-of-way. Seven sections were not feasible due to physical conditions, such as trees, utility poles or CSX right-of-way, and one had been already completed. Currently, the city hasn't budgeted funds from the construction of new sidewalks on streets without them. "Planning handles any new sidewalks," said Owens. "The mayor and city council will need to find the funds for those project. My priority is to fix what we have and make it safe."

STREET LIGHTING

The city also paid for a study on street lighting that was completed in May 2017. "Our engineering consultant recommended a five-year capital plan list through FY2022 that we are following to address identified street lighting deficiencies throughout the city," said Owens. "The plan calls for approximately $1.75M to be expended on new LED street light locations and LED upgrades to existing light locations." In 2019, it is anticipated that the city will upgrade approximately 150 existing lights to LED and installing 180 new LED lights at various locations around the city.

"Currently, we do not foresee any issue that might cause a delay with the installations in the immediate future." Owens "The project is going well, and we are on schedule with the adopted plan.," said Owens. "Currently, we do not foresee any issue that might cause a delay with the installations in the immediate future." {in}

inweekly.net

January 10, 2019

"If we do it the right way, we can position ourselves in Pensacola as one of those Southern communities that has learned how to deal with this challenge and be respectful," he said.

KEEFE CONFIRMED The U.S. Senate yesterday confirmed veteran Panhandle trial lawyer Larry Keefe to be the new U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, which includes 23 counties that stretch from Escambia to Alachua counties. Congressman Matt Gaetz, who once worked in Keefe's law firm, praised the confirmation. "With Larry Keefe as the U.S. Attorney, he will ensure the laws are applied in our state and that they are applied fairly and equally," said Gaetz. "In Northwest Florida, we are now going to have a heightened sense of integrity, and there are going to be consequences for people who engage in corrupt activities." He added, "Congratulations to my friend and mentor in the practice of law, Larry Keefe, and congratulations to all of Florida." If you doubt Gaetz's influence, the congressman got President Trump to nominate his mentor even though Keefe wrote a check for $500 in December 2015 to Hilary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Photo Courtesy of UWF Historic Trust Collections

MONUMENTAL STEPS Recently, State Rep. Mike Hill, who represents the Panhandle area, proposed a bill—House Bill 97—that would prohibit local governments from taking down monuments, including those honoring Confederate soldiers. When asked his take on the proposal, which Hill calls the "The Soldiers' and Heroes' Monuments and Memorials Protection Act," Mayor Grover Robinson said he didn't support any state law that preempts local governments. "Every community should be able to make their own decisions," said the mayor. But he also stated that he didn't believe the "Our Confederate Dead" monument should be removed from city property on North Palafox Street. In August 2017, former Mayor Ashton Hayward told the media that the monument should be removed and possibly placed in a museum in the days after violent protests in Charlottesville, Va. "We stand completely against this hate," Hayward told the News Journal. "The white supremacists, the KKK and the neo-Nazis, those are unacceptable in our state, country and community. One of the things that I'm proud of is we've done a great job making Pensacola a diverse community, and symbols of hate are not accepted anywhere." However, Hayward never brought the matter to the Pensacola City Council for a vote. The new mayor has a different view of the monument. 010 1

"I've never believed necessarily taking stuff down makes us a better place," Robinson said. "What makes us a better place is being respectful and realizing that we all have differences of how we got here. We all have different histories." Robinson went on to say that he felt the city should strive to tell the stories of people traditionally underrepresented in the public sphere. He suggested that working to tell such stories would be preferable to taking down a monument some view as offensive and others view as historical. "I do not think we've done a good job of telling the stories of women or minorities, African-Americans, especially in this community, and that would be the way I'd rather tackle that," the mayor said. Robinson did note that a series of steps leading up to the monument in Lee Square—steps highlighting the Southern states that left the Union—needed to be changed to reflect unity instead of division. "I believe the most offensive part of that monument is actually the stairs leading up to it because the stairs are focused on the separation. They're not focused on the reunification, and I think that's what we should be celebrating," Robinson said. "I would rather see those steps reflect the years those states reentered the Union rather than when they separated." With communities throughout the South wrestling with how to treat Confederate monuments, the mayor suggested that his approach could serve as an example to others.

PITT'S SLIP SOLUTION? Aiming to wrap up a years-long legal dispute over waterfront property referred to as Pitt's Slip, Mayor Grover Robinson reported that he felt confident the city was working toward a resolution. "I think we're moving toward a solution," the mayor said at his Dec. 31 press conference. The issue at Pitt's Slip, where The Fish House restaurant is located, began in 2013 when the city attempted to renegotiate the lease for the property by claiming that the leaseholder, Seville Harbor, had defaulted on its contract. The city was sued and racked up more than $300,000 in legal fees on a loser that went all the way to the Florida Supreme Court, as well as being ordered to pay the leaseholder's legal fees of $535,000. The mayor said that the potential resolution entails the city selling the Pitt's Slip property for $850,000, which is above the appraised value and also paying a slimmed down $500,000 in legal fees. "We'd net $350,000," Robinson said. If the Pensacola City Council approves the settlement, the mayor said he planned to divvy up that $350,000 between the city's seven districts to be used for pedestrian-related projects such as sidewalks, lighting, bike lanes and crosswalks. "Rather than taking the little money we have and go pay legal fees—which neither this council or this administration incurred; they were all incurred by the prior administration—I would rather go ahead and solve that by dealing with the asset that we have and moving forward," Mayor Robinson said.

HOLES IN PUBLIC SAFETY On Satur-

day, Dec. 29, Pensacola citizens had the opportunity to let the city's administration know their thoughts concerning the community's public safety. The meeting at the offices of Pathway for Change was part of Mayor Grover Robinson's transition team's efforts to get the public's input on a wide array of issues. Throughout an hour, Pensacola Police Chief Tommi Lyter, Escambia County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Chip Simmons, Pensacola Fire Chief Ginny Cranor and Assistant Fire Chief Brock Jester fielded questions and comments. One concern brought up during the meeting was the issue of traffic accidents involving pedestrians, particularly on streets like West Cervantes where people are faced with crossing four wide lanes of cruising traffic. Chief Lyter acknowledged that routes like West Cervantes Street present challenges for law enforcement. He noted that the areas on either side of the street are largely low-income areas of town with a high number of minority citizens and said the city did not want to focus on any punitive measures aimed at curbing pedestrian crossings. "They barely have the means to pay for groceries," Lyter said. "I don't want to write them a ticket for jaywalking." The chief said that the police had previously stepped up ticketing of drivers in the area for speeding but that the effort had little impact on the number of accidents. He said one tactic with some amount of success was running a patrol car up and down Cervantes to serve as a "pace car." "They just drive Cervantes Street," he said. "No one's going to pass a police car." Another person in attendance at the forum was interested in how the city's new development, particularly residential developments downtown, would impact the fire department. "The new housing does tax us as a fire department," Chief Cranor said, explaining that some of the construction wouldn't weather a fire well. "They're never meant to be on fire. You have a five- to 10-minute benchmark to remove the heat from it before it falls on you." Transition Team member Connie Bookman pressed on this point, wondering if the fire department had enough firefighters to deal with potential events in the city. "So, how many firefighters do you need if Southtowne is on fire?" she asked, referring downtown's new mixed-use development. "For Southtowne, we really are looking at 43," Cranor said, citing national standards. The fire chief said that pulling together that number of firefighters would require "a lot of mutual aides," meaning the city would need to request help from Escambia County and other neighboring fire departments. Currently, Cranor said, the city has 28 firefighters running on a given shift. inweekly.net

covering addicts Inweekly has interviewed over the past two years.

MRO Hangar One / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola "We can get 15 firefighters to a scene immediately," she sized up the city's limits. After noting the potential staffing shortfalls within the fire department, the discussion turned to the police department, where staffing is also a concern. "Ideally, we should be having 15 officers per shift," Chief Lyter said. "I'm running about 11 right now." The chief said that the department was about 30 officers shy of what it needed, and that was forcing the need to work people overtime and leading to "burnout" issues. "It's been described as relentless," Lyter said about the department's current workload and officer shortfall, adding that the department receives between 270 and 300 calls for service each day and finds the need to prioritize which calls get attention.

HEROIN DEATHS The latest Florida Medical Examiner's Commission Drug Re-

port revealed the deaths related to heroin use in the Pensacola area are still high compared to where they were a decade ago. The Medical Examiner report for 2017 was published this past November. In 2007, District 1, which includes most of the Panhandle, had no heroin-related deaths. Since 2013, such deaths have increased significantly. Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Deaths 3 12 28 34 30

The rise in heroin abuse is tied to stricter laws regarding opioid prescriptions. The illegal drug is relatively inexpensive in comparison to the prescriptions and more accessible to obtain, according to the re-

COMMITTED TO TITAN Mayor Grover Robinson remains optimistic about Project Titan, the code name given to the construction of three more hangars to create an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) Aviation campus at the Pensacola International Airport. To date, the city has commitments for $180 million but remains about $25 million short of the funds needed, according to the mayor. On Friday, Dec. 21, the mayor met with State Sen. Doug Broxson and Dr. Rick Harper, the economic advisor the Triumph Gulf Coast board. "We had everybody there from our team, including our federal lobbyist, Dan McFaul of Ballard Partners, who was here in town and attendance as well," said Robinson at Monday's press conference. "And I can tell you, our team is committed to the project. We're going to find a way." He added, "I don't exactly know how the 25 million is going be made up, but I can assure you—state, federal and Triumph—we will be looking at all those into having a solution." Mayor Robinson wasn't discouraged by media reports that Sen. Broxson felt it was unlikely the Florida Legislature would budget any additional funds for the project in the 2019 session. "It's probably unlikely that we will get that much money in this one fiscal year," he said. "We reminded them on Friday that what we need is the money over four years so it can be pushed out in the latter years. We have a lot of money to move forward with Hangar Two at this point." While the city didn't have firm commitments for the $25 million shortfall, the mayor felt everyone at the Dec. 21 meeting agreed to find a way to complete the project. "Nobody was committing to any specific amount," said Robinson. "But I think everybody was around the table saying, ‘Okay. We understand in the next four years, we've got to figure out how to close

this 25-million gap, and we've got to have sort of the commitments to it to know where we are by the end of March.'"

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Public Input Session-Economic Development: City of Pensacola Mayoral Transition Team member Brian Wyer will host a public input session regarding economic development at 7:30-9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 11, in the Third Floor Conference Room of DeVilliers Square, 321 N. DeVilliers St. Public Input Session-Engagement & Sustainability: City of Pensacola Mayoral Transition Team member Kristie Tobias will host a public input session at 9-10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 11, in the Hagler Mason Conference Room, Second Floor of City Hall, 222 W. Main St. Public Input Session-Economic Development: City of Pensacola Mayoral Transition Team member Brian Wyer will host a public input session regarding Economic Development at 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, at Fricker Community Center, 900 N. F St. Pensacola City Council will hold a CRA meeting and Agenda Review at 3:30 pm. On Monday, Jan. 14, in the Hagler Mason Conference Room, Second Floor of City Hall, 222 W. Main St. Public Input Session-Finance, LOST, Legal: City of Pensacola Mayoral Transition Team members Bruce Vredenburg and Julie Sheppard will host a public input session at 3-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the Whibbs Conference Room, Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. Community Input Session: The Mayoral Transition Team will host a general input session at 5-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, Asbury Place at Cokesbury Church, 750 College Blvd. Public Input Session-Transparency: City of Pensacola Mayoral Transition Team will host a public input session at 5-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the Downtown Library, 239 N. Spring St. Mayor Grover Robinson will hold his first town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24, at the Woodland Heights Resource Center, 111 Berkley Dr. {in}

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

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

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inweekly.net

1/4/19 4:05 PM

By Jeremy Morrison

Photo courtesy of UWF Historic Trust Collections It's not the most famous crossroads in blues music, but the intersection of Belmont and DeVilliers streets in Pensacola will soon receive recognition for the area's rich contribution to the American music genre and culture. The Mississippi Blues Commission this month is installing a marker at the crossroads to denote the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood's inclusion in the Mississippi Blues Trail, a collection of sites of geographical significance in blues music. "I'm excited times 10," said Robin Reshard, a member of the Belmont-DeVilliers Neighborhood Association. Reshard's office is located in a building at the intersection where the Blues Trail marker will go. As a writer and filmmaker, she has explored the area's history in depth and is glad to see the recognition. "I think that's pretty significant to highlight the contribution that Belmont-DeVilliers and the African American community has made to the music," Reshard said.

Cornerstone Blues

Throughout the heart of the 20th century, the Belmont-DeVilliers area was considered a particularly energetic hub for the local African American community. Particularly during the days of segregation, the area served as space for both work and play. "Belmont-DeVilliers was tight. It was dense. For African Americans, it was the place," Reshard said. "In the day, it was the place they worked and shopped, and during the night, it was the place where they got entertained." That entertainment took place in local January 10, 2019

clubs populating the neighborhood and reads like a who's who of jazz and blues. In the 1940s, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong played the Savoy Gardens on DeVilliers, while Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald performed at the Elks Lodge. Later on, artists including James Brown, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Junior Parker, Sam Cooke, Wally Mercer, the Four Tops and the O'Jays would visit the neighborhood. Belmont-DeVilliers was a staple on what was known as the Chitlin' Circuit, a collection of destinations where African American performers could find receptive venues and audiences during segregation. When the Mississippi Blues Commission began researching the Pensacola neighborhood for consideration for a Mississippi Blues Trail marker, its researchers were surprised to find what fertile grounds Belmont-DeVilliers was for blues musicians. "But the more I researched it, the more blues history I found in Pensacola. It has a very rich place in blues history," said Jim O'Neal, research director with the Mississippi Blues Trail historical marker project. O'Neal's research involved scanning historic publications, such as the Colored Citizen newspaper—"There's ads for Wally Mercer!"—and discovering gems like the Belmont Theater—"It was one of the first theaters on the vaudeville circuit to present blues on the stage." O'Neal will be visiting the Belmont-DeVilliers area next week for the marker unveiling, and he's presenting a lecture the evening prior. Also in town for the occasion will be Mississippi Blues Commission Director Kamel King. "Belmont-DeVilliers historic neighborhood

became a cornerstone in the blues genre," said King. "It became a very important stop for a blues artist to perform."

Tourism Blues

"I think it draws both the intentional and accidental tourist," she said. Reshard remembers once meeting some blues-loving tourist from way out of town when she and her husband visited the Mississippi Blues Trail locale in Tallahassee, the Bradfordville Blues Club. "So, we get a seat at the bar, and these two cats from Denmark are there," Reshard recalled. "It's a destination. They made this very intentional trip to go there." The guys from Denmark were drawn to the blues trail marker, and at least one of them proved to be a pretty good dancer. "I was like, 'Oh, I've gotta learn this Danish dance because you're really getting down, brother,'" Reshard laughed. {in}

The Mississippi Blues Commission was created by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2003 to promote the history of blues music. The organization accomplishes this mission primarily via the Mississippi Blues Trail and its associated markers. There are markers all over throughout Mississippi and the surrounding region, as well as northwards to Chicago and in other countries. There is only one other marker in Florida, located in Tallahassee. In total, there are 202 markers around the world. "Pensacola will be the 203rd," King said. As a destination on the Mississippi Blues Trail, the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood will become part of the route that the commission markets to blues aficionados inside and outside WHAT: Blues historian Jim O'Neal presents a the country. It will be detailed in lecture thousands of maps passed out at trade WHEN: 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17 shows and festivals. WHERE: Voices of Pensacola Multicultural "It is the hottest music trail in the Center, 117 E. Government St. world," said King. DETAILS: facebook.com/fivesistersbluescafe With inclusion on the blues trail, King said that there is typically an uptick in interest from tourists interested in getting a look around an area rich with musical history. WHAT: Mississippi Blues Commission unveils "People from all types of other Pensacola's marker countries and continents coming to WHEN: 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18 cities and towns that they might not WHERE: Intersection of Belmont and DeVilotherwise have ever heard of or visited," liers streets he said. "It squarely puts it on the map." DETAILS: msbluestrail.org Reshard agreed.

HISTORY OF THE MISSISSIPPI BLUES LECTURE

MISSISSIPPI BLUES TRAIL MARKER UNVEILING

414 1

inweekly.net

WEEK OF JANUARY 10-16

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

Star-Crossed Love in Opera Form By Sarah Mc Wilson

Photo by The Southern Creative It's a familiar story of feuding families and forbidden love. Pensacola Opera starts the new year and their 36th season with their first-ever production of a favored classic title that's been one of their most requested for years—"Romeo & Juliet." "Shakespeare's story of star-crossed lovers has inspired movies, ballets, symphonic works and, of course, the Broadway musical West Side Story," said Jerome (Jerry) Shannon, Pensacola Opera Artistic Director.

"Romeo & Juliet" was first performed as a French Opera in Paris in 1867, and now, 150 years later, it takes the Saenger Theatre stage, January 25 and 27. "This setting in French by Charles Gounod is part of the standard operatic cannon, having been seen frequently on stages around the world. We're excited to open our season with such a grand, lush, romantic spectacle—with a story we all know well," said Shannon. Though touted as a classic opera,

TICKET HOLDER EXTRAS

PREVIEW EVENTS

PRE-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS 6:30-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 1-1:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27 Education Director Cody Martin provides a free pre-performance discussion. Ticket holders are invited to arrive early to the Saenger Theatre and join Cody one hour prior to curtain time for an informative and entertaining presentation. OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 Immediately following Friday's night performance at the Saenger Theatre, enjoy a catered reception and meet the cast, directors and conductor. To attend, you must have a ticket to Friday night's show (single ticket or season). The cost for the reception is $50 per person; $40 for subscribers. January 10, 2019

Leading up to and throughout the performance weekend, Pensacola Opera is hosting various "Romeo & Juliet" preview events. Taking place at various downtown Pensacola establishments, each signature event is designed to bring you closer to the show. MEET THE ARTISTS LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 Skopelos at New World Landing, 600 S. Palafox This is a first chance to hear excerpts from "Romeo & Juliet," performed by Artists in Residence. Maestro Jerome Shannon will also give an overview of the plot and the characters so you're more "in the know" before you head to the theatre. Presented in partnership with Leisure Learning Society. Reservations required. $30 per person.

zona Opera, Opera Birmingham [her debut Shannon encourages this story is for as Juliet], North Carolina Opera and Utah anyone, and the production stays true to Opera. Mackenzie Whitney [Romeo] is an the story. "I think anybody can relate to the exciting young tenor from Waterloo, Iowa pangs of young love and all of the drama who has recently made leading role debuts that comes along with it," he said. "The with Utah Opera, Opera on the James, story follows Shakespeare pretty accurateHawaii Opera Theatre and Opera Maine," ly, with just a few minor character changes said Shannon. to smooth out the storytelling. There will In total, "Romeo & Juliet" includes a be no mistaking this for anything other cast and crew of more than 100 individuals than the classic story." who both appear onstage and work back What is new to most viewers is the way stage. In addition to members of Pensacola that it's being presented—in operatic format. Opera Chorus, the production features the Shannon credits the music for the magic. Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and Ballet "The power of an effective score is Pensacola. what makes any opera so magical. Gounod Though sung in French, the visual was a master of lush orchestrations and projection of English translations in combeautiful melodies, and this piece is filled bination with the singing help make this with both. The music amplifies all of the story, and all Pensacola Opera productions, action on stage and brings the characters' accessible for all. {in} emotions to life on a grand scale. An exciting highlight is the fight scene in Act 3—you really feel like you're watching an action movie with a thrilling soundtrack," he said. WHAT: Pensacola Opera presents "Romeo This production welcomes to & Juliet" town a cast of artists with national WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, and 2 p.m. careers, who will be singing with Sunday, Jan. 27 Pensacola Opera for the first time. WHERE: Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox "Melinda Whittington [Juliet] is COST: $25-$115 based out of North Carolina and has DETAILS: pensacolaopera.com sung with companies such as Ari-

ROMEO & JULIET PERFORMANCES

ROMEO & JULIET MOVIE SHOWING (1968 FILM) 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 REX Theatre, 18 N. Palafox Give yourself a refresher course on the plot of "Romeo & Juliet" by seeing this classic 1968 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli. This film is one of the most well-known and respected adaptations of the Shakespeare story. A celebrated international opera stage director, Zeffirelli lends his operatic touch to this visually and dramatically stunning Academy Award winning presentation. The screening is being presented in partnership with Pensacola Cinema Art. Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to show. $5 per person; cash only. PRIX FIXE MEAL AT V. PAUL'S 5-7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25 V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox V. Paul's offers a prix fixe menu for opera attendees prior to the Friday night performance. Diners are provided with a free performance

preview while they dine. Ticket holders are guaranteed to be out the door in plenty of time for the beginning of the performance. $35 per person plus tax and tip, excluding alcohol. Call 466-5855 and mention "Opera Dinner" to reserve your table. DIRECTOR'S CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27 Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox Prior to the Sunday Matinee performance, Artistic Director and Conductor Jerome Shannon provides an informative and entertaining preview, including exclusive backstage tidbits, over a gourmet brunch. Tickets typically sell out quickly. $50 per person. *All of the above events are open to the general public. For more information and tickets, call 433-6737 or visit pensacolaopera.com. Pensacola Opera is also hosting additional donor events surrounding this performance. 15

calendar JAPANESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION Noon4 p.m. $4-$10. Free for Japan-America Society members. Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. jasnwfl.org COMPUTER BASICS Noon. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION EVENT Noon-6:30 p.m. PetSmart,

6251 N. Davis Highway. fixcats.org

'FREE SOLO' SCREENING 1 p.m. $5 (cash

only). Pensacola Cinema Art, 120 Church St. pensacolacinemaart.com NATURAL HEALING/CANCER STUDY 2 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WEST COAST SWING INTENSIVE 2-5 p.m. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com MYSTIC KREWE OF NEREID'S ANNUAL KING KAKE PARTY 3 p.m. Paradise Bar & Grill, 21

Via de Luna Drive. paradisebar-grill.com

GALLERY TALK: DON SHIRLEY AND THE REAL GREEN BOOK STORY 5 p.m. Presented

by UWF and African American Heritage Society. J. Earle Bowden Center Classroom, 120 E. Church St. aahspensacola.org WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12 plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us

Kevin Hart / Photo by Jason Frank Rothenberg

THURSDAY 1.10

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

nity Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com PILATES MAT 12:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org LATIN DANCE CLASSES 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha and more. Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine 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 MEDITATION AND ENERGY HEALING 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

FRIDAY 1.11

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

Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

'FREE SOLO' SCREENING 1 p.m. $5 (cash

only). Pensacola Cinema Art, 120 Church St. pensacolacinemaart.com HAPPY HOUR COOKOUTS 5 p.m. Drink specials, free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com EVER'MAN COOKS: CHEF MARGARET EDWARDS- SEAFOOD SECRETS 5:30 p.m.

Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SUSHI 101 HANDS-ON COOKING CLASS 6-8 p.m. $64.50. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com DATE NIGHT DANCE CLASSES 6:30-8 p.m. $8. Learn several romantic ballroom dance styles 616 1

in unique group classes. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com SABOTAGE: A TRIBUTE TO BEASTIE BOYS

7 p.m. $15. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com KANE BROWN 7 p.m. $31-$51.50. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin NEW YEARS GOSPEL SING 7-9:30 p.m. Free. Family Baptist Church, 5454 Mobile Highway. heartrightstudiosandproductions. wordpress.com THE BLACK JACKEY SYMPHONY PRESENTS: QUEEN'S NIGHT AT THE OPERA FEATURING MARC MARTEL 8 p.m. $25-$30. Saenger The-

atre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

LONELY YOUTH, MEND, 10TH INNING, THE JUICE IS OKAY, OSCILLATOR 8 p.m. chizuko,

506 W. Belmont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola

SATURDAY 1.12

PENSACOLA BEACH HALF MARATHON 8

a.m. marathons.ahotu.com 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 SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road. OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Bay Bluffs, 3400 Scenic Highway at Summit Blvd. and Chimney Park, Scenic Highway and Langley Ave. oceanhourfl.com LEAPS 10 a.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

COUPLES COOK: GETTING SAUCY IN THE KITCHEN 7 p.m. $60 per couple. Pensacola

Cooks, 3670 Barrancas Ave. pensacolacooks.rezclick.com

CHRIS THOMAS KING: KING OF NOLA BLUES 7 p.m. $10-$35. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S.

Palafox. vinylmusichall.com DANCE PARTY 7 p.m.-midnight. $10 for part, $10 for workshop. One-hour workshop followed by a mix of swing, country and ballroom music. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

SUNDAY 1.13

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs Park, Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant. BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook. com/cafesinglefin TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational

Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org 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 percent off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via de Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION EVENT Noon-5:30 p.m. PetSmart,

6251 N. Davis Highway. fixcats.org CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY 1-5 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco FAMILY-FRIENDLY IMPROV CLASS 2:30 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com SWING DANCE CLASSES 4-7 p.m. $10. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all

levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com VEGAN AND VINO SUNDAYS 4-7 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox CHIZUKO LOVES YOU: CUSTOMER APPRECIATION PARTY 5 p.m. chizuko, 506 W. Bel-

mont St. facebook.com/chizukopensacola

KEVIN HART 7 p.m. $42 and up. Pensacola

Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com

MONDAY 1.14

RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Li-

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

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION EVENT 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. PetSmart,

6251 N. Davis Highway. fixcats.org

GLOBAL TRIVIA NIGHT 5-8 p.m. $48 per

person; $90 per couple. Proceeds benefit The Global Corner. Brew Ha Ha, 2435 N. 12th Ave. theglobalcorner.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 5:30 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com EARTH ETHICS 6-7:30 p.m. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org HIP-HOP & CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASSES 8-9 p.m. $5. Learn amazing moves from

professional instructors. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com

TUESDAY 1.15

YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION EVENT 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. PetSmart,

6251 N. Davis Highway. fixcats.org

COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m.

So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com WALKING CEMETERY TOURS 5:30 p.m. $12 plus tax. St. John's Historic Cemetery, 301 N. G St. goretro.us BEER DINNER WITH UNION PUBLIC HOUSE

6-9 p.m. $79 plus tax and gratuity. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES 6:30 p.m. $10. Country two-step, East Coast swing, competition choreography and more. No partner required. World championship dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com 'ROMEO AND JULIET' (1968) SCREENING 7 p.m. Presented by Pensacola Cinema Art and Pensacola Opera. Rex Theatre, 18 N. Palafox. pensacolacinemaart.com WEST FLORIDA LITERARY FEDERATION READING AND OPEN MIC 7 p.m. Reading from

"Water Skiing on the Amazon" by Patricia Edmisten. Open mic begins at 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA 7 p.m. $30; $25 for museum foundation members. Blue Angels Atrium at National Naval Aviation Museum, 1878 S Blue Angel Parkway. navalaviationmuseum.org. COMEDY NIGHT 7 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com inweekly.net

calendar OVER-50 BALLROOM DANCE CLUB 7-9:30 p.m. $5-$10. Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Center, 913 S. I St. Dressy attire (no jeans).

WEDNESDAY 1.16

ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP Noon. Molino Branch

Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com

COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS WITH CHEF IRV

Arts & Culture

≥Events

PMA GALLERY TOURS 2:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

OPEN STUDIO: POPSICLE STICK LANTERNS 11:30

a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12. $6, free for PMA members. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

≥Current Exhibits STONE'S THROW: ON BORDERS, BOUNDARIES, AND THE BEYOND On

view through Jan. 11. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org REDIRECTED On view through Jan. 15. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org NEW BLUES On view through Feb. 2. Exhibit of new members. Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. bluemorninggallery.com INSIDE OUT: THE PEOPLE'S ART PROJECT At Jefferson St.

and Main St. pensacolamuseum.org

GESCHE WÜRFEL: WHAT REMAINS OF THE DAY- MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II

On view through March 17. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org January 10, 2019

DOCUFLORIDA II

On view through May 17. T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org PUNKSACOLA: REFLECTIONS OF A SUBCULTURE On

view through July 2019. T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org

COTTON FIELDS TO CONGRESS: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF EARL HUTTO On

view at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org GALLERY DAYS

Noon-4 p.m. Saturdays. Featuring local artists. To be featured, contact Angel at 941-7354586 or call the restaurant at 4770035. TGI Fridays, 1240 Airport Blvd.

≥Workshops & Classes

POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-noon, Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every Mon-

day from 6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center. Classes

MILLER: GULF COAST OYSTERS 5 and 7:30 p.m.

Coast swing instruction for all levels followed by fun and friendly social dancing on the best wood dance floor in the area. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com JJ GREY AND MOFRO 7 p.m. $27-$30. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com FREE DANCE LESSONS 8-8:30 p.m. Free. Beginner West Coast swing dance lesson. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola S. Blvd. dancecraftfl.com

are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

p.m. Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road.

Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. greatsouthernrestaurants.com WATERBOYZ SLOW SKATE 6-7 p.m. $45 per person. Every Wednesday. Skate starts and ends at Waterboyz, 380 N. 9th Ave. waterboyz.com YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SWING DANCE CLASSES AND PARTY 6:30-10 p.m. $10 lesson, $5 party. Professional West

CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for nonmembers. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY SCULPTURE

Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

Bars & Nightlife

≥Live Music

THURSDAY 1.10

JOHN RIPLEY 6-9 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox NICK ANDREWS 7 p.m. Hub Stacey's, 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com OPEN COLLEGE JAM WITH MIKE BOCCIA

7:30 p.m. Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. DUELING PIANOS

8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com OPEN MIC/JAM

8-11 p.m. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. Use our instruments or bring your own. RAISING KARMA

8 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. End O' the Alley Courtyard, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

FRIDAY 1.11

LIVE JAZZ WITH JOE OCCHIPINTI Noon.

The Drowsy Poet Coffee Co., 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. LIVE MUSIC Noon. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com MIKE QUINN 5 p.m. End O' the Alley Courtyard, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. The Deck Bar, 600 S. Barracks St. ADMIRAL'S CLUB PIANO PLAYER 6

p.m. The District Steakhouse, 123 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 6-9 p.m. V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com JIM ANDREWS 6:30 p.m. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com AL MARTIN 6:30 p.m. Doc's Courtyard and Cafe, 5198 Willing St., Milton. JOHN RIPLEY 7-10 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox LIVE MUSIC 7:30 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com MIKE BOCCIA 7:45

DUELING PIANOS

8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com MIKE & FRIENDS

8 p.m.-midnight. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. CRISITI DEES AND BAD JUJU 8 p.m.

Hub Stacey's 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com BUZZCUTT 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. Lili Marlene's, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. End O' the Alley, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE DJ: MR. LAO

10 p.m. Phineas Phogg's, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 10 p.m. Apple Annie's, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

SATURDAY 1.12

LIVE JAZZ WITH JOE OCCHIPINTI 10 a.m.

The Drowsy Poet Coffee Co., 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. LIVE MUSIC 12-3 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010

Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com ADMIRAL'S CLUB PIANO PLAYER 6

p.m. The District Steakhouse, 123 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. The Deck Bar, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhousepensacola.com AL MARTIN 6-11 p.m. The Piano Bar, Quality Inn, 7601 Scenic Highway LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com COLM KELLY 6 p.m. McGuire's Irish Pub, 600 E. Gregory St. mcguiresirishpub.com LIVE MUSIC 7:30 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com MIKE BOCCIA 7:45 p.m. Goat Lips Chew And Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. OPEN MIC/JAM 8 p.m.-midnight. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. Use our instruments or bring your own. BUZZCUTT 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com COLM KELLY 9 p.m. McGuire's Irish Pub, 600 E. Gregory St. mcguiresirishpub.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. Lili Marlene's, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. End O' the Alley, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

for more listings visit inweekly.net

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By Sydney Robinson

Reading Into The "Green Book"

It's always exciting to realize that someone from Pensacola has done big, history-making things, especially when those things make them worthy of the focus of a Golden Globe Award-winning film. That's exactly what "Green Book" is. The film, starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, is based on a notable African American man who was born right here in Pensacola, Fla. It walked away from last week's Golden Globes with three big wins—Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Ali). In the film, Ali portrays Don Shirley,

who was born in 1927 and grew up in Belmont-DeVilliers. He started learning how to play the piano while he was still in diapers. When he was still a young boy, Shirley was invited to the U.S.S.R. to train at the Leningrad Conservatory of Music. His dedication to the instrument turned into a lifelong passion and career. A classically trained concert pianist who toured the U.S. and the world in the 1960s, Shirley received widespread acclaim. But as a black man in America, he was still subject to the racism and prejudice of the time. "Green Book" is about that clash in Shirley's life and how he handled the challenges of being a famous musician often treated as a second-class citizen. Even though the film is now officially award-winning, it's still garnering plenty of criticism and controversy too. Folks who are curious about the film and want to learn to more about this famous native son are in luck. Arica L. Coleman, Ph.D., a scholar focused on issues of race and ethnicity in American history, is coming to town to speak at an event called "Gallery Talk: Don Shirley and the Real 'Green Book' Story." Dr. Coleman is a published author of "That the Blood Stay Pure: African Americans, Native Americans and the Predicament of Race and Identity in Virginia." Dr. Coleman was recruited by the African American Heritage Society (AAHS) for this talk after she made a stir with multiple published articles and media appearances discussing the film. AAHS Executive Director Cheryl How-

has called it the "21st-century version of ard, who invited Coleman to speak, shared 'Driving Miss Daisy.'" details about the event with Inweekly. Dr. Coleman has criticized the film for "We are so excited to have [Dr. Coleman] inaccurately portraying elements of Shircome and share what she knows about Don ley's life. Attendees of Coleman's talk will Shirley since she has studied him over the no doubt hear both sides of the issue and years as part of her academic specialization." will be able to draw their own conclusions The AAHS focuses on elevating and inabout the film and Shirley himself. forming the community about the culture and Whether the film is ultimately good or history of African Americans in the South. bad doesn't matter as much as the life that "We're all about informing people Shirley actually lived—a life which serves about our history and heritage and finding as a fascinating element of Pensacola's rich commonality and ways to move forward in African American and musical history. our lives," said Howard. "[We aim] to bring Howard encourages attendees to see America's melting pot together, but we the movie if they can before attending, but also don't shy away from these things that those who haven't seen it will still enjoy and defined us." benefit from the talk. By referring to "these things that defined After the talk, there will be a reception us," Howard points to the title of the film where attendees can hear Shirley's music itself, which was derived from the driving from Dr. Coleman's catalog. The music manual used in the 20th century by African won't be solely classical piano, as Shirley American motorists. Attempting to traverse spent the latter part of his career delving the American South in a time when it was into many other genres, even performing legal and common for hotels and motels to with the great Duke Ellington in 1955. refuse lodging to them, the so-called Green The event is being presented by both the Book was used to note which places African AAHS and the University of West Florida and Americans could lay their head for the night in is sponsored by the John C. Pace Symposium less-than-friendly territory. Series and the Escambia County Board of In the film, Shirley hires a rough-and-tumCommissioners. The event is free to attend, ble Italian American man to serve as his driver but donations to the AAHS are encouraged to during a tour of the South. Though Shirley is fund future projects and events like this one. the one hundreds of fans flock to see, he is ofYou can reserve your seat in advance on the ten forced to sleep in dismal lodgings while his AAHS website. {in} white driver is allowed to stay in conventional, clean hotels. Despite its recent Golden Globe wins, "Green Book" has garnered mixed reviews since it came out and criticism for not consulting with Shirley's family. WHAT: A lecture with Dr. Arica L. Coleman Howard describes it as a delightfully about Don Shirley and the film "Green Book" entertaining film which was "designed WHEN: 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12 to inform about the realities of life for WHERE: Bowden Building Classroom, 120 our community… You feel every emoChurch St. tion: happy, sad, angry, despair, excited, COST: Free; donations for AAHS are enlaughing uncontrollably." couraged Meanwhile, Dr. Coleman, viewing DETAILS: aahspensacola.org the movie through a scholarly lens,

GALLERY TALK: DON SHIRLEY AND THE REAL "GREEN BOOK" STORY

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inweekly.net

news of the weird REGIFTED? Rakhi Desai of Houston didn't think much at first of the gift she brought home from a white elephant party in midDecember—a brown stuffed bear with a stitched-on heart. As she looked it over later, Desai noticed the words "Neptune Society" stitched on its foot "and then I started to feel, and it's almost like little pebbles or rocks" inside, she told KTRKTV. That's when it hit her: The bear was filled with someone's cremated remains. The friend who brought the bear to the gift exchange got it at an estate sale, so Desai called the Neptune Society, hoping to reunite the bear with the family it belongs to, but the organization doesn't track the bears. However, there is a name on the bear's tag, and Desai is hoping to find the owner through that. "(T)his bear is very special to somebody and belongs in somebody's family," she said. WEIRD ROUNDUP On Christmas Day, Deadspin.com shared a "verbatim" list from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission of emergency room visits paid by Americans who inserted items into various body parts, and shouldn't have. An edited sampling: Into the ear: "Popcorn kernels in both ears, 'feeds her ears because her ears are hungry'"; "Was cleaning ear with Q-Tip, accidentally walked into a wall, pushed Q-Tip into ear"; "Placed crayon in ear on a dare." Into the nose: "Sneezed and a computer keyboard key came out right nostril, sneezed again and another one almost came out"; pool noodle; piece of steak; sex toy. Into the throat: mulch; "Swallowed a quarter while eating peanuts"; plastic toy banana. And finally, into the rectum: "Significant amount of string"; cellphone; Christmas ornament ball; "Jumped on bed, toothbrush was on bed and went up patient's rectum." LIKELY STORY Vanessa Elizabeth Helfant, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee, floated a "dog bites man" defense at her DUI hearing on Dec. 13, arguing that several parked cars struck her on March 25, 2017. The jury, however, didn't buy her story after hearing evidence: Witnesses at the scene followed Helfant to her destination, and when officers arrived and knocked on the door, Helfant called 911 to report people knocking on her door. WATE reported that she eventually admitted that she had drunk half a pint of vodka and smoked marijuana. Helfant, who had no prior offenses, was convicted and faces at least 48 hours in jail and her license will be suspended for a year. WHICH WITCH? Tiffany Butch, 33, of Timmins, Ontario, Canada, may go down in history not for her psychic gifts, but for being the last person ever charged in Canada with "pretending to practice witchcraft." On Dec. 11, Butch, whose nickname is the White Witch of the North, was charged under Section 365 of the Criminal Code for demanding money in return for lifting a curse. Two days later, that

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

law was repealed. Marc Depatie, spokesperson for the Timmons police force, said Butch gave a customer "a sense of foreboding that a dreadful thing was about to happen to their family ..." But Butch denies the charge, saying other psychics framed her. "People proclaimed me a witch here and gave me a nickname, but I'm not a witch. I'm a psychic," she told CBC News. Butch is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 22. WEIRD SCIENCE On Jan. 1, Camron JeanPierre, an 11-year-old Brooklyn, New York, boy, lost his life after apparently suffering an allergic reaction to the smell of the fish his family was cooking for dinner, reported the New York Daily News. His parents used an unspecified medical device to try to help him, but he lost consciousness and emergency services were called. Camron was taken to Brookdale Hospital, but he couldn't be revived. Scientists have noted that people with food allergies can react strongly to odors from food, and inhaling these odors can cause extreme asthmatic reactions. PEOPLE DIFFERENT FROM US Asparagus is healthy and delicious. But for 63-year-old Jemima Packington of Bath, England, the columnar vegetable is much more: Packington is an asparamancer, a person who can foretell the future by tossing the spears into the air and seeing how they land. "When I cast the asparagus, it creates patterns and it is the patterns I interpret," Packington said. "I am usually about 75 to 90 percent accurate." In fact, out of 13 predictions she made for 2018, 10 of them came true. What's in store for 2019? Packington tells Metro News that England's women's soccer team will win the World Cup; "A Star Is Born" will win an Oscar; and fears over Brexit will be largely unfounded. Oh, and asparagus will see an all-time high in sales. ARMED AND CLUMSY Despite a flood of warnings from law enforcement about the dangers of shooting celebratory gunfire into the air on New Year's Eve, an unnamed Kansas City, Kansas, man just couldn't resist. As he prepared to head outside at midnight with his .22-caliber handgun, he "sat the gun down in the couch (and) accidentally shot himself in the stomach," tweeted Police Chief Terry Ziegler. The Kansas City Star reported Ziegler's department conducted a "tweet-along" during the evening, with multiple reports of shots fired—so many that at 11:50 p.m., officers headed to a parking garage to take cover from the bullets that were expected to rain down at midnight. At 12:01 a.m., the department tweeted, "Gunfire EVERYWHERE." Thankfully, no injuries were reported in the city as a result of the merrymaking. {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com January 10, 2019

Independent News | January 10, 2019 | inweekly.net