Inweekly May 13 2021 Issue

Independent News | May 13, 2021 | Volume 22 | Number 19

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winners & losers

outtakes

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news 6

I really don’t know where this is going.

feature story

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publisher Rick Outzen

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editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite

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15, 20 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. © 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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MAY 20, 2021 • 11:30 AM CST via ZOOM RSVP to register and for Zoom information • Email: Jacey.Cosentino@morganstanley.com Call: (850) 470-8033 Text: (850) 600-6382 11:30 AM CST “Investing with Impact” Learn how to build investment portfolios with purpose. Whether you are an individual, business owner, foundation or endowment you can achieve unique social and/or environmental impact objectives alongside your financial goals

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12:45 PM CST “Challenging Injustice and Creating Solutions” Combining public education, grassroots organizing, policy initiation and high-impact litigation to expose the sources of injustice and implement life-sustaining solutions

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Co-Founder and Executive Director, the Romero Institute in Santa Cruz, CA “Lakota People’s Law Project” and “Greenpower”. Co-Founder and former national executive director of the Christic Institute.

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May 13, 2021

3

winners & losers

Courtesy of Pensacola State College

winners DONNIE MCMAHON III On Tuesday, May

4, Pensacola State College officially christened the Donald McMahon III Center for Cybersecurity. PSC's Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Cybersecurity also bears McMahon's name. He served on the PSC Foundation Board of Governors from 1995-2008 and was selected a Governor Emeritus when he stepped off the board. In 1999, McMahon established the McMahon Endowment to support a broad range of students. Most recently, he pledged $250,000 to PSC to help students enrolled in the cybersecurity program. Housed in the Baars Technology Building, the PSC Center for Cybersecurity is a multi-classroom facility that includes a cyber warfare range, allowing students to access real-world networks and systems in a protected area.

ASCENSION SACRED HEART The Leap-

frog Group's Hospital Safety Grade awarded the hospital an "A" for Spring 2021. The national designation recognizes the hospital's efforts to protect patients from harm and meet the highest safety standards. Ascension Sacred Heart is the only hospital in Pensacola to achieve the "A" rating from Leapfrog on the latest ratings released April 29. Hospitals are graded based on up to 27 measures of safety data such as hand hygiene, discharge communication, patient falls and infections.

PERDIDO KEY BEACH ACCESS The Florida Department of Environmental Protection granted the final permit for the long-awaited Perdido Key Beach Access No. 4 at 16495 Perdido Key Drive next to The Crab Trap restaurant. The site gives Escambia residents and tourists access to 300 feet of beach, the county's largest public access area on the island. One wrinkle remains. The Seafarer Condo's Owners Association has a pending lawsuit against the county, claiming the site's approval violated the county's land development code.

FLORIDA LAND TITLE ASSOCIATION

When the pandemic canceled its annual convention, the association picked four Florida cities and donated $5,000 to their food bank. Pensacola's Manna Food Pantry was chosen. The local real estate industry also contributed and increased the donation to $14,000.

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losers LOCAL GUN VIOLENCE Shootings in Escambia County have become a regular occurrence—so much so that few people seem to notice anymore. However, the death of 2-year-old Sebastian Carlton Mooney in Warrington last week got Sheriff Chip Simmons to call a press conference.

Quentin Jerad White, 35, has been charged with manslaughter with a weapon, possession of a firearm during a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The sheriff said the gun had gone off as Mooney was putting it away after showing it to the child's mother. White fled from the scene and was arrested later in Pensacola.

BRIAN KOLFAGE The co-founder of

the We Build the Wall project has been indicted for allegedly underreporting his federal taxes, adding to the fraud charges he already faces. The indictment accuses Kolfage of not reporting "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in contributions to We Build the Wall that were siphoned into his personal account. Kolfage, who lives in Walton County, has a May 27 arraignment hearing in Pensacola federal court. The other case against Kolfage is in New York, where a grand jury last year indicted Kolfage, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and two others for defrauding contributors to the fund. Trump pardoned Bannon on his last day in office.

COLONIAL PIPELINE CO. Florida gas prices increased by 10 cents last week, and experts believe they may rise even after hackers forced the shutdown of the pipeline that carries gasoline and diesel from refineries in Texas, supplying states with fuel across the southeast and up the eastern seaboard to the New York harbor. Alpharetta, Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline and the federal government have blamed ransomware for the outage. By the time this issue hits the stands, Colonial Pipeline may have restarted the entire system, but the cyberattack showed how vulnerable critical industries may be. The impact of the pipeline on Pensacola area gas stations was magnified by the EPA shutting down the local TransMontaigne Partners LP terminal for failure to meet federal gas standards. inweekly.net

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outtakes

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GOOD POLICY? We live in a time when few people can disagree on an issue without personally attacking and ridiculing those who hold different opinions. While my barbs may be sharp, I strive to stay focused on the decisions and actions of the elected officials and bureaucrats I criticize.

George Touart, Jeff Miller, Grover Robinson, Jack Brown and others never hesitated to call or stop by to visit and discuss their coverage and my critiques. While some bricks were thrown among the bouquets, we kept our respect for each other, knowing that we weren't going to always agree.

I like Alex Andrade and admired the work he and his friends did with the onbikes Pensacola charity. However, I'm not a fan of his political positions and the controversial legislation he sponsored in the 2021 legislative session.

Many of the bills weren't "good policy," as he told Inweekly reporter Jeremy Morrison. Florida had no violent demonstrations after the murder of George Floyd. Elections officials have repeatedly asserted that the 2020 elections in Florida were safe and secure. And college and high school teams haven't been flooded with transgender students demanding to play.

But Andrade felt it was "good policy" to pass legislation on these three topics.

I'm purposely avoiding the word "issues" because no one, other than GOP lawmakers, has had any issue with the protests, elections or possible trans athletes.

Andrade's argument that blocking a road temporarily during a protest as "kidnapping, purposefully trapping people on a road" is ludicrous. It's no more kidnapping than being held in traffic while the McGuire's 5K or a Mardi Gras parade goes by.

The purpose of the law was to stifle demonstrations that might make some lawmakers and government officials uncomfortable. The issue isn't whether violence is free speech, as Andrade claims. No, it's whether the public can protest their lawmakers' decisions without fear of persecution. Plenty of laws are in place to deal with violence on the streets.

The election restrictions passed be-

cause Andrade and his fellow lawmakers are upset that Democrats and other political parties have gotten better at registering voters and taking advantage of mail-in ballots and early voting. Florida Republicans have favored the state's mail-in ballots for years, but now that those who might not vote for their candidates have mastered the system, they're afraid.

A few decades ago, Florida had so few registered Republican voters that GOP state lawmakers encouraged registering fishermen and hunters when they bought their licenses. Since Republican voters took control of state politics, they have wanted to make it harder to register and vote. How is that "good policy?"

The fact that the Supervisors of Elections didn't ask for the changes or endorse the bill speaks volumes.

Andrade's sponsorship of the transgender bill is troubling because he spent little time talking to the transgender community in Escambia County. In the year between the 2020 and 2021 session, he had ample time to discuss their concerns and gather their input on his "good policy."

We've seen no wave of trans athletes in high school and college sports. I expected a lawmaker Andrade's age to be more tolerant, understanding and open to diversity.

Despite what State Sen. Doug Broxson and others might think, the issue isn't as simple as boys dressing up as girls so that they can win in sports. Andrade should know it.

Transgender children exist and should be treated with respect and dignity, which was why the NCAA took a stance against bills that placed prohibitions on them.

For a legislator who talked about how he had been called "transphobic" and "racist" and told, "I have blood on my hands because of our COVID response," I had hoped he would have spent more time understanding the impact of the bill on transgender children. His disconnect was further punctuated by his boast that the lawmakers had added a provision that prevents state schools from using state funds to pay NCAA fees.

I see little "good policy" in these laws Rep. Andrade championed. {in} rick@inweekly.net

No, it's whether the public can protest their lawmakers' decisions without fear of persecution.

May 13, 2021

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BILLS, BILLS, BILLS

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By Jeremy Morrison It was a wild whirlwind, but the 2021 Florida legislative session has wrapped up with lawmakers heading home and leaving in their wake a Tallahassee wracked by not only a season of COVID logistics but also a session full of partisan sparring that mirrors national narratives and illustrates deepening political and cultural divides within the country.

District 2 Rep. Alex Andrade described this year's legislative session as "the weirdest one so far" and an "otherworldly hangover from the really awful general election," but still productive.

"When you look back, it's like, 'Holy cow, we got a lot done,'" Andrade reflected.

Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU), characterizes some of the legislature's accomplishments differently. She saw the session as "a complete attack on our civil rights."

Three bills, in particular, can be seen as representative of the political tenor of the session—bills, incidentally, that have been getting Andrade, who co-sponsored them, called "transphobic" and "racist."

"I'm not coming out here and waving the Confederate flag and saying, 'The South will rise again,'" he said. "I'm literally just trying to pass good policy."

On the heels of a year of racial-justice protests, the Florida House passed HB 1, which critics contend will negatively impact free speech. And after an unprecedented election season that saw a COVID-related spike in mail-in ballots, legislators embraced SB 90, which has already attracted legal challenges by groups painting the bill as an attempt at voter suppression. Then, just as 66

the session wrapped, lawmakers slipped a provision into an education bill that prevents transgender athletes from playing sports at the high school and colligate levels.

"I think these three bills are perfect examples of the threats to our constitutional rights and democracy," Gross said.

FREE SPEECH'S HIGH PRICE

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1 in April, calling it the "strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement measure in the country." Conversely, the Miami Herald described it as "one of the most regressive attacks on free speech in the country."

The new law increases penalties for protesters who engage in acts such as blocking roadways or damaging property offers protections for law enforcement officers and also creates a new class of crime—mob intimidation. Gross explained, "The concern is that it will chill speech."

Andrade, District 1 Rep. Michelle Salzman and District 1 Sen. Doug Broxson were all in on HB 1. Broxson told Inweekly, "We saw it as a safety issue; we wanted to send a clear message."

He continued, "Many took it as a racial issue. I never saw it that way; I thought it was a law-and-order issue."

Because this law took shape in the context of 2020's racial justice protests, critics have described it as an effort to silence such sentiment—Andrade disagreed.

"I've seen just a complete breakdown in how Americans view free speech," he said.

"We're talking about violence. We're debating whether violence is speech and if speech is violence."

Andrade felt protesters crossed a line. He pointed to a local incident during which they blocked traffic at the foot of the Pensacola

Bay Bridge and said road-blocking tactics couldn't be tolerated—"It meets the definition of kidnapping, purposefully trapping people on a road."

Besides, the lawmaker contended HB 1 isn't that dramatic in its impact. He said, "If they're afraid of somehow being convicted for a misdemeanor, then how important is the issue they're trying to address?"

But that's not the case, Gross stressed, pointing out that potential consequences could be considerable. She said, "Under this law, if you block a road, that's an aggravated riot. That's a second-degree felony, up to 15 years in prison."

When protesters blocked traffic in Pensacola, it led to a discussion with Mayor Grover Robinson about creating a local police advisory committee.

"We did not need HB 1 to remove the people from the bridge," Robinson told Inweekly last week.

The mayor also said he wasn't sure how HB 1 would be applied locally but stressed that he felt Pensacola had engaged in meaningful, at times painful, discussions against the backdrop of protests fairly smoothly.

"I expect the city to always dialogue with its citizens even when they do not agree," he said. "Cities can grow through disagreement as long as that disagreement is productive and non-violent. I think we saw that in Pensacola over the last year."

SUPPRESSION OR SECURITY?

Despite Gov. DeSantis declaring the 2020 election process in Florida should be seen as the model for the rest of the country, Florida lawmakers gave us SB 90 and, in the process, set off voter suppression alarm bells.

Florida's new elections law—signed by DeSantis live on "Fox and Friends" during a ceremony closed to Florida media—is already the subject of a legal challenge. Florida League of Women Voters and Black Voters Matter contend some provisions would negatively affect the state's voters and the electoral process.

"This is literally due to the fact that our former president has perpetuated the big lie that there was extensive voter fraud that took place during the last election," said Jamil Davis, Florida lead organizer for Black Voters Matter. "I've always stated that this bill is a solution looking for a non-existent problem."

The new law limits the use of ballot drop boxes, requires voters to request a mail-in ballot more often and imposes restrictions on the number of ballots an individual can deliver to the elections office, a restriction that thirdparty voter registration organizations contend will prevent them from helping voters get their ballots in.

Sen. Broxson disagreed. He told Inweekly, "One person should not control 50 or 100 ballots because they have the ability to gather them together. I'm not accusing anyone of doing anything illegal, but there's a potential

to do something illegal if you have control of 100 ballots."

Maintaining that there's "absolutely no voter suppression" afoot, he insisted, "If you want to vote, you can vote."

The Supervisors of Elections, a state association comprised of local election chiefs, didn't endorse the bill.

"These were not things that we went and said that we think needed to happen," explained Escambia Supervisor of Elections David Stafford. "But that's the legislature's prerogative. They write the laws, and we carry them out."

Stafford believes that the new state law is an outgrowth of a national political discussion and pointed to a Haas Center voter survey conducted a few years ago that measured how much trust voters have in the electoral process.

"We got really high numbers locally (for trust)," Stafford said. "And then when you moved farther out—what about for the rest of the state? The rest of the country?—those numbers move down."

He feels that, in general, elections are pretty square everywhere—"Quite frankly, there's disinformation."

"I'm not saying election fraud is necessarily prevalent," countered Andrade, framing the new election law as "providing more comfort to people who are concerned about election integrity."

TRANS ATHLETES

Like the protest and elections bills, Andrade and other lawmakers jumped on another hot-button national issue—banning transgender athletes from participating in sports associated with the gender they identify with.

The bill passed in the House but stalled in the Senate until it was added as an amendment to an unrelated education measure.

"It is a bill that there's absolutely no need for it or any problem that needed to be addressed in regards to transgender youth playing sports," Gross pointed out.

Dr. Alexys Hillman of Pensacola Osteopaths, one of the area's few gender-affirming health care clinics, told Inweekly Florida lawmakers' belief that trans women perform better in sports than cis women isn't medically accurate for transgender people who are taking puberty blockers or antiandrogens, which block testosterone.

Broxson seemed to be unaware of the medical side of the issue.

"We've always understood there was a difference between male and female athletes," he said and added his concern about his granddaughters possibly competing against trans girls in sports, "The idea of them having to compete with a 6-foot, 5-inch male athlete makes no sense to me."

Both Andrade and Broxson ignored the mental damage that could be done to trans children by the law. The National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health and The Trevor inweekly.net

Project found that in 2020, 48% of LGBTQ+ surveyed engaged in self-harm in the last 12 months. For trans and nonbinary youth, that number increased to 60%.

On May 3, the executive board of Strive, an Escambia County-based transgender-advocacy group, released a statement about the bill, adding, "Though laws like the anti-trans sports bill have been signed and are now enacted, they will inevitably be challenged and thrown out in court. However, this will not stop the feelings of alienation, despair and isolation that transgender youth feel right now—those who are both out and those who are not."

Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David put it simply enough, "Let's be clear here, transgender children exist and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity."

In early April, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) put out a warning to states considering legislation about transgender student-athlete participation— "When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected."

Though NCAA may pull its events from Florida cities, including the Sunbelt Conference's basketball championships in Pensacola, Andrade brushed off the threat, noting a lastminute provision that prevents state schools from using state funds to pay NCAA fees.

He said, "I feel like they need to get their own house in order before they start telling us how to run the Florida legislature."

WHITE-KNUCKLING IT

Looking ahead, Andrade envisions an already ragged political atmosphere further deteriorating. He said, "I really don't know where this is going."

"It's like two completely different worlds that we're living in right now," he said, relaying some particularly intense heat hurled his way.

"I spent all last year being told I have blood on my hands because of our COVID response."

The state lawmaker sees parallels between our country's current divisions and those of another era.

"I've never seen our country more divided," Andrade said. "This looks a lot to me like the late '60s, and I think the early '70s became more indiscriminately violent and worse."

Who knows, his forecast could be accurate. The lawmaker does have a front-row seat in Tallahassee, where the current legislature mirrors American politics in many ways.

Andrade said, "I'm just going to be whiteknuckling it for the next few years."

As critics of the 2021 session look forward, they too may be "white-knuckling it."

"DeSantis and his friends in Tallahassee aren't making it very easy," Davis said, reflecting on his work as a voting rights organizer.

Already, several bills from the session are facing legal challenges and more are expected.

In addition to the SB 90 challenge filed by the Florida League of Women Voters and Black Voters Matter, the ACLU of Florida filed a suit Friday, May 8, in response to SB 1890. The new law imposes a $3,000 limit on contributions made by individuals to sponsor state ballot initiatives. In a statement, the ACLU said they are seeking to "block a Florida law that will May 13, 2021

chill the citizen initiative process and violate Floridians' First Amendment rights."

The ACLU of Florida also joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and Community Justice Project in filing a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida challenging HB 1 on Tuesday, May 11.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Black-led organizations including The Black Collective, Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward, Chainless Change, Dream Defenders, the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville.

"This unconstitutional and dangerously broad law is in direct response to the 26 million people who protested over the summer of 2020, spurred by the police murder of George Floyd," said Nailah Summers, interim co-director of the Dream Defenders, in a statement about the lawsuit. "Our governor used this outrageous tragedy as a political opportunity to silence his critics, play politics and legislate racism. This law puts our lives, futures and movement in danger, so we are continuing this fight, along with our partners, in the courtroom." {in}

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2021

More on 2021 Session

SM 2014

By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida

FIVE OTHER BIG ISSUES

COVID-19: Lawmakers passed a measure aimed at shielding businesses and health care providers from lawsuits related to people getting sick or dying from COVID-19.

Also, they approved making permanent a ban on COVID-19 vaccine "passports."

Gov. Ron DeSantis in early April issued an executive order to prohibit businesses from requiring people to show they had been vaccinated to gain entry—the issue that has become known as COVID-19 passports.

EDUCATION: As part of a more than two-decade effort by Republicans to expand school choice, lawmakers passed an overhaul of school-voucher programs. In part, the plan would increase an income threshold so that a family of four making nearly $100,000 a year could qualify for vouchers. In higher education, the Senate considered controversial changes in the Bright Futures Scholarship Program before largely backing away amid an outcry from students and other opponents.

INSURANCE: After years of debating the issue, lawmakers approved ending Florida's no-fault auto insurance system.

Under the bill, motorists would no longer be required to carry personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage. They would have to carry bodily-injury coverage.

Also, lawmakers approved changes in the property-insurance system, including allowing larger annual rate increases for customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

SOCIAL MEDIA: After former President Donald Trump was blocked from Twitter and Facebook early this year, Republican lawmakers passed a plan to crack down on social-media companies. The plan, a priority of DeSantis', includes barring social-media companies from removing political candidates from the companies' platforms and threatens hefty fines. Critics questioned the bill's constitutionality and described it as a "big government" move.

TAXES: In a major win for business groups, lawmakers passed a plan that will require out-of-state online retailers to

collect sales taxes on purchases made by Floridians. The roughly $1 billion a year generated by the change will be used to replenish a depleted unemployment trust fund. Later, it will be used to offset a cut in a commercial rent tax. Florida businesses have long argued online retailers enjoyed an advantage because they didn't collect sales taxes.

The Astronauts | May 18 80’s & 90’s

Karli Ryan | May 25 Country

FIVE DEAD ISSUES

ABORTION: The House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would have prevented doctors from providing abortions that women seek because of tests showing fetuses will have disabilities. The bill about so-called "disability abortions" threatened criminal penalties against doctors, but the Senate did not take it up.

ALIMONY: A long-running debate about overhauling Florida's alimony laws will have to wait at least another year. While the House approved alimony changes, the controversial issue stalled in the Senate.

The proposal, as in the past, sought to eliminate what is known as permanent alimony and reduce the duration of alimony.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA: More than four years after Florida voters broadly legalized medical marijuana, lawmakers let die a proposal that would have limited THC potency in smokable marijuana and other cannabis products. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive component in cannabis.

TERM LIMITS: A renewed attempt by the House to impose eight-year term limits on county school board members died in the Senate. The proposal, which has emerged repeatedly in recent years, would have asked voters in 2022 to pass a constitutional amendment to limit the terms of school board members.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: After massive job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senate backed increasing unemployment benefits from a maximum of $275 a week to $375 a week. But the House did not take up the proposal, which also faced opposition from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

We encourage all concert-goers to take appropriate COVID-19 preventative measures, socially distance themselves and follow the guidelines of our local health authorities.

For updates, call SRIA at (850) 932-2257, go to VisitPensacolaBeach.com or tune to Cat Country 98.7. Please, no glass containers or pets.

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According to Wyer, Michelle Luckett with BRACE received over 120 applications for disaster management positions and recently hired four individuals. She promoted a very experienced employee to a supervisor role on March 12. She also has hired four UWF interns to assist with need assessments.

Wyer said the harsh reality is that "40% of businesses shut down after the hurricane will never reopen."

"After one year, 25% of those businesses will close," he said. "It is called the 'Disaster After the Disaster.' What comes first, your business or your personal needs?

Most people will take care of their businesses before their own personal needs."

EAT, DRINK, SHOP TO WIN The Pen-

sacola Beach and Gulf Breeze Chambers of Commerce are working in partnership to host "Beach to Breeze Bingo," a promotional gaming event, from May 14-28 at about two dozen participating businesses around both communities.

The concept for the game is to boost visitor traffic in Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach, which have seen a sharp decline over the past seven months due to the closure of the Pensacola Bay Bridge.

Participating businesses include everything from restaurants and bars to attractions and retail shops along Pensacola Beach and Gulf Breeze. Participants must snap a photo of themselves doing the activity specified at each business or location on the bingo card.

Anyone wishing to play can download the bingo card at bit.ly/3xRhfsG. Once downloaded, participants will discover their card's various business challenges and can upload a photo of each completed square's challenge on the online Google form.

Every bingo completed on the card receives one entry into a raffle prize drawing.

An entirely blacked-out card gets 10 extra entries into the drawing.

Prizes will be given away to randomly selected participants at certain businesses.

Multiple grand raffle prizes will be drawn on Thursday, May 28, at noon at the Gulf 88

Breeze Chamber and will be aired on Facebook Live at bit.ly/3eQ27D0.

HELP FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES Six

months after Hurricane Sally struck the Pensacola area, Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE) launched the BRACE Hurricane Sally Recovery Helpline for business owners, which operates from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, and can be reached by dialing (850) 739-3939.

The disaster case management program, or DCMP, results from a partnership between BRACE, Escambia County Long-Term Recovery Group, CareerSource EscaRosa, United Way of West Florida and the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce (GCMCC).

Callers should expect to participate in a need assessment process with an intake specialist. Once that step is completed, the caller will be assigned a disaster case manager to see if assistance can be provided.

This process will include conversations about property damage, financial support received from FEMA, SBA or insurance, as well as other Hurricane Sally assistance received from other nonprofit organizations.

GCMCC executive director Brian Wyer told Inweekly that the disaster management process starts typically 12 months after storms, but BRACE set up its hotline for residents after only five months.

VETERANS WIN LAWSUIT On Friday, April 30, a local Pensacola jury handed down a verdict against 3M after the jury found earplugs sold by the company to the United States military for use by service members were defectively designed. The three Army veterans who suffered noise-induced hearing injuries after using 3M's Combat Arms Version 2 earplug were awarded a combined verdict of nearly $7 million.

Bryan Aylstock, of the Pensacola firm Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz, PLLC, was the lead counsel for the plaintiffs. His firm represents over 40,000 active and retired military service members of the nearly 250,000 total cases in the multidistrict litigation in federal court in Pensacola.

"We are so thankful for the attentiveness and thoroughness of our local jurors and the opportunity to tell our service members' stories to them," said Aylstock in a written statement by the firm. "After taking in nearly five weeks of evidence, testimony and argument, they found for our soldiers. Their verdict sends a clear message to 3M that a contractor who sells personal protection devices to our military must be truthful, honest and forthright."

Shelley Van Natter Hutson of Clark Love & Hutson, PLLC in Houston, Texas, and Christopher Seeger of Seeger Weiss LLP in Ridgefield Park, N.J., were co-lead counsels. Brian Barr of Levin Papantonio Rafferty in Pensacola and Andrew Burns of Mostyn Law in Houston, Texas, were the co-liaison counsel for the plaintiffs.

The case was the first of a series of bellwether cases, which are intended to be representative samples of all the cases and the results of which will be used to shape the process for addressing the remaining cases. After the verdict, 3M issued a statement declaring that it believed the plaintiffs didn't meet that their product was "defectively or negligently designed or caused each plaintiff's purported injuries."

The company said it had several grounds to appeal the April 30 verdict.

In April, 3M reported its sales for the

first quarter were $8.9 billion, up 9.6% over the same period last year. Its operating cash flow was $1.7 billion.

CITY SURVEY The City of Pensacola is

conducting its annual resident satisfaction survey. City residents are asked to complete the survey online at uwf.edu/haasresidentsurvey or by phone at (850) 495-2666

by Friday, July 23.

"We conduct this survey every year as part of the City of Pensacola's continued commitment to listening to our residents," Mayor Grover Robinson said. "Your input will help us determine what's most important to the people we serve every day and ensure we are providing the highest quality services as your local government."

The survey asks residents about their satisfaction with various city services and facilities, including streetlights, sidewalks, neighborhood safety and more, also prompting participants to rank their top priorities for the City of Pensacola. The survey also asks residents whether they would recommend living in the City of Pensacola to family and friends, which is designed to measure customer experience and loyalty.

The University of West Florida Haas Center conducts the annual survey. All data obtained from participants will be kept confidential and will only be reported in an aggregate format.

ARC GATEWAY AWARDS The Arc Gateway held its annual meeting virtually on Tuesday, April 27. Board President Thomas Greek recognized the board, staff, volunteers and donors for their resolve in meeting the challenges of COVID-19 head-on.

"We had to be resilient, and inventive, and compassionate," Greek said. "We had to be these things because our clients needed us to be."

Although it was an extremely challenging year, CEO Missy Rogers commended everyone for pulling together to get through it, stating she was "proud of where we are today."

The agency recognized the following people with annual awards for their service to The Arc Gateway, its mission and the disability community—Board President's Award, Angela Carter; Foundation President's Award, Mary Henriques; Educator of the Year, Jolene Siler-Lindberg; Employer of the Year, Ascension Sacred Heart; Lucy Petree Outstanding Service Award, Stephen Rampersad; Pearl Nelson Advocate, Michael Stone with Special Olympics; W.D. Pollak Friendship Award, Martha and Dave Goshaw; and Belle Bear Visionary Activist, Cathy Lauterbach, COO. Two incredible individuals were honinweekly.net

ored with the "I Believe" Self-Advocate Award this year—Derek Connell and Bridgette Smith.

NEW FIRE CHIEF Escambia County has hired Jason Catrambone as its new fire chief starting June 14. He joins Escambia County with more than 25 years of experience as an accomplished chief fire officer, including more than 18 years of commandlevel experience.

Catrambone currently serves as the fire chief for the City of Williston, N.D., and has certifications as a hazardous materials incident commander and strike team task force leader. He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and previously served on the board of directors. He recently accepted the role of International Association of Fire Chiefs international director.

Catrambone was selected from a pool of 108 cumulative applicants for the Escambia County fire chief position after a thorough review process. The selection process included phone and in-person interviews, a tour of Escambia County Public Safety and a meet-and-greet with staff.

He was not among the four finalists that the county administration announced in February. The last fire chief position was Rusty Nail, who resigned in April 2019 after holding the job for less than a year. He tried to rescind his resignation after the commissioners voted to hire Janice Gilley as county administrator, but the offer was rejected, Gilley brought in her former boss, Jerry Maygarden, as a consultant to help right the fire department and emergency medical services, but his work resulted in few improvements. She has named interims as fire chiefs for the past two years.

ECAT PLANNING In October 2020,

Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) launched "Your Service, Your Say," a project focused on improving the future of public transportation throughout Escam-

May 13, 2021

bia County. Since its launch, the ECAT team has conducted two phases of public engagement, collecting feedback through a series of surveys.

The third and final phase has begun. Residents are encouraged to voice their opinions via an online survey at yourescambiatransit. com. Survey responses will help shape the future of transit in Escambia County, allowing the ECAT team to implement route improvements and amenity upgrades that will be incorporated into the 10-year plan. The survey will close on May 28.

For those who want to hear directly from the planning team, representatives from the "Your Service, Your Say" project will host three public meetings on May 21. There will be an in-person workshop to discuss the 10-year transit plan and the proposed improvements to the ECAT system. The meeting will occur at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place, Room 104, at 8:309:30 a.m., noon-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. To learn more about the public meetings, visit yoursayescambia.com.

SENIOR CHILL OUT The annual Pete Moore Automotive Team Senior Chill Out, a one-day drive that solicits new air conditioners, fans and/or funds from the community to help seniors beat the heat, will be held 6 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 21, at area Lowe's. The community is encouraged to help seniors who experience dangerous health complications due to the stifling and treacherous summer heat by donating ACs or fans. Monetary contributions are also appreciated and can be made online at seniorchillout.org.

"Much of Florida's elderly population has been cooped up at home for much of the pandemic," said John Clark, president/CEO of Council on Aging. "Imagine remaining at home with no air conditioning, especially during the summer months. It is miserable, it is no way to live, and our se-

niors deserve better. They deserve not only safe living but comfortable living as well, and this event helps provide that."

Each year, hundreds of local elders are helped through the program. In 2020, Council on Aging was able to assist more than 550 at-risk older people avoid the costly and hazardous effects of heat-related health complications.

Information on heat stress and heat stroke will be available at the event, as well as information on how our community's vulnerable seniors can receive donated AC units and fans. Those interested in receiving an AC and/or fan should not expect to receive one on May 21. Those individuals should call Council on Aging at (850) 4321475 beginning May 24. Only individuals ages 60 and over will qualify.

SCI GOFUNDME To celebrate National

Small Business Week, which ran from May 2-8, the Studer Community Institute (SCI) launched a GoFundMe campaign to offer scholarships for its leadership training and mentorship opportunities to small business owners and their employees.

The initial goal for the fund was $6,000. Last year, SCI provided scholarships to 1,236 individuals, thanks to donations and other grants, for its Accelerate Roundtable mentor program, Leadership Certification program and EntreCon®.

To donate, please visit bit.ly/2QRH0Io. To apply for assistance, visit studeri.org.

MESS HALL MOVING The Pensacola

MESS Hall opens its new location at 418 E. Wright St. on June 1. Hours of operation for the summer will be Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays, 1-5 p.m. Admission is $12 per person for ages 3 and up.

"Moving to this new location is only possible through the support of our donors and members," notes Megan Pratt, executive director. "The financial challenges of the last year have forced us to rely on the

generosity of our community even more. It is only through these donations that we can reopen our doors in a new location."

To help ensure public safety, timed admission reservations are recommended.

Reservations can be made by visiting pensacolamesshall.org.

THE GREAT UN-MASKING With falling

COVID hospitalizations and an increase in vaccine availability, the city of Pensacola is taking a significant step—you don't need to wear a mask anymore if you've been vaccinated.

At his weekly press conference on Monday, May 10, Mayor Grover Robinson said, "If you've had your second vaccination, two weeks after that, we're going to say at the city of Pensacola that you don't need to wear a mask anymore because we think it's prudent at that point."

The mayor shared that local hospital officials told him, during a recent conference call, anyone who wanted a vaccine could now get one within hours. He said, "You can call in, and within two hours, you can be sitting there actually getting a shot."

The hospital leaders said that about 37% of those 16 years and older had completed the vaccination series. The mayor hopes the change in the city's position will encourage more residents to get vaccinated. Masks have been required inside city hall and other municipal facilities.

Unfortunately, the number of people receiving their first shot has dropped 80% over the past three weeks. During the week ending April 24, 7,643 residents received their first dose. Last week, only 1,504 did.

Around 78,000 people have already been vaccinated, but Mayor Robinson stressed that it was important to keep pushing toward 200,000.

"I think you're going to see us more and more open," Robinson said. "I think it's become more and more incumbent upon you to get your vaccine so that you're taken care of." {in}

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inweekly.net

Photo Courtesy of UWF Historic Trust

Ashley Faulkner / Photo Courtesy of Jennie McKeon for WUWF

CLINIC DEFENDERS Surrounded by a chorus of anti-abortion voices stands the only clinic providing abortions in Pensacola—American Family Planning. Considering the city's deadly track record against abortion doctors and activists, standing in solidarity with women seeking abortion services can come at a costly price.

After days of anti-abortion activists taunting patients and staff in the clinic's parking lot, a nurse from American Family Planning asked for pro-abortion rights advocates to defend the clinic. Beginning last December, dozens of individuals and members from local activist groups sacrificed their weekends, and even weekdays, to support the clinic's patients and staff.

Most of the abortion-rights activists who spoke with Inweekly asked not to use their surnames in fear of retaliation from the anti-abortion activists.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, American Family Planning was closed for most of 2020. When it reopened in December, anti-abortion protestors began to demonstrate outside their doors.

Ryan, a member of the Socialist Trans Initiative and an organizer with Workers World Party, who uses the pronoun they, May 13, 2021

Standing for Abortion Rights in a City with a Violent History

felt the need to defend the clinic because of personal experiences when they went there for an abortion.

"In 2017, I had to go to that clinic. I saw what was happening first-hand," Ryan shared.

"The Las Vegas shooting had just happened, and one of them told my boyfriend at the time, who is now my husband, that he was worse than the shooter at Las Vegas."

"We were both like, 'Oh, my God, I cannot believe he said that,' because we both know that was entirely wrong," Ryan said.

Despite this personal experience, the protestors' tactics shocked Ryan when they began helping with clinic defense in December.

"I didn't even realize how aggressive these people were going to be, which sounds silly because I knew the history of Pensacola." Ryan "I didn't even realize how aggressive these people were going to be, which sounds silly because I knew the history of Pensacola.

But it felt like a further-in-the-past sort of thing," Ryan said. "But those men that come

By Gina Castro and C. Scott Satterwhite out there, these old, white men that come out there, are very aggressive."

Also among the clinic's defenders is Allison, the early bird of the group. Before her fellow activists arrived, she would set up at the clinic, placing windscreens, chairs, flags and her truck in the parking lot strategically to prevent protestors from getting too close to patients and staff.

Throughout the months, Allison had a few physical confrontations. One day, while Allison went through her setup ritual, an anti-abortion protestor went behind the windscreens. When she asked him to leave, the older man grabbed her wrist.

"I yanked it back and said, 'Don't touch me.' And he said, 'I'll do what I want.' So after he had my wrist, I pushed him, and he rolled," Allison said. "We called him 'Bouncing Bob' after that, but there were a couple other ones, too."

Although Allison said she felt a little afraid by herself, making the patients and staff feel safe was worth the risk.

Out of all the defenders, Allison understands best how dangerous being pro-abortion can be in Pensacola. Her stepbrother is Michael Frederick Griffin,

the first person to kill an abortion provider in the city.

"That's the real reason I'm there. Because the idiots aren't stopping." Allison said.

Her family, who identifies as antiabortion, is still supportive of Griffin and attended his parole in 2017. "He's not remorseful," Allison said. "His mother and brothers just encourage him."

A LONG HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AND RESISTANCE

On May 3, 1993, Griffin's targeted assassination of Dr. David Gunn brought national attention to Pensacola. The murder happened outside the Pensacola Ladies Center, which had been bombed nine years earlier.

Bill Caplinger is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, a congregation that organized escorts to protect women seeking an abortion. In 1993, he had recently taken over as president of the church and got involved immediately after Dr. Gunn's murder.

"When that assassination happened," said Caplinger, "Michael Griffin came up from behind [Dr. Gunn] and shot him a couple of times in the back and again when he was down."

11

Julius Wernicke and clinic escorts "Bo" Davison and Bill Caplinger / Photo Courtesy of Bill Caplinger

Community members held a candlelight vigil on the night of the murder.

Realizing the city would once again be in the eye of the abortion rights controversy, Caplinger set out to be proactive in protecting the clinic.

"I circled all of that property to find out how the [anti-abortion] protesters got in and out, how they appeared and disappeared," he said. "That's when I found out that they had quite an arrangement—where they parked, coordinated and planned. That's when I realized that this was going to be a difficult time, so I volunteered to become an escort."

As anti-abortion protesters arrived, women's rights activists from National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Feminist Majority, along with Unitarian Universalists (UU) and other community members, quickly organized. Caplinger said, "We got more clinic escorts, and that's when we went into a full clinic defense training."

The bulk of the escorts were from the local chapter of the NOW and the UU congregation and involved a typical array of Pensacola citizens—activists, veterans, students, military spouses and church members.

As tensions rose, clinic escorts attempted to hold discussions with more moderate forces within the anti-abortion activists in an attempt to lower tensions, with mixed results. Leading those efforts was a University of West Florida anthropology professor Dallas Blanchard.

"After the first shooting, he was looking

into that," shared Caplinger. "When they were firebombing the clinics, they started an intimidation campaign for anyone who had anything to do with anyone who supported the clinics and women's right to choose."

Seeing the rise of the so-called Religious Right, Blanchard decided to travel the country and talk to people on all sides, from abortion clinic protesters to the staff that worked in the clinics.

Through his efforts, Blanchard "developed an incredible resources list where he got all sorts of information." According to Caplinger, "Dallas found out about [anti-abortion activists] coming to Pensacola before even they knew they were coming to Pensacola.

He would find out about people that were dangerous and were not dangerous."

Blanchard wrote several books using his research on the Religious Right, inspired by the events in Pensacola. Caplinger credited Blanchard's intelligence work for alerting police to at least one nearly successful plan to bring a large number of guns to antiabortion protesters in Pensacola.

A Florida jury found Griffin guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison. In 2017, after a parole hearing, the state ordered Griffin to remain in prison.

He goes up for parole again in 2043.

The shooting of Dr. Gunn did little to lessen tensions as both sides continued to increase their presence. As anti-abortion protesters grew and became more organized—drawing followers from around the

country—abortion-rights advocates did the same to protect women seeking services at the Pensacola Ladies Center. Increased protection for doctors providing abortions became paramount. Abortion rights advocates organized sophisticated clinic defense tactics based on non-violent practices.

Despite the growing fear of more violence, clinic defenders chose not to wear body armor or arm themselves out of concern both would make a volatile situation worse. From their perspective, the nonviolent stance of the clinic escorts was both ethical and practical. If shootings occurred and the police returned fire, they would know the clinic escorts were not an armed threat.

"The chief of police came to me and said, 'That [wearing body armor] is not a good idea. You're only going to make things worse if you do that.' After talking to him, we decided that was true," said Caplinger.

"When they were firebombing the clinics, they started an intimidation campaign for anyone who had anything to do with anyone who supported the clinics and women's right to choose." Bill Caplinger Along with patient escort duties, two UU members, June and Jim Barrett, volunteered to pick up a doctor from the airport and bring him to the clinic. June was a retired nurse who served with the Public Health Service.

Her husband, Jim, was a retired Air Force colonel and World War II veteran.

The Barretts took protection of the doctor personally, especially as they became friends with Dr. John Britton. With a clear understanding of the risks, informed by his military experience, Jim kept weapons in his car, which was a point of contention between him and Caplinger and most escorts who agreed not to carry weapons.

"Jim was a feisty guy who understood that we were dealing with killers," said Caplinger. "Everybody knew that [Jim] would not be happy to be told he could not be an escort unless he lost the weapons. I was the one who had to give him that news."

Jim complied. Before the couple went to get the doctor, he called Caplinger and told him, "I'm not packing."

Reassured that Jim was unarmed, Caplinger hung up the phone. That was the last time the two friends spoke to each other.

On July 29, 1994, Caplinger set out to arrive early at the Pensacola Ladies Center to clean the cameras but was held up by a family member. As he was about to leave, the phone rang. There had been a shooting at the clinic.

In the 2000 HBO film "Soldiers in the Army of God," June recounted the moment, "As we pulled in [to the entrance], Paul Hill was standing in the middle."

After volunteering for several days, she knew the routine and knew no one was supposed to block the entrance. Hill then approached the truck as Jim parked, pulled out a shotgun and fired three times.

June fell to the floor of the truck. "I could immediately hear the shots hitting the metal, and I was crunching myself down as small as I could. I kept saying, 'That goddamned sonof-a-bitch Paul Hill is killing us.'"

The first three shots killed Jim. Hill then reloaded. Although Dr. Britton was wearing a bulletproof vest, nothing could protect his head. June survived but was wounded. At the hospital, she told Caplinger what happened.

Remembering the conversation, he told Inweekly, "After the first shots were fired, Dr. Britton kept asking her, 'Where is the gun?' because he knew that Jim usually had a gun. She said, 'We don't have a gun.'"

Britton did the only thing he could do and moved his head back and forth to avoid the aim of Hill's shotgun. Hill pulled the trigger, the windows exploded and then there was silence.

"She says, 'Doc, doc, are you alright?'" shared Caplinger. "She could look under the seat and see his heels … when all of a sudden she sees all of this blood."

After killing Jim and Dr. Britton, Hill dropped his weapon, raised his hands and walked out on Ninth Avenue toward the fire station a block south of the Pensacola Ladies Center. Police arrested Hill immediately.

Recounting his talk with June after the shooting, Caplinger said, "So she's telling [Dr. Britton] that, that there's no gun, and I didn't know what to say."

After retelling this story, Caplinger's voice audibly shook, "Then she said, 'Let

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me tell you something. I am so glad that the gun was not in the car because I would hate to think that he would spend the last few moments of his life scrambling for a gun.'"

Hill was sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection in 2003. In his last words, he showed no remorse for the murders.

Caplinger spent the next 18 years helping to organize clinic defense until an arsonist burned the Pensacola Ladies Center to the ground in 2012. After the arson, the Pensacola Ladies Center was renamed American Family Planning and continues to provide legal abortion services in Pensacola, despite the continued barrage of anti-abortion protesters.

A NEW GENERATION TAKES THE LEAD Today, clinic defenders are younger but do their work for similar reasons as their predecessors' decades before.

Ryan has played a major role in the current presence at the clinic. They have felt motivated to defend the clinic because they cared for the patients going into the clinic.

"Because I know how hard it's to be down there. And how disgusting those signs are and how nasty those people can be." Ryan "Because I know how hard it's to be down there. And how disgusting those signs are and how nasty those people can be.

After having an abortion in 2017—it's not a fun decision to make. It's not a good time," Ryan explained. "And these patients, they're dealing with a lot, and they don't deserve to be harassed by people for making decisions about themselves in their body."

"We're just kind of, I guess, walking the walk of the talk that we talk," said activist Ashley Faulkner, a member of local rap group Cookies and Cake. Her group frequently raps about issues women face and saw the protests as an extension of their art.

"I mean, we sing songs and rap about body positivity and consent. Bodily autonomy is a natural extension of that," Faulkner said. "We like to show up when we can for causes we believe in, and this is definitely one of them. We encourage other people to do that. So if we're going to encourage other people to do it, our butts need to be out there, too."

Earlier in the year, clinic defenders stayed at the clinic most Saturdays from 5 a.m. to whenever the last patient left. Some experienced direct verbal attacks from the anti-abortion activists.

"A lot of times, they would be preaching and then, in the same breath, be very, very like hateful towards me or other people," clinic defender Stella said, "telling me I'm an abomination because they couldn't figure out if I was a male or female and following me around whispering, 'You're an abomination. You're an abomination,' and then, 'Jesus loves you.' And I'm like, 'Wait, Jesus loves me, or does he hate me?'"

Faulkner recalled being taken aback by anti-abortion activists' gruesome signs.

"They would hold up giant pictures, like May 13, 2021

the size of me, of slaves with slash marks on their backs, and hold it up and say, 'What you're doing is as bad as this,'" Faulkner said.

The clinic defenders said the patients and staff are grateful for their presence outside of the clinic. Staff, patients and friends who came along with patients to the clinic gave clinic defenders pizza and coffee.

"We really just wanted to shield the patients, shield the clinic workers and hopefully be some sort of distraction/wall for them, so they didn't have to experience what those people were doing and saying," said Stella.

The police were frequently called to the clinic when things got heated. Many of the protestors stated the defenders had pushed and threatened them. One clinic defender, who uses the pseudonym Britt, said an anti-abortion protestor, whom she didn't know, addressed her by her legal name. She believes that was the protestor's attempt to intimidate her.

"The last time I was out, one of the protesters said my correct last name. I went up to him. I said, 'Hey, so why are you looking me up? Where did you find me?' And he goes, 'Oh, I found your Facebook,'" Britt said. "So I thought that was super-duper creepy of an old, old man to be doing."

As the protests amplified, nearby businesses became concerned. Toward the end of April, the last business surrounding the clinic signed the no-trespass order. Antiabortion protestors may no longer stand anywhere around the clinic. However, the clinic defenders don't believe this is the end.

"We may have got the trespass orders, but it's not over yet. They're still coming by.

They came by today," Allison said. "They can't park or anything. But this one guy got a little wild hair, so he drove through the parking lot and turn around and go out. But it was done before it was realized that he wasn't a client."

During the most recent Florida legislative session, legislators introduced a few anti-abortion bills in both chambers. The Protection of a Pain-Capable Unborn Child from Abortion (HB 351/SB 744) bill would have prohibited the abortion of "unborn children capable of feeling pain." The bill also argued that recent medical research has shown a cerebral cortex isn't necessary to experience pain.

To the relief of pro-abortion rights advocates, none of the bills passed. Faulkner said, "There's always another bill. There's always another attack on women's bodies, and every single person just needs to mind their own damn business."

While also concerned about the direction of Florida's anti-abortion politics, Caplinger is heartened to hear of people continuing the fight. His advice to the defenders is to "really understand the power of non-violence … but also to understand that they are absolutely and totally correct. A women's right to choose is totally fundamental."

"I'm really hoping that we can keep pushing this and make Pensacola a pro-choice place where we're not out there like, 'Oh, if we make them mad, they're going to try to shoot the doctor. They're going to try to bomb the building,'" Ryan said. "Because that's what we think about every time we go out there … that's the history of Pensacola." {in} 13

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inweekly.net

WEEK OF MAY 13-19

Arts & Encouragement hope, help and other signs of humanity at a time when we really need it...

Back in Bloom

By Jennifer Leigh

After a nearly 10-year hiatus locally, Art in Bloom is making a comeback. And after the past year, it's safe to say we all need something pretty to look at.

The San Diego Museum of Art originated the idea of a floral art exhibit with its "Art Alive" show 39 years ago. Since then, similar events have popped up all over the country.

Fiore owner Shannon Murphy Pallin brought the idea to Pensacola after serving on the San Diego committee.

"It's somewhat of an art exhibit—there will be floral installations from local designers, art pieces, local vendors and an openair floral market," explained Pallin. "It feels great to be back—we actually had T-shirts made in the AC/DC font that says 'Back in Bloom.' And that's how we feel. It's kind of our mantra."

May 13, 2021

Not only has it been a long time since the last Art in Bloom event, but the floral industry has taken a hit—among many other businesses—as weddings and events were canceled due to COVID-19. Pallin said much of this year's Art in Bloom is a fundraiser for the small businesses that struggled last year. The "Back in Bloom" T-shirts designed by Cindy Mathis will be for sale for $25.

"It was emotional for the brides and us, too," Pallin said of the pandemic. "We cried a lot. As a small business, you have to grapple with how to return the money, but we gave back all the money if we didn't do the job.

I still had employees to pay, so we tried to navigate small weddings and elopements."

Art in Bloom will also have a donation box for their neighbors, Emerald Republic

Brewing, as the business lost its roof during a storm last month. Pallin said now more than ever is the time to support local businesses.

This year's Art in Bloom will be reminiscent of past events but also different. Since Fiore has moved to K Street, they now have a larger space to host events. A preview party, Flowers after Hours, will be Friday evening with a sneak peek of the art and floral designs with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres. The main event will be Saturday with the art, local vendors and open-air flower market.

One small bright spot of the past year has been the popularity of plants. As people sheltered in place, they started filling their homes with houseplants. Search #plants on Instagram and you'll see millions of posts— everything from the single houseplant on a

desk to the indoor jungles some plant enthusiasts have created. So yes, leafy green plants will also be for sale in the flower market during Art in Bloom.

Pallin said she's happy to see more people share her love for all things green and floral.

"It's a known fact that flowers and plants generally make us happy," she said.

One of plants' selling points is how accessible they can be. A few bucks and you can instantly spruce up your space and boost your mood. Mental health experts agree that plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress.

When it comes to caring for plants, it's all about trial and error—and some common sense, said Pallin.

"Think of them as people," she said. "They need water and some attention. Don't set them out in the harsh sunlight. If you can get sunburnt, your plants can, too."

And if you're wondering, there is one type of plant that eludes even an expert like Pallin.

"I can't keep succulents alive for whatever reason," she said.

No level of plant expertise is needed to enjoy checking out the floral designs and the art that inspires them. Artists featured during Art in Bloom include Lisa Bosarge, Casey Engel, Lindsay Gray, Cindy Mathis and Josie Walker, and florists include not just Fiore of Pensacola but also Chrissy Florals, Fleur Zoë Florals, Puas by Paige and Supposey. Pallin said she's looking forward to giving a boost to the local arts community.

"This event is for people to really show up and support the local talent we have," she said. "There's amazing interpretations of the art. And the money goes back to them.

I'm in it to give back to the community." {in}

FLOWERS AFTER HOURS

WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 14 WHERE: Fiore of Pensacola, 405 S. K St. COST: $15 DETAILS: fioreofpensacola.com

ART IN BLOOM

WHEN: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 15 WHERE: Fiore of Pensacola, 405 S. K St. COST: $10 (package price for both events is $20) DETAILS: fioreofpensacola.com 15

a&e happenings of The Arc Gateway organization, increasing awareness which ultimately leads to a better-informed community. Membership is a critical step in creating society-wide acceptance of people with disabilities.

The Arc Gateway runs membership drives yearly with the availability to join year-round. The drive honors legendary supporter, Bobby Tronu, who for more than 50 years played a special part in The Arc Gateway's efforts to improve the lifestyles of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The annual membership drive pays tribute to the years of support and service Bobby Tronu provided.

To learn more about membership options or to join, visit arc-gateway.org/giving/membership or call (850) 434-2638.

PAINT YOUR HEART OUT WITH KEEP PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL Paint

"The Collection" by Janice Jakielski is seen in the foreground of the exhibit "A Dead Reckoning" / Photo Courtesy of Pensacola Museum of Art

GRADUATIONS

ESCAMBIA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS The Escambia County

High School graduations will take place June 4 and 7 at the Pensacola Bay Center, 201 W. Gregory St. For more information, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

Dates and times as follows: FRIDAY, JUNE 4 •9 a.m. – Booker T. Washington •12:30 p.m. – Pensacola •4 p.m. – Escambia MONDAY, JUNE 7 •9 a.m. – Tate •12:30 p.m. – Northview •3:30 p.m. – West Florida •7 p.m. – Pine Forest

SANTA ROSA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION The Santa Rosa

County High School graduations will be Saturday, June 5, at the Pensacola Bay Center, 201 W. Gregory St. For more information, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

•11 a.m. – Gulf Breeze •2:30 p.m. – Pace High •6 p.m. – Navarre

NONPROFITS + FUNDRAISERS

GULF COAST KID'S HOUSE EAST HILL YARD SALE GCKH is hosting its second

East Hill Yard Sale to benefit its clients who are victims of child abuse and neglect on Saturday, May 15, from 8 a.m.-noon. MI SU Street Food will be serving food, the Escambia Bay Homebrewers Association will have craft beer sampling and GCKH will have a mimosa station sponsored by Cactus Flower Café. The sale is located at 3401 N. 12th Ave.

KITTEN AND CAT ADOPTIONS AT ALYSSA'S Animal Allies will be at Alyssa's, 616 1

4586 Chumuckla Highway, Saturday, May 15, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Come by and find your fluffy BFF or talk to Animal Allies about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer.

All cats are up to date on shots and tested negative for leukemia, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip and flea pill. Minimum donation fees are $85 for kittens up to 1 year and $75 for adults. Visit aaflorida.org for more information.

CYCLE TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE

Gulf Coast Kid's House and CycleBar Pensacola are teaming up for a fundraiser ride.

On Saturday, May 22, at noon, you can visit CycleBar Pensacola for a complimentary 45-minute class. GCKH will be collecting donations of gift cards (Walmart, Amazon, Target), reusable shopping totes and travel-size hygiene items. Visit members. cyclebar.com to sign up. Class is limited to the first 30 people to sign up.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT ADOPTION Animal Allies will be at Pet Supermarket on N. Ninth Avenue on Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m.3 p.m., and Everette Animal Welfare Group will be at PetSmart on N. Davis Highway on Saturdays, May 15 and 22, from noon-4 p.m.

If you can't adopt, ask about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up to date on shots and tested negative for leukemia, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip and flea pill. Visit aaflorida.org for more information.

THE ARC GATEWAY KICKS OFF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DRIVE The Arc

Gateway has kicked off its annual Bobby Tronu Membership Drive for the month of April and invites the public to join. The nonprofit agency would like to expand its membership by 500 new members.

Membership is a very important aspect

Your Heart Out (PYHO) is a community beautification program from Keep Pensacola Beautiful (KPB) that aims to assist our elderly, disabled, veteran and/or singleparent community members through a massive service project once a year. PYHO is open to all Escambia County residents and nominated by the public. During the month of May, a team of volunteers will go to the selected property and perform beautification projects such as pressure washing, exterior home painting, light landscaping and outdoor light bulb replacing. KPB needs a community of partners, sponsors and volunteers for this annual project. Email Lauren Doubek, Education & Outreach coordinator, at lauren@keeppensacolabeautiful.org for groups of five or more volunteers. For group sizes of four or less, visit volunteermatch.org to register individually.

CALL TO ARTISTS

KEEP PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL PIECES ADRIFT ART SHOW Pieces Adrift is a

community art exhibition and auction that educates viewers about the harmful effects marine litter has on our coastal ecosystem.

All pieces submitted to this show are made of at least 50% reclaimed waste material to inspire onlookers to rethink their trash in a creative way. Art that is donated will be open for public auction, and proceeds will benefit Keep Pensacola Beautiful's programming initiatives in 2022.

To participate in Keep Pensacola Beautiful's upcoming Pieces Adrift Art Show & Auction as an artist, visit facebook. com/keeppensacolabeautiful for a link to the signup form. Artists of any level are welcome to join.

ARTS & CULTURE

CHAMBERS PROMOTE BEACH TO BREEZE BINGO CARDS The Pensacola

Beach and Gulf Breeze Chambers of Commerce are working in partnership to host "Beach to Breeze Bingo," a promotional gaming event, from May 14-28 at about two dozen participating businesses around both communities.

The concept for the game is to boost

visitor traffic in Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach, which have seen a sharp decline over the past seven months due to the closure of the Pensacola Bay Bridge.

Participating businesses include everything from restaurants and bars to attractions and retail shops along Pensacola Beach and Gulf Breeze. Participants must snap a photo of themselves doing the activity specified at each business or location on the bingo card.

Download the bingo card online at gulfbreezechamber.com or pensacolabeachchamber.com. Every BINGO completed on the card receives one entry into a raffle prize drawing. An entirely blacked out card gets 10 extra entries into the drawing.

Prizes will be given away to randomly selected participants at certain businesses.

Multiple grand raffle prizes will be drawn on Thursday, May 28, at noon at the Gulf Breeze Chamber and will be aired on Facebook Live.

VISIT PENSACOLA EVENT GRANT PROGRAM TO RESUME WITH NEW GUIDELINES The Visit Pensacola Board

of Directors voted Wednesday to resume the Visit Pensacola event grant program for events taking place in fiscal year 2022. The grant program was paused in FY 2021 due to budget restraints and uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the resurgence of the program, new guidelines are in place. Major changes include one call for applications per fiscal year, grant workshops are mandatory, grant amounts will not exceed $25,000, the Visit Pensacola grant amount cannot exceed 50% of the applicant's overall event expense budget and 75% of the Visit Pensacola grant funding is to be used on marketing while 25% may be used on operations.

Visit Pensacola is now accepting grant applications for events occurring between Oct. 1, 2021–Sept. 30, 2022. The grant deadline is June 8 at noon. All grant applicants are required to attend one of the workshops, which run through May 25.

The Visit Pensacola Grant Committee will meet to review and score applications June 15-16 at 2:30 p.m. at the UWF Historic Trust Bowden Building, First Floor. Applicants are encouraged to attend to present to the committee. Following, the Visit Pensacola Board of Directors will vote to approve grants on June 23 at the monthly board meeting. For more information on grant guidelines, scoring and the application process, please contact Nicole Stacey at nstacey@visitpensacola.com.

DRAG SHOWS AT DOLCE AND GELATO Head to Dolce and Gelato, located at 2050 N. 12th Ave., for regular drag shows. Next dates are Fridays, May 14 and 28, from 7-10 p.m. For more information, visit facebook. com/dolcegelatopensacola

YIKES! A NIGHT OF COMEDY Visit Dolce and Gelato on Saturday, May 15, from 7-10 p.m. for a night of comedy with inweekly.net

a&e happenings

Mixing It Up

By Carollyn Taylor

Photo by Simone Owens Photography

As in-person events start to return around the community, networking mixers are definitely on the agenda for many people. One local group, Pensacola Network of Black Professionals (PNBP), officially brought its monthly events back in April. They plan to host regular networking mixers the third Tuesday of every month at Casks and Flights Wine Tasting Room.

D'Angelo Webb serves on the board of directors of the PNBP. After a year of Zoom events, he said he's looking forward to in-person mixers in 2021. They are local and national comedians at Dolce and Gelato, located at 2050 N. 12th Ave. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT SAENGER THEATRE PSO will

be performing Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3, "Scottish" and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major Saturday, May 15, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Virtual tickets are also available. All tickets start at $28. For more information, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTRY SPELLING BEE Pensacola Little Theatre

presents this hilarious play that tells the story of six mid-pubescents through a spelling bee. Show dates are 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 14; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15; and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 16. Thursday performance is 7:30 p.m. on May 13. For tickets, visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.

"I AND YOU" PenArts presents "I And You," a play by Lauren Gunderson, at 4 p.m.

May 12-14; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 16, at the Gordon Community Center, located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. Tickets are $2 for those 21 and under and $5 for those over 21.

May 13, 2021

keeping safety in mind, though, and are requiring masks for attendees.

"We were averaging crowds between 40-60 people every month but had to stop because of COVID, and we're excited to start it back," he said.

At the April event, PNBP was joined by local businesses including FORC3 Photography, who was offering a discounted rate on headshots for attendees. Life Is Hale, aka local DJ and activist Hale Morrissette, was also on hand, providing a soundtrack to network to.

Webb noted that they are always on

ART IN BLOOM Enjoy floral installations

from designers, local artists, and food and drinks from local vendors at Art in Bloom.

An open flower market will also be outside so you can take home a bit of beauty for yourself. The event is Saturday, May 15, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Fiore of Pensacola, 405 S. K St. A special Flowers after Hours event is set for Friday, May 14, from 8-10 p.m. with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres with designers and artists. Tickets for Saturday's event are $10, Flowers after Hours is $15, or you can purchase tickets for both events in advance for $20.

PENSACOLA CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENTS LOVE SONGS: THE LIEBESLIEDER WALTZES OF BRAHMS Join

Pensacola Choral Society for a performance of love songs Saturday, May 15, at 2 p.m. at Pensacola State College, Bldg. 1 patio, located at 1000 College Blvd. Performance is free, but donations are welcome.

Masks and distancing are required.

BROADWAY LIGHTS DANCE CENTER PRESENTS: JUMANJI The latest Broad-

way Lights Dance Center performance will be Sunday, May 16, at 3 p.m. at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. All tickets at $23. To purchase tickets, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

the lookout for new sponsors to collaborate with for future events.

According to their mixer event pages, "Pensacola Network of Black Professionals is an organization of professionals dedicated to the improvement of self and surroundings— through professional and personal development, community engagement and service and local economic development."

Erik Petersen, president of the PNBP, spoke about that vision when welcoming attendees to the April event.

"Our vision is to see Black professionals thriving personally and professionally," Petersen said.

He added that the group's core values are "empowerment, integrity, community and education."

In addition to entertainment, photography and general networking, most of the monthly events will feature a guest speaker. Chris Hendricks from BantuCola was the speaker at the April event.

"I am the founder of a platform called BantuCola, and our focus is to build a Black record, to build a Black Pensacola that's strong, not only in Pensacola but Northwest Florida from Pensacola to Panama City," Hendricks told attendees.

Hendricks takes pride that BantuCola is a platform dedicated to helping build a prosperous Black Pensacola by the year 2100.

"I'm looking to the future to plant flagpoles in the ground, and in order to do that, we've got to have a vision, observation and thought," Hendricks said.

The guest speaker at the May event

2021 PENSACOLA CARNIVALE KICKOFF Pensacola Florida has designated May

21-June 5 as Carnivale Season. Mardi Gras events did not happen. However, Pensacola will rekindle the Mardi Gras Spirt with a two-week special celebration. The 2021 Kick-Off will take place May 21 at Roger Scott Athletic Complex and will include the traditional Blessing of the Krewes along with a concert-style dance party featuring beverages and food. Tickets to the 2021 Carnivale Kick-Off Celebration are available at pensacolmardigras.com. All tickets previously purchased will be honored. Socially responsible practices and procedures will remain. Tickets are re-priced at $50 for general admission and $120 for VIP tickets, which will be limited in number. Attendance to the event will be capped at 3,000.

PRE-PRIDE COMEDY FEST May 28, 29

& 30, Downtown Pensacola will be home to the Pensacola Pre-Pride Comedy Fest, where 25 of the country's best LGBTQ+ comedians will be traveling to Pensacola to perform in this charity standup comedy event. The weekend will also be a fundraiser for TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. TAPS provides mental health and financial services to grieving military families.

Nikki Carr, from NBC's Last Comic

will be Raderik Pickens, a financial advisor, and Pensacola Young Professionals are co-hosting the June mixer.

Another local Black-owned business participating in the networking events is actually the one where they happen— Casks and Flights.

"When the Pensacola Network of Black Professionals approached me and asked for my help, I told them I would love to help them out," said John McCorvey, co-owner of Casks and Flights.

"I give a percentage of the proceeds they raise while they are here back to their nonprofit," he continued.

The significance of being a Black business owner in the middle of downtown where diversity is scarce isn't lost on McCorvey.

"I've always had that entrepreneurship spirit, being from Pensacola. Being a Black business owner in Downtown Pensacola, it means more than I actually know. When I sit back and actually think about it, it's generations in the making, prosperity, moving us forward. It's important for me to be down here so I don't take it for granted and appreciate and love everyone who comes through these doors and supports me."

PENSACOLA NETWORK OF BLACK PROFESSIONAL'S MAY MIXER WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18 WHERE: Casks and Flights Wine Tasting Room, 121 S. Palafox DETAILS: facebook.com/pcolanbp

Standing & BET's ComicView, will be performing as one of the weekend's headliners, as well as Hilliary Begley. Venues include The Cabaret, Odd Colony Brewing Company, O'Riley's Irish Pub Downtown, Dolce & Gelato and Perfect Plain. Weekend passes and day passes are currently available on Eventbrite. For more information, visit facebook.com/p3comedyfest.

COMING SOON TO PENSACOLA CINEMA ART "Minari" will come to PCA

Friday and Saturday, June 11 and 12, at 1 p.m.

All tickets are $8. PCA is located at 220 W. Garden St. For more information, visit pensacolacinemaart.com.

NEW EXHIBITS AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART "A Dead Reckoning: Navigating Contemporary Ceramics" is now on view at Pensacola Museum of Art, which asks viewers, "Where is the field of American ceramic art going?" Other exhibits include "Citizens: Rhetoric, Response, Representation" and "SynThesis," a group BFA Exit Exhibition, on view through May 16. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

CITIZENS SPEAK AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART The "Citizens Speak"

exhibition represents a collection of student work across disciplines based on their 17

a&e happenings engagement with Claudia Rankine's "Citizen." The exhibit is on display through July 3 at Pensacola Museum of Art. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GORDON COMMUNITY ART CENTER Every second

Thursday, the stage is open to all artists of all art forms to share music, live paintings, dance, poetry and more. Open mic is from 7-10 p.m. Gordon Community Art Center is located at 306 N. DeVilliers St.

STAND-UP COMEDY AT THE REX THEATRE Visit The REX Theatre every

Friday at 8 p.m. for national stand up acts.

Tickets are $26-$35 at the door. For more information, visit rexpensacola.com.

COMEDY MAGIC SHOW AT THE REX THEATRE Comedy magician Tom Coverly,

known as "The Illusionist," performs Saturday nights at The Rex Theatre, located at 18 N. Palafox. Shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10-$35. For more information, visit rexpensacola.com.

OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy

some homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five minutes depending the number of sign-ups. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

MONTHLY ARTIST MINGLE AND ARTIST Q&A Safely mingle with friends

and neighbors and meet new artists with the monthly event at Gordon Community Art Center, located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. For more information, visit thegordon.org.

GREAT GULFCOAST ARTS FESTIVAL 2020 LIMITED-EDITION POSTER AVAILABLE ONLINE With the cancellation

of this year's Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival due to COVID-19, the festival committee invited local artist Kreg Yingst to create a poster for 2020 in his original woodcut print design.

The 250 limited-edition posters are each signed and numbered by the artist.

Festival posters have become a local collector's item and are available online this year only. The posters are available at ggaf.org for $27, including shipping and sales tax.

Yingst, a long-time GGAF artist, received his B.A. from Trinity University in San Antonio after attending the University of Texas and his M.A. in painting from Eastern Illinois University. After graduation, he taught art for 13 years and has been a full-time artist since 2003.

The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival returns Nov. 5, 6 and 7, 2021, at Seville Square, Fountain Park, Bartram Park and Museum Plaza in Downtown Pensacola.

PENSACOLA OPERA AL FRESCO

Pensacola Opera's outdoor live concerts

are Saturdays at 2 p.m. in the UWF Historic Trust Museum Plaza. For more information, visit pensacolaopera.com.

be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixonmagic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.

OPERALIVE: THROWBACK THURSDAYS Take a walk down memory lane with

QUEERING SPACES: CELEBRATING PENSACOLA'S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

friends of the Pensacola Opera. Learn more about the craft and look back on past productions with live discussions on Facebook Live Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Viewers are encouraged to join in the conversation. Tune in at facebook.com/pensacolaopera.

NEW CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Per-

forming Arts (MMPA), a boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness and "Mommy and Me" instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult.

MMPA is dedicated to the safety and well-being of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can

Queering Spaces is a new exhibit exploring the history of the Pensacola Queer Community, going beyond Memorial Day Weekend and Pride to uncover the longlasting impacts of Pensacola's vibrant past.

The exhibit is on view at T.T. Wentworth Jr. Museum, located at 330 S. Jefferson St.

BLACK CITIZENSHIP IN THE AGE OF JIM CROW On view at Voices of Pensacola

is "Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow," a traveling exhibition from the New York Historical Society Museum & Library with additions from the African American Heritage Society of Pensacola. To learn more about it, visit africanamericanheritagesociety.org. Voices of Pensacola is located at 117 E. Government St. and open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

CRAFT CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH ON NINE MILE Learn a new craft or meet

up with other makers at Studio South. Tuesday is Knit Night 4-7 p.m., and Sit & Stitch is Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Both classes are free. For a full calendar of events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road.

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a&e happenings CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS AT FIRST CITY ART First City Art Center of-

fers a wide range of classes and workshops for artists of all levels. Classes include glass blowing, ceramics, painting and drawing, kiln-forming, stained glass and more. For a complete list of classes and times, visit firstcityart.org.

SUNDAYS ON THE MEZZANINE Enjoy a full-length concert series on select Sundays at 3 p.m. on Facebook. Tickets are $9.99 and can be purchased online at facebook.com/pensacolaopera.

LIVE MUSIC

BANDS ON THE BEACH Bands on the Beach is back. The free concert series features shows each Tuesday night, from 7-9 p.m., from April to October at the Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach.

UPCOMING DATES: •May 18: The Astronauts •May 25: Karli Ryan BANDS ON THE BLACKWATER Following the cancellation of the complete 2020 schedule due to COVID-19, the City of Milton is bringing back the popular concert series starting Friday, April 2. All concerts will be held from 7-9 p.m. at Jernigan's Landing, 5158 S. Willing St. UPCOMING DATES: •May 14: Modern Eldorados •May 21: Mikey Clams Band BOAT UP FLOAT UP CONCERT: BEN LOFTIN BAND The Ben Loftin Band will be

performing at a swim-only area at Sneaky Tiki Bar, located at 17 Via De Luna Drive, from 2-7 p.m. Saturday, May 8. VIP Tickets are available at boatupfloatupvip.eventbrite.com.

JASON TREUMAN Musician Jason Treuman will be at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, located at 208 Newman Ave., from 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 14. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

ROCK BOTTOM Musical duo Rock Bot-

tom will be at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, located at 208 Newman Ave., from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, May 15. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

2021 PENSACOLA JAZZFEST The 37th

Annual JazzFest is Saturday, May 15, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Seville Square. Admission is free. A special meet and greet with musicians is planned for 7 p.m. Friday, May 14, at The District, located at 123 E. Government St. Be sure to head to The District on Saturday, May 15, following JazzFest for Jam Band Night with musicians including Tony Viviano, Tom Latenser and Fred Domulot. The meet and greet is free. For more information on JazzFest, visit jazzpensacola.com.

JEFF GLICKMAN AT DOLCE AND GELATO Singer and songwriter Jeff Glickman

will be performing 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 21, May 13, 2021

at Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

BIG JIM BROWN AND THE SPEED KINGS Big Jim Brown and the Speed Kings will be performing at Dolce and Gelato, 2050 N. 12th Ave., from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, May 23. For more information, visit facebook.com/dolcegelatopensacola.

MUSCADINE BLOODLINE AT THE PORT AT THE WHARF Mobile's own

Together Pensacola sponsored an essay contest for elementary, middle and high school students.

The theme was "Better Together: Our families, schools, neighborhoods, places of worship, and communities are all better when everyone is respected and included."

The contestants needed to answer three questions in their essays: •What gets better when everyone is respected and included?

•How can we make it happen?

•How can we be better together?

LIVE MUSIC AT RED FISH BLUE FISH PENSACOLA BEACH Head to Red Fish

Together Pensacola is a group of concerned citizens who come together to brainstorm and discuss ways to help build connections and strengthen relationships between and among people in the Pensacola Bay area. The group focuses on what unites us rather than on our differences and what separates us. Its goal is to promote and introduce ideas and activities to implement this brand of community building.

Together Pensacola's leadership team includes Jay Ayer, Brunie Emmanuel, Ross Goodman, Mamie Webb Hixon, Kathleen Logan, Juanita Scott and Sue Straughn.

CURT BOL JAZZ QUARTET Visit Five

Grades 4-5 Winners: First place: $100: Lillyth Dekker, Molino Park Elementary Second place: $50, Aryana Weintraub, Blue Angels Elementary School Third place: $25 Thomas O'Brien, Kingsfield Elementary School

Muscadine Bloodline is performing at The Port at The Wharf in Orange Beach 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 27. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.

Blue Fish for live performances from local bands Fridays and Saturdays all day. For musician lineups, visit facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.

Sisters Blues Café, located at 421 W. Belmont St., Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and listen to Curt Bol Jazz Quartet. Visit curtbolband.com for more information.

OPEN JAM AT ARTEL GALLERY Artel

Gallery is open from 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays for open jam with Pensacola Folk Music Society. Feel free to visit and listen to music. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.

KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS Sing your heart out Sundays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, or just enjoy drinks friends with $4 Smirnoff and $6.50 domestic pitcher drink deals from 7 p.m.-3 a.m.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ mugsjugs.

LIVE MUSIC AT HUB STACEY'S Sit back with good food and live music at Hub Stacey's, located at 312 E. Government St. For a full calendar of bands, check hubstaceys.com.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues

Society of Northwest Florida bring the "Blues" back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District, located at 130 E. Government St. every Monday night in End O' the Alley starting at 7 p.m. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Me-

lodious Allen and The Funk Heads every Tuesday night at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, located at 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

"BETTER TOGETHER" BY LILLYTH DEKKER, 4TH GRADE (FIRST PLACE) Have you every noticed how rude people can be and how little people do charity nowadays? It is more important now than it has ever been for our upcoming generation to come together to make sure that our community and country are taken care of. It is instrumental for our future that all races and religions come together and work as one. It doesn't matter about your religion or the color of your skin. We are all human and face the same struggles in life. It is up to us to look after one another.

You may think some people are rude and nasty, but you might not know what that person is going through at that time in life. He or she may not know where his or her next meal will come from. You can make a difference by showing kindness and respect. You could help those people by just giving them support and helping them through life's struggles. You could give them anonymous letters of where local food pantries are located, or you could give them canned goods to help them out.

We as people should respect one another and be appreciative of what we have in this world right now.

Everyone should appreciate our veterans, doctors and nurses, police officers, and firefighters. They have helped tremendously during this pandemic. They have worked nonstop to make sure the U.S. citizens are taken care of before they rest. We can help them by paying respect and helping them. In conclusion, you should be kind, respect one another, and come together to become one group and inspire people to become part of a community.

"BETTER TOGETHER" BY ARYANA WEINTRAUB, 5TH GRADE (SECOND PLACE) Being better together means working together and being well respected. Together, our community, our families, schools and more can be improved by everyone having the same respect for each other and helping one another when an incident might happen. For example, when Hurricane Sally recently hit Pensacola, many people were devastated. The community came together to help those who were affected by donating supplies.

Trust could be known as the glue that holds our families, relationships and communities together. Trust is very much needed within our communities so you know who to rely on when you need help.

Teamwork is another important thing we can do better together. Teamwork means to me that when someone is in trouble or needs help, someone will always be there to help and lift that person up. Our communities should be something we can rely on when in need.

Kindness is a big part of our lives because it improves our life as it does in our community. Kindness brings people together. Doing good for other people can make you feel good. Kindness is very contagious.

The more you do to improve the act of kindness, the more it will go around.

At all times it is important that our community and citizens follow the rules. Following the rules is important because it helps our community understand what is expected and what might happen if they disregard the rules. If our community or any citizens decide to violate the rules, then there could be consequences for their misbehaved actions such as getting a fine or going to jail.

In conclusion, we should realize that there are so many ways to improve our communities together through trust, teamwork, kindness, hard work, and following the rules. The kind of community we hope to be and thrive is one where everyone can be respected and included.

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By Gina Castro

The Middleman Activist

Hale Morrissette, Favion Goodwin and J. Garrett Green / Photo Courtesy of The Lunch Table 850

win considers his work with The Lunch Throughout the years, more and more Table 850 activism. people have turned to social media to "I've grown to realize that this platform show support for causes. Activists groups, is kind of my form of activism. It's a way nonprofits and individual advocates have that I can contribute," Goodwin said. learned their messages can reach larger The Lunch Table 850 is still developing audiences online, making it easier to moor exploring "just the tip of the iceberg," as bilize. A Pew Research Center survey from Goodwin says. For the most part, it's an en2020 found that 36% of social media users tertainment news source. It features podhad posted an image to show support for a cast episodes, shares trending videos and cause within the past month. That percentposts on Facebook, and shares music from age increases to 42% among younger adults local artists on Instagram and YouTube. between 18-29 years old. Young adults also The Lunch Table 850 has been around for had the highest percentage, 54%, of india couple of years and was originally supported viduals who used social media to look for by six other individuals, including Goodwin. rallies and protests to attend.

But in 2018, the others decided to move on.

It's no secret that the 2020 election Goodwin took it over to keep it alive. and insurrection have, among other events, "It fell into my lap, and I decided that I gradually muddied the line between the wasn't going to let this thing die," Goodwin said. personal and political, encouraging more Final 041521.pdf 2 4/7/21 AM Goodwin works at 8:48 Sacred Heart fullpeople to LB0245 exploreMchUltraOrgSeltzer activism. Favion INW Good-

A S RE AL A S IT TA S TE S 020 2

time as a dietary supervisor. The Lunch Table 850 is his side hustle. He has always had a passion for media, especially podcasts. Eventually, he realized he could use his interests in media to build The Lunch Table brand into a successful business.

"I realized that I was spending a lot of my time watching podcasts and listening to other people. I realized one day that I'm articulate, and I know a little bit here and there, so I can do the same thing," Goodwin said. "That's what motivated me. I found out that I was passionate about media through being a consumer."

The majority, or about 70%, Goodwin estimates, of the guests on the podcast are in Pensacola's regional area. The other guests are in the military or in other states.

Goodwin hopes to continue expanding the voices represented on The Lunch Table 850 to a global level.

In recent months, The Lunch Table has featured interviews about police brutality, social justice issues, relationships and a host of topics in between. Some of the show's regular guests are J. Garrett Green, a social justice strategist; Jamil Davis, activist and the Florida Lead Organizer for Black Voters Matter; and Franscine Mathis, a politician and advocate.

Goodwin had Davis and Green on an interview together to discuss the impacts HB 1, the anti-riot bill that became law this past legislative session, would have on protesting. Mathis spoke on the show about environmental issues still impacting the Wedgewood neighborhood today.

"I fell in love with helping people get their message out, especially when I know it's a message that everyone needs to hear, but there's no way for everyone to hear it right now. I love being that segue," Goodwin said. "I have a passion for that. That's why I say when it comes to the activists that can really make a change in our community, I welcome them on."

Goodwin's goal for bringing his listeners

and followers interviews with activists is to keep them and himself informed.

"The objective, honestly, is to get their messages out to the masses the best way I can," Goodwin said. "I would love for my platform to be that middleman as well as educating myself to join different movements and advocate in different areas."

The Lunch Table hosts Man Talk Monday on YouTube. Some of that series' recent discussions were Black men discussing racist policing in America, commitment issues, polygamy and other topics. The Lunch Table's YouTube channel also features videos from women's perspectives.

A couple of those topics are discussions among women of whether women are being taught to not need a man and how to find and protect inner peace.

Goodwin explained that he selects topics for The Lunch Table that are for the culture.

"So I focus on whatever is for the culture and popular in the media," Goodwin said. "I use the media as an element to give out real information based on the profound and what's going to try to predict the trajectory of a lot of people's lives."

As for the future of The Lunch Table, Goodwin intends to continue to find interesting people in the area to interview.

He also hopes to increase the number of podcasts and series.

"My vision for it is to have a team where this grows tenfold. I want it to be more of a brand than a show right now," Goodwin said, "kind of like a channel of many shows and many streaming platforms and podcasts, discussing different issues in the world."

The Lunch Table 850 is interested in hearing from viewers about what guests they want to see and the topics they would like the show to discuss. Goodwin asks that recommendations be sent to The Lunch Table's social media. {in} For more, follow The Lunch Table 850 on social media @TheLunchTable850.

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free will astrology WEEK OF MAY 13 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In one of her poems, Emily Dickinson tells us, "The pedigree of honey / Does not concern the bee; / A clover, any time, to him / Is aristocracy." I suggest you be like Dickinson's bee in the coming weeks, my dear Aries. Take pleasure and power where they are offered.

Be receptive to just about any resource that satisfies your raw need. Consider the possibility that substitutes and stand-ins may be just as good as the supposed original.

OK? Don't be too fussy about how pure or prestigious anything is.

By Rob Brezsny

things that most people didn't know and didn't want to know. He had no possibility of communicating many of the interesting truths that were important to him! But I'm guessing that won't be much of a problem for you in the coming months. According to my astrological analysis, you're more likely to be well-listened to and understood than you have been in quite some time. For best results, ASK to be listened to and understood.

And think about how you might express yourself in ways that are likely to be interesting and useful to others.

asked composer Johann Sebastian Bach about his creative process. He was so prolific! How did he dream up such a constant flow of new music? Bach told his admirer that the tunes came to him unbidden. When he woke up each morning, they were already announcing themselves in his head. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Taurus, a comparable phenomenon may very well visit you in the coming weeks—not in the form of music, but as intuitions and insights about your life and your future. Your main job is to be receptive to them, and make sure you remember them.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The French government regularly gives the Legion of Honor award to people deemed to have provided exceptional service to the world.

Most recipients are deserving, but a few have been decidedly unworthy. In the latter category are Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, as well as drug-cheating athlete Lance Armstrong, sexual predator Harvey Weinstein and Nazi collaborator Marshal Pétain. I bring this to your attention, Leo, because the coming weeks will be a favorable time to reward people who have helped and supported you. But I also suggest that you pointedly exclude those who have too many negatives mixed in with their positives.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): "I love

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): In 2010, an

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): A fan once

unmade beds," writes Gemini poet Shane Koyczan. "I love when people are drunk and crying and cannot be anything but honest. I love the look in people's eyes when they realize they're in love. I love the way people look when they first wake up and they've forgotten their surroundings. I love when people close their eyes and drift to somewhere in the clouds." In the coming days, Gemini, I encourage you to specialize in moments like those—when you and the people you're interested in are candid, unguarded, raw, vulnerable and primed to go deeper. In my opinion, your soul needs the surprising healing that will come from these experiences.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Trailblaz-

ing psychologist C. G. Jung said his loneliness wasn't about a lack of people around him.

Rather, it came from the fact that he knew

GRAPHIC NOVELS

American engineer named Edward Pimentel went to Moscow to compete in the World Karaoke Championship. He won by singing Usher's "DJ Got Us Falling in Love." His award—one million dumplings, enough to last him 27 years. I have a good feeling about the possibility of you, too, collecting a new prize or perk or privilege sometime soon. I just hope it's a healthier boon than dumplings. For best results, take some time now to clearly define the nature of the prize or perk or privilege that you really want—and that will be truly useful.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): I will love it if sometime soon you find or create an opportunity to speak words similar to what novelist D. H. Lawrence once wrote to a lover, "You seem to have knit all things in a piece for me. Things are not separate; they are all in a symphony."

In other words, Libra, I'll be ecstatic if you experience being in such synergistic communion with an empathic ally that the two of you weave a vision of life that's vaster and richer than either one of you could summon by yourself. The astrological omens suggest this possibility is now more likely than usual.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Some-

times people don't like the provocative posts I publish on Facebook. They leave comments like, "You stupid idiot!" or "I hope you commit suicide!" and far worse. When I delete their messages, they become even more enraged, accusing me of censorship. "So you don't believe in free speech, you jerk?" they complain. I don't try to reason with them. They don't deserve any of my time or energy. But if I did communicate with them, I might say, "My Facebook page is my sanctuary, where I welcome cordial conversation. If you came into my house and called me an idiot, would it be 'censorship' if I told you to leave?" I hope these thoughts inspire you to clarify and refine your own personal boundaries, Scorpio.

It's a good time to get precise and definite about what's acceptable and unacceptable from the people with whom you engage.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

Have you ever kissed a monster in your nightly dreams? Have you won a chess match with a demon or signed a beneficial contract with a ghost or received a useful blessing from a pest? I highly recommend activities like those in the coming weeks—both while you're asleep and awake. Now is a good time to at least make peace with challenging influences, and at best come into a new relationship with them that serves you better. I dare you to ask for a gift from an apparent adversary.

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

does it mean to "follow the path with heart"? I invite you to meditate on that question. Here are my ideas. To follow the path with heart means choosing a destiny that appeals to your feelings as well as to your ambitions and ideas and habits. To follow a path with heart means living a life that fosters your capacity to give and receive love. To follow the path with heart means honoring your deepest intuitions

rather than the expectations other people have about you. To follow the path with heart means never comparing your progress with that of anyone else's, but rather simply focusing on being faithful to your soul's code.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "It's a good thing when people are different from your images of them," wrote Aquarian author Boris Pasternak. "It shows they are not merely a type. If you can't place them in a category, it means that at least a part of them is what a human being ought to be.

They have risen above themselves, they have a grain of immortality." I love that perspective! I'm offering it to you because right now is a favorable time to show that you are indeed different from the images people have of you; that you transcend all stereotyping; that you are uncategorizable.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): You have

personal possession of the universe's most monumental creation: consciousness. This mercurial flash and dazzle whirling around inside you is outlandishly spectacular. You can think thoughts any time you want to—soaring, luminescent, flamboyant thoughts or shriveled, rusty, burrowing thoughts; thoughts that can invent or destroy, corrupt or redeem, bless or curse. There's more. You can revel and wallow in great oceans of emotion. Whether they are poignant or intoxicating or somewhere in between, you relish the fact that you can harbor so much intensity. You cherish the privilege of commanding such extravagant life force. I bring these thoughts to your attention because the time is right for a holiday I call Celebrate Your Greatest Gifts.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Send testimony or proof of how you've seized control of your own life. Truthrooster@gmail.com

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news of the weird WEIRD SPORTS The World Toe Wrestling Federation has announced that the 2021 championship matches will go ahead in August in Derbyshire, England (what a relief!) and organizers are looking for people who want to dip their toes in the water of pro competition. Toe wrestling, The Northern Echo reported, takes place sitting down and barefoot, with the competitors' toes linked. But matches are no tiptoe through the tulips: Ben "Total Destruction" Woodroffe, who is ranked second in the world (and had his toenails surgically removed to give him a competitive edge), had his ankle snapped in two places by 16-time champion Alan "Nasty" Nash—during a practice session. "It's a people's sport; there are no levels or qualifiers, and anyone can join," Woodroffe said encouragingly.

OOPS A stone marking the border between Belgium and France dates back to 1819, but its provenance was no deterrent for a Belgian farmer who became annoyed that it was placed right where he needed to drive his tractor. The BBC reported that the farmer relocated the stone about 7.5 feet into French territory—a move that has tickled officials on both sides. "I was happy, my town was bigger," said David Lavaux, the mayor of Erquelinnes in Belgium. "But the mayor of Bousignies-sur-Roc didn't agree."

The farmer will be asked to move the stone back; "If he shows good will, he won't have a problem, we will settle this issue amicably," Lavaux said. Otherwise, he may face criminal charges.

•Kevin Johnson was arrested in Maricopa County, Arizona, after he left behind an obvious bit of evidence when he slashed two of his neighbor's tires, the Maricopa Monitor reported. Francesca Wikoff found her flat tires on April 15, along with a severed finger lying on the driveway, and police said a trail of blood led to a nearby home. The night before, Johnson had allegedly become drunk and belligerent at a neighborhood get-together, where he shoved and threatened Wikoff and her husband before being asked to leave. He was charged with criminal damage and assault, along with other offenses.

GOALS A police officer in Leicestershire, England, finally got his wish, to "tick off a water-based pursuit in landlocked Leicester," on April 28. The 37-year-old perp was wanted for suspicion of assault and breaching a restraining order, Leicestershire Live reported. Police located his narrowboat, which has a top speed of 4 mph, on the Grand Union Canal, and one officer rode his bike alongside the boat for 8 miles as others waited for it at Lock 37. "The suspect was arrested as he left the boat to travel through a lock," a spokesperson said.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

THE BIRDS There may be just 500 California condors left in the world, but about 20 of them are meeting up at the home of Cinda Mickols in Tehachapi, California. Mickols' daughter, Seana Quintero, said the imposing birds showed up at the beginning of May, the Associated Press reported, and have trashed her mother's deck. They've knocked over plants, scratched railings and ruined a spa cover and decorative flags. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggested "harmless hazing" methods to disperse the protected birds, such as shouting and clapping, or spraying water.

THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS Matt Perkins and his husband were in the midst of having a pool installed in the backyard of their new home in Las Vegas when police and crime scene investigators showed up on April 26.

The pool builders had unearthed some bones buried about 5 feet below the surface, the Associated Press reported. The bones turned out not to be human; they are those of a horse or other large mammal. More important, they are not recent: Nevada Science Center Research Director Joshua Bonde said they're between 6,000 and 14,000 years old, dating to Earth's most recent Ice Age. The area was once a watering spot for wildlife in the Mohave Desert.

Bonde said U.S. laws give ownership of fossils to property owners; Perkins is deciding how best to preserve the antiquities.

THE WEIRDO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY In rural Moffat, Colorado, the body of 45-yearold Amy Carlson, known as Mother God by the spiritual group Love Has Won, was found dead and mummified on April 28. Her body was wrapped in a sleeping bag and decorated with Christmas lights, Fox News reported.

One of Carlson's followers told police that he took in a group of people who he believes transported her body from California to his home. Saguache County Coroner Tom Perrin told police he believes Carlson died about four weeks ago. Seven people were arrested in connection with the case; they were also charged with child abuse, as two minors were found in the home.

BRIGHT IDEA Here's one way to keep your neighbors at a distance: Build a wall made of cow dung. In Lodi Township, Michigan, one farmer did just that, constructing a 250-foot-long wall of manure after disputing a property line with Wayne Lambarth.

The wall generates an unpleasant stench, Lambarth told Fox News, but the anonymous farmer who built it denies it's a "poop wall." "It's a compost fence," he said.

Officials in the area have said nothing can be done about it because it is on private property. {in} From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2021 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com May 13, 2021

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