Independent News | January 3, 2019 | Volume 20 | Number 1
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winners & losers
outtakes
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5
news 6, 7, 8
You had us at BeyoncĂŠ.
buzz
cover feature
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22
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publisher Rick Outzen
graphic designer Michael Daw
editor & creative director Joani Delezen
contributing writers Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, C.S. Satterwhite, Stephanie Sharp, Sydney Robinson
contact us info@inweekly.net
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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. Š 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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January 3, 2019
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winners & losers
Jayer Williamson / Courtesy Photo
winners
JAYER WILLIAMSON Florida Speaker
of the House Jose Oliva appointed him as chairman of the Government Operations & Technology Appropriations subcommittee. As an appropriations subcommittee chairman, he will also serve on the full House Appropriations Committee. Williamson will lead his subcommittee in budget recommendations for the following state agencies: Department of Revenue, Department of Financial Services, Department of Management Services, Department of the Lottery, Department of Business & Professional Regulation, Agency for State Technology and Public Service Commission.
RICHARD CORCORAN The State Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint the former House speaker to serve as Florida's Commissioner of Education. Corcoran served in the Florida House for eight years and was elected by his peers to serve as Speaker of the House from 2016-2018. As a legislator, he advocated student-focused legislation, including the Schools of Hope program, which serves students in persistently low-performing schools, and the Hope Scholarship to help bullied students. PORT OF PENSACOLA New York Yacht Club American Magic, U.S. Challenger for the 36th America's Cup, announced that the Port of Pensacola will serve as the team's winter training base. American Magic's first exposure to Pensacola came during July 2018, when Team CEO Hap Fauth gave an America's Cup presentation at the Optimist U.S. National Championship hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club.
Matt Gaetz / Courtesy Photo
losers
MATT GAETZ Our congressman voted for
H.R. 695 because it met President Trump's demand that the U.S. taxpayers spend $5 billion for a border wall, even though the President told Northwest Florida during his rallies at the Pensacola Bay Center that Mexico would pay for the wall. I guess Congressman Gaetz thinks we're now part of Mexico.
SCOTT BLACKMUN U.S. Senators Jerry
Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (DConn.)—chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security— have referred the former U.S. Olympic Committee CEO for investigation of potential violations and lying in front of Congress. Blackmun resigned as chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee in the face of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal. The Subcommittee referred Blackmun to Department of Justice and FBI citing Blackmun's "materially false statements contained in his written testimony to the Subcommittee during the course of the Subcommittee's investigation."
INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY Two reports commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee revealed Russia's efforts to target African-Americans and suppress turnout among Democratic voters through this St. Petersburg company owned by a close ally of Vladimir Putin. The company used fake accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine and other social media platforms. Internet Research Agency trolls have also attacked the Mueller investigation of Russian election interference.
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417 E ZARRAGOSSA ST. outtakes
By Rick Outzen
WHO TO WATCH As we enter 2019, there are several people and organizations that we should keep on our radar. They will be the newsmakers.
ALEX ANDRADE
The young attorney and Inweekly Rising Star is Escambia County's newest state representative. He has several choice committee assignments: Commerce, Energy & Utilities, Government Operations & Technology Appropriations, Oversight, Transparency & Public Management, and Workforce Development & Tourism. He will have to carry the load while fellow lawmaker, Mike Hill, focuses on getting Donald Trump's Walk of Fame star to Pensacola and placed in front of the Confederate memorial on Palafox Street.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD They have two years to work on the transition to an appointed superintendent. Those who fail to get on board may need to retire. Anything short of a nationwide search will be seen as "home cooking."
AMY LOVOY
The assistant county administrator is running the kitten rodeo, also known as the Escambia County Board of Commissioners. Herding cats is a difficult skill to master, so we all should keep our eyes on the Escambia Governmental Complex. Good luck, Amy.
AMY MILLER
Mayor Grover Robinson has taken off the port director's shackles and encouraged her to find new business for the Port of Pensacola. Offshore Inland is stepping up its efforts at the port and landed repair work on a Blue Origin
Downtown Charming Historic Seville Cottage with waterview views of Pensacola Bay from rear. Features hardwood floors & windows along the front facade giving lots of light as you enter this well-designed Residence built in 1865 by the Moreno family. • $1,100,000
vessel. The mayor is very optimistic about the port's future.
PENSACOLA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Our young leaders in 2018 re-entered local politics and successfully campaigned to change the superintendent of schools to become an appointed position, which put Escambia County in sync with the vast majority of school districts in the nation. A politically savvy PYP could be a powerful force, particularly if they can improve the voter turnout for their age group.
GROVER ROBINSON
His leadership experience is making a difference already. The atmosphere in city government has begun to improve, public conversations have started, and people are once again excited about public service. I look forward to seeing how Mayor Robinson reconnects city government with its citizens.
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QUINT STUDER
Brain Bags, Studer Community Institute, UWF Center of Entrepreneurship, Center for Civic Engagement and CivicCon are just a few of his innovations that are shaping our community's future. If you think that's all he wants to do, then you don't know Quint Studer very well. We can't wait to hear about his next big idea.
SUSAN WOOLF
Welcome back, Susan. Pensacola City Hall has changed quite a bit during your sabbatical from the city. Rebuilding the city's legal department will be a challenge but know spending anything less than $2 million a year will be a savings over the previous administration. {in} rick@inweekly.net
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MEET CHRIS HOLLEY "so I can use those skillsets to help an organization get their feet under 'em so to speak." Holley has carved out somewhat of a niche in taking on challenging propositions and working to better the prospects. Just since 'retirement,' he has worked on economic development for a struggling port near his "get-away house" in Port St. Joe and then took on the Okaloosa County Tourism Development Council at a time when the agency's former director had just committed suicide after it was discovered he had used more than $1.4 million of public funds to purchase a yacht and luxury home. Holley might be seen as a fix-it man. His assignment in Pensacola entails cleaning up any messes found in city operations and specifically to develop a good team to run the city. The value of a team, something Robinson has spoken about on multiple occasions, is a subject with which Holley has experience. "I've built good teams everywhere I've
Chris Holley / Courtesy Photo
By Jeremy Morrison Newly hired Pensacola City Administrator Chris Holley isn't any good at retirement. This isn't the first time he's gotten back to work after stepping away to enjoy his golden years. "I have retired now four times, yes," Holley laughed after a few weeks on the job. "I'm a failure at retirement, as my wife says, a complete failure." Holley worked for decades in various levels of municipal and county governments, including a 13-year stint managing Okaloosa County. He's been inside Pensacola City Hall at least a few times over the years.
"I think the last time I was in this building, Tom Bonfield was the city manager." Chris Holley "I think the last time I was in this building, Tom Bonfield was the city manager," Holley recalled. Holley took the city's top administrative spot upon incoming Mayor Grover Robinson taking office in November. The mayor, in fact, handpicked Holley. And Holley took the job in part because of his faith in Robinson, whom he knows from their respective work with the Florida Association of Counties, where Robinson was president and Holley served as executive director. 66
"Grover's been a leader in my world for quite a while," Holley said, "and the main reason I'm out of retirement and back to work is that he's just a fine man and asked for help. So I'm here to help him."
"Grover's been a leader in my world for quite a while, and the main reason I'm out of retirement and back to work is that he's just a fine man and asked for help. So I'm here to help him." Holley Less than a month on the job, the city administrator has already delved into the machinery of the city, taken a look around and made some initial diagnosis. He's also had a little time to take a catch his breath and relax in his new home. "Walked up and down Palafox and watched some football and watched some people and just kind of got a feel. You know, the vibe downtown is good," Holley said. "I'm enjoying it so far."
A BOATLOAD OF SUPERSTARS
Pensacola's new city administrator is pretty clear about what he considers to be his strengths. "I think I'm a good judge of talent. I think I have a fairly good grasp on organizational structure and efficiency," Holley said,
budgetary concerns, focusing on growth at the port and addressing the city's lack of a human resources manual. Holley noted that while he already has a running list of changes he thinks need to be made, he's also mindful of the work the mayor's transition team is currently doing. Robinson has assembled a team to look into various facets of city operations and community engagement and make recommendations about where the mayor's administration should focus. "I'm excited about seeing what kind of ideas the transition team comes forward with," he said. But, then, Holley has been at this a while and sounds pretty sure his assessments and the team's findings regarding city operations will align, especially considering the team is consulting city staff to obtain the information needed to form their recommendations. "They're talking to us, and most of the ideas they're going to get are probably gonna be from us, so it's things that we know need to be fixed," said Holley. "The process will give us momentum to do what we probably already know we need to do."
"I've built good teams everywhere I've been. A manager, or mayor, is only as good as the people that he or she hires and that work for WORKING TOWARDS NOT Holley is forever trying to improve at them." Holley his retirement game. The city administrator been," he said. "A manager, or mayor, is only as good as the people that he or she hires and that work for them. And if you motivate people, give them the tools they need and they're talented, they will make you look good. Having a boatload of superstars on your team is what you want, and then you let 'em run." Holley continued, "You want them to be risk takers; you want them to stretch. If you keep your thumb on them to where they're scared of their shadow and won't do anything, then you have a stale organization that doesn't accomplish anything." After being on the job for a few weeks, Holley has some ideas about potential changes that may be in store for the city. Changes to the team, as well as more structural changes. Right off the bat, Holley is perplexed by the organizational chart. "I've got 22 people who report to me supposedly. I haven't met them all yet," he said. "That's way too many people." The administrator would prefer a manager only be responsible for three to six staff members. And he foresees structural shifts, "I'm going to have to do some reorganization." "I probably overuse the statement, you gotta get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus," Holley said. "And that takes a year or so." The administrator also lists other priorities: working on the city's ordinances,
told the mayor when he took the job that he only plans on sticking around Pensacola a year or so, maybe two. "I'm 66 years old," the administrator explained. "So, God has a plan for everybody; none of us are permanent fixtures on this Earth. At 66, I'd like to go back to retirement sooner rather than later. There's no set time."
"It's really neat to be able to work when you want to and do what you want to and be asked to work and be able to do things that you enjoy." Holley However long he's in town, Holley plans on it being enough time to tighten up city operations and establish a good bench of players at city hall, "I'd like Grover to have a good, solid team under him." "I told him it'd take at least a year or so to get the ship steered in the right direction and get the recruitment process going," Holley said. And while retirement will surely be sweet when it finally comes—once again— working isn't too bad, either, for now, when you enjoy the assignment. "It's really neat to be able to work when you want to and do what you want to and be asked to work and be able to do things that you enjoy," Holley said. {in} inweekly.net
COUNTY TO FIX CIVIL RIGHTS AGENCY Courts Pam Childers recommended abolishing the Escambia-Pensacola Human Relations Commission and reducing the staff to handle its duties after it discovered:
•The failure to submit Florida Auditor General financial reports for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and take corrective actions about segregation of duties. Additionally, it has failed to provide mandatory CDBG documentation. •Health insurance is offered to EPHRC on a reimbursement basis to the county that only Executive Director Rebecca Hale receives. Payments to the county for the coverage are four months behind. •The agency has failed to advertise its meetings to the public properly and share its schedule with the city or county. Lumon May / Courtesy Photo
By Duwayne Escobedo Escambia County Commission Chairman Lumon May came up with a plan to salvage the poorly run Escambia-Pensacola Human Relations Commission. "In the African-American neighborhoods, this is an important agency," May said. "It's a bedrock in the community." When Pensacola and Escambia County were a hotbed of community unrest between blacks and whites, the organization was created by an inter-local agreement in 1974 between city and county to resolve civil rights complaints reported by local citizens in housing and employment. However, a former board member and two former employees stepped forward with complaints about questionable EPHRC practices. It led to an investigation by the Escambia County Clerk of Courts' office that uncovered numerous infractions. District 2 County Commissioner Doug Underhill said the agency is not on his "speed dial" when it comes to solving problems that pop up with families in need in his district. "I cannot support continuing to use them in that role," Underhill said. "I'm not comfortable with the lack of direction there." The Clerk's investigation outlined a number of improprieties by the agency that receives funding from the city, county and Community Development Block Grants that totaled more than $180,000 a year over the past three fiscal years. Clerk of January 3, 2019
•Property paid for by the city, including two Bluetooth headsets, two web cameras, a laptop and a mobile cart, are unaccounted for. •Printing for wedding invitations and church bulletins were done and paid for by the agency. Plus, friends and families of Hale and the EPHRC board received funds from the agency, such as the Alpha Kappa Alpha Delta Iota Omega Chapter 2014 Debutante Cotillion. •Between Fiscal Year 2015 and Feb. 28, 2018, the agency received 445 Fair Housing calls with 41 leading to complaints and nine of those complaints being resolved. During the same period, the Human Relations Commission received 254 discriminatory employment calls with 36 leading to complaints and none being resolved. The complaints were never reported to the county commission. May defended the need for the human rights commission. He said the only reason Pensacola has a black-owned radio station, 980 AM WRNE, is because of the agency. He said its mandate is critical but admitted, "I can see this has to change." The commission chairman recommended making staffing changes, including Hale who reportedly earns $51,525 annually, and replacing the nine board members. The county commission and city council appoint four people each, and the agency board appoints one member. He also proposed more engagement by the county commission by having one commissioner
attend all the meetings. May volunteered his services. "I will never support bringing it inhouse," May said. "Its name has value in this community. I understand that sometimes change is needed to move forward."
"I will never support bringing it in-house. Its name has value in this community. I understand that sometimes change is needed to move forward." Lumon May Underhill wanted to create a county ombudsman to handle the housing and employment issues but said he would support May's proposal that the District 3 commissioner promised to bring to a future meeting for a vote by the five-member board. District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry also said he would support May's plan. Initially, Barry wanted to seek proposals from other nonprofit organizations to deal with the housing and employment complaints. "It needs to be standalone; I agree with that," Barry said. "But it must provide service to the county." He scoffed at the fact that the Escambia-Pensacola Human Relations Commission held only two hearings during the past five years. Barry also pointed out that the EPHRC bookkeeper would not vouch for the agency's financial information. Meanwhile, Hale and two board members, Anita Hemphill, vice chairman, and Cheryle Allen, finance chairman and treasurer, defended the allegations against Hale and the agency at the Committee of the Whole before Christmas. Hemphill said the investigation was not fair. "It was one-sided," she told commissioners. "(Hale) did not have the opportunity to vindicate herself against some of these allegations." Allen blamed the county for failing to provide more direction to the agency, "You didn't give us clear direction on what we should or shouldn't do. We still want to do the right thing. It seems like it just got muddled." Meanwhile, Hale had a PDF presentation for the board but failed to get through it. She was clearly nervous, talking in a shaky voice throughout the discussion about the agency's highly questionable performance on discriminatory housing and employment complaints from local citizens. She also continually provided excuses to commissioners' direct criticisms. "If there was a better relationship between us all, it would have helped and assisted us in the job being done adequately," Hale said. {in}
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MAYBE IT'S TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR DRINKING?
Trish Taylor / Photo by Barrett McClean Photography
By Sarah Mc Wilson It's a question raised by local author Trish Taylor as part of the title of her new book, "I'm Never Drinking Again: Maybe It's Time to Think About Your Drinking?" Though the title and question may seem direct, her book serves as both an invitation for dialogue and an offering of support. While for some, drinking alcohol may be black and white, for many, it's gray. Her book speaks to those in this gray area. "The idea that you are either an alcoholic or a normal drinker stops people from doing anything," suggests Taylor. "If you are a person who your friends and family consider a 'normal' drinker but you know your drinking is a problem to you, where do you go? People need alternatives, and they need to know there is more than one option." Though in the title of her book Taylor uses the claim, "I'm Never Drinking Again," she explains this is less about her personal stance on alcohol and more about a commonality. As a phrase many have uttered
after a night of drinking, often layered with emotions such as shame or guilt, Taylor uses "never again" to relate to others. "I don't say 'never' in real life. I don't currently drink and have no plans to. [But] never is a long time, and I think the word never sets us up for failure. I wanted to appeal to people who these words resonate with, to get them thinking about the way they drink," she said. Describing herself as "an enthusiastic drinker from a young age," Taylor grew up imbibing freely in alcohol as part of the norm of British culture. "All socializing revolved around drinking. And people who didn't drink were met with distrust and suspicion. An event that didn't include alcohol—a 'dry do'— would not get many takers," she said. "I happily drank for decades until I started to wonder if it was doing me more harm than good. The more I thought, read and researched, I started to wonder if it was time to change. I discovered that I could quit for a month fairly easily but always came back to feeling uncomfortable with the way I drank." After Taylor quit drinking, it was a YouTube
"The idea that you are either an alcoholic or a normal drinker stops people from doing anything." Trish Taylor
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video she made that showed her this is a January" by kicking off 2019 with an alcoholtopic that speaks to many. In her work as free month or are open to assessing your Trish Taylor Coaching, where she offers NLP own alcohol consumption and exploring Mindset Coaching, Taylor frequently posts alternatives to drinking, Taylor welcomes all short videos of the techniques she uses in to the event. working with clients. It was one video in "It will be a celebration of the New Year particular, showcasing the use of Emotional and looking at healthy and alternative ideas Freedom Technique (EFT) "tapping" in quitto drinking. I want people to recognize there ting drinking, that made an immediate impact is a lot that we can do that doesn't involve with a much wider audience. drinking," she said. "I made a video about drinking, including The event features a short reading from some tapping techniques shortly after I quit. the book, a question and answer session, It's my least well-put together video, recorded giveaways from local supporting businesses, in my kitchen, but it has over 8,000 views. plus a few surprise activities and light People tell me they find it helpful. One person refreshments. Mrs. Jones Cold Brew will messaged me to say he said goodnight to his be crafting coffee "mocktails." The event children on his first sober New Year's Eve in will also have a Little Free Pop-Up Library, many years after using my video to help him where guests are encouraged to bring a not drink. Stories like this made me think I book of their own to share. should share what has helped me," she said. Print copies of "I Am Never Drinking Ultimately, this experience showed her Again: Maybe It's Time to Think About a greater need and inspired her to share her Your Drinking?" will be available for own journey in book form, with resources and purchase at the event. Print and digital solutions to help others. "I realized how many versions are also currently available on people are questioning their relationship with Amazon at mybook.to/imneverdrinkingalcohol and also recognized that this book again. The Kindle edition is available for 99 would have helped me when I was looking for cents until Jan. 5. {in} answers," she explained. Her book showcases strategies and techniques that helped Taylor quit, including tapping. "Tapping is a really easy one, as you can use it for times when you have a craving or in situations that usually lead you to want to drink in order to deal with emotions," she said. She also shares her positive experiences with using affirmations, visualizations and journaling, even including some of her personal entries. "It includes a lot of personal information that I would have preferred to stay private, yet I knew that people reaching out to me needed to hear an authentic voice, and I had been helped by others who related to me," she said. So far, the response she's been met with has been a resoundingly positive one. "Overall, I am finding people telling me that the book is what they need and are ready. Or surprisingly, I have had people reach out to me and say they already reached the conclusion and quit and are happy that they did," she said. Taylor states that this book is not meant to be used as an alternative to seeking medical treatment. "The book is just a starting point for anyone questioning their drinking habits," she said. WHAT: "I Am Never Drinking Again: Maybe It's Time to Think About Your Drinking?" book launch & healthy new year party Friday, Jan. 4, Taylor is hosting WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4 an after-work event surrounding her WHERE: Cowork Annex, 13 S. Palafox book release and the theme of nonCOST: Free drinking. Whether you're decidedly DETAILS: facebook.com/trishtaylormindset sober, partaking in the trend of "dry
TRISH TAYLOR BOOK LAUNCH
BOOZE-FREE BOOK LAUNCH
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12/19/18 9:17 AM
Debbie Calder / Photo Courtesy of Navy Federal Credit Union
CALDER LEAVES AREA Debbie Calder, Executive Vice President for Greater Pensacola Operations at Navy Federal Credit Union, has been promoted to the organization's chief operating officer. She has notified the Leadership Council of Achieve Escambia that she will be moving to Navy Federal's corporate headquarters in northern Virginia in early January. "Because of my move, I have tendered my resignation as a member of Achieve Escambia Leadership Council, effective 1 January 2019," wrote Calder. "This is bittersweet, as my heart has been tremendously invested in the work of Achieve Escambia and in the relationships I have built with each of you over the years." Kara Cardona will be the interim leader for Navy Federal's Pensacola operations and will fill Calder's spot on the Leadership Council. Calder wrote, "I will remain a passionate advocate for Achieve Escambia, and we will continue to support this collective impact effort. I am confident all of you will continue to carry the Achieve Escambia torch to help ensure generations of Pensacola area children will have the best opportunities to achieve success." PORT TURNAROUND Mayor Grover
Robinson visited the port in mid-December, meeting with staff and touring the facility. He came away impressed. "I tell you, some amazing things are going on out there," Robinson told media at his "Mondays with the Mayor" press conference before Christmas. 010 1
The mayor said he appreciated the current port tenants, such as Offshore Inland Marine & Oilfield Service, and thought the facility should focus on similar types of industries. Offshore Inland has provided repair, maintenance and overhaul to ships at the port since the summer of 2010. Currently, the company is working at the port on a 600-foot cargo ship owned by Blue Origin, the private rocket company started by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. "We can absolutely work in that repair, maintenance and overhaul (MRO) industry," Robinson said. "We can be competitive in that, and that's a niche we can play in, and it can provide good paying jobs to citizens here in the marine industry."
"We can be competitive in that, and that's a niche we can play in, and it can provide good paying jobs to citizens here in the marine industry." Grover Robinson Offshore Inland got crossways with the Ashton Hayward administration over the DeepFlex joint venture that the mayor announced in which the company would manufacture unbonded flexible pipe at the port and create 100 jobs. The partnership fell apart when oil prices dropped, leaving the port with an unfinished building and Offshore Inland owing the city nearly $300,000.
Mayor Robinson wanted to put the DeepFlex failure behind the city and was optimistic about the future of Offshore Inland at the port. "We're fairly good with Offshore Inland," he told reporters. "Obviously, things didn't work out with DeepFlex, but that was more a result of DeepFlex than it was Offshore Inland. They are the ones that brought Blue Origin here." The mayor said the port should accommodate research related ventures, such as one he's championing related to marine research that the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition had pitched as well as the fish hatchery project that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection had previously planned for Bruce Beach before it was squashed due to community pushback. Other projects, the mayor said, wouldn't fit in at the port, however. He specifically pointed to Incoa, a company that recently proposed having calcium carbonate mined in the Dominican Republic and shipped to Pensacola's port. Former Mayor Hayward had been asked by the city council to bring back an Incoa proposal for them to review, but Hayward dropped the ball, leaving it for his successor to handle. Mayor Robinson said, "It is not my feeling that they are consistent with what we can do out there at a port."
MOTHER SEEKS JUSTICE On May 31, 12-year-old Naomi Jones went missing from her apartment complex on Johnson Avenue. Volunteers combed the Ferry Pass area in hopes of finding the child. Her remains were recovered from a creek on June 5. Robert Letroy Howard, 39, of Brewton was charged with premeditated firstdegree murder in Naomi's death. Howard, a convicted sex offender, lived in the same complex as Naomi and her family. Shantara Hurry, the 12-year-old's mother, has filed a negligent security lawsuit against the owners of that apartment complex, Aspen Village Acquisition, and the management company, Progressive Management of America. The lawsuit states the two companies should have known or knew that they were allowing a convicted sex offender to live in the complex. The lawsuit added that apartment ownership and management "breached its duty of reasonable care by permitting an unregistered sex offender to reside upon the premises, thus allowing the offender continual, unfettered access to young children and others upon whom persons with his predilections are known to prey." Hurry said in a press release that she wanted to bring attention to the lawsuit in hopes that it would motivate all apartment complex owners and managers to exercise actionable, logical and moral care by never allowing offenders to live in their property, giving them access to children
TOWN HALLS COMING Mayor Grover
Robinson has 14 town halls planned for 2019, two in each of the city's seven districts. The neighborhood meetings will begin in January. Robinson said he'd like to hold the initial meeting in the Woodland Heights neighborhood, which is in District 5 and represented by Councilman Gerald Wingate. "My goal is by June we will have done at least one town hall meeting in all seven districts," the mayor said. Ashton Hayward held town hall meetings during his first three years in office but abruptly halted them in December 2013. His last town hall was held at St. John Divine Missionary Baptist Church, which is also in District 5. Meanwhile, Mayor Grover Robinson has been working with his transition team and waiting for its report. However, he has had to proceed in some areas. "It has been a delicate situation," he told reporters at his press conference. "We've had to move on some things." In particular, Chris Holley, who Robinson brought in as city administrator, has been busy sizing up city operations. And even before the transition team report, the mayor knows his administrator feels some changes are due. "I'm sure there will be a restructuring," Mayor Robinson said, adding the likely restructuring would be held until the report was issued. "It was my goal before we do any kind of massive restructuring is to see what happens with what we get back from the transition team."
EVENT GRANTS SOUGHT Visit Pensacola is now accepting event grant applications for events occurring between May 1 - Sept. 30. Grant workshops will be hosted on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 10 a.m. and Thursday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m. in the conference room at Pensacola Sports, 101 W. Main St. All grant applicants are encouraged to attend one of the workshops, as additional points are awarded during the scoring process of your application if you attend. Workshop seating is limited, so reserve your seat by emailing Barbara Williams at bwilliams@visitpensacola.com. The grant deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1. The grant committee will meet the week of Feb. 11 to review all eligible applications. Applicants are encouraged to attend the meeting to give a brief overview of your event and to answer any questions regarding your application. The committee meeting date/location/time will be announced at a later date. Parties may apply for a mini-grant at any time if they are seeking funds less than $5,000. Please contact Nicole Stacey at nstacey@visitpensacola.com with any questions. There's been a lot of talk in recent years about the need to make Pensacola, parinweekly.net
Jack Davis / Courtesy Photo ticularly areas near the urban core, easier to navigate for bicyclists and pedestrians, of tilting the landscape in favor of people as opposed to the automobile.
WALKABILITY MEETING At the community meeting held on Dec. 19, Drew Buchanan, the transition team member charged with looking into traffic and walkability, heard from a number of citizens, most of which were cyclists. They relayed experiences from the road and offered possible suggestions to create a smoother, safer experience. One basic suggestion came from Trish Price, a member of the West Florida Wheelmen. She told Buchanan cyclists and drivers may not be clear on what exactly the rules of the road are and wondered if there might need to be a public education campaign on the issue.
"I want there to be sort of a public service announcement," Price said. "What are the rules?" Another cyclist, Dan Bowers, said he thought efforts like infrastructure improvements and education campaigns might take time, but that the city could immediately begin enforcing existing rules of the road. "It can happen immediately, and it would make the roads safer for cyclists, pedestrians and people in cars," Bowers said. Other input offered at the meeting included the potential for launching a bike-share program, doing away with free parking on Palafox Street, creating a lengthy, unbroken bike lane traversing across town, designing bike lanes protected by parked cars, crosswalks equipped with blinking lights to permit pedestrian crossing, ticketing drivers, including commercial vehicles, that park on sidewalks or block roadways, and standardizing the way in which cyclists are treated across jurisdictional boundaries. Whilethe Dec. 19 meeting represented the first public input session dedicated to traffic and walkability, Buchanan said he planned on conducting more meetings. Each, he said, would be scheduled for a different neighborhood or area of the city. To learn more about the team, or offer input, visit transitionpensacola.com.
EMPLOYEE SURVEYS Escambia County plans to join major corporations and small businesses by conducting annual employee engagement surveys to gauge its performance. Quint Studer, who heads the Studer Community Institute, said former Escambia
County administrator Jack Brown reached out to him recently. Studer said he would deliver to the county the names of three companies that could assist with a survey. The Studer Community Institute focuses on conducting employee engagement surveys for small businesses, Studer said. The questions still must be designed that are specific and customized to county employees. County staff have met to begin to figure out what they want to measure. Assistant County Administrator Amy Lovoy said the county hopes to conduct the survey in January and unveil results as soon as February. She expects "buy-in from our employees. Our employees are some of the best on the planet." Studer foresees four reasons the survey could improve the delivery of government services: to provide top-notch services; to improve the workplace and, thus, the community's quality of life; to attract the top talent to county jobs; and to create a tool that gives valuable feedback year after year. Studer admires the county for embarking on the employee engagement surveys. He said, "If you're a government agency, you want to provide services that are no different than any other business."
WSRE PUBLIC SQUARE With support
from a Florida Humanities Council grant awarded to Pensacola State College, WSRE Public Square will present public talks by three notable Floridians as follows: Pulitzer Prize-winning author and University of Florida history professor Jack Davis on Feb. 5; author, motivational speaker and Florida Humanities Council La Florida performer Ersula Knox Odom on March 5; and longtime journalist and author on water issues Cynthia Barnett on April 23. All events begin at 7 p.m. in the WSRE Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio. Drawing from his award-winning book, "The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea," Davis will talk about the role the Gulf of Mexico has played in the course of U.S. history. He is interested in the way
people, from pre-Spanish natives to current shoreside residents, have organized their societies and individual lives around nature, how Gulf nature has been a positive force in human events and how human activities have sometimes led to unintended consequences that have undermined the Gulf's beneficence. The Florida Humanities Council partners with community organizations around the state. The Florida Humanities Council provides support for the Speaker Series with funds from the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs. All WSRE Public Square events are free and open to the public. Online reservations are encouraged and can be made at wsre. org/speakers.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR Free weight loss and stop smoking hypnosis seminars at the downtown library Saturday, Jan 5. Weight Loss 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Stop Smoking seminar 2-3:30 p.m. Seating limited. Presented by The International Guild of Positive Change Consultants. The Sacred Heart Health System will provide free heart-health screenings for adults who are poor, elderly or uninsured 9-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the Fricker Center, 900 N. F St. Heart-health screenings will measure blood pressure, blood sugar and total cholesterol and can detect anemia. The screenings are helpful in diagnosing conditions that put people at high risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes and other health problems. U.S. Baseball Academy is hosting a four-day baseball camp starting Saturday, Jan. 12. Former Jr. Olympic Scout Bob Morais will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are limited to seven players per coach. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and baserunning. Space is limited. Registration is now underway. For more information, visit usbaseballacademy. com, or call toll-free 866-622-4487. {in}
MOST INVESTMENT LOSSES ARE FROM PRODUCTS WITH CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS PETER J. MOUGEY
Recovered $250 million on Behalf of over 3,000 Investors
850.435.7000 | LEVINLAW.COM Pensacola, FL January 3, 2019
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inweekly.net
Sometimes it's hard to believe that 2018 is already over. Other times, it's hard to believe we survived it at all. Maybe that's because the news cycle never stopped and somehow managed to get crazier and more infuriating every other day. Or because the 2020 speculation started while midterm ballots were still being counted. Or because Kanye West just couldn't quit Twitter. No matter what wore you out or made you cry out, "Enough!" this past year, most of us would agree that we're collectively overdue for a fresh start. So in the spirit of the year's biggest and best anthem, we here at Inweekly are more than ready to say "thank u, next" to the marathon shit show that was 2018 and start 2019 on an optimistic note.
January 3, 2019
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Year In pReview We can't think of a better way to start planning a good year than by having a packed list of events as a guide. From popular festivals like Hangout to concerts and cultural performances, here's a snapshot of some of the upcoming year's local happenings you won't want to miss.
ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS Pensacon: Pensacola Comic Con Feb. 22-24 pensacon.com
Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade March 2 pensacolamardigras.com
Ciclovia Open Streets
Pensacola Seafood Festival Sept. 27-29 fiestaoffiveflags.org
Foo Foo Festival Early November foofoofest.com
Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival
The Cemetery Club
Mozart Madness
The Velveteen Rabbit
Mahler: Symphony No. 6
Short Attention Span Theatre
Center Stage: A Benefit Concert Featuring Dee Daniels
Jan. 8-27
March 8-17
April 12-20
Nov. 1-3 ggaf.org
The 39 Steps
Frank Brown Songwriter's Fest
Venus in Fur
Nov. 7-17 fbisf.com
CULTURAL PERFORMANCES BALLET PENSACOLA
balletpensacola.com Performances at Pensacola Cultural Center
May 3-12
May 17-25
PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA pensacolasymphony.com Performances at Saenger Theatre
Beethoven & Blue Jeans
Blue Wahoos Home Opener
Cinderella
The Envelope, Please
Pensacola Crawfish Festival April 26-28 fiestaoffiveflags.org
Hangout Fest
May 17-19 hangoutmusicfest.com
Grand Fiesta Parade
April 5-7 & 12-14
Concerto For Orchestra
Jan. 19
May 18
BROADWAY IN PENSACOLA SERIES pensacolasaenger.com Performances at Saenger Theatre
Kinky Boots Jan. 9
Feb. 2
Romeo & Juliet Jan. 25 & 27
Some Enchanted Valentine Feb. 14
Pensacola Beach Air Show
PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE
Oct. 17-27 pensacolafair.com
April 6
pensacolaopera.com Performances at Saenger Theatre
Florencia in the Amazon
Pensacola Interstate Fair
Russian Spectacular
PENSACOLA OPERA
May 31 fiestaoffiveflags.org
July 13 newsairshow.com
March 29 (at Vinyl Music Hall)
Music for Families
June 14-30
Divas
April 10 bluewahoos.com
March 9
April 27
Sister Act
March 24 pensacolaopenstreets.com
Feb. 8-10
Feb. 16 (at First United Methodist Church)
March 15 & 17
pensacolalittletheatre.com Performances at Pensacola Cultural Center
Improvable Cause Jan. 5
Tank and the Bangas / Photo by Nick Spanos
Adoption • Paternity • Dependency/DCF Hearings Prenuptial Agreements • Postnuptial Agreements Divorce • Child Custody and Timesharing Child Support • Child Support Modifications Alimony • Collaborative Divorce • Divorce Mediation • Pre-Suit Family Law Mediation
EATS, DRINKS & SMILES BIG ASS SMILES @THEMAGNOLIAEPH NOW OPEN ON SUNDAYS 414 1
127 Palafox Place Suite 100 (850)466-3115 autumnbeckblackledge.com inweekly.net
Evita
Monster Jam
Finding Neverland
Disney On Ice
Cruel Intentions
SAENGER THEATRE
Jan. 17
March 27
May 14
SELECT LIVE MUSIC EVENTS AND SHOWS VINYL MUSIC HALL vinylmusichall.com
Evil Dead: The Musical Jan. 3-6
Lake Street Dive Jan. 21
Drive-By Truckers Jan. 24
Grizfolk Feb. 2
Neko Case Feb. 5
Matt and Kim Feb. 14
Lettuce Feb. 17
Dr. Dog Feb. 28
Dropkick Murphys March 2
Tank and the Bangas March 7
STRFKR March 13
March 30-31
April 18-21
pensacolasaenger.com
Black Jacket Symphony Presents: Queen's Night at the Opera featuring Marc Martel Jan. 11
White Tie Rock Ensemble The Wall March 1
Celtic Woman Ancient Land March 2
American Girl Live! March 20
Kyle Cease: Evolving Out Loud Tour March 25
Three Dog Night April 4
Black Jacket Symphony Presents: Journey's Escape April 19
PJ Masks Live: Save The Day! May 16
SIGNATURE ROAD RACES, TRAILS AND TRIS Pensacola Beach Run: Half Marathon 10K/5K Jan. 12 pensacolarunners.com
Double Bridge Run: 15K and 5K
Marc Rebillet
Feb. 2 doublebridgerun.com
PENSACOLA BAY CENTER
Blackwater 50K Trail Run & Relay
May 8
pensacolabaycenter.com
Kane Brown Jan. 11
Feb. 16 werunwild.com
McGuire's 5K Prediction Run
Kevin Hart
March 9 mcguiresirishpub.com
James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt
Rock N Fly: Half Marathon & 5K
Jan. 13
Feb. 10
Old Dominion March 7
Jeff Dunham
March 23 runrocknfly.com
Bayou Hills Run: 10K, 5K and Kids Run
March 27
March 30 bayouhillsrun.org
Casting Crowns
Pensacola Triathlon
March 28
January 3, 2019
April 28 tripensacola.com
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WEEK OF JANUARY 3-9
Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...
19 Things We're Looking Forward To In 2019 Matt and Kim / Photo by Caleb Kuhl
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What's a new year without new stuff to obsess over? Here are some of the movies, shows and music we're excited about going into 2019.
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Joaquin Phoenix as "The Joker" Y'all know that's going to be good.
The Sweetener World Tour Because we're full-on Ari fans now.
7.
The Oscars Will they have a host? Will "Black Panther" get any love? Will they have another screw up like the infamous 2017 Best Picture fail?
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Also "Thank U, Next" the album OK, maybe we're a little more than fans. Maybe we're obsessed. The fifth and final season of "Broad City" The last ride with Abbi and Ilana is going to be bittersweet for sure. "Game of Thrones" Same thing goes for this show, which is signing off with a short six-episode final season this April. Hangout Fest 2019 Here's hoping Cardi B can deal with those looming assault and reckless endangerment charges before May.
January 3, 2019
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New Orleans Saints We don't want to jinx them, but the Saints are actually going into the postseason looking pretty damn good.
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"The Source of Self-Regard" by Toni Morrison This collection of nonfiction essays by the Nobel Prize-winning author is pretty much certain to become a must-read when it comes out in February.
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"Us" No one really knows what it's about yet, but that's not stopping us from saving the date (March 15) for Jordan Peele's next thriller.
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The Polaroid Kid at PMA The dates aren't confirmed, but word is Mike Brodie's photographs are going to be on view at the museum sometime in 2019.
Beto 2020 Even if it doesn't actually happen, it's still fun to think about.
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"Big Little Lies" Season 2 Two words: Meryl Streep.
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Valentine's Day Did you hear the exciting heart day news yet? The cutest couple in rock 'n' roll is coming to Vinyl Music Hall to celebrate with us— Matt and Kim.
New stuff from Chance the Rapper About halfway through 2018, he tweeted "Sorry no album this week, def been in the stu tho." So that has to mean a new album is coming soon, right? We'll settle for a few more singles like "Wala Cam."
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The live-action "The Lion King" You had us at Beyoncé.
17.
The Weeknd "Chapter 6" There's no release date, but at a recent show in Toronto, The Weeknd announced that his fourth studio album is coming soon. That's enough to get us hyped.
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19.
"Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning— yeah, that's just enough star power to make us forget that we kind of don't like Quentin Tarantino anymore. Greta Gerwig's "Little Women" Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet are reuniting with Gerwig for this upcoming adaptation, and we're so damn excited that we don't even care if the December 2019 release date is still tentative. Our plan is to re-read the book and watch "Lady Bird" at least 10, maybe 20, times until then. {in} 17
calendar MONDAY 1.7
RESUME HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Li-
brary, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com
CAT'S SEED TO TABLE COOKING CLASS 11
a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org PILATES MAT 1:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 5:30 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WATCH PARTY
6-11 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco
CROHN'S AND COLITIS SUPPORT GROUP
6:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org
HIP-HOP & CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASSES 8-9 p.m. $5. Learn amazing moves from
professional instructors. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com
TUESDAY 1.8
The Krickets / Courtesy Photo
THURSDAY 1.3
YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org LA LECHE LEAGUE 10 a.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 11 a.m. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com PILATES MAT 12:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS 5 and 7 p.m. $20. Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. greatsouthernrestaurants.com RADIOLIVE 6 p.m. $10. Mia Borders, The Winterlings, Bill & Kate Isles and The Krickets. Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. radiolive.org LATIN DANCE CLASSES 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha and more. Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com AWM WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. facebook.com/ aragonwine ENERGY HEALING 6 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org END OF THE LINE THURSDAY DINNER 6-9 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL 7 p.m. $20-$50. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com
FRIDAY 1.4
ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 10 a.m. Pensacola
Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com
HAPPY HOUR COOKOUTS 5 p.m. Drink spe818 1
cials, free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com TRISH TAYLOR BOOK LAUNCH 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Refreshments, music, pop-up free book swap. Cowork Annex, 13 S. Palafox. taylorednlp.com DATE NIGHT DANCE CLASSES 6:30-8 p.m. $8. Learn several romantic ballroom dance styles in unique group classes. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/cafesinglefin EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL 7 p.m. $20-$50. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com ICE FLYERS VS. FAYETTEVILLE MARKSMEN
7:35 p.m. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com PUBLIC ICE SKATE 10 p.m. $9-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com
SATURDAY 1.5
PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Mardi Gras
Market. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road OCEAN HOUR CLEAN-UPS 9-10 a.m. Location TBD. oceanhourfl.com COMPUTER BASICS Noon. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com MARDI GRAS KICK-OFF 5 p.m. Meet Pensacola Krewes. Free king cake. Downtown Pensacola. pensacolamardigras.com EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL 6 p.m. $20-$50. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com ICE FLYERS VS. FAYETTEVILLE MARKSMEN
7:05 p.m. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com IMPROVABLE CAUSE 10:30 p.m. $11. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. pensacolalittletheatre.com
SUNDAY 1.6
WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs Park, Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant. BRUNCH WITH LIVE MUSIC 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook. com/cafesinglefin TRANSMISSION GROUP WORLD SERVICE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Free. Ever'man
Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org
BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS BRIDAL EXPO 11
a.m. $10-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com VEGAN BRUNCH 11 a.m.-2 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. Sign up for the newsletter for menu. eotlcafe.com SUNDAY BRUNCH AT H20 11 a.m. $28.95 for adults. Free valet parking and 15 percent off with local ID. H20 Hilton, 12 Via de Luna Drive. facebook.com/hiltonpensacolabeach YAPPY HOUR AT PERFECT PLAIN 2 p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco FAMILY-FRIENDLY IMPROV CLASS 2:30 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com SWING DANCE CLASSES 4-7 p.m. $10. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all levels. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com VEGAN AND VINO SUNDAYS 4-7 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL 7 p.m. $20-$50. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com
YOGA WITHIN REACH 9-10 a.m. Free. Community Health Northwest Florida, 2315 W. Jackson St., Room A. healthcarewithinreach.org COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. So Gourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES 6:30 p.m. $10. Country two-step, East Coast swing, competition choreography and more. No partner required. World championship dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com COMEDY NIGHT 7 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com OVER-50 BALLROOM DANCE CLUB 7-9:30 p.m. $5-$10. Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Center, 913 S. I St. Dressy attire (no jeans).
WEDNESDAY 1.9
ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP Noon. Molino
Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A. mywfpl.com PUBLIC ICE SKATE 2-6:30 p.m. $9-$12. Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. pensacolabaycenter.com ONE-ON-ONE TECH HELP 3 p.m. Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. mywfpl.com WATERBOYZ SLOW SKATE 6-7 p.m. Every Wednesday. Skate starts and ends at Waterboyz, 380 N. 9th Ave. waterboyz.com YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SWING DANCE CLASSES AND PARTY 6:3010 p.m. $10 lesson, $5 party. Professional West Coast swing instruction for all levels followed by fun and friendly social dancing on the best wood dance floor in the area. No partner required. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftstudios.com FREE DANCE LESSONS 8-8:30 p.m. Free. Beginner West Coast swing dance lesson. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola S. Blvd. dancecraftfl.com inweekly.net
DIFFERENCE MAKERS INAUGURAL CLASS OF DISTINGUISHED HONOREES TO BE NAMED TO PSC ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
Pensacola State College will celebrate the Pirates' rich athletic history with a ribbon cutting and induction ceremony for the inaugural class of the Pensacola State College Athletics Hall of Fame on Feb. 16. "Pensacola State has a long and storied sports and athletic tradition," said Bill Hamilton, who was the head baseball coach at Pensacola State from 1990-2010 and has since served as the College's Athletic Director. "This Hall of Fame will stand as a reminder for all time that these awesome individuals got their start here." The inductees are individuals who have raised the level of awareness in PSC Athletics through their distinguished achievement and excellence in one or more PSC Athletic programs or through their contributions to PSC Athletics. Inductee Dennis Lindsay was Pensacola State's first full-time Assistant Coach. He played guard for the Baylor University basketball team and was a member of the Bears' 1988 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament and 1990 National Invitation Tournament teams. Lindsay has been the general manager for the Utah Jazz since 2012. The 2018 inaugural class includes three National Champion coaches. Bob Marlin led Pensacola State College to the national junior college championship in 1993. Mary Bailey led the Lady Pirates slow-pitch softball team to the NJCAA Division I National Championship in 1988. Jim Donovan led the Pirates golf team to the NJCAA Division II National Championship in 1993. Three Pensacola State athletes who have gone on to achieve success will also be inducted: •Dana Gilmore is the most decorated female athlete in the history of Pensacola State Sports. She was a first-team all-conference for two years running in both softball and volleyball, a two-time first-team allstate in softball and first team all-state in volleyball. She was also a two-time academic all-American in conference volleyball and the winner of the Jean Williams Award for scholar athletes. •Joel Anthony played basketball for the Pirates from 2002-04. After his career at Pensacola State, Anthony moved on to University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Anthony signed with the Miami Heat and become a key contributor to helping the Heat win back-to-back titles. •Greg Litton played baseball for the Pirates in 1983-84 and signed to play at Mississippi State University, however he was drafted in the first round of the 1984 draft by the San Francisco Giants. After five seasons in the minor leagues, Litton moved up as a rookie and hit a home run in the 1989 World Series. Long-time supporters of the athletic programs at Pensacola State College round out the inaugural class—William M. "Bill" McArthur, Charles Fairchild and Dr. William "Bill" Brantley.
Sponsored by The Studer Family January 3, 2019
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calendar Arts & Culture
≥Events
PMA GALLERY TOURS 2:30 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free with museum admission. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
≥Current Exhibits STONE'S THROW: ON BORDERS, BOUNDARIES, AND THE BEYOND On
view through Jan. 11. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
GESCHE WURFEL: WHAT REMAINS OF THE DAY – MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II On view
through March 17. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org REDIRECTED On view through Jan. 15. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org NEW BLUES On view through Feb. 2. Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. bluemorninggallery.com DOCUFLORIDA II
On view through May 17. T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org PUNKSACOLA: REFLECTIONS OF A SUBCULTURE On
view through July 2019. T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org
COTTON FIELDS TO CONGRESS: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF EARL HUTTO On
view at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. historicpensacola.org GALLERY DAYS
Noon-4 p.m. Sat020 2
urdays. Featuring local artists. To be featured, contact Angel at 941-7354586, or call the restaurant at 4770035. TGI Fridays, 1240 Airport Blvd.
≥Workshops & Classes
POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week
workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-noon, Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every Mon-
day from 6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center. Classes are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week
workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for nonmembers. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.
CLAY SCULPTURE
Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.
≥Call for Art
CALL FOR ARTISTS: JAZZFEST POSTER
Artists/graphic designers of all ages are encouraged to submit designs for the 2019 JazzFest poster. The winning artist receives a
$400 cash award. Entries should be appropriate for replication for posters, T-shirts and other 2019 Pensacola JazzFest promotional items. The entry deadline is Jan. 7, 2019. The poster design should reflect the deep, rich jazz music heritage of Pensacola and communicate a sense of the area. Entries should conform to a vertical orientation using a ratio that will fit, with margin, on a final poster size of 18 inches wide by 24 inches high. The poster must include the name of the festival—2019 Pensacola JazzFest. Submission entries must be in low-resolution, JPEG format and emailed to info@ jazzpensacola.com. There is no limit to the number of entries by a single artist. Each entry must include the artist's name, address, email and telephone number. CALL FOR ARTISTS AND VENDORS FOR JAZZFEST Jazz Pen-
sacola is calling arts and crafts vendors to submit applications for the 2019 Pensacola JazzFest, taking place April 6 to April 7, 2019, at Seville Square in historic downtown Pensacola. Only original art and handmade craft vendors will be accepted. All entries are $200 for a 10-by-10 canopy or smaller. For more information, call Jazz Pensacola Administrator Alice Crann Good at 433-8382, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or visit jazzpensacola.com.
Bars & Nightlife
Top of the Town, 15 E. Intendencia St. Sundays
≥Bar Games
BAR AND RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE (B.A.R.E. NIGHT) 7
Thursdays
LADIES NIGHT 5 p.m. V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com BREW IQ TRIVIA NIGHT WITH JERRELL HENDRIX 7-9
p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco POKER 8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road. ticketsportsbar.com POOL TOURNAMENT 8 p.m. The
Ticket 2, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. ticketsportsbar.com COLLEGE NIGHT 10 p.m. Drink specials, beer pong tournament starts at 10 p.m. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com. Fridays WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Informative wine tasting in Seville Quarter Wine and Gift Shop. No charge for the tasting. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com POOL TOURNAMENT 8 p.m. The
Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road. ticketsportsbar.com
FEMALE IMPERSONATOR SHOWS 1 a.m.,
2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. Top of the Town, 15 E. Intendencia St. Saturdays
MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT 8
p.m. Seville Quarter Membership Card Holder Appreciation Night at Phineas Phogg's. 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LATIN DANCING
10 p.m. Top of the Town, 15 E. Intendencia St. FEMALE IMPERSONATOR SHOWS 1 a.m.,
2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m.
p.m. Special prices for B.A.R.E. Card membership holders. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com Mondays BREW IQ TRIVIA NIGHT WITH JERRELL HENDRIX 7-9
p.m. Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco TEXAS HOLD 'EM FOR FUN AND TRIVIA
7 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com TRIVIA NIGHT 7-9 p.m. World of Beer, 200 S. Palafox. wobusa.com/locations/palafox BAR BINGO 8 p.m. Apple Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA 9:30-10:30
p.m. Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. facebook.com/ mugsjugs Tuesdays TUESDAY TRIVIA 8 p.m. The Bridge Bar and Sunset Lounge, 33 Gulf Breeze Parkway. facebook.com/ thebridgebargb BAR BINGO 8 p.m. Ticket Sports Bar, 7333 N. Davis Highway. Play to win up to $100 in gift cards. TICKET TEAM TRIVIA 8 p.m. The Ticket
1, 7250 Plantation Road. ticketsportsbar.com POKER 8 p.m. The Ticket 2, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. ticketsportsbar.com TEAM TRIVIA 9 p.m. Hopjacks. 10 S. Palafox. hopjacks.com Wednesdays WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS 11
a.m. Half-priced bottles of wine
every Wednesday. Jackson's Steakhouse, 226 S. Palafox. jacksonsrestaurant.com WAY BACK WEDNESDAYS 4
p.m. Free admission for ladies, $1 beers, $5 pizza. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LADIES NIGHT ON THE DECK 5 p.m. $2
drinks and music. The Deck Bar, 600 S. Barracks St. fishhousepensacola.com
PUB TRIVIA NIGHT
7-9:30 p.m. Goat Lips Beer Garden, 2811 Copter Road. goatlips.com
WEDNESDAY QUIZ TRIVIA 8 p.m. The
Cabaret, 101 S. Jefferson St. cabaretpensacola.com PUB TRIVIA WEDNESDAYS 8-10
p.m. O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox. orileyspub.com TICKET BAR BINGO
8 p.m. The Ticket 1, 7250 Plantation Road. ticketsportsbar.com BAR BINGO 10 p.m. Play, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 200. iplaypensacola.com
≥Karaoke
Thursdays Lili Marlene's at Seville Quarter, 8 p.m. 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com Saturdays Hub Stacey's with Krazy George, 9 p.m. 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com Sundays Sandshaker Lounge, 9 p.m. 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com Mondays The Cabaret, 9 p.m. 101 S. Jefferson St. 607-2020 or cabaretpensacola.com Tuesdays Sandshaker Lounge, 8 p.m. 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com Goat Lips Deli with
Krazy George, 8 p.m.-midnight. 2811 Copter Road. Play, 9 p.m. 16 S. Palafox, Suite 200. iplaypensacola.com Wednesdays Ticket Sports Bar with Krazy George, 9 p.m. 7333 N. Davis Highway.
≥Live Music
THURSDAY 1.3
JOHN RIPLEY 6-9 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox BEYOND THE BREAK
7 p.m. Hub Stacey's, 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com
OPEN COLLEGE JAM WITH MIKE BOCCIA
7:30 p.m. Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. DUELING PIANOS
8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com
OPEN MIC/JAM
8-11 p.m. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. Use our instruments or bring your own. LIVE MUSIC 8 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. End O' the Alley Courtyard, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com
FRIDAY 1.4
LIVE JAZZ WITH JOE OCCHIPINTI Noon.
The Drowsy Poet Coffee Co., 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. LIVE MUSIC Noon. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com MIKE QUINN 5 p.m. End O' the Alley Courtyard, Seville Quarter, 130 E.
Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. Peg Leg Pete's, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. peglegpetes.com LIVE MUSIC 6 p.m. The Deck Bar, 600 S. Barracks St. ADMIRAL'S CLUB PIANO PLAYER 6
p.m. The District Steakhouse, 123 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 6-9 p.m. V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. vpauls.com JIM ANDREWS 6:30 p.m. The District, 123 E. Government St. districtsteaks.com AL MARTIN 6:30 p.m. Doc's Courtyard and Cafe, 5198 Willing St., Milton. JOHN RIPLEY 7-10 p.m. Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox LIVE MUSIC 7:30 p.m. Swan Neck Meadery, 2115 W. Nine Mile Road. swanneckwinery.com MIKE BOCCIA 7:45 p.m. Goat Lips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. DUELING PIANOS
8 p.m. Rosie O' Grady's Dueling Piano Show. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com MIKE & FRIENDS 8 p.m.-midnight. Goat Lips Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. PLATINUM PREMIER
8 p.m. Hub Stacey's 312 E. Government St. hubstaceys.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. sandshaker.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. Lili Marlene's, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. End O' the Alley, Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com
for more listings visit inweekly.net inweekly.net
a&e
By Sammi Sontag
Improving Your Way Into 2019 the adult crowd, whoever is wandering around downtown at 10:30 on a Saturday night, which is a lot of people these days." He continued, "The Wednesday night show will be geared toward playing it to the top of our intelligence, meaning there are only so many fart jokes you can make before you lose a crowd, but the earlier start time is for a 'less wild' crowd." On a number of Saturdays, the troupe turned people away because their show had sold out, so it is eager to double the monthly performances.
"Improv is the only art form everyone does all the time. You're not given lines when you wake up in the morning." Jay Bixler
Improvable Cause / Courtesy Photo After 13 years of pure hilarity, Improvable Cause, a Pensacola improve troupe, is gearing up for 2019 with double the jokes and double the shows. "Pensacola is really an artistic community for being so small, so what I see coming in the future is applying improv to life," Brooke Hardy, Improvable Cause troupe member, said. She added, "For example, I've done workshops for my coworkers. I think branching out and translating the concepts we've learned in improv into other contexts, whether it's for kids or helping other people, is a goal." The troupe has spent countless Saturday nights filling Pensacola Little Theatre with laughter and entertainment for their
January 3, 2019
monthly shows, which happen the first Saturday of every month. And because of its success, the 15-member troupe is adding another show to its schedule—so leave your Wednesday evenings open. "Our new monthly Wednesday night shows will be scattered around the calendar starting in January," Hardy said. "We're calling them 'In betweens' right now, but those are going to feature some of our newer members that may not have performed as much in the Saturday shows." Though similar to the Saturday night performances, the Wednesday night shows will start earlier in the evening. The first one is Wednesday, Jan. 16. "The crowd has definitely gotten older," troupe member Jay Bixler said. "It's
is more like "Whose Line Is It Anyway." And then we're also a close-knit group of friends, which I think works in our favor most of the time." She continued, "But you have to have a positive attitude and willingness to take criticism, try new things, don't take things personally and be okay with failure." Learning improv provides tools for the real world, Hardy said. It has given her confidence in job interviews and meeting new people in crowded, unfamiliar places, which are skills she and Bixler hope to provide the community through workshops or their "Lab Rat" program. "Improv is as creative as you can get," Bixler said, "It is more about a way of looking at life. It changes your perspective on things." "Lab Rat," is a way for Improvable Cause to teach people improv techniques, he said. It also helps filter new people into the troupe, simultaneously training teens and young adults. "Improv is the only art form everyone does all the time. You're not given lines when you wake up in the morning. You improv," Bixler said. "It is really hard when you're an adult because the world has put you in a box. Everyone is talking; everyone has something important to say. But I think improv is a creative outlet that gives everyone an opportunity to talk." {in}
You can also catch the troupe performing at Pensacon again this February as it has in years past. Ultimately in 2019, Improvable Cause wants to increase its presence in the community. "Despite being around for so long, there are still a lot of people who are like, 'What? I've never heard of you,'" Hardy said. "And I don't think that's a problem. But the fact that there is something like Improvable Cause that's had longevity is really just kind of cool." She added, "There are also so many real-life benefits to improv, and it really is so simple." The troupe has created a space for people who are interested in improv to grow and develop their skills. WHAT: A monthly improv comedy show There is no formal vetting process to WHEN: 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5 join the troupe, and they encourage WHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. anyone who is interested to reach Jefferson St. out and get involved. COST: $11 "We're kind of unique compared DETAILS: pensacolalittletheatre.com or to other improv groups in larger facebook.com/improvablecause cities," Hardy said. "Our main focus is short-form improv games, which
IMPROVABLE CAUSE JANUARY SATURDAY NIGHT SHOW
21
THE ARCADIAN WILD
presents
RadioLive adioLive THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola
Featuring
THE ARCADIAN WILD THE MOSLEYS MY GIRL THE RIVER
02/07/19
6:00 p.m. Doors 5:00 p.m.
Broadcast LIVE on 88.1 FM
Tickets $10
available at wuwf.org 850.474.2787
G RE AT S OUT H E RN RE STAU RA NT S PRE SE N T S
Winter RestaurantWeek m January 21–27 n View menus at greatsouthernrestaurants.com.
222 2
inweekly.net
news of the weird
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
AWESOME! Retired hospitality executive Rick Antosh, 66, of Edgewater, New Jersey, was enjoying a plate of oysters at Grand Central's Oyster Bar in New York City when he felt something hard in his mouth. "I just all of a sudden felt something like a tooth or a filling, and it's terrifying," Antosh told PIX11 News. But when he looked at it, he realized it was a pearl. Antosh called over the floor manager to ask how often such a discovery happens and was told he'd never heard of it before. Antosh has not had the pearl appraised, but early estimates say it could be worth $2,000 to $4,000.
couldn't be bothered: "Thank you, tying up a couple loose ends since i will probably be in there for a month." He promised to surrender within 48 hours. When the weekend passed without any sign of Akers, officers wrote: "Is it us? We waited but you didn't show." To which Akers replied: "Dear RPD, it's not you, it's me. I obviously have commitment issues. ... P.S. You're beautiful." Finally, on Dec. 4, Akers arrived at the Richland police station, posting a selfie with the caption: "Thank you RPD for letting me do this on my own." Aww, ain't love grand?
UNUSUAL TASTES Karen Kaheni, 42, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, is a heavy smoker, puffing on 60 to 80 cigarettes a day. But as she watches TV in the evening, Kaheni also eats eight cigarette butts. And, as a side dish, she eats about 9 ounces of chalk every week. Her odd addictions are related to Pica, she told the Mirror, a condition that involves eating things that aren't really food. "I have no idea what triggered it," she said. "It isn't so much the taste of the cigarette butts or the chalk that I like—it's more the texture and the crunch." When she runs out of either item, "I get quite agitated and my mouth begins to water." Kaheni hasn't consulted a doctor about her addiction, claiming she is too embarrassed, but she has discovered a Facebook page for others who suffer from Pica: "It makes me feel like less of a weirdo—less like I'm going mad," Kaheni said.
AROUND THE BEND Science teacher Margaret Gieszinger, 52, at University Preparatory High School in Visalia, California, was captured on video chopping off students' hair with scissors on Dec. 5, while loudly, and incorrectly, singing "The Star-Spangled Banner." The Visalia Times-Delta described the video showing Gieszinger starting with a male student seated in a chair at the front of the room as she cuts portions of his hair and tosses them behind her. When she moved on to a female student, other teenagers started screaming and ran out of the classroom. Lilli Gates, one of Gieszinger's students, told the Times-Delta the teacher "is a loving and kind lady. She is usually all smiles and laughs. This is not the Miss G. we know and love." After Gieszinger's arrest on suspicion of felony child endangerment, the district notified parents that she would not be returning to the classroom.
WAIT, WHAT? Jim Alexander, 41, and Betina Bradshaw, 54, of Torquay, Devon, England, are planning a Christmas feast for family and friends. On the menu: deer, pheasant, rabbits, badgers ... all roadkill. Alexander, a trained butcher, has collected nearly 50 fresh animal corpses over the past year. "I know people will think it's unusual, but really it just makes sense," Alexander told Metro News. Bradshaw says her family refers to him as a serial killer, but he has gradually won her over to the idea of eating roadkill. "The first few times he brought a deer home he told me it was for the dog. ... Obviously, you turn your nose up a bit at the start, but now it doesn't bother me at all," she said. Alexander said his odd collecting habits have drawn the attention of police, but "once they realize I'm doing nothing wrong, they are fine, and one even helped me lift an animal into the van," he said. BROMANCE Anthony Akers, 38, and the Richland (Washington) Police Department embarked on an amusing meet-cute of law and fugitive on Nov. 28 when the department posted a wanted photo of Akers on its Facebook page. Five hours after the posting, National Public Radio reported, Akers responded with: "Calm down, i'm going to turn myself in." When Akers was a no-show, the department messaged him the next day: "Hey Anthony! We haven't seen you yet." Officers even offered him a ride. But Akers
January 1-11
THE LITIGIOUS SOCIETY When Stephen Keys boarded a SkyWest flight in Reno, Nevada, on Sept. 9, he settled into his firstclass seat and reached to buckle his seat belt. But when he raised the right armrest for better access, his right pinky finger became lodged in a small hole under the armrest, according to the lawsuit he filed against American Airlines and SkyWest on Dec. 5. Keys tried repeatedly to remove his finger but could not, and it remained stuck for nearly an hour until the flight landed and airline mechanics disassembled the armrest, reported City News Service. "The spring mechanism ... applied intense pressure to the plaintiff's finger, immediately inflicting injury, swelling and pain," the lawsuit read. "Dozens of passengers became aware of Mr. Keys' perilous condition, causing his dire situation to become a humiliating public spectacle." What's more, the injury left Mr. Keys unable to drive and play with his children, causing severe emotional distress, according to the lawsuit. SkyWest, citing ongoing litigation, would not comment on the suit. {in}
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2018 Andrews McMeel
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com January 3, 2019
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Independent News | January 3, 2019 | inweekly.net