Nov. 18, 2010 Issue

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2010 Holiday Gift Guide SUPERINTENDENT REFUSES FINAL OFFER FOR BROWNSVILLE SCHOOL

PAG E

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COLUMNS

3 WINNERS & LOSERS 4 OUTTAKES

25 NEWS OF THE WEIRD 27LAST WORD

NEWS/FEATURES/ARTS

9 COVER STORY: REJECTED 14 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 17 A&E: SEEDS OF HOPE 21 CULTURE: WINTERFEST 2010 22 CULTURE: “WOMEN IN ART” LECTURE AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART

2 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

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Contents

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bradley “B.J.” Davis, Jr., Joani Delezen, Hana Frenette, Ashley Hardaway, Scott Huhn, Rob “Bubbs” Harris, Erica House, Brett Hutchins, Jennie McKeon, Kate Peterson, Chuck Shepard, Will Strickland, Trevor Webb PRODUCTION MANAGER Joani Delezen ART DIRECTOR Samantha Crooke SALES DIRECTOR Jennifer Passeretti

P.O. Box 12082 • Pensacola, Fla. 32591 850-438-8115 • 1-866-724-9396 Fax: 850-438-0228 • info@inweekly.net

Standard postage paid at Pensacola, Fla. All stories are compiled from press releases, submissions, news wires or assignments. Comments and opinions expressed in this newspaper represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and are not necessarily those of INDEPENDENT NEWS or the publisher. Neither the advertiser nor the publisher is responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, etc., contained in INDEPENDENT NEWS. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

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The Bright Idea department of the Winners & Losers division of the IN media and entertainment empire can’t wait for the “2011 Ballsy Plan” to share its latest brainstorms. Here are the six best ideas:

1. LOST FUNDS A Local Option Sales Tax plan was presented when the tax was passed in 2006. Proposed changes to that plan should be clearly publicized on the home pages of city and county websites before the changes can be approved.

2. CONSOLIDATION A Functional Consolidation Task Force should be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, constitutional officers, the newly-elected Pensacola mayor, School District and ECUA to make recommendations for the 2011-2012 budgets.

3. SURPLUS SCHOOL PROPERTY Any

ments or community groups before they are sold to the private sector. The good of the community should be given priority.

4. BROADCAST MEETINGS ECUA and school board meetings and workshops should be broadcast online, recorded and made available for citizens to view at their convenience.

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5. ELIMINATE TWO AT-LARGE CITY COUNCIL SEATS The voters can elect the mayor, who is now the chief executive officer of the City. The two at-large seats dilute the voice of the seven city districts.

6. APPOINTEES Any person appointed to

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we complain today about the “Good Ol’ Boys” and corrupt elected officials, there was a time when dirty politics and corruption ruled Escambia County. Its king was W.E. “Bill” Davis, who served as Escambia County Sheriff from 1961-1970. Most of those nine years Davis spent before grand juries for gambling and accepting bribes and battling suspensions by the Florida governor.

Bill Davis was a third generation law enforcement officer, starting as a deputy sheriff in 1951. He was shot in the line of duty in 1954 during an incident involving a barricaded suspect. When he was elected Sheriff of Escambia County in 1960 at the age of 33, Davis was the youngest sheriff ever elected in the state of Florida. He was re-elected for an additional two terms.

Davis was finally removed permanently from office after a grand jury indictment for breaking and entering and malfeasance for allowing gambling. The grand jury came about not because the newly-elected local state attorney, Curtis Golden, was concerned, but Gov. Claude Kirk ordered State Attorney William Hopkins of Tallahassee to investigate Sheriff Davis for misconduct, neglect of duty and incompetence.

Kirk was spurred by reports of Davis’ drunken, lewd behavior before minors. Davis allegedly kissed “minor children, some under the age of 14 years, in an indecent and improper manner.” He supposedly also served alcohol to minors and appeared before them “while not properly clothed, in a lewd and indecent manner.”

The “French kissing” incident happened during a summer trip with the county school safety patrol. Davis was also investigated for entering the home of his deputy and trying to seduce the deputy’s wife. It’s rumored that the wife had been Davis’ lover for some time.

Davis had already been indicted in 1962 by another grand jury for gambling but was later acquitted. In 1965, Davis was suspended after being charged with accepting a bribe and conspiracy, but he was also acquitted of those charges and reinstated.

Davis did have political opposition. Escambia County Solicitor Carl Harper, who later became a famous judge in South Florida, was vigorously working to stop the illegal gambling in the county. In 1968, a plot to kill Harper was uncovered. Five men, three from Pensacola and two from out of the state, were involved. The plot was never tied to Davis, but many felt he and the Dixie Mafia, out of Biloxi, were behind it.

The 1970 indictment didn’t stop Davis’ political ambitions. When Gov. Kirk suspended him from office, Davis filed to run for Congress against Bob Sikes. Sikes easily beat him in the Democratic primary.

Davis’ trial for the breaking and entering into his deputy’s home was declared a mistrial when Davis was charged with tampering with his jury. He was later found guilty and sentenced to six months in the county jail.

Davis ran for Sheriff again in 1980 and was defeated by Vince Seely. There had been 15 candidates in the Democratic primary.

Davis went into the Democratic Party runoff as the front-runner, but Seely beat him in the run-off by over 8,210 votes. Today, there are no run-offs, so Davis would have gotten the Democratic nomination and probably won the office back if the 2010 election rules applied, which is scary.

So as we watch the current generation of “Good Ol’ Boys” fade from power, remember they are wimps compared to their predecessors. rick@inweekly.net

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INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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Escambia County School District walks away from $645,000 grant.

THOMAS TURNS DOWN HUGE GRANT Leaders in the African-American community are still upset with Superintendent Malcolm Thomas terminating the district’s threeyear agreement with The Florida Bar Foundation Justice Project Grant.

The School District was awarded $945,000 last November for its Discipline Alternatives to Zero-Tolerance project.

Four middle schools (Warrington, Bellview, Workman and Woodham) had been selected to implement the program in the 2010-2011 school years. Other participating schools and agencies were Escambia Charter School, University of West Florida, Bethel AME Church and Unity in the Family Ministry.

The Florida Bar Foundation and The Collins Center for Public Policy provided a consultant to give technical assistance. The School District began training last school year and had received the first year of the grant. The school board had approved on July 20 accepting the second year of the funding, $307,031.60. Two months later, Thomas pushed the board to drop out of the program.

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Black leaders believed the program offered a non-traditional way of dealing with day-to-day rule violations and disruptive behavior in schools. Students who break the rules and disrupt the educational process were given a chance to avoid suspension or expulsion by entering the program and breaking the “school-tojail pipeline” that routes students into the juvenile justice system for relatively minor infractions.

According to The Collins Center, statistics show the district issued out-ofschool suspensions to roughly a quarter of the 10,500 middle school students in recent years, and expelled dozens more.

FLY WITH THE BLUES Every year, the Blue Angels invite local leaders to ride as passengers during their practice sessions for the November homecoming air show.

Usually two or three people are selected from a waiting list of over two dozen. This year, Jack Williams of Seville Quarter and attorney Mike Papantonio f lew with the Blue Angels.

DAYS

Get your daily news first at INweekly.net. Find out before anyone else what’s happening in news, arts and entertainment, film, television and music at INDaily on our website. Here's the week in review, in case you missed it.

6 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

GAETZ BUILDS POWER BASE Incoming

SCHOOL BOARD NOTES The Escambia

Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos announced recently that Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) will chair the Florida Senate Reapportionment Committee. Senator Gaetz was first elected in 2006 and previously served as Superintendent of Schools in Okaloosa County.

“With the passage of Amendments 5 and 6, Senator Gaetz will have the responsibility of leading our efforts in redrawing legislative and congressional districts,” said incoming Senator Haridopolos. “This may be the most challenging committee chairmanship of all, but Senator Gaetz’s leadership will help us navigate this oncea-decade process.”

This chairmanship will help Gaetz build support for his bid of Senate president and possibly a future run for statewide office.

County School Board held a workshop on Nov. 12 in the J.E. Hall Center. Prior to the board discussing Brownsville Middle School, they received a legislative review from Jim Hamilton of Mixon & Associates and a District Recycling Program presentation. The board also discussed the class-size amendment, wellness clinics for District employees and retirees, and the board chairmanship.

SCHOOL CALENDAR: School board member Patty Hightower questioned the district’s lobbyist Jim Hamilton about the bills to allow the school calendar to be set by local school boards.

“Districts that are ‘A’ districts can start school when they want to,” said board chairman Gerald Boone. “People who need more time should have it. Tallahassee has it backwards.”

Hamilton agreed and blamed the theme parks in central Florida who were upset about any changes to the summer vacation calendar. “I’ve never seen so many expensive suits at an education committee meeting,” Hamilton said. “Universal Studios said, ‘We need these students to be our workforce.’”

MEDIA WEDDING The founder of the nation-

al website The Daily Beast, Tina Brown, announced late Thursday, Nov. 11 that her website has merged with Newsweek.

The 50-50 joint venture will be the Newsweek Daily Beast Company, which will work under an independent board.

Brown will be the editor-in-chief of the Newsweek Daily Beast Company. The owner of Newsweek, Sidney Harman, will be the executive chairman and Daily Beast President Stephen Colvin will take charge as the chief executive of the new company.

IN publisher Rick Outzen is a contributor to The Daily Beast, which has published several stories about the Billings’ murders and BP oil disaster.

The Daily Beast merges wih Newsweek. Will it last?

M O N DAY N OV 0 8

T U E S DAY N OV 0 9

WEDNESDAY NOV 10

Gov. Charlie Crist announces he is considering a posthumous pardon to Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors, who was convicted of sex crimes in a Miami court in 1970.

Fifth-grade teacher Jacke Johnston wins the run-off election for Seat 3 on the Century Town Council.

John Mitchell Tomlinson, a former Santa Rosa County sheriff’s lieutenant, is found guilty of three counts of sexual battery by a custodial authority on a person over the age of 12 and under the age of 18.

State Sen. Gaetz will lead statewide redistricting.

PENSIONS: School board member Jeff Bergosh asked Hamilton about pension reform. “It’s more complicated than leadership understands,” Bergosh said.

Hamilton believes that district employees will have to pay part of their retirement and that new hires will be put into defined contribution plans, instead of defined benefit plans. He also said that police and fire may be pulled out of the Florida Retirement System and placed into a separate system.

RECYCLING: The School district has reached an agreement with West Florida Recycling to handle the schools’ recycling both in the classrooms and the cafeterias at no cost to the district.

Classrooms will not have to separate items and the community can bring old newspapers and other recyclable items to the schools. Food Service will be able to recycle jars, cans and milk cartons.

It’s expected that high schools will have their dumpsters reduced from eight to four and there will be a savings in less trash collection expenditures. West Florida Recycling will also offer an educational

piece for the classroom.

The recycle containers could be in classrooms as soon as January.

CLASS-SIZE AMENDMENT: Superintendent Malcolm Thomas told the school board that the school district is in compliance with the class-size amendment.

Walton County is the only other district in northwest Florida that is in compliance.

WELLNESS CENTERS: Bergosh asked the school board to consider walk-in wellness clinics for the district’s employees, dependents and retirees. He said the City of Ocoee, Fla. offers a primary clinic. “Their HR director told me that we would be astonished at the savings,” Bergosh said.

Superintendent Thomas said that he would refer the suggestion to the Insurance Committee. District staff said that they have been looking at the idea for three years and that it normally was more successful in more rural areas, since they don’t have the health care competition that Escambia County has. They also warned that the upfront costs are significant, and that any savings are “down the road.”

BOARD CHAIRMANSHIP: Bergosh also pushed for a discussion of how the board selects its chair every year. The Santa Rosa County School Board has a set rotation by district as does the Escambia County Commission. The Escambia County School Board takes nominations and elects its chair every year.

Bergosh pointed out that there has been an inequitable distribution of the chairmanship. District 3 has not held the board chairmanship or vice chairmanship in 11 years.

His fellow board members were quick to point out that the board seat has had the most turnover with three board members in the last eight years.

School board member Bill Slayton said that a rotation policy would mean that it would be possible for a newly-elected board member to be named chairman without ever having served on the board.

Slayton warned, “Think of some of the individuals who have served on this board.

Their goal would have been to sabotage the board and the school district. I don’t see

the necessity for a change.”

Board member Patty Hightower said, “Since 1992, I’ve been coming to meetings.

I worried about the school district being on the front page if certain people had been elected chairman.”

She complimented the current chairman, Gerald Boone. “I have no problem supporting him, if he so chooses.”

Board member Linda Moultrie said, “I don’t have a problem with the current structure. At this time, it’s working.”

Board chairman Gerald Boone added, “Prior to 2006, this board was very, very, very fractured for some time. There were personal agendas and meetings that lasted until midnight.

“We have a great team. If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.”

At the close of the discussion, Bergosh stated that he would nominate Boone to continue as chairman at the next regular meeting. No one else said that they would challenge the nomination.

“I will accept another term if the board so desires,” Boone said.

Theme parks lobby to keep summer vacations longer.

N E WS OF T H E W E E K

T H U R S DAY N OV 11

F R I DAY N OV 1 2

S AT U R DAY N OV 13

S U N DAY N OV 14

State Sen. Don Gaetz (RNiceville) is named chairman of the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee that will draw the boundaries of lawmakers’ districts.

Circuit Judge Edward Nickinson decides to allow Sharia Jefferson, a 5-year-old girl who was found earlier in the week wandering, partially clothed, on Gulf Beach Highway, to return to the care of her father. Her mother has been charged with neglect.

An estimated crowd of 70,000 enjoys the final day of the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show.

Pensacola Police modify the traffic flow to allow vehicles on Palafox Place at Garden Street to travel northbound, beginning Monday, Nov. 15.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal vacated on Wednesday, Nov. 10 the earlier 2-1 ruling in favor of W.D. Childers and will rehear Childers’ appeal of his bribery conviction.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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Beginning Gallery Night, Nov. 19th, the courtyard will be adorned in a stylish holiday decor of white with color accents to create a perfect place to enjoy the season with friends and family. Come down and visit the courtyard and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere with drink and food specials designed around the holidays.

Chef Nick Farkas has a special menu planned for Gallery Night. Feast of the Seven Fishes, La Vigilia di Natale, will include six seafood specials especially prepared for Gallery Night.

Shrimp and Parmesan Stuffed Calamari Marinara over Linguini - $10 Jumbo Shrimp Marsala Farfalle - $10 Buttermilk Battered Fried Calamari served with Trio of Dipping Sauces - $7

Holiday Courtyard Decor by

Cioppino (Traditional Italian Fish Stew) - $8 Seared Italian Herb Crusted Tuna over Mixed Greens, tossed in Lemon Basil Vinaigrette - $11 Fried Grouper Topped with Bruchetta over Herbed Risotto - $10

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SUPERINTENDENT REFUSES FINAL OFFER FOR BROWNSVILLE SCHOOL - by Rick Outzen

T

he pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church had to give it one more try on Friday, Nov. 12. He knew that the Superintendent of Schools didn’t want him there and his appearance may open him and his congregation up to criticism and scorn again.

After he appeared in December 2009 before the Escambia County School Board, he had to change his cell phone number because of the endless stream of hate-filled calls.

On the surface, the church’s plan was simple: purchase the abandoned, aging Brownsville Middle School in what the daily newspaper had described as a “poverty-ridden, high-crime neighborhood” and convert it into a community center.

Rev. LuTimothy May walked into the school board workshop at the J. E. Hall Center knowing that Superintendent Malcolm Thomas had rejected the church’s final offer of $500,000 and refused to bring any recommendation on it to the board.

However, he owed his trustees, congregation and the community one final attempt.

It was school board member Linda Moultrie who asked that Brownsville Middle School be added as a discussion item for the workshop. Thomas had received the

commitment to Rev. May to try to work to make it work. I honestly thought we had a deal. The architect completed a walkthrough. Every item was taken care of. We agreed on $800,000. Then three weeks ago they brought an offer that was insufficient for me to bring to the board.

“We’ve worked hard, all of us have. I thought we had an agreement. We would sell them the property if they would honor the agreement we’ve worked on for the past six months.”

THE BACK STORY

Thomas’ brief summary of the negotiations failed to include the reasons why the January sale failed.

In the summer of 2009, the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church made an initial offer of $1.4 million for Brownsville Middle School, which had been closed since 2007 and had one wing destroyed by fire. As they began to do their due diligence and arrange their financing, the church trustees realized the cost to renovate the property was higher than they initially thought.

In November 2009, Rev. May told Thomas that the church trustees were set on offering $500,000 considering the cost to renovate the school.

After what May has described as “countless hours of discussion and debate,” the trustees approved raising the offer to $800,000.

Thomas instead countered with $1.02 million. When the church wouldn’t meet his price, Thomas rejected the church’s $800,000 offer and refused to put the item on the Dec. 15 board agenda.

Rev. May, his congregation and a group of citizens, which included Sheriff David Morgan and Councilwoman Diane Mack, brought the item up anyway in the public forum of that meeting. Publicly Thomas again rejected the offer, but the board asked him to please talk and negotiate with the church.

Thomas didn’t speak with Rev. May or the trustees. Instead, he went the next day to the media and announced he had made a

“THE PLAN FRIENDSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HAD FOR THIS PROPERTY WOULD HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL TO THAT COMMUNITY. I HOPED AS A BOARD WE COULD HAVE HELPED.” —BOARD MEMBER LINDA MOULTRIE offer from the church in mid-October and never forwarded it to the board for review.

“The plan Friendship Missionary Baptist Church had for this property would have been beneficial to that community,” Moultrie said to open the workshop discussion. “I hoped as a board we could have helped.”

Superintendent Thomas told the board, “In December 2009, the board approved a contract for sale by the end of January with a price. The church indicated they were not going through with closing. I then made a

Rev. LuTimothy May / photo by Samantha Crooke for the property “as is,” the District failed to notify the church of the water leak.

The second event was the involvement of real estate professionals on the behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.

Attorney John Monroe and Gulf Coast Architectural Group stepped up to help the church do a more thorough review of the property and the documents.

Monroe recommended that the normal due diligence period for an older facility like Brownsville Middle should be 90 to 180 days. Thomas refused to extend the period and the church withdrew its offer on Jan. 27.

“WE WANTED THIS TO BE A WIN-WIN. WE ARE CONCERNED WITH IT BECOMING A DERELICT STRUCTURE.” —REV. LUTIMOTHY MAY deal with the church for $1.02 million. The church didn’t know about any such deal until the reporters began calling.

Because the trustees and Rev. May had never agreed to the $1.02 million, they had to send the school board a letter saying they were stepping away from the purchase.

A week later at the next school board meeting, Moultrie was prepared to move that the price be reduced to $800,000, but the church had an anonymous donor contribute $200,000 to meet Thomas’ asking price. The school board approved the sale and gave the church 30 days to close the deal.

Then two things happened. First, the IN was tipped off that there was a problem with ancient water pipes at the school.

Through a public record request, the paper discovered the closed school’s October 2009 water bill was $3,533 for 466,783 gallons. The November 2009 bill was $10,012 for 1,370,429 gallons. While Thomas was demanding $1.02 million from the church

NEW OFFER

After Thomas addressed the board at the workshop, Rev. May was allowed to speak. The tall, thin former high school basketball star stood before a “U”-shaped configuration of tables filled with over a dozen people, including the superintendent, five school board members, various department heads and their assistants.

Last December, he was surrounded by supporters. On Nov. 12, May came to the meeting alone.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

9

When our paper interviewed Thomas in February (Independent News, “The Brownsville Fallout,” Feb. 11), the superintendent said he had several groups recently come forward with interest in the Brownsville Middle property, but he would not reveal the names.

“Buyers have asked to not be named,” he said at the time. “I do not want to ruin my sale. We would have done the same with LuTimothy’s group. We actually had a couple people approach us in the six months dealing with Friendship, but we did not talk to them.”

However, after four months, no sales offers were presented to the school board.

On June 23, Escambia County School District Assistant Superintendent for Operations Shawn Dennis told the IN there were two “potential buyers” lined up for the abandoned school.

“I’ve seen one offer and expect another offer this next week,” he said. “We’ve received a verbal (from the second).”

When we requested public records about the offers, Dennis first refused to share them. After the paper pressed for them, the IN received this email from him:

“WE WOULD SELL THEM THE PROPERTY IF THEY WOULD HONOR THE AGREEMENT WE’VE WORKED ON FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS.” —SUPERINTENDENT MALCOLM THOMAS

Superintendent Malcolm Thomas According to the published agenda, the young pastor should have been able to address the board at 8:30 a.m. Instead, the agenda was juggled and May had to sit for over an hour waiting for Brownsville Middle School to be discussed. While the board was discussing the state legislature, recycling and board structure and complimenting itself on what a fine job it was doing, the pastor had to step out several times to take calls from his family, congregation and his University of West Florida co-workers.

Finally when he was allowed to speak, Pastor May didn’t complain about the long wait. He didn’t dwell on the failed January negotiations. Instead he focused on the church’s final offer.

“I concur that a lot of work has been done,” said May. “Last summer I pulled myself out of this transaction to let professionals, like attorney John Monroe and Gulf Coast Architectural Group, help with this project. I wanted to remove emotions from this and have them give us recommendations.

“Our offer wasn’t done lightly. We have over 120 emails over the past six months between our professionals and school staff and attorneys. However, when we made our final offer it was rejected in less than 24 hours.”

May pointed out the School District’s withholding of six acres of the property, the recurring vandalism of the school, lack of warranties for roofing and mechanicals, the cost for getting property immediately up to code and unknowns of the leaky water pipes and asbestos removal.

“We wanted this to be a win-win,” said May as he talked about the shootings, drivebys and fires in neighborhoods surrounding Brownsville Middle School. “We are concerned with it becoming a derelict structure.”

OTHER BUYERS

The School District’s real estate agent, Danny Zimmern of Scoggins III, Inc., was asked to address the board about the current commercial real estate market.

“The current real estate market obviously isn’t very good,” Zimmern said. He admitted that there have been “zero sales” in the past year that match up to a property the size of Brownsville Middle School.

However, the realtor insisted there are other buyers for the school.

“We do have a lot of people interested,” Zimmern said. “Out of respect to Rev. May, they are waiting to see what the church does.”

“Let me weigh in,” Thomas said. “I gave my commitment to work with Mr. May. I thought we had an agreement. I am as guilty as anyone of rebuffing people interested in the property.”

The IN has made several attempts to discover who the potential buyers may be.

Last January after the church withdrew its offer, Deputy Superintendent Norm Ross told the daily newspaper that the District had received some other inquiries from potential buyers.

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“WE CAN’T PAY $800,000 FOR LESS PROPERTY WITH NO WARRANTIES AND WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT REQUIRING WE DEAL WITH THE BURNED WING.” —MAY “Please be advised, upon review of pertinent law I regret that I conveyed erroneous information as the exemption to public records request applies only to the contracts associated with the ‘purchase’ of property by a School Board and not the ‘sale.’ When we receive formal offers for the property they will be provided to

anyone who makes an appropriate public records request. As we do not presently have a formal offer in hand we do not have a response for your present request. I anticipate one or more formal offers within the next several days.”

Our attorney pointed out to the School District that Dennis’ interpretation of the law was wrong. All offers, whether formal or informal, accepted or rejected, are public records. The District finally released the one and only offer for the property and a handful of emails. There were no emails or other written communications about the second buyer or the “several groups” that Thomas had mentioned in February.

The sole offer was from Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. It had been sent to the District on June 16, a week before the paper’s records request. The offer was for $800,000 for the entire property.

The School District had rejected it.

In an email to the District’s real estate attorney, Steve Shell, Dennis wrote, “If offer is $800,000, entire property will not be sold…90 days due diligence appears excessive given the protracted exposure to the building the group has already had. I do not view this offer in its present form as a serious offer.”

NEGOTIATIONS REOPEN

Prior to the June 16 offer, there had been no serious negotiations between Thomas and the church. After that January sale fell apart, May thought the deal was dead and he was surprised to have Thomas invite him to Krispy Kreme in March to discuss the property.

At the doughnut shop, the superintendent said he would accept the $800,000 price, but the District wouldn’t include all the acreage in the transaction. Rev. May said that he made it clear that he couldn’t accept that and he didn’t think his board would agree either. After that brief casual meeting, there were no other negotiations.

It appeared Thomas no longer was interested in working with the church. There was no mention of the meeting in any of the documents released to the IN.

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INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

11

times, we don’t need any litigation. I recommend you proceed with caution.”

The board was reluctant to take on Thomas on the issue. School board member Bill Slayton, a former school principal who unsuccessfully ran in 2004 against Thomas’ predecessor Jim Paul, said, “We ask the superintendent to make good faith recommendations. We rely on the superintendent to do this for us.”

“WE ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT TO MAKE GOOD FAITH RECOMMENDATIONS. WE RELY ON THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO THIS FOR US.” —BOARD MEMBER BILL SLAYTON

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church / photo by Samantha Crooke In June, the church trustees had their attorney, John Monroe, draft the $800,000 offer for all of the land in hopes of resurrecting the negotiations. It wasn’t until after the IN public records request that the School District seemed interested in negotiating again.

Thomas didn’t tell the school board any of this at the Nov. 12 workshop. What he did say about the final $500,000 offer was “If that’s the best they can do, we reject it, but it’s not for lack of wanting to.”

Thomas said, “We cannot sell for less than value. If we do, we undercut our other students, our other schools.”

May responded, “We can’t pay $800,000 for less property with no warranties and with code enforcement requiring we deal with the burned wing. This school is over 50 years old. There are tons of things we don’t know about it.

“It’s about a community, not a building. The $500,000 offer is us putting our money where our mouths are to make a difference in the community.”

He said that he doubted if the District had any serious buyers other than the church. “We’ve had people come to us after they looked at it,” May told the board, “and

12 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

say ‘You can have that dump— no way, we don’t want it.’”

Dennis interrupted and told May that what he was saying was not true. He ordered May, “Don’t refer to our schools as a ‘dump.’”

May corrected Dennis, “I didn’t call the schools a ‘dump.’

People who came to me told me that Brownsville Middle School is a dump. It is next to a dump.”

WHO IS THE SELLER

Board member Jeff Bergosh said he wished that the board could do something to help, but it was the superintendent’s decision.

School board attorney Donna Waters disagreed. “I’m not sure if that’s correct.

On personnel issues, the board can only hire or fire based on his recommendations.

You are in control of school property.”

In citing state statutes supporting her opinion, Waters added, “You technically may have the power, but in these tough financial

NEGOTIATION NOT UNUSUAL

Dennis then walked the board through his version of the dealings with Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. He told them the building and grounds were appraised at almost $2 million sometime ago. In June 2009, the church offered $1.4 million after doing what Dennis called “haphazard due diligence.”

According to Dennis, in December 2009 the price was reduced to $1 million. In July 2010 the price was reduced to $800,000.

The District reduced the acreage for sale by a third to 12.35 acres. In October 2010, the church gave the District a list of 14 items, many related to break-ins. The District completed all of them, according to Dennis.

Then the church offered $500,000.

“To decrease the price by 75 percent is ludicrous,” said Dennis.

Although Zimmern alluded to the poor real estate market, he didn’t tell the board that these types of protracted real estate transactions aren’t unusual. Buyers are hard to come by, especially for commercial property, according to commercial broker DeeDee Ritchie.

“Even when you have an interested buyer,” Ritchie said. “Finding a lender willing to help finance the deal can be nearly impossible these days.”

Escambia County Property Appraiser Chris Jones told IN that the scarcity of commercial real estate sales has made it difficult for his office to set property values.

“In 2006, we had 173 qualified commercial sales,” Jones said. “Last year we had less than 50.” He pointed out that most commercial properties are 30-35 percent vacant.

Ritchie said that it’s not unusual for the buyer and seller to go back and forth several times with offers and counteroffers, especially once they begin their due diligence. “That’s standard,” Ritchie said.

“Buyers are few and far between.”

FIGHTING FOR BROWNSVILLE

May responded to Dennis’ assertion that the church’s offer was ludicrous. He said, “We have major issues with what’s going on with this building.”

He talked about the $10,000 water leak that the District failed to inform the church about last year, and the lack of guarantees for the roofing and mechanical issues after being told the warranties were good.

Again Dennis questioned the truthfulness of Pastor May. “Don’t construe representations that aren’t true.”

May kept his tone non-confrontational.

“We are turning a liability into a positive.

We’re fighting for this community. We say we care about this community. We see murders, fires, and shootings at the front door of the school.”

“The 12.3 acres have value,” Thomas countered. “Even if we don’t consider the burned wing, there is still 85,000 square feet of building and it’s worth more than $1.50 a square foot.”

Thomas also told the board about other initiatives in the Brownsville community that he supports. “I am concerned about

“WE ARE TURNING A LIABILITY INTO A POSITIVE. WE’RE FIGHTING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.” —MAY

Brownsville,” Thomas said. “That’s why we support Reimagine Brownsville. We support the Brownsville Assembly of God Community Center that was recently opened.”

Reimagine Brownsville is a new missionary project of Doers of the Word Ministry, which is headquartered on Klondike Road in the Pine Forest area. Ironically, the School District asked Rev. May to help launch it in September.

Brownsville Community Center is the converted overflow building for Brownsville Assembly of God that the church opened in late October in order to offer day care, a basketball league, fitness classes and art programs. In July 2009, Brownsville Assembly of God requested $275,000 from Escambia County for the renovations and $150,000 for staffing for its first 24 months of operations. The item was dropped from the Board of County Commissioners’ agenda when members of the Brownsville community objected.

Thomas questioned the resources of Friendship Missionary Baptist. “The offers have gone from $1.4 million to $1 million to $800,000 to $500,000,” Thomas said. “To be honest, I’m concerned your organization can pull this off.”

After the nearly hour-long discussion, Rev. May sat down. Thomas stood firm on his position. The board would not be given an opportunity to vote on the proposal.

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church’s offer would stand rejected and the negotiations halted.

The pastor had his veracity challenged by an assistant superintendent and his church’s commitment and competence questioned by the superintendent. Only Moultrie came to the defense of the pastor and the church which has been part of the community for nearly 80 years.

“Sometimes you have to look at the value and benefit more than the cost,” said

“THE OFFERS HAVE GONE FROM $1.4 MILLION TO $1 MILLION TO $800,000 TO $500,000. TO BE HONEST, I’M CONCERNED YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN PULL THIS OFF.” —THOMAS Moultrie. “It will not be a failure. This is the confidence I have in Rev. May and his congregation. I have no doubt in my heart that he will succeed.”

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Rev. May may indeed succeed, but it won’t be at Brownsville Middle School. rick@inweekly.net

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2010 Holiday Gift Guide

PENSACOLA HAS A GENEROUS HEART AND LOVES TO GIVE GIFTS.

H oliday E A T S

Adorn

▼ A d o r n t h e p e o p l e c l o se s t to y o u w i t h t h i n g s t h e y ’ l l l o ve f o r y e a r s to co m e — w h e t h e r i t ’s w i t h u n i q u e j e we l r y, a co m f y f l e e ce o r r u g g e d b o o t s .

14 K G old H and wire Wrapp e d E arrings ($26 0) M u l t i-fa ce te d C Z by Pa t r i z i a B r o w n e Co l l e ct i o n s . Ava i l a b l e a t A r t Pra h a G a l e r i e

3 Pie ce Coz y K it ($30) Includes flannel pants, ta n k a n d h e a d b a n d (n o t s h o w n). Ava i l a b l e a t T h e Fl i g h t D e c k

Youth Bomb er Jacke t ($50) Fe a t u r e s a fa u x f u r co l l a r a n d a l l t h e m i l i ta r y p a tc h e s s h o w n .

Ava i l a b l e a t T h e Fl i g h t Deck

G -1 US N av y Flight Jacke t ($4 0 0) T h i s i s t h e r e a l t h i n g… m a d e to m i l i ta r y s p e c s f r o m g o a t s k i n w i t h M o uto n co l l a r.

Ava i l a b l e a t T h e Fl i g h t Deck

14 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

A n d w h i l e t h e “ B i g B o x ” s to r e s t r y to e n t i ce s h o p p e r s w i t h t h e i r g l o s s y S u n d a y c i rc u l a r s , l o ca l s k n o w t h a t o u r l o ca l l y- o w n e d r e ta i l e r s o f f e r a w i d e se l e c t i o n o f t r u l y u n i q u e g i f t i te m s t h a t w i l l m a k e t h e i r l o ve d o n e s ’ h o l i d a y s p e c i a l .

A s i t h a s f o r t h e p a s t 11 y e a r s , l e t t h e I N H o l i d a y G i f t G u i d e b e y o u r r e so u rce f o r y o u r m o s t se r i o u s s h o p p i n g . I t ’s t i m e to p u t t h a t B P c l a i m m o n e y to g o o d u se .

▼ Don’t want to hassle with your own Ke en Winthrop Bo ot ($14 0) A w a te r p r o o f, r u g g e d a n d g r e a t- l o o k i n g b o o t f o r t ra ve l , o u td o o r o r e ve r y d a y.

Ava i l a b l e a t I n t ra co a s ta l O u t f i t te r s

Pat agonia Women’s Re -To ol Snap -T Fle e ce ($119) S u p e r- c u te , s t y l i s h f l e e ce p e r f e c t f o r Pe n s a co l a w i n te r s .

Ava i l a b l e a t I n t ra co a s ta l O u t f i t te r s

Fancy Gemstone Stack Rings by Stephanie Albertson (22K Gold starting at $900 or Sterling Silver starting at $175) Rubies, Diamonds, Sapphire, Ci t r i n e , Ch r y s o p ra se , Ky n i te a n d m o r e . Ava i l a b l e a t S u s a n Ca m p b e l l J e we l r y

Charms by SAM (St ar ting at $25) Yo u a r e a n i n d i v i d u a l . Yo u r c h a r m s s h o u l d b e to o. Le t te r s , n a m e s , d a te s , s y m b o l s a n d s i g n s , i n s i l ve r o r g o l d w i t h diamonds and a host of co l o r f u l g e m c h a r m s . Ava i la b l e a t S u s a n Ca m p b e l l J e we l r y

Thanksgiving feast, or do you think you’ll be itching to get out of the house for a holiday cocktail or two? Luckily, area restaurants will have your Holiday eats covered.

BILLY BOB’S BE ACH BARBECUE 911 Gulf Breeze Parkway, 934-2999, billybobsbarbecue.com Thanksgiving Day Hours: Closed Thanksgiving Day Billy Bob’s is preparing holiday smoked turkeys so you don’t have to! Choose from: 10-12-pound whole turkey ($35.95); 20-pound whole turkey ($65.95); 10-pound boneless breast ($65.95); 4 ½ pounds of cornbread dressing ($18.95); and a quart of giblet gravy ($9.95). Reserve your turkey now. The last day to order for Thanksgiving is Saturday, Nov. 20. The last day to order for Christmas is Saturday, Dec. 18.

THE FISH HOUSE / THE DECK BAR 600 S. Barracks St., 470-0003, goodgrits.com Thanksgiving Day Hours: 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

The Deck Bar will host its 2nd annual TurDECKen party on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25. Escape your relatives and get out to meet up with old friends in town for Thanksgiving. It’s also the birthday of this year’s TurDECKen King, Mr. B. J. Davis. There’s no need to bring a gift, but if you’d like to donate to one of B.J.’s charities that evening—Manna Food Pantry, American Cancer Society or Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida—you can do so in lieu of a gift. Enjoy $4 Three Olives “King”-sicle shots and live music by Lucas Crutchfield.

The Fish House will be open regular hours and serve its regular menu with seasonal specials.

FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ 421 W. Belmont St., 912-4856, fivesistersbluescafe.com Thanksgiving Day Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Five Sisters Blues Cafe will be hosting three private settings on Thanksgiving Day. The restaurant is offering a special pre fixe dinner for adults and children at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Cost is $15.95 for adults and $7.99 for children 10 and under. Settings are by reservation only, and guests may inquire about reservations and other details with a Five Sisters host at 912-4856. The pre fixe menu includes your choice of soup or salad, followed by a plentiful entrée of roasted turkey with cornbread dressing and gravy, baked honey ham, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, candied yams, cranberry relish, rolls and butter. For dessert, you’ll have your choice of pecan or sweet potato tart, or blueberry bread pudding with rum sauce.

They’ll also be offering drink specials and are offering shrimp cocktails for an additional $5.95.

2010 Holiday Gift Guide special advertising section

Indulge a n d c h e e se s f o r e ve r y ta s te .

Evil Eye Charms Se t W ith C Z 's (Colle c tion s t ar ting at $4 0) Pr o te c t t h e m w i t h a n Ev i l Ey e Ch a r m , a n a n c i e n t a p o t r o p a i c— to w a r d a g a i n s t t h e e v i l gaze.

Ava i l a b l e a t S u s a n Ca m p b e l l J e we l r y

Per sonalize d G if t Cer tif icates Fo r t h e p e r so n w h o h a s e ve r y t h i n g , g i ve t h e gif t of art or keepsake memories.

Ava i l a b l e a t Fra m i n g

by D e s i g n

H oliday THE GR AND MARLIN

400 Pensacola Beach Blvd., 677-9238, thegrandmarlin.com Thanksgiving Day Hours: Closed Thanksgiving Day

Locally Produced Craf ts and Art S h o p l o ca l t h i s h o l i d a y se a so n f r o m a va r i e t y o f l o ca l ve n d o r s .

Po r t Ci t y M a r k e t i s o p e n S a t u rd a y s 9 a . m .-1 p. m . a t t h e co r n e r o f Pa l a f o x a n d M a i n s t r e e t s .

Cus tomiz able Wine D e ta i l s a va i l a b l e a t p o r tc i t yof the Month m a r k e t . co m .

M emb er ship – A YearAva i l a b l e a t Po r t Ci t y Round G if t Market Tw o w i n e s d e l i ve r e d m o n t h l y f o r t h r e e , s i x o r 12 m o n t h s .

Fr e e d e l i ve r y i n E sca m b i a a n d S a n ta R o s a co u n t i e s . ▼ M o t i va te y o u r l o ve d o n e s w i t h Ava i l a b l e a t A ra g o n Wi n e g i f t s to ta k e t h e m to t h e n e x t l e ve l .

Market

▼ I n d u l g e t h e p a l a te w i t h w i n e s

Motivate

Inspire

Per sonalize d G if t B aske t s Cr e a te a g i f t b a s k e t as unique as the people on your holiday checklist.

Ava i l a b l e a t A ra g o n Wi n e M a r k e t

▼ I n s p i r e c r e a t i v i t y i n t h e k i tc h e n a n d a t h o m e t h i s h o l i d a y se a so n (w i t h a l i t t l e h e l p f r o m t h e p r o s).

Fies t a Seafo o d Co ok b o ok ($19.95) T h i s h a r d co ve r co o k b o o k i s p a c k e d w i t h 20 0+ r e c ip e s f r o m Pe n s a co l a c h e f s .

Ava i l a b l e a t e s p n a t u ra l g a s . co m /co o k b o o k /co o k b o o kf o r m and at participating

retailers

Ke eps ake Shadow B ox Le t Fra m i n g by D e s i g n h e l p y o u c r e a te a lasting gift using your keepsakes.

Ava i l a b l e a t Fra m i n g by Design

JACKSON'S STE AKHOUSE 400 S. Palafox St., 469-9898, jacksons.goodgrits.com Thanksgiving Day Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

▼ Pa m p e r y o u r f r i e n d s a n d l o ve d o n e s w i t h r e l a x a t i o n , s t r e s s r e l i e f a n d se r e n i t y.

H oliday Sp a Pack ages (St ar ting at $125) Co m b i n e a va r i e t y o f d e ca d e n t s p a se r v i ce s f o r t h e u l t i m a te s p a d a y f o r y o u r f r i e n d s , co wo r k e r s a n d l o ve d o n e s .

Ava i l a b l e a t St i l l Wa te r s D a y & M e d i ca l S p a

Spa G if t Cer tif icates Co n ve n i e n t p u rc h a se a n d d e l i ve r y o p t i o n s a va i l a b l e o n l i n e a t s t i l l w a te r s m e d s p a . co m o r by ca l l i n g 432- 6772.

Ava i l a b l e a t St i l l Wa te r s D a y & M e d i ca l S p a

Create a new Thanksgiving tradition with “The Grand Marlin Traditional Thanksgiving To Go.” The Thanksgiving dinner for four includes: Creamy mushroom and wild rice soup (1.5 quart); Salad of greens with walnuts, pears, blue and cheddar cheese, balsamic vinaigrette (1/2 pan); Broccoli crowns with garlic lemon-herb butter (1/2 pan); Molasses mashed sweet potatoes (1/2 pan, 2.5 pounds); Roasted boneless brined turkey breasts (Two each); Herbed cornbread stuffing with sausage and apples (1/2 pan, 2.5 pounds); Turkey gravy (1 quart); Apple cider baked apples (Four); Cranberry orange relish (1 pint). Also choose one pie per dinner for four: Dutch apple pie 10 inch (6 slices); Pumpkin pie 10 inch (6 slices); or Pecan pie 10 inch (6 slices). Only 140 meals of four guests each will be prepared, so make your order today.

Order by Friday Nov. 19.

Pick up until 9 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 24.

G armin Forerunner Running Watches I n d i s p e n s a b l e t ra i n i n g to o l s f o r r u n n e r s a n d a t h l e te s o f a l l l e ve l s .

Ava i l a b l e a t R u n n i n g Wi l d

Pamper

EATS

Jackson’s Steakhouse will be serving a Thanksgiving Plate in addition to their new fall dinner menu. Chef Irv Miller has prepared a traditional Thanksgiving Plate with all of the trimmings—fresh herb-rubbed roasted sliced turkey served alongside country-style green beans, andouille-cornbread stuffing, Anjou pear and cranberry relish, maple-whipped sweet potatoes and down-home gravy for $28. Call 469-9898 to reserve your table.

NE W YORK NICK’S 9-11 Palafox Place, 469-1984, newyorknicks.net Thanksgiving Day Hours: 10 a.m.-till New York Nick’s is open on Gobble Gobble Day from 10 a.m. until the night games end. They’ll be offering a full menu along with NFL Football, NHL Hockey, NBA Basketball and College Basketball games. Nick’s will also be broadcasting the Pensacola Ice Flyers’ away game live at 7 p.m. on two 50-inch screens—a New York Nick's exclusive.

Enjoy happy hour all day until 7 p.m., then $2 domestic longnecks all night. Sports don’t take holidays, so neither does Nick’s.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

15

PROOF O.K. BY:___________________________________________ O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY:___________________________ REVISE: YES

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ADVERTISER: PAPA DON PRODUCTIONS SIZE: 10 PUBLICATION: PENSACOLA NJ

NO

arts + entertainment ART, FILM, MUSIC, STAGE, BOOKS AND OTHER SIGNS OF CIVILIZATION...

SUICIDE AWARENESS WALK PLANNED FOR SATURDAY SEEDS OF HOPE 5K COMMUNITY WALK TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE DAY

BY BRADLEY “BEEJ” DAVIS JR.

I n l i f e , w e ’r e c o n d i t i o n e d t o prepare. Albeit for an exam, work p r e s e n t a t i o n o r s t o r y i n t e r v i e w, w e ’r e t a u g h t t h a t k n o w l e d g e i s p o w e r, a n d to gain that knowledge, research and p r e p a r a t i o n a r e f u n d a m e n t a l . O n o ccasion, we can prepare for the death of a loved one. Whether it be an ailing relative with a terminal illness such a s c a n c e r o r A l z h e i m e r ’s , t h e r e ’s a n opportunity for finding peace with d e a t h . S u i c i d e , h o w e v e r, o f f e r s n o such preparation. Loved ones lef t behind from that tragic passing will always possess the perpetual feelings of unanswered questions, unbelievable grief and an overwhelming sense of having no real closure.

W h e n I l o s t m y b r o t h e r, A d a m , t o s u i c i d e o n A u g . 19, 20 0 9, I w a s a b l e t o recognize those feelings, and although I’ve done myself no justice by h a l f- h e a r t e d l y a d d r e s s i n g t h e m d u ri n g t h e p a s t 15 m o n t h s , i t ’s t i m e I t a k e a look at my loss with some semblance of discernment. I invented a concili a t o r y a d a g e t h a t “ l o s s i s l o s s ,” n o matter the degree of cause, timing or a n y o t h e r e x t e r n a l — o r i n t e r n a l — f a ctors that contribute to such a death.

I ’d l i k e t o r e n o u n c e t h a t a d a g e a n d state that a seemingly untimely death compounded with the mystery and taboo associated with suicide is, at t i m e s , c l i c h é . B u t , i t ’s m y c l i c h é , a n d i t ’s t h e c l i c h é o f t h e s u r v i v o r s o f t h e nearly one million people who commit suicide worldwide each year (World H e a l t h O r g a n i z a t i o n). T h a t m e a n s every 40 seconds, friends, family and other loved ones of suicide victims are f a c e d w i t h t h e c h a l l e n g e s o f a n s w e ri n g t h e t e l l - t a l e q u e s t i o n : “ W h y? ” We l l , k n o w l e d g e i s p o w e r, a n d a g r o u p o f U n i v e r s i t y o f W e s t Fl o r i d a s t u d e n t s h a v e c o m e t o g e t h e r t o s h a r e t h e i r p e rsonal knowledge and are now sharing it with the community this Saturday at t h e S e e d s o f H o p e 5K Co m m u n i t y Wa l k .

I would like to thank those students for sharing their knowledge to help us better prepare ourselves and help a n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n s w e ’r e l e f t w i t h af ter a suicide.

The vine is a drawing that Andrea Duncan drew – she took her life Sept. 2010 just 2 days before her 27th bday. It is now Seeds of Hope’s official logo. Jewelry with the logo will be for sale at the walk. n Saturday, community members who have lost a loved one to suicide will come together for a 5K awareness walk at the University of West Florida. The location for the “Seeds of Hope” (SOH) walk coincides with the home of the courageous student group Students for Suicide Awareness (SSA) and the Lambda Beta chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity, who lost 21-year-old brother Tyler Kinsely to suicide two years ago.

This year’s inaugural event, which falls on National Survivors of Suicide Day, will host such activities as a 5K non-competitive walk, survivors’ art exhibit, kids’ activities, jewelry and craft vendors, silent auction and chance drawing. Walk participants will also be joined by world-champion boxer Roy Jones Jr. After the activities, participants are invited to Handlebar for an after party with two Athens, Ga. Bands—Victor Charlie and Five Eight. Most importantly, however, the event will bring awareness to this tragic form of death that leaves loved ones with questions and grief. “(The walk) is a great way to heal and meet and talk with other people who have experienced similar things. It is also a great way to make a change and educate others,” said SSA president Sabra Jernigan, who lost a cousin to suicide in June of 2009.

“Knowledge and awareness is the first step needed to begin making changes, and we are dedicated to changing the stigma surrounding suicide and depression. We are dedicated to saving lives.”

O

Awareness walks are not something new to Pensacola, which is evident with October’s American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer “Mall to Mall” Walk, which had an estimated attendance of 10,000 participants. Despite the SOH walk making its way into the community awareness scene, the national “Out of the Darkness” walk was the inspiration for this type of event. Local activist and community leader Raela Villanueva has attended the national walk and has also paired with SSA as an advisor to help promote the group’s mission.

“I can honestly say that my eyes and my heart opened up when a friend and I participated in the first Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk in August 2003 in Washington, D.C.,” said Villanueva, 38. “This was when I felt most empowered, joined by over 2,000 survivors across the states on a 27-mile journey through the night to raise awareness and money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.”

Nearly 14 years ago, Villanueva lost her brother, Jr., to suicide. He was a 22-year-old senior at the University of Florida with aspirations of becoming a physician. She says the healing process was gradual as she and her family performed such functions as establishing the DREAM scholarship from 2001 to 2006 for Catholic High School students seeking higher education. In 2002, she joined the Mental Health Association board of directors leading her to a volunteer position as the Regional Director for the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition, of which she is still a part. In 2009, she began her work with SSA, leading to the inception of Saturday’s walk.

She, too, feels the everyday struggles with being a survivor left behind from suicide.

“I had reached a super low point about a year after my brother died, and I was so depressed that I actually thought about it, had the means to do it, but all I could think about was my family and the pain they were already suffering,” she said. “I realize now that the pain I was feeling is nothing compared to what (Jr.) suffered in silence.”

There is help for those suffering in silence, and awareness is the first step toward understanding where people can get help. Jernigan reminds those affected by suicide that “breaking the silence” is integral to awareness.

“In so many cases, those left behind were not even aware there was a problem,”

said Jernigan. “That is what our goal is as an organization. We strive to break the silence and decrease the stigma that surrounds suicide and depression, so that those suffering feel more comfortable talking about what they are going through.”

The walk could not have been scheduled at a better time, with recent national attention to a rash of suicides, many being young people turning to suicide as a result of bullying and emotional abuse. Villanueva states that no matter the cause of suicide, taking into account all external or internal factors, survivors left behind by suicide are still among a group that should come together to share with and support one another.

“Survivors of suicide are members of a club that no one signed up for; it wasn’t our choice. But, it was their choice to end their silent suffering, so we must accept that at some point, let go of the guilt, the shame, and the anger,” she said. “By coming together and sharing our stories, we allow our loved ones to live on and shed light for those who are left suffering in silence. Now is the time for us to come together. The more we talk about it, the more awareness that is raised, the better the chances of helping to save other families from such a tragedy.” info@inweekly.net

SEEDS OF HOPE COMMUNITY WALK

WHEN: Registration 8 a.m. Walk begins at 9 a.m.

Saturday, Nov. 20 WHERE: University of West Florida Campus (Parking Lots X & Y).

COST: $13 students, $15 non-students DETAILS: active.com/community-services/pensacola-fl/seeds-of-hope-5k-community-walk-2010

ADDITIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES:

• American Federation for Suicide Prevention: afsp.org • Florida Suicide Prevention: floridasuicideprevention.org • The Jed Foundation: jedfoundation.org • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255

INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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hot times THURSDAY 11.18 5TH ANNUAL BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU PARTY 6-8 p.m. Taste and buy Beaujolais Nouveau as you enjoy live French music, French onion soup and door prizes. La Masion d’Elodie, 824 E. La Rua St. 433-6427 or lamasiondelodie.com.

WOMEN-ONLY MORNING RUNS AT RUNNING WILD 6 a.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, weekly. Meet at Running Wild for a steady-pace run for all levels of runners. 3012 E. Cervantes St. 435-9222 or werunwild.com.

WINE TASTING AND OPEN HOUSE AT ARTESANA FINE WINES 5-7 p.m. Sample a wide selection of wines with special pricing on the wines featured. Light snacks will be provided. Artesana Fine Wines, 240 W. Garden St. 433-8466 or artesanawines.com.

JUNIOR LEAGUE MARKETBASKET PREVIEW GALA 7-10 p.m.

Join the Junior League of Pensacola for a preview gala of 2010’s Marketbasket. $30 per person in advance, $35 per person at the door. $55 per couple in advance, $65 per couple at the door. Silent auction and heavy hors d’oeuvres included.

201 E. Gregory St. 433-4421 or juniorleagueofpensacola.org.

‘WOMEN IN ART’ WITH PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES 6 p.m.

Pensacola Museum of Art will examine historical and cultural issues presented by John Bott, a visiting art historian. Free.

Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org.

‘NUNCRACKERS’ AT PLT 7:30 Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-20; 2:30 Sunday, Nov. 21. The Nunsense Christmas Musical, Nuncrackers, is presented as the first TV special taped in the Cable Access Studio built by Reverend Mother in the convent basement. It stars the nuns you love, plus Father Virgil and four of Mount Saint Helen’s most talented students.

Tickets $25, $20, $18, $15. Group rates also available. 4322042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com.

WINE TASTING AT ARAGON WINE MARKET 5-7 p.m. weekly.

Sample wines to serve with your Thanksgiving Day feast, including the new release of Beaujolais Nouveau. Local artist Lisa Novelle will also be showing her pottery in the store. 27 S. Ninth Ave. 433-9463 or aragonwinemarket.com.

THIRSTY THURSDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly. Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd.

549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

CARIBBEAN NIGHT AT WILL CALL 10 p.m.-close weekly. $5 entrance fee includes one free drink and all the dancing you can stand. 22 S. Palafox St. 912-8644 or willcallsports.com.

COLLEGE NIGHT COOK-OUT 7-10 p.m. weekly. No cover with college ID. Cookout, drink specials and live music. End O’ the Alley Bar inside Seville Quarter.130 E. Government St. 4346211 or sevillequarter.com.

MUSIC: HOLLY SHELTON 7 p.m. No cover. Five Sisters Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com.

MUSIC: LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 6-10 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

FRIDAY 11.19 GALLERY NIGHT 5-9 p.m. Enjoy an evening of arts and culture by touring downtown’s art galleries, restaurants, bars and other local businesses. 434-5371 or downtownpensacola.com. ▼LIVE PAINTING DEMONSTRATION AT VINYL 5-9 p.m. Joe Hobbs, a local artist, and Famous Gabe, local artist and owner of Hula Moon Tattoo, will join forces during Gallery Night to create a one-of-a-kind painting on site using their surroundings and spectators as fodder for inspiration. The outcome will be determined as the painting progresses and will be the result of many collaborative efforts by the two regionally-based, nationally-acclaimed artists. For more info

on Joe Hobbs or Famous Gabe, visit thejoehobbs.com and famousgame.com. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox Place.

questions about the films or schedule, please call Jim Norton at (863) 446-7300.

‘ART IN THE PARK’ AT DIGITAL NOW REPROGRAPHICS 5-9 p.m. Digital Now presents for Gallery Night “Art in the Park,” with Faces of Jamaica by Bethany Lauren Brown and Elise Hensley, with proceeds benefiting Jamaican orphanages, as well as additional artwork. Enjoy live music by Nick Milano and E.M.P.S., interactive children’s art sessions and face painting, BBQ from Famous Dave’s, and more. Free taxi rides to all official Gallery Night participants until 9:30 p.m. 282 N. Palafox St. Contact Pam Turner or Jeneane Skelton at 4342525 for more information.

CELTIC THUNDER AT THE SAENGER THEATRE 7:30 p.m. Come out and enjoy a performance of an eclectic mix of songs along with a diverse range of musical styles. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox Place. 595-3882 or saengerpensacola.com.

JUNIOR LEAGUE MARKETBASKET Stroller-free shopping 9 a.m.-Noon. Regular shopping hours Noon-9 p.m. $6 in advance, $7 at the door, $3 for children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and younger. Tickets available at Civic Center box office, online at ticketmaster.com, from Junior League members, or the Junior League office, 3298 Summit Blvd., Suite 44. Call 433-4421.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’ RECEPTION AT GALLERY ZARRAGOSSA 5-10 p.m. Through Dec. 20. View the collections of works by acrylic and pastel artist Eleanor Williams and stained glass artist Mary Hallford. Light refreshments will be served.

Gallery Zarragossa, 310 E. Government St., Second Floor. 4698060 or galleryzarragossa.com.

THE PENSACOLA FILM FESTIVAL FALL SCREEN SERIES 2010 1 p.m. 4 p.m. 7 p.m. through Nov. 21. The finest in new and independent cinema will screen at the Gulf Breeze Cinema 4 over the three-day weekend. Twelve indie and foreign cinema films, as well as classics and kid’s movies, screen throughout the weekend. All access passes $25. Daily shows are $8 for adults, $6 for kids and seniors, $6 for all 1 p.m. shows. For

26TH ANNUAL FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL 6:30 p.m. Through Nov. 21. Over 150 nationally acclaimed songwriters in multiple venues along the Gulf Coast. fbisf.com.

WINE TASTING AT CITY GROCERY 5:15-7:30 p.m. weekly. Sample wines and enjoy live entertainment. Free. 2050 N. 12th Ave. WINE TASTING AT SEVILLE QUARTER 5-7 p.m. weekly. All wines available at special pricing. Free. Gift Shoppe at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com BEER AND WINE TASTING AT DISTINCTIVE KITCHENS 4:30-7 p.m. weekly. Free. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox Place.

438-4688 or dk4u.com.

26TH ANNUAL FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL 6:30 p.m. through Nov. 21. Over 150 nationally acclaimed songwriters in multiple venues along the Gulf Coast. fbisf.com.

WEST SIDE STORY 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Nov. 18-20.

2:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium. $15 general admission. $10 for seniors, children, non-Pensacola State College students. $8 for Senior Club members, Pensacola State College staff, faculty and retirees. Free for Pensacola State College students. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 475-3609 or pensacolastate.edu.

LADIES NIGHT AND LIVE BANDS AT SAVANNA BLUE 9 p.m. weekly. Enjoy drink specials and live music. Savanna Blue Neighborhood Grille, 4238 W. Fairfield Drive. 453-2980 or savannablue.net.

PHAT GIRLZ 9:30 a.m. Meet at Running Wild. This is a women’s only, all abilities running group. All abilities 3 to 6 miles through East Pensacola Heights. 3012 E. Cervantes St. 4359222 or werunwild.com.

COLLEGE NIGHT AT SAVANNA BLUE 6 p.m.-2 a.m. weekly. All you can drink domestic draft and well drinks for $10. Enjoy the sounds of ‘40s music as you drink and drown. Savanna Blue Neighborhood Grille, 4238 W. Fairfield Drive. 453-2980 or savannablue.net.

PENSACOLA SWING 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m. weekly. Lessons from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Open dancing until midnight. American Legion Post 33, 1401 W. Intendencia St. $5. 437-5465 or pensacolaswing.com.

COLLEGE NIGHT WITH D-MIXX 11 p.m. weekly. Dance the night away with the sound mixes of DvDJ D-Mixx. $5 for 21 and up. $10 for 18-20. Phineas Phogg’s inside of Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

FINALLY FRIDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly. Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd.

549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

EVENING RUNS AT RUNNING WILD 5:30 p.m. weekly. Meet at Running Wild for a steady-pace run for all levels of runners.

3012 E. Cervantes St. 435-9222 or werunwild.com.

MUSIC: GALLERY NIGHT CONCERT AT VINYL 8 p.m. Join Vinyl Music Hall as they celebrate November’s downtown Gallery Night.

Free. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox Place. vinylmusichall.com.

HERB CLASS AT EVER’MAN 5:30 p.m. weekly. Come study different herbs. Enjoy different guest lecturers every Thursday night, and learn techniques recommended by the Cambridge Institute.

Free for members, $2 for non-members. Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St. 438-0402 or everman.org.

MUSIC: HOLLY SHELTON AND DAVID SHELANDER 8 p.m. weekly. Ragtyme Grille, 201 S. Jefferson St. 429-9655 or ragtyme.net.

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LIGHT OF THE MOON TOUR 7:30 p.m. 8:45 p.m. 10 p.m.

Through Nov. 20. Experience the paranormal history of the Pensacola Lighthouse. Reservations needed. Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum, 2081 Radford Blvd. 393-1561 or pensacolalighthouse.org.

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hot times MUSIC: LIVE MUSIC AT THE DECK 6 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

SATURDAY 11.20 WINE EDUCATION CLASS AT ARAGON WINE MARKET 4-6 p.m.

“Blend Your Own Bordeaux.” Learn about the Bordeaux area of France and try your hand at making your own Bordeaux-style blend. $35. Register online at continuinged.uwf.edu. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. Ninth Ave. JUNIOR LEAGUE MARKETBASKET 9 a.m.-9 p.m. $6 in advance, $7 at the door, $3 for children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and younger. Tickets available at Civic Center box office, online at ticketmaster.com, from Junior League members, or the Junior League office, 3298 Summit Blvd., Suite 44. Call 433-4421.

2010 WILD TURKEY TROT 5K 8 a.m. Join Seville Quarter Milers for a run-walk through downtown Pensacola. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

OLD EAST HILL ANNUAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Refreshments served all day, with drinks and hors d’oeuvres from 3 p.m. Ninth Avenue between Jackson and La Rua streets. Participating businesses include Crane & Company Hair & Art, Inside the Home, Vicace, Betty Paul Antiques, Jackson Hill Antiques, and La Maison d’Elodie. Call Elodie Cardon at 433-6427 for additional details.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’ RECEPTION AT GALLERY ZARRAGOSSA 5-10 p.m. Through Dec. 20. View the collections of works by acrylic and pastel artist Eleanor Williams and stained glass artist Mary Hallford. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery Zarragossa, 310 E. Government St., Second Floor. 469-8060 or galleryzarragossa.com.

THANKSGIVING FEAST Thursday November 25 Three private settings are available for reservations only: 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM Enjoy our special pre fixe menu for adults & children:

CREEK INDIAN TRIBE ANNUAL POW-WOW 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. through Sunday. Experience Native American customs, intertribal dancing, crafts, food and more. Florida Town Park in Pace, located at the East end of Florida Town Road on Escambia Bay. santarosacountycreekindiantribe.com.

▶staff pick

MOVIES THAT WILL MOVE YOU

CINEMA 4 PRESENTS PENSACOLA FILM FESTIVAL

BY JENNIE MCKEON

I

f you’re not interested in seeing the latest installment of the “Harry Potter” series, or you just want something to take your mind off the fact the series is coming to an end, you should see one or all 12 of the movies playing at the Pensacola Film Festival Fall Screen Series.

The Pensacola Film Festival will be held Friday, Nov. 19 until Sunday, Nov. 21. Show times will be 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children and seniors. Tickets for the 1 p.m. matinee time are $6. The best deal is the weekend pass; for $25 you can see all 12 movies.

Cinema 4 is the only movie theater in this area that exclusively plays independent films. “I book the movies on a regular basis,” said Jim Norton, owner of Cinema 4. “I look for quality movies, which usually end up being small, independent films.”

Norton understands that many moviegoers will choose the blockbuster showing at the nearby Rave, which is why he doesn’t try to compete with them.

“We accept the fact that teenagers and young adults will go to big, fancy multiplexes,” Norton said. “The big guys will play ‘Harry Potter’ on several screens, which doesn’t leave room for the limited release movies. We try to be more exclusive and show the limited releases. We don’t compete directly with the big guys.”

The movies playing at the Pensacola Film Festival include dramas such as “I Am Love” starring Tilda Swinton, and “The Burning Plain” starring Charlize Theron. There are documentaries, a thriller and even a western. There’s also something for the kids. You can send the kids to see “The Bugs Bunny Movie” or “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” while you take in a movie of your choice.

In March, when Cinema 4 holds its spring festival, you can enjoy even more movies with the same high quality standards. The spring festival also includes short films by local and student filmmakers. One of the films that will be showcased is “The New Year” by Brett Haley. Haley grew up in the area and shot the entire short film in Gulf Breeze and Pensacola using local actors.

Cinema 4 doesn’t have flashy signs and big budget movies on the screen, but the theater doesn’t need either of those things to be successful. The Pensacola Film Festival brings people in from as far as Destin and Orange Beach, which shows that the movies alone will speak for Cinema 4.

“We hope to get comments and requests for more movies,” Norton said. “We want to give people the opportunity to see and hear different things. Anybody can come to the festival, we’re always happy to see you.”

Adults 15.95 Children (10 & Under) 7.99 Please contact our host at (850) 912-4856 | www.FIVESISTERSBLUESCAFE.com

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PENSACOLA FILM FESTIVAL FALL SCREEN SERIES

WHEN: Friday-Sunday, Nov. 19-21 WHERE: Gulf Breeze Cinema 4, 1175 Gulf Breeze Parkway (on Highway 98 in the Village Live Oak Shopping Center) COST: $8 for adults, $6 for children and seniors, and $6 for 1 p.m. matinee showings DETAILS: gulfbreezecinema4.com, or 916-9402

SaturdayS 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Palafox & Main Street Downtown Pensacola INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

19

hot times SALTED RIM SATURDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly.

Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

LIGHT OF THE MOON TOUR 7:30 p.m. 8:45 p.m. 10 p.m.

Experience the paranormal history of the Pensacola Lighthouse.

Reservations needed. Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum, 2081 Radford Blvd. 393-1561 or pensacolalighthouse.org.

TEXAS HOLD’EM 3 p.m. weekly. Paddy O’Leary’s, 49 Via De Luna, Pensacola Beach. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

PET FEST 2010 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Bring the family along with your family pets. $5 for pet to enter display area. $10 for pet to enter Rover’s Run display. Gulf Breeze Elementary, 549 Gulf Breeze Parkway. 932-7888 or gulfbreezechamber.com.

WEST SIDE STORY AT PENSACOLA STATE 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Nov. 18-20. 2:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium. $15 general admission. $10 for seniors, children, non-Pensacola State College students. $8 for Senior Club members, Pensacola State College staff, faculty and retirees. Free for Pensacola State College students. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 475-3609 or pensacolastate.edu.

the door, $3 for children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and younger.

Tickets available at Civic Center box office, online at ticketmaster. com, from Junior League members, or the Junior League office, 3298 Summit Blvd., Suite 44. Call 433-4421.

SUNSET SUNDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly. Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

SUCKER FREE SUNDAYS 11 a.m-2:30 a.m. weekly. All draft beers half price. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom, 10 Palafox Place.

497-6073 or hopjacks.com.

WEST SIDE STORY 2:30 p.m. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium. $15 general admission. $10 for seniors, children, non-Pensacola State College students. $8 for Senior Club members, Pensacola State College staff, faculty and retirees. Free for Pensacola State College students. Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 475-3609 or pensacolastate.edu.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’ RECEPTION AT GALLERY ZARRAGOSSA 5-10 p.m. Through Dec. 20. View the collections of works by acrylic and pastel artist Eleanor Williams and stained glass artist Mary Hallford. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery Zarragossa, 310 E. Government St., Second Floor. 469-8060 or galleryzarragossa.com.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’ RECEPTION AT GALLERY ZARRAGOSSA 5-10 p.m. Through Dec. 20. View the collections of works by acrylic and pastel artist Eleanor Williams and stained glass artist Mary Hallford. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery Zarragossa, 310 E. Government St., Second Floor. 469-8060 or galleryzarragossa.com.

MCGUIRE’S RUNNING CLUB 6 p.m. weekly. Meet by the doubledecker bus in the parking lot at 5:45 p.m. Start the 5K run/walk at 6 p.m. Wear your McGuire’s t-shirt for free drinks and food specials. mcguiresrunners.com.

MONDAY POKER LEAGUE AT THE OAR HOUSE 5:30 p.m. weekly through Dec. 20. Players and spectators will win bar tabs, t-shirts, gift cards and more. The overall champion will be awarded a spot at the World Poker Tour Amateur Championship at the Tropicana Las Vegas, with a chance to compete for over $160,000 in cash and prizes.

The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

MUSIC: MIKE QUINN 9 p.m. Weekly. End O’ the Alley in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

MANIC MONDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly. Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

WINO WEDNESDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly. Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 5494444 or the-oar-house.com.

TEXAS HOLD’EM 4 FUN 7:30 p.m. weekly. Enjoy $2 longnecks.

Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach.

932-2211 or sandshakerlounge.com.

THE BIG MIX AT THE DECK BAR 4-6 p.m. weekly. Happy hour at every bar, every day. Buy one and get one free on any drink. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

MUSIC: LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 6-10 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

MUSIC: KARAOKE 9:30 p.m. weekly. Paddy O’Leary’s, 49 Via De Luna, Pensacola Beach. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

WEDNESDAY 11.24

JINGLE BELL 5K/10K RUN/WALK 8 a.m. Join the Arthritis Foundation with holiday spirit as walkers and runners are encouraged to dress in holiday costumes and tie jingle bells to their shoelaces. $20.

Gulfside Pavilion, 50 Casino Beach. 471-1541 or arthritis.org.

KARAOKE WITH KRAZY GEORGE 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m. weekly. Lili Marlene’s inside of Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

MUSIC: GABE STEEVES 9 p.m. weekly. End O’ The Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

CANDLELIGHT TOURS OF FORT BARRANCAS 5-7:15 p.m. The tour of Fort Barrancas will highlight Pensacola during the Civil War. Visitors are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before tour times. Free. Fort Barrancas NAS, 901 Taylor Road. 455-5167 or nps.gov.

TEXAS HOLD’EM 7 p.m. weekly. Paddy O’Leary’s, 49 Via De Luna, Pensacola Beach. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

TUESDAY 11.23

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’ RECEPTION AT GALLERY ZARRAGOSSA 5-10 p.m. Through Dec. 20. View the collections of works by acrylic and pastel artist Eleanor Williams and stained glass artist Mary Hallford. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery Zarragossa, 310 E. Government St., Second Floor. 469-8060 or galleryzarragossa.com.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC OF MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER 8 p.m. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox Place. 595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 7 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 429-0336 or eotlcafe.com.

BAR BINGO 9:30 p.m. weekly. Miller’s Ale House, 5906 N. Davis Highway. 505-2670 or millersalehouse.com.

MEMBERSHIP NIGHT AT SEVILLE 8 p.m.-12 a.m. weekly. Be the first to receive drink specials, discounts to events and much more. Phineas Phogg’s inside of Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

MUSIC: LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 2-6 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

LADIES NIGHT AT FISH HOUSE 5 p.m. weekly. Guest performance

by Rumor Mill. All drinks $2. 600 S. Barracks St. Free. 470-0003 or goodgrits.com.

SEEDS OF HOPE 5K COMMUNITY WALK 8:45 a.m. Speaker.

9 a.m Walk begins. Raise awareness on National Survivors of Suicide Day. $10 for adults and $8 for students with proper I.D. T-shirts provided for the first 100 registered participants. Psychology Building #41 at the University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway. 554-1827 or ms.raela@gmail.com.

SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 5:30 p.m. weekly. Meet in front of Seville Quarter and run the downtown streets of Pensacola. All levels of runners welcome. Free pasta and drink specials in Fast Eddie’s after you run. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY 11 a.m. weekly. Support your favorite team as you enjoy drink specials, trivia and a football menu. Complex-wide inside of Seville Quarter. 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

MUSIC: AL MARTIN 7 p.m. weekly. Ragtyme Grille, 201 S. Jefferson St. 429-9655 or ragtyme.net.

MUSIC: LIVE MUSIC AT THE DECK 6 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

SUNDAY 11.21 JUNIOR LEAGUE MARKETBASKET 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $6 in advance, $7 at

THE BIG MIX AT THE DECK BAR 4-6 p.m. weekly. Happy hour at every bar, every day. Buy one and get one free on any drink. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

MONDAY 11.22

THE MUSICIANS ALLIANCE 9 p.m.-1 a.m. weekly. Enjoy live music and a chance to meet and greet other musicians in the community.

Lili Marlene’s inside of Seville Quarter, 130 E Government St. 4346211 or sevillequarter.com.

GAMER NIGHT AT SEVILLE 8 p.m. weekly. Engage in some gamer fun with some of the best video games and enjoy drink specials around. Fast Eddie’s inside of Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

▶staff pick

DIESELBOY AT VINYL MUSIC HALL Dieselboy is the first American to be voted into the U.K.-based Drum & Bass Arena Top 10 DJs online poll back in 2004. He is also the first drum and bass artist to chart a single on Billboard’s dance chart with “Invid” in 2000.

Sharing the stage with Dieselboy will be Da Choppa, Megan Davis, Lost and Sound and Eddie Gold (MC). info@inweekly.net

B

rooklyn-based Dieselboy is one of the best known DJs in American drum and bass—and he’s coming to Pensacola.

WHAT: Dieselboy featuring Da Choppa, Megan Davis, Lost and Sound and Eddie Gold (MC) WHEN: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox Place COST: $13 in advance, $16 day of show DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com

20 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

PENNY-A-PIN TUESDAYS 8:30 p.m. weekly. Pay what you bowl.

Cordova Lanes, 2111 Airport Blvd. 477-2300 or cordovalanes.com.

TUESDAY JAM NIGHT 8 p.m. weekly. Get up close and personal with local bands and musicians as they provide live entertainment. Lili Marlene’s inside of Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’ RECEPTION AT GALLERY ZARRAGOSSA 5-10 p.m. Through Dec. 20. View the collections of works by acrylic and pastel artist Eleanor Williams and stained glass artist Mary Hallford. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery Zarragossa, 310 E. Government St., Second Floor. 469-8060 or galleryzarragossa.com.

TUESDAY POKER LEAGUE 6 p.m. weekly through Jan. 18. Win bar tabs, t-shirts, gift cards and more. The overall champion will be awarded a spot at the World Poker Tour Amateur Championship at the Tropicana Las Vegas, with a chance to compete for over $160,000 in cash and prizes. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 5494444 or the-oar-house.com.

TEQUILA TUESDAY AT THE OAR HOUSE 11 a.m. weekly. Enjoy entrée and drink specials. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

HAUNTED TOURS 10:30 a.m. weekly. Take a break from the sun at Haunted Seville Quarter. After your tour enjoy a buffet lunch in Apple Annie’s Courtyard. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 221-1977 or pensacolahistoryandhauntings@cox.net.

LADIES NIGHT AT ANGUS 5 p.m. to close weekly. First “one sipper” on the house. Half off beer, house wine, well and drink menu. Buy one item on the Lounge Menu and receive the second for half off.

1101 Scenic Highway. 432-0539 or anguspensacola.com.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAM SESSION 7-9:30 p.m. weekly. Local musicians are invited to attend a weekly jam session to show off and share their talents among other local musicians. Belmont Arts & Cultural Center, 401 N. Reus St. Free. 429-1222 or belmontartscenter.com.

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD NIGHT 7 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 429-0336 or eotlcafe.com.

THREE DOLLAR HOLLER 7 p.m.-close. Enjoy $3 drinks on anything at Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom. 10 S. Palafox Place. 4976073 or hopjacks.com.

WOMEN-ONLY MORNING RUNS AT RUNNING WILD 6 a.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, weekly. Meet at Running Wild for a steady-pace run for all levels of runners. 3012 E. Cervantes St. 435-9222 or werunwild.com.

COMEDY NIGHT AT WOWO BLUE 9 p.m. weekly. Enjoy a late night of laughs with a full bar and daily specials. $5 entrance fee. Savanna Blue Neighborhood Grille, 4238 W. Fairfield Drive.

453-2980 or savannablue.net.

COLLEGE NIGHT AT O’RILEY’S 8 p.m. weekly. Domestic bottles, well drinks and beer pong for only $1 each. O’Riley’s Irish Pub, 3728 Creighton Road. 474-0522 or myspace.com/fullerorileys.

TEAM TRIVIA NIGHT AT HOPJACKS 9 p.m. Join the fun with teams of two or more trivia with prizes awarded to the winners. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom, 10 S. Palafox Place. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com.

WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY AT JACKSON’S 5 p.m. Every Wednesday evening at Jackson’s Steakhouse, every bottle on their award-winning wine list is half off. 400 S. Palafox St. 469-9898 or jacksons.goodgrits.com.

IN MARTINI NIGHT 5-8 p.m. Every Wednesday, join IN Publisher Rick Outzen and get a sneak peak at tomorrow’s issue of the IN. You can pass on any news tips to the publisher himself. Live music. Drink and food specials. The Global Grill, 27 S. Palafox Place. 469-9966.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT AT DISTINCTIVE KITCHENS 6 p.m. Join Chef Keith Hoffert as he demonstrates how to create an exciting menu of sauces for your holiday dinners. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox Place. $44.95. 438-4688 or dk4u.com.

BUSINESS ON THE BALCONY 5:30-7:30 p.m. weekly. Enjoy $1 Miller Lite and PBR drafts, $4 Grey Goose drinks, free appetizers and dinner specials while you network. Will Call Sports Grille, 22 S. Palafox Place. 912-8644 or willcallsports.com.

WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY AT ANGUS 5 p.m. to close weekly.

Enjoy $4 select martinis, $4 premium craft beers and half-off appetizers. 1101 Scenic Highway. 432-0539 or anguspensacola.com.

MUSIC: LIVE MUSIC AT THE DECK 6 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

MUSIC: KARAOKE WITH BECKY 9 p.m. weekly. Sandshaker Lounge, Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 932-2211 or sandshakerlounge.com.

MUSIC: OPEN MIC AND LADIES NIGHT 7 p.m. weekly. Paddy O’Leary’s, 49 Via De Luna, Pensacola Beach. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

MUSIC: DIESELBOY 8 p.m. Join Dieselboy along with Da Choppa, Megan Davis, Lost and Found, and Eddie Gold MC. $13-$16. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox Place. 607-6758 or vinylmusichall.com.

culture

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS WINTERFEST BRINGS SNOW AND SANTA CLAUS TO DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA

BY JENNIE MCKEON

S

ometimes it’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit when you live in Florida. That’s why the people behind Winterfest are Pensacola’s own magical elves.

Winterfest has been transforming downtown Pensacola into a winter wonderland since 2004.

“It’s a neighborhood event that grew up,” said Winterfest coordinator Denise Daughtry.

The holiday event involves the whole downtown community. Those who live in downtown Pensacola feel more inclined to show their holiday spirit and the more houses that put up icicle lights, the merrier.

“Winterfest gets people to realize ‘Oh, it’s Christmas,’” said one of the actors Brandice Purvis. “When people downtown decorate their homes it really brings the community together.”

At Winterfest, all of your favorite holiday memories are captured in an hour-long trolley ride through downtown. The most popular stop is the “Polar Express.”

“It’s a beautiful, gorgeous set,” Daughtry said.

“The ‘Polar Express’ is done so well,” Purvis said. “The characters interact with the audience and you feel like a part of the set.”

And Christmas without Elvis would most certainly be blue.

“Elvis is always an essential,” Daughtry said.

However, Christmas isn’t about presents, gingerbread houses or even trolley rides, and no one knows that more than Nanette Dawson, who plays the angel in the nativity scene.

Dawson has had a rough year, but for her Winterfest is about being grateful for what little she has.

“It really did a lot for me spiritually,” Dawson said of Winterfest. “I’ve gone through homelessness, I lost everything, but there will always be someone out there who has it worse than I do. I’ve learned to be grateful and keep the faith. I’ve also met some awesome people.”

The oil spill is no longer front-page news, but the effects of the spill are still hurting the area. However, Pensacola still has a lot to be grateful for. Dressing up the downtown area and spreading holiday cheer is even more important this Christmas.

“We thought we were going to be doomed,” Purvis said. “To see the spill getting cleaned up is great, but we still need something to take our minds off of what happened.”

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“I grew up in Pensacola,” said Dawson, who is a BP oil worker. “It’s nice to see another side of it. Winterfest is a familyoriented, cultural event. It gives a brighter outlook in a gloomy time.”

Like the New Year’s Eve Pelican Drop, Winterfest is a great opportunity to get people downtown.

“We want to bring people downtown,” Daughtry said. “It makes it a better place.

No one can argue that Santa wouldn’t make downtown a happier place.”

The true spirit of Christmas was also put to good use when ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” came to Pensacola. Winterfest actors donated their time and talent and some of the props were used in the episode which airs on ABC Sunday, Dec. 12.

The first night for the performance trolley tour is Friday, Nov. 26 from 6-8:30 p.m. The tour will run Saturday, Dec. 4, Friday, Dec. 10, and Friday, Dec. 17 until Sunday, Dec. 19. Tours are from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. with the exception of Friday, Dec. 10 and 17 when the tours begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for children 10 years old and under. If you’ve already dipped too low into your Christmas savings, you could take a walking tour at half the price, called “Santa’s Express,” which is a condensed 30-minute tour, or just enjoy the decorations and performances in the plaza for free.

It takes two weeks to set up the winter wonderland illusion, but Winterfest is planned throughout the year. Daughtry and her crew of volunteer elves spend countless hours on sets and costumes. If a storebought item is not up to par with Winterfest standards, the trusty elves get to work.

info@inweekly.net

WINTERFEST 2010

WHEN: Trolley Tours: 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 26, 5-8:30 p.m. Dec. 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec.10, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Dec.17, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec.18, and 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Dec. 19; Walking Tours are the same dates at 6, 7, and 8 p.m.; Santa’s Express Tours are held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 21, 22, 23 WHERE: 330 S. Jefferson St. COST: Trolley Tours are $18 for adults, and $12 for children 10 years old and under; Walking Tours are $9 for adults, and $5 for children 10 years old and under; Santa’s Express Tours are $10 for adults, and $6 for children 10 years old and under DETAILS: pensacolawinterfest.org, or 417-7321

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“This year we’re doing a Christmas tree, but the ornaments I found online were not good enough, so we’re making our own,” Daughtry said. “The elves are always working.”

One thing that cannot be perfected is the snow, but fake snow is still better than none at all.

“Fake snow is really difficult because it doesn’t last,” Daughtry said. “There’s no such thing as fake real snow. I’ll just stick with the illusion.”

Winterfest is not only great because it’s a one-of-a-kind event, but it brings everyone in Pensacola together.

“To watch faces light up from something as simple as shaking Rudolph’s hand is amazing,” Purvis said. “I love it.”

“We want to evoke the feeling of nostalgia,” Daughtry said. “We always think yesterday was better than today; we want people to remember the good times.”

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SILVERSCREENTHEATRE.COM INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

21

culture

“WOMEN IN ART” LECTURE AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART

BY KATE PETERSON

to go to college, and to follow our dreams.

Foley High School was also terrific. Mr. Smith, our principal, was a great example as an educator.

IN: You received your Bachelor of Science degree in art from Troy State College, followed by a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. What made you choose art as a major?

Bott: I had always created art and never really considered anything else. Troy State didn’t have an art major when I started there, but got one when I was away in the Army.

Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1612-13

A

rt historian and artist John Bott will speak on the topic of “Women in Art” at the Pensacola Museum of Art on the evening of Nov. 18. Bott grew up in Magnolia Springs, Ala., and attended Troy State College, going on to the University of North Carolina for his Master of Fine Arts. He has been a professor at Colby-Sawyer’s Fine and Performing Arts Department in New London, N.H. since 1977. Although he retired this year, not much is slowing him down.

Recently, IN had a chance to catch up with him and discuss his work and influences.

IN: Though you currently live in New Hampshire, I see that you graduated from Foley High School. What was it like growing up in Foley, Ala. in the mid-1950s?

Bott: I lived in Magnolia Springs when I was growing up. It was a great place to grow up. People were very encouraging for us

IN: Your imagery has frequently drawn on the natural world. Was your early experience on the Gulf Coast an influence?

Bott: The Gulf Coast, the beach and also the Magnolia River were big influences, but I actually came to nature as a theme only in middle age. As a young man, I was more influenced by jazz.

IN: Your career spans some of the most influential art movements of the 20th century. Which have had the most impact on your work? Which artists in particular?

Bott: As you might expect I have a long list of influences, starting with Monet and jumping to Jackson Pollock. Helen Frankenthaler and a number of others also influenced me.

IN: In 1976 you attended a summer master class with Elaine De Kooning, famous abstract expressionist and figurative expressionist. How did that experience change you?

Bott: Elaine’s class was very interesting, but we spent more time gossiping than anything else. She knew everybody.

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IN: Despite the achievements of artists like Elaine De Kooning and some others, critical attention to women in the history of art has been lacking until fairly recently. Will your lecture, “Women in Art,” address that issue?

Bott: I first became involved in gender issues in the late-1970s when I met Judy Chicago and Marian Shapiro and several others at a College Art Association in Detroit. They were introducing the Women’s Coalition and made available a number of resources.

IN: Do you think that gender issues are important ones for contemporary art?

Bott: In recent years, many of the top artists are women. Museums are still a little slow on acquiring historical work by women, but some, like Artemisia Gentileschi, are held in very high esteem (second only to Caravaggio).

IN: How different are the issues facing artists now from when you began as a student?

Bott: I began to be interested in the subject because more of my students were female.

Nowadays, lots of faculty members are women and we take women artists seriously—at least in the Northeast where I have been living and teaching. Most people who know little about art can name only one or two women artists. I think gender issues are no longer important because of discrimination, but are important for consideration of the question: “Is women’s imagery different than men’s?” Lucy Lippard has addressed this issue. In the old days, people would say of a woman artist, “She paints just like a man,” and consider it a compliment.

IN: How has your dedication to teaching enriched your own work?

Bott: When I began as an artist, how the work looked was the most important thing.

Today, some people say aesthetics is not really a guiding factor in art. I don’t agree with them. College students are at a wonderful age. They are full of life and have a lot of creativity. I miss them. College teaching sets high standards for teachers and keeps you in touch with the art community. You are expected to make art on a very high level.

IN: How has your work changed over the years? How have you adapted to the digital options now available to artists?

Bott: My work has changed continuously over the years. And, yes, I am very influenced by digital stuff, but not as a method of making. Computer images are too impermanent. They do very much affect the way I look at things. A good example is what I see on my satellite TV when there is a storm and the picture breaks up. I am very interested in grids and have been for years.

IN: Do you have a website? Can our readers view your work online?

Bott: colby-sawyer.edu/assets/pdf/alumnimagazine-winter08.pdf info@inweekly.net

JOHN BOTT’S “WOMEN IN ART” LECTURE

WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18 WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. COST: Free, but RSVP is requested DETAILS: pensacolamuseumofart.org/events, or 432-6247

A SALUTE TO DIFFERENCE MAKERS Susan Story, who has served as Gulf Power President and CEO since 2003, has been named President and CEO of Southern Company Services in Atlanta. Her leadership will be missed and we wish her success in her new responsibilities.

We are grateful for your continued support!

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23

24 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

news of the weird SURREAL ESTATE: Sixty-two percent of the 12 million people of Mumbai, India, live in slums, but the city is also home to Mukesh Ambani’s 27-story private residence (37,000 square feet, 600 employees serving a family of five), reported to cost about $1 billion.

According to an October New York Times dispatch, there are “terraces upon terraces,” “four-story hanging gardens,” “airborne swimming pools,” and a room where “artificial weather” can be created. Ambani and his brother inherited their father’s textileexporting juggernaut but notoriously spend much of their time in intra-family feuding. A local domestic worker told the Times (after noting that both she and Ambani are “human being(s)”) that she has difficulty understanding why the Ambanis have so much while she struggles on the equivalent of $90 a month.

CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE Stacey Herald, 36, of Dry Ridge, Ky., is 28 inches tall, with a rare condition called Osteogenisis Imperfecta, which causes brittle bones and underdeveloped organs -- provoking doctors’ warnings that childbirth could cause the fetus to crush Stacey’s lungs and heart (and produce a baby susceptible for life to broken legs and arms). However, to the delight of husband Wil, 27 (and 69 inches tall), Stacey recently gave birth to baby No. 3 and promised more.

The middle child, 2, without OI, is already a foot taller than Stacey, but the other two are afflicted, with the recent one (according to a July ABC News report) 5 inches long at birth, weighing 2 pounds, 10 ounces.

PROLIFIC: (1) In October, police arrested a man arriving at the Madras, India, airport from Sri Lanka, bringing precious stones into the country in his stomach. After employing laxatives, police recovered 2,080 diamonds. (2) William Wright, 54, was arrested in St. Petersburg, Fla., in October and charged with using a hidden camera in a ladies’ room to photograph a young girl. Charges are still pending from 2009 when police said Wright had taken “upskirt” photos of more than 2,300 women.

LAST WORDS (1) Ms. Rajini Narayan’s lawyer told the court in Adelaide, Australia, in September that she killed her husband by accident after intending only to torch his penis for alleged infidelities. The lawyer said she might have lost control of the gasoline she was holding when her husband said, “No, you won’t (burn me), you fat dumb bitch.” (2) In May, when a fox terrier answered a call of nature in the yard of notoriously lawn-fastidious Charles Clements, 69, in Chicago, Clements confronted the dog’s 23-year-old owner. That led to mutual bravado, which continued even after Clements pulled a gun. The dog-walker was killed immediately after shouting (according to witnesses), “Next time you pull out a pistol, why don’t you use it.”

INEXPLICABLE Convicted sex offender David Parkhurst, 27, was arrested in October in Palm Bay, Fla., and charged with sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl. According

BY CHUCK SHEPPARD to police, when they asked her about any “physical characteristics” of Parkhurst’s body so that they could substantiate her story, she said only that he had a “Superman-shaped shield” implant on his genitals (which was later verified).

UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT Acting on a citizen complaint, officials in Plymouth, England, ruled in October that Army cadets (ages 12 to 18), who practice precision drills with their rifles, could not handle them during the public parade on Britain’s Remembrance Day (Veterans Day). Officials said they did not want to be “glamorizing” guns.

• In June, the roller coaster at the Funtown Splashtown in Saco, Maine, unexpectedly came to a halt, stranding riders for all of 15 minutes. A reportedly “furious” Eric and Tiffany Dillingham said later that their 8-year-old daughter was so frightened that she had to be taken to a hospital and had nightmares constantly since then. (Since the purpose of a roller coaster is to induce fright, it was not known whether the girl would also have required a hospital visit if the ride had been working perfectly.)

MORE THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT Clownmania: (1) Performers in New York’s traveling Bindlestiff Family Cirkus protested in October against political campaign language referring to Washington, D.C., as a “circus. Said Kinko the Clown, “Before you call anyone in Washington a clown, consider how hard a clown works.” (2) “Tiririca” (“Grumpy”), a professional clown, was elected by resounding vote to the Brazilian Congress from Sao Paulo in October under the slogan “It Can’t Get Any Worse.” (3) In June, Britain’s traveling John Lawson’s Circus announced a series of counseling sessions for people who avoid circuses for fear of clowns. “Coulrophobia” is reportedly Britain’s third-leading phobia, after spiders and needles.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Recurring Themes: (1) John Stolarz, 69, became the latest just-released prisoner to return immediately to his criminal calling, by attempting a holdup of a Chase Bank in New York City instead of reporting to his halfway house on the day after his release. (The robbery failed because the “bank” was actually just a Chase customer-service branch, with no money.)

(2) The Phoenix convenience store robber escaped with the money in September, but like many others, inadvertently stuck his face directly in front of the surveillance camera. He had entered the store with a plastic bag pulled tight over his face to distort his features and foil the camera, but halfway through the robbery, he unsurprisingly began laboring for breath and yanked off the bag, revealing his face.

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FROM UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE CHUCK SHEPHERD’S NEWS OF THE WEIRD

by Chuck Shepherd COPYRIGHT 2010 CHUCK SHEPHERD

www.intracoastaloutfitters.com INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

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classifieds Do you know arts & entertainment?

last word

We’re looking for freelance writers for our expanded A&E section. Music, dance, theater, visual arts and literature are areas we want to cover with more depth and insight than any publication in the region. If you have style and pizzaz, the IN wants you. Please, e-mail a cover letter, résumé and recent clips to:

joani@inweekly.net

LINDSEY JEUDEVINE

CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN; CLINIC DIRECTOR, OLDE SEVILLE CHIROPRACTIC

THE UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD EDITED BY TIMOTHY E. PARKER THE A’S HAVE IT by George Darby

ACROSS 1 Existential torment 6 A bad way to run 10 A close watch 14 Wavelike fabric pattern 15 Bygone Italian money 16 Readily draftable 17 American Dance ­T heater choreographer 19 Some, in Seville 20 Cultivation tool 21 Pocket-watch accessory 22 Bawdy 24 Column type 26 Western comic strip “Rick ___” 27 All-knowing one 30 Repair-shop car 32 Bogged down 33 Young salmon 34 All-you-___-eat 37 Baby newts 38 Emulated Lorelei 39 Canton’s home 40 Degree of magnitude?

41 Delhi dresses 42 “Flashdance” singer Cara 43 Worldwide relief org.

45 Youth who flew too near to the sun 46 Face down?

47 Alpine warble 49 Flag h ­ olders (with “standard”) 51 “___ Goes the Weasel” 52 Cheerleader’s trait 55 “ ___ on Down the Road” 56 Famed

What is your chief characteristic?

Kindness and a true desire to help others What do you appreciate most about your friends?

They are the ones who know all of my faults and still want to hang out with me.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

John McClane Who is your favorite heroine in fiction?

The Princess Bride or Marla Singer What is the best thing you have ever won?

Sixth out of 48 at the Matt Martin—the main event!

What did your mother always tell you?

Be true to yourself.

What is the worst idea you’ve ever had?

Ask Doug.

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

photographer 59 Cause for liniment 60 Big cake layer 61 The ___ out of the bag 62 Typical MTV viewer 63 Blues great James 64 Awaited a dubbing DOWN 1 Indian maid 2 ___ contendere 3 Collapse under pressure 4 ___ Lanka 5 Like a 1000 percent profit 6 Suspect’s excuse 7 “Cool” amount?

8 Black-and-white cookie 9 Computer user’s need 10 “Good comeback!”

11 “Fatal Attraction” actress 12 Cecil’s ­cartoon pal 13 Encl. with a manuscript 18 “... in ___-horse open sleigh” 23 Data on IRS forms 24 Cold confections

What is your favorite food?

Mexican after a great day of surf

25 Explain further Which talent would you most like to have?

27 Black cat, some I’d like to learn to play the piano when I’m old and think retired…or young and retired.

28 Falling-out result 29 Tennis legend What movie do you love to watch repeatedly?

31 Blast furnace input 33 Uncontaminated I watch “Love Actually” in early December to get into the 35 Aboriginal Christmas spirit.

Japanese 36 “Nay” and “uh-uh” What was your most embarrassing moment?

38 Rip jaggedly Truthfully answering the last question 39 By word of mouth 41 Math ratio What historical figure do you despise the most?

42 Swell treatment?

I don’t think it’s wise to despise history. We should use our 4 4 Name for an Irish past as schooling and not view it as a burden, weighing lass, perhaps down our future.

45 TV’s “American ___” What TV show is your guilty pleasure?

46 Flower child’s catchword I thought they ended television after the final season of 48 What the fat lady “LOST.” It’s still around?! sings?

49 Drummer’s forte What is the last book you read?

50 Grumpy state I tend to have multiple going at once. Anything by Jim 52 ___ de foie gras Rohn, but the last finished was “Maximum Achievement” 53 Olympic track

by Brian Tracy. champion Zatopek 54 “Hey, buddy, over What is your theme song? here!”

I’ve got a few: “The Glow” (from “The Last Dragon”), “Win 57 Adjust, as an alarm clock ner Takes it All” by Sammy Hagar, and “The Muffin Man” by 58 Husband on Frank Zappa.

“Roseanne” INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET | 27

INDEPENDENT NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2010 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |