08/24/16 Primary Election Preview

2 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

TIRED OF SEARCHING FOR PARKING?

Ride the Riverside Avondale Night Trolley. The trolley runs every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. throughout the Riverside Avondale neighborhood. Trolley stops are every few blocks in the neighborhood, so residents can leave their cars at home Many restaurants offer deals for trolley riders (check out this week’s offers here: bit.ly/1T43KJV).

Don’t be stuck with the surge pricing of ride sharing app.

Let the trolley be your driver for the evening.

Download the MyJTA app and purchase your ticket to ride.

Learn more at RiversideAvondaleNightTrolley.com

4

6

13

2

9

2 3 4 5 6

7

8

1

7

5

8 9 3 14

11 10

1 12

10 11 12

13 14

RANightTrolley

RiversideAvondaleNightTrolley

@RANightTrolley

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 3

THIS WEEK // 8.24-8.30.16 // VOL. 29 ISSUE 21 COVER STORY

SWEET

[ 12 ]

SUMMER ’16 Northeast Florida’s best PRIMARY ELECTION PREVIEW story by AG GANCARSKI

FEATURED ARTICLES FEATURED

SECOND-RATE DEBATES [9]

SCHOOLING THE COMPETITION

BY AG GANCARSKI We get the POLS WE DESERVE: Just as mediocre as we are

[10]

THE BANKRUPTCY SOLUTION

BY MARY MAGUIRE The race to be SUPERINTENDENT OF NASSAU COUNTY SCHOOLS is the county’s most expensive and most watched

[39]

BY ROD SULLIVAN An alternative solution to Jacksonville’s PENSION DEBT CRISIS

COLUMNS + CALENDARS FROM THE EDITOR OUR PICKS MAIL/B&B FIGHTIN’ WORDS NEWS MUSIC FILM

5 6 8 9 10 19 22

ARTS LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR DINING DIRECTORY BITE-SIZED PINT-SIZED CHEFFED-UP PETS

23 25 28 29 30 31 32

NEWS OF THE WEIRD ASTROLOGY CROSSWORD I SAW U CLASSIFIEDS BACKPAGE

BUSINESS & ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER • Lorraine Cover fpiadmin@folioweekly.com / ext. #119 PUBLISHER • Sam Taylor staylor@folioweekly.com / 904.860.2465

DISTRIBUTION

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

EDITOR • Claire Goforth claire@folioweekly.com / ext. #115 SENIOR EDITOR • Marlene Dryden mdryden@folioweekly.com / ext. #131 A&E EDITOR • Daniel A. Brown dbrown@folioweekly.com / ext. #128 CARTOONIST • Tom Tomorrow CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rob Brezsny, John E. Citrone, Josue Cruz, Julie Delegal, Susan Cooper Eastman, Marvin Edwards, AG Gancarski, Dan Hudak, Shelton Hull, MaryAnn Johanson, Mary Maguire, Keith Marks, Pat McLeod, Nick McGregor, Greg Parlier, Kara Pound, Dale Ratermann, Nikki Sanders, Matthew B. Shaw, Chuck Shepherd, Brentley Stead, Chef Bill Thompson, Marc Wisdom VIDEOGRAPHERS • Doug Lewis, Ron Perry, Carl Rosen

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR • Chaz Bäck cback@folioweekly.com / ext. #116 PHOTO EDITOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER • Dennis Ho dho@folioweekly.com / ext. #122 GRAPHIC DESIGNER • Madison Gross madisong@folioweekly.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER • Ellyn McDonald ellynm@folioweekly.com WEB CONTENT INTERN • Hudson Bäck

4 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

34 36 36 37 38 39

GET SOCIAL visit us online at

FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

Bobby Pendexter / cosmicdistributions@gmail.com PUBLISHER Sam Taylor staylor@folioweekly.com / (904) 860-2465 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Kathrin Lancelle klancelle@folioweekly.com / ext 124 MULTIMEDIA ACCOUNT MANAGERS CJ Allen callen@folioweekly.com / ext 140 Lauren McPherson laurenm@folioweekly.com / ext 130 John Seifert john@folioweekly.com / ext 125 FOLIO WEEKLY MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST FLORIDA. It contains opinions of contributing writers that are not necessarily the opinion of this publication.

Folio Weekly Magazine welcomes editorial and photographic contributions. Calendar information must be received two weeks in advance of event date.

Copyright © Folio Publishing, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. Advertising rates and information are available on request. An advertiser purchases right of publication only. One free issue copy per person.

Additional copies and back issues are $1 each at the office or $4 by U.S. mail, based on availability.

First Class mail subscriptions are $48 for 13 weeks, $96 for 26 weeks and $189 for 52 weeks. Please recycle Folio Weekly.

Folio Weekly Magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper using soy-based inks.

thefolioweekly

@folioweekly

@folioweekly

Mobile App

For the best in Live Music, Arts, Sports, Food and Nightlife, download our DOJAX Mobile App by texting “Folio” to 77948

45 West Bay Street, Suite 103 Jacksonville, Florida 32202 PHONE 904.260.9770 FAX 904.260.9773

FROM THE EDITOR

BITTER PILL TO

SWALLOW Editor of Folio Weekly Magazine puts in her two cents on THE PENSION TAX PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE pension tax.

Paying the debt off at a decelerated rate will cost us more money as a city — $1.5 billion more through 2049.

Other, and some say better, plans have been proposed previously, such as thenMayor Alvin Brown’s pension task force’s recommendation that we shake the JEA money tree to pay off the debt, currently estimated at $2.8 billion, at a faster rate, freeing up city funds earlier than scheduled.

However arguably reasonable, the plan was a non-starter for various reasons, the central one being Brown’s ineffectiveness at wrangling the City Council to do his bidding.

Many have opined that our best solution to the pension debt crisis — and make no mistake, it is a crisis; if you don’t believe it, hark back to the darker days of 2014 when Jacksonville’s credit rating downgrade by both Fitch Ratings and Moody’s was fresh on the mind — is a millage rate increase. Certainly, a property tax increase can fill the funding hole. But good luck convincing local politicians to commit political suicide by proposing and voting for it. Lest you think that doing so wouldn’t sign their own political death warrants next time they run for office, just take a gander at the campaign mailers arriving by the dozens that crucify any politician who has even murmured noncommittally about perhaps supporting a property tax increase.

It’s easy to point out that it isn’t even the current City Council’s nor Mayor Lenny Curry’s faults that we’re in this crisis. At a press conference at City Hall on Aug. 22, former City Council President Eric Smith told me that in 1999 when he left council, the pension was “101 percent funded.” Something (pension tax holidays, the maelstrom of John Keane) happened in the intervening 16 years to put us in this mess. We can keep playing the blame game but it’s not going to pay.

Conditional upon the tax’s implementation and effectiveness is the cooperation of the various pensions, including megalodon Police & Fire Pension Fund to whom we in the news business owe an inordinate debt for keeping us in scandalous tales of mismanagement, Sunshine law violations and abysmal financial decisions. There’s no guarantee that those funds will agree to close their pension plans as called for in the referendum — no agreement, no tax, no solution.

Further, public servants such as police, utility workers and city employees accept

lower rates of pay than they could earn in the private sector, in part because they are driven to serve their communities, but also because such positions typically offer pretty sweet retirement packages as a trade-off. Closing the plans creates less incentive for future hires to make a similar sacrifice.

“We’re kicking the can down the road,” has become a common refrain in reference to this tax. Yes, our children and grandchildren will pay for some of our mistakes, but isn’t that true always and forever in our government?

OK, to be fair, there was a brief time in history in which the U.S. was debt-free, in 1835, during the presidency of our very own city’s eponym, Andrew Jackson. According to NPR, “It lasted exactly one year.” And when the property value bubble burst, it was on like gangbusters again.

Then there’s the complaint that some of our residents still haven’t seen the benefits of the Better Jacksonville Plan that this tax would replace after it expires in 2030. People have asked why they should vote ‘Yes’ now when they’re still waiting for septic tanks.

Still others are reticent to vote for the tax because Mayor Curry hasn’t done the things they wanted him to do and has done other things they definitely didn’t want him to do — for instance, failing to support an amendment to the human rights ordinance to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, showing up for Donald Trump, purging boards and commissions of Democrats, etc.

Such individuals wonder why they should give Curry a solid when all he gives them is solid stool.

All these complaints and suggestions have merit. There is no question that we could come up with a different plan, that the pension tax has unknown variables that must shake out if it is to work, could possibly even be found illegal, and that our city officials have done things over the years that quite frankly stink.

I’m still voting for it. And I suggest you do, too.

Paying off the pension debt with a halfpenny sales tax beginning more than a decade from now may not be the best option — a millage rate increase seems to fit that bill and apportion the burden somewhat more fairly between poorer and wealthier citizens — but it’s the choice we have. Ideals are easy from an armchair but nobody gets far in politics without compromising theirs for the greater good. And this tax is just that, a compromise for the greater good. Isn’t that what organized society is all about?

Vote ‘Yes’ for Jacksonville on Aug. 30. Then let’s talk about that millage rate increase.

Claire Goforth claire@folioweekly.com AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 5

SAT

MAKE A BIG SPLASH RIVER RUCKUS

27

The fourth annual River Ruckus returns, a family-geared day courtesy of the St. Johns Riverkeeper and Riverside Arts Market, featuring all manner of water-based activities, ranging from beginner SUP lessons to free boat trips, a paddling flotilla, clinics, kids’ crafts, educational programming, live local music, and craft beers. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, under the Fuller Warren Bridge, Riverside, stjohnsriverkeeper.org.

OUR PICKS ROYAL JAMS KINGS & QUEENS OF HIP HOP

This weekend also includes a night of regal rap with the Kings & Queens of Hip Hop tour. Bow before a multitude of ’90s hip hop greats, including DMX (pictured), Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Trina, Juvenile, Scarface, Bigga Rankin, Mike Jones, Khia and Wayne Wonder. 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, Veterans Memorial Arena, Downtown, $55-$99, ticketmaster.com.

SAT

27

SAT

27

REASONS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE THIS WEEK

ROCK THE CITY

SAVE THE SCENE Downtown becomes

a hotbed of local talent with the daylong fest Save The Scene. Presented by Mind Over Music Movement, every style and genre is represented from daylight to late night, including performances by Northe, Christopher Williams, Cloud9 Vibes, Jenni Reid, Kelz Law, Stages, Jason JCeles Celestine, Aurora.Music, Minor Influence, Climb the Summit, Kudos the Kid, Man Darino, Faze Wave (pictured), A Vibrant Lye, Dancing with Ghosts, The Holed-Outs, Fetch, Skyview, Jackie Stranger, DigDog, Marathon Runner, and Whatever Yo. The whole thing kicks off at noon Saturday, Aug. 27, at The Elbow stage between Jessie Ball DuPont Building and the former Burro Bar site, as well as performances in 1904 Music Hall, Downtown, free admission; $15 VIP ticket proceeds benefit mental health awareness and treatment in Jacksonville; savethescenejax.com.

SAT

27

THU

WHOLE LOTTA TUNES!

25

SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL

Good Lord, the Oldest City has lost its damn mind with music! The Sing Out Loud Festival features dozens of local and national acts performing throughout the town at various venues for the next three weekends, from Thursday, Aug. 25 through the grand closing on Sunday, Sept. 11. Notable acts include The Original Wailers, Brandi Carlile (pictured), Indigo Girls and Booker T. Jones, as well as local greats like Sam Pacetti, The WillowWacks and The Rivernecks. Check out our story about the fest on page 24 and our live music listings on page 25 for this week’s shows.

6 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

KEEP IT CLEAN WAYNE BRADY

While it’s unlikely that squeaky-clean funnyman Wayne Brady will shift gears and appear onstage droppin’ “F” bombs, why should he? Since appearing on the improv TV hit Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the winner of an Emmy and a Grammy comedian has become a kind of ubiquitous presence in pop culture, from longtime host of Let’s Make a Deal to starring as drag queen Lola in the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots. Brady gets mega points for making fun of his wholesome persona while giving Dave Chappelle some gun-totin’ comeuppance on a timeless episode of Chappelle’s Show. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts, 283 College Dr., Orange Park, $43-$94, thcenter.org.

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 7

THE MAIL A PEER APPALLED

RE.: “Strip Search” and “Data Manipulation,” by Nikki Sanders, July 20 and Aug. 10 AS A RETIRED MILITARY POLICE, I AM APPALLED by the situation in the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

A lot of people don’t see the seriousness of a police officer driving a patrol unit to a strip club for some off-duty fun. I, however, with my background, know that it basically calls into question the individual’s integrity. Military police are held to a higher standard. I thought that the police in my own town should be as well.

How could someone like that be entrusted to be sheriff? “Do as I say, not as I do” philosophy does not work in a job where you need to be part of a team. I have to trust the individual standing next to me with my life. If a coworker or I were to do anything like that while active duty military police, first would they strip us of the job, take a pay grade away and more. In the military, we call it misuse and abuse of government property.

Moving on to the topic of falsifying official statements and covering up possible criminal activity. That makes my head ache just thinking about it. How many lives are they putting in danger? Whose child – mother – brother – sister is going to die because some meth head wants to get their next fix? Whose child is going to be addicted to meth next due to it being so prevalent in the area?

I didn’t even really have to read the article to know that they had a problem in the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. I heard about it from another source. They were advised not to pursue work at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office due to the working environment.

I’ve worked for a police department like this before. Saw countless sailors go to mast (get kicked out of the Navy) one after another. There were four to six criminal proceedings on military police in a department of 50 personnel in the course of one year. I had never seen anything like it – that many people getting in trouble in such a short amount of time. No one can do their job in an environment as caustic as that. They also belittled and bullied people out of their jobs. Many

good sailors were lost due to that command, which was investigated after I left. People were taken out of their positions, lost their jobs, demoted and forced to retire.

Even though the chain of command was finally held accountable for their actions, it did nothing for any of the sailors who’d gone through that. They moved on with lower job performance marks; some were able to advance after that, some not. When they find the individuals accountable for their actions, it will do nothing for police officers forced to move on and retire.

Corrupt chain of commands, corrupt officials — I’m sick of it. That’s why I’m doing everything I can to never work in the field of law enforcement.

You don’t know what it’s like to stand alone against corruption, until you’re standing there alone.

They need a third-party investigation on that department to determine the truth. Until then, nothing will change.

If they don’t have anything to hide, they should have no problem with a third-party investigation.

Laurie Brouse MA1 (SW) retired MTS, CHS V, SSI OIF Disabled Veteran via web

SHADOWY MANEUVEURS

RE.: “Just Say ‘No’ to the Pension Tax,” by Fred Matthews, Aug. 3 I THINK [MAYOR LENNY CURRY] IS COUNTING on only Republicans to vote in August. I called the election board in Jacksonville to ask if no party affiliation can vote, and the lady said ‘yes,’ but we could only vote on this tax. So please take five minutes and vote. Like I said before, this really seems shady on his part.

Bill Brown via Facebook

RARE PRAISE

RE.: “Just Say ‘No’ to the Pension Tax,” by Fred Matthews, Aug. 3 WOW, A SURPRISINGLY WELL-WRITTEN SCREED, something rarely found in Folio Weekly.

Marc Kortlander via Facebook

LEND YOUR VOICE If you’d like to respond to something you read in the pages of Folio Weekly Magazine, please send an email (with your name, address, and phone number for verification purposes only) to mail@folioweekly.com, visit us at folioweekly.com, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook (@folioweekly) and join the conversation.

BRICKBATS + BOUQUETS BRICKBATS TO CORRINE BROWN As Florida Politics reported, Congresswoman Brown invited a 99-year-old woman to have breakfast with her and other highprofile individuals, including Martin Luther King III, on Saturday, Aug. 20. Per the report, a limousine was to pick up the woman, a volunteer at Lane Wiley Senior Center, at her home at 9 o’clock that morning. But Brown never showed. A bit of advice: When you’re in the political fight of your career, don’t hand the opposition a juicy tidbit by ghosting an almost-centenarian.

BOUQUETS TO BOLLES SWIM COACHES Long before they were our hometown Olympic champions with five gold medals between them, Ryan Murphy (three medals) and Caeleb Dressel (two medals) were just a couple of promising Sharks on the Bolles School swim team. Although head coach Sergio Lopez Miro has since moved on, others of the coaching staff under whom Murphy and Dressel swam remain, including nowhead coach Joe Sakovich. There may not be a medal for coaching high school students who later become Olympians, but you’re all pure gold in our book.

BRICKBATS TO TRUMP’S LOCAL HENCHPERSONS Earlier this month, Donald Trump’s unofficial campaign HQ in Riverside unceremoniously closed. Patricia Butts, owner of the space, later said that Trump’s campaign manager called to say it had to close because of possible campaign finance violations. But the T-U reported that Susie Wiles, co-chairperson of Trump’s Florida campaign, denies making the call and says Butts’ donation wouldn’t come under campaign finance law. Wiles does admit that someone from the campaign asked for the office to close because they had “no control or oversight” over it. (Anyone else surprised that such things exist on the Trump campaign?) Anyhoo — there’s nothing like dumping your biggest fan to generate goodwill.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES A BOUQUET? HOW ABOUT A BRICKBAT? Send submissions to mail@folioweekly.com; 50 word maximum, concerning a person, place, or topic of local interest.

8 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

FOLIO VOICES : FIGHTIN’ WORDS

SECOND-RATE DEBATES

We get the pols we deserve: Just as MEDIOCRE as we are GREAT CITIES, THEORETICALLY, SHOULD HAVE great public discourse. With the primary election season all but over, we know our public discourse has a way to go.

In race after race, the debates have been tepid, uninspired, tedious, and second-rate.

We don’t win anymore. As a region, we lose out on infrastructure projects, play backbench on port funds, prepare to get jobbed out in the next round of military base realignments and closures … and we should be ready to lose.

Why? Because our political leaders, in debates, simply don’t bring the fire. In the 1992 Democratic primaries, candidate Paul Tsongas used to refer to one of his opponents as a “pander bear.”

This pool of candidates? More like “pander bore.”

I’ve seen debates involving candidates from House Districts 12, 13, 14 and 16 on the state level and multiple debates with candidates from Congressional Districts 4 and 5. And quite a few state attorney debates (on the public defender side, Matt Shirk is shook by debating Charles Cofer).

The common thread? There’s no policy difference between these candidates on anything meaningful. No compelling explication of political philosophy, almost anywhere, with some fields of candidates being about as intellectually compelling as a snipe sign. It’s worst on the right, of course — as candidates, in an attempt to play-act as a Donald Trump-styled conservative outsider, seem to have done their debate prep with a copy of None Dare Call It Treason in hand.

Space won’t permit me to name all of the worst offenders. But I can get to a few.

ARGUABLY THE MOST UNDERWHELMING debater — especially considering that he spent almost a million dollars to get to, like, 12 percent in the polls — has to be Ol’ Rawhide himself, Hans Tanzler, in CD 4. The Florida TimesUnion’s Ron Littlepage calls him the “Ortega Cowboy.” Tanzler’s people served up a lot of hits painting “Liberal John” Rutherford as soft on guns, soft on illegals, and soft on Islamic extremism. It was almost enough to make you overlook the Geo Group, of private prison cartel fame, giving Rutherford money, perhaps in anticipation of a committee placement in D.C. SPEAKING OF UNDERWHELMING, THERE WAS Wes White in the State Attorney debate.

The Nassau County cowboy serves up a lot of social media hits and gets really breezy and slick about calling for spurious grand jury investigations. But when push came to

shove, he sounded more shook than Charlie Brown trying to ask the little redheaded girl out. White and Angela Corey have been attempting to elbow Melissa Nelson out of the race, for the crime of having supporters who aren’t either a) wearing tinfoil hats or b) aren’t getting ready to enter DROP (deferred retirement option program) and draw a public pension. Politicians are like pop stars: When they get old, they get desperate. And White and Corey are both Madonna at this point. But neither is a lucky star.

ALSO COMING UP SHORT IN THE CD 5 DEBATE is Al Lawson. His major case to Jacksonville voters still boils down to not being Corrine Brown. He’s been coached on local issues, but you don’t pick up on them without meaningful regular exposure. He wasn’t really able to go in on Corrine the way he should have. Last week was his chance to not just point out her moral failings, but make a closing case. Al erred on the side of amiability. The guy’s been a politician since disco was popular; he knows what he’s doing. But the move would have been to go for the knockout instead of winning on points.

However, despite the fact that Lawson chose not to go after her like he meant it, Corrine was still the big loser of the night.

It started off when she got on the debate stage and, when asked about her indictment, she compared it to an unfounded charge of pedophilia (!!) against the moderator.

Then, in a presser afterward, when I asked her about the One Door charges, wanting to know who was responsible for the malfeasance alleged if she wasn’t (Ronnie Simmons? Carla Wiley?), she then reprised the pedophile metaphor, against mistaking loose talk with a 46-page indictment, before calling the charges “bullshit” and a “Peyton Place witch hunt.”

And then, at 7:22 the next morning, she posted effectively the same thing to her campaign webpage: “Let me ask you folks a question: What if I accused you guys of being pedophiles? I bet that didn’t feel too good, did it? Well, that’s how I feel, especially because I’m innocent.”

She added that she didn’t have to “prove” her “innocence,” in court or to the media, before finding a way to allegedly stand up a 99-year-old woman she allegedly was supposed to take to a supporter’s breakfast (Brown’s camp didn’t respond to my request for comment on those allegations).

So fine, in the context of that meltdown, maybe it didn’t matter that Lawson didn’t bring fire. For the other candidates mentioned, though, missed opportunities piled up like so many discarded mail pieces.

AG Gancarski mail@folioweekly.com twitter/AGGancarski AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 9

FOLIO COMMUNITY : NEWS

SCHOOLING THE COMPETITION The race to be Superintendent of Nassau County Schools is the county’s most EXPENSIVE AND MOST WATCHED

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH BEING AT THE top is that there’s nowhere to go but down.

The Nassau County school district had claimed the state’s top grade each year for the last decade, but the Florida Department of Education reworked testing requirements and, earlier this summer, announced the results of first-year implementation: The district had dropped to a ‘B,’ missing the mark for ‘A’ level standards by one point. Rather than alert moms and dads and publicly vow to hit the books harder this year, local officials added to their preparation work for the 2016-’17 academic year a scramble to reexamine the numbers with the hope of finding another couple of points that would bump up the district to an ‘A’ again.

Nassau County School District Superintendent John Ruis said principals and staff “thoroughly reviewed the electronic files” for discrepancies but did not find the information they needed for an appeal.

According to Ruis, the district still has grades worthy to post on the family refrigerator, including eight ‘A’ schools, two ‘B’ schools and two ‘C’ schools, as defined by the DOE grading system. “I believe we earned the highest percentage of ‘A’s of any school district in the state,” Ruis wrote in an email.

The state grading system is an important measure of student achievement but it’s also a high-stakes calculation with an economic impact on local housing prices and business development plans. A superintendent faces continued pressure to stay on top; it’s one of the more worrisome aspects of the job. Ruis, a respected leader who has held the post for 24 years, has his retirement scheduled, so this election will determine who will become the next Superintendent of Nassau County School District.

Three women say they want the job to oversee the district’s approximately 11,000 10 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

students, 1,500 employees, and $170 million budget. As a practical matter, only two candidates are considered viable: Florida Rep. Janet Adkins and Nassau County school board member Kathy Knight Burns, who will compete in a closed Republican primary on Aug. 30.

No Democrats filed to run for superintendent, but there is a Libertarian candidate: Cheryl Reynolds James, a resident of Bryceville who works in property management. James has not done much campaigning or fundraising (there’s a paltry $890 in her war chest and it was collected in September last year) and most do not expect her to be a factor. James’ candidacy seems to have been about sealing the election to Republican voters.

Nevertheless, if she doesn’t leave the race after the primary, James will face Adkins or Burns in the Nov. 8 general election.

Democrats and Independents were free to jump into the voting pool. And they did.

Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Vicki Cannon says that 3,140 voters switched party affiliation to Republican in order to vote in the Grand Old Party primary.

Though neither has previously run a school system, both Adkins and Burn have experience and ties to the community that could serve the district well. Adkins is a four-term legislator with 10 years of Nassau school board experience; Burns is a longtime elementary school teacher, with 18 years on the Nassau school board.

CAMPAIGN COFFERS SET TO FULL

The superintendent’s race is the county’s most-watched campaign. It is also the most expensive. As of Aug. 22, Adkins had raised $172,546; Burns $85,381.89.

It’s the first time fundraising for the local superintendent spot has topped $100,000.

Both Adkins and Burns have received significant donations from political committees and lobbyists from outside of the district and both are reporting thousands of dollars in contributions from Tallahassee to South Florida.

Early in the campaign, Adkins had been criticized for collecting money from outside of the district, including supporters of charter schools, and some have questioned why anyone outside the county’s borders would want to be involved in a local school board race.

Now Burns can be asked the same question. The political committee Citizens for Florida Prosperity has sent two rounds of mailers for the candidate, one in July and one in August. And Burns reported $20,075 in contributions in July, including $19,000 from political committees in Tallahassee with names like Jobs For Florida, Strong Communities For Southwest Florida, Gulf Coast Builders Exchange, and Innovate Florida.

Burns has also received donations from Rayonier executives and their spouses. School officials have said that the district will need several more schools in the company’s planning area, known as East Nassau Community Planning Area (ENCPA), which covers a 24,000acre site between S.R. A1A and the Georgia state line. It wouldn’t hurt for those involved to have an ally running the school district.

ON THE ISSUES

Last year, Adkins rejected Rayonier’s request to secure a stewardship district for the ENCPA because, in essence, it sets up a private government for a for-profit company.

Adkins said the plan needed more study.

Local officials may go along with the plan because it removes obligation — and funding commitments — for infrastructure, such as roadways. But critics point out that such districts amount to a corporate takeover of local government.

Adkins, 50, spent the last eight years representing Nassau and parts of Duval County in Tallahassee and must exit her District 11 seat due to term limits. Adkins says she has served on “virtually every education committee” and chaired the K-12 education subcommittee. Adkins, a mother of two teens, is married and living in Fernandina Beach. She served on the Nassau school board from 1998-2008 and worked for 12 years in the technology field. She also works with her husband Doug, who owns a nursing home in Hilliard.

Adkins is against the common core curriculum and said she would push for less testing, if elected. “We need to expand music and art and we need to deal with the math crisis,” Adkins said in a phone interview late last month.

SAT scores have been dropping a bit each year since 2011, and average math scores posted at the state DOE website show that in 2014, Fernandina Beach High School posted the district’s highest average math score of 485 and that Hilliard Middle Senior School posted the lowest average math score of 423.

(For comparison, consider that St. Augustine High School posted an average math score of 556.) According to the Nassau County school assessment and accountability office, Fernandina Beach High School, the district’s top performing high school, reported in 2015 a mean SAT math score of 443 and said that the state average for math in 2015 was 468.

Regarding SATs, Kaplan Test Prep, one of the nation’s leading preparation services for college testing, said that a math score less than 510 is “below average.”

“We do a great job at the elementary level but there are issues in the higher grades,” said Adkins.

Adkins said that she supports charter schools and a “parent’s right to choose” and recognizes that not all students are heading to a four-year university after they receive their

Adkins has been critical of sixth-grade textbooks that, she says, offer the basic tenants of Islam. “This is world history, not world religion, and the books DO NOT OFFER THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.” high school diploma. Adkins said that she would support additional vocational training and that she’d like to see computer coding classes offered at all of the district’s 12 schools, including elementary schools.

Adkins, whose campaign slogan is “Believe in Better!”, describes herself as a fiscal and social conservative. She has been critical of sixth-grade textbooks that, she says, offer the basic tenants of Islam. “This is world history, not world religion, and the books do not offer the 10 Commandments,” said Adkins.

Adkins is also critical of the district’s funding for a new $4.5 million roadway to a new elementary school under construction in Yulee, scheduled to open in August 2017.

The school is going up in a pine forest owned

by Rayonier and, rather than use impact fees from local development, the school is fronting the cash with the expectation that the money will be paid back as the development is built. This is not a traditional approach, and Adkins has questioned the validity of such an agreement. In another unusual twist, the school board also has a contractual agreement with Rayonier, a real estate investment trust (REIT), to have a say in the curriculum, technology and school design. Several Rayonier executives, including those involved in inking the deal with Rayonier, have donated to Burns’ campaign, according to Nassau Supervisor of Elections records.

“They’re building the Cadillac of schools,” said Adkins. “There are portables at other Yulee schools.”

Adkins believes that teachers need higher starting salaries and said there is a 46 percent turnover rate for new teachers with fewer than six or seven years of experience. She also supports additional teacher planning time.

The Nassau Teachers’ Association has endorsed Burns for superintendent and so has Ruis. Burns, 56, has continuously served on the Nassau County School Board since 1998 and is a fourth-grade teacher in Camden County, Georgia.

In May, the NTA said that Burns was the only candidate to attend a candidate meetand-greet called “Picnic in the Park” and “show her support of NTA.” Her background includes work as executive director for Ark of Nassau, a nonprofit organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities.

Burns, who did not respond to requests for an interview, says on her website (KathyBurnsforNassauSchools.com) that she is a “champion [for a] parent’s ability to choose the best educational path for their child” and that students should be ready for college and/ or career. Burns also says on her website that testing “provides valuable information” for improving instruction but that “test fatigue” can have a negative impact on student achievement.

Burns told the Amelia Island Fernandina Beach Yulee Chamber of Commerce in a written Q&A that she wants to form a “career shadowing program” starting in middle school, for students to work with businesses to explore “future employment opportunities.”

Burns said she wants to establish a “State of the Schools Council” comprising community, business and other leaders who will review “compliments as well as concerns, ideas and plans for the future.”

Burns also told the chamber that the school district has an adequate amount of money from local taxpayers and that a “pay as you go (and grow) is an excellent plan.”

Regarding curriculum, Burns said that the curriculum must be “rigorous and relevant” and have standards that are “rigorous and understandable.” But, in her words and her emphasis, “NOT COMMON CORE.” Burns said she supports all efforts for Nassau County schools to again be in an ‘A’ district. On her Facebook page, she vowed to work to preserve the district’s ‘A’ status.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUPER

Ken Dragseth, president of the national search firm School Exec Connect that has handled executive searches for school districts since 2005, said that a track record in improving student achievement is an important qualification for school superintendent.

“But it’s not just about the classroom. How will the candidate improve the overall district?

What’s the plan?” asked Dragseth.

Dragseth told Folio Weekly Magazine that a superintendent must be a strong communicator.

“The other big beast is community engagement,” he said. “This person is going to be talking to the community, business leaders and they’ll need to work with local government and the legislature. There are budgeting issues and they’ll need to communicate need and find resources.”

Dragseth said that superintendents have a “very political job” and must know how to navigate the system.

“Local politics are huge,” said Dragseth.

The closed primary election posed concerns for Michael Binder, an associate professor of political science and the director of University of North Florida’s public opinion research lab. He said that the closed primary process disenfranchises voters because many have no say in who represents them. He called that — and a temporary switch to another party — “democracy with a little ‘d’.”

It may surprise some that Binder said that high-dollar campaigns are good for voters because money allows candidates to spread their message with signs, direct mail and advertisements. According to Binder, messaging is important.

As campaign signs pop up along the roadsides like thistles, it seems likely that voters will have at least a passing knowledge of the candidates’ names, possibly even their actual positions on the issues. Given the candidates’ record war chests, this year voters will have more familiarity with the candidates than in previous elections.

“The first time you see a candidate’s name shouldn’t be when you’re pulling a lever,” said Binder.

Mary Maguire mail@folioweekly.com AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 11

Northeast Florida’s Best

PRIMARY ELECTION PREVIEW

SWEET SUMMER

’16 STORY BY AG GANCARSKI

12 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

T

he Aug. 30 primary is days away. And unless you’re a political junkie, you may not have a complete understanding of who is in the running in many of the races. Hell, even if you are a political junkie, that may be the case.

By the time you finish this piece, or stop reading it to get another beer, you will have a more complete understanding of the U.S. Senate and House races, the State House races, the public defender and state attorney races, and the pension tax referendum.

Consider this the equivalent of Corrine Brown’s “Quick Picks,” which she likened last year to a “cheat sheet at a dog track.”

Except in this case, the candidates aren’t helping to pay for printing costs. And I wouldn’t endorse many of these candidates at gunpoint.

It’s up to you, the fearless reader, to determine my bias in this or that race, and to leave snarky comments. The Marxists call that division of labor.

THE SENATE

THE TOP OF THE BALLOT FEATURES THE Senate races. Such as they are.

On the GOP side, Marco Rubio opted to run for re-election right before the qualifying deadline, clearing the field of everyone except Manatee homebuilder Carlos Beruff.

Rubio is what he is: a conservative right out of central casting. He might appear with Trump at an anti-LGBT rally, after a presidential campaign in which his pre-rally soundtrack would have fit better at a foam party than a GOP event, but the idea is that — right wing as he might pretend to be — he’s not quite as embarrassing as Carlos Beruff, his main opponent, who’s like a low-rent Trump without the charisma.

That is to say, Beruff will say completely stupid shit also. But he’ll bore you to death doing it.

On the Democratic side, you have a similar dynamic.

Patrick Murphy is a nice guy who became a Democrat this decade, yet still has rousing endorsements from Obama and Biden. He’s nominally progressive, but it’s the sort of

checklist progressivism you might see from Hillary Clinton.

His opponent, Alan Grayson, is a nice guy unless reporters bring up those nettlesome accusations about Grayson’s hedge fund profiting off of unrest in the third world or domestic violence from his ex-wife, Lolita.

Then, shit gets real, and Grayson will cuss you out, calling you — if you’re as lucky as a Tampa reporter months back — a “shitting robot.”

THE HOUSE

ONWARD TO THE HOUSE RACES. In Congressional District 4, there are twoand-a-half plausible candidates to succeed Ander Crenshaw: Former Jax sheriff John Rutherford is one; Hans Tanzler III, son of a bygone mayor who’s best known for serving on the St. Johns River Water Management Board, is another; and Lake Ray, former Jacksonville councilman and current state legislator, is another.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE >>> AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 13

Hans Tanzler III and his wife Debbie

“TANZLER has more than held his own in the fundraising race and is ALL OVER TV with ads saying Rutherford wants to take your guns away …

NELSON has the Curry political machine behind her: specifically, the ATTACK AD EXPERTS who dig through public records …”

SWEET SUMMER’16

looking to give money to that same local GOP who couldn’t even get a straw poll ballot right.

<<< FROM PREVIOUS

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE IN CD5, CORRINE Brown is up against 22 counts in federal court and two Dems on the ballot.

Al Lawson is the Tallahassee candidate in the race, and he’ll make a great congressman for the area, once he figures out what’s actually here. His big talking point: the problems at “that apartment complex Marco Rubio visited.” Lawson was in the legislature for a long time, representing those Blue Dog counties out west for which radar detectors were invented. He can’t hit Brown too hard on corruption, though; after all, wasn’t too long ago that Corrine was a featured guest at a Lawson fundraiser.

L.J. Holloway is an attorney from Jacksonville. She hasn’t been able to raise money but she may have the most pedantic presence of any candidate in this cycle. She hasn’t been able to get meaningful traction, but in a race where most surveys are finding Brown and Lawson in a dead heat, it’s worth watching to see if the percentage points Lawson gets in Jacksonville end up swinging the race to her.

PRIMARY ELECTION PREVIEW

The polls say Rutherford is ahead. Tanzler has more than held his own in the fundraising race, however, and is all over TV with ads saying Rutherford wants to take your guns away and invite jihadis and illegals to live in your guest room. Ray, meanwhile, has run a mostly grassroots campaign, which works better in races for City Council than it does in contests sprawling across three counties.

These guys, and the field, have had some tepid debates in which all but Rutherford tried to get to the right of None Dare Call It Treason. The most interesting thing in the whole contest: A Duval GOP straw poll event in which Ray, the most recent former party chair, was left off the ballot.

Ray and his myriad progeny claimed the fix was in. Confrontations — in the building and in the parking lot — spiced up the night. In the end, there was a write-in blank and Rutherford “won.” However, it was a paid event, and winning means stuffing the room with people 14 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5

That result would lose Jacksonville a congressional seat. And the 23 years of seniority Brown has in D.C., which, along with the 15 years Crenshaw is ceding by retiring, means that we are pretty much Congressionally screwed through the next decade.

HOUSE DISTRICT 11

SPEAKING OF GETTING SCREWED, THE STATE senate races in this area were all decided in June, as no one challenged the incumbents — in or outside their parties.

The state house races will largely be decided in the primary.

In House District 11’s race to replace outgoing Janet Adkins, it’s Sheri Treadwell’s race to lose. Treadwell has had the most active fundraising and checks all the boxes that Republicans in Nassau County want checked. Like every Republican in these races, she hates ISIS and Common Core and loves the second amendment.

Donnie Horner, meanwhile, once worked for Alvin Brown, as a PAC mailer is reminding people. He also has a bunch of tweets lauding Obama and Bill Clinton in the past. He’s become a conservative Republican in recent years, but left unanswered is what the catalyst for that ideological shift was.

The third plausible candidate, Cord Byrd, is a lawyer with a major affinity for gun rights.

The only question at this point: Does he finish second or does Horner?

HOUSE DISTRICT 12

IN THE ARLINGTON/SOUTHSIDE HD12, CLAY Yarborough has the most money, the best grassroots, and the clearest path to victory; up in Arlington, the old Republicans are unmoved by his concern for Muslims like Parvez Ahmed being put on the Human Rights Commission or his censoring pictures of naked pregnant women at local museums.

Clay is opposed by the only guy on the City Council with him who was farther right than he was: Don Redman, who turned heads at a recent forum by suggesting that he would take federal money and embrace Obamacare.

While he was on the council, Redman asked the aforementioned Ahmed to “pray to yer God” at a council meeting, which got some great earned media for Jacksonville. Both Clay and Don go to the same church. One will, after Aug. 30, have more time to volunteer there.

There are two other candidates worth mentioning: Terrance Freeman, a council assistant to Aaron Bowman from JAX Chamber, has been endorsed by everyone from the Chamber to the Fraternal Order of

Police. Freeman has managed to move from helping Bowman sell the HRO in his council role to not being able to articulate a position on it at forums. Would you buy a used car from this man? Many Jacksonville political insiders would not.

Mark MacLean is on the ballot, but his fundraising stalled out months back, and he’s not going to be a factor.

HOUSE DISTRICT 13

IN HD13, WHICH CONTAINS SAN MARCO, parts of the Southside, and the urban core, Democratic incumbent Reggie Fullwood faces 14 federal counts and about that many opponents.

Fullwood’s most serious Democratic competition is Tracie Davis, who lost a race for Duval Supervisor of Elections last year, and who is running despite being friends with Fullwood.

As Corrine Brown likes to say, “Politics is not a friendship business.”

An incumbent Democrat told me that the churches and community groups are with Davis. Evidence of that can be seen in the number of small-dollar donations she’s gotten. However, it’s interesting that Davis keeps ducking forum appearances with Fullwood. That likely won’t make a difference in the end.

The winner of this primary is going to end up facing the winner of the GOP primary, Pastor Mark Griffin. The local GOP establishment will fall in behind Griffin; Sheriff Mike Williams was the first of many. Councilman Sam Newby manages Griffin’s campaign, and if there ever were an opportunity for the GOP to take this largely black, largely Democratic seat, this year would be it.

HOUSE DISTRICT 16

IN HD16, FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER Jason Fischer takes on political lifer Dick Kravitz.

Kravitz is in his 70s, and has been in politics since Fischer was learning to read.

The rap on Fischer is that he’s a charterschool guy. There are also those who don’t like his personality. He rubbed education activists like blogger Chris Guerrieri wrong; he also irked some people on the right.

And incumbent Charles McBurney opted to endorse against him, which Kravitz is messaging hard.

Kravitz, meanwhile, has been reliable in his political gigs. He’s an old-school guy and a good person to have a beer with. Both guys have raised more than $100K and have the money they need to message. Ultimately, it’s

going to be a matter of voter preference. But Kravitz, hands down, is the better debater and better retail politician, and Fischer may be in trouble in the Southside district.

THERE ARE TWO MORE RACES AND A DUVAL County referendum worthy of note.

The GOP primary race for 4th judicial circuit public defender involves embattled incumbent Matt Shirk taking on Charles Cofer, a former Duval County judge.

Cofer is winning the money race and he’s got the endorsement from the police union. His path to victory appears to be almost certain.

Shirk, meanwhile, has an uphill battle, and the only open question at this point seems to be which local TV station will hire him for a legal analyst position after

he hands Cofer the keys to the office — taxpayer-funded shower included.

STATE ATTORNEY

IN THE RACE FOR STATE ATTORNEY, ANGELA Corey is fighting for her political life against Melissa Nelson.

Corey may have Lenny Curry’s endorsement, along with every other incumbent’s. But Nelson has the Curry political machine behind her: specifically, the attack ad experts at Data Targeting, who dig through public records like no other operatives locally.

They hit Corey with shots through June and July, leaving Corey up to 27 points behind in

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE >>>

HOUSE DISTRICT 14

NW JAX HD14 IS LIKELY GOING TO BE TAKEN by former Jacksonville City Councilwoman Kimberly “the Demonbuster” Daniels.

Daniels, a preacher in the Benny Hinn mold, described herself to me as like a “Timex … she takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”

Indeed, the scandals come and go, and she’s still here. A messy divorce from a pastor who trusted her to handle their communal finances until the day Kim kicked him to the curb and off the board of their shared church, which meant he no longer had rights to the communal property. Issues with campaign finance, issues with one of her sons, who got swept up in an apparently groundless police raid.

She’s still here, and she says she’s up in the polls.

Her main opponent — Leslie Jean-Bart — had an interesting weekend this month, in which her canvassers went to Sherwood Forest, a neighborhood which Daniels sees as her territory, and got shook by Daniels and her team to the point where they spent the rest of that Saturday attempting to file a police report on the confrontation, which was rooted, in part, in a discussion of which campaign was really endorsed by Corrine Brown.

Daniels didn’t get much legislation through when she was on council, and it will be interesting to see how she navigates the conservative legislature. Chances are good that on social issues, such as the Competitive Workforce Act and gun rights, she will be to the right of many Republicans. For journalists, however, she will offer an interesting four years. For all of her well-documented issues, she has charisma and presence, and always brings a great quote.

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 15

“CLAY is opposed by the only guy on the City Council with him who was FARTHER RIGHT than he was: DON REDMAN.”

SWEET SUMMER’16

PRIMARY ELECTION PREVIEW <<< FROM PREVIOUS one public poll, though even the biggest mark for Nelson doesn’t think that spread will hold.

Corey has the backing of the police union, of course. But the biggest helping hand she’s got is that of Wes White.

The third candidate in the race has transferred his reflexive critiques of Corey to an attack on Nelson … as if his operative theory is to make sure Nelson can’t win, and four more years of Corey is acceptable to him if Nelson loses.

White has utilized an eclectic group of operatives: activist nurse Denise Hunt, a cop fired for beating up an inmate, and anti-gay mouthpiece Raymond Johnson.

What would four more years of Angela Corey look like? Effectively, the same as the previous eight. Probably time for two or three more cases that go national. Who will be our next George Zimmerman? Our next Cristian Fernandez? Our next Marissa Alexander?

If she’s re-elected, we’ll find out.

PENSION TAX REFERENDUM

16 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

THE FINAL RACE COVERED IN THIS PREVIEW: the pension tax referendum, aka County Referendum No. 1.

At issue: extending the half-cent sales tax for Better Jacksonville Plan projects past its mandated 2030 sunset date, and using the income that will come in to pay off the now $2.8 billion unfunded actuarial liability on public pensions.

Critics comprise a disorganized group including Riverside lawyer John Winkler and the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County, and two guys who backed Alvin Brown’s re-election — former City Council presidents Bill Bishop and Stephen Joost. They say that the deal passes the buck to children and those yet to be born.

As if that’s something new to this plan.

The Curry Administration has gotten something of a bunker mentality down the stretch, not commenting on questions for a five-part The Florida Times-Union series on the pension tax, though the mayor has answered questions about the tax and his appearance at Trump’s rally earlier this month in press gaggles.

Curry’s political guys feel good about their polling. They’ve raised a couple million dollars to message it. Every civic group and union group has bowed down and kissed the ring (though the union guys expect to roll Curry in collective bargaining to renegotiate terms). You’d think that would be enough.

That question and many others will be answered on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

AG Gancarski mail@folioweekly.com

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 17

18 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

FOLIO A + E

FILM High-Rise PG. 22 ARTS Cox Collection Gifted to MOCA PG. 23 MUSIC Sing Out Loud Festival PG. 24 LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC CALENDAR PG. 25

BREAKING THE

TIES THAT BOND On new album, Opiate Eyes’ frontman EXPLORES SONGWRITING in isolation

W

ith more than a dozen releases spanning the better half of a decade, Jacksonville-based DIY quartet Opiate Eyes built a substantial catalog of music. Opiate Eyes tunes are complex and sonorous, but more than anything experimentation — with space, ambient noise, and myriad electronic sounds — was a staple of the band’s sound.

After tracking and releasing nearly 70 songs in less than six years, however, Opiate Eyes called it quits, playing its last show in July, fittingly at the “funeral” celebrating the storied, yet short-lived Urban Core music venue Burro Bar. “Before the Burro show, we were kind of in a sabbatical period, not knowing if we were going to play again,” says the band’s vocalist and lead songwriter, Drew Bond, whose melancholy rasp was one of the other consistent features of the group’s ever-evolving sound.

With longtime bassist and co-conspirator Tom Essex moving away, Bond says Opiate Eyes had been drifting apart, literally and metaphorically, for some time. He says he has no regrets, however, and looks fondly on the band’s body of work.

“I’m happy with what we did,” he says. “We had so much fun together and I think that’s why we were so productive.”

Just a month after Opiate Eyes’ final show, Bond — ever the prolific crafter of song — released his fourth solo album, Sitting in The Falls. Like Bond’s past work, the new album makes use of space to create a distinct sonic atmosphere, feeling sparse at times, even when there’s a lot happening, audibly. Unlike Bond’s past work, however, the ambience of

Sitting was created with little more than an acoustic guitar.

“I’ve always opted to include additional instruments or electronic elements,” Bond says of his past musical endeavors. “It just felt like a good time to stray away from that and just strip it all down.”

Bond tracked the new album at Warehouse Studios, plugging his acoustic guitar directly into the recording equipment. The resulting guitar sound is something like a cross between a classical guitar and a harpsichord, adding a baroque backbone to the album’s introspective lyrics.

The 11 tracks on Sitting are full of ruminations on nature, its therapeutic qualities and how the natural world can mimic our romantic ideals.

“There’s a lot of reverence for nature in the songs,” Bond says. “Some of it is a meditation on what nature means to people. Some of it’s just an appreciation for beauty.”

The opening track “Devotion” begins with some nimble yet tasteful fingerpicking, followed by Bond’s voice, softly drawing out the word “Devotion.”

Bond seems to be in the midst of a sacred place when he adds “the lost art of devotion.”

The qualifying phrase invokes a comparison between the pleasant imagery created by Bond’s instrument and voice and the hustle and bustle of somewhere more in keeping with modern urban/suburban life. “In an ocean of racing minds, the commotion outshines,” Bond laments, echoing the challenge of staying present or mindful, even in the presence of striking beauty.

The album’s title is from a track of the same name, which describes an experience Bond had at a waterfall in western North Carolina. “On the dry leaves, on the cool rocks, on the hidden path,” Bond sings, setting an idyllic scene before repeating. “The most beautiful day in human history.”

Such a hyperbolic phrase would seem sarcastic if included in an Opiate Eyes song. In fact, aside from the stripped-down sound, there’s an earnestness to Bond’s lyrics throughout Sitting that anyone who has listened to Opiate Eyes will recognize as a departure for the songwriter. Bond says that was intentional.

“There’s less irony and cynicism than some of the other stuff I’ve written,” Bond says of the tunes on his new album. “I’ve never made anything in that style. I wanted to try something new. I felt I needed to branch out.”

Bond says that although some of the songs on Sitting were created in a flourish of inspired energy, many had been around for a while.

“I had quite a few stored away, not having anywhere to put them,” he says. As he was writing, he kept revisiting the older tunes and soon realized he was creating a body of work that delved in some of the same themes — mainly meditations on humans’ relationship to the natural world — and that the themes were often treated in the same uncharacteristically solemn way.

“I think I wanted to be kind of vulnerable,” Bond says of the process of developing the songs. “It was a chance to expose my fears. I decided I wasn’t going to dress anything up too much. It sort of is what it is.”

Matthew B. Shaw mail@folioweekly.com

DREW BOND CD RELEASE PARTY with ROLAND DAVID, COLIN ADKINS, CHASE FOWLER 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Deep Search Records, Riverside, deepsearchrecords.com

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 19

20 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 21

FOLIO A+E : MAGIC LANTERNS Under-the-radar film offers a dose of DELIGHTFUL CHAOS

TOTAL

MAYHEM F

22 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

or almost 30 years, British producer Jeremy Thomas had struggled to bring J.G. Ballard’s 1975 novel High-Rise — a book deemed “unfilmable” — to the big screen. (The same was said of Nabokov’s Lolita, of course, and many other controversial works.) At one time, Nicolas Roeg was set to direct, and we can only imagine what kind of movie the creator of Don’t Look Now and The Man Who Fell to Earth might have fashioned.

In the end, the job went to Ben Wheatley, one of England’s most exciting and original directors who, despite having four acclaimed independent features to his credit, had never worked with an A-class cast on a substantial budget. Wheatley is up to the big names and big bucks. High-Rise might not be as uniformly satisfying as Kill List (2011), Sightseers (2012), or the supremely weird A Field in England (2013), but it’s good treatment.

The film opens with a brief prologue by bearded, unkempt Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston), sporting a tie and a blood-soaked white shirt as he puts a classical recording on the turntable. “For all its inconveniences,” he says in a voice-over, “Laing was satisfied with life in the high-rise.” We follow him through the wreckage of a building, with a white husky, as he continues, “Now that so many of the residents were out of the way, he felt able to relax. More in charge of himself. Ready to move forward and explore life.”

A few startling scenes later on — one with a dead man with his head in a TV console — Laing removes his tie and pets his dog. A quick edit later, and he’s roasting the dog’s leg on a spit over an open fire. Welcome to High-Rise!

In the satirical vein of A Clockwork Orange, Ballard’s novel (and the film), both set in the ’70s, imagine a world of high design and carefully detailed order where everything slips into anarchy and violence. The prologue cuts to three months earlier: the elegantly attired Dr. Laing, a neurosurgeon (we learn), moves into an obviously expensive new highrise apartment complex, a self-sustaining community with its own grocery store and other amenities.

Streamlined and aseptic, the building seems a pleasure-palace for the rich and famous and, on lower floors, their not-quite-so equals. At the hospital, Laing peels flesh from a human head, showing how “the facial mask simply slips off the skull.” The rest of the film shows how similar masks, literal and metaphorical, slip from their subjects as the human comedy spins out of control.

Things quickly begin to go wrong in the high-rise, mechanical and otherwise, as the architect (Jeremy Irons) tries vainly to maintain control from his penthouse while his wife

throws parties with 18th-century costumes and her horse. Laing gets involved with the architect’s mistress (Sienna Miller) and bastard son Toby, an inquisitive, observant boy, while the lower floors are galvanized into action by a frustrated TV producer (Luke Evans) whose pregnant wife (Elisabeth Moss) tries to manage her already-considerable brood.

Violent and absurdist, High-Rise had a limited release in the U.S. before going to home video. This is not a reflection on the film’s quality, but rather its limited appeal to a broad audience, especially here. The movie ends with the precocious Toby perched on a crane, listening to Margaret Thatcher proclaim that “there is only one economic system in the world and that is capitalism.” Meanwhile, the utopian world of the high-rise has quite literally gone to the dogs.

With the exception of Sightseers, written by its two co-stars, Wheatley’s films were written by him and/or his wife, Amy Jump, who assumes solo credit for High-Rise. Trying to stick to Ballard’s satirical attack on class structure, the film lacks the punch it might have had earlier, something like Lindsay Anderson’s If… (’68). It’s almost as if Wheatley and Jump feel constrained by their source material’s reputation, reluctant to go all out for the choke-hold as in their earlier, independent films.

Don’t get me wrong. High-Rise is certainly shocking, just not as much as it might’ve been.

Fans of Wheatley and the film’s stars should check it out.

Pat McLeod mail@folioweekly.com

NOW SHOWING SUN-RAY CINEMA Don’t Think Twice, Sausage Party and Hunt of the Wilderpeople run, 1028 Park St., 5 Points, 3590049, sunraycinema.com. Fear and Desire and A Killer’s Kiss run Aug. 25 & 28. Hell or High Water starts Aug. 26.

The Shining runs Aug. 27. The Killing runs Aug. 30.

SUMMER MOVIE CLASSIC SERIES The Secret of My Success – starring Michael J. Fox and Helen Slater – marks its 30th anniversary, wrapping up the series.

It screens 2 p.m. Aug. 21 at The Florida Theatre, 128 E. Forsyth St., Ste. 300, Downtown, $7.50; 355-2787, floridatheatre.com.

CORAZON CINEMA & CAFÉ The Lady in the Van and Chevalier are screened, 36 Granada St., St. Augustine, 679-5736, corazoncinemaandcafe.com. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon runs at noon Aug. 25. Water Blues, Green Solution runs 6 p.m. Aug. 25. National Park films run 11:45 a.m., 1:45 and 4 p.m. Aug. 25-27.

IMAX THEATER Robots 3D, Suicide Squad, National Parks Adventure, A Beautiful Planet and Secret Ocean screen at World Golf Village IMAX Theater, St. Augustine, 940-4133, worldgolfimax.com.

FOLIO A+E : ARTS

GIVE A LITTLE

Recent donation from the collection of Maria and Donald Cox showcases the couple’s AMBITIOUS CURATORIAL SPIRIT

BIT OF YOUR LIFE

A

t six feet tall and a little more than one foot wide, Harry Bertoia’s Sounding Sculpture is nearly the size of the average American male, but the piece still maintains a dramatic presence. With its neat, parallel rows of individual nickel alloy spires jutting out of its square base, the static structure can appear to be growing in real time. Furthermore, as is the case with many of Bertoia’s sculpture work, Sounding Sculpture is interactive, producing a unique tone that was painstakingly honed in the late Italian-American artist’s Pennsylvania recording studio.

When Maria Cox lent the piece to the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville some years ago, it was a big hit (especially when its auditory capabilities were put on display by a gloved docent). It’s part of Maria’s and her late husband Donald’s personal collection, and one can easily imagine Sounding Sculpture serving as a source of late-night entertainment for modern-art-appreciating guests in the Coxes’ home.

Now Bertoia’s sculpture, along with 49 other artworks representing the Coxes’ eclectic tastes and ambitious curatorial spirit are set to become a part of MOCA’s permanent collection. Included in the Coxes’ recent gift are two paintings by abstract and neo-expressionist painter Philip Guston (including 1969’s Book), pop-artist Keith Haring’s Two Dancing Figures sculpture, and abstractexpressionist Joan Mitchell’s painting, Chord III. The donation — which is valued at more than $5.8 million — comes just 12 years after the Coxes’ 2004 gift of 48 works, which have since become staples of MOCA’s permanent collection.

The Coxes began collecting while living in New York City during the artistically fertile 1970s, actively seeking out works

by Mitchell, Guston, Shapiro, Frank Stella, Haring, Malcom Morley, Jasper Johns, and many more.

Donald, who died in 2006, was at one point a senior vice president at Exxon.

After retirement, he served as president and trustee of the American Federation of Arts, a trustee of the American Academy in Rome, a member of the Whitney Print Committee, and emeritus trustee at Polytechnic Institute of New York University and Bluefield College in Virginia.

Maria, after graduating from Cornell, worked in interior design for firms in San Francisco and Boston before starting her own firm in New York City. Her work led to collaborations with prominent architects; she lent her skills to designs at Lincoln Center’s Opera House and Avery Fisher Hall (now David Geffen Hall).

“We saw an enormous amount of art galleries, museums, studios, in New York and traveling,” Maria Cox said in a press release provided by MOCA. “In New York, sometimes on a Saturday, we might have visited up to 28 galleries. There was

so much going on in the galleries and museums uptown, midtown, SoHo, and then Tribeca and further east and south.”

The liveliness of the ’70s New York art scene as well as the couple’s broad tastes are certainly evident in the nearly 100 pieces that have been donated to MOCA. The newest donation includes works collected from New York to Paris and beyond. “Don and I mostly agreed on selections,” Cox said. “If we didn’t agree, we didn’t buy it.”

“They’ve added such depth and diversity to the collection,” says MOCA Director Ben Thompson. “They didn’t just collect one kind of art. Included in this donation are pop art, there’s gestural abstraction, figurative work, sculpture, painting, works on paper … I think it represents the individual interests of both

Maria and Donald, as well as their common interests.”

Maria Cox has been MOCA’s longest standing donor, building a relationship spanning 12 years that has turned out to be crucial to the institution’s reputation and long-term viability.

“Over the years, Maria has supported us in very integral ways,” says Thompson.

“This donation is Cox’s most significant contribution to the museum to date. In terms of the quality and scope of the works, it is a transformative gift.”

MOCA plans to exhibit a selection of the new objects in “Breaking Ground: The Donald and Maria Cox Collection,” which runs from Sept. 24 through Jan. 8.

Matthew B. Shaw mail@folioweekly.com

JOAN MITCHELL, Chord III, 1986. Oil on canvas, 77 x 44 inches. Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, gift of Donald and Maria Cox (pictured). © Estate of Joan Mitchell. Image courtesy Ben Thompson.

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 23

ARTS + EVENTS PERFORMANCE

SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ Alhambra Theatre & Dining presents the Grammy-winning revue, featuring legendary rockand-roll songs of hitmakers Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber, through Sept. 4. Dinner 6 p.m.; brunch noon; featuring award-winning Executive Chef DeJuan Roy’s themed menu, at Alhambra Theatre & Dining, 12000 Beach Blvd., Southside, 641-1212, $35-$62, alhambrajax.com.

COMEDY

WAYNE BRADY Emmy and Grammy Award-winning comedian Brady, known for his work on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the Broadway smash Kinky Boots, appears at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts, 283 College Dr., Orange Park, 276-6750, $43-$94, thcenter.org.

FRED’S FUNNIEST COMEDIANS Local comedians Reggie Moss, Tommy Torres and others at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24; Christina Schriver, Sid Davis and others, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at The Comedy Zone, 3130 Hartley Rd., Mandarin, 292-4242, $10, comedyzone.com.

MARYELLEN HOOPER Comedian Hooper, a veteran of The Martin Short Show and The Tonight Show, appears 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 and 7:30 & 9:45 p.m. Aug. 26 and 27 at The Comedy Zone, 292-4242, $15-$18, comedyzone.com.

SMOKEY DEESE Comic Deese, whose credits include BET and Comic View, is on 8:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at The Comedy Club of Jacksonville, 11000 Beach Blvd., Southside, 646-4277, $7-$20, jacksonvillecomedy.com.

BULLSCHTICK COMEDY TOUR Comedians William “Bull” Ohse and Doug Canney appear 8 p.m. Aug. 26; 8 & 10:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at The Comedy Club of Jacksonville, 646-4277, $6-$15, jacksonvillecomedy.com.

CALLS & WORKSHOPS

JACKSONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY TEEN BATTLE OF THE BANDS The 11th annual Teen Battle of the Bands is accepting submissions for teen bands (ages 12-18) through Sept. 9. Concert is held Oct. 8 at Hemming Park. For more info, go to ilovejpl.org/teenbotb.

FOLIO MEDIA HOUSE TABLESIDE GALLERIES Folio Weekly Magazine seeks submissions from artists working in all media interested in having work displayed in some of Northeast Florida’s prominent restaurants. Details, call Kyle Willis, 383-5650, tablesidegalleries@folioweekly.com.

NEW TOWN URBAN FARM Urban Geoponics and New Town are developing a large community garden at Pearce and West Third streets, in the New Town/Edward Waters area, Northside. It will provide fresh produce and a hands-on, open-air center of learning for the community and area students. Urban Farm meets 10 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sun. Details, call Diallo-Sekou at 706-284-9808.

ART WALKS & MARKETS

RIVERSIDE ARTS MARKET Local, regional art, music – Morning Yoga with Marcy Knight (9 a.m.), Savanna Leigh Bassett, Mike Shackelford, Steve Shanholtzer, Linda Grenville, Mike Pearson – food, farmers market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 27 under the Fuller Warren Bridge, 715 Riverside Ave., free admission, 389-2449, riversideartsmarket.com.

UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT The self-guided tour features galleries, antique stores and shops open 5-9 p.m. Aug. 27 and every last Sat. in St. Augustine’s San Marco District, 824-3152.

MUSEUMS

CUMMER MUSEUM OF ART & GARDENS 29 Riverside Ave., 356-6857, cummermuseum.org. Lift: Contemporary Expressions of the African American Experience, works of local artists Thony Aiuppy, Glendia Cooper, Ingrid Damiani, Overstreet Ducasse, Dustin Harewood, Marsha Hatcher, Hiromi Moneyhun, Princess Rashid, Chip Southworth, and Roosevelt Watson III, responding to the area’s artistic African-American heritage, displays through Feb. 12. David Hayes: The Sentinel Series, sculptures of geometrically abstract, organic forms, displays through Oct. 2.

LIGHTNER MUSEUM 75 King St., St. Augustine, 808-7330, lightnermuseum.org. The American Parks Exhibition, with works depicting scenes from all kinds of parks, runs through Aug. 31 in the museum’s Café Alcazar. Admission is free. Call for details.

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART JACKSONVILLE 333 N. Laura St., 366-6911, mocajacksonville.unf.edu.

Art Aviators Family Workshop, which offers art-making fun for children with autism spectrum disorders and other varying exceptionalities, is held 10-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 27; $20 per child, space is limited. Project Atrium: Ethan Murrow is on display through Oct. 30. Confronting the Canvas: Women of Abstraction, 30 works by six contemporary, female Abstract Expressionist painters, displays through Sept. 4.

GALLERIES

THE ART CENTER Jacksonville Landing, Ste. 139, 233-9252, tacjacksonville.org. Lift Every Voice, a collaborative show by Hope at Hand and Jax Youth Poetry Slam, is on display through Oct. 10. William Garcia is the featured artist for August.

BREWER’S PIZZA 14B Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, 276-5159, brewerspizza.com. Gloria Aitken’s works are on display.

CASA DORA ITALIAN CAFÉ 108 E. Forsyth St., Downtown, 356-8282. Works by Tom Aschenbach are on display.

ALEXANDER BREST GALLERY Jacksonville University, 2800 University Blvd. N., Arlington, 256-7371, ju.edu. An exhibit of works by students enrolled in the school’s Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts program, including Vellangi Stringos, Chris Stephen, Roselynn Imbleau, Jane Griffo, and Angela Casini, is on display through Aug. 24.

24 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

CoRK ARTS DISTRICT 2689 Rosselle St., Riverside., southlightgallery.com. The Southlight Gallery exhibit Head to Toe, featuring face and figurative studies, is featured 6-9 p.m. Aug. 25 in the north gallery.

THE CULTURAL CENTER AT PONTE VEDRA BEACH 50 Executive Way, 280-0614, ccpvb.org. The Summer Juried Plein Air Exhibit runs through Sept. 2.

HASKELL GALLERY Jacksonville International Airport, 14201 Pecan Park Rd., Northside, 741-3546, jiaarts.org. Works by Shannon Estlund are on display through September.

HIGH TIDE GALLERY 76-B San Marco Ave., St. Augustine, 829-6831, thehightidegallery.com. This gallery features works by more than 40 local artisans. Painter Robin Shields is the featured artist from 5-9 p.m. Aug. 27.

HUBLEY GALLERY 804C Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, 429-9769, hubleygallery.com. Mary Hubley is the featured artist for August.

INDOCHINE 1974 San Marco Blvd., 503-7013, indochinejax. com. Jami Childers’ works are on display.

MONROE GALLERIES 40 W. Monroe St., Downtown, 881-0209, monroegalleries.com. Works by Barbie BrayWorkman, Jami Childers, Dana Fawn, Leilani Leo, and Dustin Bradley are featured.

PHO, A NOODLE BAR 117 W. Adams St., Downtown, 353-0320, phoanoodlebar.com. Matt Bluejay’s works are on display.

ROTUNDA GALLERY St. Johns County Admin. Bldg., 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, 471-9980. The exhibit United Way St. Johns County Photographic Exhibit is on display through Oct. 20.

SOUTHLIGHT GALLERY Bank of America Tower, 50 N. Laura St., Ste. 150, Downtown, 438-4358, southlightgallery.com.

Photographer Meghna Ailawadhi is the guest artist through Sept. 6. Fresh Air: Works Inspired By Nature is on display.

ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION 22 Marine St., St. Augustine, 824-2310, staaa.org. The Seventh Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition is on display through Aug. 28.

EVENTS

CLAY COUNTY UNTAPPED The Clay County Chamber of Commerce presents a food tasting event, featuring foods, desserts, beer, and wine from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 25 at ThrasherHorne Center for the Arts, 283 College Dr., Orange Park, $15 advance; $20 at the door; tickets at claychamber.com.

JACKSONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK SALE The Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library (FJPL) Book Sale is held 4-8 p.m. Aug. 26, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 27, and noon-5 p.m. Aug. 28 at FJPL Book Warehouse at University Park Library, 3435 University Blvd. N., Southside, 630-2304. Aug. 26 is members’ night; members buy one bag of books and get a second one free. Bags are $15 plus tax; buy two, get a third free.

For more info, go to fjpl.org.

PLANTING LECTURE IN RIVERSIDE Speaker Nathan aka “The Man in Overalls,” discusses planting tips at 9 a.m. Aug. 27 at Riverside Avondale Community Garden, 2840 Park St.; bring a chair or towel to sit on, riversideavondale.org.

RIVER RUCKUS The fourth annual River Ruckus, a familygeared day courtesy of the St. Johns Riverkeeper and Riverside Arts Market, includes all types of water-based activities, ranging from beginner SUP lessons to free boat trips, a paddling flotilla, clinics, kids crafts, educational programming, live local music, and craft beer. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 27, under the Fuller Warren Bridge, Riverside, stjohnsriverkeeper.org.

THE BOOKMARK 26th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION The BookMark celebrates its 26th birthday, featuring coffee, treats, kid-friendly fun, and prizes, 9 a.m. (story time for kids)6 p.m. Aug. 27 at 220 First St., Neptune Beach, 241-9026, bookmarkbeach.com.

LOU AGUILAR BOOK SIGNING Journalist and screenwriter Aguilar talks about and signs copies of his new book, Jake for Mayor, 7 p.m. Aug. 30, The BookMark, Neptune Beach, 241-9026, bookmarkbeach.com.

SUNS VS. LOOKOUTS The Jacksonville Suns’ homestand against the Chattanooga Lookouts continues 7:05 p.m. Aug. 24 (Books & Bats Reading Night, Military Appreciation Night), Aug. 25 (Mavericks Live Thirsty Thursday), and Aug. 26 (Football Night, Fireworks), at Bragan Field, Baseball Grounds, Downtown, single game tix $5-$18, 358-2846, jaxsuns.com. Next up: Mobile BayBears, for our boys of summer’s last homestand this regular season!

JAGUARS VS. BENGALS The Jacksonville Jaguars play a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, 8 p.m. Aug. 28 at EverBank Field, Downtown, 633-2000, jaguars.com.

DARWIN & DINOSAURS The Museum of Science & History presents an exhibit with full-size dinosaur skeletons, scientific instruments, original letters, and first editions of Darwin’s main works, through Sept. 5, 1025 Museum Cir., Southbank, 607-9720, themosh.org.

AMELIA RIVER CRUISES Eco-Shrimping, family-friendly sunset, beach creek, Cumberland Island tours, from 1 N. Front St., Fernandina, 261-9972, ameliarivercruises.com.

DAILY EVENTS AT HEMMING PARK Free yoga, group fitness, kids’ activities, 117 W. Duval St., Downtown. Live music, food trucks 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; details at hemmingpark.org/hemming-park-events.

FLORIDA SOLAR AMENDMENT 4 FORUM A panel of experts — George Cavros, Pete Wilking and Dr. Todd Sack — discuss the amendment at a free forum, 6:30-8 p.m.

Aug. 24 at University of North Florida’s University Center, 12000 Alumni Dr., Southside; admission is free but requires a tickets; tickets at usgbcflorida.wildapricot.org.

___________________________________

To list an event, send time, date, location (street address, city), admission price, contact number to print to Daniel A. Brown – email dbrown@folioweekly.com or mail, 45 W. Bay St., Ste. 103, Jacksonville FL 32202. Items run as space is available. Deadline noon Wed. for next Wed. printing.

FOLIO A+E : MUSIC 28 shows, 150 acts, 10 venues, three weeks — Sing Out Loud Festival is the culmination of St. Augustine’s ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT

A BOLD

PROCLAMATION A

Rhett Miller

electronic whiz kids also drop complex t its core, the inaugural Sing Out Loud beats each night at Planet Sarbez, while St. Festival is a continuation. Of the video Augustine’s profligate hardcore community series of the same name that features infiltrates lineups around town. And if you like touring musicians performing en plein air reggae (and c’mon, who doesn’t?), the chance on boat ramps and back porches around St. to see local favorite Soulo and WFCF staple DJ Augustine. Of our rich, wildly divergent local Ragamuffin share the stage with The Original music tapestry. Of St. Johns County Cultural Wailers qualifies as a religious experience.

Events Division Director Ryan Murphy’s “I’ve always wanted to do this kind of tireless passion for spotlighting those artists. festival,” Murphy says. “Look at the venues And of our county representatives’ embrace of we have! Look at the artists we have! We’ve live music as an economic driver. got kids with laptops writing songs in their In that sense, maybe Sing Out Loud is bedroom, we’ve got women with acoustic more a culmination than a continuation. guitars, we’ve got fantastic punk and reggae It distills the spirit of giddy excitement we bands … We really run the gamut here, and get after a great night out discovering a Sing Out Loud is going to capture that.” ridiculously talented local band at Nobby’s or Laughing, he adds, “At least I hope so — I Ann O’Malley’s or Planet Sarbez. It captures invited everyone I could think of.” the anticipatory joy that leads up to checking Murphy emphasizes the fact that such off a bucket list show at the Amphitheatre artistic freedom is possible only because of or Colonial Quarter. Of stumbling upon generous support from the St. Johns Cultural a hidden gem during an afternoon show Council, Tourist Development Council, and at the Gazebo or Café Alcazar. Of lucking Community First Credit Union. “With so into a big-city-quality theatrical production much funding, we can pay all 150 artists,” at Limelight. Of strolling (or stumbling) Murphy says with pride. “And that makes down Aviles Street and feeling, if only for a everybody take ownership of the festival.” moment, that you’re lucky enough to live in Looking forward, he hopes Sing Out Loud some weird mix of a 21st-century European might become more industry-focused, with capital and a pre-Revolution 18th-century American port town. business workshops, “Sing Out Loud is artist development, SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL: RHETT a true St. Augustine and other useful MILLER, ORIGINAL WAILERS, JOHN celebration of music tools. “Some of our MORELAND, BRANDI CARLILE, INDIGO that spans as much of local musicians are GIRLS, BOOKER T. JONES, MANY MORE the musical spectrum great at promoting Concerts are Aug. 25-27, Aug. 31, Sept. 2 & 3, as possible,” Murphy themselves,” he and Sept. 9-11, various St. Augustine venues, explained in a Festival says. “There are all shows are free. All Sing Out Loud info is available at singoutloudfestival.com. press release. In a others who are more far-ranging phenomenally phone conversation talented but don’t with Folio Weekly Magazine, he doubled down know how to do it, then get stuck in the cycle on that all-inclusiveness, raving about all of of playing the same random bar. Teaching his local prospects getting their due while them how to put out records and really make giggling about the prospect of seeing Brandi it as musicians — that’s the impetus of Sing Carlile, Indigo Girls, Booker T. Jones and Out Loud. I want to spread the knowledge Rhett Miller of Old 97’s at the Amphitheatre. accumulated here in St. Augustine and bring “That Miller show is gonna have the vibe people together so everybody can enjoy the that I think is most indicative of what we’re same opportunities to succeed.” trying to do with Sing Out Loud,” Murphy Even better for local musicians is that Sing says. “The concept started as a way to take Out Loud falls in a traditionally quiet month national artists and 1) record them in cool in St. Augustine. “A big push came from the locations, then 2) have them perform with Tourist Development Council,” says Murphy.

“They recognized that this time of year is a cool local artist. Putting our homegrown typically down, which justifies the spending talent side by side on the same stage with big of tax dollars because it brings more people stars is a way to really showcase what we have to town.” It goes hand in hand with recent going on in St. Augustine.” successful September shows like Mumford & And, contrary to critics’ long-held (but Sons’ Gentlemen of the Road Stopover and St. long-wrong) assumption that St. Augustine Augustine’s 450th birthday celebration. is a one-note reggae-rock-cover-band town, “At the Cultural Arts Division, we feel like there’s a hell of a lot going on. Yes, our prolific we’re still riding that momentum,” Murphy acoustic side is well-represented — with believes. “And we want to spread it to as separate days dedicated to Stetson Kennedy many artists on as many cool stages around and Gamble Rogers, several countrified town as possible.”

Lincolnville Porch Fest showcases, and Nick McGregor six-string sensation Sam Pacetti setting mail@folioweekly.com a sumptuous scene at Café Alcazar. But

Soul great JILL SCOTT (pictured) performs with GEORGIA ME Aug. 28 at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts’ Moran Theater, Downtown.

LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC CONCERTS THIS WEEK

SPADE McQUADE 6 p.m. Aug. 24, Fionn MacCool’s Irish Pub, Jacksonville Landing, Ste. 176, 374-1247.

AVA MENDOZA, JESSICA PAVONE 8 p.m. Aug. 24, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, 101 W. First St., Springfield, 356-2992, $7.

The NATURALISTS, RIP JUNIOR, STEPHAN PIGMAN 8 p.m. Aug. 24, Jack Rabbits, 1528 Hendricks Ave., San Marco, 398-7496, $8 advance; $10 day of.

TALK SICK BRATS, CURLIES, The MOLD, VIRGIN FLOWER 8 p.m. Aug. 24, Shantytown Pub, 22 W. Sixth St., Springfield, 798-8222.

Music by the Sea: CHILLAKAYA 7 p.m. Aug. 24, St. Augustine Beach Pier, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., thecivic association.org. Bring something to sit on.

Sing Out Loud Festival: SAM PACETTI 5 p.m. Aug. 25, Café Alcazar Lightner Museum, 75 King St., St. Augustine, 824-2874, singoutloudfestival.com.

Concerts in the Plaza: ROB ELLIS PECK & FRIENDS 7 p.m.

Aug. 25, Plaza de la Constitución, St. George & King, St. Augustine, 825-1004, concertsintheplaza.com.

Adult BYOB Cruise: DAN VOLL, LARRY LeMIER 7 p.m.

Aug. 25, 26 & 27, 1 N. Front St., Fernandina, 261-9972; ameliarivercruises.com.

UNKNOWN HINSON, KINGS of HELL 8 p.m. Aug. 25, Jack Rabbits, $15 advance; $20 day of.

“3” the BAND 9 p.m. Aug. 25, Flying Iguana, 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 853-5680.

Sing Out Loud Festival: The ORIGINAL WAILERS, SOULO & THA BEAT, I-VIBES, NIGHT NURSE, DJ RAGAMUFFIN 4 p.m. Aug. 26, St. Augustine Amphitheatre Backyard, 1340 A1A S., 209-0367, singoutloudfestival.com.

Sing Out Loud Festival: EMMA MOSELEY BAND, The FIREWATER TENT REVIVAL, BRENT BYRD, The GRAPES of ROTH, SKY HARRIS 5 p.m. Aug. 26, Colonial Quarter, 33 St. George St., St. Augustine, 342-2857.

HONEY CHAMBER, HOPSON ROAD, PINECONE SHAKE, MICHAEL LANIER 8 p.m. Aug. 26, Jack Rabbits, $5 advance; $10 day of.

SPANKY the BAND 9:30 p.m. Aug. 26, Whiskey Jax, 10915 Baymeadows Rd., 634-7208.

Sing Out Loud Festival: KID YOU NOT, MUSTARD, EMA & the OLD KINGS, JOEY CANEVA, TOM McKELVEY 10 p.m. Aug. 26, Planet Sarbez, 115 Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, 342-0632, singoutloudfestival.com.

EVAN MICHAEL & the WELL WISHERS 10 p.m. Aug. 26 & 27, Flying Iguana.

DENIED TIL DEATH, SASQUATCH on MARS, PRIMITIVE HD, HARVEY HAMPTON 10 p.m. Aug. 26, The Roadhouse,

231 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, 264-0611, $5.

Riverside Arts Market: MARCY KNIGHT morning yoga (9 a.m.),

SAVANNA LEIGH BASSETT, MIKE SHACKELFORD, STEVE SHANHOLTZER, LINDA GRENVILLE, MIKE PEARSON 10:30 a.m. Aug. 27, 715 Riverside Ave., 389-2449.

Save the Scene: NORTHE, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS, CLOUD9 VIBES, JENNI REID, KELZ LAW, STAGES, JASON JCELES CELESTINE, AURORA.MUSIC, MINOR INFLUENCE, CLIMB the SUMMIT, KUDOS the KID, MAN DARINO, FAZE WAVE, A VIBRANT LYE, DANCING WITH GHOSTS, The HOLED-OUTS, FETCH, SKYVIEW, JACKIE STRANGER, DIGDOG, MARATHON RUNNER, WHATEVER YO Noon Aug. 27, The Elbow, 7 N. Ocean St., Downtown, free admission; $15 VIP tickets proceeds go toward mental health awareness and treatment in Jacksonville.

Sing Out Loud Festival: RIVERNECKS, CHELSEA SADDLER, AMY HENDRICKSON, GHOST TROPIC, EARLY DISCLAIMERS, KENNY & the JETS, SAND FLEAS, TERESA ROSE, 86 HOPE, NO PDA, JEREMY ROGERS Noon Aug. 27, Colonial Quarter, singoutloudfestival.com.

Sing Out Loud Festival: LONESOME BERT & the SKINNY LIZARDS, ANCIENT CITY SLICKERS, ASLYN & the NAYSAYERS, KATHERINE ARCHER, MICHAEL JORDAN, TODD & MOLLY, COLTON McKENNA, GRANT PAXTON BAND Noon Aug. 27, Downtown Plaza Gazebo, Plaza de la Constitucion, 1 Cathedral St., St. Augustine.

Sing Out Loud Festival: BROWN PALACE, TOMMY ILL RHYTHM, BITE MARKS, BURNT HAIR, VIRGIN FLOWER, SEVERED + SAID, BEAU CRUM, CHUCK MENTAL, SIS SCUM, I CAME FROM EARTH, ZACH SLAUGHTERBECK 5 p.m. Aug. 27, Planet Sarbez, singoutloudfestival.com.

Kings & Queens of Hip Hop: DMX, BONE THUGS-NHARMONY, TRINA, JUVENILE, SCARFACE, BIGGA RANKIN, MIKE JONES, KHIA, WAYNE WONDE 7 p.m.

Aug. 27, Veterans Memorial Arena, 300 Randolph Blvd., Downtown, 630-3900, $55-$99.

The ORCHESTRA ELO’S GREATEST HITS (members of ELO, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra) 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Florida Theatre, 128 E. Forsyth St., Downtown, 355-2787, $39-$79.

APPALACHIAN DEATH TRAP, FELICITY, FLAG on FIRE, KID YOU NOT 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Jack Rabbits, $8 advance; $10 day of.

DREW BOND CD Release: ROLAND DAVID, COLIN ADKINS, CHASE FOWLER 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Deep Search Records, 822 Lomax St., Riverside, 423-0969.

LIFT 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Fast Freddie’s Bar & Grill, 12905 N. Main St., Northside, 683-8441.

DAVIS TURNER 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Slider’s Seaside Grill, 1998 S. Fletcher Ave., Fernandina Beach, 277-6652.

TAKE COVER 9:30 p.m. Aug. 27, Whiskey Jax.

KASHED OUT, TRIAL by FIRE 10 p.m. Aug. 27, The Roadhouse, $5.

The GATORBONE BAND 6 p.m. Aug. 28, Limelight Theatre, 11 Old Mission Ave., St. Augustine, 825-1164, $5.

SIANVAR, MY IRON LUNG, SAVE US from the ARCHON 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28, 1904 Music Hall, 19 Ocean St., Downtown, $10.

JILL SCOTT, GEORGIA ME 7 p.m. Aug. 28, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts’ Moran Theater, 300 W. Water St., Downtown, 633-6110, $35-$255.

SIZZLA 8 p.m. Aug. 28, Mavericks Live, 2 Independent Dr., Downtown, 356-1110, $30 advance; $40 day of, $50 VIP. GOO GOO DOLLS, COLLECTIVE SOUL, TRIBE SOCIETY 5 p.m. Aug. 31, St. Augustine Amphitheatre, $29.50-$69.50.

Music by the Sea: THOSE GUYS 7 p.m. Aug. 31, St. Augustine Beach Pier & Pavilion, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., thecivicassociation.org. Bring something to sit on.

CHUCKIE CAMPBELL & the PHACTION, MIZZY RAW, TOMAS GORRIO 7 p.m. Aug. 31, Jack Rabbits, $8 advance; $10 day of.

WATER SEED, FFJB MUSIC TEAM 8 p.m. Aug. 31, 1904 Music Hall, $8-$10.

Sing Out Loud Festival: DANNY BURNS & AINE O’DOHERTY 8 p.m. Aug. 31, Ann O’Malley’s Irish Pub, 23 Orange St., 825-4040, singoutloudfestival.com.

Sing Out Loud Festival: OBSERVATORY, WILLOW WACKS, LIGHT ELIXIR, YAWNING FOX, BRITTANI MUELLER 10 p.m. Aug. 31, Planet Sarbez, singoutloudfestival.com.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

KENNY G Sept. 1, The Florida Theatre SLOPPY SECONDS, POWERBALL, The WASTEDIST Sept.

1, Jack Rabbits Sing Out Loud Festival: BRANDI CARLILE, INDIGO GIRLS, BOOKER T. JONES, The TRAVELIN’ McCOURYS, KENNY & the JETS, COLIN HAY, JOEY HARKUM, REV. PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND, LUCERO, ADDI & JACQ, JIM & PATTY SPRINGFIELD, CANDLEBOX, COMPLICATED ANIMALS, LONESOME BERT & SKINNY LIZARDS, MOUNTAIN GOATS, TIM BARRY, MARCELLUS HALL, SHEA BIRNEY, THIS FRONTIER NEEDS HEROES, WEST KING STRING BAND, JOE ROCCO, The YOUNG STEP, FREE RANGERS, SHOVELS & ROPE, ROBBIE DAMMIT & the BROKEN STRINGS, NICHOLAS ROBERTS, J. LEE DRISKELL, JACOB HAMILTON, SKIN & BONZ, AMY HENDRICKSON, RIVERNECKS, BADBOOKS, BOB PATTERSON, DAN ADRIANO, TED LEO, SAM PACETTI, ASLYN & the NAY SAYERS, CORY BRANAN, WILLOWWACKS, JEREMY ROGERS, FRANK TURNER, HOLOPAW Sept. 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, St. Augustine Amphitheatre, P.V. Concert Hall, St. Augustine Beach, Ponte Vedra AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 25

LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC Spookabilly king UNKNOWN HINSON (pictured) performs with KINGS OF HELL Aug. 25 at Jack Rabbits, San Marco.

TONY JOE WHITE Sept. 2, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall HEPATAGUA Sept. 5, Shantytown Pub MELVINS, HELMS ALEE Sept. 8, Jack Rabbits BRIAN WILSON, AL JARDINE, BLONDIE CHAPLIN Sept.

10, St. Augustine Amphitheatre JAKE SHIMABUKURO Sept. 15, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall ZAC BROWN BAND, DRAKE WHITE & the BIG FIRE Sept.

17, Veterans Memorial Arena WHEELER WALKER JR. Sept. 20, Jack Rabbits HELL YEAH Sept. 21, Mavericks Live IL DIVO Sept. 23, The Florida Theatre WIDESPREAD PANIC Sept. 23 & 24, St. Aug. Amphitheatre SOFIJA KNEZEVIC Sept. 23, Ritz Theatre DTCV Sept. 25, Rain Dogs MICHAEL GRAVES (Misfits), DEATH ANGEL Sept. 25, Harmonious Monks The ANN WILSON THING Sept. 28, P.Vedra Concert Hall BLACK UHURU Sept. 28, Jack Rabbits

26 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

PROPHETS of RAGE, AWOLNATION Sept. 30, St. Augustine Amphitheatre JONNY LANG Sept. 30, The Florida Theatre I The MIGHTY, DAYSHELL, ARTIFEX PEREO, PICTURESQUE Sept. 30, 1904 Music Hall SARAH JAROSZ, PARKER MILLSAP Sept. 30, P.V.C. Hall STRYPER Oct. 1, Murray Hill Theatre Amelia Island Jazz Festival: HOUSTON PERSON, BRIA SKONBERG, LES DeMERLE & BONNIE EISELE, CALIENTE, J.B. SCOTT Oct. 2-9, Amelia Island The DANDY WARHOLS, SAVOY MOTEL Oct. 4, P.V.C. Hall GEORGE THOROGOOD & the DESTROYERS Oct. 6, Florida Theatre EDWIN McMAIN Oct. 6, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall INSANE CLOWN POSSE Oct. 7, Limes Live SET IT OFF Oct. 7, Jack Rabbits BILLY BUCHANAN (Prince Tribute) Oct. 7, P.V. Concert Hall The VIBRATORS Oct. 9, Harmonious Monks KORN, BREAKING BENJAMIN Oct. 12, Vets Mem Arena

DONNA the BUFFALO, PETER ROWAN BLUEGRASS BAND, BLUEGROUND UNDERGRASS Oct. 13-16, Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park NEEDTOBREATHE, MAT KEARNY, PARACHUTE, WELSHLY ARMS Oct. 13, St. Augustine Amphitheatre ASTRONAUTALIS, CESCHI & FACTOR CHANDELIER, TRANSIT Oct. 13, Jack Rabbits Jacksonville Music Fest: MAZE, FRANKIE BEVERLY, JAHEIM, JOE Oct. 14, Veterans Memorial Arena Beaches Oktoberfest: BLUES TRAVELER, COLLIE BUDDZ, The MOVEMENT Oct. 14-16, SeaWalk Pavilion, Jax Beach WellRED Comedy Tour: TRAE CROWDER, COREY RYAN FORRESTER, DREW MORGAN Oct. 14, P.V. Concert Hall Live Original Tour: SADIE ROBERTSON Oct. 14, Florida Theatre 20th annual Magnolia Fest: JJ GREY & MOFRO, KELLER WILLIAMS, The INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS, ZACH DEPUTY, BILLY BRAGG, SARAH LEE GUTHRIE, THIS FRONTIER NEEDS HEROES Oct. 15, St. Augustine Amphitheatre JOHN MAYALL Oct. 15, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall BEACH SLANG, BLEACHED, HUNNY Oct. 15, Jack Rabbits SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX Oct. 16, The Florida Theatre KIM RICHEY Oct. 16, Café Eleven STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, MAC POWELL, BRANDON HEATH Oct. 16, Times-Union Center MIKE STERN TRIO Oct. 16, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall Tonevendor RECORD FAIR Oct. 16, St. Aug. Amphitheatre PHISH Oct. 16, Veterans Memorial Arena EDEN, XX Oct. 17, Jack Rabbits The PSYCHEDELIC FURS Oct. 18, P. Vedra Concert Hall TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS Oct. 18, St. Augustine Amp. KEB’ MO’ BAND Oct. 18, The Florida Theatre JOSH RITTER Oct. 20, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall CHASE BRYANT Oct. 20, Mavericks Live MARTIN LAWRENCE Oct. 21, T-U Center RUSTED ROOT, DEVON ALLMAN BAND Oct. 22, P.V.C. Hall MDC, WARLORD, SADLY MISTAKEN Oct. 23, Jack Rabbits MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER Oct. 25, Florida Theatre LINDSEY STIRLING Oct. 27, The Florida Theatre The AVETT BROTHERS Oct. 28, Vets Memorial Arena ANTHONY HAMILTON, LALAH HATHAWAY, ERIC BENET Oct. 29, Times-Union Center The ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Oct. 29, The Florida Theatre BONNIE RAITT Oct. 29, St. Augustine Amphitheatre DEPARTMENT of CORRECTION, DIE CHOKING Oct. 29, Rain Dogs TODD SNIDER, ROREY CARROLL Oct. 29, PV Concert Hall CASTING CROWNS, MATT MAHER, HANNAH KERR Nov. 3, Veterans Memorial Arena LORD ALMIGHTY Nov. 3, Shantytown Pub MAC SABBATH, COUGHIN Nov. 3, Jack Rabbits NF Nov. 3, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall LO CASH Nov. 3, Mavericks Live GHOST, POPESTAR Nov. 4, The Florida Theatre BLAIR CRIMMINS & the HOOKERS Nov. 5, Café Eleven ZZ TOP Nov. 5, St. Augustine Amphitheatre The RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS, CASSIDY LEE, IVAN PULLEY Nov. 6, Jack Rabbits DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES, TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE Nov. 9, St. Augustine Amphitheatre EVANESCENCE, SICK PUPPIES Nov. 10, St. Augustine Amphitheatre The DOOBIE BROTHERS, The FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS Nov. 11, St. Augustine Amphitheatre ODD SQUAD LIVE! Nov. 12, The Florida Theatre CHRIS YOUNG, CASSADEE POPE Nov. 12, St. Aug. Amp. TRACY MORGAN Nov. 12, Thrasher-Horne Center WAR Nov. 13, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall MITSKI Nov. 13, Jack Rabbits ERIC JOHNSON Nov. 16, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall GALACTIC, The HIP ABDUCTION Nov. 17, P.V.Concert Hall BOB DYLAN & HIS BAND Nov. 18, Times-Union Center SAVION GLOVER Nov. 18, The Florida Theatre YELLOWCARD Nov. 18, Mavericks Live WVRM FEST 4 Nov. 18 & 19, 1904 Music Hall MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER Nov. 21, Times-Union Center ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Nov. 22, Mavericks Live QUEENSRYCHE, ARMORED SAINT Nov. 29, Mavericks Live CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO Dec. 1, P.Vedra Concert Hall PATRICK BARTLEY Dec. 1, Ritz Theatre DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS CHRISTMAS, VALERIE SIMPSON, KENNY LATIMORE, JONATHAN BUTLER Dec. 1, Fla Theatre STANLEY CLARKE Dec. 2, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall SARA EVANS Dec. 2, The Florida Theatre TRAVIS TRITT Dec. 4, The Florida Theatre TAYLOR HICKS Dec. 7, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall A Peter White Christmas: RICK BRAUN, EUGE GROOVE Dec. 11, The Florida Theatre The OAK RIDGE BOYS Dec. 13, The Florida Theatre

LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA Dec. 15, Vets Mem Arena GRIFFIN HOUSE Dec. 18, Café Eleven MICHAEL BOLTON Jan. 11, The Florida Theatre PINK MARTINI Jan. 17, The Florida Theatre JEANNE ROBERTSON Jan. 21, The Florida Theatre ELVIS LIVES Jan. 24, Times-Union Center GLADYS KNIGHT Jan. 25, The Florida Theatre KATHLEEN MADIGAN Jan. 27, The Florida Theatre KENNY ROGERS, LINDA DAVIS Jan. 28, Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts VOCALOSITY Feb. 1, The Florida Theatre CHRISTIE DASHIELL Feb. 2, Ritz Theatre BOSTON POPS ESPLANDE ORCHESTRA Feb. 4, T-U Center The BABES Feb. 11, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall UNDER the STREETLAMP Feb. 12, P. Vedra Concert Hall ANDY McKEE Feb. 15, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY & the ASBURY JUKES Feb. 19, The Florida Theatre COLIN HAY Feb. 22, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall JOE BONAMASSA Feb. 22, The Florida Theatre MINDI ABAIR Feb. 23, Ritz Theatre OLD 97’s, BOTTLE ROCKETS Feb. 25, P.V.Concert Hall DENNIS DeYOUNG, Jacksonville Rock Symphony Orchestra Feb. 26, The Florida Theatre TAJ EXPRESS Feb. 28, Times-Union Center The WEIGHT, members of The Band March 3, P.V.C. Hall SPYRO GYRA March 5, The Florida Theatre RICK THOMAS April 1, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall LITTLE RIVER BAND, Jacksonville Rock Symphony Orchestra April 7, The Florida Theatre MJ LIVE! April 20-23, Times-Union Center

LIVE MUSIC CLUBS

AMELIA ISLAND, FERNANDINA ALLEY CAT BEER HOUSE, 316 Centre St., 491-1001 Dan Voll 6:30 p.m. Aug. 24 LA MANCHA, 2709 Sadler Rd., 261-4646 Miguel Paley’s jazz show 5:30-9 p.m. every Fri.-Sun. Javier Parez Sun. SLIDERS Seaside Grill, 1998 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-6652 King Eddie & Pili Pili 6 p.m. Aug. 24. Tad Jennings Aug. 25. Cason, DJ Dave Aug. 26. Radio Love, Davis Turner Aug. 27. Down Yonder Aug. 28. Mark O’Quinn Aug. 30 SURF RESTAURANT, 3199 S. Fletcher Ave., 261-5711 Yancy Clegg Tue. & Thur. Black Jack Band Fri.

AVONDALE, ORTEGA CASBAH Café, 3628 St. Johns Ave., 981-9966 Goliath Flores every Wed. Live jazz every Sun. Live music 9 p.m. Mon. ECLIPSE, 4219 St. Johns Ave. KJ Free 9 p.m. Tue. & Thur. Indie dance 9 p.m. Wed. ’80s & ’90s dance Fri. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 3611 St. Johns, 388-0200 Live music every Thur.-Sat.

THE BEACHES

(All venues in Jax Beach unless otherwise noted)

BLUE TYPHOON, 2309 Beach Blvd., 379-3789 Live music most weekends BRASS ANCHOR Pub, 2292 Mayport Rd., Atlantic Beach, 249-0301 Joe Oliff Aug. 24 FLYING IGUANA, 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 853-5680 3 the Band 9 p.m. Aug. 25. Evan Michael & the Well Wishers 10 p.m. Aug. 26 & 27. Darren Corlew Aug. 28 GUSTO, 1266 Beach Blvd., 372-9925 Groov 7:30 p.m.

Wed. Murray Goff Fri. Under the Bus Sat. Gene Nordan 6 p.m. Sun. HARMONIOUS MONKS, 320 First St. N., 372-0815 Ozone Baby 9 p.m. Aug. 26 LYNCH’S Irish Pub, 514 N. First St., 249-5181 Mikee Clams 10 p.m. Aug. 26. Trevor Barns, Morning Fatty 10 p.m. Aug. 27 MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1018 Third St. N., 241-5600 Lyons Aug. 25. Lucky Costello 9 p.m. Aug. 27 MEZZA Restaurant & Bar, 110 First St., NB, 249-5573 Gypsies Ginger Wed. Mike Shackelford, Steve Shanholtzer Thur. Mezza Shuffle Mon. Trevor Tanner Tue. MONKEY’S UNCLE, 1728 N. Third St., 246-1070 Chilly Rhino Aug. 26. DJ every Wed., Sat. & Sun. RAGTIME Tavern, 207 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 241-7877 Pat Rose Aug. 24. Decoy Aug. 25. Paul Lundgren Band Aug. 26 & 27. Live music Aug. 28 SEACHASERS, 831 First St. N., 372-0444 Lip Sync Face-Off: D’Land Entertainment Aug. 24. DJ EL 8 p.m.

Aug. 25. Ryan Campbell 8:30 p.m. Aug. 26. NW Izzard Aug. 27. Smokestack Aug. 30

DOWNTOWN 1904 MUSIC Hall, 19 Ocean St. N. Sip Doodle Aug. 25. A Vibrant Lye Aug. 27. Sianvar, My Iron Lung, Save Us from the Archon Aug. 28. Water Seed, FFJB Music Team Aug. 31

The BIRDHOUSE, 1827 N. Pearl St. Bad Case of Big Mouth Aug. 27 DE REAL TING, 128 W. Adams St., 633-9738 De Lions of Jah 7 p.m. Aug. 27 DOS GATOS, 123 E. Forsyth St., 354-0666 DJ Brandon Thur.

DJ NickFresh Sat. DJ Randall Mon. DJ Hollywood Tue. FIONN MacCOOL’S, Jax Landing, 374-1247 Spade McQuade 6 p.m. Aug. 24. Ace Winn 8 p.m. Aug. 26. Chuck Nash Aug. 27. Live music most weekends JACKSONVILLE Landing, 353-1188 Radio Love 8 p.m. Aug. 26. Ryan Crary, Who Rescued Who Aug. 27.

Caribbean Sundaze Aug. 28 MARK’S Downtown, 315 E. Bay St., 355-5099 DJ Dr. Doom 10 p.m. every Fri. DJ Shotgun 10 p.m. every Sat. MAVERICKS LIVE, Jax Landing, 356-1110 21 Savage Aug. 26. Sizzla 8 p.m.

Aug. 28. Joe Buck, DJ Justin every Thur.-Sat. MYTH Nightclub, 333 E. Bay St., 707-0474 DJs Lady Miaou, Booty Boo, Cry Havoc, Some Dude 9 p.m. Glitz Wed. Q45, live music Wed. EDM Thur.

Eric Rush Fri. DJ IBay Sat. Bangarang & Crunchay Sun.

Reggae maestro SIZZLA performs Aug. 28 at Mavericks Live, Downtown.

FLEMING ISLAND MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1800 Twn Ctr. Blvd., 541-1999 Live music most weekends WHITEY’S Fish Camp, 2032 C.R. 220, 269-4198 Jimi Graves 9 p.m. Aug. 26 & 27

INTRACOASTAL JERRY’S, 13170 Atlantic Blvd., 220-6766 Rick Arcusa Aug. 26. Retro Kats Aug. 27

MANDARIN ENZA’S Italian Restaurant, 10601 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 109, 268-4458 Brian Iannucci Aug. 25 & 26

ORANGE PARK, MIDDLEBURG The HILLTOP, 2030 Wells Rd., 272-5959 John Michael on the piano every Tue.-Sat. The ROADHOUSE, 231 Blanding Blvd., 264-0611 Darrell Rae Aug. 24. DJ Big Mike Aug. 25. Denied Til Death, Sasquatch on Mars, Primitive HD, Harvey Hampton 10 p.m. Aug. 26. Kashed Out, Trial by Fire 10 p.m. Aug. 27 SHARK Club, 714 Park, 215-1557 Digital Skyline Aug. 24

Crum, Chuck Mental, Sis Scum, I Came from Earth, Zach Slaughterbeck 5:15 p.m. Aug. 27

SAN MARCO

TABLE 1, 330 A1A, 280-5515 Denny Blue Aug. 24. Gary Starling Jazz Band 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25. Jamie Gordon & Kiera McKenzie Aug. 26. Samuel Sanders Aug. 27

JACK RABBITS, 1528 Hendricks Ave., 398-7496 The Naturalists, Rip Junior, Stephan Pigman 8 p.m. Aug. 24.

Unknown Hinson, Kings of Hell 8 p.m. Aug. 25. Honey Chamber, Hopson Road, Pinecone Shake, Michael Lanier 8 p.m. Aug. 26. Appalachian Death Trap, Felicity, Flag on Fire, Kid You Not 8 p.m. Aug. 27. Chuckie Campbell & the Phaction, Mizzy Raw, Tomas Gorrio Aug. 31 MUDVILLE Music Room, 3104 Atlantic, 352-7008 David Scott, Pooler Duo 7 p.m. Aug. 25. Mike Shackelford, Steve Shanholtzer Aug. 26. Larry Mangum, Al Monte, Terry Whitehead Aug. 27. 3rd Anniversary Bash Aug. 30

RIVERSIDE, WESTSIDE

SOUTHSIDE, BAYMEADOWS

PONTE VEDRA

MURRAY HILL Theatre, 932 Edgewood, 388-7807 Icarus Account, Strangerwolf, Jonothan Hoyle 8 p.m. Aug. 27 RIVERSIDE Arts Market, 715 Riverside, 389-2449 Savanna Leigh Bassett, Mike Shackelford, Mike Pearson, Linda Grenville, Steve Shanholtzer, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 27

ST. AUGUSTINE CELLAR UPSTAIRS, 157 King St., 826-1594 Chillula Aug. 26. Billy Buchanan & Free Avenue Aug. 27. Vinny Jacobs Aug. 28 MARDI GRAS, 123 San Marco Ave., 823-8806 Not Quite Dead: Hippie B-Day, Smokin’ Joe’s 50th 9 p.m. Aug. 26.

The Grapes of Roth 9 p.m. Aug. 27. Fre Gordon open mic Aug. 28. DJ Rob St. John Wed. Music Fri. & Sat. NOBBY’S, 10 Anastasia Blvd., 547-2188 Toiler, Virgin Flower, Witch King, Gillian Carter, Thunderhoof Aug. 24.

Dylan Nirvana Aug. 28. Shrodingers Cat Aug. 29 PLANET SARBEZ, 115 Anastasia Blvd., 342-0632 Kid You Not, Mustard, Ema & the Old Kings, Joey Caneva, Tom McKelvey Aug. 26. Brown Palace, Tommy ILL Rhythm, Bite Marks, Burnt Hair, Virgin Flower, Severed + Said, Beau

GREEK STREET CAFÉ, 3546 St. Johns Bluff Rd. S., 503-0620 Tavernalive 6 p.m. every Mon. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 9734 Deer Lake Ct., 997-1955 Charlie Walker Aug. 25. Ryan Crary Aug. 26. CJ Matthews Aug. 27 WHISKEY JAX, 10915 Baymeadows, 634-7208 Crazy Daysies Aug. 24. Spanky 9:30 p.m. Aug. 26. Take Cover Aug. 27. Melissa Smith open mic Thur. Blues jam Sun.

SPRINGFIELD, NORTHSIDE The HEADLAMP, 818 Clay St. Live music Fri. & Sat. SHANTYTOWN, 22 W. Sixth St., 798-8222 Talk Sick Brats, Curlies, The Mold, Virgin Flower 8 p.m. Aug. 24

___________________________ To list your band’s gig, please send time, date, location (street address, city), admission price, and a contact number to print to Daniel A. Brown, email dbrown@ folioweekly.com or by the U.S. Postal Service, 45 W. Bay St., Ste. 103, Jacksonville FL 32202. Events run on a space-available basis. Deadline is at noon every Wednesday for the next Wednesday’s publication.

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 27

FOLIO DINING AMELIA ISLAND, FERNANDINA BEACH

29 SOUTH EATS, 29 S. Third St., 277-7919, 29southrestaur ant.com. Historic downtown bistro’s Chef Scotty Schwartz serves traditional regional cuisine with a modern twist. $$ L Tu-Sa; D M.-Sa; R Sa BEACH DINER, 2006 S. Eighth St., 310-3750, beachdiner.com.

Innovative breakfast: Eggs on the Bayou, fish-n-grits; French toast, riders, omelets. Lunch fare: salads, burgers, sandwiches, shrimp & crabmeat salad. $ K TO B R L Daily BRETT’S Waterway Café, 1 S. Front St., 261-2660. F On the water at Centre Street’s end, it’s Southern hospitality in an upscale atmosphere; daily specials, fresh local seafood, aged beef. $$$ FB L D Daily CAFÉ KARIBO, 27 N. Third St., 277-5269, cafekaribo.com. F In historic building, family-owned café has worldly fare, madefrom-scratch dressings, sauces, desserts, sourcing fresh greens, veggies, seafood. Dine inside or al fresco under oak-shaded patio. Microbrew Karibrew Pub next door has beer brewed onsite, imports. $$ FB K TO R, Su; L Daily, D Tu-Su in season CHEZ LEZAN Bakery Co., 1014 Atlantic Ave., 491-4663, chez lezanbakery.com. Fresh European-style breads, pastries: croissants, muffins, cakes, pies. $ TO B R L Daily The CRAB TRAP, 31 N. Second St., 261-4749, ameliacrab trap.com. F Nearly 40 years, family-owned-and-operated. Fresh local seafood, steaks, specials. HH. $$ FB L D Daily DAVID’S Restaurant & Lounge, 802 Ash St., 310-6049, amelia islanddavids.com. Steaks, fresh seafood, rack of lamb and ribeye, Chilean sea bass, in an upscale atmosphere. Chef Wesley Cox has a new lounge menu. $$$$ FB D Nightly DICK’S Wings, 474313 E. S.R. 200, 310-6945. BOJ. SEE O.PARK. JACK & DIANE’S, 708 Centre St., 321-1444, jackanddianes cafe.com. F In a renovated 1887 shotgun house. Favorites: jambalaya, French toast, pancakes, mac & cheese and a variety of crêpes. Vegan selection. Sit inside or on a porch overlooking historic area. $$ BW K TO B L D Daily La MANCHA, 2709 Sadler Rd., 261-4646. Spanish, Portuguese

SLIDERS Seaside Grill, 1998 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-6652, slidersseaside.com. F Oceanfront. Award-winning handmade crabcakes, fried pickles, fresh seafood. Open-air 2nd floor, balcony, playground. $$ FB K L D Daily T-RAY’S Burger Station, 202 S. Eighth St., 261-6310. F 2015 BOJ. Family-owned-and-operated 18-plus years. Blue plate specials, burgers, biscuits & gravy, shrimp. $ BW TO B L M-Sa

ARLINGTON, REGENCY

DICK’S Wings, 9119 Merrill Rd., Ste. 19, 745-9300. 2015 BOJ. SEE ORANGE PARK.

LARRY’S Subs, 1301 Monument Rd., Ste. 5, 724-5802. F SEE ORANGE PARK.

SID & LINDA’S Seafood Market & Restaurant, 12220 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 109, 503-8276. Pick your own whole fresh fish, have it cleaned, filleted, cooked to order. Dine in, take out.

Housemade sauces. $$ K TO L D Daily

AVONDALE, ORTEGA

CHOMP CHOMP, 4162 Herschel St., 329-1679. Newly relocated. Chef-inspired fare: The Philadelphia Experiment (sweet pork over arugula), panko-crusted chicken, burgers, Waldorf salad, bahn mi, Southern fried chicken, The Come Up (portabella mushroom, green tomato salsa, almonds). Curry Chomp chips, pasta salad. HH. $ BW L D Mon.-Sat. The FOX Restaurant, 3580 St. Johns Ave., 387-2669. Owners Ian and Mary Chase offer fresh fare, homemade desserts.

Breakfast all day, signature items: burgers, meatloaf, fried green tomatoes. $$ BW K L D Daily HARPOON LOUIE’S, 4070 Herschel St., Ste. 8, 389-5631, harpoonlouies.net. F Locally owned & operated 20-plus years. American pub. 1/2-lb. burgers, fish sandwiches, pasta.

Local beers, HH. $$ FB K TO L D Daily MELLOW MUSHROOM, 3611 St. Johns Ave., 388-0200. F Bite Club. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

PINEGROVE Market & Deli, 1511 PineGrove Ave., 389-8655, pinegrovemarket.com. F 2015 BOJ. 40-plus years. Burgers,

For 33 years, St. Augustine’s legendary Gypsy Cab Co. has been offering eclectic and creative cuisine on Anastasia Island. photo by Dennis Ho fare, Brazilian flair. Tapas, seafood, steaks, sangria. Drink specials. AYCE paella Sun. $$$ FB K TO D Nightly LARRY’S Subs, 474272 S.R. 200, 844-2225. F SEE O. PARK. LECHONERA EL COQUÍ, 232 N. Second St., 432-7545.

New Puerto Rican place has chulleta kan kan (pork chops), Tripletta churosco sandwich, more. It’s like a part of the Isle of Enchantment is now part of Amelia Island. $ FB TO L D Tu-Su MOON RIVER Pizza, 925 S. 14th St., 321-3400, moonriver pizza.net. F 2015 BOJ. Authentic Northern-style pizzas, 20-plus toppings, pie/slice. Calzones, salads. $ BW TO L D M-Sa The MUSTARD SEED Café, 833 Courson Rd., 277-3141, nassaushealthfoods.net. Casual organic eatery, juice bar, in Nassau Health Foods. All-natural organic items, smoothies, juices, herbal teas, coffees, daily specials. $$ K TO B L M-Sa The PATIO PLACE, 416 Ash St., 410-3717, patioplacebistro. com. Bistro/wine bar/crêperie’s menu of global fare uses crêpes: starters, entrées, shareables, desserts. $$ BW TO B L D Tu-Su The PECAN ROLL Bakery, 122 S. Eighth St., 491-9815, thepecan rollbakery.com. F Near historic district. Sweet/savory pastries, cookies, cakes, bagels, breads; from scratch. $ K TO B L W-Su POINTE Restaurant, 98 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-4851, elizabeth pointelodge.com. Restaurant in award-winning inn Elizabeth Pointe Lodge has seaside dining, open to public. Dine indoors or out. Hot buffet breakfast daily, full lunch menu. Homestyle soups, specialty sandwiches, salads, desserts. $$$ BW K B L D Daily The SALTY PELICAN Bar & Grill, 12 N. Front St., 277-3811, thesaltypelicanamelia.com. F 2015 BOJ. 2nd-story outdoor bar.

Owners T.J. & Al offer local seafood, fish tacos, Mayport shrimp, po’boys, cheese oysters. $$ FB K L D Daily To list your restaurant, call your account manager or Sam Taylor, 860-2465 • staylor@folioweekly.com

DINING DIRECTORY KEY

AVERAGE ENTRÉE • COST •

$ = Less than $10 $$ = $10- $20 $$$ = $20- $35 $$$$ = $35 & up BW = Beer/Wine FB = Full Bar K = Kids’ Menu TO = Take Out B = Breakfast R = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner Bite Club = Hosted free FW Bite Club event. fwbiteclub.com 2015 Best of Jax winner F = FW distribution spot

28 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

Cubans, subs, wraps. Onsite butcher cuts USDA choice prime aged beef. Craft beers. Fri. & Sat. fish fry. $ BW TO B L D M-Sa Restaurant ORSAY, 3630 Park St., 381-0909, restaurantorsay. com. 2015 BOJ. French/Southern bistro; local organic ingredients.

Steak frites, mussels, pork chops. $$$ FB R, Su; D Nightly SIMPLY SARA’S, 2902 Corinthian Ave., 387-1000, simplysaras.net. F Down-home fare from scratch: eggplant fries, pimento cheese, baked chicken, fruit cobblers, chicken & dumplings, desserts. BYOB. $$ K TO L D Tu-Sa, B Sa

BAYMEADOWS

AL’S Pizza, 8060 Philips Hwy., Ste. 105, 731-4300. F 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

INDIA’S Restaurant, 9802 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 8, 620-0777, indiajax.com. F 2015 BOJ. Authentic cuisine, lunch buffet. Curries, vegetables, lamb, chicken, shrimp, fish tandoori. $$ BW L M-Sa; D Nightly LARRY’S Subs, 8616 Baymeadows, 739-2498. F 2015 BOJ. METRO Diner, 9802 Baymeadows Rd., 425-9142. F 2015 BOJ.SEE SAN MARCO.

NATIVE SUN Natural Foods Market & Deli, 11030 Baymeadows Rd., 260-2791. SEE MANDARIN. The WELL Watering Hole, 3928 Baymeadows, Ste. 9, 737-7740, thewellwateringhole.com. Local craft beers, glass/ bottle wines. Meatloaf sandwich, pulled Peruvian chicken, vegan black bean burgers. $$ BW K TO L M-F; D Tu-Sa TEQUILAS, 10915 Baymeadows, Ste. 101, 363-1365, tequilas jacksonville.com. New Mexican place has casa-style dishes made with fresh, spicy hot ingredients. Vegetarian option. Topshelf tequilas, drink specials. $$ FB K TO L D Daily WHISKEY JAX, 10915 Baymeadows, Ste. 135, 634-7208, whiskeyjax.com. Gastropub has craft beers, gourmet burgers, handhelds, street fare tacos, signature plates, whiskey. HH. $$ FB L D F-Su; D Nightly

BEACHES

(Venues are in Jax Beach unless otherwise noted.)

AL’S PIZZA, 303 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-0002, alspizza.com. F 2015 BOJ. NY-style gourmet pizzas, baked dishes. 28-plus years. All day HH M-Thu. $ FB K TO L D Daily

BITE-SIZED Chef Chan Asian Cuisine P. 29 PINT-SIZED Mead P. 30 GRILL ME! Flaming Seafood P. 30 CHEFFED-UP Skillet Corn Bread P. 31

ANGIE’S Subs, 1436 Beach Blvd., 246-2519. ANGIE’S Grom Subs, 204 Third Ave. S., 241-3663. 2015 BOJ. Subs made with fresh ingredients, 25-plus years. Huge salads, blue-ribbon iced tea. Grom has Sun. brunch, no alcohol. $ K BW TO L D Daily BEACH Diner, 501 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 249-6500. SEE AMELIA. BEACH HUT Café, 1281 Third St. S., 249-3516. 28-plus years.

Full breakfast menu served all day (darn good grits); hot plate specials Mon.-Fri. $ K TO B R L Daily CRUISERS Grill, 319 23rd Ave. S., 270-0356, cruisersgrill.com.

2015 BOJ. Locally owned & operated 20-plus years. Half-pound burgers, fish sandwiches, big salads, award-winning cheddar fries, sangria. $ BW K TO L D Daily EUROPEAN Street Café, 992 Beach Blvd., 249-3001, european street.com. F 2015 BOJ. SEE RIVERSIDE. FAMOUS TOASTERY, 311 N. Third St., 372-0712, famous toastery.com. New place takes breakfast and lunch items one better: corned beef hash, gluten-free pancakes, bacon, omelets, eggs and … toast. Wraps, sandwiches, Bloody Marys, mimosas, peach Bellini. $$ FB K TO B L Daily The FISH COMPANY Restaurant, 725 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 12, AB, 246-0123, thefishcojax.com. Bite Club. Casual spot. Oyster raw bar, fresh local seafood, Mayport shrimp, crab, lobster. Homestyle desserts. Patio; all-day HH Sun. $$ FB K TO L D Daily FLAMING SEAFOOD & SHAO KAO BBQ, 1289 Penman Rd., 853-6398. New place (is it Chinese? Barbecue? Seafood?) serves meats and vegetables, spiced, skewered on bamboo sticks – like Chinese street food. $ BW TO L D Daily FLYING IGUANA Taqueria & Tequila Bar, 207 Atlantic Blvd., NB, 853-5680, flyingiguana.com. F 2015 BOJ. Latin American fare: tacos, seafood, carnitas, Cubana fare. 100-plus tequilas. $ FB TO L D Daily GUSTO, 1266 Beach Blvd., 372-9925, gustojax.com. Classic Old World Roman cuisine, large Italian menu: homestyle pasta, beef, chicken, fish delicacies; open pizza-tossing kitchen.

Reservations encouraged. $$ FB TO L R D Tu-Su The Loving Cup HASH HOUSE, 610 Third St. S., 422-0644, thelovingcuphashhouse.com. New place offers locally sourced fare, locally roasted coffees, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian dishes – no GMOs or hormones. $ K TO B R L Daily LARRY’S Subs, 657 Third St. N., 247-9620. F SEE O. PARK. MELLOW MUSHROOM Pizza Bakers, 1018 Third St. N., Ste. 2, 241-5600, mellowmushroom.com. F Bite Club. 2015 BOJ. Hoagies, gourmet pizzas: Mighty Meaty, vegetarian, Kosmic Karma. 35 tap beers. Nonstop HH. $ FB K TO L D Daily METRO Diner, 1534 3rd St. N., 853-6817. F BOJ. SEE S. MARCO. M SHACK, 299 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 241-2599, mshackburgers. com. 2015 BOJ. David and Matthew Medure flip burgers, hot dogs, fries, shakes. Dine in or out. $$ BW L D Daily NATIVE SUN Natural Foods Market & Deli, 1585 Third St. N., 458-1390. SEE BAYMEADOWS. POE’S Tavern, 363 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 241-7637, poestavern. com. Gastropub, 50+ beers, burgers, fries, fish tacos, Edgar’s Drunken Chili, daily fish sandwich special. $$ FB K L D Daily RAGTIME Tavern & Seafood Grill, 207 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 241-7877, ragtimetavern.com. F 30-plus years, iconic seafood place. Blackened snapper, sesame tuna, Ragtime shrimp. Daily HH, brunch Sun. $$ FB L D Daily SALT LIFE Food Shack, 1018 Third St. N., 372-4456, saltlife foodshack.com. Specialty items, signature tuna poke bowl, fresh sushi, Ensenada tacos, local fried shrimp. $$ FB K TO L D Daily SEACHASERS, 831 First St. N., 372-0444, seachasers.com.

New place; four areas: First Street Bar, Music Room, Beach Bar, Dining Room. Daily HH. In or on patio. $$ FB L D Daily SLIDERS Seafood Grille & Oyster Bar, 218 First St., NB, 246-0881, slidersseafoodgrille.com. Beach-casual spot.

Faves: Fresh fish tacos, gumbo. Key lime pie, ice cream sandwiches. Brunch Sun. $$ FB K L Sa/Su; D Nightly SURFWICHES Sandwich Shop, 1537 Penman Rd., 241-6996, surfwiches.com. Craft sandwich shop. Yankee-style steak sandwiches, hoagies, all made to order. $ BW TO K L D Daily THIS CHICK’S KITCHEN, 353 Sixth Ave. S., 778-5404, thischickskitchen.com. Farm-to-table restaurant serving healthful, locally sourced clean meals. Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian options. $$ TO L D Wed.-Sat. V PIZZA, 528 First St. N., 853-6633, vpizza.com. Traditional Neapolitana artisan pizza from Naples – Italy, not Florida, made with fresh ingredients. $$ FB TO L D Daily

DOWNTOWN

AKEL’S Delicatessen, 21 W. Church St., 665-7324. 50 N. Laura St., Ste. 125, 446-3119, akelsdeli.com. F NYC-style deli. Fresh subs, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, wraps, vegetarian, breakfast, signature dressings. $ K TO B L M-F The CANDY APPLE Café & Cocktails, 400 N. Hogan St., 353-9717, thecandyapplecafeandcocktails.com. Chef-driven Southern/French cuisine, sandwiches, entrées, salads. $$ FB K L Daily; D Tu-Sa CASA DORA, 108 E. Forsyth St., 356-8282, casadoraitalian. com. F Chef Sam Hamidi serves Italian fare, 40+ years: veal, seafood, pizza. Homemade salad dressing. $ BW K L M-F; D M-Sa FIONN MacCOOL’S Irish Pub & Restaurant, Jax Landing, Ste. 176, 374-1547, fionnmacs.com. Casual dining, uptown Irish atmosphere; fish & chips, Guinness lamb stew, black-and-tan brownies. $$ FB K L D Daily INDOCHINE, 21 E. Adams St., Ste. 200, 598-5303, indochine jax.com. 2015 BOJ. Thai, Southeast Asian cuisine. Signature dishes: chicken Satay, soft shell crab; mango, sticky rice dessert. $$ FB TO L D M-F; D Tu-Sa OLIO Market, 301 E. Bay St., 356-7100, oliomarket.com. F From-scratch soups, sandwiches. Duck grilled cheese, seen on Best Sandwich in America. $$ BW TO B R L M-F; D F & Sa URBAN GRIND Coffee Company, 45 W. Bay, Ste. 102, 866-3953954, 516-7799, urbangrind.coffee. Locally roasted whole bean brewed coffees, espressos, pastries, smoothies, bagels, cream cheeses. Chicken/tuna salad, sandwiches. Free WiFi. $ B L M-F. URBAN Grind Express, 50 W. Laura, 516-7799. SEE ABOVE.

FOLIO DINING : BITE-SIZED

BONA FIDE CHINESE,

IF YOU PLEASE

Chef Chan bursts onto the Baymeadows ETHNIC DINING scene BAYMEADOWS MAY WEAR THE CROWN WHEN a generous smattering of scallions. Choosing it comes to Indian specialties, but the same steamed over fried provided us with a light, but neighborhood is also home to one of the few filling, meal, and while you definitely have to high-quality places to get Chinese food in Jax: watch out for small bones, it wasn’t much of a CHEF CHAN ASIAN CUISINE. concern overall. So release your inner scavenger “We’ll start off with the dumplings” is one and hunt through the fish, looking for the of my favorite catch phrases, and the perfect choicest morsels. time to use it is when you’re ordering the I’m a big fan of a good clean dish, and Chicken Dumpling appetizer ($6.50) at Chef while ordering a plate of fried chicken with Chan. The little pockets of joy come steamed a lot of sauce may not quite fall under the or fried with a lovely sauce replete with category of clean eating, Chef Chan’s Sesame scallions. With six dumplings to a serving, Chicken ($12.95) still manages to make you the appetizer is perfect for sharing … or not! feel quite good about your life decisions. You’ll From a friend’s recommendation, I get a mound of fresh, crisp, and delightfully knew that Chef Chan does a great whole thin pieces of chicken, lightly fried, atop of a fish; the offerings didn’t dish of sweet and savory disappoint. Your waiter sesame sauce sprinkled CHEF CHAN ASIAN CUISINE will take you through with a smattering of white 9802 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 3, 645-7333, the options for the sesame seeds. chefchanasiancuisine.dinehere.us day and recommend Plating and whether to prepare presentation are often it fried or steamed. The fish is dressed underrated, or just purely decorative, but here with your choice of sauce: Thai sweet and the set-up matters. The chicken isn’t drenched sour, ginger scallion curry, or black bean. in sauce, allowing you to experience the crispy We went with the Striped Bass (seasonal chicken with your ideal ratio of sauce to pricing), which has a nice firm flake, chicken, instead of a soggy mess. steamed, with black bean sauce.

The restaurant is closed on Mondays, but I thought preparing a whole fish would the rest of the week, the cozy spot has lovely take forever and a day, but it was on our table waiters who are happy to walk you through right on the heels of our dumplings. Black the menu and answer any questions. The staff bean sauce is a popular choice with Asian-style manages to strike a good balance between fish, and admittedly one of my favorites, so we keeping your glass at max capacity without were delighted that the bass was swimming in hovering. This is a big plus if you’re looking it. The extra-salty black beans lend nice little forward to enjoying good conversation and explosions of flavor in every bite. The fish is also the savory and salty black bean sauce! accompanied by copious amounts of tender, Brentley Stead biteclub@folioweekly.com perfectly steamed peppers and onions, with AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 29

DINING DIRECTORY PINT-SIZED

TThe he craft crafft bbrew rew market makes way for an ancient quaff: MEAD

BEE

CHARMERS

WHILE HIL ILEE NOT NOT STRICTLY STRI ST RICT RI CTLY CT LY C CONSIDERED ONSI ON SIDE SI DERE DE RED RE D A BE BEER BEER, ER,, ER mead is often closely associated with it. Whereas beer uses mainly malted grains for fermentable sugars, mead uses honey. Often meads are made with fruits, grains and even hops to impart unique aromas and flavors. It’s a potent drink, with alcohol levels ranging from 8 percent by volume to more than 20 percent.

The exact origin of mead is lost to the veils of time, but many archeologists believe that, like the best discoveries, it was a sort of happy coincidence.

A common feature of the African plains is the baobab tree. These massive trees have trunks as big around as tanker trucks; its lower limbs are often used by elephants to scratch hard-to-reach places on their backs. Occasionally, a limb breaks off during a scratching session, causing a hollow in the trunk of the tree.

During the dry season, the hollows in the tree trunks make an excellent location for bees to build hives and make honey. During the wet season, those same hollows fi ll with water, swamping the hives and mixing the honey with water. Windborne yeast infiltrates the honeywater mixture and fermentation begins.

Here’s how mead may have been discovered: The nomads who inhabited the African plains 20,000 years ago sought out the trees for the water contained in the hollows. One day a nomad came across a hollow that had held a beehive and he tasted the water. It was sweet, cool and delicious. After drinking his fill, he began to feel a strange euphoria and attributed it to the syrupy liquid. He drank more and, finding himself unable to walk, lay down for a nap. Unbeknownst to him, he had just discovered one of the world’s first alcoholic drinks.

Today’s mead is a much more sophisticated drink brewed with as much care as craft beer.

“We believe that mead is the next logical evolution in the craft beverage market,” said John Harris, owner of Harris Meadery in Orange Park. “We’re thrilled to introduce a whole new generation to the wide variety of styles and flavors there are in modern meads.”

Ed Stansel, co-owner of The Mazer, a meadery and cidery that is currently building out on King Street, agrees.

“Mead is one of the fastest-growing segments of the craft alcoholic beverage market,” said Stansel. “You can do amazing things with just honey, yeast and water. But we’re also producing a variety of meads using herbs, spices and fruits.”

Like wine, mead can be dry, semi-sweet or sweet. Mead made with spices or herbs is called metheglin; mead that contains fruit such as raspberry, blackberry or strawberry is called melomel. And mead that’s fermented with grape juice is called pyment.

“There are as many and as varied meads as the cultures that have loved and nurtured them for generations all over the world,” Harris said.

The Mazer won’t open until early October and production starts a few months after that. You can taste Key Lime Pie mead, the first mead to be produced commercially by Harris Meadery, at the launch party held 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24 at Alewife Craft Beer Bottle Shop & Tasting Room, 1035 Park St., Orange Park. Harris will be on hand to answer questions and serve.

Marc Wisdom marc@folioweekly.com

PINT-SIZED

30 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

ZODIAC Bar & Grill, 120 W. Adams St., 354-8283, thezodiac barandgrill.com. 16-plus years. Mediterranean cuisine, American fare, paninis, vegetarian dishes. Daily lunch buffet.

Espressos, hookahs. HH M-F $ FB L M-F; D W-Sa

FLEMING ISLAND

DICK’S Wings, 1803 East-West Parkway, 375-2559. 2015 BOJ. SEE ORANGE PARK.

GRASSROOTS Natural Market, 1915 East-West Parkway, 541-0009. F 2015 BOJ. SEE RIVERSIDE. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1800 Town Ctr. Blvd., 541-1999. F Bite Club. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

TAPS Bar & Grill, 1605 C.R. 220, Ste. 145, 278-9421, tapspub lichouse.com. 50-plus premium domestic, import tap beers.

Burgers, sandwiches, entrées. $$ FB K L D Daily WHITEY’S Fish Camp, 2032 C.R. 220, 269-4198, whiteysfish camp.com. F Real fish camp. Gator tail, freshwater catfish, daily specials, on Swimming Pen Creek. Tiki bar. Come by boat, bike or car. $ FB K TO L Tu-Su; D Nightly

INTRACOASTAL WEST

AL’S Pizza, 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 31, 223-0991. F 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

DICK’S Wings, 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 32, 223-0115. 2015

BRIXX Wood Fired Pizza, 220 Riverside Ave., 300-3928, brixxpizza.com. New place offers pizzas, pastas, soups.

Gluten-free options. Daily specials, buy-one-get-one pizzas 10 p.m.-close. $$ FB K TO L D Daily CORNER TACO, 818 Post St., 240-0412, cornertaco.com.

Made-from-scratch “Mexclectic street food,” tacos, nachos, gluten-free, vegetarian options. $ BW L D Tu-Su CUMMER Café, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside, 356-6857, cummer.org. 2015 BOJ. Light lunch, quick bites, locally roasted coffee, espresso-based beverages, homemade soups, sandwiches, gourmet desserts, daily specials.

Dine inside or in gardens. $ BW K L D Tu; L W.-Su DERBY on PARK, 1068 Park, 379-3343, derbyonpark.net. New American cuisine, upscale retro in historic building. Oak Street Toast, shrimp & grits, lobster bites, 10-oz. gourmet burger. Dine inside or out. $$ FB TO Brunch Sa/Su; B, L D Tu-Su EUROPEAN STREET Café, 2753 Park St., 384-9999. 2015 BOJ. 130-plus import beers, 20 on tap. Sandwiches. Outside dining at some EStreets. $ BW K L D Daily GRASSROOTS Natural Market, 2007 Park St., 384-4474, thegrassrootsmarket.com. F 2015 BOJ. Juice bar uses certified organic fruits, veggies. Artisanal cheeses, 300 craft, import beers, 50 organic wines, produce, meats, vitamins, herbs, wraps, sides, sandwiches. $ BW TO B L D Daily

SALT LIFE Food Shack, 321 A1A Beach Blvd., 217-3256.

SEE BEACHES.

METRO Diner, 1000 S. Ponce de Leon Blvd., 758-3323. F 2015 BOJ. Now dinner nightly. SEE SAN MARCO. SHANGHAI NOBBY’S, 10 Anastasia Blvd., 547-2188. Cubanstyle, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. $$ FB

SAN MARCO, SOUTHBANK

BEACH Diner, 1965 San Marco Blvd., 399-1306. SEE AMELIA. The BEARDED PIG Southern BBQ & Beer Garden, 1224 Kings Ave., 619-2247, thebeardedpigbbq.com. New-ish barbecue joint offers Southern style BBQ, like brisket, pork, chicken, sausage, beef; veggie platters. $$ BW K TO Daily BISTRO AIX, 1440 San Marco Blvd., 398-1949, bistrox.com.

F Mediterranean/French inspired menu changes seasonally.

250+ wine list. Wood-fired oven baked, grilled specialties: pizza, pasta, risotto, steaks, seafood. Hand-crafted cocktails, specialty drinks. Dine outside. HH M-F. $$$ FB L D Daily EUROPEAN Street Café, 1704 San Marco, 398-9500. 2015 BOJ. SEE RIVERSIDE.

FUSION SUSHI, 1550 University Blvd. W., 636-8688, fusionsus hijax.com. F Upscale sushi spot serves fresh sushi, sashimi, hibachi, teriyaki, kiatsu, seafood. $$ K L D Daily INDOCHINE, 1974 San Marco, 503-7013. BOJ. SEE DOWNTOWN.

BOJ. SEE ORANGE PARK.

GRILL ME!

LARRY’S Subs, 10750 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 14, 642-6980. F SEE ORANGE PARK.

SURFWICHES Sandwich Shop, 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 29, 559-5301. SEE BEACHES.

MANDARIN, NW ST. JOHNS

AKEL’S Deli, 12926 Granbay Pkwy. W., 880-2008. F SEE DOWNTOWN. AL’S Pizza, 11190 San Jose, 260-4115. F 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES. BEACH Diner, 11362 San Jose Blvd., 683-0079. SEE AMELIA. CRUISERS Grill, 5613 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 1, 737-2874. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

DICK’S Wings, 100 Marketside Ave., Nocatee, 829-8134.

1610 University Blvd. W., 448-2110. 10391 Old St. Augustine, 880-7087. 965 S.R. 16, 825-4540. 2015 BOJ. SEE ORANGE PARK. ENZA’S Italian Restaurant, 10601 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 109, 268-4458, enzas.net. 2015 BOJ. Family-owned place serves Italian cuisine, veal, seafood, specials. $$$ FB K TO D Tu-Su FIRST COAST Deli & Grill, 6082 St. Augustine Rd., 733-7477.

Pancakes, bacon, sandwiches, burgers, wings. $ K TO B L Daily JAX DINER, 5065 St. Augustine Rd.,739-7070. New spot serves local produce, meats, breads, seafood. $ TO B L Daily METRO Diner, 12807 San Jose Blvd., 638-6185. F 2015 BOJ. Now dinner nightly. SEE SAN MARCO. NATIVE SUN Natural Foods Market & Deli, 10000 San Jose Blvd., 260-6950, nativesunjax.com. F Organic soups, baked items, sandwiches, prepared foods. Juice, smoothie,coffee bar. Allnatural, organic beer, wine. Dine outside. $ BW TO K B L D Daily TAPS Bar & Grill, 2220 C.R. 210 W., Ste. 314, 819-1554. SEE FLEMING ISLAND.

V PIZZA, 12601 San Jose Blvd., 647-9424. SEE SAN MARCO. WHOLE FOODS Market, 10601 San Jose, Ste. 22, 288-1100, wholefoodsmarket.com. Prepared-food department, 80-plus items, full-service/self-service bars: hot, salad, soup, dessert.

Pizza, sushi, sandwich stations. Grapes, Hops & Grinds bar serves wines, beers (craft/tap), coffees. $$ BW K TO B L D Daily

ORANGE PARK

DICK’S Wings & Grill, 6055 Youngerman Circle, 778-1101, dickswingsandgrill.com. 2015 BOJ. NASCAR-themed restaurant serves 365 varieties of wings, plus half-pound burgers, ribs, salads. $ FB K TO L D Daily The HILLTOP, 2030 Wells Rd., 272-5959, hilltop-club.com.

Southern style fine dining. New Orleans shrimp, certified Black Angus prime rib, she-crab soup, desserts. Extensive bourbon selection. $$$ FB D Tu-Sa LARRY’S Giant Subs, 1330 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 165, 276-7370.

1545 C.R. 220, 278-2827. 700 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 15, 2723553. 5733 Roosevelt Blvd., 446-9500. 1401 S. Orange Ave., Green Cove, 284-7789, larryssubs.com. F All over the area, Larry’s piles ’em high, serves ’em fast; 35-plus years. Hot & cold subs, soups. Some Larry’s serve breakfast. $ K TO B L D Daily METRO Diner, 2034 Kingsley Ave., 375-8548. F 2015 BOJ. Now dinner nightly. SEE SAN MARCO. The ROADHOUSE, 231 Blanding Blvd., 264-0611, roadhou seonline.net. Sandwiches, wings, burgers and quesadillas for 35-plus years. 75-plus imported beers. $ FB L D Daily The URBAN BEAN Coffeehouse Café, 2023 Park Ave., 541-4938, theurbanbeancoffeehouse.com. Locally-owned-&-operated.

Coffee, espresso, smoothies, teas. Omelets, bagels, paninis, flatbread, hummus, salads, desserts. $$ K TO B L D Daily

PONTE VEDRA BEACH

AL’S Pizza, 635 A1A, 543-1494. F 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES. BEACH Diner, 880 A1A N., Ste. 2, 273-6545. SEE AMELIA. LARRY’S Subs, 830 A1A N., Ste. 6, 273-3993. F SEE O.PARK. METRO Diner, 340 Front St., Ste. 700, 513-8422. F 2015 BOJ. SEE SAN MARCO.

TRASCA & CO. Eatery, 155 Tourside Dr., Ste. 1500, 395-3989, trascaandco.com. New eatery specializes in handcrafted Italianinspired sandwiches, craft beers – many local choices – and craft coffees. $$ BW TO L R D Daily

RIVERSIDE, 5 PTS, WESTSIDE

13 GYPSIES, 887 Stockton St., 389-0330, 13gypsies.com. 2015 BOJ. Authentic Mediterranean cuisine: chorizo, tapas, blackened cod, pork skewers, coconut mango curry chicken. Breads made from scratch onsite. $$ BW L D Tu-Sa, R Sa AL’S Pizza, 1620 Margaret St., Ste. 201, 388-8384. F 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

BLACK SHEEP, 1534 Oak St., 355-3793, blacksheep5points. com. New American, Southern; local source ingredients. Daily specials, rooftop bar. HH. $$$ FB R Sa/Su; L M-F; D Nightly BREW Five Points, 1024 Park St., 714-3402, brewfivepoints. com. F 2015 BOJ. Local craft beers, espresso, coffees, wine.

Rotating drafts, 75-plus can craft beers, tea. Waffles, toasts, desserts, coffees. $$ BW K B L Daily; late nite Tu-Sa

JOYCE ZHANG

FLAMING SEAFOOD & SHAO KAO BBQ

1289 Penman Rd., Jax Beach

BORN IN: Fujian, China YEARS IN THE BIZ: 17 FAVE CUISINE STYLE: Chinese FAVE INGREDIENTS: Any kind of veggies IDEAL MEAL: Anything with steamed rice WON'T CROSS MY LIPS: Pieces of ginger INSIDER'S SECRET: Keep your work area clean and organized CELEBS (@ my place): Nikki Sanders, Vic Carlucci TASTE TREAT: Chocolate cake

HAWKERS Asian Street Fare, 1001 Park St., 508-0342, hawk erstreetfare.com. 2015 BOJ. Authentic dishes from mobile stalls: BBQ pork char sui, beef haw fun, Hawkers baos, chow faan, grilled Hawker skewers. $ BW TO L D Daily HOBNOB, 220 Riverside Ave., Ste. 110, 513-4272, hobnob withus.com. At Unity Plaza. Global inspiration, local intention – ahi poke tuna, jumbo lump crab tacos. $$ FB TO L D Brunch Daily IL DESCO, 2665 Park St., 290-6711, ildescojax.com. Authentic Italian cuisine, like wood-fired pizzas, pasta made daily onsite, baked Italian dishes, raw bar, spaghetti tacos. Daily HH. $$-$$$ FB K TO L D Daily JOHNNY’S Deli & Grille, 474 Riverside Ave., 356-8055. F Casual; made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, breakfast. $ TO B L M-Sa KNEAD Bakeshop, 1173 Edgewood Ave. S., 634-7617.

Locally-owned, family-run shop specializing in made-fromscratch creations – classic pastries, artisan breads, savory pies, specialty sandwiches, soups. $ TO B L Tu-Su LARRY’S Subs, 1509 Margaret, 674-2794. 7895 Normandy, 781-7600. 8102 Blanding, 779-1933. F SEE O.PARK. LITTLE JOE’S Café, 245 Riverside Ave., Ste. 195, 791-3336.

Riverview café. Soups, signature salad dressings. $ TO B L M-F METRO Diner, 4495 Roosevelt, 999-4600. F 2015 BOJ. SEE SAN MARCO.

MOON RIVER Pizza, 1176 Edgewood Ave. S., 389-4442. F 2015 BOJ. SEE AMELIA ISLAND.

M SHACK, 1012 Margaret, 423-1283. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES. RAIN DOGS, 1045 Park St., 379-4969. 2015 BOJ. Local-centric bar food: boiled peanuts, hummus, chili, cheese plate, pork sliders, nachos, herbivore items. $ D Nightly SOUTHERN ROOTS Filling Station, 1275 King St., 513-4726, southernrootsjax.com. 2015 BOJ. Healthy, fresh, light vegan fare; local, organic ingredients. Specials, on bread, local greens/ rice, change daily. Sandwiches, coffees, teas. $ Tu-Su SUSHI Café, 2025 Riverside Ave., Ste. 204, 384-2888, sushi cafejax.com. F Monster, Rock-n-Roll, Dynamite Roll. Hibachi, tempura, katsu, teriyaki. Indoors or patio dining. $$ BW L D Daily

ST. AUGUSTINE

AL’S Pizza, 1 St. George St., 824-4383. F BOJ. SEE BEACHES. CRUISERS Grill, 3 St. George St., 824-6993. BOJ. SEE BEACHES. DICK’S, 4010 U.S. 1 S., 547-2669. 2015 BOJ. SEE O.PARK. The FLORIDIAN, 72 Spanish St., 829-0655, thefloridianstaug. com. 2015 BOJ. Updated Southern fare; fresh, local ingredients from area farms. Vegetarian, gluten-free option. Signature fried green tomato bruschetta, blackened fish cornbread stack; grits w/shrimp/fish/tofu. $$$ BW K TO L D W-M GYPSY CAB Company, 828 Anastasia Blvd., 824-8244, gypsy cab.com. F Local mainstay 33+ years. Varied urban cuisine menu changes twice daily. Signature dish: Gypsy chicken.

Seafood, tofu, duck, veal. $$ FB R Su; L D Daily MARDI GRAS Sports Bar, 123 San Marco Ave., 347-3288, mardibar.com. Wings, nachos, shrimp, chicken, Phillys, sliders, soft pretzels. $$ FB TO L D Daily MBQUE, 604 Anastasia Blvd., 484-7472. New Southern-style, fresh-casual. Hand-spun milkshakes, super kale salad. House-made rubs, sauces. Platters, ribs, brisket, sweet/spicy pulled/chopped pork, chicken, sausage. Dine outside. $$ BW K TO L D Daily MELLOW MUSHROOM, 410 Anastasia Blvd., 826-4040. F Bite Club. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

O’LOUGHLIN PUB, 6975 A1A S., 429-9715. New familyowned-and-operated pub has authentic fish & chips, shepherd’s pie, corned beef & cabbage, bangers & mash, duck wings. $$ FB K TO L D Daily

KITCHEN on San Marco, 1402 San Marco, 396-2344, kitchen onsanmarco.com. 2015 BOJ. Gastropub serves local, national craft beers, specialty cocktails. Seasonal menu, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. $$ FB R Su; L D Daily METRO DINER, 3302 Hendricks Ave., 398-3701, metrodiner. com. F 2015 BOJ. Original upscale diner in a historic 1930s-era building. Meatloaf, chicken pot pie, soups. This one serves dinner nightly. $$ B R L D Daily PIZZA PALACE Restaurant & Pizzeria, 1959 San Marco Blvd., 399-8815, pizzapalacejax.com. F Family-owned-&-operated; spinach pizza, chicken spinach calzones, ravioli, lasagna, parmigiana. Dine outside. HH. $$ BW K TO L D Daily TAVERNA, 1986 San Marco Blvd., 398-3005, tavernasan marco.com. Chef Sam Efron’s authentic Italian; tapas, woodfired pizza. Seasonal produce and meats from local purveyors.

Craft beers (some local) & handcrafted cocktails, award-winning wine list. $$$ FB K TO R L D Daily V PIZZA, 1406 Hendricks Ave., 527-1511, vpizza.com. True Neapolitana pizzas with the freshest ingredients – a rare class of artisan pizza from Naples. $$ FB to L D Daily

SOUTHSIDE, TINSELTOWN

ALHAMBRA Theatre & Dining, 12000 Beach Blvd., 641-1212, alhambrajax.com. USA’s longest-running dinner theater, now 49 years. Executive Chef DeJuan Roy’s themed menus.

Reservations. $$ FB D Tu-Su The CHATTY CRAB, 9041 Southside Blvd., Ste. 138C, 888-0639, chattycrab.com. Chef Dana Pollard’s raw oysters, Nawlins-style low country boil, po’ boys, 50¢ wing specials. $$ FB K TO L D Daily DICK’S Wings, 10750 Atlantic Blvd., 619-0954. 2015 BOJ. SEE ORANGE PARK.

EUROPEAN Street Café, 5500 Beach Blvd., 398-1717. 2015 BOJ. SEE RIVERSIDE.

GREEK Street Café, 3546 St. Johns Bluff Rd. S., Ste. 106, 5030620, greekstreetcafe.com. Fresh, authentic, modern; Greek owners. Gyros, spanakopita, dolmades, falafel, salads, Greek nachos. Award-winning Greek wines. $$ BW K TO L D M-Sa LARRY’S Subs, 3611 St. Johns Bluff Rd. S., 641-6499. 4479 Deerwood Lake Pkwy., 425-4060. F SEE ORANGE PARK. MARIANAS GRINDS, 11380 Beach Blvd., Ste. 10, 206-6126596. Pacific Islander fare, emphasizing chamorro culture. Soups, stews, fitada, beef oxtail, katden pika; empanadas, lumpia, chicken relaguen, BBQ-style ribs, chicken. $$ TO B L D Tu-Su MELLOW MUSHROOM, 9734 Deer Lake Ct., 997-1955. F Bite Club. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

M SHACK, 10281 Midtown Pkwy., 642-5000. 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

OVINTE, 10208 Buckhead Br. Dr., 900-7730, ovinte.com.

2015 BOJ. European-style; Italy, Spain, Mediterranean flavor.

Small plates, tapas, entrée-size portions, charcuterie menu: ceviche fresco, pappardelle bolognese and lobster ravioli.

240-bottle/wines, 75/glass; craft spirits Dine inside or out. $$ FB R, Su; D Nightly TAVERNA YAMAS, 9753 Deer Lake Ct., 854-0426, tavernayamas.com. F Bite Club. Charbroiled kabobs, seafood, desserts. Greek wines, daily HH. Bellydancing. $$ FB K TO L D Daily TOSSGREEN, 4375 Southside, Ste. 12, 619-4356. 4668 Town Crossing Dr., Ste. 105, 686-0234. Custom salads, burritos, burrito bowls; fresh fruit, veggies, 100% natural chicken, sirloin, shrimp, tofu, cheese, dressing, salsa, frozen yogurt. $$ K TO L D Daily

DINING DIRECTORY SPRINGFIELD, NORTHSIDE

Andy’s FARMERS MARKET Grill, 1810 W. Beaver St., 354-2821, jaxfarmersmarket.com. In landmark Jacksonville Farmers Market, offering local, regional, international produce.

Andy’s serves breakfast items, sandwiches, snacks, beverages. $ B L D Mon.-Sat. BARZ Liquors & Fish Camp, 9560 Heckscher Dr., 251-3330.

Authentic fish camp isbiker-friendly and American-owned.

Package store onsite. $ FB L D Daily

DICK’S Wings & Grille, 12400 Yellow Bluff Rd., 619-9828.

450077 S.R. 200, 879-0993. 2015 BOJ. SEE ORANGE PARK. HOLA Mexican Restaurant, 1001 N. Main St., 356-3100, holamexicanrestaurant.com. F Authentic fresh fajitas, burritos, specials, enchiladas, more. HH; sangria. BW K TO L D M-Sa LARRY’S Giant Subs, 12001 Lem Turner Rd., 764-9999. SEE ORANGE PARK.

MELLOW MUSHROOM Pizza Bakers, 15170 Max Leggett Pkwy., 757-8843. F 2015 BOJ. SEE BEACHES.

STANDARD TIME

CHEFFED-UP

BLUES

Take advantage of daylight savings before it’s TOO LATE to ggrill LABOR DAY IS ALMOST UPON US AND THAT means the end of summer and the (un) official end of beach season. Soon daylight savings time will be over and the skies will be dark by 7 p.m. It’s important to be aware of this change or disaster could strike.

Believe me, I know.

When I first moved to Florida, I would regularly take the family out to Little Talbot Island for an afternoon of biking, rollerblading, beach fun and, of course a giant cookout.

The layout at Talbot is perfect for this.

There are biking paths, a pristine beach, and awesome covered cooking pavilions with multiple grills, picnic tables, and even fresh water spigots. This is the kind of place that beckons you to prepare complete outdoor meals.

Always up for a culinary challenge (or a glutton for punishment), I’d take full advantage of the facility. This got to be a routine, with the food taking several hours to prepare and being ready to eat by 7 or 7:30. I’d cook a whole chicken on one grill, roast potatoes in the coals of another, maybe make jalapeno and cheddar skillet cornbread, have vegetable brochettes grilling, etc. I’d make barbecue sauce, vinaigrettes, dress salads à la minute and, of course, make s’mores at the end of the meal.

I was fully up to the challenge of preparing my entire meal from scratch right there in my temporary outdoor kitchen.

Even at a state park, you can Chef it Up! This would give us plenty of time to enjoy the day, the meal, and clean up before dark. These were the long days when it seemed like summer would last forever. The weather was great and only getting better as the months passed.

Then it happened. It seemed like it was getting dark a little earlier, but according to my watch, the food would be ready at the usual time and all would be well. Wrong! I realized it was getting dark very quickly, the chicken was cooking, but not nearly fast enough, and the potatoes and other items were nearly ready, so

we started eating while the chicken finished; you can’t speed up charcoal.

Next thing we knew, the park rangers were coming by to tell us the park was closed. Now it’s pitch-black and we’re trying to clean up, pack the car, and finish eating all at the same time. Lesson learned — even a chef can make a mistake.

Here’s a skillet cornbread recipe to try. It works on an oven rack or buried in the coals.

CHEFFED-UP

CHEF BILL’S SKILLET CORN BREAD

Ingredients • 2 tbsp. lard, bacon fat or corn oil • 1/2 cup bacon, small dice, cooked (not • • • crispy) • 3 cups cornmeal • 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder • 1-1/4 tsp. baking soda • 2-1/2 tsp. kosher salt • 2 eggs, lightly beaten • 3 cups buttermilk • 12” cast-iron skillet (or two 6” skillets) Directions 1. Heat the fat in the pan until it’s 1. almost smoking.

2. Whisk the cornmeal with the baking 1. powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 1. eggs, bacon and buttermilk. Stir 1. to combine.

3. Pour the batter into the pans.

4. Bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes. (Or, 1. cover the pans with foil and cook in 1. the coals.)

5. Reduce heat to 350˚F until toothpick 1. inserted in the center comes out clean.

Until We Cook Again, Chef Bill cheffedup@folioweekly.com ____________________________________ Contact Chef Bill Thompson, owner of Amelia Island Culinary Academy in Historic Fernandina Beach, with your recipes or questions at cheffedup@folioweekly.com, for inspiration to get you Cheffed Up! AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 31

PETS LOOKIN’ FOR LOVE FOLIO

W E E K LY

FOLIO LIVING

PET

DEAR DAVI

LOVERS’

GUIDE

It’s time to celebrate the 12th annual NATIONAL DOG DAY!

EVERY DOG HAS

HIS DAY Dear Davi, Word around the dog park is that people are preparing for a canine celebration.

What’s the scoop?

Harley the Harrier Hound Harley, Let’s be real. Isn’t every day a day to celebrate dogs? You betcha! And while many dogs are pampered on the daily, National Dog Day has been set aside — Friday, Aug. 26 to be exact — for humans to celebrate and appreciate the love and loyalty of their BFFs — best fourlegged friends.

I’ve sniffed around for some fun ways our humans can make the most of this special day: PAMPER YOUR POOCH Spend some quality time giving scrumptious spa treatments, like an oatmeal bath for a clean coat, or teeth cleaning for fresh breath. Don’t forget a nail trim for healthy paws. Wrap up the day with a doggie massage and a belly rub — who wouldn’t love that?

GO SHOPPING Take your dog on a shopping spree and buy a fun new toy, or two, or five! Looking to splurge? Find a new collar that’s so fetch or a fancy harness that fits. Maybe a fluffy new bed or an IQ ball filled with treats to chase — mine keeps me occupied for hours!

GET OUTSIDE Spend an afternoon enjoying the great outdoors together with a challenging hike on a trail, a jog around town, or a long walk on the beach. Bring along plenty of water and treats,

and make sure to check park rules and pet policies before visiting.

MAKE A TREAT Whip up a batch of tasty treats for your hungry hound. Not only are homemade dog treats wholesome and nutritious, they’re easy-peasy to prepare and can be made specifically for your furry friend’s favorite flavors or dietary restrictions — yum!

TEACH A NEW TRICK Whether training a new puppy or teaching an old dog a new trick, the benefits of schooling your pooch go way beyond wowing your neighbors.

Learning new skills keeps our minds sharp and builds our confidence. The more you teach, the quicker we learn, and the smarter we become!

Remember, the most important thing is building an active, healthy bond of trust between you and your dog, ensuring a lifetime of love.

Let’s not forget to shine the spotlight on those dogs who serve, protect and comfort humans. From saving lives to detecting danger, dogs keep humans safe and help those in need.

If you don’t have a dog, you can still take time to lend a paw and help a dog in need.

Consider donating to your local shelter or volunteering at your favorite rescue. Many shelters and rescue groups list items they need, such as blankets, toys and food. Every dog deserves a chance to have a happy and healthy life. Happy National Dog Day! Davi mail@folioweekly.com ______________________________________ Davi the dachshund isn’t a nationally known canine, but he’s tops in NEFla!

PET TIP: PETTING PATIENT X AN OLD SAYING GOES, ‘IF YOU LIE DOWN WITH DOGS, you’re bound to get up with fleas.’ Though Bark Twain probably won’t give you fleas, he can give you another gift that keeps on taking: worms! That’s right, Jimmy Chew can infect you. Have your dog screened for worms annually and, as a preventive, make sure your dog is on a monthly heartworm medication that kills nematodes and always, always, always wash your hands after coming in contact with, you guessed it, dog poop. We’re wondering if anyone tested Divine after Pink Flamingos …

32 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

PET EVENTS ANNIVERSARY PET RESCUE BENEFIT • Mudville Music Room celebrates its third anniversary with a fundraiser featuring Conrad Oberg, Sam Pacetti, Larry Mangum’s Songwriters’ Circle: Larry, Rachel Grubb, Paul Garfinkel; Mike’s Mic: Mike Shackelford,

ADOPTABLES

.

DOLLY

SOUTHERN SOUL • Howdy! My name is Dolly, named after my great aunt Dolly Parton. You might have heard of her. Anyways, I love fried chicken and country music and I am extra good at cuddling. Just give me a treat and I will even sit for you! I am a gentle country girl who would love a family of my own! Come adopt me today at Jax Humane society at 8464 Beach Blvd!

Yeehaw! JHS is open 7 days a week.

Madison Carr, Kendall Mason; Ladies with Lyrics: Julie Durden, Meredith Woodard, Linda Grenville; Ultimate Guitar Crossing: Ernie & Debi Evans, Lonnie Portwood; Jazz concerts: John Thomas, Dr. Bill Prince; DA Guitar Student Concerts: Ari Howard; Songwriter Contest Winner: Luke Peacock 7-10 p.m. Aug. 30 at Mudville Music Room, 3105 Beach Blvd., St. Nicholas, 352-7008. Email flamusic@bellsouth.net for table reservation. Admission is by donation. Proceeds benefit nonprofit, no-kill shelter Pet Rescue North Inc. KATZ 4 KEEPS ADOPTION EVENT • Cat adoptions are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 and Sunday, Aug. 28 at 935B A1A N., Ponte Vedra, 834-3223, katz4keeps.org. Every weekend through September.

THE BIG FIX II • First Coast No More Homeless Pets covers the cost of spay/neuter for dogs weighing more

ADOPTABLES

PISTIL

LOOKING FOR A GOOD TIME • ‘Sup. My name is Pistil, I might only be 2 months old but I am ready to go to a super awesome home. I am into stretching out my paws and lounging on the couch. Watch out for my very sly moves, I am a kitten after all. I love snack time and playing with my toys. I am a cool dude, so come check me out at JHS, open seven days a week!

For more information, visit jaxhumane.org. than 40 pounds (or are expected to at maturity) as well as mandatory post-operative pain medication. A maximum of six dogs per household may be sterilized in this limited program. Bring proof of residence; Florida residents only. 6817 Norwood Ave. or 464 Cassat Ave.; 425-0005, fcnmhp.org.

VACCINATION CLINICS • VetCo offers lower-cost vaccinations at PetCo stores. Sunday, Sept. 4; 2-3 p.m., 11900 Atlantic Blvd., 997-8441; 4-5 p.m., 950 Marsh Landing Pkway., 273-0964; 10:30 a.m.-noon, 463713 S.R 200, Yulee, 225-0014, vetcoclinics.com. _______________________________________ To list a pet event, send event name, time, date, location (complete street address and city), admission price, contact number/website to print, to mdryden@ folioweekly.com – at least two weeks before the event.

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 33

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BLUE JAY RED TAPE

San Diego Padres outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. was traded on July 23 to the Toronto Blue Jays — in the middle of a series between the Padres and the Blue Jays in Toronto. Usually, a traded player would gather his gear and walk down the hall to the other team’s locker room. However, while Canada treats Blue Jays’ opponents as “visitors,” Blue Jays players are Canadian employees, and if they’re not residents, they must have work permits. Upton had to leave the stadium and drive to Lewiston, New York, which is the closest place to apply to re-enter Canada properly. He made it back by game time.

CLEAN GETAWAY

UPTOWN GIRL GOES OFF

Police in Southampton, New York, confirmed a July altercation in which model Christie Brinkley water-hosed a woman she had spotted urinating on her beachfront property. Erica Remkus, 36, said her need was urgent after watching a July 4 fireworks show, but Brinkley shouted, “How dare you!” and, “I walk on these rocks.” (The rocks were where Remkus had relieved herself.)

PRETTY BABY SAVES THE DAY

The men who tried an armed carjacking at the Oasis car wash in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 20 were sprayed away by the car owner, Michael Davis, who was holding a highpressure hose at the time and then just casually directed the stream at one potential thief ’s face while swinging the metal wand at the other.

In July, actor Brooke Shields made the news when she — as a curator of an art show in Southampton, New York — managed to rescue a piece that custodians had inadvertently tossed into the garbage. The cleanup crew had made an understandable mistake, as the statue was a raccoon standing next to a trashcan, ready to rummage.

LETTING THE RIGHT ONES IN

HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES

Since Bulgaria, on Romania’s southern border, lies close to Romania’s iconic Transylvania region, Bulgarian tourism officials have begun marketing their own vampire tourism industry — stepped up following a 2014 archaeological find of a 4th-century “graveyard” of adolescents with iron stakes through their chests.

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT

In May, Sports Illustrated noted some universities are still paying out millions of dollars to failed coaches who managed to secure big contracts in more optimistic times. Notre Dame’s largest athletic payout in 2014 was the $2.05 million to ex-football coach Charlie Weis — five years after he was fired. That ended Weis’s Notre Dame contract (which paid him $15 million post-dismissal), but he’s still drawing several million dollars from the University of Kansas, despite having been let go there, also.

JUST ONE MORE

Rhys Holman pleaded guilty to a firearms charge in Melbourne, Australia, in July for shooting 53 bullets into his brother’s Xbox. Mauricio Morales-Caceres, 24, was sentenced to life in prison by a Montgomery County, Maryland, judge in July following

34 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

his April conviction for fatally stabbing a “friend” — 89 times.

Knoxville, Tennessee, firefighters were called to a home in July when a woman tried to barbecue brisket in her bathroom — and, in addition to losing control of the flame, melted her fiberglass bathtub. Firefighters limited the damage — by turning on the shower. One day earlier, in Union, South Carolina, a 33-year-old woman called police to her home, claiming that she had fallen asleep on her couch with her “upper plate” in her mouth, but that when she awoke, it was gone. She suspects a teeth-napping intruder.

G’DAY, MATE, YOU’RE PISSED

The owner of the Howl at the Moon Bar in Gold Coast, Australia, released surveillance video of a July break-in (later inspiring the perpetrator to turn himself in). The man is seen trying to enter the locked bar at 3 a.m., then tossing a beer keg at a glass door three times, finally creating a hole large enough to climb through, acrobatically, and fall to the floor, lit cigarette firmly between his lips. Once inside, he stood at the bar, apparently waiting for someone to take his order. When no one came, he left. The owner said nothing was taken, and nothing else was damaged. Brisbane Times, 7-29-2016 Chuck Shepherd weirdnews@earthlink.net

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 35

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

DALE RATERMANN’s Crossword presented by

SAN MARCO 2044 San Marco Blvd.

398-9741

PONTE VEDRA

THE SHOPPES OF PONTE VEDRA

330 A1A North 280-1202

FOOT MASSAGES, BRAINSTORMS, FINANCIAL MOJOS & NEGATIVE EMOTIONS

SOUTHSIDE

AVONDALE 3617 St. Johns Ave. 10300 Southside Blvd.

388-5406 394-1390

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the next few weeks, I hope you won’t scream curses at the rain, demanding it stop falling on you. Refrain from punching walls that seem to hem you itn, and don’t spit into the wind when it’s blowing in your face. Here’s an oracle on how to avoid counterproductive behavior: The near future will bring useful challenges and uncanny blessings if you’re willing to consider the possibility that everything coming your way will in some sense be an opportunity.

AVENUES MALL

FOLIO WEEKLY MAGAZINE CROSSWORD 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

14

15

16

17

18

19

20 24 28

29

25 31

30

33

26

27

35 41

53

49

51

59

56 60

65

68

69

70

71

72

73

ACROSS

66

61

64

1 Florida Senate spots 6 Query poser 11 FSU group 14 Florida Life Building street 15 Like some dates 16 50-Down foe 17 Nilsson’s “Me and My ” 18 Terra 19 Gator tail?

20 Faces’ Long 22 Squeeze (out) 23 Church closing 24 TV equine 26 Mess hall container?

28 “S.O.S.” group 31 Under-the-table diversion 33 Air show maneuver 34 Pole worker 35 Class paper 39 Scarface gun 40 Little Leaguer, e.g.

43 Giants’ org.

44 Back biter 46 UNF URL ender 47 Rumor source 48 Apprentice 51 Maritime spot 52 Biceps tattoo spelled GO JAGUARRS?

55 Prone to pry 57 “See ya!”

58 Sit-up focus 60 Jazz Festival group, maybe 64 Checkout lines 65 Sun up?

67 Marilyn, at birth 68 Speed Wagon (classic truck) 69 Eta’s follower 70 Kettles, e.g.

71 Florida’s First Lady 72 Zithers kin 73 Flank

DOWN

1 Lightning shot 2 Rapping Sweatshirt 3 Tebow glow 4 Ancient Greek travel aid?

5 Woodcutter 6 WJXX programmer 7 Gin flavor 8 Hershey bar 9 Goes in 10 Nutritional stat.

11 Disney dog 12 Place for some horseplay 13 Passed the buck 21 Mention

36 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

38

47

55 58

37

43

50

54

57

36

42

46

45 48

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I wish you might receive the grace of being pampered, nurtured, entertained and prayed for. I’d love for you to assemble a throng of no-strings-attached caretakers to devote themselves to stoking your healing. Maybe they’d sing to you as they gave you a manicure, massaged your feet and paid your bills. Or they’d cook a gourmet meal and clean your house as they told stories about how beautiful you are and all the great things you’re going to do. Is it possible to arrange something like that on a modest scale? You’re in a phase of your astrological cycle when you most need this kind of doting attention and when you have the greatest power to make it happen.

32

40

44

13

23

34

39

52

22

21

12

62

63

67

23 City Council thumbs up 25 Leading Duval vote-getter in ’96 Presidential election 27 Manner 28 Hydrated double salt 29 Old WFGA clown 30 “In the cauldron and bake…”

32 Not always 36 Topgallant, for one 37 Fit for duty 38 Bill Nelson’s alma mater 40 Fish, to herons 41 East of 42 Pisa dough

45 Chorus line 47 Local Navy base and an anagram of 26and 52-Across and 4-Down 49 Careless-ness 50 16-Across foe 52 High-end Honda 53 Come of age 54 “Heart of Georgia” 56 Mails in 59 Fill the bill 61 False negative 62 Moseley Band 63 Type of force 65 JAX destination 66 Profs’ aides

Solution to 8.17.16 Puzzle O P T E D R A M D O U B R O B E Y B O L O I T S T H E L O C A D A A N I M N E V M A R I N D A S A

D A T A P A G N R A O C O H V E E B Y B U C P

L S D I C E S T O M W L I E D D S A E M N I U A L S T L I A S T R O D I E T W D A E R T E E E B B

S H A D K A T E I L L S A I B A S R I T T E N I A T I O R R U Y L I S A S T E M G E N U G N A R S T E N

D A D N E H I S L O

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I invite you to dream about your true home … sweet, energizing, love-strong home … the home where you can be high and deep, robust and tender, flexible and rigorous … where you’re the person you promised yourself you could be. To stimulate and enhance brainstorms about your true home, experiment with these activities: Feed your roots … do maintenance work on your power spot … cherish and foster your sources … and refine the magic to make you feel free. Can you handle one more set of tasks designed to enhance your domestic bliss? Tend to your web of close allies, take care of what takes care of you, and adore connections that serve as your foundation.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’ll be one of those rapid-fire, adjust-on-the-fly, think-on-your-feet, go-with-your-gut times for you — a head-spinning, endorphingenerating, eye-pleasing, intelligence-boosting phase when you’ll have opportunities to relinquish attachments to status quos that don’t serve you. Got all that? There’ll be a lot of stimuli to absorb and integrate, and, luckily for you, absorbing and integrating a lot of stimuli will be your specialty. You can get the most of upcoming encounters with cute provocations, pleasant agitation, and useful unpredictability. One more tip: Be vigilant and amused as you follow the ever-shifting sweet spot.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): At the risk of asking too much and pushing too hard, my Guerrilla Prayer Warriors have been begging God to send you major financial mojo.

These fierce supplicants have gone so far as to suggest to the Supreme Being that maybe She could help you win the lottery, find a roll of big bills on the sidewalk or be granted a magic wish by an unexpected benefactor. “Whatever works!” is their mantra. Looking at astrological omens, I’m not sure the Prayer Warriors’ extreme attempts will work.

But the chance they will is greater than usual. To boost the odds, get organized and better educated about money matters. Set a clear intention about changes you’d like in the next 10 months.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Suggested experiments: 1. Vow that from now on you won’t hide your beauty. 2. Strike a deal with your inner king or queen, guaranteeing this regal part of you gets regular free expression. 3. Converse with your Future Self on how the two of you may collaborate to fully unleash your emotional intelligence’s refined

potency. 4. In meditations and dreams, ask your ancestors how to more completely access and activate dormant potentials.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Hope you’re not forlorn, shivery, puzzled or obsessive right now — unless being so will mobilize you to instigate overdue transformations you’ve been evading. If that’s the case, I hope you’re forlorn, shivery, puzzled and obsessive. Those feelings may be the perfect fuel, the high-octane motivation to launch your renaissance. I don’t often offer this counsel, so take full advantage: Now is one of the rare times when your so-called negative emotions can catalyze redemption.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): From what I can tell, your vigor is peaking. In recent weeks, you’ve been sturdy, hearty, stout and substantial. This surge of strength may intensify in the near future — even as it becomes more fluid and supple. Your waxing power will teach new secrets about wielding power intelligently. You may break previous records for compassionate courage and sensitive toughness.

The best news? You’re likely to be dynamic about bestowing practical love on all that’s important to you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The odds are higher than usual for you to be offered a boost or promotion in the weeks ahead. This development is likely to occur in the job you’re doing or the career plans you’ve been pursuing. It could also be a factor in your spiritual life. You may discover a new teacher or teaching to lift you to the next phase of your inner quest.

There’s even a chance you’ll get an upgrade on both fronts. It’s a good time to check whether you’re harboring any obstacles to success. If you are, destroy those rancid old mental blocks with a bolt of psychic lightning.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The cosmos seems to be warming to your charms. The stinginess it displayed toward you for a while is giving way to a more generous approach. Take advantage of this welcome development — shed any fear-based beliefs you’ve adopted during recent shrinkage. For instance, it’s possible you’ve begun to entertain the theory that the game of life is rigged against you, or it’s inherently hard to play. Trash those ideas.

They’re not true, and clinging to them limits the game of life’s power to bring new invitations. Open up wherever you’ve closed down.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Any of your allies acting like they’ve forgotten their true purpose? If so, you have the power to gently wake them from trances and help them re-focus. Is it possible you’ve become too susceptible to influences of those whose opinions shouldn’t really matter? If so, now’s a good time to correct that. Are you aware of falling under the sway of trendy ideas or faddish emotions distorting your relationship with primal sources?

If so, you are hereby authorized to free yourself from their hold.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Now’s a favorable time to reveal that you’re a gay socialist witch who believes good poetry provides a more reliable way to understand reality than the opinions of media pundits — unless, of course, you are not a gay socialist witch, etc., in which case, don’t say you are.

Consider disclosing as much as possible of your true nature to anyone with whom you plan to be intimately linked and who is missing important information on you. It’s high time to experiment with being completely yourself.

Rob Brezsny freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

Folio Weekly Magazine can help you connect with that surfer hunk you almost talked to at the Young Vegan Professionals meet-up, or that gum-crackin’ goddess at Target who “accidentally” dropped a jasmine-scented kazoo in your cart. Go to folioweekly.com/i-saw-u.html, fill out the FREE form correctly (40 words or fewer, dammit) by 5 p.m. Friday (for the next Wednesday’s FWM) – next stop: Bliss!

No left or right swipe here – you can actually use REAL WORDS to find REAL LOVE!

Here’s how to start: Write a nifty five-word headline, something they’ll read and recognize you, or them, or the place. Then describe the person, like, “ You: Blonde, hot, skanky, tall.” Then you, like, “Me: Redhead, boring, clean, virgin.” Then a few words about the encounter, like, “ISU at MOSH, drawing dinosaurs.” Wrap up with a clever flirt, like, “I got your T-Rex right here!” What’s the catch? No names, email addresses, websites, etc. And for chrissake keep it at forty (40) words or fewer or the senior editor will cut your words down to size. Don’t do her like that.

DANCING TO THE BONES You are L. from Ponte Vedra. I’m R, leading band at Conch House on Friday, Aug. 12. We said quick hello as you left.

Really want to connect with you. Hopefully cosmos will agree. When: Aug. 12. Where: Conch House, St. Augustine. #1624-0817 FLOWERS IN MY HAND: Very surprised to see you. Positive memories flooded back, so let’s have lunch and catch up. S. When: July 6. Where: Publix Pharmacy. #1623-0810 DO YOU SEEK UNIQUE? You: Beautiful brunette, Walmart sugar aisle, beautiful arm ink work; said you got it in Riverside. Me: Dark chocolate gentleman, captivated by smile, breathless looking into beautiful eyes. Too shy to get number. Meet for lunch? When: July 16. Where: Walmart Avenues. #1622-0720

YOU’RE IN MY THOUGHTS There’s still not a day I don’t think of you. Since the first time ISU while sitting in that car, I can’t shake thoughts of you.

Live long. Love hard. I will. When: Feb. 2, 2016.

Where: Neighborhood. #1614-0622 JOIN YOUR SWIM TEAM Me: Attractive in twopiece bathing suit. You: Swimming; American flag tat on arm, making me hot as you chilled in the pool. Really want to skinny dip with you. ;) When: June 3. Where: Greentree Place Apts. Pool. #1613-0622 FRIDAY BIKE-TO-WORK DAY You: Blue jeans, black tank top, red Motobecane bicycle, great smile. Didn’t get a chance to get your name. Me: Doing the bike thing. Are you up for a ride? When: May 20. Where: Hemming Plaza. #1612-0608

HANDSOME, KIND GENTLEMAN ISU Saturday 1 a.m. You: Extremely handsome, cool hat, T-shirt, jeans; forgot wallet; complimented my white dress.

Me: Long blond hair, green eyes, too shy to ask name or if unattached. Love to meet formally! When: July 17. Where: Walmart San Jose. #1621-0720

HANDSOME EDUCATED HARLEY RIDER We instantly hit it off talking. I tried to quickly give you my number. I was on a blind date that was NOT meant to be. I’d like to have a chance to continue our conversation. When: May 22. Where: River City Brewing Co. #1611-0608

WE ARE READY FOR U You: Handsome man following, watching me, saying hi, calling, hanging up before u speak. Me: Want to hear your heart. My dog and condo await. Don’t be afraid. Everything will be OK. We love you. When: 2012. Where: Neighborhood. #1620-0720

DANCIN’ IN THE STREETS CUTIE You: Short, big white hat, gorgeous eyes, with friend outside bookstore. Me: Sunglasses, tan, wanted to flirt. We locked eyes. I got brave, you were gone – kicking myself since. Won’t hesitate again. Share a dance?

When: May 21. Where: Atlantic Beach Dancin’ Festival. #1610-0525

AVONDALE ANGEL Me: Down on my luck, no place to go. You: Beautiful person who kept me from sleeping on the street. Thank you for your generosity for someone you didn’t even know!

You’ll never ever be forgotten! When: June 16.

Where: Avondale shops. #1619-0706 COOPER’S HAWK NICE SMILE WAITER You weren’t our waiter last Thursday 6/16; served us before. Name starts with G. Cute, dark blond hair, warm personality. Me: Brunette, curly hair, navy blue dress. You noticed us in booth. A drink, conversation? Contact. When: June 16. Where: Cooper’s Hawk Winery Towncenter. #1618-0622 CORGI GIRL Your smile’s radiant. How you synchronize those long legs in immense contrast with your pups is marvelous. I’m grateful, mostly handsome, longing to please. Love to join you and poochie for evening stroll along the river. XOXO. When: June 10. Where: Riverside. #1617-0622 TRADE PORSCHE FOR BEACH CRUISER? Drawn to your physique, adored biceps as you chilled with friend! You complimented my Porsche. Offered trade for your cruiser. Didn’t ask for number. WOD together on next bring-a-friend day?! When: 4 p.m. June 5. Where: Zeta Brewing bicycle stand. #1616-0622 VYSTAR LOAN OFFICER You: Beautiful blue-eyed, curly blond hair, rockin’ all black outfit, accent colored shirt. Me: Trying to get a loan. Made conversation to keep process going. Second Wednesday in June.

Didn’t get loan; might’ve found so much more! When: June 8. Where: Vystar. #1615-0622

BIRDIES BLUE-EYED BRUNETTE Beautiful day.

You: Porch sitting with friends. Me: Walking dog down strip. We caught eyes. Couldn’t tell if you knew me or wanted to; we couldn’t look away.

Hope next time it’s more than an awkward stare.

When: May 15. Where: Birdies. #1609-0525 COMEDY ZONE Goldberg lookalike, Comedy Zone May 27, admiring each other while waiting with friends. Me: Hot brunette in black tank top and jeans. When: May 27. Where: Comedy Zone. #1608-0525 DRIVE-THRU WINDOW PRINCESS Porsche, Prius; whatever I drive; at drive-thru window, you drive me crazy! Curious: Are pretty smile, friendly remarks more than sales-driven? Clarify over coffee? You get my name right. Will heed your advice: Come by more often. When: May 9.

Where: St. Johns Town Ctr. fast-food drive-thru. #1607-0525 RED SCOOTER MISFIT Little red scooter. You: Dark, mysterious, flying through Five Points on a little red Honda Spree. Me: Black dress, circle shades.

Have my babies. <3. When: Every day. Where: Five Points. #1606-0518 PASSED YOU AT LUNCH Me: Going to lunch, bright teal dress shirt, said hello. You: Walking other way; very pretty young lady, flowery top, blonde hair, said howdy. Exchanged glances; looked back, you were gone. I should have said something. When: May 4. Where: Devry University Concourse Café. #1605-0511 AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 37

CLASSIFIEDS

YOUR PORTAL TO REACHING 95,000+ READERS WEEKLY

HELP WANTED

PAID IN ADVANCE! Make $1,000 A Week mailing brochures from home! No experience required. Helping homeworkers since 2001! Genuine opportunity. Start immediately! WorkingCentral.Net. (AANCAN)(9/28/16)

CASH FOR CARS: Any Car/Truck 2000-2015, Running or Not! Top Dollar For Used/Damaged. Free Nationwide Towing! Call Now: 888-420-3808. (AANCAN)(9/21/16)

AKEL’S DELI NOW HIRING CASHIER POSITION AND PREP COOK. Located downtown in Bank of America tower at 50 North Laura Street, Jacksonville FL 32202. Please call 904-446-3119 or email akelsdeli@comcast.net

VIAGRA!! 52 Pills for Only $99. Your #1 trusted provider for 10 years. Insured and Guaranteed Delivery. Call today 888-403-9028. (AANCAN)(8/24/16)

CASA DORA NOW HIRING FOR: Experienced Pizza Cook and Experienced Server. Apply in person at 108 E. Forsyth Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202.

FOLIO MEDIA HOUSE WANTS YOU! Immediate Opening! Folio Media House, established in 1987, is expanding our reach in Northeast Florida with comprehensive media products. We are seeking an experienced salesperson to add to our current team.

Significant commission potential and mentorship with an industry leader. Main Job Tasks and Responsibilities: make sales calls to new and existing clients, generate and qualify leads, prepare sales action plans and strategies. Experience: experience in sales required, proven ability to achieve sales targets, knowledge of Salesforce software a plus. Key Competencies: money driven, persuasive, planning and strategizing. If you have a track record of success in sales, send your cover letter and resume for consideration to staylor@ folioweekly.com or call Sam at 904-860-2465.

ROOMMATE SERVICES

ALL AREAS – ROOMMATES.COM. Lonely? Bored?

Broke? Find the perfect roommate to complement your personality and lifestyle at Roommates.com!

(AANCAN)(2/8/17)

38 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016

AUTOS WANTED HEALTH

PENIS ENLARGEMENT MEDICAL PUMP. Gain 1-3 Inches Permanently! Money Back Guarantee. FDA Licensed Since 1997. Free Brochure: Call (619) 2947777 www.DrJoelKaplan.com. (AANCAN)(8/24/16)

FINANCIAL

ARE YOU IN BIG TROUBLE WITH THE IRS? Stop wage & bank levies, liens, audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 844-7531317. (AANCAN)(9/7/16) $$ GET CASH NOW $$ Call 888-822-4594. J.G. Wentworth can give you cash now for your future Structured Settlement and Annuity Payments.

(AANCAN) (8/24/16)

FOLIO VOICES : BACKPAGE EDITORIAL

THE BANKRUPTCY

SOLUTION

An alternative solution to Jacksonville’s PENSION DEBT CRISIS

MAYOR LENNY CURRY HAS REPEATEDLY SAID that unless the city of Jacksonville votes for a half-cent sales tax to resolve its $2.85 billion pension shortfall, Jacksonville “could be Detroit in five years.” If Mayor Curry’s tax referendum gets voted down on Aug. 30, we need to be prepared for the next step, and like in Detroit, that step may be bankruptcy.

The image of Detroit is a powerful one.

It is a city where whole neighborhoods are abandoned, formerly majestic public buildings are used for photo shoots depicting the decay and collapse of society, and where crime and poverty are rampant. But that’s really not the image of Detroit the people of Jacksonville should focus on. What they should focus on is the city that got a fresh start on rebuilding its infrastructure by seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Act. Bankruptcy is a way for a group of people, whether it’s a city, or a nation, to put the mistakes of the past behind them, and to get on the path to a sound financial future.

IT’S NOT JUST DETROIT: CALIFORNIA CITIES, PUERTO RICO AND OTHERS Jacksonville wouldn’t be the first or only municipality to seek protection under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. California cities and counties have used it more than those of any other state. Orange County in Southern California filed bankruptcy in 1994, Desert Hot Springs in 2001, Los Osos in 2006, Moffet in 2007, Vallejo in 2008, and Stockton and San Bernardino in 2012. Detroit gets the most press because it was the largest city to ever file. In short, lots of cities have gone into bankruptcy and you’ve heard little about them in the media.

So would Jacksonville filing bankruptcy give the city a “black eye”? Possibly, but we are not alone. Overall, the U.S. faces a $3.4 trillion pension funding hole, more than 1,000 times the size of Jacksonville’s problem, so if Jacksonville does file for bankruptcy, you can be sure it won’t be the last city to do so. We all need to understand what we are facing: We are insolvent.

We are a city with a population of 842,000 facing a debt of $2.85 billion, or about $3,400 per person. If you figure that the size of the average household is 2.58 people, then the outstanding debt is $8,700 per household.

Unlike the federal government, the city of Jacksonville can’t print money, so this is real money.

Raising taxes to generate $8,700 in revenue per

household would be counterproductive. Most people in Jacksonville have no money set aside for retirement. They’re going to need to reach into their pocket every day, at least until the year 2043, and they’re going to have to work longer hours and take fewer and shorter vacations if the city is going to raise taxes to pay for the unfunded pension liability.

Personally, I can afford it, but I work hard enough already. You do, too.

“A DEAL IS A DEAL” – ISN’T IT? One of my favorite expressions is, “A deal is a deal,” and some people may be tempted to say that the city needs to stand by its agreement with the three pension funds. However, a deal is only a deal if both sides play by the rules. In this case, Jacksonville and the Police & Fire Pension Funds didn’t play by the rules. They negotiated this pension deal behind closed doors, out of the Sunshine. This deal was illegal from the start.

The Sunshine Act is very clear. “No resolution, rule, or formal action shall be considered binding” unless it takes place at a meeting which the public can attend.

Jacksonville’s pension deal was negotiated in secret, at mediations the public was barred from attending. After a long and torturous court case, the court decided last year that because the pension agreement was negotiated outside of the public’s view, it was void ab initio, meaning that it’s not only not a binding contract, but that it was NEVER a binding agreement. This pension plan is illegal, and it is bankrupting Jacksonville.

The 2014 Task Force on the pension crisis, headed by Jacksonville lawyer Bill Scheu, concluded that the city’s pension

obligations could be “retroactively modified or eliminated pursuant to a proper filing by the city for protection under the bankruptcy laws.” However, when they wrote their report, the Court hadn’t yet declared the pension agreement to be void. As of today, Jacksonville has no legally binding pension obligation to the PFPF. If we take the Sunshine Act seriously, and we are going to abide by the law, there is no agreement. The city must begin the negotiation process from scratch.

WHAT COULD A BANKRUPTCY COURT DO? The primary thing that a bankruptcy judge could do is force the parties to negotiate a valid pension agreement. In that negotiation, the public would have a powerful role. While the law generally prohibits making retroactive changes to pre-existing pension benefits, in Jacksonville, there are no pre-existing pension benefits. The city, and the public, would therefore have a powerful negotiating position.

What is the worst-case scenario for PFPF? The public could demand that the fund be liquidated and the money that was paid in under the void agreement be returned to the taxpayers. Do you think that the fund has an incentive to negotiate? They should.

OBSTACLES TO BANKRUPTCY There are always obstacles to filing a municipal bankruptcy, but no set of obstacles is insurmountable. The city would have to prove that it is insolvent. The very existence of a $2.85 billion unfunded liability in a city where the annual general revenue fund is only $1 billion would seem to be good evidence of insolvency. The fact that the unfunded liability can be paid off by 2043 does not dispose of the issue, either. Implied in the question of solvency is whether a debt, if you call the unfunded pension liability a debt, can be paid off in a reasonable period of time.

Twenty-seven years is not a reasonable period of time to be saddled with such a debt burden.

The city would have to show that further budget cuts or tax increases would be counterproductive, and it would need approval from the Florida Legislature. When the 2014 task force rejected bankruptcy, two things hadn’t yet happened. The courts hadn’t declared that the pension plan was void, and the unfunded liability hadn’t ballooned to its current amount. We are dealing with a different set of circumstances now. Today, bankruptcy is an option that should be on the table.

WE COULD SET THE TREND Perhaps if the people of Jacksonville put their collective foot down and refused to saddle their children with a lifetime of debt, the rest of the nation, with its $3.4 trillion pension debt, would sit up and take notice, and decide to make the necessary changes. Debt is never a good thing. Saddling our children with debt is an even worse thing.

Rod Sullivan mail@folioweekly.com _____________________ Sullivan is an attorney who has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.

AUGUST 24 - 30, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 39