Dec. 6 2012

“I’m worried that the Internet a la Wild West period is ended.”

“The only thing that stays the same is the leg lamp.”

“Things get a little dicey when your entire livelihood is barely hanging on three wheels.”

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s r e n n i W sers o L Florida Election Screw Up Déjà Vu Independent News | December 6, 2012 | Volume 13 | Number 47 | inweekly.net | 'Crybaby' model: Alexander Joseph Bruni / photo by Samantha Crooke

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publisher & editor Rick Outzen production manager Joani Delezen art director Samantha Crooke administration/ staff writer Jennie McKeon staff writer Jeremy Morrison contributing writers Bradley “B.J.” Davis, Jr., Joani Delezen, Hana Frenette, James Hagen, Brett Hutchins, Chelsa Jillard, Sarah McCartan, Kate Peterson, Chuck Shepherd, T.S. Strickland intern Shelby Smithey

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DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO RETIRE ON? ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT IS?

JEFF MILLER House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that our Congressman Jeff Miller will remain the chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee for the 113th Congress. The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is responsible for authorization and oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the second largest department in the federal government with over 300,000 employees and a budget of over $120 billion.

GROVER ROBINSON The Florida Local Environmental Resources Agencies (FLERA) presented Escambia County Commissioner Grover C. Robinson, IV with its Outstanding Environmental Leadership Award during the 2012 FLERA Annual Award Luncheon. The Outstanding Environmental Leadership Award is presented to a local government elected official that has displayed outstanding leadership qualities among their peers on environmental issues.

TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA Ideaworks

has named the volunteer group which helps crisis victims as the recipient of its annual “Goodworks” grant. TIP’s mission is to provide immediate on-scene support to help survivors of tragedy to deal with their pain and begin to recover. Ideaworks will provide a full year of in-depth marketing support, including strategy, public relations, graphics, interactive marketing and social media. Past grant recipients include Friends of the Public Library, Seastars Acquatics and EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless.

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COMMUNITY HEALTH In 2005 , the Partnership For a Healthy Community conducted an assessment of health of citizens in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The overall health status and key health status indicators were likened to those found in some Third World countries. The 2012 Assessment shows no progress has been made since then in improving our health status. Deaths from heart disease, diabetes, strokes and chronic respiratory diseases are higher than peer counties and the state rates.

Escambia County also has high rates for sexually-transmitted diseases.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES

Escambia County has the lowest graduations rates in the area, especially among its African-American students, according to the Florida Department of Education. The state’s graduation rate for white students is 79.38 percent. Escambia County is 12 percentage points below that—67.47 percent.

The African-American students have a 63.67 percent graduation rate statewide, but only 50.24 percent in Escambia County. Okaloosa County has the best graduation rates of the three counties.

VIOLENCE The 2012 Health Assessment also showed that Escambia County is more violent than its peer counties and the state rates. Aggravated assault rate is 572 per 100,000 population compared to 389 for the state. The forcible sex offenses rate is 114 in the county versus 56 statewide.

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DIAL UP A PROTEST Every one has to choose their own battles and the things for which he is willing to fight. Yes, I have to admit that few people like a good fight as much as I do, but my father always taught me to pick them wisely.

Last week, the local chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the media got upset over an African-American mother being arrested at a local Wal-Mart on the eve of Black Friday. The dispute was over a TracFone that she picked up before the item was due to go on sale.

The phone was taken away from her.

She protested. She was asked to leave the store. She refused.

Deputies threatened to arrest her. She resisted. She was arrested.

And while the story might make good headlines, I don’t see an argument over a prepaid cellular phone that costs from $10 to $60 as a worthwhile battle, especially when compared to Rosa Parks, James Meredith or the Selma to Montgomery March.

No, the big battle is in the public high schools of Escambia County where only two-thirds of our white students and half of our African-American students graduated in the 2011-12 school year, according to the reports released by the Florida Department of the Education. The county is 12 percentage points below the state graduation rates.

Yes, the overall graduation rate for Escambia County has improved over the past

nine years, but so has the state graduation rate. Sadly the rate of increase for Escambia County public schools is much less than the state graduation rate.

In 2003-2004, there were less than five percentage points separating Escambia County from the state average. That gap has more than doubled, stretching to 12.3 percentage points for the 2011-12 school year.

As important as a cell phone might be, I do believe that a high school diploma has greater value, especially when the community is trying to attract new employers with claims of an educated workforce.

Statewide African-American students showed the biggest increase over the past five years, rising from 50 percent graduating in 2008 to 63.7 percent this year. Hispanic students also graduated at higher levels, rising from 59.8 to 72.9 percent over the same period.

Escambia County’s minority students didn’t have similar jumps in graduation rates. The gap between the white and black graduation rates for the county narrowed over the past five years, shrinking from 21 points to a little over 17 points, but I’m not sure that’s something about which we can brag.

No, sir, battles for cellphones don’t excite me, but one for more high school diplomas is worthwhile for the entire community. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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rants & raves You just could not be more incorrect (Independent News, “Outtakes: Secession is Treason,” Nov. 29)! Please read Walter Williams Nov. 27 letter on Secession. It is the right of a state to secede from the Union if all else fails. Perhaps you could re-read the Declaration of Independence where it says "When in the course of human events..."

It is obvious that Barack Obama is a socialist and intent on destroying our Republic. Your comment about the Johnson and Nixon administrations sadly missed the point—neither of them were socialists! The people who sign the secession petitions want to preserve the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Framers, not merely exist in the totalitarian state of socialism.

Obama is the traitor for his actions in office and should be removed from that office, tried in the courts, easily convicted and imprisoned. The fact that honest citizens are even discussing secession should indicate to all, but the most primitive, that the Federal government, under Obie, has simply gone—and will continue to go—where no American government has gone before. There are limits to the Federal governments powers and Obie has, and intends to continue, violating those limits.

By the way, you might want to keep in mind that you, as a columnist/writer, will be the first to be silenced when Obie institutes socialism. No socialist government will tolerate active, published dissent and you and your ilk will be his first targets.

Walter Williams is black.

—Jim Woellber After reading Rick Outzen's column, I find I must disagree with him and set the record straight. I learned in middle school that Texas does have the right to secede from the USA. In fact, nearly every

state has a right to do so, providing their individual State Constitutions allow it.

Referring to information at reasonstosecede.com, I quote, "There is no verbiage in the Texas Constitution, the US Constitution, or the Texas Annexation Agreement that expressly grants the State of Texas the right to secede from the Union. However, the US Constitution is silent on the issue, neither prohibiting it or allowing it, for any state."

It may interest your readers to know that Texas is empowered to be divided into five total states, increasing the allowed Senate seats from 2 to 10 for the “Divided States of Texas.”

—Fred Timm

May 26, 2009). It was written in May 2009 soon after the same kind of gun-toting nitwits in Texas thought secession was a terrific idea.

—William Corfield

To start, we are not a democratic nation, but a representive republic. However, we are rapidly becoming a democratic society, in which the takers are soon to out number the makers, and anarchy is to ensue. If you wish to look for treason, look no further than the current administration.

A democrat leadership, that is knowingly leading this country down the road to financial ruin, that has a total disregard for the U.S. Constitution, their handling of Benghazi, Fast & Furious, the pipeline, offshore drilling, onshore drilling, OBAMACARE, and the list goes on. Let’s look to the word of J.F. Kennedy, “Ask not what my country can do for me, but what I can do for my country.” It’s time to do what is best for America. Another tired veteran.

—Bill Wells

"It is obvious that Barack Obama is a socialist and intent on destroying our Republic."

Jim Woellber

It is my understanding that American citizens of virtually all 57 states (Obama's number) have submitted petitions for secession. The purpose of such an act is to preserve our liberties and freedoms that are guaranteed to us by our Constitution. Could you, perhaps, try a more intellectual approach to this subject?

Read the column by Walter E. Williams titled "Secession: It's Constitutional." It is concise, easily readable, and historically accurate. If you need assistance with an intellectual approach, I would be glad help you in such an endeavor.

—Jon Ryan, North Port, Fla. I just read your article on Florida secession, and it's right on the mark. I thought you would find the article by Jim Mullen amusing (Evening Sun, “The Lower 47,”

The Declaration of Independence underpins the desire of many free people in this USA, to be liberated from the bonds of the tyrannical president and his corrupt governing majority.

He steals our natural liberty, in favor of his own self-serving, corrupt interests. His very first duty is to defend the lives of American citizens.

He signed the death warrant of the four in Benghazi by his inaction. His inaction was motivated by his desire

to maintain the power of his office. He is as much culpable for the death of these fine men, as King David was for the death of his lover’s husband. The blood of the men who this evil president assigned to die, for the sop of a few votes cry out from the grave for "justice."

The "loyal opposition" is just a half step more worthy than the traitor chief executive.

One other quick note, the castoff of the British monarchy came at the hands of a small minority of men. The castoff of this tyrannical government voted in by a majority of people, seeking other people's legally earned property, is every bit as certain as the castoff of the British rule, and is more justified even than that revolution.

Since you refer to our governing system as a "democracy" which it is not, I assume that either you are ignorant of the type government or a deceiver of the first order.

Likely, you are both.

This government is a democratic republic! It is to be ruled by law, not the whim of presidency. The laws enacted must fit the profile of the boundaries of the Declaration of Independence. They must also fit comfortably in the limitations of the constitution.

The present presidency is observably unrestrained by the law, or by the constitution. Therefore, by the standard declared

by Jefferson, secession is morally and ethically legal, and permissible.

Furthermore, the idea that the military would suppress succession, through the blood of Americans is mistaken. If succession becomes a viable alternative, the military would more likely go physically clean out the White House and Congress, and start over again under the law of the constitution.

If you think that the military would support this administration's form of tyranny, just keep your eyes open. You have a lot to learn.

—Paul Doss, Tampa, Fla.

We welcome your rants and raves. All letters should be 200 words or less and should include your name, address and telephone number.

The Independent News reserves the right to edit letters. Send letters to opinions@inweekly.net.

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DON'T CALL IT A "HATE CRIME"

“They’re just going to say I’m lying, it’s a con, I’m a manipulative person—that’s already out there,” he told the IN. “Every time I tell the truth it gets twisted around.”

‘I DO NOT FEEL SAFE THERE’

Image from facebook.com/JusticeForMalloryOwens

Thanksgiving Day Beating Highlights Problem with Alabama Law

by Jeremy Morrison

During a Thanksgiving visit with her girlfriend’s family in Mobile, Ala., Mallory Owens was severely beaten by her girlfriend’s brother. As it has unfolded since, the story is proving both savage and strange.

On Thanksgiving Day, Owens was sent to the University of South Alabama Medical Center by Travis Hawkins, Jr. She suffered multiple skull fractures, crushed bones and bleeding on the brain. Metal plates were put into her cheeks.

Aside from the human wreckage and Dec. 10 court date, the incident has grown to include conversations about civil rights and Internet justice. Gay-rights groups are cautiously eyeing the incident as a vivid argument to expand Alabama’s hate-crime legislation, while others are cautioning such public judgment.

Currently, Owens is recovering from her beating and has been both championed as a hate-crime victim and described as a prosti-

E r i c D. St e v e n s on

tute and pimp. The Hawkins family is weathering the scrutiny of the global community and apparently receiving death threats.

Everyone involved, as well as the region itself, has become the focal point of a lurid Deep South soap opera being played out on the world’s stage. Two weeks in and Travis Sr., father of the attacker and girlfriend, has found himself at his wits end and “out there in the wind by myself.”

As she lay in her hospital bed, photos of Owens’ beaten face circulated widely on the Internet.

Her story was relayed through both traditional and social media. Facebook sites dedicated to her—such as Justice for Mallory Owens, or Charge Travis Hawkins Jr. With the Attempted Murder of Mallory Owens—sprang up.

Following her release from the hospital, Owens returned to the Hawkins residence in Mobile—the site of the beating. She gave interviews to the local press, saying the attack was not motivated by her sexual orientation.

“A lot of things have happened between us, but it doesn’t make me hate her brother,” she said in an interview with WKRG. “I don’t hate her family at all, or anybody for that matter.”

“It’s not a hate crime at all,” added girlfriend Ally Hawkins. “We both know the reason why this happened, and it doesn’t make any excuses for him, I’m not defending him at all. I know why he was angry, and that will come out.”

That news was surprising to the activist groups and the wider global social media community that had already begun waving the hate-crime banner. An online petition aimed at federal and state officials was questioning the assault charge and calling the incident a hate crime— “he beat her because she is gay”—and the Human Rights Campaign had issued a statement urging federal authorities to assist local authorities and noting that Alabama did not cover sexual orientation or gender identity in its hate crime legislation.

“I don’t think they want us to become involved. They don’t want to become a poster-child on this.”

Rep. Patricia Todd

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“So, we’re not going for hate-crime anymore, we can’t,” Alabama state legislator Rep. Patricia Todd said after Owen’s initial statements. “We’re stuck on that.”

Todd is Alabama’s first openly gay legislator and the chairman of Equality Alabama. Since getting elected in 2006, she has unsuccessfully pushed for the state’s hate-crime legislation to be expanded to include sexual orientation.

When images of Owen’s pummeled face exploded on the Internet, Todd initially thought the situation in Mobile might be relevant to the state’s larger legislation conversation. That notion appeared to breakdown upon Owens’ statements.

“I don’t think they want us to become involved,” Todd said Nov. 28. “They don’t want to become a poster-child on this.”

Owens’ family, however, appeared certain that their daughter was beaten because Travis Jr. didn’t like the fact that his sister was dating a girl. In the press and on the Internet, the family pointed to past issues—alleging he had previously hit her with a pipe—and said they wished Owens would return home to her young son.

Reports also began surfacing regarding the Hawkins’ family’s past. There was the 2011 arrest of Travis Sr., after he shot Travis Jr. in the stomach during an argument, as well as the 1999 event in which the father fired a shotgun into his children’s bedroom.

After Owens returned home—following another visit to the hospital—her girlfriend spoke with WALA Fox 10 on Nov. 29. Ally Hawkins explained that her brother had attacked Owens because “we were really bad on drugs” and “he found out me and Mallory had done prostitution.”

“People keep saying it’s a hate crime,” she told the station, “and it’s not a hate crime.”

The next day, Owens released a statement through the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). She backed away from her previous position, and said she thought the charges against her assailant should be upped from second-degree assault to attempted murder.

“The last week has been the most traumatic several days I have ever experienced, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually,” Owens wrote.

She said that she was pressured into giving media interviews at the Hawkins house, referring to the “media storm” and describing public comments made thus far as “premature and misguided.”

“I do not feel safe there,” Owens said in the statement. “I was very uneasy and nervous while I was there. I was still disoriented, weak, and intimidated.”

The victim also addressed her girlfriend’s citing of drug use and prostitution as the motive for the attack.

“Ally Hawkins has continued to release statements and make arbitrary Facebook posts and she has even offered a motive for

her brother’s actions,” she wrote. “Please know that Ally Hawkins is NOT SPEAKING for me, she is NOT representing me in the media in any way.”

Owens also said that since the attack, Travis Jr.—out on bond, pending his court date—had “been seen following my family and appearing at locations where they have gathered.”

“He has threatened to finish me off,” Owens said. “I believe as long as he is free on bond that my life continues to be in danger.”

“He has threatened to finish me off. I believe as long as he is free on bond that my life continues to be in danger.”

Mallory Owens

A ‘MORAL CRISIS’

Nearly two weeks after the Thanksgiving attack, Travis Sr. found himself alone at the Hawkins’ house. He said his family was “scared and devastated.”

“No matter what you say, no matter how honest and how sincere you are, it’s not going to matter,” the father said. “You’re just going to be attacked.”

He contends that his family—with its checkered history detailed in Mobile County police reports—is being unfairly caught in the crosshairs of the global gay-rights community.

He’s exhausted from playing defense, sometimes personally, like recently when he logged a comment on a piece by Joey Kennedy on The Birmingham News website.

“Brothers and Sisters, when you assail my family with defaming words and indignation, you will find yourself constantly rebutted with simplicity and truth,” Hawkins Sr. wrote in response to a wall of posts. “Ask yourselves, for what reason would lies be told. I can no longer defend against every post, every lie, everything being said at all. My family and I are already ruined.”

Kennedy noted that the father’s active commenting “is probably going to send his lawyer into a coma.”

Other commenters said he was using the platform to manipulate the public and harass the victim.

While Travis Jr., has been quiet—his attorney said he was in hiding due to death threats—the Hawkins family hasn’t. Both Travis Sr. and Alley have actively pushed their accounts of the story, stressing that the beating wasn’t a hate crime.

“By ignoring this cyber lynch mob,” Travis Sr. said, “I feel like we’re just making them more enraged” Hawkins Sr. calls the media attention and what he sees as a rush to judgment among the blogosphere “pure evil.” He said that his family—in addition to Alley and Travis, Jr., there’s his wife, 7-year-old son and 11-yearold daughter—were unduly suffering in the incident’s wake.

“It’s just crazy,” he said. “It really is.”

The father also backs up his daughter’s version of the story. He said the family did not have a problem with Owen’s sexuality, but rather the influence she was having on his daughter.

“She was pimped, that’s true,” he said.

“The fact is that my daughter had the courage to stand up on camera and tell that.”

Hawkins Sr. said his family was experiencing a “moral crisis.” He said Owens was lying in her statement and stressed that he was “not a homophobe.”

“There’s so many good people in that community, those are the people that I want to reach,” he said of the gay community.

“I want to apologize to them. I want to tell them what I really believe and what I think as a person.”

Later on that night, Dec. 3, Owens appeared on Fox 10 evening news. She was apologizing to the Hawkins family, saying she hadn’t written her previous statement and backing up Alley’s account of the drugs and prostitution.

“I don’t want to hurt them,” Owens told the Mobile station. “I don’t feel that way. I don’t have hatred towards them or anything.”

‘SPREAD THE LOVE’

The gay-rights community itself is backing off the beating in Mobile. The unfolding story doesn’t appear to fit the bill, doesn’t lend itself to the case for expanding Alabama’s hatecrime legislation.

“So, there’s just some dynamics going on there,” Rep. Todd had noted early on regarding the scene playing out in Mobile.

She further clarified her position with The Birmingham News a few days later.

“The [Hawkins] family says they’re not homophobes,” Todd said. “We’re taking a very conservative stand, and trying to back off the national folks. We have to respect the rights of law enforcement and of Mallory herself.”

Currently, Travis Jr. faces assault charges.

The online petition is nearing 100,000 signatures. And Owens has said she wants to allow the court system to deal with the charges against Travis Jr. as it sees fit.

Regardless of how Mobile’s Thanksgiving beating plays out in the courtroom, legislators in Alabama will continue to fight for the inclusion of sexuality and gender identity in the state’s hate-crime legislation.

After spending years on the tip of the spear, Rep. Todd will not be sponsoring that effort this next session—she’s passing that duty off to a colleague.

“I think it’s good to spread the love around,” Todd said.

The legislator has measured aspirations for Alabama’s chances of accommodating sexual orientation in its legislation.

“For the past four years I’ve been trying to amend the bill to include that with absolutely no traction—which is a big surprise, coming from Alabama,” Todd said. {in}

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“By ignoring this cyber lynch mob, I feel like we’re just making them more enraged.”

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BET TER PENSACOL A Special Olympics Escambia/Santa Rosa recently announced the successful return of its athletes from the State Fall Classic Competition at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL. Members of the delegation competed in Power lifting, Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics and Bowling. Pensacola’s Olympic hero Justin Gatlin was able to meet with the local Special Olympics athletes for a photo opt. London 2012 Bronze medalist Kellie Wells gave the opening motivational speech, along with seven other Olympic Team USA members.

Ken McKenzie, who has been a Special Olympics athlete in our county for over 20 years, was recognized with the honor of helping to carry the Flag into the stadium at opening ceremonies.

Team achievements included the Unified Doubles in Bowling taking Gold, Four-person Team in Bowling taking Gold and the Bowling Singles winning both Silver and Bronze medals. Power lifters for Escambia/Santa Rosa both took Gold and the Gymnasts brought back a total of 10 Gold and Silver medals.

Also athlete Ken McKenzie and volunteer coach Jennifer Miebach were both honored with Inspirational Athlete and Inspirational Coach designations.

“We are always proud of our athletes as well as all those competing throughout the state,” said Jessica Barrale, County Coordinator. “We would like to thank those who helped sponsor our trip to the Fall Classic this year and all who have graciously volunteered with us, inspiring greatness in our athletes.”

Special Olympics Florida-Escambia/Santa Rosa provides year-round sports training and competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the athlete or their caregiver, as a means to achieve physical fitness, self-esteem, socialization skills, and the life skills necessary to be a productive, respected and contributing members of their communities.

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feature story

s r e n n i W sers Lo

By IN Staff 'Crybaby' model: Alexander Joseph Bruni / photo by Samantha Crooke Picking winners and losers in an election year is relatively easy, but we at the Independent News chose to ignore the candidates, of course. Besides we prick and praise them on a weekly basis already.

We started the year with most of us thinking this would be a relatively quiet year. The Greater Pensacola Chamber, Escambia County December 6, 2012

Government Complex and Pensacola City Hall seemed to be headed to banner years. The Pensacola Young Professional's Annual Quality of Life Survey showed most of the community was pleased with the direction the city and county were going. However by October only the chamber seemed to have its act together. The city council imploded and the county commission booted out

its county administrator, only to bring back the man they forced out five years ago. The public has been left wondering whether the area will ever get its mojo back.

The top winner, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, and top loser, Pensacola City Council, are easy no-brainers, but we may surprise you with a few of our other choices. Let us know who you think we missed.

9

Winner: Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Winner: Dixon School of the Arts

Winner: Math

winners

PENSACOLA BLUE WAHOOS

Picking the top winner for 2012 was easy.

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos exceeded this community’s expectations in its inaugural season. Not only was the quality of baseball stellar—with Billy Hamilton setting the single-season stolen base record, a no-hitter and five players, shortstop Didi Gregorius, third baseman Henry Rodriguez, pitchers Pedro Villarreal and Tony Cingrani, making the leap to Major League Baseball with the parent club, Cincinnati Reds, but the family atmosphere was addictive.

The Blue Wahoos attracted 40 sellouts in 68 home dates at the Community Maritime Park stadium. The team had the highest overall attendance, 328,147 fans, in the Southern League and the highest average attendance—4,826, which is amazing since the ballpark only has 5,038 seats.

Moreover, owners Quint and Rishy Studer were committed to having a diverse work force at the park on game days. The club held job fairs at the Sanders Beach Community Center and Greater Little Rock Baptist Church. Everyone who filled out an application was interviewed.

The result was nearly half of the staff was minorities, and the team received

praise from the national media and visiting baseball executives for its customer service and hospitality.

Though the team finished with a 68-78 record, the Blue Wahoos received four major awards. The Southern League honored the team with its 2012 Don Mincher Organization of the Year. Team president Bruce Baldwin was awarded by his peers the

"With a uniquely different ballpark— one on the short list of having the best view in all of sports—as a blueprint for progress, and additional financial development, the future is incredibly bright in Pensacola.”

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Jimmy Bragan Award as Southern League executive of the year.

Ballpark Digest also named the Pensacola Blue Wahoos as their Organization of the Year. Publisher Kevin Reichard attributed the award to the team's astonishing first-season success.

"It's a tribute to the strong operation put together by the Studers,” said Reichard in the press announcement. “Put together some experienced folks like Bruce Baldwin and Jonathan Griffith, add in a great ballpark and you have the making for success.

Building a first-rate operation basically from scratch is an accomplishment worth noting."

The park also was honored. Baseballparks.com, the popular website that annually reviews baseball stadiums all over the country, named Pensacola Bayfront Stadium the top new stadium in all of professional baseball.

The park beat out the springtraining park and complex in Lee County, Florida for the Red Sox and Major League Baseball’s Marlins Park in Miami.

Baseballparks.com credited the design, fan amenities and site selection as contributing factors for the award. Past recipients of this award include AT&T Park in San Francisco, PNC Park in Pittsburgh and last year’s winner Salt River Field in Arizona.

“And with a uniquely different ballpark—one on the short list of having the best view in all of sports—as a blueprint for progress,” wrote Baseballparks.com in its announcement, “and additional financial development, the future is incredibly bright in Pensacola.”

Amen.

headlines were run branding the school as a failure.

With each attack and negative news article came more challenges for the school. Parents worried about the children’s education, teachers about their jobs. Prospective donors held off, waiting to see if the school survived.

The reality was the financial and academic problems that the school had to battle weren’t of its own making.

The board of directors and management had completely changed over the summer of 2011, but the district administration and school board didn’t want to recognize the school’s $130,000 deficit wasn’t its current leadership team’s fault.

When it was revealed that the school district had withheld Title 1 funds, the administration labeled it an “oversight.”

When school supporters offered to buy school busses, the district tried to push on Dixon buses that were in such sorry condition that they cost more to repair than they were worth.

Despite these obstacles, Rev. LuTimothy May, Principal Kathy Bearden-Colbert, her teachers, the parents and children did not quit. Instead of becoming disheartened by the browbeating, they refused to accept the negative labels thrown at them.

Dixon did it with a black principal and teachers and without the latest equipment and technology. They did it with community and parental support.

Miracles still happen.

DIXON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

We attended Escambia County School Board meetings and watched the district administration and school board admonish, berate and, at times, humiliate the leaders of this little inner-city school. Countless

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Winner: Youth Pictured, Sara Papantonio and Mollie Johnson Winner: Women

When the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores and school grades came back, Dixon outperformed two district’s elementary schools, West Pensacola and Weis. In fact, the learning gains in Math and Reading matched the percentage gains at the much-heralded $17-million Global Learning Academy that had the benefit of hundreds of volunteer hours, including district administration employees.

Dixon did it with a black principal and teachers and without the latest equipment and technology. They did it with community and parental support.

Miracles still happen.

MATH

Nate Silver proved that math wins over wishful thinking. The New York Times blogger correctly predicted the winner in 50 of 50 states in the presidential election and 31 of 33 Senate races. He said that President Barack Obama had a 90.9 percent chance of winning re-election.

Other political pundits either hedged their predictions saying the Obama’s margin of victory would be razor thin or, as in the case of Karl “Pac-man” Rove, touted a Mitt Romney landslide.

Silver, a statistician, used math to figure out the probability of an Obama victory. He created a model that aggregated and weighted the plethora of polling data from each state. He took emotion out of the process and accurately computed the probabilities.

In an age of push polls and slanted surveys, Silver’s integrity and courage to stand by his predictions are refreshing and offer hope to all the math geeks out there.

YOUTH: ANDREAS DIAZ, SARA PAPANTONIO AND MOLLIE JOHNSON This summer we saw high school students step up and become difference makers.

Pensacola High student, Andreas Dias, created the first-ever Pensacola Kickstart Soccer Summer Soccer Program to expose children from low-income families to soccer. Dias, a midfielder for the Gulf Coast Texans, and other area players volunteered as instructors for the camp that was held in July at Lexington Terrace Park.

Gulf Breeze High School students, friends and soccer mates, Sara Papantonio and Mollie Johnson raised more than $10,000 over eight months to bring a weeklong camp to AA Dixon Charter School

in Pensacola. The pair recruited friends to volunteer as counselors for their “Kids Unlimited” Camp.

Diaz, Papantonio, Johnson and their friends are shining examples of the next generation of community leaders.

LEADERSHIP PENSACOLA CLASS OF 2012

The Independent News has a history of challenging the Leadership Pensacola classes to create service projects that will have a lasting impact.

With its Operation Hope, the 2012 LeaP class set out to renovate the USO centers at NAS Pensacola and the Pensacola International Airport. The group raised more than $130,000 in cash contributions and $70,000 for in-kind, far exceeding the original goal of $125,000.

The Pensacola Airport USO was rechristened “The Flight Deck” after it was expanded to 1,200 square feet and renovated with a new kitchen, carpeting, furniture, video games and flat-screen television.

Operation HOPE also gave the USO center at Naval Air Station Pensacola an extreme makeover. The two facilities serve over 60,000 service personnel, their families and retirees every year.

The Greater Pensacola Chamber established in the fall of 1982 Leadership Pensacola to ensure the community’s pool of talented leaders would be continually renewed. The chamber hit the jackpot in 2012.

On the whole, female candidates, especially Democrats, did well across the country. New Hampshire elected a new female governor, Maggie Hassan, and two new U.S. representatives, Carol Shea Porter and Ann Kuster. The state has an all-female congressional delegation, which includes Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen.

The new 2013-14 Congress will have the largest number of incoming female House members since 1992, plus a record 28 women of color. For the first time, white men will be a minority in the House Democratic Caucus.

Despite having Republicans Olympia Snowe and Kay Bailey Hutchison retire, the U.S. Senate has 20 female members—also a record. The Senate added Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Tammy Baldwin ( Wis.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) to its roster and saw Maria Cantwell ( Wash.) Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) win reelection.

Not only did Romney’s “binders of women” comment not go over well with female voters, but Republican candidates who took extreme positions on rape were also soundly defeated.

In Missouri’s U.S. Senate race, Rep. Todd Akin got in trouble when he argued in a radio interview that if women experience a “legitimate rape,” their bodies could avert unwanted pregnancies. In Indiana, Richard Mourdock, got trounced after he said pregnancies from rape are something “God intended.”

Unfortunately, the Republican House leadership may not have learned its lesson. Although Cathy McMorris Rodgers was selected to head the House Republican Caucus, House Speaker John Boehner gave all the key House chairmanships to his male colleagues.

Sigh.

This year's gender gap between males and female votes was 20 percentage points, the largest ever using Gallup’s calculation method and the first time a candidate heavily favored by males didn’t win.

WOMEN

This year women made up 53 percent of the national vote, and they voted for President Obama by 11 points over Republican Mitt Romney. Since 1952, Gallup has tracked the gender gap. This year's gender gap between males and female votes was 20 percentage points, the largest ever using Gallup’s calculation method and the first time a candidate heavily favored by males didn’t win.

December 6, 2012

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Loser: Pensacola City Council 2011-2012

Loser: Pensacola Veterans Memorial Park Foundation

Loser: Florida Election Process

losers PENSACOLA CITY COUNCIL, 2011-2012 The daily newspaper described the Pensacola City Council best when it said the gang of nine lived in a bubble. For the past two years, the council displayed a maddening inability to see how their bizarre antics and meandering meetings hurt their credibility with those they serve and provided fodder for those communities competing with Pensacola for new companies and jobs.

There won’t be any statues or plaques to honor the council of P.C. Wu, Sherri Myers, Maren DeWeese, Larry B. Johnson, John Jerralds, Brian Spencer, Ronald Townsend, Megan Pratt and Sam Hall.

Two council presidents failed to conflate the various agendas of their fellow members into a coherent positive plan and figure out how to work with Mayor Ashton Hayward to deal with the pension nightmare, nearly insolvent Community Redevelopment Agency and the other fiscal issues facing the city.

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

The year began with Council President Sam Hall having to apologize to Rev. Nathan Monk for cutting him off from speaking to the council in December 2011.

The Monk incident went viral on the web and Hall’s fellow council members were ready to boot him from the presidency.

The apology defused the situation, but Hall never recovered, eventually losing his re-election bid by more than 3,000 votes.

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

Despite attempts by Council President Hall to clear the air between the council and the mayor—declaring once that he wanted “Kumbaya,” the council members descended into lawsuits against the mayor, attacks on the mayor’s chief of staff, city administrator and the city’s two newspapers, and unwelcomed forays into helicopter monuments, gospel festivals and Gallery nights.

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

Bizarre conspiracies were floated by council members. The News Journal supposedly wrote critical editorials because Gannett wanted the city to buy its Romana Street office. Terrence Milstead turned down the council executive post because Ashton Hayward was his high school classmate. Chief of Staff John Asmar was “leaking” information to media without Hayward’s permission.

All were untrue.

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

Simple decisions like naming a council executive or selecting the city’s audit firm required subcommittees, hours of debate and byzantine political maneuvering. Nearly every member had his or her own interpretation of the city charter and Florida law.

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

The council did unite in September to cut out funding for the mayor’s new advertising agency and to reduce the budget of the mayor’s office. When Hayward vetoed the ad agency cut, the council alliance fell apart and the group failed to override the veto—which, of course, led to another debate over what was a veto.

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

In the end, none of the four council members up for re-election, Hall, DeWeese, Jerralds and Townsend, were returned to office.

Townsend retired. DeWeese dropped out of her race. Hall and Jerralds were defeated at the polls.

This is not a good omen for those facing the voters in 2014.

Did we mention Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance?

However, Pensacola got a mighty fine chicken ordinance.

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Commission and funded primarily through county tax dollars since 1992 to conduct the county’s economic development activity. The organization was hit with allegations of Sunshine Law violations, insider deals and mishandling of county funds.

In February 2012, Cindy Anderson, Team Santa Rosa’s executive director received a 60-day notice of termination from Board Chairman Dave Hoxeng in hopes that it would please the Santa Rosa County Commission and stall the demise of TEAM Santa Rosa. The irony is the Pace Chamber of Commerce had announced a month earlier that Anderson was its “Woman of the Year.”

Anderson’s firing only bought the group about five months. Hoxeng and others tried to push through a merger with the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s Vision 2015 but time ran out.

The Santa Rosa County Commission terminated its contract with TEAM effective July 31.

In October, a state grand jury has found no reason to file criminal charges related to activities at TEAM Santa Rosa.

Too little, too late.

Mayor Ashton Hayward has appointed a steering committee to take over the memorial park and insure a recently awarded grant from BP for the park doesn’t go to stock the “hooch.”

The organization was hit with allegations of Sunshine Law violations, insider deals and mishandling of county funds.

TEAM SANTA ROSA

For nearly three years, the FBI and the State Attorney’s Office investigated the TEAM Santa Rosa, the private organization formed by the Santa Rosa County

tion’s treasurer from 1989 until the Wall was completed in 1992, wrote that the Defense Commissary raised $500,000 to build the monument, that is a replica of the Vietnam War monument in Washington, D.C., and $500,000 for the ongoing maintenance.

“The Wall South Foundation agreement with the Defense Commissary Agency required that the funds must be placed in a perpetual blind trust with the Wall South Foundation only able to draw interest earnings for Wall Maintenance,” said Halsted. “The Commander of the Defense Commissary Agency, General John Dreska, specifically stated that he did not want ‘those Vets in Pensacola to build themselves a drinking hooch with his patrons money.’”

Mayor Ashton Hayward has appointed a steering committee to take over the memorial park and insure a recently awarded grant from BP for the park doesn’t go to stock the “hooch.”

PENSACOLA VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK FOUNDATION The foundation and its president, John Pritchard, came under scrutiny after a series of News Journal articles found that the group responsible for maintaining Pensacola’s Veteran Memorial Park had used its funds for a building to house Pritchard’s VFW Post and no longer had the cash to care for the park.

In a letter to the Independent News, Joseph Halsted, who served as the founda-

OKALOOSA TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL A year or so ago, everyone looked to Okaloosa County as having one of the best run TDCs in the region. Then, an invoice for a $710,000 yacht hit the county’s accounting department. TDC director Mark Bellinger said the boat was for county tourism promotions.

Under fire from the Okaloosa County commissioners, Bellinger resigned. Two days later, the Okaloosa County Sheriff 's Office and the state attorney's office had issued an arrest warrant related to the purchase of his $747,000 Destin home with money sent to the county by BP for oil spill restitution. Bellinger went missing and later was found dead in Alabama of an apparent drug overdose.

The county commissioners have since overhauled the TDC. Among the changes passed were tighter spending restrictions on advertising agencies on contract with inweekly.net

Loser: Gerard Robinson

the department as well as tighter spending limits for the director.

FLORIDA ELECTION PROCESS

Election Day 2012 went fairly smoothly nationwide and wasn’t as close as Romney hopefuls had thought it would be. The presidential race was wrapped up before bedtime.

The only holdout was Florida, where votes were still being counted into the weekend.

The state became a punch line for late-night hosts and fortunately Obama’s re-election was not doubted so the nation didn’t have to endure another hanging chad debacle like it did in 2000.

On Election Day in certain areas of Florida, voters waited more than seven hours to cast their ballots. Some stood in line even after the presidential election had been called for Barack Obama. Problems were particularly bad in the southern part of the state. There weren’t enough privacy booths for voters and some precincts didn’t have a sufficient number of scanners to record the votes.

Much of the blame is being placed on Florida Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-controlled state legislature for measures that complicated voter registration efforts and a new law that cut early voting from 14 days to eight, with the Sunday prior to the election being dropped. The laws didn’t discourage minorities and young voters as GOP political strategists assumed it would and the Florida polls

x

weren’t prepared for the deluge of voters.

Santa Rosa County had its problems and was the only county unable to report its absentee and early voting within an hour of the polls closing. Retiring Supervisor of Elections Ann Bodenstein blamed the machines and software for the snafu.

Scott and others have promised to fix the problem, but don’t hold your breath expecting any real improvements. The governor is up for re-election in 2014 with former Gov. Charlie Crist as his most likely opponent. Scott won’t want a big turnout.

The laws didn’t discourage minorities and young voters as GOP political strategists assumed it would and the Florida polls weren’t prepared for the deluge of voters.

GERARD ROBINSON

After a tumultuous year dealing with the implementation of tougher standards and shocking results of the new Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson surprised government officials when he abruptly submitted a letter of resignation in August, citing family reasons.

Robinson was lured in 2011

by Gov. Scott from Virginia where he was that state's Secretary of Education. It didn’t go well for him.

The Florida Board of Education was forced to lower passing grades for the statewide writing tests after the passing rate plunged from 81 percent to 27 percent. When the number of schools receiving an "A" fell 1, 481 last year to 1,124 in 2012, the department reissued grades for 213 elementary and middle schools and nine school districts as part of a "continuous review process." Oops. {in}

When the number of schools receiving an "A" fell 1,481 last year to 1,124 in 2012, the department reissued grades for 213 elementary and middle schools and nine school districts as part of a "continuous review process." Oops.

December 6, 2012

WUWF is an important source of local news and information about our community—past and present.

From Rick Harper’s reports on our regional economy, to the light Jocelyn Evans frequently sheds on local and national politics, or Enid Sisskin’s Eco Minute, UWF experts are helping to keep our community informed on 88.1 FM—and don’t forget Unearthing Florida! Educating our community is one important reason why I pledge my support.

WUWF 88.1 is My Public Radio and I Make it Possible.

Dr. Judy Bense

Listener, Member and Contributor 13

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WEEK OF DECEMBER 6 - 13

Arts & Entertainment a r t , f i l m , m u s i c , s ta g e , b o o k s a n d o t h e r s i g n s o f c i v i l i z a t i o n . . .

It’s a BonfireJam Tradition

by Whitney Fike

Jana Kramer

Gretchen Wilson

Clay Walker

It’s time again to grab your winter jackets, county outfits and bring your redneck side to Jay, Fla. Just a short drive from Pensacola, Jay hosts a Northwest Florida must attend event on Saturday, Dec. 8: the annual Chumuckla Redneck Christmas Parade. The creativity flows for all of the floats and participants in this unique parade.

In addition to the Redneck Christmas Parade, another growing tradition is BonfireJam. Release your inner cowboy and join the unique experience.

BonfireJam is becoming a premier country music must-attend event. The winter’s only country music festival, celebrating its third year, features two jam-packed days of entertainment on Dec. 7 and 8.

The festival has steadily grown and the third year will prove to keep right on track.

This year’s highlights include star-studded performances by country music’s hottest newcomer Jana Kramer, Clay Walker, and Gretchen Wilson.

tradition to attend,” said Lewis. “Famtry music’s hottest newcomer, ily fun entertainment, with kids under 10 Jana Kramer will close out the having free admission.” To top it off, the night on Friday. Her new hit festival is affordable. Patrons can expect single, “Why Ya Wanna” has free parking on Friday, food vendors, BBQ, proved to be a success high peanuts and more. Beer, wine, and alcohol up on the Billboard country will also be available on festival grounds.” charts, currently at No. 3.

BonfireJam is a family-friendly atmoSaturday is sure to delight sphere and event for all ages. Single day any attendee. True to its tickets start less than $20 and two-day name, a bonfire will be on the packages are less than $33. {in} festival grounds, which plenty will partake in the warmth it provides. Festival organizers plan for over 4,000 people to attend during the two-day event. Opening the night on Saturday is prolific singer-songwriter Clay Walker. Headlining the festival is the Redneck Woman herself, Gretchen Wilson. A perfect fit for the weekend. She’ll be sure to put on a great show for a WHEN: Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8 good time with her hits “Redneck WHERE: Chumuckla, Fla. Woman,” “All Jacked Up” and DETAILS: bonfirejam.com “Here for the Party.”

“What makes the festival so unique is that it’s becoming a new

“What makes the festival so unique is that it’s becoming a new tradition to attend. Family fun entertainment, with kids under 10 having free admission.”

Joe Lewis To make the festival bigger than before, BonfireJam has expanded. The weekend will kick off with the BonfireJam Shootout; featuring professional bull riding and championship calf roping, as well as participation by Cody Harris and the cast members of CMT’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Southern Nights.” Festival founder and promoter Joe Lewis says, “Adding a second day is new this year. We are host to the largest calf-roping purse east of the Mississippi. There will be world champions at both of those events.” Coun-

BONFIRE JAM

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DRAW

Another beer from our 112 taps

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December 6, 2012

happenings

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HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Spread a little holiday cheer at the Northwest Florida Ronald McDonald House, located at 5200 Bayou Blvd., December 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 477-2273.

FREE HOLIDAY CONCERT The Pensacola State College Concert Chorale and Jazz Choir, “Entertainers,” will present a free holiday concert at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6 at the Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd. Tickets are not required, seating begins at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Xiaolun Chun at 484-1810 or xchen@pensacolastate.edu.

12.9 & 12.13-12.16 A CHRISTMAS CAROL AT UWF Watch the tale of Scrooge come alive on the University of West Florida stage, 11000 University Pkwy.

This will be the sixth year for the holiday production. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the play will begin at 8 p.m., 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $16, $12 for senior citizens and active military, $10 for non-UWF students and UWF faculty and staff, $5 for high school students and free for UWF students with their Nautilus cards. Call 8576057 for more information.

9TH ANNUAL GALLERY NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN MILTON Starting at 5:30 p.m., downtown Milton will be lit with Christmas lights for Gallery Night. The event will feature Santa Claus, a live nativity scene, horse drawn carriage rides, peppermint trolley and more. For more information, visit santarosaarts.org.

LIGHTED BOAT PARADE From Little Sabine Bay to the Boardwalk, decorated boats will parade for those watching from the shore or waterfront businesses.

Children will be given glow sticks to illuminate the landing site. Captains compete for prizes and children can meet with Santa at Bamboo Willies. For more information, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com.

12.9, 12.14-12.24, 12.26-12.30 COOKIES WITH SANTA At the Gulf Breeze Zoo, kids can enjoy the Christmas lights and have a snack with the man in the red suit. Cookies with Santa is from 5 to 6 p.m. and is for toddlers to 9-year-olds. Tickets are $25, ZooLights admission is included.

Gulf Breeze Zoo, 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy.

For more information, call 932-2229 or visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

12.9, 12.14-12.16, 12.21-12.24 & 12.26-12.30 ZOO LIGHTS Enjoy the Gulf Breeze zoo at night while it’s lit with thousands of holiday lights. The lights are on from 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and children, half-off for season pass hold-

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ers. For more information, call 932-2229 or visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

12.8 ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CHRISTMAS CARAVAN St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church will present its 56th Annual Christmas Caravan, located at 3200 N. 12th Ave. The parish hall will be open on Friday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. for a bake sale along with bazaar sales. At 11 a.m. is the luncheon for $10. Tour of the homes begins at 10 a.m., tickets are $10. On Saturday, enjoy at candlelight dinner beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25. For tickets and information, call 433-0074 or visit scpen.org.

12.9 CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST The annual Christmas on the Coast production begins 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7 with following dates, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 8 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Pensacola Saenger, 118 S. Palafox. Ticket prices are $20-$36 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or over the phone at 800-745-3000. For more information, visit pensacolachildrenschorus.com.

12.9 & 12.13-12.16 A CHRISTMAS STORY Watch your favorite Christmas movie come to life on the Pensacola Little Theatre stage, 400 S. Jefferson St. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 9 enjoy a Chinese Christmas dinner after the performance. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children. Performance tickets are $14-$30, half-off for children 12 and under. For more information, call 4322042 or visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.

12.14 & 12.26 ICE SCULPTURE DEMONSTRATIONS Watch as master craftsmen wield a chainsaw against towering blocks of solid ice to create beautiful works of zoo themed art. Sculptures will remain available for photo opportunities throughout the evening. The demonstrations begin at 6 p.m. at Gulf Breeze Zoo, 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. For more information, call 9322229 or visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

KOWABUNGA BREAKFAST Kids get to meet Surfing Santa and parents enjoy free mimosas with their meals.

It’s a win-win at Surf Burger, 500 Quietwater Beach Road, Pensacola Beach. For more information, call 932-1417 or visit thesurfburger.com.

FIRST CITY ART CENTER OPEN HOUSE AND POTTERY SALE Take a look at the new art center and purchase some holiday gifts at the pottery sale. The fun starts at 9 a.m. at First City Art Center, 401 N. Reus St. For more information call 429-1222 or visit belmontartscenter.com.

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WINTER WONDERLAND AND BOATYARD CRAFT FAIR Before you head to the skating rink and games, check out the craft fair at Blue Wahoos Stadium, 301 W, Main St. For more information, call 934-8444 ext. 122 or visit bluewahoos.com.

SANTA’S WORKSHOP AT BLUE MORNING GALLERY From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Blue Morning Gallery, located at 21 S. Palafox, children aged nine and under are invited to a free workshop to make ornaments and gift items. Cookies and punch are provided, as well as holiday cheer from Santa and Winterfest characters. For more information, call 429-9100.

CHUMUCKLA CHRISTMAS PARADE The afternoon parade begins at 3:30 p.m. in across from Chumuckla Elementary, 2413 Hwy. 182. For more information, call 503-6575.

DOWNTOWN PARADE CHRISTMAS DASH Right before the parade watch out for the runners at 5 p.m. The one mile fun run kicks off the parade. The first 400 finishers will receive a giant candy cane. Costumes are strongly encouraged. Pick up registration packets at Running Wild, 3012 E. Cervantes St. For more information, contact Steve Miller at 572-3625 or steven@millerfl.com.

PENSACOLA CHRISTMAS PARADE The annual parade draws over 50,000 people to downtown Pensacola. The parade begins at 5:15 p.m. and includes local high school bands, the Blue Angels flight team as well as other local and regional organizations.

For more information, visit coxpensacolachristmasparade.org.

GINGERBREAD COOKIE DECORATING Head to Shaggy’s, 701 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach, for cookie decorating starting at noon. For more information, call 934-4852 or visit shaggys.biz.

SURFING SANTA BEACH PARADE Floats make their way down the island’s main street sharing candy and trinkets for children of all ages, starting at 2 p.m. Santa will be delivered to the Gulfside Pavillion where children can meet with him and take photos.

CHRISTMAS CANTATA: CHRISTMAS ON THE AIR The cantata begins at 6 p.m. at Pine Forest Estates Baptist Church, 2550 W. Nine Mile Rd. For more information, call 478-1691 or visit pfebaptist.org.

CHRISTMAS AT HILLCREST Bring a friend to see The Mile High

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Denver & Orchestra at Hillcrest Church, 800 E. Nine Mile Rd. Tickets are free, but seating is limited so reserve yours today. Call 476-2233 or visit hillcrestchurch.com for more information.

ARC GATEWAY’S TREE OF LIGHTS Enjoy a festive evening while doing good. ARC Gateway and the Northwest Florida Blood Center will host a blood drive from 3 to 7 p.m. in honor of Donna Fassett, the organization’s executive director who is undergoing treatment for lymphoma.

After the drive, enjoy cookies and hot cocoa under the lights of a 20-foot tree while the ARC Gateway Choir sings Christmas carols in memory, gratitude and celebration of loved ones. Lights may be purchased for a $10 donation and blood drive appointments can be made by calling 434-2638 x225. The tree lighting is free and open to the public at the Pollak Training Center, 1010 E. Fairfield Dr. For more information, visit arc-gateway.org.

12.16 BALLET PENSACOLA’S NUTCRACKER The annual classic features the music of Tchaikovsky and the unforgettable tale of Clara and the dream of her Nutcracker Prince inside the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday performances begin at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $20-$32. For more information, visit pensacolasaenger.com or balletpensacola.com.

12.16 & 12.18-12.23 WINTERFEST TROLLEY Downtown Pensacola becomes Christmas Town through the eyes of Winterfest. Take a ride on the red trolley or carriage and see your favorite holiday characters come to life. The tour begins at the historic Escambia County Courthouse, 223 S. Palafox, where you can get your picture taken with Santa or take in a free show by Rudolph’s Revue. Tours begin at 5 p.m. To book your tour, call 417-7321 or visit pensacolawinterfest.org.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA On Saturday, Dec. 15, brings your kids to First United Methodist Church of Pace, located at 4540 Chumuckla Hwy. for Breakfast with Santa from 9:30 to 11 a.m. There will be balloons, bouncers, face painting, crafts and pictures with Santa. For more information, call 994-5608 or visit pacefumc.org.

CHRISTMAS CANTATA The Beach Community Church, located on Via DeLuna Drive at the corner of Avenida 18, invites everyone to their annual Christmas concert starting at 10 a.m.

“THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD” From 8:30 to 11 a.m., enjoy the cantata at First United Methodist Church of Pace, 4540 Chumuckla Hwy. The cost is free. Call 994-5608 or visit pacefumc.org.

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happenings

THURSDAY 12.6

‘$5 MASQUERADE JEWELRY SALE’ 7 a.m.

Heritage Room, located off the main lobby at the new Moreno Street entrance of Baptist Hospital 1000 W. Moreno St. 434-4936.

‘PENSACOLA STATE ART FACULTY EXHIBITION’ 7 a.m. through Dec 14. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Bldg. 15, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd., Bldg. 15.

484-2550 or pensacolastate.edu.

‘INTEGRATE. REPLICATE. GENERATE’ 10 a.m. through Dec 22. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org.

‘BILL MAULDIN: A SELECTION OF PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND PRINTS FROM THR ROWE COLLECTION’ 10 a.m. through Jan 10.University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Pkwy., Bldg.

82. 474-3247 or uwf.edu.

‘THE HOLIDAY WALL: BE AN ORIGINAL… GIVE ART’ 10 a.m. through Dec 29. Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. 429-9100 or bluemorninggallery.com.

‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php.

PLAY HAPPY HOUR 4 p.m. Play, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 100. 466-3080 or iplaypensacola.com.

WINTERFEST CONCERT 5 p.m. Seville Square, Government and Alcaniz St. 435-9014.

WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. Ninth Ave. 433-9463 or aragonwinemarket.com.

WINTER WONDERLAND 5 p.m. $11-$180. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 301 W. Main St. 934-8444 x 122 or bluewahoos.com.

GULF BREEZE LIGHTED BOAT PARADE 6 p.m.

Pensacola Beach Marina to the Boardwalk, 735 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 9321500 or visitpensacolabeach.com.

VEGAN DINNER AT EOTL 6 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 429-0336 or eotlcafe.com.

AFRICAN DRUMMING CLASSES 6:30 p.m. $2$5. Gull Point Community Center, 7000 Spanish Trail. For more information contact, 291-2718, 324-4928 or hurreyupstageandfilmworks.com.

PSC CHORAL GROUPS PRESENT FREE HOLIDAY CONCERT 7:30 p.m. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd. 484-1847 or lyceum.pensacolastate.edu.

BRAD BARNES OPEN COLLEGE JAM 7:30 p.m.

Goat Lips Beer Garden, 2811 Copter Rd. 474-1919.

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ 8 p.m. Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Bldg. 82, 11000 University Pkwy. 857-6285 or uwf.edu.

live music

THE DAVENPORTS 6 p.m. The Leisure Club, 126 S. Palafox. 912-4229 or tlcdowntown.com.

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

JOE FINGERS 7 p.m. Five Sisters Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com.

KARAOKE WITH BECKY 7:30 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com.

PAPER STREET SOAP COMPANY 8 p.m. World of Beer, 200 S. Palafox. 332-7952 or wobusa.com/palafox.

DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

DJ MR LAO 8 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or

sevillequarter.com.

COLLEGE DANCE NIGHT 9 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

EXTREME KARAOKE WITH G.C.P.C 10 p.m.

Play, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 100. 466-3080 or gulfcoastpartycrew.com.

FRIDAY 12.7

‘$5 MASQUERADE JEWELRY SALE’ 7 a.m.

Heritage Room, located off the main lobby at the new Moreno Street entrance of Baptist Hospital 1000 W. Moreno St. 434-4936.

‘PENSACOLA STATE ART FACULTY EXHIBITION’ 8 a.m. through Dec 14. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Bldg. 15, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd., Bldg. 15.

484-2550 or pensacolastate.edu.

‘PEARL HARBOR AND WWII’ 9 a.m. National Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd. 4523604 or navalaviationmuseum.org.

‘INTEGRATE. REPLICATE. GENERATE’ 10 a.m. through Dec 22. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org.

‘BILL MAULDIN: A SELECTION OF PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND PRINTS FROM THR ROWE COLLECTION’ 10 a.m. through Jan 10.University of West Florida Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Pkwy., Bldg.

82. 474-3247 or uwf.edu.

‘THE HOLIDAY WALL: BE AN ORIGINAL… GIVE ART’ 10 a.m. through Dec 29. Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. 429-9100 or bluemorninggallery.com.

‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050,

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‘CHUMUCKLA REDNECK SHOOTOUT’ 3:30 p.m. Adjacent to Chumuckla Elementary, 2413 Highway 182. 503-6575.

PLAY HAPPY HOUR 4 p.m. Play, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 100. 466-3080 or iplaypensacola.com.

WINE TASTING AT DK 4:30 p.m. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox. 438-4688 or dk4u.com.

FIRST CITY ART CENTER OPEN HOUSE AND ‘HOT GLASS, COLD BREW’ 5 p.m. $20-$25.

First City Art Center, 401 N. Reus St. 429-1222 or belmontartscenter.com.

WINTER WONDERLAND 5 p.m. $11-$180. Blue Wahoos Stadium, 301 W. Main St. 934-8444 x 122 or bluewahoos.com.

ZOO LIGHTS 5 p.m. Gulf Breeze Zoo, 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, 932-2229 or gulfbreezezoo.org.

WINE TASTING AT SEVILLE QUARTER 5 p.m.

Palace Café at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

‘LIMITED DINNER AND HAPPY HOUR AT GREGORY STREET’ 5 p.m. $16-$20. Slow Roasted Prime Rib, Baked Lemon Pepper Grouper, Chicken Cordon Blue. Gregory Street Assembly Hall, 501 E. Gregory St. 607-8633.

WINE TASTING AT CITY GROCERY 5:15 p.m.

City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. 469-8100.

‘LIGHT UP MILTON’ 5:30 p.m. Historic Downtown Milton. 291-9286 or santarosaarts.org.

WINTERFEST TROLLEY TOUR 5:30 p.m. 223 S. Palafox. 417-7321 or pensacolawinterfest.org.

WINE AND GLIDE SEGWAY TOUR 5:30 p.m. $45. Emerald Coast Tours, 701 S. Palafox. 4179292 or emeraldcoasttours.net.

WINE TASTING AT EAST HILL MARKET 5:30 p.m.

1216 N. Ninth Ave. Meter Rentals $5. T.T. Wentworth Museum, 330 S. Jefferson. 595-5985 ext 111.

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December 6, 2012

happenings

Dan Deacon at the Handlebar

by Hana Frenette

better than anything else I’ve ever toured in. It’s a really cozy home, really love it a lot. But just so I don’t just cop-out, my favorite memories are the camping trips at the state/national parks that we’ve done it in. It’s perfect for that and totally makes a beautiful getaway time trap possible without anything other than what we already have.

IN: You recently scored a film for Francis Ford Coppola. What was it like to work with someone so legendary?

DD: It was surreal. He emailed me and asked to get together. We met up in Napa and talked for a few days about music, film and technology and that I guess led to him inviting me to work on the score. It was a great learning experience and totally insane in just about every possible way one could think of.

Dan Deacon will make you dance. Not just because you want to and the electropop’s got your feet moving, but because he’s asking you, as well as the whole audience, to do so.

Baltimore native Dan Deacon has created a name for himself by having some of the most exciting, audience participationbased shows around. He’s also branched off to include a different realm to his work, composing classical pieces that were premiered by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in Ontario, Canada, as well as scoring Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film, “Twixt.”

His latest album “America,” shows his music evolving and growing to include more simple techniques, acoustic instruments and introspective lyrics. He’s made his Carnegie Hall debut this year, is working a piece for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and made over 10,000 people dance at an Occupy Wall Street Rally in Union Square.

Go and see him at a hole-in the wall bar while you still can.

IN: Your live shows have always been very high energy, and involve a lot of audience participation. Have they always been like this since you started performing?

DD: The level of audience participation has certainly grown since the early days but I’ve always been interested in thinking of the audience as part of the performance, shifting the focus from stage to audience and trying to create situations or performance actions that could only be made with a crowd.

IN: How did it go over at first? What are some of your favorite things you have the audience involved in/asked them to do?

DD: At first it started as a dance contest with consolidated rules that grew into different actions. It’s hard to describe my favorites. The ones I am currently doing on this tour have been the most fun consistently.

IN: Is there anything you’d like to try with an audience that you haven’t done yet?

DD: I tend to try most of the ideas I get.

If they stick, I keep doing them or refining them. If they don’t, I’ll rethink how they were presented and see if that was a factor.

IN: I heard some stories about a tour bus you traveled with a few years ago that ran on bio fuel. Tell me about it.

DD: We bought an old school bus, converted it to an RV and added a second fuel system so that it ran on waste cooking oil [veggie oil].

IN: Do you still use it?

DD: Yup. When I tour with the ensemble.

Just finished a 10-week tour with it. I love it.

IN: Why did you decide to create that?

DD: It helps us not give so much money to the oil industry so that helps us sleep at night a little better.

IN: What are some memorable stories from the bus tour?

DD: What I remember the most right now is that is has no heat, no AC and no shocks. I’m just kidding. I mean it really doesn’t have those things but it’s still way

IN: Do you see yourself headed more into this kind of direction? Film/ classical?

DD: I’d like to do as much work in those areas as possible. But that’s not to say that I want to drift from the “pop” side of music.

IN: So many styles or genres of music have been expanded on in recent years.

Where do you think the future of music is headed?

DD: I’m not sure. I’m worried that the Internet a la Wild West period is ended and that awesome genre defying sounds and super informed audiences will change with things, slowly changing the game and homogenizing music back into boxes.

IN: What are some of your favorite things about the DIY culture in America?

DD: The network and the community of people it creates with each generation.

IN: What’s next for you? Where would you like to go?

DD: I’m working on writing new material for the next album and several commissions [Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bang on a Can.] {in}

DAN DEACON

WHERE: The Handlebar WHEN: Wednesday, December 12 TIME: 9 p.m.

COST: $12 INFO: facebook.com/thehandlebar

DO IT.

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happenings

A Christmas Story Comes to Life

by Jennie McKeon

Instead of watching “A Christmas Story” for 24-hours straight on TBS, take in the stage production at Pensacola Little Theatre.

“I actually prefer the play to the movie,” said Stephen Lott, who plays the role of the narrator, who is the adult version of the protagonist, Ralphie Parker. “I saw the play first, which may be why I prefer it. The play is sweeter, more tender-hearted.”

The story that Lott narrates is about nine-year-old Ralphie Parker who only wants one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB Gun. Every time he expresses his Christmas wish, adults tell him “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

“People connect to it,” Lott said of the story. “The power of Santa Claus—that part makes this play universal.”

When it came down to re-telling the story on stage, the directors Katherine Bishop and Colton T. Cash insisted that the play be separate from the film.

“We are not trying to exactly recreate the movie because where is the fun and creativity in that?” Bishop said. “Since there are so many similar elements, it has been fairly easy to strike a balance between the familiarity of the movie and the flow of the stage play.”

“You have to be true in spirit, but it’s a mistake to recreate the movie,” Lott added.

“The only thing that stays the same is the leg lamp.”

Apart from the infamous, fishnet leg lamp the crew has its work cut out for them when it comes to transforming the stage into a 1940s set reminiscent of Norman Rockwell.

“We are fortunate to have a great production crew, including Bob Gandrup, who created a very detailed and period appropriate set for us,” Cash said. “We also have an awesome costumer, Christy Bauder, who

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heart of the story and so it should be no (with the assistance of the cast parents) surprise when they steal the stage. has gathered a great selection of period Seven-year-old Jace Champlin will make appropriate costumes. These elements will his acting debut as Randy, the little brother. contribute to the audience really feeling like His mom says that the normally shy boy they’re in 1938.” has taking a liking to acting and jumped up The cast was also given a slight history and down when he got the part. His favorite lesson to fit into the era. parts are when he gets to run across the “We have tried to direct them to act in stage and “putting my face in the oatmeal.” ways that people would have in the 1940s,” Whether you’re a long-time fan of “A Bishop said. “Hopefully the audience will Christmas Story” or a newbie, don’t miss feel a bit of nostalgia for days past and of this classic. Want to celebrate Christmas as course the warm fuzzy feelings that we relate the Parkers? Sign up for the Chinese dinner to Christmas. I’d really like for the audience after the December 9 matinee. {in} to leave with a smile on their faces.”

As “A Christmas Story” is a Treehouse production, it is very family friendly and so Ralphie’s dad gets a language makeover.

“There are no curse words, and WHEN: 7:30 p.m. December 7, 8, 13, 14, & 15; 2:30 in fact the ones that the father says p.m. December 9, 16 in the movie have been substituted WHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jeffor funny words like ‘goat dandruff’ ferson St. and ‘summoning bins’ by the play COST: $14-$30 authors,” Bishop said.

DETAILS: 432-2042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com The story is well-loved and received, because kids are at the

A CHRISTMAS STORY

December 6, 2012

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Where to get the obligatory holiday photo-op. If all else fails, you can always head to the mall.

Santa And His Paparazzi Photo Session At The Boardwalk

Take your photo with Santa in front of decorated palm trees on Pensacola Beach.

WHEN: 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 and 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20 WHERE: 400 Quietwater Beach Rd. and 782 Quietwater Beach Rd. DETAILS: visitpensacolabeach.com

Saturdays with Santa at Santa Rosa County Libraries

Enjoy photos with Santa, festive snacks and even a special gift from Santa. Festivities begin at 10 a.m.

PACE LIBRARY WHEN: December 8 WHERE: 4750 Pace Patriot Blvd.

DETAILS: 981-7323 NAVARRE LIBRARY WHEN: December 8 WHERE: 8484 James M. Harvell Road

DETAILS: 981-7323 GULF BREEZE LIBRARY WHEN: December 15 WHERE: 1060 Shoreline Drive DETAILS: 981-7323 JAY LIBRARY WHEN: December 15 WHERE: 5259 Booker Lane DETAILS: 675-6293

Cookies with Santa

Combining two of kids’ favorite holiday symbols—cookies and Santa. Kids get one-on-one time with Santa and leave with a holiday photo and personally decorated cookies. Ticket prices include ZooLights admission to complete the day.

WHEN: 5 p.m. Dec. 7-9, 14-24 and 26-30 WHERE: 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy.

COST: $25 DETAILS: 932-2229 or gulfbreezezoo.org

Santa Claws

Bring your pet to PetSmart for a photo with Santa. As an added bonus, $5 of every purchase will be donated to local animal-welfare organizations.

WHERE: 6251 N. Davis Hwy. WHEN: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. December 8-9 and 15-16 COST: $9.95 with your Pet Perks card DETAILS: 476-7375 or petsmart.com

Breakfast with Santa

Kids can enjoy a delicious breakfast and fun activities such as balloons, bouncers, face painting and crafts as well as photos with Santa.

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. December 15 WHERE: First United Methodist Church, 4540 Chumuckla Hwy., Pace DETAILS: 994-5608 or pacefumc.org

Winterfest

Before your trolley tour, snap a photo with Santa at Plaza Wonderland—in front of the historic courthouse. You can also take in a free song and dance show from Rudolph’s Revue as well as face painting and snowball fights.

WHEN: 5:30 p.m. weekdays, 5 p.m. weekends. December 14-16 and 18-23 WHERE: Tours begin at 223 S. Palafox DETAILS: pensacolawinterfest.org {in}

LADIES’ NIGHT OUT 6 p.m. $15. Chocolate art class, bring a beverage of your choice. To reserve a space, call Karen Smith at 384-4098.

ICE SCULPTURE CARVING DEMONSTRATION 6 p.m. Gulf Breeze Zoo, 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, 932-2229 or gulfbreezezoo.org.

JOE OCCHIPINTI BIG BAND 6:30 p.m. Gregory Street Assembly Hall, 501 E. Gregory St. 307-8633.

ICE FLYERS VS. HAVOC 7 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaiceflyers.com.

‘CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST’ 7:30 p.m.

Saenger Theatre, 118 Palafox. 434-7760 or pensacolasaenger.com.

‘A CHINESE CHRISTMAS STORY’ 7:30 p.m.

Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. 434-0257 or pensacolalittletheatre.com.

‘A LITTLE PRINCESS’ 7:30 p.m. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road. 2217599 or panhandlecommunitytheatre.com.

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ 8 p.m. Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Bldg. 82, 11000 University Pkwy. 857-6285 or uwf.edu.

SWING DANCING 8:30 p.m. American Legion, 1401 Intendencia St. $5. 437-5465 or pensacolaswing.com ‘STAND UP COMEDY SHOW’ 9:30 p.m. Big Easy Tavern, 710 N. Palafox. 208-5976.

live music

LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 5 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

DAVID DUNN 6 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Rd., Pensacola Beach. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com.

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BP Oil Spill

Settlement Announced THE PLAINTIFFS’ STEERING COMMITTEE (PSC) SPEARHEADING THE LITIGATION SURROUNDING THE 2010 BP GULF OIL SPILL ANNOUNCED THAT A SETTLEMENT IN PRINCIPLE HAS BEEN REACHED WITH BP THAT WILL FULLY COMPENSATE HUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS OF VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDY. THE SETTLEMENT IS TO BE FULLY FUNDED BY BP, WITH NO CAP ON THE AMOUNT BP WILL PAY. BP IS OBLIGATED TO FULLY SATISFY ALL ELIGIBLE CLAIMS UNDER THE TERMS OF THE COURT SUPERVISED SETTLEMENT, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FUNDS PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE. PLEASE CONSULT WITH OUR FIRM ABOUT POSSIBLE CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION.

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inweekly.net

by Brett Hutchins

The Circus Comes to Town IN: Any wild tour stories?

STONE: On that first tour, we were going 70-plus miles an hour through Wisconsin, and one of our trailer tires completely came off in the middle of nowhere. The wheel rolled straight past us without even getting a flat tire. You can imagine how surreal that experience was. Things get a little dicey when your entire livelihood is barely hanging on three wheels.

that’s probably the way we would choose to do it.

IN: There’s also the opportunity to play music in some unique settings at these camping festivals.

STONE: Absolutely! At Bear Creek, we set up in the vending area next to a guy who made cigar box guitars and amps.

The trumpet and the upright bass weren’t plugged in, and our drummer was playing washboard, but the two guitar players and myself on mandolin were all three plugged into those little amps. We did that for about an hour Saturday and it was quite successful. Not only that, it was a blast.

THIS IS A COPY OF THE MOST CURRENT VERSION OF THIS AD.

IN: Does it get difficult keeping track of so many B r when e e z you’re e , F Lon a tight IN: It has to be neat interacting with THIS COPY IS MEANT FOR FUTURE CHANGES ONLY. Directory: G u l fguys who aren’t sure exactly what’s tour schedule?

Heading: AT3900 Ad Size: people DQCWP A COPY HAS NOT BEEN SENT TO THE CUSTOMER. going on. They just know they like what STONE: It’s easy to keep Batch ID: 36814 Year: 2009 they hear. track of people as long as STONE: It works so well for us because we people don’t lose or forget IN: What’s the secret to blending all It’s dark, damp and cold. The campfire’s get the crowd involved and can get in the their cell phones. That’s happened before. these different styles of music together doing the best it can. And there’s a guy carmiddle of everybody We try to keep a pretty good line of comArt ID #: 05673D4 Copy to Sales: 03/06/2009and get their attention so seamlessly? rying a stand-up bass on a frantic search for in different ways. It’s important for us to munication.

Rehearsal schedules stay on STONE: We all have an open mind musihis bandmates. These things aren’t comkeep our shows fresh and entertaining in an the same time of day and days of the week.

Contract #: 1033971 Account #: 288042 G e n e E M i t c h e l l cally, and we all really enjoy playing and pletely out of the ordinary at Bear Creek— interactive way. We feed off of people.

We’re responsible enough to do this. It can learning different genres of music.

We’re all for Vagabond Swing.

It’s a fitting first PO Box 12661 be difficult, but it’sJR just like anything.Rep The #: 1445 Rep: MIRAMON, BERNARD really glad to have found a group of musiencounter with a band that self-describes Pensacola, FL 32591 more you do it, the better you are at it.

IN: What can we look forward to in the cians that are never really satisfied in doing itself as a “psycho-gypsy-jazz-vaudeville future from you guys? one or two types of tunes all night and being fusion” outfit. There’s no way a band so diIN: You’ve done some of the bigger muSTONE: After this Handlebar date, we’ll able to play all these different styles keeps verse and fearless could get going anywhere sic festivals in the South like Wakarusa be coming back to Florida over the Mardi it interesting for ourselves. That’s half the too far from the Big Easy. IN spoke with voand Bear Creek.

Have you been surGras season, so keep an eye out for those battle and why we’re having so much fun calist/violin/mandolin/percussion player Jon prised at how some of the festivals have dates. We’ll also have a follow-up to our it. - Criminal Law Stone about the band and how the heck you - doing Classified Heading: Attorneys Guide CO-OP: Yes No embraced you? debut record, “Soundtrack to an Untimely come up with something so utterly unique.

STONE: It’s exciting.

Playing festivals is our Death” out in the summer; so also be on IN: Last year, you guys embarked on your favorite thing to do.

We’re looking forward the lookout for that. {in} first national tour. What’s it been like IN: You guys all came together in Lafayette, to being a part of more of them. moving from local gigs to going across La., about two-and-a-half hours from New We like the ones where you can the country so quickly?

Orleans. Has forming so close to a city so camp a bit more. That makes the STONE: We’re all blessed to be able to rich in culture influenced the band at all?

WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 whole experience more connectshare our sound with more of the country STONE: We’re not exactly writing secondWHERE: The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona ed—not only to us, friends, and than just the local places. Coming back line music or Dixieland jazz, but New COST: $8 21+; $10 18+ new fans, but also to other artists. home is always a treat, but we want as many Orleans has a certain circus feel to it. That DETAILS: vagabondswing.com or facebook.

I’m talking art of all kinds, not just people as possible to hear what we’re doing. spirit definitely carries over to some of our com/handlebarpensacola music.

When you spend a weekend It’s all about sharing the art. songs and especially our performance style. together with everyone involved,

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December 6, 2012

PYP CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO SERVE 2013-2014 The PYP Board of Directors (BOD) is seeking candidates for nominations to serve on the 2013 - 2014 BOD/Leadership Team. There are both BOD positions and there are Team/ Program leadership positions (non-board).

The Team/Program chairs and other leadership positions will only be required to attend board meetings occasionally and are not voting members of the board. We are also looking for at least 3 PYP members to sit on the selection committee.

PYP BOD Positions Vice President of Programs Vice President of Marketing Legal Counsel PYP Leadership Positions (Non BOD) Quality of Life Chair Economic Development Chair PPDI Chair Membership Chair Student Membership Co-Chair Alumni Membership Co-Chair Internship Pensacola Chair Assistant Secretary Marketing Co-Chair Special Events Chair Web Content Chair Social Media Chair Public Relations Chair Highlights Editor Please email info@pensacolayp.com for the application and note that applications MUST be submitted by Monday Dec 10th 2012 at 2 p.m.

We thank you all for your service to PYP and look forward to another excellent year as a strong young professionals’ organization!

PYP MEMBERSHIP IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH! This is great news for PYP and it’s great news for Pensacola. Our members are this organization. Our strength comes from our members; it’s a simple as that. Each and every young professional who joins PYP does so with hopes and dreams, and a desire to improve not only themselves but also the entire Pensacola Bay Area.

Pensacola Young Professionals care deeply about other people. Each year, thousands of hours are donated to our community by PYP members doing volunteer work that makes a difference. Examples of the work we do includes helping to feed the homeless, procuring and facilitating internships for local students, and bringing world-class leadership seminars to Pensacola. PYP members work tirelessly year-round to fulfill our mission to share our passion for and belief in the Pensacola Bay Area, and to

outstanding job in growing PYP membership, including working on our current campaign to hit 300 members! She also worked on the PYP new member benefits card that launched this fall. Lea is very active with PYP including scheduling and attending events such as quarterly meetings and pub clubs.

act as a catalyst for positive change in our community.

There are many reasons why young people join PYP. Some join to network and meet like-minded individuals, others join to serve the community, and some join to seek growth, responsibility, and leadership roles.

PYP is the key organization in Pensacola that meets all these needs and more for the young professional.

EVENT CALENDAR

PYP is always looking for new members.

Please join us and help us realize our vision to make the Pensacola Bay Area one of the nation’s premier places to live, work, and play, and to serve as a model for all young professional organizations. Membership for one year is just $100 and if you join now, December will be free!

DECEMBER 6 Candidate Meet & Greet

PYP is truly the best organization for young professionals, and by joining us you will only make it better!

DECEMBER 18 PPDI Meeting

PYP MEMBER BENEFITS CARD As a current, active PYP member, you will enjoy all the opportunities for growth, networking, leadership development, philanthropy, and fellowship that PYP offers.

But we want to give you even more!

That’s why your PYP membership card will allow you to receive exclusive offers and special discounts–negotiated by PYP–through local businesses and service providers. The Pensacola Bay Area is a very special place, as we are sure you agree. By giving you this added value to your PYP membership, we also want to give back to our local community and encourage you to shop locally, thereby helping our amazing community grow and prosper.

Membership & Networking DECEMBER 10 Board Meeting

BOARD MEMBER OF THE MONTH: JONATHAN THOMPSON Jonathan Thompson serves as VP on the PYP Board and oversees the Programs including Internship Pensacola, PPDI, and the Pensacola Ambassadors. Jonathan has led the Internship Pensacola program since its inception and just had another remarkable year. PYP recently had one of the largest Quarterly Meeting turnouts to date, partly due to Jonathan’s introduction of PYP’s “Why” campaign. We congratulate Jonathan and thank him for all of his hard work!

A huge thank you goes out to our current business partners: Anytime Fitness Indigeaux Denim Bar & Boutique KLS Esthetics Navarre Living Yoga Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Spray Tan Pensacola Pumps Smoothie King Vince Whibbs Automotive Omni Health and Fitness Robyn Laitman Aesthetics Remember, benefits are for active PYP Members only! Please respect PYP members, the generous vendors, and our community. If you would like to become a member or renew your membership, please contact Lea McLaughlin at Lea.McLaughlin@bhcpns.org, or Rachael Gillette at (850) 332-7820.

MEMBER OF THE MONTH: LEA MCLAUGHLIN

Lea McLaughlin has been chosen for member of the month for PYP. She has done an

DECEMBER 19 PYP Holiday Party

CONTACT US AT

WWW.PENSACOLAYP.COM For more information on Pensacola Young Professionals or to join please see our website Pensacolayp.com or contact Director Rachael Gillette Pensacola Young Professionals 41 N. Jefferson St. Ste 108 Pensacola FL 32502 (850) 332-7820

626 2

inweekly.net

Have you experienced IRON yet?

news of the weird PANDA GRADUATION PARTY Yes, This Is Really How They Do It: The Wolong Panda Training Base in Sichuan, China, released a series of photos to China Daily in October to mark the graduation from captivity, and into the wild, of the 2-yearold Tao Tao. Sure enough, Tao Tao and his mother, Cao Cao, were shown frolicking in the woods, accompanied by trainers each dressed in full-length panda suits, including panda heads, as they appeared to demonstrate climbing trees and searching for food.

Everyone is talking about Pensacola’s newest eatery.

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THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT The Lost Art of Cuddling: (1) At the recently opened Soineya “cuddle cafe” in Tokyo, men buy hugging privileges (but no “sex” allowed!) with young women for from 20 minutes to 10 hours at prices (gratuity optional) ranging from the equivalents of $40 to $645, with surcharges for special services (e.g., foot massages, resting heads in each other’s laps). (2) The Deluxe Comfort Girlfriend Body Pillow, which began as a boutique-only niche product, recently became available at Amazon.com and Sears.com at around $25. The bolsterlike, cuddling-enabled pillow is augmented with two strategically placed mounds and a snuggle-up arm hanging to the side.

(There’s also an Original Soft and Comfy Boyfriend Pillow, without the mounds.)

LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS While the U.S. recently nearly elected a multimillionaire as president, Uruguay’s chief executive, Jose Mujica, declared his personal wealth in 2010 as the equivalent of about $1,800 and gives away 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly presidential salary in order to remain true to his political roots with the leftist guerrilla group Tupamaros.

He has rejected the government-provided mansion and instead lives with his wife at her family’s farmhouse, where he helps work the land, according to a November BBC News profile from Montevideo. “I have to do (this),” he told a reporter, “because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less.”

• Financial advisers charge the big bucks because of their sophisticated understanding of money and markets -- or maybe because they know how the stars align. A September Marketplace radio program highlighted the newsletters of “financial astrologers” Karen Starich and former Merrill Lynch stock trader Arch Crawford (who left the trading floor because, apparently, astrology is more lucrative). About 300 traders pay $237 a year to learn what Starich knows about Neptune and Saturn, and Crawford’s 2,000 subscribers (at least a few of which prefer receiving copies in unmarked wrappers) learned that any new business venture goes south when Mercury is in retrograde.

by Chuck Shepherd

• The Continuing Decline of American Manufacturing: A Drug Enforcement Administration agent told the Associated Press in October that factories in Mexico have recently been supplying American markets with especially potent and inexpensive methamphetamine. “These are sophisticated, high-tech (businesses) ... that are operating with extreme precision,” said agent Jim Shroba. The 90 percentpure product offers “a faster, more intense and longer-lasting high.” Many Americans, meanwhile, continue to make small batches of inferior meth in 2-liter soda bottles.

PERSPECTIVE In 2011 only 75 worldwide shark attacks on humans were reported, with only 12 fatal, yet researchers writing recently in the journal Conservation Biology found that about 60 percent of all media reporting about sharks emphasized just the serious dangers that human swimmers face. By contrast, only about 7 percent of the reports were focused on shark biology or ecology, though the sorry state of shark survival would seem more important, in that an estimated 26 million to 73 million sharks are killed annually from the harvesting of their fins.

UPDATE Taunting of Third-World Laborers: First, as News of the Weird reported more than 20 years ago, Indonesian coffeemakers made “Kopi Luwak,” using only beans that had passed through the digestive tracts of native civet cats. More recently, Thailand’s upscale Anantara Resorts began offering coffee using beans similarly excreted by elephants. In both cases, these digestivetract coffee beans, picked and processed by laborers earning as little as $1 day, wind up as a drink sipped by (in the words of an NPR reviewer) “cat poop fetishi(sts)” who may pay upwards of $10 for a single cup.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Recurring Themes: (1) In November, Jacory Walker, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery in Waxahachie, Texas, and was sentenced to 37 months in prison. He had made the mistake of asking a teller at the 1st Convenience Bank to access his account (giving the teller his Social Security number), and only then, when realizing he had no money left, deciding to rob the place. (2) Almost No Longer Weird: Demarco Myles, 19, was arrested in Washington, D.C., for rape after he, as rapists sometimes fatuously do, decided that his second victim might have had eyes for him and left her his name and phone number, anticipating a follow-up rendezvous. {in} From Universal Press Syndicate Chuck Shepherd’s News Of The Weird © 2012 Chuck Shepherd

Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com.

December 6, 2012

27

my pensacola Liz Pelt

Day Job: Account Manager at Appleyard Agency

Pensacola Resident Since: 2008

Exquisite Edible Art

Ballet Pensacola’s “Nutcracker” / photo by Meg Baisden

Good Eats:

The perfect date night or girls’ night out is Global Grill. Nothing is better than picking out great tapas and sharing with everyone!

Retail Therapy:

Love walking into Gibson Girl and seeing all the new things they have. Great place to buy cute game day clothes, too!

Watering Holes:

New to Pensacola, but old to me is World of Beer. Loved going in Tampa, and love it here.

Nothing like being able to pick from tons of different beers to last all night long.

Nightlife:

So many places to choose from, but somehow I always end up downtown hopping from The Wine Bar, World of Beer, Intermission, and of course taking the trip to Seville.

Outdoors:

Love Pensacola because of all the outdoor activities. The place everyone forgets about is Blackwater River, the best for kayaking or tubing through Adventures Unlimited.

Arts & Culture:

Coming from a dance background, I always make it a point to see Ballet Pensacola’s “Nutcracker” each year.

Never Miss Events/Festivals:

Fiesta Boat Parade

Pensacola has so many great events and festivals.

My favorite is celebrating Pensacola’s heritage through Fiesta each year. {in}

Do you want to tell us how you see our city? Email Joani at joani@inweekly.net for all of the details.

We promise you the most memorable meal Runner Up Best Japanese Cuisine & Best Sushi

Ichiban Japanese Restaurant 850-494-2227 5555 N. Davis Hwy www.ichibanpensacola.com

New Year’s Eve Celebration!

FIVE-COURSE FOOD AND WINE DINNER • TWO SEATINGS, 7 AND 9 P.M.

REGULAR DINNER MENU ALSO AVAILABLE AT ATLAS AND FISH HOUSE 5 TILL CLOSE. BANANA REPUBLIC PLAYS ON THE HEATED AND TENTED DECK AT 9!

Reserve your table now for a special fixed-price, five-course dinner with paired wines for New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be offering two seatings for the evening in the main dining room at 7 and 9 p.m. The cost per person is $125 with complimentary favors included. ), 6+ +286( 2 3( 1 '$ ,/< $7 $ 0 y $7 /$ 6 2< 6 7( 5 + 2 8 6 ( 2 3 ( 1 0 2 1 Č? 6 $7 3 0 6 8 1 $ 0 y 6 %$ 5 5$& . 6 67 y & 5(',7 &$5'6 2. y ::: *22'*5,76 &20

Independent News | December 6, 2012 | inweekly.net