Feb. 2 Issue by Inweekly

"You could definitely look up some YouTube dirt on that.”

"I prefer work that’s not ephemeral."

"Their lighting makes me feel like I’m in a Quentin Tarantino movie."

When the Right to Vote Goes Wrong Independent News | February 02, 2012 | Volume 13 | Number 5 | inweekly.net

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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, Ashley Hardaway, Rob “Bubbs” Harris, Brett Hutchins, Chelsa Jillard, Sarah McCartan, Kate Peterson, Scott Satterwhite, Chuck Shepherd

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TEAM SANTA ROSA The economic development group lost its biggest financial supporter last week, when the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners voted to cut off its contributions. TEAM Santa Rosa has been rocked by federal grand jury investigations into its dealings—some of which involved major campaign supporters of current and past county commissioners.

Primitive Baptist Church will be installed on Feb. 20, as president of National Primitive Baptist Convention, USA. His church is hosting the organization’s Annual Board of Directors' Meeting and the 34th F. L. Livingston Institute that same week. Organized in 1907, the National Primitive Baptist Convention, USA represents churches in 18 states. Its mission is to promote unity among its people; foster the cause of education, evangelism, and mission; and, participate in worship experiences.

JEFFERY BAUGUS The Woodlawn Beach

Middle School teacher has been named Santa Rosa’s Teacher of the Year. Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick and the Santa Rosa Education Foundation Board of Directors made the announcement in his 8th grade algebra classroom. The other two finalists were Kenneth Long, West Navarre Intermediate, and Shawn Wilcox, West Navarre Primary.

ELMER JENKINS Community Action

Program Committee, Inc.’s Board of Directors honored Dr. Jenkins for his faithful, dedicated, and unwavering service to helping shape the agency’s direction for the past 10 years. Jenkins, who served on the Escambia County School board for sixteen years, also served on CAPC’s board as the private section representative.

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going to reveal what really happened on the Deepwater Horizon rig when it exploded– killing 11 men and spewing millions of gallons into the Gulf. The media has reported on an internal BP memo from the day of the explosion in which BP officials warned that if the blow-out preventer didn’t work properly the crude oil could leak at a rate of 3.4 million gallons a day, much more than the company told the public.

JOE BIDEN While at a jobs event in Rochester, N.H., Vice President Joe Biden used an Indian accent to imitate call service employees. Really? Aren’t Democrats supposed to be more tolerant and accepting of other cultures? Had it been Dick Cheney the story would have been blasted everywhere. Biden needs a better handler or a shorter leash.

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The Escambia County Public School District is ranked in the bottom half of the state. Out of 67 school districts in Florida, Escambia County is ranked 44, tied with Lake and Marion counties. Superintendent Malcolm Thomas told the daily newspaper that the ranking showed the district was moving in the right direction, up from 52 the previous school year. I saw the ranking as more of a move from worst to worse. Hardly something one wants to show a company thinking about relocating to Escambia County. School Board Member Jeff Bergosh felt he had to defend the low ranking in a viewpoint (Pensacola News Journal, “Data doesn’t tell the whole story,” Jan. 29). Bergosh believes that the rankings should come with footnotes, disclaimers and explanations so that the release of the data doesn’t “lead to incorrect and negative public perceptions.” That’s exactly what my children wanted to do when their report cards were handed out. “Dad, the teacher didn’t include my extra credit.” Or “Dad, the last test was way too hard.” Or “Dad, I wasn’t feeling well during finals.” Instead of taking ownership of the school grades and district ranking, Bergosh has a litany of culprits that he believes explains the district’s shortcomings—crime, poverty and demographics (a code word for “race”).

Even the most conservative Republicans believe that education is the path out of poverty. It’s a core tenet of former Florida governor Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education. However, Bergosh is telling us that it’s poverty that makes our school system bad. Children have no control over their financial status, neighborhoods, parents or race (insert “demographics,” if it makes you more comfortable). Public education must take these kids as they are and figure out how to teach them reading, math, science and writing. What the school grades and rankings tell us is that Bergosh and the district leadership are failing in doing that, especially with their minority and poor students. Forty-three other Florida school districts have figured out how to do it much better than the Escambia district administration and school board. Drilling children on Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test isn’t working. The children aren’t retaining what they learned from the myopic emphasis on FCAT, or our graduation rates among the minorities and poor students would be much higher than the current rates of 58 and 61 percent. The time for excuses has long passed. Mr. Bergosh, you were elected to see that all our children receive a good education. Do it. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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by Farron Cousins

POLITICAL IQ DROPS TO ROOM TEMPERATURE Have you ever wondered why, three years after leaving office, we haven’t seen very much of George W. Bush? Typically, upon departure from office, presidents will hit the speaking circuit, write memoirs (that actually have to do with their time in office,) or hit the campaign trail with their favorite candidates. The most we got from Bush was a poorlywritten book that talked more about his failed baseball team than how he destroyed our country. I’m confident that there aren’t very many people from either political party that miss Bush, nor are there many people who have even noticed his absence. The reason we aren’t noticing is because his brand of dumbed-down, incoherent politics has found a new home with the modern incarnation of the GOP. Bush had a way of butchering basic English, he never stood up straight during a press conference, and most of the time when addressing the nation he would lean on the podium with a smirk on his face as if he was talking to his old drinking buddies, rather than the free world. And after eight years, we grew accustomed to that style and our compla-

February 02, 2012

cency paved the way for people like Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin. All of these people, at one point or another over the last few years, have been considered serious contenders for seats of enormous power. And the worst part is that none of them are even qualified to run the counter at a fast food joint. Today, when a political candidate is able to speak in complete sentences or stand up straight, or even if they attended an Ivy League university, they get labeled as an “elitist” or “out of touch” with Joe Six-Pack. When did intelligence became a bad thing? Why do we want a “common man” type person running our government? Take a look at the “common person” types that you encounter on a daily basis – would anyone of them make a good leader of the free world? I consider myself to be highly intelligent. I’m a member of MENSA, and I wear that badge proudly. But when it comes to running America, I would hope to God that the person holding that job is smarter and more eloquent

and more sophisticated than I am. But thanks to George W. Bush and the creation of the Tea Party, candidates with an IQ below room temperature are now consid-

Would you want Sarah Palin or Rick Perry or Michele Bachmann to have nuclear codes? ered contenders and voters embrace their “common man” attitudes and beliefs. Think about this – would you want Sarah Palin or Rick Perry or Michele Bachmann to have nuclear codes? Combined, these three people have been responsible for more gaffes than almost any other group of politicians in the last few decades. They can’t tell night from day – do you want them to have the ability to launch a nuclear weapon? If you answered yes to that, then enjoy your next Tea Party Rally. If you said no, you’re on the right track. {in}

CAMPAIGN CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN

With a recent slide in the polls, Newt Gingrich held fast to his presidential aspirations and rallied supporters at an Election Eve stumper inside a local airplane hangar. / photo by Jeremy Morrison

Romney Keeps it Light as Gingrich Delves into the Dark By Jeremy Morrison

The foul stench was getting worse. It was the kind of smell that could only come from a few hundred people in winter coats collectively pooling their body heat and political discontent while waiting in an airplane hangar for GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich. It was the kind of smell that anyone attending the Mitt Romney rally a couple of days prior would have found simply unpalatable. That local campaign stop had been dazzling and classy. Romney had brought along Sen. John McCain, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and actor Jon Voight, and the weather couldn’t have been nicer. Not Newt. The former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives hunkered his supporters in a hangar on the edge of Pensacola International Airport. They were made to line up single file outside in 66

the morning chill as if they had come to view a body or maybe pay a nickel for their chance to gawk at some roadside oddity. Florida’s 2012 GOP presidential primary race landed Pensacola visits from the party’s two top contenders. Romney hit The Fish House for a pancake breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 28, with Gingrich dropping in for an election eve rally. By the time Gingrich made it to town, conventional wisdom pegged him well below Romney. Inside the hangar, his rally felt desperate—a fourth-quarter, clinched-fist, Hail Mary pass. After several introductory speakers, Gingrich supporters were kept waiting long enough to hear the candidate’s soundtrack more than a couple of times and begin to wonder if things might be falling apart.

Eventually, the desperation began wearing on them. They started making ridiculous statements—“I could beat Obama”—and reading a 2.0 version of the Contract with America as if the pamphlet might contain some cryptic clues as to how Gingrich would be able to hold his campaign together. Folks at the Romney event had been much less jumpy. They sported their Sunday best on a Saturday morning and enjoyed waterfront dining behind expensive sunglasses. These people flocked to The Fish House from all directions with big smiles and brisk paces. They understood something that everyone in Gingrich’s hangar knew as well: Romney would take Florida.

“‘NoBama’ and ‘NoRomney’ are about the same.” Newt Gingrich

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DIXON ROLLS ON Taking a break

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney enjoyed a waterfront rally at the Fish House Jan. 28 with (l-r) Arizona Senator John McCain, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward and local U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller. / photo by Jeremy Morrison The Saturday morning crowd had come to see a winner. They had come to see the man everyone agreed looked good in a suit. “It ain’t the breakfast,” said David Peebles, as he sat soaking up some rays and waiting for Romney. But the breakfast wasn’t too shabby, either. Supporters enjoyed pancakes, bacon, orange juice and hot coffee and talked about how Romney finally appeared to be the front-runner. Republican presidential politics has always been about waiting one’s turn. McCain had to wait for George W. Bush, whose father had held the office. Romney had to wait for McCain to get his chance in 2008. Nobody seemed too excited about throwing their vote Romney’s direction. They had, rather, simply resolved to make the mature decision. A day earlier, McCain had summed up in a phone interview with the IN what seemed to be local Republicans’ feelings about the former Massachusetts governor when he identified Romney as the party’s “best chance.” “I think he’s got the wind at his back,” the Arizona senator had said. McCain was enlisted to warm up The Fish House crowd for the GOP hopeful and deliver the support of the retired veterans. It was an easy sell. Everyone likes to shoot the bull about raising hell and kicking ass in the glory days—the Senator and former prisoner of war spoke about his time spent becoming

a naval aviator at Pensacola NAS, hinting at his days at Trader Jon’s. “I donated my entire paycheck to cultural institutions here,” McCain joked with the crowd. The vibe in Gingrich’s airplane hangar was a little darker. There weren’t too many jokes, and the main punch line was too much to contemplate—the GOP establishment had stripped Gingrich bare and left his bones to be picked clean in the Florida primary. Hilarious. Michael Reagan— radio talk show host and son of Republican action-hero Ronald Reagan—attempted to bully the political realities into the corner. “Back in 1994, all these people were praising him,” Reagan scattered the vultures and defended Gingrich to the hangar crowd. “They should be praising him now.” Back at The Fish House, the air had been light and fluffy. Even discussing politics on such a beautiful day seemed almost vulgar. Besides, everyone appeared happy enough just to watch Romney smile—a smile nearly as dreamy as that of Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, who stood beside the candidate. But Newt seemed at home mired in the muck of a spiraling campaign. When he entered the hangar to the sounds of political catcalls—“NoBama!”—the former speaker stood silent for a moment absorbing the negative vibe. “Actually,” Gingrich finally said, “‘NoBama’ and ‘NoRomney’ are about the same.”

“We love America.” Mitt Romney

from the blog February 02, 2012

“I know some people that will be catching as many games as possible at the new stadium.”—Eric

Whereas Romney breezed through the generalities of GOP standards— God, the military and the free market— Gingrich preferred to delve deep into specifics, forcing his followers to wade into the woods and hash out policy details with him. Gingrich talked about repealing the Dodd-Frank bill, breaking up Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and sending half the Homeland Security forces to the U.S.-Mexico border. He also spoke about beefing up the country’s military. “I don’t want the Chinese, I don’t want the Pakistanis, I don’t want the Iranians, I don’t want the Venezuelans or Cuba or anybody else to be confused,” he told the crowd. And while Romney did touch on policy specifics, he preferred to play it safe and allow the campaign crowd to be swept away by—as McCain called it—“the wind at his back.” To wrap up his Fish House visit, the candidate began reciting the words to “America the Beautiful.” In between lines of lyrics, Romney relayed a story about himself phoning 63 military spouses to let them know their loved ones serving in Iraq were alright. It was a nice story, with no real point. And everyone was fine with that. No one was asking too much from the frontrunner and, besides, the morning had been marvelous. “We’re a patriotic people,” Romney smiled. “We love America.” {in}

“The old saying is ‘Go to Escambia County on vacation … Leave on probation!’”—Teresa

“No more buildings until we see a measurable improvement in the graduation rate of at-risk children.” —Jim

from FCAT preparation, students of A.A. Dixon Charter School were treated to a night of skating at Landmark Skate and Fun Center Jan. 26. “Our students have been working very hard,” said Principal Kathy Bearden-Colbert. “We wanted to reward them and let them know we believe in them.” Grades kindergarten through sixth grade, about 130 students in all, took over the rented rink. There were plenty of smiles and giggles, and even when a child slipped they got back up – a testament to the school itself. FCAT isn’t until the third week in April, so the school still has plenty of preparation ahead. After the standardized test—if they make a C or better—students will celebrate with a pool party on Pensacola Beach sponsored by Innisfree Hotels. A.A. Dixon is in its second year, with new leadership taking the reins this academic year in an attempt to pull the school out of a $100,000 hole. Escambia County School District officials had planed to shut the facility down, but were persuaded to give the charter another year to better its finances and bring students’ grades up. “I do know the school has made drastic improvements,” said Rev. Lutimothy May, who took over as head of the charter’s board of directors this past summer. “I hope the district can do what they can to support these improvements.” May concedes that the school— with many of its students coming from district facilities and already performing below their grade level—has a “steep hill” to climb. But as the charter heads into the second semester, there are things to smile about. For example, the school managed a positive fund balance during the last two months—a first in the charter’s history. > More buzz items on page 8

"Modified loan repayments + Subsidized higher education = Next Bubble to burst."—Glenn

Rick’s Blog has been quoted in the New York Times, Newsweek and on dozens of websites, including The Daily Beast. Read it to find out the real story behind the news. Visit ricksblog.biz. 7

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Blue Wahoos sign into place above the centerfield wall—adding an electric wash of blue and pink to the waterfront skyline.

SPILL RATE COVER-UP In a series of

photo by Jeremy Morrison

▲WAHOOS VIEW The crisp winter views bouncing around in the stadium at Maritime Park are brilliant. Sunlit diamonds swim in the bay and green grass covers the infield. On Jan. 27, a large crane lifted the Blue Wahoos sign into place above the centerfield wall—adding an electric wash of blue and pink to the waterfront skyline.

There’s still a lot of dirt and machinery on site, but the stadium is up and enjoying life under the Florida sunshine. As Wahoos President Bruce Baldwin put it, the “heavy duty exterior stuff is in place.” Sprinklers busily water the infield’s grass, and the view from anywhere is pretty good. On Jan. 27, a large crane lifted the

emails released as part of BP’s ongoing legal trials following the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it has been revealed that the company knew from the onset that the spill rate was likely to be much higher than official estimates. On the day the Deepwater Horizon sank, company officials warned in internal emails that the well could leak at a rate of 3.4 million gallons a day if the blowout preventer failed. This was about a million more gallons than the official government estimates at the time. The emails also reveal that company officials were sensitive about what information was shared with the U.S. government. Gary Imm, a BP manager, apparently told Rob Marshall, BP’s subsea manager in the gulf, to tell the modeler in charge of the estimates “not to communicate to anyone on this.” “We already have had difficult discussions with the U.S.C.G. on the numbers,” Imm wrote in an e-mail. On April 23, 2010—a few days after the initial explosion on the rig—the Coast Guard, basing their findings on BP’s

remotely operated vehicles, said no oil was leaking from the mile-deep well. The next day, the agency said oil was flowing at a rate of 42,000 gallons per day, and continued to raise estimates throughout the disaster. An additional email recently released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) also offers revelations from the spill’s early days. The May 29, 2010 email from Dr. Marcia McNutt, the director of the U.S. Geologic Survey and head of the government’s Flow Rate Technical Group, appears to indicate the White House’s lessthan-straightforward approach to the spill. McNutt sent the email to scientists on the flow-rate team after they had expressed concern about how rate figures were being released to the press. The director cited pressure from the White House as the reason the numbers didn’t seem accurate; rather than report the low-end spill estimates as 25,000 barrels per day, officials insisted that figure be listed as the higher-end estimate. “I cannot tell you what a nightmare the past two days have been dealing with the communications people at the White House, DOI, and the NIC who seem incapable of understanding the concept of a lower bound,” McNutt wrote. “The press release that went out on our results was misleading and was not reviewed by a scientist for accuracy.” {in}

     

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WHO'S VOTING? feature story

x x photo by Mario Tama

When the Right to Vote Goes Wrong By Jeremy Morrison America’s journey towards a more perfect democracy has been a long, purposeful march. The path has been steep and bloody. Even today, the destination remains illusive on that shrouded mountaintop. From the onset, of course, our democracy was not an allinclusive game. It was a sport for white, property-owning males. Over the years—nearly 200 years—voting rights were extended across the board. Women could vote. Blacks could vote. Kids who February 02, 2012

had long been considered old enough to send to war could vote when they reached the age of 18. Property ownership requirement was dropped. A voter only had to be a United States citizen. Ever yone seemed to be in agreement: the more people voting, the better. On either side of the partisan aisle, greater voter participation was a win for the notion of a healthy democracy. Voter registration was made as easy as possible to encourage people to participate in the process.

But what if a more robust democracy isn’t the end game? What if winning the election and retaining power are? Lately, it appears Republican lawmakers across the country have come to the realization that it’s too risky to leave elections in the hands of the most voters possible. In state after state, Republican-controlled legislatures have tweaked election laws in such a way that traditionally Democratic voters stand to get left out of the process.

What if a more robust democracy isn’t the end game?

The first of the three starts toward Montgomery was led by a young John Lewis. He led marchers out of Selma and across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. On the other side of the bridge, the group was stopped in their tracks by a legion of state troopers with billy clubs and tear gas. The incident became known as Bloody Sunday. Last July, Lewis— now a longtime Democratic congressman from Georgia—again spoke out for voting rights, this time from the House floor. He urged his fellow lawmakers to pay attention to the efforts by state legislators across the country to impose various hurdles upon the voting process. These efforts, he thought, didn’t seem in line with the spirit of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “Voter rights are under attack in America,” Lewis told them. “There’s a deliberate and systematic attempt to prevent millions of elderly voters, young voters, students, minority and low-income voters from exercising their constitutional right to engage in a democratic process.” A week after Lewis got beat down in Selma, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered an address before a joint session of Congress. He pleaded with lawmakers— speaking for the “dignity of man and the

destiny of democracy”—to pass legislation to prevent states from obstructing certain would-be voters. “At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man’s unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama,” Johnson said, later summing up his argument— “Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason which can excuse the denial of that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right.” In December of last year, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder gave a speech at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin, Texas. He quoted the former president. “In 1965, when President Johnson signed the landmark Voting Rights Act into law,” Holder said, “he proclaimed that the right to vote is the basic right, without which all others are meaningless.” The Attorney General also relayed Rep. Lewis’s remarks before Congress to the Texas audience, whom he believed had the right to be concerned.

“Are you fighting? You should be fighting?”

Former President Bill Clinton

Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, left, is congratulated by Speaker-designate Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, right, after the election bill, HB 1355, was approved Thursday, April 21, 2011. The bill would require voters who change their address at the polls on Election Day from another county to cast a provisional ballot and also imposes new requirements on third-party groups, including political parties, that seek to register new voters. / myfloridahouse.gov “There has never been in my lifetime, since we got rid of the poll tax and all the Jim Crow burdens on voting, the determined effort to limit a franchise that we see today,” former President Bill Clinton said this past summer. “Are you fighting? You should be fighting?” Florida is one state that is operating under new election rules this year. Shortly after Gov. Rick Scott rolled back voting rights for ex-felons who had served their sentence, the state’s Republican legislators got to work passing a law that limits early voting, makes the voter registration process a tricky proposition and does not allow voters to update their addresses at the polls. “Our vote is precious,” said the law’s sponsor, Rep. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala), “and we’re going to protect it.” But whose vote did Baxley want to protect? And what precipitated this dramatic shift from the past?

"Our vote is precious, and we're going to protect it."

Alabama has a literal path commemorating the African-American community’s journey in the South towards voting equality. The Selma To Montgomery Voting Rights Trail—designated a U.S. National Historic Trail—memorializes a series of marches in 1965. After African-Americans encountered resistance to their voter registration efforts, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders focused their attention on Selma and nearby areas. On Feb. 18, 1965, marchers at the courthouse in Marion were attacked and one man was shot and killed by an Alabama state trooper. Marches were planned to Montgomery to address the Marion incident and to ask Gov. George Wallace to protect blacks who were registering to vote.

Rep. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala)

010 1

MARCHING TO THE MOUNTAINTOP

Police attack Selma-to-Montgomery Marchers, 1965

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“We do make it easy for people to vote in Florida. But I’ve gotta tell you, I wouldn’t have any problem making it harder.”

““I know that supervisors of elections were involved in helping to make those changes." U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller

Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller / photo by Samantha Crooke

Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) “Despite so many decades of struggle, sacrifices and achievement, we must remain ever vigilant in safeguarding our most basic right,” Holder said. “Too many recent actions have the potential to reverse the progress that defines us—and has made this nation exceptional, as well as an example for all the world.” Such political addresses might make good fodder for Dawn Quarles’ advance placement government class at Pace High School.

THE FRAUD FRAUD

When the phone rang on Halloween, Quarles had no idea who was on the line or what they were talking about. The Associated Press reporter wanted to know if she was aware that the state of Florida considered her in violation of a new election law. “He was calling to see if I knew about that,” Quarles recalled. “And, of course, I did not know.” As part of her job teaching high school students about government, the Pace teacher registers her students to vote. She has done so for years, turning the registration forms in within the 10-day timeline. However, Quarles was unaware of Florida’s new 48-hour turnaround requirement on third party registrars. “It’s not a defense,” she said. “It’s just my excuse.” According to the new law, third party voter registrars must turn registration forms in to an elections office within 48 hours. People found in violation face a $50 per form penalty, or a $1,000 fine. Suddenly, the Pace High School teacher found herself at the center of a voting rights debate. “This has gotten national media attention,” Quarles said. “Colbert’s show came down and did a segment—Soledad O’Brien came down.” The new state elections law of which the government teacher had run afoul started out as HB 1355. Florida legislators signed the bill into law last May, with critics dubbing it the Voter Suppression Act. Legislators—Republican ones—argued that the new law was needed to combat voter fraud. Critics—Democrats, and a couple of renegade Republicans—maintained that it effectively disenfranchises certain voters. February 02, 2012

The new law contains numerous measures, but there are a few big ones that everyone seems to be watching closely. In addition to the 48-hour registration form turnaround for third party registrars, the new law shortens the popular early voting period from two weeks to eight days and does not allow voters to update their address at the poll. The law passed almost entirely along party lines, with Democrats crying foul. The law, they said, was a thinly veiled attempt to minimize the turnout of traditionally leftleaning blocs of voters. “I have to wonder whether the only problem that can be found with our elective process is that maybe some people didn’t like the outcome of our last presidential election,” Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich (D-Weston) said at the time. Republican lawmakers staked out curiously backwards turf in their defense of the new law. They were intent, it seemed, on reading an inside-out version of the Voting Rights Act. “ We do make it ea s y for people to vote in Florida ,” said Sen . Mike B ennet t ( R-Bradenton). “ B ut I ’ve got t a tell you , I wouldn’t have any problem making it harder.” In Northwest Florida, the legislators were on board with HB 1355. They cited fraud as the law’s aim. “My understanding is we were having a lot of signatures that were not legitimate,” said Rep. Clay Ford, adding that he thought the 48-hour limit on third parties might need to be reexamined. “I think four of five days, or a normal work week, is more realistic.” Rep. Clay Ingram disagreed, feeling the time limit is sufficient. “When you’re handling those voter registration forms, it’s almost a sacred duty,” he said. “I think 48 hours is plenty of time.”

When Quarles found herself outside the confines of the new law, she contacted her state senator, Greg Evers. “Of course I called him—first thing,” the teacher said, recalling how the senator told her the law was needed to keep organizations like ACORN—a favorite whipping boy of the GOP during the 2008 presidential campaign—from loading the rolls with worthless registrations. “The law wasn’t really meant to target people like me.” During the debate leading up to HB 1355’s passage, lawmakers were unable to point to specific instances of the voter fraud that they were hoping to prevent. Sen. Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) called them on it. “There’s been no fraud,” she said. “Where are the statistics to back up that allegation?” U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller shied away from discussing the ramifications of the Florida’s new voting law. He painted it as a state issue. “I know that supervisors of elections were involved in helping to make those changes,” Miller told the IN.

“The law wasn’t really meant to target people like me.” Dawn Quarles, Pace High School Teacher

MICKEY MOUSE IN THE STATE HOUSE

State lawmakers did seek input from the supervisors of elections when the legislators began looking to overhaul Florida’s election laws. Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford is head of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections and was in Tallahassee for much of the debate. Looking back on it, Stafford doesn’t remember fraud being a big concern among his fellow officials. Many believed the state already had pretty good rules in place to prevent fraud. “Our state has a good system in place,” Stafford said. “You’re not gonna have the Mickey Mouses and Donald Ducks.”

The chief concern of the elections supervisors was how to expand the locations for early voting, which had been highly successful in the 2008 and 2010 elections. They wanted more flexibility in selecting voting places. In the end, early voting locations were not expanded. Instead, the early voting time period was cut. “I don’t want to try to speculate on the motives of legislators—I think there’s enough out there for people to speculate on,” Stafford said. “Once these decisions are made, and once these legislations are passed, and once the governor signs off, we have to implement it.” While Stafford prefers to steer clear of speculation, there are others who are quite comfortable speculating. Sabu Williams, president of the Okaloosa branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), thinks the Republicans’ fraud-argument is complete hooey. “Oh please, there was more voter fraud in the caucus in Iowa than there was in the state of Florida,” he said. “There is just absolutely no evidence of that ever happening.” Elvin McCorvey, president of the NAACP’s Pensacola branch, doesn’t buy the fraud explanation either. “That’s just a smokescreen,” he said. “I can’t say that for sure but I have my suspicions.” Up in the D.C. offices of the NAACP, Hillary Shelton, its senior vice president of advocacy and policy, is less concerned with the front end than with the back end. “Intents are always difficult, unless you can find a smoking memo,” Shelton said. “But we shouldn’t have to. Look at the effect.” Minorities, students and the elderly— traditionally viewed as Democrats or more progressive independent voters—could be disproportionately inconvenienced by the shortened early voting period, stricter voter registration rules and the inability to update an address on the spot. Some argue that the impact of the new law on these groups isn’t unintentional and that there are no legislative accidents. “People in Tallahassee don’t just sit around and think ‘What can I pass today,’” said Rosemary Hays-Thomas, co-president of the Pensacola Bay Area League of Women Voters. “There is a purpose.” 11

“There are people literally fighting and dying for the right to vote in countries like Syria,and we are finding ways to restrict the right to vote?”

“They’re really quite intimidating and risky." Heather Smith, Rock the Vote President

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)

JAMES CROW, ESQ.

In mid-December, Heather Smith had the music playing loud. “Can you turn that radio down?” Smith yelled to someone near the volume knob, as she picked up the phone. As the president of Rock the Vote, an organization that registers and educates primarily young voters, Smith was busy studying the nation’s electoral landscape. She was particularly fixated on Florida. “It’s a state where we’ve done significant work,” Smith said. But those days are over for now. Rock the Vote has pulled its operations out of the state in the wake of last year’s new election law. “They’re really quite intimidating and risky,” she said, explaining that the 48-hour turnaround requirement for third party registration forms pose a problem for the group. Deirdre Macnab, president of the Florida League of Women Voters, agreed. She called the state’s new rules a “mountain of risk and red tape” and said the measures “effectively regulate third party registration groups out of existence.” That’s why, after more than 70 years, the League is suspending its voter registration efforts in Florida. “Our volunteers simply do not have an attorney on one hand and an administrative assistant on the other hand,” Macnab said.

Heather Smith, president of Rock the Vote Both the League and Rock the Vote, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, have signed on to a lawsuit challenging Florida’s new law. The suit is one of several taking on HB 1355. The federal government has expressed concern as well. On Jan. 27, Democratic U.S. Senators Bill Nelson(D-Florida), and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) held a field hearing in Tampa to get a better handle on Florida’s new law. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights is interested in whether the state’s law is disenfranchising any particular groups of people, thus violating the Voter Rights Act. “There are people literally fighting and dying for the right to vote in countries like Syria,” Durbin said in Tampa, “and we are finding ways to restrict the right to vote?” Nelson called for the subcommittee hearing because he wanted to find out if the new law was a result of “an orchestrated effort to suppress the vote.” “We’re here to examine, among other things, how one of these election laws made its way through the Florida Legislature and was quickly signed by the gover-

nor—despite widespread public outcry,” Nelson said in a statement. In September, Durbin wrote Gov. Scott to express concern about aspects of Florida’s new law. At the beginning of this year, the senator wrote Scott again, inviting the governor to the Tampa hearing. Scott didn’t make the hearing. The

“The Republicans have figured out how to move the needle point a few percentage points in their direction.” Sabu Williams, Okaloosa NAACP President

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

governor has, in fact, shown no interest in backing of f any aspects of the election law. The U.S. Department of Justice may step in. The Voting Rights Act, which was passed during Johnson’s administration, requires that areas that have struggled with voting rights issues in the past must have federal approval prior to changing any election laws. Five Florida counties— Hendry, Collier, Hardee, Hillsborough and Monroe—fall into that category, and will be operating under the state’s old election laws until that approval is received.

Instead of seeking federal approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning opted to have the more controversial measures of the new law put before a three-judge panel. Browning also filed an unsuccessful petition in federal court to have the part of the Voting Rights Act requiring federal approval of election law changes for areas with discriminatory histories thrown out, arguing that section was antiquated and unconstitutional. Browning, who submitted his resignation on Jan. 11, apparently did not get an invitation to the Tampa field hearing. “You know, I’ve heard of the committee,” said Chris Cate, the secretary of state’s communications director. “But we haven’t been invited—it’s rather surprising.” During the hearing, the senators heard from a number of witnesses, most of which painted a portrait of voting rights taking a step backwards in Florida. Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Ann McFall told the committee that disallowing people to change their addresses at the polls—instead requiring them to vote via provisional ballot—will have an impact on college students. Daniel Smith, a Universit y of Florida political science professor, repor ted that in the 20 0 8 general election, African-Americans composed only 13 percent of the total vote, but accounted for 31 percent of the votes cast on the

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“We’re here to examine how one of these election laws made its way through the Florida Legislature and was quickly signed by the governor—despite widespread public outcry.”

BP’S CLAIM PROCESS MAKES HEADLINES

Bill Nelson(D-Florida) Sen. Bill Nelson(D-Florida) Sunday before Election Day; Hispanics saw similar numbers, at 11percent and 2 2 percent respectively. In Northwest Florida, Okaloosa NAACP President Williams said he has already run up against the new law in his voter registration ef forts when he was an hour late turning in registration forms following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday of fice closures. “ The average person would say ‘screw this,’ and I’m using polite words,” Williams said. “If they make the hurdle so high, people just say ‘to heck with it, I won’t jump the hurdle.’” During conversations about the countr y ’s new crop of election laws, the NA ACP ’s Shelton conjured up an illustration. He draws parallels with the South’s Jim Crow days and imagines a polished, modern of fspring—‘James Crow Esq.’ “Again, I hate to be paranoid about it, but, you know, as the saying goes, just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they ’re not out to get me,” Shelton said. “ We use to call it Jim Crow, but now it ’s much more sophisticated, much more high-tech.” Not that Florida’s election laws need to be too sophisticated to tilt an election. In a state that Barack Obama won in 2008 by only 51 percent, it won’t take much. “ Well, Florida’s a state in play, you know that, and any percentage point one way or another—right or lef t, red or blue—has got to be hustled,” said Williams. “ The Republicans have figured out how to move the needle point a few percentage points in their direction.” Republicans, meanwhile, maintain they are safeguarding the democratic process. At Pace High School, Quarles said the new election law is providing her government class with some interesting lessons as they wait to learn if Florida’s new rules are in line with federal law or, perhaps, a darker plot to suppress the vote in the Sunshine State. “Honestly, I have to say,” conceded Quarles, “a Republican-controlled legislature with a Republican governor—it seems a little sketchy.” {in} February 02, 2012

Rep. Mark Pafford (D-West Palm Beach)

SECOND CHANCE?

Although Florida legislators passed HB 1355 last year—dubbed by critics as the Voter Suppression Act— there are currently efforts to reverse the new elections law. In addition to several legal challenges and questions from the federal government concerning the new law’s constitutionality, Florida’s election law is also under attack from lawmakers in Tallahassee. “In my view, there’s something wrong,” said Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, of the new law. “That’s not opening up fair voting.” In an effort to reverse the more controversial measures of 1355—the cutback on early voting, changes in third party registration requirements and rules pertaining to address changes—Prafford has introduced another bill, HB 1189, into the House. In Tallahassee’s other lawmaking body, Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich has introduced SB 516, which also aims to turn back the Florida’s new election law. Prafford isn’t entirely optimistic about the bills’ chances. He’s expecting an uphill battle in the Republicancontrolled bodies. “I’ve got no signal whatsoever that it’ll even get heard,” Prafford said of his bill.

Kenneth Feinberg is not doing his job Now we have all learned,

and our local businesses are not getting adequate compensation. If your business lost money from the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it is time to get legal representation to fight for your rights.

Call (850) 435-7116 or toll free 1-888-435-7001

w w w. l e v inla w.c o m 13

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February 02, 2012

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2 - 9

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 . . .

photo by Daniel Ewert

Pensacola’s non-profit bookstore and Prison Book Project Open Books is hosting a re-opening celebration at their new location on Saturday—1040 N. Guillemard St. openbookspcola.org Opera, sweet treats and the work of photographer Daniel Ewert—that’s what’s on the schedule for February’s Culture Club at PMA. pensacolamuseumofart.org

Looking for a fun place to spend Super Bowl Sunday? Try Play. If you show up between 5 and 6 p.m., you get a free wristband for open bar access during the second half. Plus, they’ve got a hot dog eating contest during halftime and a post-game Madden rematch challenge. iplaypensacola.com

Diplo

Sleigh Bells Diplo and Sleigh Bells are bringing their Paradise Lost Florida Tour to Vinyl Music Hall Monday night and we couldn’t be more excited if we tried. Turn to page 16 for more with Sleigh Bells.

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music

inweekly.net

by Hana Frenette

Bust out the Bells and Whistles The noise-pop band Sleigh Bells formed in Brooklyn in the summer of 2008, thanks to a Brazilian restaurant and a shamelessly proud mother. “I was out with my mom, with whom I’m very close, and Derek was our server,” singer Alexis Krauss said. “My mom wanted to ask him is he was really Brazilian.” When Derek Miller, aka, the other half of the future Sleigh Bells returned, Krauss’s mother popped the question. It turned out that Miller was not Brazilian, but from South Florida. “My mom is from there, too,” said Krauss, “so they started talking about Florida and he told her that he was a musician looking for a female vocalist for this project he was working on.” Krauss’s mother took that cue to point at her daughter and inform him that she was a singer and would be just great for something like that. “Really, mom, did you just say that?” Krauss recalled, laughing. Before Krauss and her mom left the restaurant, she and Miller talked a little bit about what the music project could be, and what it might sound like. “Derek gave me his email and said, ‘If you think I’m full of shit, you don’t have to contact me,’” Krauss said. “I was lying in my bed later thinking, ‘ Where is this gonna go? ’” Krauss did contact Miller. Soon the pair began working on some tracks and demos. At the time, she was working in south Bronx as a fourth-grade teacher in a bilingual classroom as part of the Teach For America program.

Sleigh Bells / courtesy photo

“When I quit the girl band I figured, I would just do some studio singing, where you don’t really have to deal with the bullshit.”

“Derek and I started to record the following year, and I stopped teaching and went back to waiting tables,” Krauss said. “And then our album “Treats” came out in 2010.” Everything was falling into place. Perhaps it was Krauss’s prior musical involvements that gave her some insight.

Alexis Krauss “I was cast into this all-girl band when I was about 12, that was pre-packaged pop stuff,” Krauss said. “It was called Ruby Blue, and you could definitely look up some YouTube dirt on that.”

Krauss stayed in Ruby Blue until she was 16 and decided she was over the record-label assembled girl group. She acted in several commercials, including one for an issue of Nickelodeon Magazine with the “Space Jam” characters on the cover. “My dad is a musician and I’ve grown up being involved with music,” Krauss said. “ When I quit the girl band I figured, I would just do some studio singing, where you don’t really have to deal with the bullshit.” Krauss and Miller are currently finishing up their latest album, “Reign of Terror,” which will be released on Feb 21. Before its release, they are embarking on a Floridaonly tour with Diplo. “The tour was conceptualized by Derek and Diplo when they were out having some drinks, and just talking,” Krauss said. “And then it just turned into a real thing. Plus, with a state as big as Florida, a lot of smaller cities get missed.” Pensacola is often one of those cities, but not this time. {in}

DIPLO AND SLEIGH BELLS

WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 6 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox COST: $23-$27 INFO: vinylmusichall.com Diplo / courtesy photo

February 02, 2012

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

Born to Run

FRIDAY 2.3

Theatre West's "The Diaries of Adam and Eve"

THURSDAY 2.2

JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd, Bldg. 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu. ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php. WOVEN & WRAPPED: KIMONOS, CLOTHING AND CULTURE OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPAN 10 a.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘56th ANNUAL YOUTH ART FOCUS’ 10 a.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. Artel Gallery. 223 S. Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org. ‘WELCOME TO MARGARITAVILLE’ MARGARITA TASTING 2 p.m. Margaritaville Beach Hotel, 165 Fort Pickens Rd., Pensacola Beach. 916-9755 or margaritavillehotel.com. CULTURE CLUB W/ DANIEL EWERT AND PENSACOLA OPERA 5 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. Ninth Ave. 433-9463 or aragonwinemarket.com. ROBIN RESHARD LECTURE 5:30 p.m. Gulf Coast Community Bank, 40 N. Palafox. themakingofaneighborhood.com. HERB CLASS AT EVER’MAN 6 p.m. $2 for non-members. Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St. 438-0402 or everman.org. VEGAN DINNER AT EOTL 6 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 429-0336 or eotlcafe.com. PHINEAS PHOGGETTES 10 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

live music

HOME GROWN NIGHT 5 p.m. Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com. THE DAVENPORTS 6 p.m. The Leisure Club, 126 S. Palafox. 912-4229 or tlcdowntown.com. COMMON THREAD 6 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com. LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 6 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com. KARAOKE WITH BECKY 7:30 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com. 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. JON COWART 9 p.m. Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.

JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd, Bldg. 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu. ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php. WOVEN & WRAPPED: KIMONOS, CLOTHING AND CULTURE OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPAN 10 a.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘56th ANNUAL YOUTH ART FOCUS’ 10 a.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. Artel Gallery. 223 S. Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org. 55TH ANNUAL ANTIQUES SHOW AND SALE 10 a.m. $5-$7. Currin Center at Christ Church, 14 W. Wright St. 432-5115 or christ-church.net. WINE TASTING AT DK 4:30 p.m. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox. 438-4688 or dk4u.com. WINE TASTING AT SEVILLE QUARTER 5 p.m. Palace Café at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. WINE TASTING AT CITY GROCERY 5:15 p.m. City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. 469-8100. WINE TASTING AT EAST HILL MARKET 5:30 p.m. 1216 N. Ninth Ave. TAPAS NIGHT 6 p.m. OASIS Community Center, 317 N. Spring St. 429-7551 or OASISCommUNITYCenter on Facebook. ‘FREEDOM DANCE’ PRESENTED BY BALLET PENSACOL A 7 p.m. $18 . Pensacola Cultural Center, 4 0 0 S . Jef ferson St. 432-204 2 or balletpensacola .com. ‘THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE’ 7:30 p.m. $15. Theatre West, 9732 Sidney Rd. 912-4087 or sanctuarytheatrewest.com. SWING DANCING 8:30 p.m. American Legion, 1401 Intendencia St. $5 . 437-5 465 or pensacolaswing.com. PHINEAS PHOGGETTES 10 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

live music

CONNIE SMITH 7 p.m. Chumuckla’s Farmers’ Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Rd., Pace. 994-9219 or farmersopry.com. KARAOKE WITH BECKY 7:30 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com. JEREMY GIBSON 7:30 p.m. 600 South Atrium, 600 S. Palafox. 432-5254 or 600southpalafox.com. DESTIN ATKINSON 8 p.m. The Leisure Club, 126 S. Palafox. 912-4229 or tlcdowntown.com. 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. HOLLY SHELTON AND DAVID SHELANDER 8 p.m. Ragtyme Grille, 201 S. Jefferson St. 4299655 or ragtyme.net. SCHOFIELD 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. TRUNK MONKEY 9 p.m. LiliMarlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. JAMES ADKINS 9:30 p.m. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com.

By Jennie McKeon

are elements of soul, funk, blues, pop and After the three-mile bridge is cleared rhythm and blues.” of runners, after the prizes have been This will be Mingo Fishtrap’s first given away, the excitement from the show in Pensacola. Exploring new cities is Double Bridge Run doesn’t end. one of Blevin’s favorite parts of his job. Mingo Fishtrap will be playing a free “We love coming in to new markets concert at Seville Quarter at 7 p.m. for the first time, meeting new folks, “Mingo’s show is a high energy affair, finding the best foodie joints and all that,” and I think it’ll be a good way to cap off Blevins said. “I love that part of the job.” the race day events,” said Roger Blevins, It doesn’t matter if you run, walk or Jr., founder, lead singer and guitarist of just cheer on a friend as they cross the Mingo Fishtrap. “We’re all about audifinish line. The Double Bridge Run is ence participation and positivity, and exciting for anyone and Mingo Fishtrap is I think that falls into line with what the a great ending to the day. Pensacola Sports Association has going “We’re gonna have a party up there,” on with the Double Bridge Run.” Blevins said. “We love what we do and The band originated in Denton, want to bring people inside of that – really Texas, as did the strange band name. have them be a part of our little world for “The name comes from an intera couple of hours.” {in} section of two roads in Denton, where several of us were going to school at University of North Texas College of Music,” said Blevins. “—just a bizarre crossroads outside of town WHEN: 15K race begins at 7 a.m. 5K run/walk on the Union Pacific line.” race begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 Mingo Fishtrap is influWHERE: 15K begins at 997 S. Palafox St.; 5K enced by the music heard on at 10 Daniel Drive, Gulf Breeze. Both end at the streets of New Orleans, the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk parking lot. in studios of Motown, Chess, DETAILS: doublebridgerun.com Stax, and Muscle Shoals and by music icon James Brown. As with any good band, it’s hard to WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 pinpoint them in one category. WHERE: Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. “I just call it soul music,” COST: Free Blevins said. “Somebody DETAILS: sevillequarter.com called us Americana recently,

DOUBLE BRIDGE RUN

MINGO FISHTRAP

and I guess there’s some reasoning to that. I guess there

Mingo Fishtrap

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happenings PIRATES OF LOST TREASURE MARDI GRAS BALL 6 p.m. $40-$75, reservations required. St. Anne’s Family Life Center, 5200 Saufley Field Rd. 217-4678. ‘THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE’ 7:30 p.m. $15. Theatre West, 9732 Sidney Rd. 912-4087 or sanctuarytheatrewest.com. PHINEAS PHOGGETTES 10 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

live music

‘Freedom Dance’ Presented by Ballet Pensacola

SATURDAY 2.4

PALAFOX MARKET 8 a.m. through Apr 30. Martin Luther King Plaza on N. Palafox St. between Chase and Garden streets. palafoxmarket.com. ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php. 55TH ANNUAL ANTIQUES SHOW AND SALE 10 a.m. $5-$7. Currin Center at Christ Church, 14 W. Wright St. 432-5115 or christ-church.net. ‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. Artel Gallery. 223 S. Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org. WOVEN & WRAPPED: KIMONOS, CLOTHING AND CULTURE OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPAN 12 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘56th ANNUAL YOUTH ART FOCUS’ 12 p.m.Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘FREEDOM DANCE’ PRESENTED BY BALLET PENSACOLA 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. $18. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-2042 or balletpensacola.com. WINE TASTING AT WINE WORLD 2 p.m. $5 goes toward rebate on featured wines. Wine Bar, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 10 0. 476-3830 or chanswineworld.com.

MINGO FISHTRAP 7 p.m. Seville Party Plaza, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. SAWMILL BAND 7 p.m. Chumuckla’s Farmers’ Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Rd., Pace. 994-9219 or farmersopry.com. KRAZY GEORGE KARAOKE 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. 4691001 or hubstaceys.com. KARAOKE WITH MARK ESKEW 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s at the Point, 5851 Galvez Rd. 497-0071 or hubstaceys.com. JOE OCCHIPINTI’S BIG BAND 7p.m. 600 South Atrium, 600 S. Palafox. 432-5254 or 600southpalafox.com. DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. MICHAEL LOCKWOOD BAND 8 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com. DJ MR LAO 8 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. SCHOFIELD 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. TRUNK MONKEY 9 p.m. LiliMarlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. KNEE DEEP BAND 9:30 p.m. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com.

SUNDAY 2.5

‘THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE’ 2 p.m. $15. Theatre West, 9732 Sidney Rd. 912-4087 or sanctuarytheatrewest.com. SUPER BOWL SUNDAY 4 p.m. $35. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

live music

HOLLY SHELTON AND DAVID SHELLANDER 11 a.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1144 Airport Blvd. 479-8900 or hiltongardeninnpensacola.com. 55TH ANNUAL ANTIQUES SHOW AND SALE

Super Bowl XLVI Round Up You don't have to be a fan of the Patriots or Giants to get in on the fun of Super Bowl Sunday. In fact, you'll probably have more fun if you aren't stressing out about the game. Here's a round up of the best parties around town where you can watch the game or just pretend to watch while drinking and trash talking Tom Brady (which is exactly what we'll be doing).

SUPER SENSATIONAL SUPER BOWL PARTY AT SEVILLE

Once again, Seville Quarter is hosting the ultimate Super Bowl Watch Party. Game day tickets are $35 each, and that gets you open bar during the game (beer, wine, well spirits) and food from a super Super Bowl tailgate buffet. They'll also have Super Bowl Trivia and giveaways. Pre-game party kicks off at 4 p.m. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

12 p.m. $5-$7. Currin Center at Christ Church, 14 W. Wright St. 432-5115 or christ-church.net. RONNIE LEVINE 12 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 677-

MA, CHT

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The Break is celebrating Super Bowl XLVI with a badass tailgate party. Come early and enjoy free beer from 4 p.m. until kick-off. They'll also have $2 shot specials, $1 drafts during the game, a free cookout and Super Bowl giveaways. The Break, 65 Via Deluna Drive, Pensacola Beach. 932-0864.

There's a lot going on at Play on Super Bowl Sunday, so even if you aren't that excited about the actual game you can still probably manage to have fun. One highlight is a Three Olives Vodka Open Bar during the second half of the game if you show up in time to get a wristband (between 5-6 p.m.). If vodka isn't your thing, they've got $1 draft beer during the game, like always. During half time, they've got Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Over $300 cash and other prizes are up for grabs if you feel like eating. Post-game,

CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS, CHANGE YOUR

Jim Sanborn

SUPER BOWL XLVI KICK OFF PARTY AT THE BREAK

SUPER BOWL BONANZA AT PLAY

HYPNOSIS.

A LUMINOUS LIFE HYPNOTHERAPY

stay around for a Madden Super Bowl Rematch Tournament on the big projector. Play, 16 S . Palafox, 4 66-30 80 or iplaypensacola .com .

February 02, 2012

happenings ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php. WOVEN & WRAPPED: KIMONOS, CLOTHING AND CULTURE OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPAN 10 a.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘56th ANNUAL YOUTH ART FOCUS’ 10 a.m.Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. Artel Gallery. 223 S. Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org. HALF-PRICE SUSHI 5 p.m. Atlas, 600 S. Barracks St. 437-1961 or atlas.goodgrits.com. PRIME TIME TUESDAYS 5:30 p.m. Jackson’s, 400 S. Palafox, 469-9898 or jacksons.goodgrits.com. YOGA WITH BECKIE SATHRE 6 p.m. $2 for non-members. Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St. 438-0402 or everman.org. TOSH TUESDAY 8 p.m. LiliMarlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

live music

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith "Sky People" 2011 BROOKS HUBBERT III 9 p.m. End O’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 4346211 or sevillequarter.com.

MONDAY 2.6

JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd, Bldg 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu. ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php. BURGERS & BEER NIGHT AT SURF BURGER 6 p.m. Surf Burger, 500 Quietwater Beach Rd., Pensacola Beach. 932-1417 or thesurfburger.com. GAMER’S NIGHT 8 p.m. Fast Eddie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 6 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse. goodgrits.com. TUESDAY JAM NIGHT 8 p.m. LiliMarlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. MIKE QUINN 9 p.m. End O’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. KARAOKE WITH GEORGE 9 p.m. Play, 16 S. Palafox, Suite 200. 466-3080 or iplaypensacola.com.

live music

OPEN MIC WITH CATHY PACE 6 p.m. Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 4920611 or florabama.com. JAZZ JAM SESSION 6 p.m. The Unique Café, 51 Gulf Breeze Pkwy., Gulf Breeze. 433-8382 or jazzpensacola.com. LIVIN’ THE DREAM 9 p.m. End O’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. MUSICIANS’ ALLIANCE 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

Wednesdays

Gent’s Night $3 Wine & Margaritas $2 Well & Longnecks & Sirloin Steak Dinner Special Entertainment 1/11 Tim Spencer 6 pm til

Thursday

Ladies Night $3 Wine $2 Well & Longneck Music @ 5 by Hog Van Dog

Live Music

Fridays: Vocalist Michelle West 1/7 & 1/21: Al Martin & Holly Shelton 1/14 & 1/28: Al Martin & Tara Leigh

Sunday Brunch

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Woven and Wrapped:

Kimonos, Clothing and Culture of Early 20th Century Japan Through February 11, 2012

PMA Lecture Series

Thursday, February 9, 6 p.m.

Dr. Suzette Doyon and Shigeko Honda from the University of West Florida Assembly Room, PMA

Lectures are free and open to the public.

Adult Art Workshop

Paste Paper with Larry Lou Foster February 10, 10 a.m.

Preschool Story Art

Friday, February 3, 10 a.m. Call 850.432.6247 to register.

TUESDAY 2.7

JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd, Bldg 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu.

Rescued, Recycled, Refinished & Previously Loved Furniture and Goods of All Kinds

407 S. Jefferson Street

850.432.6247 - www.pensacolamuseumofart.org Jaune Quick-to-See Smith "Earth People" 2011

Art, Culture and Entertainment

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happenings St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. Artel Gallery. 223 S. Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org. LADIES’ NIGHT 5 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003, fishhouse.goodgrits.com. WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS 5:30 p.m. Halfoff bottles of wine. Jackson’s 400 S. Palafox, 469-9898 or jacksons.goodgrits.com. WEST AFRICAN DRUMMING CLASSES 6 p.m. $5 general admission, $2 for students. Gull Point Community Center, 7000 Spanish Trail. For more information call 291-2718 or visit hurreyupstageandfilmworks.com. SURF MOVIE NIGHT AT SURF BURGER 7 p.m. Surf Burger, 500 Quietwater Beach Rd., Pensacola Beach. 932-1417 or thesurfburger.com.

live music

Pensacola Museum of Art's '56th Annual Youth Art Focus' / photo by Samantha Crooke KARAOKE AT PADDY O’LEARY’S 9 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via de Luna Drive. 9169808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

WEDNESDAY 2.8

JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8

a.m. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd, Bldg 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu. ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php.

WOVEN & WRAPPED: KIMONOS, CLOTHING AND CULTURE OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPAN 10 a.m. Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org. ‘56th ANNUAL YOUTH ART FOCUS’ 10 a.m.Pensacola Museum of Art. 407 S. Jefferson

PADDY’S OPEN MIC NIGHT 7 p.m. Paddy O’Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via de Luna, Pensacola Beach. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. OPEN MIC NIGHT 7 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 429-0336 or eotlcafe.com. DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. SKYLINE KINGS 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 932-2211 or sandshaker.com. MIKE QUINN 9 p.m. End O’ the Alley at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

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February 02, 2012

happenings

February has been established as Black History month. Pensacola has a rich African-American culture and heritage. Here are a few of the local festivals, events and art exhibits that celebrate our diversity:

Saturday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m.

WEST FLORIDA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY The society presents a program on researching African-American genealogy. John Veasley will have a table display of his own family research efforts. Jerry Merritt will give a 45-minute Power Point presentation on the similarities and differences in African-American and European genealogy and examples of successful family histories completed by local volunteers. Asbury Place, 5725 N. 9th Ave., 432-7072

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

"PRAYING GRANDMOTHERS" Grandmothers have a special line of communication with the Lord. This play is about grandmothers who prayed for their grandchildren and served as major influences in their lives. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, $31. 595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.

TYLER PERRY’S “THE HAVE AND THE HAVE NOTS” This funny and equally poignant stage play follows the life of a wealthy family who have everything they need and most of what they want. When the poverty stricken maid is forced to ask for help, the family gets a chance to see how the other half lives. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 East Gregory St., $42.50. Tickets available at the Pensacola Civic Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Friday, Feb. 10, 8 p.m.

FIRST ANNUAL PENSACOLA BLUES FESTIVAL The concert brings together some of the biggest legends in blues history, on one stage, for one night only! The all-star line-up includes Mel Waiters, Ms. Jody, Clarence Carter and other well-known artists. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 East Gregory St., $48, $40 and $32. Tickets available at the Pensacola Civic Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Black History Events

Saturday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PENSACOLA BLACK HISTORY ARTS FESTIVAL Art lovers will enjoy viewing the award winning art pieces created by Escambia County elementary, middle and high school students, as well as art and handicrafts by area artists. Also, music and dance by local performers will fill the air throughout the day, making it a fun, festive environment for festival goers of all ages. Belmont/DeVilliers District, for more information call 554-8541.

Saturday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m.

NAACP/ MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY COMPETITION SHOWCASE High school seniors compete for scholarship prizes. The essays are compelling, inspirational and dynamic. This year's theme is "Never Forget the Dream, It Starts with God, Change Has Come." Pensacola State College, Hagler Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd., 434-7841 or 484-1759.

Friday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m.

Livesic! Mu

THE PJC AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM & DR. GARRETT T. WIGGINS "LIVE YOUR DREAM" SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET In the late 1990s, the African-American Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established to honor deceased African-American PJC employees. In 2005, the Dr. Garrett T. Wiggins Student Affairs Complex on the Pensacola campus was dedicated in honor of the visionary educator, and the Dr. Garret T. Wiggins "Live Your Dream" Scholarship for minority students was established. Wiggins served as President of Booker T. Washington Junior College, and in 1965 joined the PJC administration as director of research when the two colleges merged. The banquet’s guest speaker is Rhodes Scholar and elite athlete Garrett Johnson. To attend the banquet, call 484-1759.

Fri. Feb. 3rd

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Valentine’s Day LUNCH SPECIAL 11 A.M. UNTIL 5 P.M.

Herb-crusted grouper over roasted butternut squash and shiitake mushrooms ﬁnished with arugula purée and crème fraîche DINNER SPECIAL 5 P.M.

White trufﬂe and lobster mac and cheese, grilled lobster tail topped with sauce béarnaise, and a warm lobster and ﬁngerling potato salad with fresh herbs In addition, we will be serving from our lunch and dinner menus

www.goodgrits.com FISH HOUSE: (850) 470-0003, O PE N DA ILY AT 11 A.M. · ATLA S OY S TE R H O U S E: (850) 437-1961, O P E N M O N.– S AT. 5 P.M., S U N. 11 A.M. · 600 S. BARRAC K S S T. · C REDIT CARDS OK

February 02, 2012

art

by Jennie McKeon / photos by Samantha Crooke

Artel Returns to Black and White “If you show me a pencil drawing of a tiger, that’s not going to push things,” he says. “Show me something new–something that challenges the idea of black-and-white. The primary purpose is to show how you demanded the use of materials.” Stewart isn’t only an artist, he has taught art for the past 35 years at University of West Florida. Although he

“Come out and expect to see things in a new way." Artists don’t usually see the world in black and white, but they did for the latest exhibit at Artel. Back by popular demand, Artel Gallery presents “Return to Black and White.” The art on display contains only black, white and shades of gray. Even frames stick to the guidelines. Duncan Stewart had the difficult task of jurying the show, having to chose 25 works to display out of 140 pieces submitted. “There was a lot of photography,” Stewart says. “The works I chose tended to be more challenging.” Just one look at the old, bright yellow house Stewart uses as a studio and it’s clear that he is a man not afraid of color. Yet, he is still excited about the idea of stripping the privilege of color away. “Color can be seductive, dramatic–you can rely on it,” Stewart says. “Black and white cuts things down to the basics. It hasn’t got much to hide behind.” Before Stewart even saw the works to jury, he knew what he wanted in the exhibit. Artel’s motto is “Art with an Edge” and Stewart sought art that lived up to it.

Duncan Stewart retired in 2004, he continues to teach art history via online classes for UWF and Pensacola State College—“education in your pajamas or, at least, grading education in your pajamas.” His teaching experience of grading and judging his students’ works has made serving as a juror almost like second nature. “It’s actually amazingly easy,” Stewart said. “As a teacher I was always making judgments based on challenging the students. You know immediately which ones aren’t going to fit. The tough part is the middle ones.” Stewart has been an artist for 45 years– and still creating art. Is it better to judge than to be judged? “I’ve been in hundreds of shows over the years,” Stewart said. “My personal stance is at the age of 71, I make stuff because I want people to look at it. I could care less what people might think of it.”

“Black and white cuts things down to the basics. It hasn’t got much to hide behind.” Stewart

As for the exhibit itself, “Return to Black and White,” is an eclectic mix of photography, oil and acrylic paintings, pottery, assemblage and mixed media. There isn’t, however, any videos. “When I was in school there was painting, drawing and printmaking,” Stewart said. “Now, so much art is video and computer generated. I prefer work that’s not ephemeral.” The Best of Show honor went to Sheila Courtney for her mixed media piece titled “Gaudi Visits Fort Pickens.” First place went to Dani Martire, second place to Karen Valdés Best of Show: “Gaudi Visits Fort Pickens” by Sheila Courtney and third place to Rick Otoupalik. The edgiest award went to Ralph Thomas and honorable mentions went to: Stephanie R. Cassano, Kathleen McClintock, Luke Vest, Jean Harris and Carol McCreary. The opening reception for the exhibit will be Friday, Feb. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. Whether you come out for the reception or stop while you run errands downtown, take some time to look at local art that goes beyond beach and lighthouse paintings. “Come out and expect to see things in a new way,” Stewart said. “I hope the exhibit raises some questions about what art should be–maybe you’ll see something out of context that says ‘this is art’ and it will make you want to find out more about the artist and the medium being used. Keep your mind open.” {in}

RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE

WHEN: Reception is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3 WHERE: 223 S. Palafox DETAILS: artelgallery.org

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February 11 at 8pm Saenger Theatre

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Starring Debbie Gravitte & Stephen Buntrock Peter Rubardt, Conductor

Featuring selections from Chicago Phantom of the Opera Cats Wicked and more!

Call Now for Tickets! 850.435.2533 www.PensacolaSymphony.com Ticket Prices Start at $20

Like Mother, Like Son January 3 - February 24, 2012 at Gallery 88 Reception: Thursday, February 2, 5-7 p.m.

Kathi Gordon and her son “Smokey” Joe Waitsman are each well known in Pensacola and beyond — Kathi for her beautiful, textural, jewelry and Smokey Joe for his hand carved bone adornments. We invite you to enjoy the juxtaposition of the exceptional design and craftsmanship of mother and son. For more information visit wuwf.org.

For more information about WUWF please visit wuwf.org.

news of the weird

by Chuck Shepherd

YOUR GOVERNMENT KNOWS BEST: A 2007 federal energy- independence law required companies that supply motor fuel in the U.S. to blend in a certain cellulose-based ingredient starting in 2011—even though (as the Environmental Protection Agency well knows) the ingredient simply does not now exist. A New York Times reporter checked with the EPA in January and found that the companies will still have to pay the monetary penalties for noncompliance (and almost certainly the even-stiffer penalties for 2012, since the ingredient is still two or three years from development). “It belies logic,” said a petrochemicals trade association executive.

• Just two weeks before the January worldwide Internet protest against proposed copyright-protection legislation, the Missionary Church of Kopimism in Sweden announced that it had been granted official government status as a religion (one of 22 so recognized), even though its entire reason for being is to celebrate the right to share files of information—in any form, but especially on the Internet. Swedish law makes such religious recognition easy, requiring only “a belief system with rituals.” The Kopimism website demonizes “copyright believers” who “derive their power by limiting people’s lives and freedom.”

CULTURAL DIVERSITY Two dozen religious leaders in India’s Karnataka state are, as usual, protesting the annual, centuries-old Hindu ritual in which lower-caste people roll around in food leftovers of upper-caste people. “Hundreds” performed the exercise at temples, according to a January Times of India report, believing that contact with sophisticates’ food will alleviate pernicious skin conditions. • Far away from Karnataka, in the urban center of Calcutta, India, engineers are trying to save the historic Howrah Bridge from collapsing due to corrosion from spit. A halfmillion pedestrians (aside from the frenzied vehicle traffic) use the bridge every day and frequently spit their guthka and paan (halfchewed betel leaf and areca nut and slaked lime) onto the steel hangers that hold up the bridge—thus reducing the hanger bases by 50 percent in just the last three years. (Engineers’ immediate remedies: cover the bases in washable fiberglass and conduct an education campaign in which “gods” implore pedestrians to hold their saliva until they’ve crossed the bridge.)

OOPS! (1) In December in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan, a group of luxury car enthusiasts gathered and began a caravan to nearby Hiroshima, but one of the drivers, changing lanes, hit a median barrier and spun across the highway, resulting in a chainreaction pileup involving 14 cars, including eight red Ferraris, a Lamborghini and two Mercedes-Benz. Drivers suffered only cuts and bruises, but “some” of the vehicles were reported “beyond repair.” (2) David Dopp of Santaquin, Utah, won a fundraising raffle sponsored by the non-profit organization “teamgive” in November -- a Lamborghini Murcielago, valued at about $380,000. He picked up his prize on Dec. 17, but six hours later, he spun out of control, knocked over several fence posts, and disabled the Murcielago’s front end.

LATEST RELIGIOUS MESSAGES The U.S. Air Force Academy last year installed an $80,000 rock garden/fire pit on its campus for use by several “Earth-based” religions (pagans, Wiccans, druids, witches and various Native American faiths). For the current year, only three of the 4,300 cadets have identified themselves in that group, but the academy is sensitive to the issue after a 2005 lawsuit accused administrators and cadets of allowing too-aggressive proselytizing on behalf of Christian religions. For the record, the academy currently has 11 Muslim cadets, 16 Buddhists, 10 Hindus and 43 self-described atheists. • In separate incidents during one week in December in Polk County, Fla., four church pastors were arrested and charged with sexrelated crimes involving children, including Arnold Mathis, 40, at the time working for the Saint City Power and Praise Ministry in Winter Haven, but who has moved on to the Higher Praise Ministries in Lake Wales and who was allowed to work for the church despite a sex-crime rap sheet.

CHUTZPAH! Logan Alexander, 63, a school security guard in Trenton, N.J., who was fired after pleading guilty in 2007 to twice inappropriately touching students, was later sued by a third girl for similar behavior but settled that lawsuit in 2010 by agreeing to pay the girl $12,500. Recently, according to a December report in the Trenton Times, Alexander filed a lawsuit against the Trenton Board of Education, demanding that the board pay the $12,500 to the girl because, after all, Alexander was “on duty” when he committed the inappropriate touching. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS In Bennington, Vt., in December, Adam Hall, 34, was accused of vandalizing his ex-girlfriend’s car, including scratching the word “slut” into the hood (except that the word was spelled s-u-l-t). Hall initially denied any involvement until an officer handed him a sheet of paper and asked him to write the sentence, “You are a slut.” Sure enough, Hall spelled slut “sult” and was promptly charged with malicious mischief. {in}

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

February 02, 2012

the local

by Edwin Banacia

I’m No Expert on Crime assume that no one cares and no one is in Is it just me or lately has crime become a charge. Soon, more windows will be broken and serious problem in Pensacola? Of course, the sense of anarchy will spread from building I’m too lazy to look up the statistics to see if my to building to the street which it faces, sendobservation is indeed true. But, then again, I’m ing a signal to all that anything goes. In a city, not a reporter and this is a so-called opinion relatively minor problems like graffiti, public piece. In other words, since it is just my opindisorder and aggressive panhandling, they ion, this is the equivalent of saying, “With all write, are all the equivalent of broken windows, due respect,” right before I insult someone. So invitations to more serious crimes. in advance, if I’m indeed wrong, I apologize and So what did New York City do? Without the next time, I promise to write about my new going into all the details, in 1984 every single Golden Retriever puppy. subway car was smelly, dirty, covered with grafAt first glance, I just assume as the economy goes, the crime rate goes. But, the fact fiti with no heating or air. The city purchased new subway cars but knew if put on the line, is, the economy really isn’t in much worse shape the same thing would happen. The graffiti this year as it was a few years ago. Then, I reartists would come in at night and paint the called a book I read some time ago. I went back and read a few chapters again. Specifically, “The trains white. The next night they’d come back and outline their sketch. The following night, Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell, is a marthey’d come back and color in their murals. On keting book about social epidemics, but there’s the third night, right after they colored it in, a great chapter in there about the Power of the transit workers would come out with paint Context. It discussed a dramatic, sharp decline and cover over their murals right in view of the in the crime rate in New York City during the exhausted graffiti artists. The message? Spend early 1990s. Using the principles of the book, it three days of your time working on this and in explains the decline. If you were to look at the ten minutes, we’ll cover it. The graffiti artists crime rate on a chart, it would almost be a vertimoved on to other areas. New trains were put cal decline. Usually, crime rates decline over into service and kept clean. Meanwhile, the potime. The book investigates several theories in lice focused on fare beaters. They stopped the an effort to explain the sensational decline. panhandling on the line. In other words, they Gladwell includes an excerpt from the autobiography of William Bratton, the former fixed the broken windows. By 1990, crime had dropped throughout the city dramatically. chief of the New York City Transit Police. It Gladwell explains that this is a great describes what it was like riding a New York example of the Power of Context. The New City subway in 1984. The experience was York City Transit Police changed the context disclosed as such: of the situation. “After waiting in a seemingly endless line Now I’m sure some of you would point to to buy a token, I tried to put a coin into a turnsocial inequalities like poverty and long embedstile and found it had been purposely jammed. ded psychological problems when it comes to Unable to pay the fare to get into the system, the behavior of criminals, and I wouldn’t argue we had to enter through a slam gate being held with you. All of those things need to be adopen by a scruffy-looking character with his dressed. But, these examples, Broken Window hand out; having disabled the turnstiles, he and Power of Context theories, suggest somewas now demanding that riders give him their thing else. They allude that the criminal doesn’t tokens. Meanwhile, one of his cohorts had necessarily act out of fundamental, congenihis mouth on the coin slots, sucking out the tal reasons, but is actually someone who is jammed coins and leaving his slobber. Most responding to his environment. This person is people were too intimidated to take these guys extremely sensitive to cues, per se, based on his on: ‘Here take the damned token, what I care?’ perception of the physical world around him. In Other citizens were going over, under, around other words, this behavior is more a function of or through the stiles for free. It was like going social context. It doesn’t discount completely into the transit version of Dante’s Inferno.” that social factors play a role in crime, but the But by the end of the decade, crime Power of Context is saying that what can really had dropped by over 75 percent in New make a difference are the small things. York. So, what happened in 1990? Gladwell It is a radical idea. So I started to think explains, “Did all the criminals just decide to about Pensacola. Where do the majority of stop their lives of crime? Did the whole city the violent crimes in our beloved city happen? get a population transplant? How did tens I wonder how many broken windows are in of thousands of people all of a sudden stop those neighborhoods. {in} committing crimes? The answer lies in the Power of Context.” Criminologists Wilson and Kelling developed a theory called About "The Local": Ed is a local bar owner, local Broken Windows. It goes like this: bar patron and former music industry executive. If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will Are you a local with a story to tell? If so, email your story to joani@inweekly.net & she might be in contact (if it's good enough to get her attention).

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CONGRATS PYP RISING STARS PYP congratulates our members who were recognized as 2012 Rising Stars: Buffy Barrineau Bailey, Bryan Ball, Deborah Brosseau, Matthew Bush, Tristan Harper, Robin Larrieu, Jennifer Allen McFarren, Mambwe Mutanuka, Matthew Newcomer, Justin Spence, Chad Stacy, Jonathan Thompson, and Jenna Vallimont.

CHICK-FIL-A LEADERCAST

HAVE A BALL WITH PYP! Grab your best Masquerade outfit and show your support for our organizations by joining us on Saturday, February 4th at the Museum of Commerce in Downtown Pensacola. We will have food from restaurants including Fish House, Varona’s, Classic City Catering, Buffalo Wild Wings and Mellow Mushroom. We will also have live entertainment and a silent auction. Fish House will be providing complimentary beer and wine for the first two-hours and a cash bar for the remainder of the evening. Buy your tickets on our website today! Regular Sale: $45 single / $75 couple At the Door: $50 single / $80 couple

INTERNSHIP PENSACOLA LOOKING FOR PARTNERS PYP is gearing up for its yearly Internship Pensacola program and is looking for local businesses who would like to partner with us. Internship Pensacola is a great program and has been a huge success for PYP! It does a great job of both finding talented young people for our local companies and encouraging our area’s college-age students that the Pensacola Bay Area does indeed have the jobs that they are seeking. If your business has always wanted to find some great interns, or if you have had interns in the past and would like to know what PYP’s program has to offer, you can visit our website at www.internshippensacola.com and you can contact Jonathan Thompson at administration@internshippensacola.com.

Are you reader to develop your leadership voice? PYP, through our program the Pensacola Professional Development Institute (PPDI), is pleased to announce that we have partnered with Hillcrest Baptist Church & Gulf Power to present the 2012 Chick-fil-a Leadercast! This year’s speakers include: Soledad O’Brien, Tim Tebow, and Patrick Lencioni to name a few. Early bird rates are $59 now through April 6th and you can purchase tickets on our website on the PPDI page.

PYP EVENT CALENDAR February 4 1st Annual PYP Charity Ball for MANNA Food Bank Museum of Commerce 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. February 9 Membership & Networking Meeting Helen Back Again 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. February 13 PPDI Meeting Happy Pig 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. February 13 PYP Board of Directors Meeting Offices of Rodney Rich & Co. 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. February 23 Pub Club Cavu Club 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

For more information on Pensacola Young Professionals or to join please see our website Pensacolayp.com or contact Director Rachael Gillette (850) 332-7820 Pensacola Young Professionals 41 N. Jefferson St. Ste 108 Pensacola FL 32501 HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH 800 EAST NINE MILE ROAD PENSACOLA FL 32514 P: 850.476.2233 F: 850.477.9858 hillcrestchurch.com

WWW.PENSACOLAYP.COM

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February 02, 2012

my pensacola Melody Walker

Day Job: Hairstylist and Colorist at Izzo Cutter & Company. Pensacola Resident Since: 1992

Good Eats:

My favorite morning coffee and food adventure is right next door to my job, Maximilian Coffee. They have a great selection of coffees, pastries, bagels, and much more. My favorite it the Mexican Mocha and Asiago Cheese Bagel with Pico cream cheese. For lunch, some of my favorites are Cactus Flower Cafe and City Grocery (their Bourbon Street Melt is the bomb). Now for dinner there is one place that is a big favorite for me and my closest friends, Sake Cafe. I love this place, not only because the sushi and hibachi are amazing, but the friendly and welcoming atmosphere is better than any other place I have been. You will not only leave full off of a great dish, but also full of sake, that’s if the owner Wayan has anything to do with it.

Retail Therapy:

My favorite things to shop for are accessories, clothes, and things for my home. I primarily shop at Target, Ross, T.J. Maxx, and World Market. Dillard’s, Charlotte Russe, and Aldo are my favorite places to shop for accessories. I like to mix and match different brands and styles. Also, if I’m ever on an extreme budget, I’ll check out the local thrift stores, Super Thrift on 9th Avenue is my favorite.

Nightlife:

Downtown has really come a long way over the past couple of years. A few of the places I go are: Play, the jukebox is great and so are the many selections of games. Intermission, not only is it smoke free now, but they always have a great atmosphere and you always get your money’s worth when it comes to the drinks.

I always finish my night off at Seville, with them having the best DJ in the area DJ Albert Lao – you can’t help but dance until your feet hurt.

Watering Holes:

The Azalea Lounge, Wisteria Tavern, and The Elbow Room. The Elbow room has a great selection of beer, food, games, and their lighting makes me feel like I’m in a Quentin Tarantino movie.

Outdoors:

Most of my outdoor activities are with my 7-year-old daughter, Raquel. We love to go to Bayview Park, Gulf Breeze Zoo, and many of the different festivals in the area. We are also looking forward to the new Maritime Ballpark being built and watching the Blue Wahoos play starting this April.

Arts & Culture:

I try to always attend Gallery Night. It is a great way for downtown businesses to really show off what they got. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is my favorite. They always have great art, that perfect gift to pick out for someone and they have a whole section for the kids to make some art of their own. My daughter loves it!

Never Miss Events & Festivals:

Seafood Festival, Crawfish Festival, and the Bushwacker Festival. Over the past year, one of my never missed monthly events has become The Island Fights. Nothing better than sitting with friends, having a few drinks, and watching two men battle against each other to display their skill, art, and love of their sport. {in}

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

family sports complex

11 East Romana Street w w w. a t t o r n e y g e n e m i t c h e l l . c o m

Shiitake, Portobello, Crimini, Oyster and Enoki Mushrooms over local Arugula with Goat Cheese and toasted pecans, tossed in a White Truffle vinaigrette.

Tues - Thurs - 5pm thru 9pm • Fri & Sat - 5pm thru 10pm

27 South Palafox Place • 850.469.9966 Independent News | February 02, 2012 | inweekly.net