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Independent News | February 26, 2015 | Volume 16 | Number 9 | inweekly.net | Cover model: Aiden Hayward
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winners & losers 4
outtakes 5
news 7, 8
They are standing between parents and school choice.
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buzz
cover story
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publisher Rick Outzen
art director Samantha Crooke
editor & creative director Joani Delezen
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Sarah McCartan, Chuck Shepherd contact us info@inweekly.net
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Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. Š 2015 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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ASHLEY CARR Florida Chief Financial
Officer Jeff Atwater announced a number of changes in his leadership team. The key holdover is Carr, an IN Rising Star, who will serve as Deputy Communications Director and remain the department’s chief spokesperson and media relations contact.
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of County Commissioners will be receiving a $5.4 million FEMA grant for flood control improvements. The funds will cover work in Bristol Creek, Bristol Park, Ashbury Hills, Pin Oak Lane and New Warrington Road areas, all of which flooded in April 2014. The city of Pensacola landed a $940,000 Emergency Watershed Protection Program grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to restore and stabilize areas along Carpenter’s Creek and Baywoods Gulley.
losers NRA In what judges described as a firstof-its-kind case, the 4th District Court of Appeal upheld a Florida law that prevents people from openly carrying firearms, finding that the restriction does not violate constitutional rights to bear arms. The ruling stemmed from the 2012 arrest in Fort Pierce of Dale Norman, who was openly carrying a gun in a holster. Norman had appealed his conviction of a second-degree misdemeanor charge on constitutional grounds. A return to the Wild West has stalled. Thank goodness. FLORIDA The state ranks among the worst
in the nation when it comes to providing residents with stable, decent-paying jobs. According to a report released by the Corporation for Enterprise Development, nearly a third of Florida jobs are in occupations where the median annual pay is below the poverty line of $23,283 for a family of four. Its Assets & Opportunity Scorecard ranks Florida 40th for the number of underemployed workers, defined as part-time workers looking for full-time jobs and discouraged workers who have stopped searching for employment.
HEALTHCARE.GOV The White House
announced on Feb. 20 that about 800,000 HealthCare.gov customers got the wrong tax information from the government. Those affected may be allowed to delay filing their 2014 returns. It’s the execution of a plan that matters, not the ribbon-cutting and photo ops.
Session D begins March 5 Go here. Get there. Register online at
pensacolastate.edu or call 850-484-1000 Pensacola State College does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender/sex, age, religion, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or genetic information in its educational programs, activities or employment. For inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, contact the Associate Vice President of Institutional Diversity at 850-484-1759, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd., Pensacola, Florida 32504.
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outtakes
by Rick Outzen
IT’S DIFFERENT HERE My father told me that everyone likes to be the hero of the movie that runs in his head, but this has gotten out of hand. Brian Williams, the anchor and managing editor of NBC "Nightly News," was suspended on Feb. 10 after admitting he falsely recounted a story that he was in a helicopter that was hit by ground fire in Iraq in 2003. His helicopter flew about an hour behind the one that took fire, according to Stars and Stripes. Mother Jones reported that popular Fox News host Bill O’Reilly had lied about being present in a "war zone" and "combat situation" during the Falklands War. Reporters at CBS News, for whom a young O’Reilly worked at the time, have disputed his version of what happened. This past week, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald admitted that he lied about serving in the special operations forces in a conversation with a homeless veteran that was caught on camera in January. McDonald, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, completed Army Ranger training but never served in a Ranger battalion or other special operations unit. Unfortunately for these men, they don’t live in Escambia County, where misstatements are much easier to ignore, follow-up is rare, and few get upset when the truth is revealed.
When the Central Booking and Detention Center exploded last April, we were repeatedly told that no one smelled natural gas before the blast. We were told that the odor came from a nearby propane tank. Guards swore to the county’s investigator to those “facts.” The state and federal investigators discovered none of that was true. None. Was anyone reprimanded, suspended or fired? No. Two men awaiting trial died. A guard was paralyzed. And hundreds—both prisoners and guards— suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. People died. People lied. And people got away with it. A year ago, the city of Pensacola hosted a Community Forum on Homelessness conducted by Dr. Robert Marbut, who has helped dozens of communities address issues of homelessness. The mayor and city council pledged to do something. After the forum, the city hired Marbut to develop with a citizen task force a series of recommendations. Those were presented in early October. Six months have passed. We have had several cold nights waiting for the Mayor Ashton Hayward or Council President Andy Terhaar to take a leadership role. How sincere were the mayor and council? Did the taxpayers pay $30,000 only to give them political cover? What is the truth? {in} rick@inweekly.net
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FDLE CRIME LAB BREACH, A YEAR LATER
By Ben Sheffler On Feb. 4, 2014, agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, working with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, arrested former Pensacola crime laboratory chemist Joseph Graves on charges of grand theft, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and trafficking in illegal drugs. Graves had worked nearly 2,600 cases for 80 law enforcement agencies spanning 35 counties and 12 judicial circuits since coming to Pensacola in December 2005. The breach in the chain of custody of evidence was reported as the largest in Florida history.
February 26, 2015
More than a year after his arrest, it's still difficult to pinpoint how many cases in the First Judicial Circuit of Florida may have been affected. State Attorney Bill Eddins said at least 50 cases were affected, and that for the most part, the state was able to effectively prosecute those cases. "In many of the cases, there were other charges that were involved other than the drug charges, so we were able to proceed forward with those charges," Eddins said. Moreover, Eddins said not all of the drugs were sent to the lab in the first place. "We don't always send all of the drugs to the lab for examination, so we were able to prosecute a significant number of the cases because of that," he said. However, there were a few cases that had to be dismissed—about six to 10, according to Eddins.
IMPACT IN COURTROOM
One such instance is the case of Herchel Royals, who was charged with a felony for trafficking in illegal drugs. Royals was charged in July 2013, but his case was dismissed last December because evidence against him no longer exists, according to an order granting motion to dismiss. "The evidence, consisting of pills, was apparently stolen by an employee of the state run laboratory which was to examine and test the pills in order to prove their content," the order read.
It continued, "The state contends the loss of the evidence is not fatal to its case because expert testimony can be presented to identify the pills by their size, shape and markings as being the narcotic alleged in the information. Loss of the evidence prevents the Defendant, however, from testing and opposing that testimony. It might be shown, for instance, that the pills were counterfeit." The state has recently appealed the decision, and Eddins believes it will be overturned. "The Herchel Royals case is a very significant case. If the judge's dismissal stands it will be by far the most serious case that has been affected by evidence that had been tampered with or evidence that was missing," he said. "I'm disappointed that we've been unable to effectively prosecute it because of the situation that existed." Royals' attorney, Gene Mitchell, politely declined to comment on the case.
approach the issue and tips on trying to work those specific types of cases," he said. "Obviously if pills are missing, or whatever the evidence is missing, and (the state has) nothing else, it's best to try to get the case dismissed."
TRIAL DATE SET
Graves' trial is scheduled to begin in August after pleading not guilty to 12 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, nine counts of trafficking illegal drugs and charges of grand theft. Such a large time span between his arrest date and the trial is attributed to the hundreds of witnesses, according to Eddins. He said the state has to provide the defense attorneys the name of every witness it may call at trial, as well as all police reports and any evidence. "The assistant state attorney and the defense lawyers are working through the discovery process," he said. "I expect that the state will be prepared for trial in August, and hopeful that the defense will be." The trial is scheduled for three weeks, according to Eddins, which he said was an indication of the large number of witnesses who will be called to testify. "This is a very unusual case in the sense that the allegations are numerous and span a large geographical area of most of north Florida and some of central Florida," Eddins said. "We believe that the charges are appropriate and intend to proceed forward to trial." Patrece Cashwell, Graves' attorney, said in an email that because the case is pending, she cannot comment on it. {in}
“We believe that the charges are appropriate and intend to proceed forward to trial.” Bill Eddins
HOW MANY MORE CASES IMPACTED UNKNOWN Public Defender Bruce Miller maintains he can't be certain how many cases Graves' alleged actions may have affected. "It is difficult to quantify with a hard number how many cases were affected," he said. Nevertheless, Miller made sure his approximately 60 attorneys were prepared if the issue ever arose in court. "We did have several meetings within the office to make sure our attorneys were all aware of the issue, how best to try to
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NEW STATEWIDE CONSERVATIVE EDUCATION GROUP FORMING By Duwayne Escobedo When Escambia County School Board member Jeff Bergosh walked the halls in Tallahassee last week to meet Florida lawmakers, including Senate President Don Gaetz, all wanted to know why the Florida School Board Association (FSBA) decided to join a lawsuit against them—again. Bergosh, a three-term school board member and twice Escambia’s Legislative Liaison to FSBA, said the organization has lost all credibility, especially with its decision in August to challenge the state's Tax Credit Scholarship Program that gives businesses state tax credits for contributions to nonprofit scholarship organizations. “They are standing between parents and school choice,” Bergosh told them. “The Florida School Board Association has lost influence. Really, it has no influence.” Bergosh is now the president of the board of the newly formed Florida Coalition of School Board Members, which offers a “conservative” alternative to the FSBA, but allows membership to be leaders in both organizations. “The FSBA pays lip service to what its members want, really want,” Bergosh said. “We want to be a direct conduit from the parents and students to policymakers on the ground. We will foster and build relationships.” Currently, the new group is about 40 or 50 school board members. Bergosh said that, over time, the group intends to build a larger organization that can carry more clout in Tallahassee, respond more quickly to concerns raised by parents and offer services like professional development to its members.
TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES
Patty Hightower, Escambia school system’s current chairman and FSBA president, would like to avoid a war of words with Bergosh and the new conservative education association but doesn’t. “I’ll probably get lambasted for saying this,” Hightower said. “But as many opportunities as you have to attend FSBA meetings...he has never gone to any of the meetings. People out there are not always on the same side. Some vote one way, and sometimes they vote another. “Tallahassee and the FSBA do what our membership directs us to do,” she added. “Sometimes people who maybe don’t understand the rules or don’t like the way they are want to start a different way to do things. Bergosh has his opinions, his thoughts and that’s his right and privilege.” For Erika Donalds, a Collier County school board member with two children in the public education system, the coalition is a savior of sorts. She joined Bergosh, Linda Costello of Volusia County, Shawn Frost of Indian River County and Bridget Ziegler of Sarasota County as a director on the Florida Coalition of School Board. First elected in August, Donalds ran for the school board that lacked any parents of public school children. She formed ParentsROCK or Parents Rights Of Choice for Kids to help families get more informed and involved in local and state education. While her local group packs school board meetings these days, she sees the statewide organization as a way to affect Florida education initiatives. “We’ve gone from very little attendance to a packed room,” Donalds said. “They were not very welcoming to parent and community input.”
“We want to be a direct conduit from the parents and students to policymakers on the ground.” Jeff Bergosh
She sees the same thing going on with FSBA, especially since it joined the lawsuit against state lawmakers over the Tax Credit Scholarship Program. “Personally, I believe strongly in accountability,” Donalds said. “The FSBA is asking for a complete end to accountability. We want accountability, but realize we need flexibility.”
VOUCHER LAWSUIT
The new lawsuit challenges the state's Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which is expected to award nearly 70,000 students with vouchers this year. Of the 1,414 private schools that were part of the program during the last school year, more than 70 percent were religious schools, and 82 percent of students who received vouchers attended those schools. The program gives vouchers to children from low- and middle-income families, and will expand eligibility to families of higher income levels beginning in the 2016-17 school year. Currently, eligibility is limited to students from families who make below 185 percent of the federal poverty level—$44,122 for a family of four—but will increase to include those who make below 260 percent of the federal poverty line—$62,010 for a family of four—beginning in 2016, the lawsuit says. “Florida’s voucher programs are a risky experiment that gambles taxpayers’ money and children’s lives,” said Joanne McCall, vice president of the Florida Education Association, in a statement. “Our state’s taxpayers and students would be better served by investing to improve our lowest performing schools and helping all of the students who attend them.” “We need to be the people’s choice,” Hightower added. “FSBA is not against parents’ choice. It’s our duty to make our schools the choice.” But Gaetz, a Niceville, Florida, Republican and former Senate President, said the lawsuit is "ironically ill-timed and hypocritical" considering the accountability measures the Florida Legisla-
ture recently implemented and the fact that the lawsuit comes after the program was extended to students from different income backgrounds. "It is only now, when the eligibility for scholarships has been expanded and when less-impoverished students can participate, that the School Board Association has discovered its constitutional indignation," Gaetz said in a statement. It’s a fight that Bergosh hopes to aid Gaetz and other lawmakers in the future. “The (FSBA) is out to protect the system,” he said. “We’re out to protect parents and students.” Donalds credits Bergosh for his leadership, so far, in gaining new members and establishing the organization. “He has done a fantastic job in that,” she said. “Being a veteran school board member as well, I look forward to learning from him, for sure. So far, his leadership has been instrumental in getting us off the ground.” {in}
FLORIDA COALITION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MIXER
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11 WHERE: 200 W. College (corner of College and Duval) in Tallahassee. SPECIAL GUESTS: House Representatives Erik Fresen and Manny Diaz Jr. DETAILS: fcsbm.org/rally_in_tally
FCSBM CORE VALUES
•Fiscally Responsible •Champion for Parents’ Rights •Student and Community Focused •Balance of Accountability and Reasonableness in Assessments •Making Solution-Oriented Partnerships
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EYEWITNESS TO SELMA MARCH
The Escambia Democratic Women’s Club honored civil rights leader Rev. H.K. Matthews as part of an event recognizing the 50th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Rev. Matthews talked about “Bloody Sunday,” which was depicted in the Oscarnominated film “Selma.” On March 7, 1965, 600 marchers assembled in Selma, Alabama and crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge en route to Montgomery to protest blacks being denied of their right to vote. Television cameras captured state troopers and local police beating the men and women. Matthews, who turned 87 a few weeks ago, said he became a civil rights leader in 1961 when Rev. Dobbins left Pensacola.
February 26, 2015
He founded the Pensacola chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference He told the packed room at The Improv, “Nobody else wanted to take up the mantel, so it fell to my shoulder. I didn't ask for it, but I did have the reputation of asking questions. I think that's why people came to me.” Matthews said he was working as a janitor at a physicians’ building over on north Palafox Street when a call went out for people to come to Selma to participate in a march. He was there on “Bloody Sunday.” “Selma was brutal,” he said. “They beat people down like dogs, and I tell John Lewis (chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at time and now a Congressman from Georgia) every time I see him, ‘John, if you had not had hair on your head, they would have killed you.’” Matthews said, “I left Pensacola as a leader, went to Selma as a follower. The
scars and bruises are hurts that will live with me as long as I live for the beating that was administered by those who then tried to prevent us from casting a vote.” He said, “My contention is that we are in bound not by our governor, not by our mayor, not by our senators, not by our Congress people, but we are in bound by our God with certain inalienable rights. Among those are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The right to vote was critical to the civil rights movement. Without a vote African-Americans could not serve on juries or elect those who ran the government. Simply having a law that said minorities could vote was not enough, particularly when white elected officials put roadblocks to registering voters. “I'm not one who goes around here talking about, ‘I want a piece of the pie,’” he said. “Give me the recipe and I'll bake my own pie.”
“Here we are 50 years later fighting the same battle.”
Matthews pointed out that the civil right movement was not only a black movement. “God has been good to me. I'm the one who gets all of the accolades, the praise, the awards simply because I paid a greater price, but I am by no means the only one who made some strong sacrifices in this community.” He was referring to the white men and women who joined the march. The pastor said, “It ought to strike a chord because here were people who were sacrificing their lives, their safety, their well-being, who already had the right to vote, but they were marching with us in order for us to have the right to vote.” Today, African-Americans are still fighting for their right to vote. A fact that did not go unnoticed by the civil rights leader. “Here we are 50 years later fighting the same battle,” said Matthews. “It is hurtful when you can recognize that people gave their lives in order to get the right to vote and you've got folks sitting on the Supreme Court that will help gut the Voting Rights Act. It's disgraceful.” {in}
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Pensac o PE N S AC O L
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veryone who believed Pensacon year one would be a massive success was totally right. “That Saturday when the line reached all around the hotel, we were quite surprised,” said Ben Galecki, CEO of Pensacon and Kinematic Entertainment. “It was a pleasant surprise to be sure, but still surprised.” This year, Galecki said event staff will be expecting the crowd and will work to streamline the process of getting from venue to venue.
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A C OM I C CON
illustration by Samantha Crooke The magic of Pensacon is that everyone in attendance can find something to get excited about. “Both Mike Ensley [Pensacon chairman] and I believe that a convention should be a place where fans come together and enjoy each others company just as much as meeting celebrities and artists,” Galecki said. From the Pensacola Intergalactic Airport to the themed events downtown,it takes a village to pull off the event. “Having the local community on board gives us something that most conventions
don’t have—a full weekend experience that doesn't stop when the convention hall does.” Galecki recognizes that the event’s success comes from his team. Some of whom have been with Pensacon from its inception, like Manda Manning, director of marketing. “It’s really humbling, but really rewarding to see all of our hard work building this convention from the ground up pay off,” she said. “It’s been an unforgettable experience, to say the least.”
PENSACON 2015
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 27-Sunday, March 1 WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center, Crowne Plaza Grand Hotel and Saenger Theatre COST: 3 Day and Single Day Passes will be available at the event (quantities may be limited); $35-$75 (additional fees may apply) DETAILS: pensacon.com
—All of us at Inweekly are super geeked out—pun intended—for Pensacon, round two. This guide features tons of guest interviews, after party info and staff panel picks.— February 26, 2015
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Kraglin or Kirk? by T.S. Strickland
"Guardians of the Galaxy" still picturing Sean Gunn as Kraglin, left / Marvel.com
Sean Gunn / Photo by Steve Cranston
S
how business is family business for Sean Gunn. The veteran actor— who played Kraglin in last summer’s blockbuster hit “Guardians of the Galaxy”— followed his four older brothers to a career in Hollywood. Besides playing the role of Kraglin, the main henchman to the blue-skinned space-pirate Yondu, Gunn also helped create the character of Rocket the Raccoon. The crusty, gun-toting space-vermin-turnedhero was a favorite among movie-goers. Bradley Cooper, who voiced the role, received most of the credit for creating Rocket, but it was Gunn who played the character on set and did the motion reference work that helped bring him to life. Some credit is also owed to Oreo, the reallife raccoon who was used as a reference by the studio’s animators. 212 1
"Gilmore Girls" cast photo picturing Sean Gunn as Kirk, far right / Warner Bros Everett Collection
"I drew upon some of my studies in actMust Die” and “The Toxic Avenger.” It was ing school when we mimicked animal moveat Troma that the two worked together ments,” Gunn said of his part in the role. “But on the cult-classic “Tromeo and Juliet,” a mostly, it was about providing a voice and gratuitous punk-rock adaptation of Shakecharacter for the other actors to play off, and speare’s famous love story. facial expressions and some basic moveJames directed the film, in which ments for the [visual effects] team." Sean’s character, Sammy Capulet, meets a Gunn was in familiar company durpainful death after being flung headfirst ing filming. His brother James into a fire hydrant from a moving Gunn directed “Guardians” car. Sean still keeps a copy of and shared an apartment the film on his dresser. "I’M A BASEBALL with Sean while they After Troma, were making the movie Sean went on to a busy NERD, AN UNDERin London. and varied career in GROUND HIP-HOP NERD, "It was awefilm and television. A GAMBLING NERD, A CAT some,” Sean told Before “Guardians,” NERD. AREN’T WE ALL?" Inweekly. “My brother he was probably best and I worked great as known for playing Kirk in SEAN GUNN housemates, truthfully. the TV show “Gilmore Much better than either of Girls.” The character, us would have guessed. And I a mainstay of the show, is sort of fell in love with England." a good-natured oddball whose Though perhaps the most popular, frequent job changes became a running joke. “Guardians” was actually not the first film So, which character does Sean relate to Sean and James had worked on togethmore: Kraglin or Kirk? er. The two cut their film-making teeth “Oh, man, I hate that question,” he growing up in St. Louis, where James would said. "Because the answer, unfortunately, is shoot 8-mm zombie films using his brothers Kirk. But, please, don’t tell anyone." as actors. Sean has been spending a lot of time "I specifically recall blowing my brother on the convention circuit since the release Patrick away with a large gun when I was still of “Guardians,” and he’s looking forward to young enough to sit in a high chair,” Sean said. meeting with fans at Pensacon. The duo went on to work together at "I’ve never been to Pensacola, but sevnotorious schlock house Troma Studios, eral of the fans I met at the convention in which produced such classics as “Surf Nazis NOLA promised they’d see me there. I love
meeting fans, talking to people.” Sean was more ambivalent when asked whether he identified with nerd culture though. "If you’re using the stricter definition of ‘nerd’ as someone who loves comic books and immersing oneself in fictional worlds, then no, I’m not,” he said. "But if you mean someone with intense, even unreasonable passions, then yes. I’m a baseball nerd, an underground hip-hop nerd, a gambling nerd, a cat nerd. Aren’t we all?" When asked about his greatest fanboy moment, Sean could recall only one. "Without question, the only time I have been completely star-struck was meeting Elliott Gould at a charity event,” he said. "His performances in ‘The Long Goodbye’ and ‘California Split’ are touchstones for me, maybe my favorite performances ever put on film. I was shaking and could barely speak." Shaking? Sure. But his favorite performance ever? Maybe not. "My death scene (in ‘Tromeo and Juliet’) is the single greatest moment ever captured on celluloid,” Sean said. "I wish I could be humble about that, but it’s just a fact.” {in}
SPOTLIGHT ON SEAN GUNN
WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Saenger Theater inweekly.net
Caught up in cosplay by Jennifer Leigh
Cami Roebuck as Hit-Girl with her dad at Pensacon 2014
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Roebuck as Bilbo Baggins
ome little girls enjoy playing “But it wasn’t like, a thrown together, typidress up, clunking around in their cal Halloween costume,” Roebuck continued. mother’s high heels while piling “We used super spandex and really cool X-Men on strands of necklaces. patches and belt buckles—we weren’t playing.” Eighteen-year-old Cami Roebuck— You could say that cosplay runs in the known to her fans as MoodHairCofamily since Roebuck’s dad is a professplays—didn’t just dress up for sional clown for a living known fun photo ops. She became as Inky the Clown. her favorite characters. “I’ve always been Roebuck’s first inaround costumes, even “MAKING COSTUMES IS troduction to cosplay if they weren’t super A FAMILY AFFAIR. TYPIwas through her heroes,” she said. CALLY MY MOTHER WILL DO mother, who got her In the past deA LOT OF THE SEWING, MY into comic books. cade since she first FATHER WILL WORK ON PROPS “I grew rebegan cosplay, RoeAND I DABBLE IN BOTH." ally attached to the buck has channeled character Rogue dozens of characters Cami Roebuck [in X-Men] in part at cons around the because she was a cool Southeast. Bilbo Baggins character, but also befrom “Lord of the Rings,” cause she was from my home Effie Trinket from “The Hunger state of Mississippi,” Roebuck said. Games,” Poison Ivy and Batwoman “I liked her so much that I wanted to be from Batman are just a few of her alter egos. her, so when I was about 7, my mother let “I simply just dress as who I love,” me bleach the front of my hair and made Roebuck said. “When I dress as someone, I me a costume for Halloween. know just about every detail about them.” February 26, 2015
You might have recognized Roebuck at last year’s Pensacon since she won crowds over with her Effie Trinket cosplay at the costume contest. It was a last minute decision to sign up, yet she won second place. “I don’t normally do costume contests, but that was probably one the best, most fun experiences of my life,” she said. “It was so much Roebuck as Effie Trinket / photo by CONography fun being in line with all the Sometimes her dad even suits up to other costumers. And then going on stage cosplay with his daughter. The two were was such a rush. One of my all-time favorite a big hit at last year’s Pensacon dressed cosplayers, Riddle, who was judging handed as Big Daddy and Hit-Girl from the movie me the microphone and was like ‘Say the “Kick-Ass.” line, say the line.’ So I said, ‘Happy Conven“Making costumes is a family aff air,” tion Games and may the odds be ever in Roebuck said. “Typically my mother will do your favor.’ And everyone just blew up.” a lot of the sewing, my father will work on At this year’s Pensacon, Roebuck is a props and I dabble in both. I’m very fortunate guest signing, selling prints and meeting up to have parents that wholeheartedly support with what she calls her “geek family.” my costuming and want to be involved.” “I’m hardly ever at a con where I don’t At conventions, you’ll surely run into know anyone,” she said. scantily-clad women wearing skimpy Looking to the future, Roebuck said versions of comic book hero costumes. she’d love to cosplay full-time. Currently, Roebuck says she respects all cosplayers she’s able to make an income selling crafts. and their visions, but doesn’t feel the need Occasionally her and her mom will help to show skin gratuitously. local film crews and stage plays with cos“I put in as much accuracy and detail as I tumes and special effects makeup. can,” she said. “If I’m going to dress as a sexy, But for right now, she said, she’s right female character then I’m going to dress as where she wants to be. a sexy, female character accurately. If I’m “I couldn’t be happier.” {in} going to dress as a handsome, male character then I’m going to dress as a handsome, male character accurately. I feel no need to tweak facebook.com/MoodHairCosplays things to make them more appealing to the opposite gender.” 13
“The future belongs to the geeks” by Ben Sheffler
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Dan Wells
ew York Times bestselling author Dan Wells will be making his first appearance at Pensacon later this month, his first of about 15 conventions this year. "My favorite thing about conventions is meeting new people," he said. "I cant wait to get to this brand new place I've never been and meet a whole bunch of brand new people." Wells has written about the apocalypse, cloning and digital implants, but his most popular work is the horror series "I Am Not a Serial Killer," a story about teenage sociopath John Cleaver. "That's the series that everyone talks about all the time," he said. After five years of anticipation, the series is being adapted into a movie this year. "That is incredibly exciting," Wells said.
Mayor Ashton Hayward with his son Aiden 414 1
"I'm just bouncing off the walls." While research sparked his initial interest, Three new books in the "I Am Not a Sethe issue became personal to Wells when his rial Killer" series will start being released this brother abruptly began suffering from depressummer. sion, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive Wells' teenage post-apocalyptic series disorder. "Partials" is a New York Times best-seller. "It's been fascinating, heartbreaking, and He's also written about schizophrenia in "The in some ways uplifting to watch him struggle Hollow City." with all of these things and to see what actu"I get very excited about so many differally happens close up when someone you ent things. Particularly as a science-fiction love is no longer in full control of their own writer, the world that we live in is inventing mind," he said. and creating so many amazing new things Wells also co-hosts a Hugo Awardalmost everyday, so how can you not want winning podcast called "Writing Excuses" with to drop everything every morning and write three other writers, which covers basic diasomething completely new?" he said. logue, characterization, plotting and revising, Wells became interested in as well as the business side of writing. abnormal psychology while "It's designed for aspiring doing research for some writers, for people who are of his books, so last kind of in the position I was "HOW CAN YOU year he put together in college, who love this NOT WANT TO DROP an anthology called and want to do it but EVERYTHING EVERY "Altered Perceptions" don’t really know how," MORNING AND WRITE to raise awareness of he said. "We've had a SOMETHING mental illness. great response. It's a lot COMPLETELY NEW?" The anthology of fun and has helped consists of stories and several people actually DAN WELLS personal essays from get published themselves." several authors about Wells began writing in their own experience with second grade when he wrote a mental illness. story about an inescapable maze. "It's just wonderful to read through all of He went on to write poetry, short stories and those personal essays and see this incredcomic books until he got to college. It was ible process of humanization," Wells said. then he wrote his first novels. "We want to destigmatize mental illness and On the first day of a creative writing therapy." course, the professor told him that he could
This year's Pensacon cover was inspired by an Instagram photo of Aiden Hayward at the unveiling of the Pensacola Intergalactic Airport. We knew we wanted a true Pensacon fan on the cover and when we saw his enthusiasm, we knew he was the one. Luckily, modeling is something the Hayward family is good at. Mayor Hayward even joined in on the fun at the end of the shoot. We hope everyone is as excited about this year's convention as Aiden and team Inweekly.
make a living as a writer, something that he hadn't fully considered. "No one ever told me that before," Wells said. "So this hobby that I had been pursuing my whole life I saw in a new light as a career." It took about eight years and five novels for Wells to refine his writing until he was first published in 2009 with "I Am Not a Serial Killer." "I'm very grateful to that teacher and to all the other teachers I had that kept fostering this love of writing and creativity throughout my life," he said. Having lived the last two years in Germany, Wells is back home in Utah. He travels to a lot of conventions, a product of more and more conventions taking place. "What we're really seeing is this crowd of geeks—science-fiction fans, comic fans, fantasy fans and cosplayers—they’ve been here along and we're finally giving them what they need and we're making it accessible to them," he said. "The future belongs to the geeks. I love it." {in}
SPOTLIGHT ON DAN WELLS
WHEN: 12:15 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Bay Center Room D
JOANI’S PICK:
The StareMaster Rematch of the Decade Apparently a lot of people in a lot of places know about The StareMaster project (including Kevin freaking Smith) and it’s just one more thing Pensacola can list on our “claim to fame” roster. Sadly I didn’t know about it until recently, but am now totally on board and ready to see the “Rematch of the Decade” Saturday. Just in case you’re in the dark like I was, here’s what you need to know: StareMaster “exaggerates the playground pastime of staring contests to gloriously absurd proportions” and can be billed as “hardcore, multi-mediated, eye-to-eye combat.” 7 p.m. Saturday, Saenger Theatre
inweekly.net
Did someone issue a Noise Complaint? by Jennifer Leigh
Con in Atlanta that she decided to mix the two interests. “We didn’t know what we were doing when we put the whole thing together,” she said. “It was a week before the con and we just put costumes on and did it. They were two things that didn’t quite go together, but it turned out great.” There were some people that didn’t know what to think, Vermes said, but ultimately the group got a lot of praise for their dance numbers in Harry Potter and Final Fantasy 7 costumes. “I think people saw us and thought, ‘this is kind of weird, but I think I like it,’” she said. For their first Pensacon appearance, Rehearsal photo by Francis Peejay Santos. Noise Complaint is comprised of: Jenne Vermes, Vermes said she has put together some speAlexis Najarro, Adrienne DeGuzman, D'Metrius Barry, Alex Rubio, Andrea Toledo, Chelsea cial choreography. She typically takes a look Hurlbut and Jordy Diaz. at convention schedules to get a feel for the characters and music to incorporate f you thought that tap dancing and Complaint is composed into the hour-long sets. The cosplay would never find common of a handful of memdancers typically have at least “I’M A HUGE ground, you were wrong. bers—most of them two costumes per set. TREKKIE, SO JUST New to Pensacon’s lineup this year is dance instructors “I’ve put together a BEING IN THE SAME the addition of the tap dance company, like Vermes and Star Trek and Star Wars BUILDING AS NICHELLE Noise Complaint. randomly, one dance number,” she said. NICHOLS IS GOING TO The Jacksonville-based group was chemist. “I’m a huge trekkie, so BE HUGE.” founded about a year-and-a-half ago by But what sets just being in the same Jenne Vermes, who has been tap dancing the group apart building as Nichelle NichJenne Vermes most of her life. from others is their ols is going to be huge.” “Growing up I always wanted to be in link to the cosplay What excites Vermes the international touring show, Tap Dogs, world. As a video game about each convention set is the but they don’t take girls,” Vermes said. and science fiction enthusichance to expose the audience to new Encouraged by her mentor, she decided ast, Vermes has always been interested in things. It’s not everyday you come across a to start her own dance company. Noise cosplay. But it was at last year’s Dragon tap dancing video gamer, after all.
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“We want it to be something people will remember,” she said. “We’re taking tap and giving it a new home. There are even some fans that are taking tap dancing lessons, which is pretty exciting. “We just want the audience to have as much fun as we are,” Vermes added. “We’re having a blast.” {in}
NOISE COMPLAINT PERFORMANCES
WHEN: 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:15 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom DETAILS: facebook.com/noisecomplaintlive
Marital and Family Law New Location: 127 Palafox Place Suite 100 Pensacola, Florida | 466-3115 February 26, 2015
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Pensacon’s Leading Ladies by Jennifer Leigh
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Jody Lynn Nye
n the sometimes male-dominated world of science fiction and super heroes, these women—among many others—are making their mark, following the footsteps of those before and leaving a trail for future generations.
Jenn Broomall
your mind.” That small spark ignited Nye’s interest in a genre she pointed out was actually conceived by a female writer. “Some people forget that the first real sci-fi book was ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, who is actually known to some as the grandmother of science fiction,” Nye said. Nye’s own books range from magic Jody Lynn Nye has written nearly 40 and mythology to military science ficnovels and more than 100 short stories tion—worlds she creates from the inspirasince she started writing fiction in the late tion all around her. Not once has she been 1980s. But it was by pure accident rejected for simply being a woman. that she even discovered the “It’s either a good story or genre as a young girl. not a good story,” she said. “I was that kid that Nye has even colhung out with teachlaborated with one of “I HAVE THIS ers in high school,” her mentors, Robert HORRIBLE HABIT OF she said with a Asprin, on his “Myth LOVING TO PROVE PEOPLE laugh. “One of Adventures” book WRONG. I WANTED TO PROVE them introduced series. When he died TO MY DAUGHTER THAT YOU me to stuff like in 2008, she was COULD DO ANYTHING.” Vonnegut and Ray entrusted with conBradbury’s ‘Fahrtinuing the legacy. Jenn Broomall enheit 451.’ It was Cover illustrator Jen all very negative and Broomall said in the world terrifying to a 14-year-old of book and comic illustragirl.” tors, there’s more women than Nye said she swore off science people think. fiction until one day she came across a book “Most don’t really stress over their while browsing the library. gender, so they kind of fly under the radar,” “‘The Crystal Gryphon’ by Andre she said. “It’s an artist community, and Norton, a female science fiction author,” regardless of gender, I think the work is Nye said. “I read it and loved it and realized what matters.” science fiction was more than just ArmaBroomall has never had any formal geddon stories. There is so much to stretch training. In fact, she didn’t start to draw
FINDING YOUR NICHE
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Mira Furlan
Katrina Law / Photo by Brandin Photography
professionally until six years ago. It was the birth of her daughter that encouraged her. During a time when some women actually put their career on the shelf, Broomall decided to start hers. “After having my daughter, I felt like I could do anything and went for it,” she said. “I had been told I was not going to have any time, I was too old to start, and so on.” But it was the naysayers and her love of art that pushed Broomall to start getting serious. “I have this horrible habit of loving to prove people wrong,” she said. “I wanted to prove to my daughter that you could do anything.”
ure who opposed war, she and her husband basically had to leave—she came to New York and was somewhat shocked. “It’s hard for a woman because they want you to stay young in the youth-oriented culture,” she said. “It’s a little bit better in Europe. There’s more real people acting, not just plastic people. But all over the world, it’s a male-dominated business and they want to bury you while you’re still alive.” Even younger actors, like 30-year-old Katrina Law, aren’t just handed interesting characters. “I would love to be a female Jason Bourne,” she said. “I would love to see more female characters who don’t cry every five seconds, who have positive relationships with other female characters and who have something besides the male characters and their relationships with them to talk about.” It’s because of this that Law has a soft spot for her character, Mira, on the TV show “Spartacus: War of the Damned.” “Here is a girl who was born into slavery. She had no self-esteem or sense of self worth,” Law said. “By the end of the series, you watch this girl become a woman—a woman who was willing to fight for love and freedom and all of the things she finally realized she deserved.” After 25 years in show business and writing her own one-woman-show, Naomi Grossman came to become a household name for a role in which she’s hardly recognizable. The role of Pepper, a disfigured
PLAYING THE PART
Looking for interesting roles for women in Hollywood can be as hard as looking for a needle in a proverbial haystack. “I just sent an email to my manager about a part he wanted me to audition for saying, ‘Come on, we should wait for the old hag parts for a least a couple of years,’” said Mira Furlan, who is from TV shows such as “Babylon 5” and “Lost.” Furlan, who’s from what was originally Yugoslavia and is now Croatia, started acting in high school and went on to become a well-known actor in her homeland, earning the country’s equivalent to an Academy Award. When she left Yugoslavia in the middle of a separatist war—as a public fig-
inweekly.net
Naomi Grossman / Photo by Vanie Poyey
Nichelle Nichols
woman living in an asylum in the TV show among my people—actors. And it intro“American Horror Story” was just another duced me to a world I didn’t know existed audition for Grossman, but one that would in the sci-fi culture.” change her career. Suddenly the fan mail starting piling up as the character became The main draw to conventions is for fans popular. to share moments with the artists they’ve “She’s taught me so much about looked up to for years. A scroll through Penhumanity,” Grossman said. “She loves, she sacon’s roster and you’ll find role models loses, she endures so much. And yet, she that have not only shaped the culture of still just wants to play. That naiveté is so science fiction, but pop culture in general. refreshing.” People like Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. And it wasn’t long before critics and Uhura on “Star Trek” in the 1960s. fans made mention of how much the actor Nichols, who was one of the first didn’t look like Pepper in real life. female African-Americans to play a role on “I think this obsession with actors beTV that wasn’t a servant, was tempted to ing beautiful is absurd,” she said. “I want leave the show to pursue a Broadway cato watch people who move me, who can reer. However she was encouraged to stay transform themselves into new characters on TV when Martin Luther King, Jr., who and take me on a new journey.” was a fan of show, met with her to Grossman dove right into the tell her how important her role of Pepper, unconcerned role was not just onscreen, with the fact that she "IN HOLLYWOOD IF but in history. would have to shave “She was a true her head and sit YOU WANT TO CAST A trailblazer for through three hours BEAUTIFUL GIRL, YOU CAN women,” said Manda of makeup. Unlike a THROW A ROCK AND FIND Manning, director of lot of stereotypical ONE. SO I CHOOSE TO FOCUS marketing for Penfemale roles, you ON AND SELL WHAT’S UNIQUE sacon. “Not only is can’t place Pepper in ABOUT ME.” she an iconic female a box, which Grosscharacter in the sci-fi man appreciates. Naomi Grossman culture, but she is also “The roles I go out an icon in black history. I for are typically not based also grew up watching Marina on looks—or at least not on Sirtis on ‘Star Trek: Next Generabeing pretty anyway—not that I tion’ with my mom, which is where my love can’t clean up,” she said. “But in Hollywood if you want to cast a beautiful girl, you can throw for sci-fi originated. So I'm particularly excited to be able to meet her and share a rock and find one. So I choose to focus on that experience with my mom.” and sell what’s unique about me.” No matter how long the day may be, A common thread between the three these women (as well as the rest of the different actors is that they found a voice guests) enjoy sharing moments with fans. in TV shows that seemingly appeal to the “I love the energy you get from the male demographic—science fiction, action conventions,” Nye said. “These are my and horror. people.” “I was so relieved when I walked on Grossman said being on the receiving the set of ‘Babylon 5’,” Furlan said. “I had end of horror fandom is “really thrilling.” just come to New York and I was finally
“I spent a long time not being recognized for my work—losing hits on YouTube to a bunch of cat videos and traipsing up and down the street hustling up an audience,” she said. “Its fun being on this inside of something everyone seems to want to know about.” They understand how important it is to see women sitting behind those tables at conventions. “I’ve had people bring their daughters, nieces, granddaughters and so on to me to talk shop,” Broomall said. “I try to talk to those girls like I would be talking to high school me—the nerdy girl doodling on her notes and hiding comic books for fear of being ridiculed. “It’s totally OK to love comics, it’s absolutely fine to love drawing comics and it’s cool to be nerdy.” {in}
BEING A ROLE MODEL
February 26, 2015
SPOTLIGHT ON JODY LYNN NYE
WHEN: 11:15 a.m. Sunday WHERE: Bay Center Room D
THE ART OF COMIC BOOKS WITH JEN BROOMALL, STEVEN BUTLER, K. MICHAEL RUSSELL, ALEX SUVIAK AND SCOTT SHAW WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Friday WHERE: Bay Center Room C2/C3
SPOTLIGHT ON MIRA FURLAN
WHEN: 1 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom
SPOTLIGHT ON KATRINA LAW
WHEN: 10 a.m. Saturday WHERE: Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom
AMERICAN HORROR STORY FREAK SHOW
WITH NAOMI GROSSMAN AND JERRAD VUNOVICH
WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom
SPOTLIGHT ON NICHELLE NICHOLS
WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Friday WHERE: Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom 17
The Art of the Fan Film by Shelby Smithey
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ward-winning filmmaker, animator and fan film aficionado John Hudgens knows firsthand that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Known for his short Star Wars fan films and Babylon 5 promotional videos, he will be screening his latest film “Backyard Blockbusters“ at Pensacon. “Backyard Blockbusters” is a documentary that examines fans turned filmmakers who have created well-known adaptations of franchises including Star Wars, Star Trek, Indiana Jones and Batman. Inweekly caught up with Hudgens before Pensacon to talk about the making of “Backyard Blockbusters” and fan films in general.
INWEEKY: Was it more creator of “Men in Black”) "IT SHOWS satisfying creating with a ton of toys and IN THE FILM THAT your own fan films action figures and a WE WERE HAVING or getting to interplan to film an epic MORE FUN, AND THAT'S view other filmstop motion battle THE ONE THAT WENT ON TO makers for your sequence with all WIN AWARDS, NOT JUST IN documentary? the toys invading THE SWFFA, BUT HUDGENS: It’s Lowell's house. AT REAL FILM FESTIVALS hard to say which Later on, when the AS WELL." is more satisfying. Official Star Wars The fan films were Fanfilm Awards were John Hudgens more fun, as each of announced, we made them happened over a “Darth Vader's Psychic Hocompressed period of a few tline” with the express purpose days, with lots of people running of trying to rig the odds in our favor to around and coming together to pull these win, loading it with celebrity cameos. The things off. The documentary was a lot more film did OK and placed well in the contest, solitary, mainly myself and my camera, but it wasn't as good as our next film, “The traveling around the country. I like the Jedi Hunter,” which we made just for the finished film, but it was a long time coming fun of the idea, not knowing or caring if together. We shot the first interviews back there'd be another contest. And of course, in 2004, and then the rest were just picked it shows in the film that we were having up piecemeal over the next few years until more fun, and that's the one that went on 2008-2010, when the majority of the rest to win awards, not just in the SWFFA, but came together. at real film festivals as well. INWEEKY: How did you originally get into fan films? HUDGENS: Our own fan films were something of an accident. I'd done “The Empire Strikes Quack” in the mid-‘80s while in college, but it wasn't a traditional fan film. It was more a mash-up, using audio from the Daffy Duck cartoon Duck Dodgers and lip syncing it to Star Wars footage. “Crazy Watto” started as a way to goof off back in 2000. We had an afternoon free, and decided to go over to Lowell Cunningham's house (a long-time friend, and the
INWEEKLY: It’s ironic that some of the biggest supporters of these movie franchises are faced with negative repercussions in terms of copyright infringement issues. Do you touch on that in the documentary? HUDGENS: For the most part, the big studios have taken the route of non-interference in regard to fan films as long as the fans aren't trying to make money off the franchises they're playing with, or not showing them in a negative light, the studios have generally looked the other way. There have
SAMANTHA'S PICK:
Costuming a Galaxy: Wardrobe Fit for a Queen (and a Princess) Join LaVonne French and get the low down on royalty digs famous throughout the galaxy. From the iconic white dress in "Star Wars: A New Hope" to the ornate gowns featured in the prequel trilogy, this panel gives an overview of the costumes worn by Princess Leia and Padme Amidala, just to name a few. Bonus, if you've ever been curious about what it takes to become a member of the Rebel Legion, you'll get all the necessary info on the costuming standards. 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Bay Center Room C2/ C3
been a few that went to far, and the studios have stepped in and shut those down. INWEEKLY: What are some of your personal favorite fan films that are featured in your documentary? HUDGENS: My personal favorites would probably be films like Trey Stokes' “Pink Five” series, Kevin Rubio's “Troops,” and the legendary “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation” made by kids in Mississippi back in the ‘80s over seven years. Before my fan films, I was already somewhat known in fandom circles due to the work I did for “Babylon 5” with J. Michael Straczynski, and the “Crimson Skies” properties from Microsoft and/or WizKids so I knew a lot of filmmakers already that way. INWEEKLY: How long have fan films been around? HUDGENS: Almost as long as people have been making movies, essentially. Some of the earliest go back to the 1920s and ‘30s, and I have footage from those in the documentary. The biggest boom in fan films came after the release of “Troops” in 1998, as people saw the potential the internet offered for distribution, along with advances in low-cost cameras and editing solutions for the consumer market. {in}
BACKYARD BLOCKBUSTERS SCREENING
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Crowne Plaza Grand Ballroom
BEN'S PICK: Go Go, Power Rangers!
"The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" cast will come together for their largest reunion ever during a panel event Saturday. Rangers Walter Jones, David Yost, Karan Ashley and Austin St. John join David Fielding (Zordon), Barbara Goodson (voiced Rita Repulsa), and Kerrigan Mahan (voiced Goldar). 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Saenger Theatre
LaVonne French as Mara Jade 818 1
inweekly.net
From "Selma" To Pensacon by Ben Sheffler
Tara Ochs / Photo by Stacey Bode
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ctress Tara Ochs, who graduated from Pensacola High School's International Baccalaureate program in 1994, is looking forward to her first appearance at Pensacon. "I'm really excited to be there and meet the fans and talk about 'Too Many Cooks,'" she said. Ochs played Mom Cook in "Too Many Cooks," an Adult Swim short film that aired last fall, which is a parody of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s sitcom opening credits sequences mixed with other thematic elements,
including a guy who goes on a murderous "I would probably say playing Viola Liuzzo rampage with a machete. Once it hit the in the film 'Selma' has just been an over the Internet, it went viral. top experience as far as opportunities," she "It has this kind of weird life of its own," said. "Being an actor, taking on a role like that Ochs said. "It's kind of wild to me how everywas enormous." one relates to it in someway or the other." Ochs also does a lot of improvisation and It was through connections with the voice-over work, "A little bit of everything," Dad's Garage theater company in she said. Atlanta, where Ochs lives, that Ochs typically plays roles she ended up on Adult Swim. that are a balance between "THIS YEAR I MAY She was on "Your Pretty drama and comedy. JUST SHOW UP WITH Face is Going to Hell" in "The type of charMY 'ATTACK ON TITAN' 2013, then was offered acters I usually book are a role in "Too Many a little bit tomboyish, JACKET AND LET IT BE Cooks" about a year later. have a kind of a comedy THAT." "When I came back edge to them or they (from L.A.) and started tend to be women who TARA OCHS performing with Dad's, I are a little bit more bold— guess the theater had built strong women," she said. up some connections with Adult Her dream roles, however, Swim," she said. "So we have a kind of are out of this world. a long tenure relationship of doing differ"I'm a nerd, so obviously sci-fi and fantasy ent work with Adult Swim." would be my dream world," she said. Ochs was also in the Academy AwardOchs was close to playing one of those nominated film "Selma,” which she said has roles on camera for the first time this winter, opened up some opportunities for her as but after earning her part, she was unavailable an actress. to play it.
It’s probably safe to assume just about every bar and restaurant will have a crowd and something going on, but just incase you’re looking for something specific, here’s a list of this year’s “official” Pensacon events:
JENNIFER'S PICK:
Project Cosplay Whether you're in to dressing up or not, it's certainly a wonder how cosplayers put together their elaborate and creative costumes. The Project Cosplay workshop delves into the hobby by putting participants up against each other a la Project Runway. Each contestant is given a box of random items—from duct tape to pieces of fabric and bubble wrap—to create the costume of their choice. No word yet if Tim Gunn will be there. 3:45 p.m. Friday, Bay Center Room C1
EDWIN’S PICK: "Friday" at Play
Full disclosure: I’m an investor at Play, but I'm still picking their party. Here's why: It’s in honor Tiny Lister—aka Deebo from “Friday”—and it’s going to be West Coast style to the max complete with drink specials, a photobooth and a DJ playing classic hiphop. All I can say in anticipation of the fun is "That's my bike, punk!" Fingers crossed the man of the hour makes an appearance. 8 p.m. Friday, Play February 26, 2015
ALL WEEKEND
AFTER THE CON, IT’S THE AFTER PARTY…
If we learned one thing during Pensacon’s inaugural year, it’s that the fun doesn’t stop when the Bay Center doors close. You know what they say about after parties and hotel lobbies (the Crowne Plaza lobby specifically in this case). So when making your to-do list for the weekend, make sure you plan on staying out and hitting up Palafox Street—which we be closed off Gallery Night style Saturday night.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—A Party Celebrating Harry Potter The Fish House, 8 p.m. The Holodeck—A Party Celebrating Star Trek The Deck Bar at Fish House, 8 p.m. King’s Landing—A Party Celebrating Game of Thrones Atlas, 8 p.m.
"Man, I was so close to getting to be a vampire," she said. "No such luck." Ochs has been a pretty regular attendee of Dragon Con in Atlanta when she's available, and she's making her first appearance at Pensacon this year. But she doesn't think she'll be cosplaying. "I don't think I'm going to cosplay this year just because I always have these ideas of what I want to dress up as and then it gets out of control," she said. "It goes from one costume to like three-and-a-half costumes. So this year I may just show up with my 'Attack on Titan' jacket and let it be that." {in}
ADULT SWIM
WITH C. MARTIN CROKER, DANA SNYDER AND TARA OCHS
WHEN: 10:15 a.m. Saturday WHERE: Saenger Meeting Room
Pensacon Official Freak Show Party Seville Quarter, 8:30 p.m. “Friday” Play, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY
Heroes v. Villains Hopjacks, 7 p.m. Something Wicked This Way Comes Tin Cow, 7 p.m. Official Pensacon Costume Contest Saenger Theatre, 8 p.m. Costume Contest After Party McGuire’s Irish Pub, 10:30 p.m. Jedi vs. Sith O’Riley’s, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY
Pensacon Short Film Festival Crowne Plaza Ballroom, 7 p.m. Gala-Fray Celebration Beef O' Brady’s, 7 p.m.
*Official events list is courtesy of Pensacon and can be found online at pensacon.com/official-pensaconevents 19
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calendar Hurrey, focuses on the artistic expression and amazing phenomenon of AfricanAmerican hair. First performed in 1997, Nappy Journeys is a wild ride with four of Hurrey’s very animated characters. Performed in the M.C. Blanchard Courtroom Theatre at the Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson. $15. pensacolalittletheatre.com THE SATS 9 p.m. The Sats with Whyte Caps and Moderate Chop. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $6. pensacolahandlebar.com
FRIDAY 2.27
Tedeschi Trucks Band
THURSDAY 2.26
“BASICS WITH BETSY” BASIC BLENDING 10
a.m. Learn the techniques of high powered blending to make healthy foods in this demonstration class led by culinary instructor Besty LeGallais. Enjoy samples of juice, soup, and ice cream. SoGourmet above Bodacious Olive, 407 S. Palafox. $5. sogourmetpensacola.com
“BASICS WITH BETSY” FREE DEMONSTRATION 2-3 p.m. SoGourmet Culinary instruc-
tor Betsy LeGallais will show you how to easily prepare Bodacious Olive’s most popular Bodacious Vinaigrettes and Dressings. SoGourmet above Bodacious Olive, 407 S. Palafox. $5. sogourmetpensacola.com WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Try something new every week at Aragon Wine Market’s regular wine tasting, only a few blocks from downtown. 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com 50 ITEM PANTRY PLAN 6-8 p.m. How would you like to be up close and personal with a Pensacola Cooks chef shopping for class ingredients and preparing recipes in the teaching kitchen? You will learn from Chef Nick Farkas how to shop like a chef to stretch your food dollars, while making wise food choices. Different items and new recipes are introduced each class. All recipes are based on basic 50 item pantry items
FOREVER DIETING?
plus ten seasonal, fresh items. Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. $30. pensacolacooks.com
PANHANDLE COMMUNITY THEATRE PRESENTS: NIGHT WATCH 7:30 p.m. In an upscale
apartment in New York City, heiress Elaine Wheeler suspects that everyone she knows is plotting against her: the butcher who delivers her meats, her housekeeper, the neighborhood police officer, her personal nurse, various neighbors, and of course her husband John. She is a chronic insomniac and sees things take place outside her window that, when investigated, do not appear to have happened. Every character in this thriller is under suspicion and until the end of the play, the audience cannot be certain of what is real and what is created by Elaine's paranoia. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Rd., Storage Masters Center, Pace. $9. For ticket reservations, call 221-7599 or email panhandle_community_theatre@yahoo.com. TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND 7:30 p.m. This 11-member collective is led by husbandwife duo Derek Trucks and Susan Tedesch. Pensacola Saenger, 118 S. Palafox. $39-69. pensacolassaenger.com NAPPY UP 7:30 p.m. Hurrey-UP’s solo performance production, Nappy Journeys, written, directed, and performed by Ayinde
PENSACON: PENSACOLA COMIC CON 1-7 p.m. Kinematic Entertainment’s Pensacon 2015 is an all-inclusive event that encompasses many genres of the fan community. Expect sci-fi, fantasy, horror, comics, anime, gaming, celebrity guests and much more. Pensacola Bay Center & The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 201 E. Gregory St. Single day tickets (excluding service fee): $30-$40; Three-day pass: $70. pensacon.com
“WINE WITH HILARY: THE FOOD” WINE TASTING AND EDUCATION GATHERING 3-4 p.m.
SoGourmet above Bodacious Olive, 407 S. Palafox. $25. sogourmetpensacola.com WINE TASTING AT CITY GROCERY 5-7 p.m. Out and about in East Hill on Friday night? Stop by City Grocery for their free weekly wine tasting before settling in or heading out for the night. 2050 N. 12th Ave. JEKYLL & HYDE 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Saenger, 118 S. Palafox. $48. pensacolassaenger.com PANHANDLE COMMUNITY THEATRE PRESENTS: NIGHT WATCH 7:30 p.m. In an upscale
apartment in New York City, heiress Elaine Wheeler suspects that everyone she knows is plotting against her: the butcher who delivers her meats, her housekeeper, the neighborhood police officer, her personal nurse, various neighbors, and of course her husband John. She is a chronic insomniac and sees things take place outside her window that, when investigated, do not appear to have happened. Every character in this thriller is under suspicion and until the end of the play, the audience cannot be certain of what is real - and what is created by Elaine's paranoia. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Rd., Storage Masters Center, Pace. $12. For ticket reservations, call 221-7599 or email panhandle_community_ theatre@yahoo.com.
NAPPY UP 7:30 p.m. Hurrey-UP’s solo performance production, Nappy Journeys, written, directed, and performed by Ayinde Hurrey, focuses on the artistic expression and amazing phenomenon of AfricanAmerican hair. First performed in 1997, Nappy Journeys is a wild ride with four of Hurrey’s very animated characters. Performed in the M.C. Blanchard Courtroom Theatre at the Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson. $15. pensacolalittletheatre.com THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD 7:30 p.m. The University of West Florida Department of Theatre presents a musical by Rupert Holmes. A murder has occurred, the culprit must be found; it is up to the audience to determine who did it. The time is the late 1800s; the place is London. The Theatre Royale Music Hall Company has decided to finish the last, unfinished work of Charles Dickens but they can’t do it alone. With a potentially different ending every night, the comedic musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” won multiple Tony awards during its Broadway debut. Combining the genre of murder mysteries with audience participation leads to a “jolly good time.” Mainstage Theatre, Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, UWF Main Campus, 11000 University Pkwy. $5-16; free for UWF students. To purchase tickets, call the CFPA Box Office at 857-6285 or visit uwf.edu/cfpa. BAD GIRLS BURLESQUE 8 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $15-60. vinylmusichall.com KRISTEN FORD 9:30 p.m. Kristen Ford (Boston) performs with local acts Mad Happy, and Flossie and the Fox. Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 101 S. Jefferson St. $5. sluggospensacola.com FORESEEN 9:30 p.m. Foreseen with Sacred and Perfect Dark. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $6. pensacolahandlebar.com
SATURDAY 2.28
PALAFOX MARKET 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques are just a few of the items offered at the weekly Palafox Market in Downtown Pensacola. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com
Personal Injury • Criminal Justice
TIME TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT FOOD. A LUMINOUS LIFE HYPNOTHERAPY
SUSAN DUNLOP, MA, CHT
INTERNATIONALLY CERTIFIED HYPNOTHERAPIST
850-346-7865 EAST HILL
www.luminouslifehypnotherapy.com February 26, 2015
127 Palafox Place, Suite 100 Pensacola, FL 32502 | 850-444-0000 www.stevensonklotz.com 21
calendar
Ears & Fingers by Jason Leger
Drake “If You’re Reading This, it’s Too Late” It’s too late.
TOO EARLY (AKA ON THE HORIZON):
Sufjan Stevens “Carrie & Lowell”
Sufjan Stevens refuses to be pinned down, pigeon-holed, or easily understood. Several years ago, between the first (and only) two albums of his 50 states series, Stevens released “Seven Swans,” which for all purposes was a neo-folk worship album. Call him a quiet little evangelical kid, and he will answer back several years later with “I’m not f*cking around.” Call him a simple singer-songwriter, and he will answer back with a symphony about the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Call him straight laced, and he will answer by being one-third of a hip-hop project with sexually charged lyrics and videos. I’m no longer prepared to call him anything that will make him want to upend our thoughts again, because, at least for the moment, he is back to writing simple folk music and I hope it lasts.
‘No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross’ is the first single from “Carrie & Lowell,” Stevens’ upcoming eighth studio album, and first to really exude pure simplicity since the aforementioned “Seven Swans” was released a decade ago. I can never and will never criticize Stevens for trying to find himself as a person, as an artist or within his faith. I just know stylistically speaking what I like the most from him, and this is the closest its come to it in some time. So I have extremely high hopes for “Carrie & Lowell” and for this return to (a) form for Stevens to usher in more great things in the future. “Carrie & Lowell” is out March 31 via Asthmatic Kitty Records.
from the clutches of the demented vulture that is Warner Bros!” This puts the release rights back in the hands of the brothers and their original label, Infinity Cat. The change also adds integrity to the band’s DIY and slacker mentality that has brought them acclaim thus far. JEFF the Brotherhood is definitely a band to keep an eye on in 2015 and in the future. “Wasted on the Dream” is out March 24 via Infinity Cat Recordings. Be sure to catch their set at Hangout Fest this year.
IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD:
Passion Pit returned last week with an enigmatic new single and the announcement of “Kindred,” their first new album since 2012’s “Gossamer.” The single was released via a very awkward video displaying the album art from “Kindred” in motion and the following day, a second single, ‘Where the Sky Hangs,’ was released as an instant download with a preorder of the new album. Check out ‘Lifted Up (1985)’ on YouTube or anywhere you stream music, and keep an eye out for “Kindred” which will be released April 21 via Columbia Records. {in}
JEFF the Brotherhood
TRACK OF THE WEEK:
Passion Pit ‘Lifted Up (1985)’
Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall have made a name for themselves by simply making grungy, sludgy, country-tinged alt-rock and touring extensively, which is something you can easily do when your whole band fits into a hatchback. The duo has been at it since 2001 and released seven fulllength albums, as well as several singles and splits with such notable acts as Best Coast and Ty Segall. Now, JtB are poised to release their eighth album, “Wasted on the Dream,” but have had some setbacks to get there. Originally the record was due to be their debut for Warner Bros Records, but last week an announcement on the band’s website said that they are “so F*CKING pleased” to announce that they have been “DROPPED JEFF the Brotherhood
THE COLOR VIBE 5K 9 a.m. Get blasted with color while you run The Color Vibe 5K. Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. $26-30. Register at thecolorvibe.com/pensacola.php I PINK I CAN RUN 4 MILE RUN 9 a.m. Hosted at the Flora-Bama Lounge by the Krewe Du Ya Yas’ Keeping Abreast Foundation, this second annual “I Pink I Can Run” 4-miler is dedicated to raising awareness in the community for breast cancer, and funds raised at this event will help further this mission. Flora-Bama Lounge, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. $30-35. kreweduyayas.com UKULELE CLASS 9:30 a.m. The Pensacola Ukulele Players Society (PUPS) meets every Saturday morning at Blues Angel Music, offering free ukulele lessons for both beginners and seasoned musicians. Loaner ukuleles are available for the sessions, which usually last an hour. Blues Angel Music, 657 N. Pace Blvd. bluesangelmusic.com PENSACON: PENSACOLA COMIC CON 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Kinematic Entertainment’s Pensacon 2015 is an all-inclusive event that encompasses many genres of the fan community. Expect sci-fi, fantasy, horror, comics, anime, gaming, celebrity guests and much more. Pensacola Bay Center & The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 201 E. Gregory St. Single day tickets (excluding service fee): $30-$40; Three-day pass: $70. pensacon.com KALIN AND MYLES: THE DEDICATION TOUR
7 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $2025. vinylmusichall.com
PANHANDLE COMMUNITY THEATRE PRESENTS: NIGHT WATCH 7:30 p.m. In an upscale
apartment in New York City, heiress Elaine Wheeler suspects that everyone she knows is plotting against her: the butcher who delivers her meats, her housekeeper, the neighborhood police officer, her personal nurse, various neighbors, and of course her husband John. She is a chronic insomniac and sees things take place outside her window that, when investigated, do not appear to have happened. Every character in this thriller is under suspicion and until the end of the play, the audience cannot be certain of what is real and what is created by Elaine's paranoia. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Rd., Storage Masters Center, Pace. $12. For ticket reservations, call 221-7599 or email panhandle_community_theatre@yahoo.com.
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calendar NAPPY UP 7:30 p.m. Hurrey-UP’s solo performance production, Nappy Journeys, written, directed, and performed by Ayinde Hurrey, focuses on the artistic expression and amazing phenomenon of African-American hair. First performed in 1997, Nappy Journeys is a wild ride with four of Hurrey’s very animated characters. Performed in the M.C. Blanchard Courtroom Theatre at the Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson. $15. pensacolalittletheatre.com THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD 7:30 p.m. The University of West Florida Department of Theatre presents a musical by Rupert Holmes. A murder has occurred, the culprit must be found; it is up to the audience to determine who did it. The time is the late 1800s; the place is London. The Theatre Royale Music Hall Company has decided to finish the last, unfinished work of Charles Dickens but they can’t do it alone. With a potentially different ending every night, the comedic musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” won multiple Tony awards during its Broadway debut. Combining the genre of murder mysteries with audience participation leads to a “jolly good time.” Mainstage Theatre, Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, UWF Main Campus, 11000 University Pkwy. $5-16; free for UWF students. To purchase tickets, call the CFPA Box Office at 857-6285 or visit uwf.edu/cfpa. BUMMER VACATION 9:30 p.m. Bummer Vacation (from Fort Worth) performs with local act Glare. Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 101 S. Jefferson St. $5. sluggospensacola.com
SUNDAY 3.1
PENSACON: PENSACOLA COMIC CON 10 a.m.
- 6 p.m. Kinematic Entertainment’s Pensacon 2015 is an all-inclusive event that encompasses many genres of the fan community. Expect sci-fi, fantasy, horror, comics, anime, gaming, celebrity guests and much more. Pensacola Bay Center & The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 201 E. Gregory St. Single day tickets (excluding service fee): $30-$40; Three-day pass: $70. pensacon.com
PANHANDLE COMMUNITY THEATRE PRESENTS: NIGHT WATCH 2:30 p.m. In an upscale
apartment in New York City, heiress Elaine Wheeler suspects that everyone she knows is plotting against her: the butcher who delivers her meats, her housekeeper, the neighborhood police officer, her personal nurse, various neighbors, and of course her husband John. She is a chronic insomniac and sees things take place outside her window that, when investigated, do not appear to have happened. Every character in this thriller is under suspicion and until the end of the play, the audience cannot be certain of what is real and what is created by Elaine's paranoia. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Rd., Storage Masters Center, Pace. $12. Limited seating. For ticket reservations, call 221-7599 or email panhandle_community_theatre@ yahoo.com. THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD 2:30 p.m.
The University of West Florida Department of Theatre presents a musical by Rupert Holmes. A murder has occurred, the culprit must be found; it is up to the audience to determine who did it. The time is the late 1800s; the place is London. The Theatre Royale Music Hall Company has decided to finish the last, unfinished work of Charles Dickens but they can’t do it alone. With a potentially different ending every night, the comedic musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” won multiple Tony awards during its Broadway debut. Combining the genre of murder mysteries with audience participation leads to a “jolly good time.” Mainstage Theatre, Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, UWF Main Campus, 11000 University Pkwy. $5-16; free for UWF students. To purchase tickets, call the CFPA Box Office at 857-6285 or visit uwf.edu/cfpa. BONE THUGS N’ HARMONY 7 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $25-30. vinylmusichall.com MYLO RANGER 10 p.m. Mylo Ranger with Cult Love and Ed Adams. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $6. pensacolahandlebar.com
students judge the winner of the face-off and enjoy eating the dessert varieties served with locally roasted and ground neon coffee. As with all Pensacola Cooks’ interactive classes, guests "learn by doing" with all kitchen tools and an apron provided, enjoy food prepared in class with a beverage, and receive class recipe cards. Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barrancas Ave. $20. pensacolacooks.com
MONDAY 3.2
TUESDAY 3.3
kitchen prepping with "Team No-Bake" or "Team Bake". Our culinary instructors, Kerry and Heather, share baking strategies to create the best of both the raw and the traditional dessert. Once the challenge is complete,
p.m. Featuring cream sauces with samples. SoGourmet above Bodacious Olive, 407 S. Palafox. $10. sogourmetpensacola.com STRUT YOUR MUTT 6:45 p.m. Join fellow dog owners for a 45-minute leisurely stroll in East Hill. Dogs must be leashed and well behaved.
RAW FOOD FACE-OFF: LIGHT FRESH SPRING DESSERTS 6-8 p.m. In this class, you're in the
UWF MUSIC HALL SERIES: JAMIE VAN EYCK
7:30 p.m. University of West Florida Music Department presents Jamie Van Eyck, mezzo soprano, as part of the Music Hall Artist Series. The performance will feature works by Debussy, Poulenc and Bernstein. UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, UWF Main Campus, 11000 University Pkwy. $5-16. For more information or to reserve tickets, call the CFPA Box Office at 857-6285 or visit uwf.edu/cfpa. DOWNTOWN BROWN 10 p.m. Downtown Brown with Your Captain Speaking, and Pool Shark. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $7. pensacolahandlebar.com
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calendar Owners should be prepared to pick up after the pets. Meet at the entrance of Bayview Park, 20th Ave. and E. Mallory St. TUESDAY NIGHT POETRY NIGHT AT SLUGGO’S
7 p.m. Free open mic poetry event every Tuesday. Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 101 S. Jefferson St. facebook.com/TNPNS DANCECRAFT SWING CLASS 7:30-9 p.m. This class teaches the skills necessary to become a practitioner of West Coast Swing,
arts & culture
≥current exhibits “MASK” AT ARTEL
Artel is excited to host its eighth annual "Mask” exhibit by Escambia County Schools students. Artel exhibits over 130 masks from 20 area schools. Two judges, Mary Anne Staples and Donna Harper, will select placement winners. On display through March 6. Gallery hours and location: TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.-4
February 26, 2015
p.m. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox, Old County Courthouse. artelgallery. org
“TAGGED, STUDENT ART AND DESIGN EXHIBITION” AT TAG UWF This exhibition
is an annual juried exhibition of UWF student work. Every year TAG and the Department of Art host this show in an effort to foster passion in the arts and the pursuit of artistic endeavor. Juried exhibitions are critical in an artist’s practice
a popular partner dance that can be enjoyed with virtually any kind of music. Additional classes and a social dance are held each Wednesday for a chance to put your skills to use. Tuesday class fee is $10 per person or free for people 30 years of age and younger. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com IT LIES WITHIN 8 p.m. The Handlebar, 319 Tarragona St. $8. pensacolahandlebar.com and development. On display through March 13. Gallery hours and location: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 12 - 4 p.m. TAG UWF, Building 82, 11000 University Pkwy. tag82uwf. wordpress.com PENSACOLA’S KREWE OF LAFITTE ILLUMINATED MARDI GRAS PARADE EXHIBIT AT THE WRIGHT PLACE GALLERY A Fine
Art Photographic Exhibit displaying the work of photographer and
Pace native, Frank Brueske. Brueske has captured the sights of the 2014 Krewe of Lafitte parade in more than 30 color prints. This is Brueske’s 15th solo exhibit, and his first entirely in color. On display through March 16. The Wright Place Gallery, 80 E. Wright St. frankbrueske.com
“METAMORPHOSIS: THE WORK OF CINDY MATHIS LEWIS”AT MAINLINE ART HOUSE Cindy
Mathis (Lewis) is a
Palafox. $15-18. vinylmusichall.com
WEDNESDAY 3.4
PASTA LA VISTA BABY LUNCH CLASS noon1:30 p.m. On the menu: Salt Cod Salad, Fra Diavlo, Key Lime Pie, and a complementary glass of wine. SoGourmet above Bodacious Olive, 407 S. Palafox. $35. sogourmetpensacola.com
SENSES FAIL: LET IT ENFOLD YOU: 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR 6 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S.
self-taught, multidisciplinary artist with an extensive background in both visual and applied arts. Best known for her soughtafter skills as a decorative artist, Cindy has executed murals, faux finishes and custom artwork for private residences and commercial entities across the United States, Costa Rica and Paris, France. “Kaleidoscopic Inks,” screen-printed works by Richard Humphreys also
remains on display. Gallery hours and location: Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mainline Art House, 442 S. Palafox. mainlinearthouse.com
“OBJECT: SCULPTURES, PRINTS, AND DRAWINGS” AT THE PMA Michael Boles,
Pensacola State College Professor of Art and active member of our community’s art scene, is exhibiting his body of work at the Pensacola Museum of Art
WEST COAST WEDNESDAYS 6:30 p.m. Learn
the West Coast Swing at this weekly class, which is followed by a social dance at 8:30 p.m. DanceCraft instructors are among the foremost experts in West Coast Swing in the Pensacola area. Wednesday classes are $10 per person and the social dance is $5 per. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. dancecraftfl.com through April 18. Exhibit includes work from the past ten years of Boles’s life. “Color of Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad” also remains on display through April 4. This exhibit displays a collection of 49 paintings, etchings and drawings by painter and printmaker, Joseph Holston. These works capture the
remarkable courage and determination of individuals during this period of American history. Gallery hours and location: TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for members, children 17 and under, seniors and active duty military. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org
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DIFFERENCE MAKERS Business, Community Leaders Honored at 55th Annual PACE Awards Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Contributions Made to the Greater Pensacola Region The Greater Pensacola Chamber announced its 55th Annual PACE Award recipients during a special one-night event at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front. Each year, the PACE Awards are given out to honor outstanding individuals in the community who have made significant contributions to Greater Pensacola’s overall economic progress. “Northwest Florida is home to some of the most dedicated, talented and selfless community leaders, and we want to ensure that we are recognizing the individuals who continue to make our region a better place,” said Greater Pensacola Chamber President & CEO Clay Ingram. Jonathan Griffith, the executive vice president of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, was named Emerging Leader of the Year for his involvement with growing and operating one of the most successful minor-league franchises in the nation. Former Oakcrest Elementary School principal Denny Wilson was honored as the Professional Leader of the Year for his efforts that eventually led to his school receiving an “A” rating for the first time in its history. Wilson was also named the Escambia County School District’s Principal of the Year in 2013. The Honorable Beverly Zimmern, a former mayor of Gulf Breeze, Fla., and the first female mayor in the two-county area, was named Community Leader of the Year. Zimmern oversaw a $17 million municipal budget, managed the City during several major disasters and developed a comprehensive master city plan that involves the replacement of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. Dr. Sunil Gupta, who is regarded as a top retinal surgeon, was named Business Leader of the Year for his research and clinical trials that have paved the way for several advancements in retina treatments and therapies worldwide. Eric Nickelsen was awarded the Spirit of Pensacola Award for his lifetime service to the local business and professional community. A key player in the merger between Whitney National Bank and Hancock Bank, Nickelsen is a founding partner of Sperry Van Ness - SouthLand Commercial Real Estate and continues to support several local nonprofits. And finally, The Honorable Jerry Maygarden was awarded the 2015 Pioneer Award for his distinguished, professional career and lasting impact to Northwest Florida. A former mayor of Pensacola, Maygarden served as a state legislator in the Florida House of Representatives, as well as the president & CEO of the Greater Pensacola Chamber.
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news of the weird NEWEST RIGHT The Utah Court of Appeals ruled in February that Barbara Bagley has a legal right to sue herself for her own negligent driving that caused the death of her husband. Typically, in U.S. courts, a party cannot profit from its own negligence, but Bagley is the official "representative" administering her husband's estate and has a duty to claim debts owed to the husband. Those debts would include "wrongful death" damages from a careless driver (actually, the careless driver's insurance company), even if the careless driver was herself. Of course, if her lawsuit is successful, the monetary award would become part of the husband's estate, a portion of which will likely go to her. HISTORICAL WEIRD Can't Possibly Be True: For a brief period in 1951 and 1952, an educational kit, the Gilbert Atomic Energy Lab, was for sale in the United States even though it came with testable samples of four types of uranium ore and three different radiation sources (alpha, beta, gamma). A surviving copy of the kit has been on display recently at the Ulster Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland, but the radioactive materials had to be removed before the kit could be shipped to Belfast. (The kit had failed to sell well; kids apparently preferred the company's erector sets.) INTELLIGENT DESIGN A 37-yearold Lancashire, England, businessman (identified in later news reports as Duane Walters), fearing surgery for suspected bladder cancer, was discovered to be cancer-free, but on the other hand, he was found to have a uterus, ovaries and cervix—even though he has fully functioning exterior male genitalia. He was referred to Manchester University Hospital for a hysterectomy (to prevent the possibility of pregnancy)—and was counseled that he might eventually become menopausal. His condition, "persistent Mullerian duct syndrome," is rare enough when diagnosed
by Chuck Shepherd
at birth but, according to experts cited by the Daily Telegraph, virtually unheard-of at age 37. Walters said he will continue living as a man. WAR IS HELL Least Competent Terrorists: (1) A recent YouTube compilation of footage gleaned from, in some cases, unedited ISIS promotion videos, claimed to show jihadists accidentally killing themselves. Several fighters in a group photo appear to be blown up when one of them fumblingly detonates a captured bomb, and one man was killed when he apparently tried to reload a mortar launcher too quickly. (2) London's Daily Telegraph reported in January that the "Darkshadow" jihadists from Tunisia and Ivory Coast, who had proclaimed their website-hacking would disrupt international travel, wound up taking down a site consisting merely of bus timetables in Bristol, England. Darkshadow's English translator also misspelled Muslim ("Muslum"). • Perspective: ISIS' very public recent executions of a Jordanian pilot and two Japanese citizens were met with starkly different reactions. In Jordan, King Abdullah II led his nation in a call for bloody revenge. In Japan (according to a February Associated Press dispatch from Tokyo), feelings were mixed because of "meiwaku"—Japan's cultural feeling that the dead victims (and their families) were "causing trouble" by placing themselves in harm's way. Said one man cited by the AP, "In the old days, their parents would have had to commit hara-kiri to apologize." In fact, both victims' families did repeatedly apologize for inconveniencing the government, which had warned citizens to stay away from the war zone. {in}
From Universal Press Syndicate Chuck Shepherd’s News Of The Weird © 2015 Chuck Shepherd
Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com
February 26, 2015
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Independent News | February 26, 2015 | inweekly.net
12/4/14 10:04 AM